THOU SHALT BE A COMEBACK

8:38 average pace.  Lots of blustery wind.  It is that time of year in Kansas.  Pretty tired, did not make it home until 2am last night and couldn't sleep well and then Vanessa was having trouble last night and was permanently up at 6:45am.  Hopefully I get off work in time tonight and get some more sleep before attempting one last 20.

8:42 average pace. Took it nice and easy and comforable for the whole run. Done. Yeah!!!! I made the deal with myself that if I finished this run and wasn't limping, I would go register for the marathon. So I finished without a limp, and now it is official--I have registered for the wichita marathon on October 18th and I have a bib! Left hip is bothering me but nothing a taper won't take care of right? I am going to taper for this in the hopes that my nagging aches and pains go away. Injury assessment time:

During the run my right foot(plantar fascitis) was fine, I can tape it and forget it.

Left hip was bothering me, not enough to alter form, but it bothered me until about mile 10 when it suddenly stopped. A little bit of ITB pain to the l knee for several miles which also resolved. Suddenly felt great at mile 18(huh?) and had a burst of energy. Last two miles were the best! Finished feeling good. Walked into the house without limping. Hip didn't really start bugging until I had been sitting in the car for a while.

Fuel: got up, ate a piece of peanut butter toast, dressed and taped, and out the door I was. Downed some gatorade 4 or 5 times starting at mile 4. One quick pody squat. Never felt like I was crashing or hitting a wall. Hopefully I feel that way at mile 25 in the marathon.

Alrighty then.

Good like to everybody at their marathons this weekend! I know there are a lot of bloggers headed to St. George and I will be eagerly awaiting race reports tomorrow!!!

6 super easy at 9:18 pace.  I wasn't sure if running the day after a long run was a good idea, but I needed a fix of peace and quiet so out the door I went.  My legs are not sore at all and I felt fine.  Surprising, but rather nice.  I can't wait for some St. George race reports to start coming in so I can read them!  

AHHHHHHHHH!  So I was standing around at a birthday party yesterday afternoon when I got a little ache in the heel of my other foot, so I just ignored it and went on my way but by last night it became quite apparent to me that I am developing plantar fascitis in my other foot!  PLANTAR FASCITIS IN BOTH FEET!  ARE YOU KIDDING  ME! Can I run a marathon with both feet taped?  Does that make me even?  Well I guess my gait won't be uneven I will have a double-hobble....Iced it last night and started on some motrin, maybe, just maybe, I have caught it early enough I can halt the progress. ...Will see how the run goes tomorrow.

8:28 average pace.  Taped both feet and ran in new shoes--the same kind I always get except they are gel equation 3 instead of 2 because nobody has the 2 anymore.  They feel the same so I should be okay.  Had a hard time getting the coordination to tape the other foot.  Felt weird twinges in my left ankle.  Left hip is doing well.  Right foot is the same as always and left foot is trying to get full-blown plantar fascitis and I am trying to stop it.  I don't know if this is mostly psychological or if my body really is falling apart now that I have paid my non-refundable entry fee.  Am visiting the chiropractor today.  Aside from new heights of injury paranoia, the run felt good and went well.  My energy levels are good.

7:57 average pace.  Pressed for time today.  Woke up this morning and my daughter had a red rash all over her face and trunk and her poor face was swollen and puffy.  I didn't like the look of that and called the doctor and begged to get her squeezed in.  Gave her benadryl and motrin while I waited and it didn't seem to help the rash much although she was acting fine--ate a big breakfast and played like normal--didn't appear to be in any distress.  Well turns out she has strep throat, which is very unusual for a child her age but with all her siblings at home not unheard of.  Anyways got home from the doctor and got her settled in.  Had a little time to run--pushed the last mile a little so I could beat the 8:00 girl when I glanced and saw I was close.  Injury assessment:  left foot ghost plantar fascitis is gone.  hope it stays gone.  right foot plantar fascitis is there and holding steady as always.  Left hip is bugging a little but not bad.  I have another chiropractor appointment tomorrow to work on that hip.  He says my SI joint is inflamed and I have some sciatica but sees no reason for me to stop running.  At least I ran with only one foot taped today.

9:07 average pace.  Took it very easy.  Quite chilly this morning.  Injury assessment:  left foot ghost plantar fascitis still gone.  right foot maintaining.  left hip bugging a bit today. Maybe the chiropractor can help

Vanessa is doing better with her scarlet fever, but the rash has her wanting to scratch herself a lot.

