Motivated to Succeed

12:00 PM - So today we were forecasted to get another 4 to 8 inches of snow on top of what we got the other day.  It was a dangerous drive down to Albany.  The route I take to school which usually takes 45 minutes took about an hour and a half, but we got there.  Snow was coming down heavy around the start of the race.  The first mile went really slow and had to be close to 9 minutes for me.  There was a 3.5 miler being run simultaneously so I lined up about midpack to let the rabbits have their fun.  Once we got out on the State Campus Loop though the roads were a little better.  About 2-3 inches of slush, but I was able to run in the tracks of the cars that were going by.  Around mile 2 I caught up to a father/daughter team I thought were running the 3.5 miler.  Turns out the dad was doing the Hangover Half.  We started chatting and from mile 2 to mile 9 we ran together, until we caught a couple of his friends and booked a 6:40 Mile 9.  I hung tough, but it was kind of funny.  One of my brothers, my sister and my mom all came down to see me run, and they thought it'd be funny to lob a snowball out in front of me.  Well this was when I was trying to hang onto the blistering pace, about 3 or 4 feet off the back of the group of 4, and my brother lobs one right in front of me and then about two seconds later... SPLaT!  I get hit in the side of the face right about at the temple with a snowball.  Haha in retrospect it's kind of funny, but it wasn't very funny at the time that's for sure!  So I tried to regroup, but the group of 4 just started to accelerate further as we went up the hill.   I was left to run the last four miles in by myself.  I caught and passed two others out on the course and shuffled home with probably a horribly slow 8:50 or 8:55 last mile. I was really struggling to just regain some of that cool, calm, collected I had maintained for so long.  Overall, however I felt really good.  I just wish Emmy had been there to see me run.  So far the races she's gone to were my two marathons where I did anything but race it seems... though she did get to see me set the huge PR in the 10k on Turkey Day! So that's a plus.  Overall, I have to say that given the crappy conditions out on the road, and the snowball, I held my own.  I just need to train a little harder I realize to be able to best my PRs even in less than favorable conditions.   I did a 1 mile cool down in about 9 or 9:30 then got some coffee, pizza, and changed my clothes.  We stopped at Walmart on the way home to pick up some necessary food items for our trip...   WE'RE GOING TO PUERTO RICO January 3rd to the 10th!!!  I can't wait!  I'll actually be able to see Emma for an entire week! (This is a miracle as I hardly get to see her while we're at school.)  She truly is an amazing girl.  I saw her on Christmas, and I'm already going crazy because I haven't seen her and it's only been 7 days!

I will make sure I don't slack too much during the vacation.  I have snorkeling gear and am bringing running shoes.  So I will be running/swimming/hiking/snorkeling all week! I can't wait!  I will have to bring back some pictures for everyone!

Total Mileage Today:  14.11  (13.11 = race)  Time for Race: 1:38:33  Average Pace: 7:31/Mile - Good for 31st place in the half-marathon overall! Not sure about place in my age division.

