Variables

she helps me ice correctly

Another crazy week here at work = no blogging:(  I am kind of sad because i miss it.  I have been waaayyyy to into my head lately and need to get my thoughts out.  So here it is.  My leg started really bothering me monday.  I figured it was from my 11 miler on saturday, as that would be two days post.  I respected it, took a rest day (mondays are my rest day anyway) and felt 100% better on tuesday.  I had hill repeats, 10 to be exact, and I ran over to my hill and did them and ran back. I had some pain, not localized, on and off during the repeats but nothing specific and nothing that made me worry.  Then wednesday came and I was on my feet ALL day at work, and the pain just kept getting worse and worse.  I had just switched out my shoes as they had hit over 400 miles, had also just completed my first 100 mile month and have just hit 200 miles for the year a week into march.

Did this picture jinx me?

SO. MANY. VARIABLES.  This scientist is going crazy right now.  My ankle hurts on and off all of the time but I ice it and take care of it.  This is different.  I don't think it is my old injury, it feels more muscle, but it is pretty much my entire lower leg.  I have an appointment with the master of pain monday and monday can't come soon enough.

Happy to be biking as cross training but would rather be running

I did a bike ride yesterday versus my 6 miler and rested on wednesday versus my 4 miler.  I do have a race this weekend, and I am still on slate to do this race.  I want to dress up and have fun and be silly.  I never get to do that.  I hope I don't regret this wish.  I probably won't do a long run the sunday either and will if I run next week, stick to just easy mileage.  I am hoping that this is nothing that  a good deep tissue massage can't fix.  It does seem to respond somewhat to advil and my compression socks.  I have been on my feet at work way more than normal so I am hoping that is why the pain comes and goes all day.  Okay enough of me freaking out.

These things happened this week:

EEEKKKK!  I got into the lottery!  I literally sat here till the link when live and hit send as soon as it did.  Still took about 15 minutes to get everything in (and I almost missed a work meeting entirely, yikes).

I also went ahead and entered Chicago.  Hopefully I will get into one.  If not, may just do Wichita Prairie Fire marathon.  Haven't done much running down in that area so would be new and fun.

So, I am really hoping my body cooperates.  I need to put in a fair amount of mileage to get to my goal of a marathon and if my body can't handle 30 miles a week now, how in the hell am I going to handle marathon training???  I want this so bad, so I will make it work some how.  

I am pretty stubborn like that.  I won't give up.  I don't want to be a wuss about my leg, yet I don't want to ignore pain like I did last time and have to be out almost 2 months from running, especially during the spring and right before my 4 half marathons.  I can stop the hard work outs.  While I really, really enjoy being pushed, maybe I need to back up and re evaluate how much.  I admit, I was initially scared that I not only had two speed work outs a week and speed work during my long run, but I grew to love it.  I grew to love pushing my body and meeting my goals, well when I wasn't sickly with this stupid cold that is still ever so slightly lingering.  Anyway, I know, verbal diarrhea going on right now but I am scared.  I don't want to be back in the boat I was in after my first 25 K.

Okay done.  I leave you with a picture of our first snake sighting of the year.  Why these guys love my yard so much, I haven't a clue

The Runs

I am so excited that spring is finally kind of here!  My tulips are coming up and my bushes are starting to bud out.  The warmer temps are really, really motivating to get out and pound some pavement.  Sometimes the cold weather is just a kick in the gut to the motivation for sure.  Here are my weekly runs for my coach.  I am still harboring this stupid cold and am still coughing.  This is the cold that never ends.

She drafts off of me when it is very windy.  Very smart runner is she

Monday:Rest/hip strengthening exercises

Tuesday: hip strenghtening exercises, Tempo run, 5 minute warm up, 10 minute easy, 15 minutes at 6.4, 1% incline, 5 minute easy, 15 minutes at 6.4, 1% incline, 10 minutes easy, 5 minute cool down.  Still getting better at doing speed work on the treadmill.  During the second tempo, with about 5 minutes to go, Andrew decided to join me, so had to stop till daddy could come and get him.  Leg hurt after this one so lots of ice.

Wednesday:Recovery run on the dreadmill again plus hip strengthening exercises.  4 miles at 5.4, 1% incline.  Again, leg and ankle hurt after this so lots of ice.