8:08 average pace.  What a great day!  Hopped out of bed and not a creak from my right foot(nor my left).  Had to run brisk to squeeze between thunderstorms.  Ran mile 7 in 7:22 and mile 8 in 7:00 to stretch the legs a little.   Injury assessment:  left foot--fine, nothing wrong.  right foot-just a hint of PF, the best it has been in months.  Left hip--just a tad achey while sitting down now--no problems during the run.  I have always been skeptical of chiropractors but after yesterday's appointment and feeling so good today I am starting to wonder...

8:34 average pace.  Exhausted.  Got home late, only 4 hours of sleep, up very early and off to Hutchinson for a clinical.  On my feet all day.  Came home and went for a run.  It was deliciously cold but pretty soon the I-am-too-tired-already-paid-my-nonrefundable-entry-fee-for-marathon-only-9-days-away-super-injury-paranoia kicked in.  I'm pretty sure everything was falling apart.  Achilles, plantar fascia, knees, hips, there is something wrong with everything.  Too psychologically anxiety provoking so I abandoned ship and came home to lay around with the kids.  Injury assessment:  too numerous to count.  Good night everybody I need some sleep.

a.m.  Fall festival in Rose Hill today.  Nick ran the mile and I ran the mile with Vanessa in the stroller.  Warmed up about a quarter mile and then a brisk 6:40ish mile.  Temps in the 30's today it is COLD.  Nick did really good- the fourth graders got a trophy for having the most participants and Nick got a medal!  I opted out of the 5k because the temptation to run hard and compete would have been too much and it is too close to the marathon. I just wanted to have fun.  Afterward we watched the parade(a LONG parade and they threw a LOT of candy and now I have to sneak around and throw most of it in the dumpster when the kids aren't looking--I do it every Halloween too)

p.m.  6.83, 8:09 average pace.  Felt great--I really do like running in the cold weather.  Long sleeves, pants, earwarmers and gloves.  If it is this cold for the marathon that is okay with me.

I feel terrible.  Runny nose, exhausted.  David is having problems with his back and couldn't get off the couch all weekend.  Between schoolwork, chasing children, trying to clean the house, work, and going to visit relatives from out of town I am about to drop.  After a whopping 5 hours of fitful sleep I got the kids off to school,  took my husband to the doctor, picked my cousin and his wife up for brunch and spent time with them, then dropped them off and settled in my daughter before getting dressed and dragging to work.  Any point in squeezing a run in when I am exhausted and sick and 6 days away from a marathon? Nah.  Off to work and hope I don't collapse.

8:18 average pace early in the morning this am.  felt pretty good,  mostly just lots of little phantom pains but I survived.  Runny nose is gone.  Aside from being tired, I actually feel okay.  Will be aiming for lots of sleep tonight and just however many slow miles tomorrow feels nice.

8:38 average pace.  Felt pretty good, aside from all the phantom twinges and tweaks I am experiencing 24-7.  Hip and foot are doing well.  So, on Sunday it is supposed to start at 35 degrees and end up in the 60's.  What DO you wear? Shorts and a parka?

8:17 average pace.  Dress rehearsal day.  What a get-up.  Black shorts, aqua tank top, arm warmers made by cutting the feet out of my husband's old issue green army socks, pink headband-earwarmer thing, and pink gloves. It is the ultimate mismatch but everything is comfortable and non-chafing and the arm warmers worked fantastic-thanks for the idea Allie!  Warmed up a few miles than practiced running 8:00 pace since this is target pace for the first portion of the race.  Hit 3 miles right on the nose--8:01,8:02,7:59.  It felt easy so I guess that is good.  I am going to think of the race as 4 5-mile segments followed by a 10k race.  So 3 5 mile runs and then a 5 mile warm-up for the 10k race.  Hip and foot held up well.  Hope they continue to hold up well through 26.2 miles.  I suspect that hard asphalt will have my foot angry by the end but hopefully it is tolerable.

No run today.  Less than 48 hours out and I have butterflies in my stomach!  It was nice to sleep in and eat breakfast with my family.  The kids don't have school today so we are all  hanging out and being bums!  Working on making sure I am well hydrated!   Hip and foot aren't really complaining at all.  Awesome.  Will do a few slow miles tomorrow to knock off the cobwebs and then off to bed early before the BIG DAY.  

8:52 average pace. Definitely feeling pretty nervous about tomorrow. Will try and take it easy and nap today. foot and hip are as good as they get--not perfect, but calmed down to a very dull ache which is better than it has been in months.