Well, I'm back safe and sound after perhaps the most enjoyable week of my life on the Island Paradise of Vieques.  I wish I could put into words the awestruck look on all of our faces as we climbed out of the jeep and saw that from my aunt and uncle's winter home you could simultaneously see both the Atlantic and Carribbean.  A fun-filled, jam-packed week of beach hopping and being the "Gringos", but it was definitely worth it.  At first I wasn't sure what to expect, as it took us 31 hours to get to our final destination.  Tip that I learned:  NEVER FLY UNITED!!!!  We woke at 2:30 am on January 3rd and headed off to the airport and checked in at 4:00 am for our 5:40 boarding for a flight to Dulles Int'l in Washington, D.C. only to find ourselves kept on board for more than seven hours because we were kept in the dark about a "sticking valve" on the plane.  Needless to say they let us off for five minutes because they were ordered to do so by law, but then they told us to reboard because we'd be on our way.... riiiight this was at 10:00 am.  We ended up finally getting airborn shortly after 1:00 pm, just "slightly" delayed from our initial departure.  Well they attempted to 'cool' us if you can call it that with a 10 dollar meal voucher and a 20% coupon off a future flight with United. All I can give to them is a big one finger salute.  We finally landed in San Juan, Puerto Rico at 11:35 PM local time, and as the last plane from San Juan to Vieques left at 5:30pm, we were stuck.  And furthermore, they wouldn't rebook us until 5:30 the following day, plus add to that the fact that they would not pay for a hotel room for us...  So there we were in San Juan, in a hot, sticky, airport surrounded by people we didn't know, forced to make the best of our situation.  My mother, sister, her boyfriend, Emma, and myself, paced the halls of the abandoned airport, and then gave in to our sleep deprivation and formed a makeshift bunker fortification just in front of the agricultural and security check-ins, with 3 rows of cheap, worn out airport chairs and our luggage as walls.  In the morning, we all decided we just wanted to get out of the stupid airport and all the junk that United had forced on us.  So we coughed up $80 for a taxi to the ferry and ended up in Vieques around 1:15pm.  From there we tried to forget the bad part of the trip thus far, and got on to enjoying the "Island Life".  I can't believe how breathtaking and absolutely amazing it all is.  And I cannot wait to go back.  I truly see why many people enjoy traveling.  To be able to walk barefoot on a beach, or run through the incoming tide, the waves crashing over you, waves of grainy sand just completely engulfing you in the moment... truly the trip of a lifetime.  I was sad to leave, but glad to get home and hopefully back on track from the "lazy" week I had.  Much to my dismay and I suppose in retrospect it wasactually funny... our flight on United was "delayed" - aka overbooked (their fault, not ours seeing as how we made our reservations for our flight SIX MONTHS AGO!!!)  Luckily we got put on a different carrier and road US Airways to Charlotte, North Carolina where we ironically met up with two kids from my town! (this coming from a town whose high school has about 70 kids per grade!) What were the chances!?! Needless to say, US Airways gave us no problems, and I was happy to have a nice flight and read more of The Terror.  My mom is going to write a complaint letter and hopefully we get a voucher for another flight, because it truly is not fair to put up with the airlines shortfalls, when it was their own negligence that caused us to have both a crazy start and finish to our trip.  Looking forward to a run tomorrow and then to the 25k on Sunday!

Got some running/walking/swimming in this week.  Total Mileage ~ 5 miles.

9:30 AM - Zipped up my long sleeve shirts and laced up my new sneakers from Christmas to head out for a run today.  Wasn't sure what to expect with having a week off and not being used to the cold again.  I am sure that I've lost a good deal of the fitness level I had going into the Hangover Half.  But I am sure I'll get back there with a couple weeks of good running.  Had a lot on my mind and with the fiasco yesterday with Dad's stress test and my mom getting pulled over on the way to get him for it for speeding, I was in an I-really-really-detest-state-troopers kind of mood.  I had to chuckle a little though when I hung a left out of our road and saw a car come up over the hill by Waterwheel Village (The Waterwheel is a small country store located right in a valley between two 1/2 or 2/3 mile long hills going up in either direction; a kid was hit and killed here a couple of years ago right across the street because cars come barreling down going 60 or 70mph; This when the state Rte. Speed Limit is 55, with a yellow 45mph warning sign for the stretch coming down through the valley). Well this car comes barrelling up and you can hear it before you actually see it.  Then about two seconds later comes this State Trooper SUV with its lights on and pulled the guy over right at my road.  I don't know what is up with the cops, but I really feel they should do something better with their time like catch the real criminals, and I know we have a lot out there.  Have to allot for extra time to go to work tonight.

There was a pretty strong wind today about 12-15 mile per hour.  I felt alright, was trying to hold back and stay steady because I know tomorrow is going to be a long run.  But I didn't know how I was going to take it.  I mean I knew I would be out of shape, despite all the walking, swimming and jogging I did at the beach.  But I was kind of disheartened at the same time when I realized I was in fact going slower despite a steady effort.  Still overall pretty easy effort.  Oh well.  I guess that's the sacrifice I made for going on vacation.  Getting psyched about grad classes.  Going out to grab some supplies today.

Total Mileage:  8.11 miles   Total Time:  1:08:20  Average Pace:  8:25

ugh. Just got out of work.  It's 11:58PM... Going to go take a six hour nap and then up to run/jog a 25k race. Joy.  Note:  Saw 3 cops on the way to work today and 1 on the way home.  They need to get a life!

10:00 AM - Very big turnout today at the winter series, but I think it was because there were 3 races today (3 mile, 10k and 25k).  I started out in the back of the pack and was a little sore from yesterday, after doing 8+ miles on my first day back since the Hangover Half.  Blah.  Felt really strong actually and was holding it steady despite the on-off-on-off surging of those around me.  Felt really good, but just didn't have it in me today to finish the full 15.5.  I think it was because I got 5 hours of sleep last night.  Finally fell asleep after work around 12:45, and up at 6:00 am.  Plus like I mentioned before, was a little sore from yesterday.  Supposed to get a storm tonight, but hope I can get in a run before going down to my first day of graduate classes tomorrow!

