8.4 miles!

Over the weekend, my husband and I watched the movie "Without Limits", again.  It is, in my opinion, the best movie about Steve Prefontaine.  If you haven't seen it, I highly suggest it, even if you're not a runner.  One of my favorite parts of the movie comes when Bill Bowerman (Nike co-founder) says the following while speaking at Pre's funeral: "In running, it isn't about winning the race.  It's about testing the limits of the human heart."

Today I put that to the test.  I have come to a turning point with my running - in my mind I've been hearing myself saying, "Do it or don't do it, but quit whining about it."  Today I decided to do it.  It's my husband's day off, so after I took the kids to school, I geared up and headed out for a run.  I wore my IT band/knee brace and my Zensah calf sleeves to help with the issues I've been having, and right from the start of my run, I used positive mantras and repeated words of affirmation in my mind.  I used words and phrases like: I believe, I am strong, my legs are fast, I've got this, I am fit, I feel good, this is fun, RUN, RUN, RUN!  Over, and over and over I repeated these things in my mind, sometimes even out loud...for a total of 8.4 miles, and I didn't walk even once!  When I got home and downloaded my Garmin info, I had averaged a pace of 11:21 min/mile for the whole run.  I am very pleased.  I even got a cat-call from some guy at a factory I ran by, and I was also offered a ride by some other weird guy - okay, maybe those aren't exactly good things, but hey, I'm being positive!  It may sound cheesy to some of you, but I have come to the conclusion that "winning" at something, in this example, running, is 90% mental, 10% effort.

After my run I did 30 minutes of Yoga for cool down and stretching.  I'm looking forward to a great week.  :)

Energy flows where your attention goes...

Well, I'm just going to start out saying that I did not get in my 20 miles this morning.  Going back and reading through my blog posts for the past week or so, I have to also say that I'm not surprised.  I didn't finish the 20 due to several external factors that are out of my control, and my initial reaction is to feel depressed and guilty about it, like I somehow failed because I didn't do exactly as my training schedule says.  But I realized this morning that I have been focusing way too much energy on the negative things going on lately, especially involving my running.  Yes, we had a huge snow storm yesterday that dropped several new inches of snow, and yes the temperatures then plummeted to around 10 degrees, with the wind blowing fiercely, and yes, I have been sick for over a week with a very annoying head and chest cold, and yes, my hip feels like it's going to crack and break at any moment, but I laced up my shoes, put on my YakTrax and headed out at around 7:30 this morning.  By about 8:30, my hip was just throbbing, and with every step I felt a jolt of pain shoot through my leg, and to exacerbate this fun, the wind was literally biting my face as I ran.  So I grabbed my cell phone, called my husband and he came and picked me up just as I reached mile 5.07.  I came in the house, fixed a big, icy cup full of hydration drink, then headed upstairs to the treadmill, where I walked for another hour, then I did 30 minutes on the elliptical.  All the while, though my hip was still hurting, I tried not to focus on it.  Instead I worked at focusing on the fact that I still have plenty of time to get in a legitimate number of long runs before the marathon, and I refuse to beat myself up over how things have been going.  On this blog, I have always felt it is important to be totally honest, for good or for bad, about how things go for each run or workout, but I'm starting to see that it has been somewhat to my detriment.  Always talking about how the weather holds me back, how I can't run the same on the treadmill, how much pain I have in my legs, how slow I am compared with all the other runners...it's got me focusing on all the wrong things.  Just a fair warning to my loyal readers, there may be a change coming.....

Another snow day.

The snow is coming down like crazy out there, luckily it is not  a run day for me.  I don't have time to do a lot on Friday mornings, because I have to take the kids to Cub Scouts.  But I was able to fit in 10 minutes of Yoga, then 30 minutes on the elliptical.  I had my daughter take a picture of me working out this morning because I wanted to show you all a new favorite find: these running shorts from Old Navy, http://oldnavy.gap.com/browse/product.do?cid=53935&vid=1&pid=810776&scid=810776002

You see, normally I am not a fan of shorts, especially not running shorts, which always seem to be so unforgiving.  These shorts have a 4 1/2" inseam, which gives a little more coverage in what I hate most about my body - my thighs - and they also have a wider than normal elastic waist band, which is actually very flattering for those of us with a short torso.  They are made of moisture wicking fabric and they even have a decent sized pocket on the inside of the waist.  Anyway, for $15, they are awesome.  I may have to order the pink pair, too.  Now, if only the weather would warm up so I could actually wear them on an outdoor run...