Thursday: Was suppose to do 6 800 meter repeats at my normal pace of 8:00.  Due to violent coughing and no clear lungs, got 4 in and ran home with my tail between my legs.  Hip strengthening exerices

Friday:Rest

Saturday: Long run, 5 minute warm up, 3x 4/1, 20 min easy pace, 35 min at goal HMP (9:30), 25 min easy pace, 3x4/1 run/walk, 5 minute walk to cool down.  I was really worried about the speed work again since my chest does not seem to be clear.  Other than a few coughs, I was fine.  The wind was a little bit much, coming from the south and east but heck, that will be the direction for my first half so going to have to deal with it anyway.  Did feel a little bit more tired after this much speed work during the run so only got about 10.5 miles in without the warm up/cool down and a total of 11 with the warm up and cool down.  This was a good confidence boost though.  I was able to maintain and not feel like I was dying.  I also was able to gel with no problems during the work out.  I did fuel twice during this run.

Sunday:Recovery run with a friend.  We took it easy and talked for 6 miles.  Felt great but did NOT push it, let our conversation set the pace.  


M=Rest
Tues=5.3 miles
Wed=4 miles
Thurs=5.05
Friday=off
Saturday=11
Sunday=6

31.35 total miles!

Have a great week everyone!

Random before my run

Feeling better today.  Got some family matters discussed and out on the table.  That always makes me feel so better.  I don't like confrontation but I do like discussing the matter at hand and being honest about it.  Woke up with a cough again this morning but I am going to do my long run no matter what.  I swallowed the horse pill Musinex DM and am going to give it a couple of hours to work before I run.  Here is some random stuff for you this beautiful Saturday morning.

Yesterday the weather was so spring like and so perfect that we just had to go get mini shakes from Sonic on the way home from preschool.  Some days, ice cream before dinner is just a must

I love living a block away from the most awesome city park ever.  We followed ice cream  up with a nice long session in the park.  Trying to get the family to commit to walk across Kansas that includes 20 minutes of walking EVERY DAY.  I think they can do it!

I have never done the local St Pat's day race but have always wanted to.  This year, they are having an option that includes the 2 mile run and the 10 K.  Since I am crazy,  I had to sign up for this option and convinced a fellow local runner, Mel G to also sign up. We are going to have matching outfits:)

It amazes me that 6 dogs get a long in a house together.  Other than little spats that are normal, they all get along really, really well.  

It was a good week at work.  This is a pellet of nuclei from a plant called Amborella.  That is a ton of nuclei and that means success!!!!

Well off to get ready for my long run!  Hoping to get at least 11 miles in today!  Have a great weekend and enjoy the weather!

Happy birthday Harley man and oh, some dreadmilling

Kind of in a weird place right now.  Stressed about family and not sure how much to write about it and how much to keep to myself. I am a talker when it comes to problems.  I always feel that sharing about problems is the best for me, one, to get out of my own head, and two, because many people have great ideas on how to solve problems based on their own life experiences.  That is just the kind of person I am, while others keep it in, I put it all out there.  I do feel like the strain of all of it and the fact that I can not kick this cold is really affecting my runs.  I can't seem to get away from thinking about all of it  no matter what I do.  As I said earlier, this verison of cold going around wamego and manhattan has been lasting up to 4 weeks and I am at the end of my third, beginning of fourth.  I did think it was almost gone and had been using musinex DM, which had been helping, but for what ever reason, last night it made yet another stand during my 800 meter repeats.  Now today, I feel like I am back at day 1, coughing, snotty, and sinus headaches galore.  So how has my week been going by thus far with running you ask?

Well there has been alot of dreadmilling.  My hubby has been working late and while I will run late at night during the summer, right now I am in the mode of run after work.  I did one of my tempo runs on the mill this week and one of my recovery runs.

Yes, I run in the dark, Weird right?  There are lights behind me and to the right of the mill, but they just don't show up

I am pleasantly shocked to say that I did not die during my prescribed tempo run.  I was able again to hit the high to middle end of my pace range, and hold it there for the amount of time I needed to get done.  The second round was not as good, as Andrew had decided he wanted to run on the mill with me, and I had to stop almost at the end to ensure daddy had him, and he was not in fact going to join me.  I wish we had the mill where I could shut a door or block him from being near it, but it is residing in our dining room right now, and our lower level of our house is a pretty much open floor plan.  While it is nice because I can get him a snack and cue up netflix for him to watch while I run and I can see him, if he so chooses to get up, and come see me, I pretty much have to slow down or stop to make sure he doesn't try and get on with me.  I was for sure sore after running on the dreadmill but very, very happy that I am slowly getting use to doing faster work on it.