So there it is!  Objectives were to finish and qualify for Boston and have a good time--all objectives met!  I am glad it is over.  I am glad I took the last two weeks easy and let my hip and foot heal a bit--they held up pretty well.  On to the race--I took Sasha's advice and decided to run 8:00 miles until mile 20 and then see from there.  Not so fast finish, but I will learn to do better in the last 10K.  This course is NOT flat.  Lots of rolling.  One nasty hill right at the 22 mile mark, and then a lonely treck through Linwood park wondering where everyone is and if it will be over--but I am getting ahead of myself.  It was so windy today--could have done without that but I didn't let it get to me--this is Kansas and the wind was to be expected--could've been worse. So here is the play by play:

 Morning: up at 5:45, half a cup of coffe, one piece of toast with peanut butter, one banana, gatorade, got there an hour early, hung out with my husband's cousin Jenny who ran her first half marathon today.  Line up and at 8:00 am the whistle blew and we were off.

1.  8:23--caught in the crowd, not up to speed yet.

2.  7:48--break free of the crowd, trying to settle into 8:00 pace

3.  8:02--that's better

4.  8:09--just breezing along comfortable, actually enjoying myself and feeling happy to be running and happy to be healthy

5.  7:59--all warmed up.  Ran by a dumpster pulled up to someone's curb in the neighborhood and neatly deposited my earband, gloves, and arm warmers.  Slowed down to a walk briefly so I could gulp gatorade

6.  8:04--get to chatting with two guys.  One hasn't run a marathon in 20 years and is going for a 3:45.  The other guy ran the Kansas City marathon yesterday--he is running in all 50 states and didn't realize it was Kansas City, MO, so he drove down here to run his Kansas marathon today.  crazy!

7.  8:08--Still chatting, get some gatorade

8.  7:50--time to break away because I am slowing down too much

9.  7:48--see my husband, he gives me my sunglasses and I tell him I am having a great time--I am!  drink more gatorade

10.  7:55

11.  7:48 drink gatorade

12.  7:40--thinking I will hit the half right on schedule

13.  7:48-gatorade, I am just drinking it every 2 miles at every aid station

14. 7:43--pass through the half in 1:44 and some change, see my mother and grandfather and yell at them that I feel great

15. 8:06--yucky headwind, gatorade

16.  7:49--golly it is windy, I need to stop thinking about it

17.  7:51--feeling okay, make sure I drink lots of gatorade

18.  8:25--left quad is getting tight and locking up.  that's not good

19.  8:24--the downhill slide begins, now I notice that my legs hurt, gatorade

20.  8:04--I can't believe that I haven't used the restroom yet.  I don't think I am going to need to

21.  8:18--right quad is locking up.  Nice.  now I am symmetrical-gatorade

22.  8:37--hill. mean ol'hill.  just what my locked up legs needed

23.  8:39--my husband!  Yeah!  I tell him that I am hurting and I can't wait to see him at the finish line!

24.  8:42.  Lonely mile.  No spectators through here.  Somewhere in here I pass a few people which surprises me because I feel like I am barely moving.  Legs are soooo locked up.  I feel all the energy draining out of me.  Where is that aid station?

25.  8:48  my legs are concrete pillars, don't get much at the aid station because I can't slow down or I will probably  never recover.

26.  8:31  a little surge because I am almost done and I have been checking my watch to make sure I at least make Boston!

last .2 I don't know because I forgot to stop my watch.  The last two blocks are on cobblestones so I am smiling and trying not to fall on my face at the same time!  I cross the line and throw my hands up in the here because it is DONE!

A year ago I would have laughed at you if you said I would run a marathon and qualify for Boston.  So glad I am healthy and a runner and not a smoker.  So glad to have a marathon under my belt.  This is a happy day, it is really a personal triumph of sorts.  I have a past full of bad lifestyle decisions and choices.  Quitting smoking last year was the last vice to go, and today is a symbol of victory over all those bad dark things in years past.  I really am free.  Thanks be to God.

Next: run some more and learn to run a marathon FASTER!

Warning:  Don't read this if you are sensitive to grossness

Oh my poor toe.  It was so swollen last night.  I already had a black toenail and then some tissue or something had grown under it so I had a really thick toenail and then last night it had become a double black toenail and the tip of my toe was huge and  the pressure was incredible and it hurt. I needed some serious pressure release because it was hurting.  David caught me trying to rip the toenail off and intervened.  After consulting with my mother he used a drillbit and hand drilled a hole in my nail until the blood and fluid started coming out.  Then I squeezed a whole bunch out.  So gross but my toe is normal size and I feel sooo much better.