5 mile run ~ OUTSIDE!!

It literally feels like ages since I've gone on a decent run out on the road, but today I got lucky.  Well, sort of, I guess.  Yesterday my poor hubby tweaked his back while playing basketball and it was hurting so bad this morning he decided to stay home from work.  So, I feel bad that he's in pain, buy hey - him at home meant I got to go running!  I had to wear my YakTrax because we had a new skiff of snow on the ground, but I didn't care.  I just wanted to get out there.  I've also been nursing a (mild, but annoying) head cold for a few days, and this morning I woke up with a headache and neck/shoulder soreness which I think is partly due to being sick and not getting a good night's sleep.  These things made my run a little more unpleasant than it needed to be, but I did the 5 miles, and my leg didn't start to bother me until about half way.  When I got home, I stretched with about 10 minutes of Yoga, then used the foam roller on my hamstrings.

When I was on my run this morning, I saw a friend of mine and she pulled her car over to talk to me for a minute.  She is also a runner, and she and a group of people she runs with are all also training for the Ogden Marathon.  She and her group are doing an 18 miler on Saturday and she has been asking me to do it with them, since I am also scheduled for a long run on Saturday.  My schedule has me doing a 20 miler, but I could easily switch it to an 18, since I still have a couple more 20+ runs in my schedule before the marathon.  I have a dilemma, though.  Every time this friend asks me to run with her or her running group, I go through a process of mental and emotional anguish trying to make the decision whether to do it or not.  I have run with her once - a 22 miler during my training for Rim Rock last year, and we had a great time, but she is a lot faster than me and I felt like I was holding her back the whole time.  My dilemma is one of low confidence and self-doubt.  The runners in her group range in age from a 65+ year old guy who has been running marathons for lots of years, to other men and women in their late 20's and 30's, but all of whom are marathon veterans and all run sub 8 min/mile (I'm more like average 10-12 min/mile on long runs) - strong, fast, experienced.  Every time she (my friend) assures me that they all run their own paces, and that I shouldn't feel intimidated, but I do.  And beside that, I have become so accustomed to doing my runs solo, that it has become sort of cathartic for me.  It's a time I look forward to conquering my inner running demons without anyone else having to witness it.  So my mind is telling me that it would be good for me to run with the group, even if I tail the whole time, because it would motivate me to push harder and do my best, but my heart is fighting it and telling me to keep with my plan to run a 20 miler by myself this weekend.

So all of my runner friends out there: please weigh in on this topic.  Do you prefer running alone, with a friend or a group and why?  Any suggestions on how I can overcome my fear and feelings of inadequacy?  Sometimes I think it's just something that will have to come with time.  The reality is, I've only been a "runner" for a little over a year, so I don't yet consider myself one of "them".  I'm just out there to challenge my mind and body, and for someone like me, a former non-athletic mom of four small kids, it doesn't take much to present that challenge or hurdle.  One step at a time....

Thank you.

I guess I'm pretty lucky, because Mother Nature has made my decision-making easy so far this week.  After more snowfall yesterday, I knew I couldn't do my run pushing the jogger, so I stayed indoors for today's workout.  Just for fun, I even sported some shorts instead of my usual running pants, you know, to feel a little "Springy".  I started out doing 30 minutes on the elliptical, then I did a 30 minute interval run on the treadmill, then back on the elliptical for another 15 minutes, and lastly 30 minutes of Pilates.  My dang hamstring/hip/IT band/sciatic nerve issue is still flared, but I've been working on doing additional stretches throughout the day to help keep it loose.  I read an article on Active.com yesterday about a great stretch for hamstrings, etc., a stretch that I actually do almost everyday before working out or running.  After reading the article I realized it might be more beneficial if I held the stretch longer and did it more often, so that's what I'll try.  I'm a little worried that I haven't been getting in the mileage, as per my training schedule, but I am also aware that the most important aspect of marathon training is the long run.  With my long run of this week scheduled for Saturday morning, when my husband will be home to watch the kids, I am determined to keep that part of my schedule as a constant.  In other words, come Hell or high water (as my mother always used to say), I will be doing a 20 miler this weekend!

The road to where is paved with good intentions?