My second run on the mill was my recovery run and boy did I take it slow.  Been reading a lot about how slower is better for recovery, so I took that very literally.  Hubby had just walked in as I was getting on the mill, and I had a split second thought about changing clothes and doing this run outside, but oddly chose to just get it done on the mill.  Needless to say, stella and Deuce are very put out that I would choose the mill over outside.  I am really glad that warmer weather is on it's way so at least if I don't have a baby sitter that I at least can take andrew too if need be in the jogging stroller.  

The moon rise was amazing last night, too bad this picture is so crappy!

Last night's run was the worst though.  Headed out to do 800 m repeats.  Honestly, this is probably my least favorite of all speed work (well, behind a pace run), but I had put them off last week due to this cold and stupidly thought after not having any issues during my tempo run ( a pace of 9:20 versus a pace of 8-8:10) that I would be okay.  I did also get a very nice present from my monthly friend yesterday and was quite crampy and crabby, but I felt like I needed to just buck up and get it done.  I warmed up fine and proceeded to do my first repeat.  As soon as I hit my 800 meters I started violently coughing, so much so that I threw up.  At that point, I should have just recovered, run to my 2.5 mile turn around and came back, but I am a dummy and decided to try one more time.  I did better this time coughing wise, but I just could not get and hold onto my prescribed pace.  I was hitting in the 8:20s instead, and it was defeating me.  I have never had trouble hitting 8s for my 800 meter repeats.  I felt like my chest was very congested, and that I just didn't have the lung room I needed to really push.  After four failed attempts to hit pace, and four attempts at trying to keep something in the low 8s, I just couldn't do it anymore.  I walk recovered and then hit the road home.  I finished with 4 repeats and a spread of paces from 8:17 all the way to an 8:32.  I finished up with five miles total, but I felt very defeated.  I guess the good news is that I have more to worry about at home and I couldn't really grovel in my failure, so I have put it out of my mind.  I am looking forward to my long run this weekend, and  I am going to start taking all of the medicines I was previously taking and assume that I am still not 100%.  I still have a week to go I guess, to truly have this a full four weeks as everyone has said they have had it.  I just need to be well before my first half on the 28th.  

And now for some good things to end this on a good note:)  Deuce continues to do better and better.  His coat is finally coming back and he is looking so beautiful once again.  He is gaining weight and looking like what a real aussie should.  He is still running with us as long as it is less than 5 miles.  He is also bummed that I have chosen the dreadmill over him and stella.  We were invited to come to an agility class, and while I don't think I can come every week, I hope to get to drop in some as I can.  

We also celebrated Harley's 12th birthday!  I think (and  hope) my dogs live forever!  Harley, while a sometimes challenging dog with regards to his odd fears and his desire to escape even the best dog pens money can buy, has been an amazing dog to have in our household.  He introduced me to many other dog sports including obedience, herding, rally, and tracking and while we never competing in those events, I have had fun learning with him.  I have learned many lessons of what not do to do as a trainer, as well as what to do, and we even have had a win in the conformation ring together (and I had NO clue what the hell i was doing at all;).  He also has been the most amazing demo dog when we have visited the children's camp we go to.  Not only did he do countless agility demos but was more than willing to let the kids throw the frisbee to him over and over and over and over.  I love you Harley man!!!!  While we haven't achieved all of our goals we have set forth, we still have had a hell of time trying:)

The Runs

Okay still like that title LOL!  Before I talk about my runs for my coach, please check out www.gypsyrunner.com.  This is one of my favorite running stores for super cute themed clothes that are functional.  I met them at my very first half marathon in St. Louis and I keep ordering more and more from them.

I already have one running skirt from them with the sugar skulls design, that I so dearly love and I knew I wanted this one too for the dog runs stella and I do together.  It just so happened that this design is going on sale so I HAD to order one.  If it is on sale, I NEED it:)

I also ordered from Road Runner sports for the first time this week.  I am addicted to my shoe, the vomero 8s and since they are last year's model and the beginning of last year's release at that, I am having to order them.  Last time I got them from Amazon, but this time, they were out of my size from all of their sources.  I found them and some even older versions on road runner sports and at amazing prices!  Plus they have a VIP club that looks like it is totally worth it for the discounts you get.  I am seriously watching a couple of running vests that I so want to see if they drop in price:)

Well, this week has been yet again the week of the cough.  I had decided to not push any speed work because I cough the most when I get hot.

Monday-Was suppose to do 800 meter repeats.  Instead did 5 miles of easy running.

Tuesday-off-first PTO meeting with our preschool.