Other than than, I actually feel pretty good today.  I am not nearly sore as I imagined I would be.  Stairs are slightly problematic but I can walk around and get in and out of the car just fine.   My appetite returned with a vengeance yesterday evening and I ate A LOT.  It was absolutely delicious and against all the rules--we're talking a hamburger(a big one with cheese and all the fixings, a real one, not a fast food one), fries, chocolate, and then later on popcorn and a giant diet coke.  I split the snickers bar in my goodie bag with the kids, but I ate the little bagel with cream cheese myself.  It was great.  I could not eat like this every day but yesterday it was GOOD.

The hot water heater broke.  So me and David rode bikes 9 miles to Lowes and back to get the part with  Vanessa in the bike trailer.  David pulled Vanessa most of the time, I pulled her the last 3 miles.  The whole thing took almost 2 hours because we had to make a lot of pit stops--David's bike kept messing up and he kept stopping and fixing it(he brought tools). Lowes didn't have the part but it was a nice ride anyway.  When we got back I rode 5 more.  It felt good to move my legs and work out a little bit.  I will probably do some slow running tomorrow but I want to make sure everything is okay first so I don't hurt myself.  Going to the doctor today because I think my toe may be infected.  Still quite sore in the quads but I feel rested and energetic.

Muscle soreness is much improved today.  Rode 6.25 on the bicycle, then ran, er, shuffled 3.29.  The first mile was terribly jerky and awkward, like my body forgot how to run.  Splits 9:38, 9:17, 9:34, .29 at 9:13 pace.  Then I walked for half a mile to cool down.  Left hamstring is super tight, came home and stretched it out really good.  I am now on antibiotics for my toe and am waiting for an appointment with the podiatrist to remove the nail and all the hypertrophic tissue--probably will be a few months.  Back to the grind today.  A long day at work and then an early a.m. clinical tomorrow morning.  Poor Vanessa is sick again and having breathing problems.  We were up a few times last night for breathing treatments.  I hate it when she has a hard time breathing.  I am afraid to sleep because I feel like I need to watch her constantly.

left work yesterday because Vanessa was in the doctor's office with on o2 sat of 78%.  Rode an ambulance to the hospital and spent the night.  Rough night last night and looking like another one tonight.

9:20 average pace.  Neither my legs nor I had any inclination to go any faster.  It did feel good to get out and ran though.  Vanessa had a good night--it was good to be home.  We set the alarm and checked on her every 3 hours and she did great all night.

9:09 average pace.  Super slow and easy, enjoyed it.  Beautiful today!  After the run went on a 6 mile casual bike ride with my husband.  Good times!  Looks like he has found a job...not set in stone yet but very very promising!  Yeah!

8:44 average pace.  Slowest mile 9:09, fastest mile 8:14.  Felt fantastic.  Love the chilly, crisp morning air.  I love fall running weather!

8:57 average pace.  Beautiful morning.  40ish degrees, white sparkly frost on the ground, multicolored trees--just gorgeous.  I know I've already said this but I really do love autumn running!  Was going to do my out-and-back course twice for 11ish miles but second time out my right knee felt achey so I turned around early and cruised back, stopped at 10 miles and walked a little while.  It feels fine now, I think I just need to keep taking it really easy as I am probably not completely recovered from the marathon.  My plan from now until the end of the year is just lots and lots of easy easy miles and nothing else, except if I throw a race or two in there somewhere.  

8:45 average pace.  Very windy today.  Ran about half the run on asphalt instead of dirt roads because my foot does not hurt anymore.  Everything seemed to be fine.  I am not quite ready to announce that the PF is cured but only the slightest bit of pain is there from time to time.

8:09 average pace.  Pressed for time today and needed to brisk up the pace a bit to get a decent amount of miles in.  Slept in(needed it), rushed around to make it to two parent-teacher conferences, ran in the mud in the pouring rain, then hurried to shower, hop in the car, and go to work.

7:46 average pace.  It was either this sad little run or no run at all.  Got 3 hours of sleep.  Drove to Hutch for 10 hour clinical then drove home.  Ate dinner.  Squeeze run in.  Now have company on the way.  Everybody have a good evening!!1

8:15 average pace.  Tried running this afternoon with an mp3 player and it was actually pretty fun.  It did seem to make the run go faster.  I just put it on mix not knowing what all was on it and ended up listening to an interesting mix of guns'n'roses, linkin park, queen, and smashing pumpkins.  Worked well for running  music.  Felt warm and energetic and ran the last .2 mile stretch at 5:22 pace.   Now off to finish Halloween costumes.  Ian is a ghost, Nick is a storm trooper, and Vanessa is going to be Punky Brewster.  The boys have no idea who that is but it will be a fun and easy costume to make.