Today is the first day of my new schedule, that is, the first day I'm having to work around my husband's work schedule since he's switched to day shift.  I woke with the best of intentions in my heart.  My training schedule had me doing a 7 mile run today, and even though my leg is still hurting me a little, I had decided before even going to bed last night that I was going to try to run.  I took the kids to school, then drove by the park on my way home to make sure the path around the park was cleared off and that I could push the jogger without problems.  From where I was, all I could see was asphalt, so I figured it'd be fine.  I went back home, bundled Nick up in warm clothes and a couple of blankets, got all my gear on and headed out.  I walked to the park as a warm-up, then as soon as I got there I started my run.  My leg was feeling a pinch (I'm starting to wonder if it isn't a sciatic nerve issue, because it starts up at the backside of my hip and runs down the back of my leg), but I kept running anyway and had hopes that as I warmed up, it was loosen and feel better.  At the point that the path makes a turn to go along the far side of the park, I was (not so) happy to see that the path was completely covered with a layer of iced over snow.  Even worse, it looked like lots of people had walked on the path when the snow was melting, and now being frozen it made a bumpy, treacherous surface for me to try and push the jogging stroller on.  I was very disappointed, but I knew I couldn't run the 12 or 13 laps it would've taken me to get my 7 miles in with half of each lap on that ice.  I finished one lap and came back home, which basically got me one mile in.  Then I jumped on the treadmill and did 45 minutes, followed by another 30 minutes on the elliptical.  The really frustrating part is that the actual roads are clear, which means that if my husband had been home to watch Nicolas, I could have just done my 7 miles on the road.  Oh, well.  Right now I'm needing to nurse my pain, anyway.  I think I might do some Yoga now.

Continuation.

This morning when I woke up and realized my hip was still not feeling too great, I decided to give things another day or two to heal.  Instead of doing the 5 mile run I had on my schedule, I did 10 minutes of Yoga, followed by 30 minutes on the elliptical and then a 10 minute walking cool-down on the treadmill.  This ought to be an interesting week.

Saturday workout.

This morning I started my day with a nice, brisk 35 minute walk at the park.  After that I did the 30 minute Yoga Meltdown DVD, and then I spent some time using the foam roller trying to work the tightness out of my hamstrings and glutes.

Weekends are kind of blah.

Though I wasn't completely slothful today, for some reason I felt like I was.  This morning I did 45 minutes of Yoga, but the rest of the day I spent cleaning the house, doing laundry, taking care of ill kids, or laying on the bed feeling listless.  Now as I sit here at the computer contemplating an early bedtime, I feel bloated and sluggish.  It's only been two days of no running, but I honestly hope my aches and pains leave me soon so I can get back to a regular running schedule; I don't like taking time off, even when I know it's the best thing to do at the time.  At least the next couple of days we have "stuff" going on and hopefully it will be a good enough distraction.  Also weighing on my mind is the fact that next week my husband's work schedule is changing and he will be working weekday day shift.  Basically what that means for me is that I will only have the options of running at the park with Nicolas in the jogger, which will obviously depend on full cooperation of Mother Nature, or using the treadmill on the days I have runs scheduled when he is working.  I suppose another option would be to do my runs in the evenings on those days, but I much prefer running first thing in the morning, so I don't know how that would go.

Decisions.

Yesterday I had a good talk with my friend and running mentor (who is also a physician, incidentally) with regards to my current training schedule and how things have been going for me this time around.  He and I will be running the Ogden Marathon together, which gives me an additional motivation to do my best.  I've come to the realization that my body is trying to tell me to let up a little.  If I'm going to be able to run the remainder of my training long runs and make an improvement to my marathon time, I have to let my hip/ leg issues heal.  This week is a recovery week, so I'm going to take advantage of the opportunity to "rest" from running without feeling guilty about it.  My friend reminded me that I have plenty of training time left before the marathon, so I really need to let my body fully recover and heal.  I will still be doing some cross training workouts, and I also (finally) picked up a  foam roller so I can do some self-massage on my hamstrings and IT bands,etc.  Now I will keep my fingers crossed that taking this short break from the repetitiveness of running will be enough to give me a fresh start come next week.

So, with that said, this morning I did 35 minutes of Pilates, followed by 40 minutes on the elliptical.  I'll probably be using the elliptical a lot, because it is a good low-impact cardio workout.