Wednesday-4 miles on the dreadmill.  Tried running for 9 minutes and walking for one and keeping the incline down to 1%.  During the nine minutes, 3 were at 5.3, 3 were at 5.4, and 3 were at 5.5 or even up to 5.6.  Kept me from loosing my mind.  I didn't have a baby sitter so I also had to get off a few times to make sure andrew was behaving.

Thursday-Again was suppose to do speed work, my tempo run, but opted for just another 5 mile run.

Friday-rest day

Saturday-10 miles in the snow, no speed work

Sunday-1 hour of running with a five minute warm up and cool down at a brisk walk within that 1 hour


M=5.02
T=off
W=4.14
Th=5.02
F=off
Sat=10.21
Sun=5.34

Total=29.73

I have started doing the hip strengthening exercises found in the recent copy of runner's world.  I am on week one.  I will probably do it monday through friday (while at work) and take sat and sunday off.  I am still hoping to get back to the pool someday soon:)

This whole week I  have not been 100% and still do NOT feel 100%, with today probably the worst.  After polling FB i have heard it takes 3 to 4 weeks to get over this and monday starts my 3rd week. Sigh.  I would love just one night of good sleep with no coughing interruptions.  That would help tremendously.  I would also like it if I could stop swallowing and coughing up so much snot but I am very glad it is coming out of my lungs and not residing in there.

Snow run, FINALLY!

I finally got my wish!  A snow run and a long run at that!

And I finally got to try out my YakTrax!  Had them since christmas and hadn't gotten to use them.  

Let's just say that I LOVE them.  They made running in the snow SO much easier!  I can't wait to take them back out again tomorrow when we have even more.  

Hi snow cows!  The snow was coming from the south and east and yep, my normal long run route goes mostly east and south.  I need to invest in some snow googles I guess because my glasses kept fogging over and then freezing.  I would have to put them in my pocket to warm them up and get the ice off of them.

Snow flakes up your nose and in your eyes hurt!  We are suppose to get around 6 or so inches and I am super excited to get more snow runs done.  We got all of our normal weekend stuff done last night  just in case, so we are good to go if we are stuck inside all weekend.  I needed to do speed work during my long run, and while I pushed as hard as I could, I still couldn't hit the paces I needed to.  Blame it on the snow, or the fact that I didn't really fuel properly last night (we had chinese while out shopping because andrew suddenly LOVES sweet and sour chicken) or maybe the fact that I was up coughing last night more than I have been all week.  Whatever it was, I am proud of the effort I tried to put in, and the fact that I got 10 miles done.  

And I am super excited about this!!!!!  I never thought I would be able to hit 100 in a month again.  While my ankle is bothering me, I do think that is treadmill related and not related to the number of miles I ran this month.  

a quick check in

What a crazy week at work again!  I haven't had much time to sit down at all and my nights seem to be just as equally hectic.  I am seriously thinking about investing in a laptop so I can blog at night in bed.  Those few minutes when everyone is settled and ready for sleep seem to be the only minutes I have left to do anything.  Seriously, moms of more than one,I don't know how you do it!

Almost 100 miles this month and it is a short month!

Running has been okay this week, mostly just getting mileage and not doing intense speed work as set forth for my plan.  I just can't seem to kick this cold completely. I put it out on FB as this cold/virus has been going around most of  KSU lately, and I got tons of, oh it lasts 3-4 weeks at least.  Sigh.  I don't have three to four weeks to give so I am being cautious and just doing mileage at this point.  I gave up my long run last weekend because I felt really, really bad, and i knew it was not a good idea.  While my coughing is minimal now and mainly when I get hot or wake up in the morning, I am still going to be cautious this weekend and just do an easy paced long run.  I just might get my wish too to use my Yaktrax that i got for christmas!  I sure do love snow runs so kind of excited for this! I did get on the dreadmill again this week, and did 4 miles on it of 5.4, 5.5, 5.6 intervals at 1% incline.  Every three minutes I increased the speed and that seemed to keep me from going insane.   I still hate the treadmill but definitely appreciate it when I can't get outside or have a baby sitter.

I am not getting as many cool pictures during my run since it is actually quite chilly out now so I will leave you with some random pictures of andrew:)

These are two of my favorite pictures.  I have to say, we are in the midst of potty training and this has been way easier than I ever imagined.  I had pictures of us holed up in the bathroom for several days on end with gnashing of teeth and accidents all over the place, but it has been a breeze.  He still occasionally has accidents but pretty much is 100% in regular thomas undies now.  I am so grateful to our preschool for starting the process and maintaining it during the day.  

Will check back after my long run!  Hoping for some snow!!!!