12 miles in 1:35:30 = 7:57 pace per mile!  (I guess I can't really say that I am that out of shape!)  Cooled down and changed clothes and went to a movie with Emma and a couple of our friends afterwards.

Total Mileage for the day:  13.2 miles

SHOES: Asics 2120s (*New):  21.31

7:45 AM - Wanted to make sure I got a run in today, so headed out on the snowy roads; got a few inches of snow last night, and the plows were out in force.  Almost got taken out on one of the backroads because the plow was taking a corner too fast.  Felt pretty good.  Some residual soreness this morning, but it went away for the most part after about a mile.  Felt good to get out there on the roads again.  And I'm really surprised because there was only one mile where I felt I was actually pushing the pace (that was downhill though and I knew it would be my fastest mile).  Overall, a really nice run.  Time to go grab a shower and get ready for class tonight.  I think I might bring my sleeping bag and stay over at a friend's; Hopefully Emma can stay to watch tv after my class tonight!

Total Time:  1:04:09   Total Mileage:  8.25  Average Pace:  7:46 per mile

Shoes: Asics 2120s (*New): 29.56

No run today;  After my class last night, I was a little overwhelmed with all the work that is due next class! Thankfully the class doesn't meet next Monday because of Martin Luther King Day, however.  So I went to Emma's and I got to see the Sky-boy.  That really made my day because I'm absolutely in love with that kid!  Children truly are amazing, and I think that I needed that little interlude to further solidify my drive and ambition to one day be a teacher.  Just dropping a quick entry during the break of my late class:  7:15 to 9:55pm tonight! Blah.  Got to get up for work 11-8 tomorrow.  Plan is to get up around 6:30, and head out the door at 7:30 and do either the 8.25 loop, or possibly tack on another 1.75 for a 10-miler.  Probably should do the 10 since I had today off.  Am feeling lazy! 

My chance of redemption coming up later this month:

Sunday, 1/27 @ 10:00 AM  - Winter Series 30k (18.6mi)I figured out some elapsed times for various paces.  I think I am going to shoot for the 8:00-8:30 range.

2:38:26 - 8:30/mile

2:33:47 - 8:15/ mile

2:29:07 - 8:00 / mile

2:24:28 - 7:45/ mile

Got to run! Class is starting again! 

7:30 AM - That one hurt.  Legs felt pretty good when I woke up, but it was in the single digits outside.  Felt pretty good for most of the run.  The last couple miles were tough though.  Definitely felt the extra effort to get up and over those hills.  Overall though felt pretty good.  Really stressed about how I'm going to be able to pay off this grad school bill.  They never sent me a bill in the mail, and now it is past due and I'm being charged late fees.  Why the hell am I even going to grad school I wonder sometimes.

Mile 1 - 7:40

Mile 2 - 7:22

Mile 3 - 7:29

Mile 4 - 7:45 (uphill)

Mile 5 - 7:23

Mile 6 - 8:04 (uphill)

Mile 7 - 7:53

Mile 8 - 7:30

Total Distance: 8.25 Miles   Total Time: 1:02:35  Average Pace: 7:35/mile

Shoes: Asics 2120s (*New): 37.81

9:00 AM - Yeah, it's definitely winter.  As if there weren't any other way for Mother Nature to affirm that in fact it is not late November, but rather the full-fledged assault on mankind's existence we like to call winter, another single digit temperature to start the day.  Legs felt fresh. No soreness whatsoever.  But after the first mile, despite 3 upper layers, and a full length spandex bottom as well as a pair of winter running pants, certain appendages began to freeze and I opted for a slightly shorter run than I had hoped.  I had wanted to do the 8.25 loop, but by mile 3 it had not only gotten cold, but had begun to actually hurt.  I turned around and booked it home.  Oh what I wouldn't give to be anywhere where there was a temperature at least with two digits!

Total Time:  45:24   Total Mileage:  6.22   Average Pace:  7:18 / mile

Asics 2120s: 44.03

GOOD LUCK TO ALL OF OUR FAST RUNNING BLOG FRIENDS WHO ARE RACING THIS WEEKEND! LOOK FORWARD TO SEEING THOSE RACE REPORTS!

8:30 AM - A bone chilling 9 degrees this morning when I laced up to head outside.  Made sure I took extra precautions to bundle up.  Wore two x long sleeve sport wick shirts, as well as a zipper up top layer and on the bottom had on a pair of long spandex and the pair of running pants.  The goal this morning was restraint and enjoying a long run.  Tried to forget about all that homework I have to do this weekend.  Overall I was impressed that I finished the run, hit 50 miles for only 5 days of running this week, and felt 0 tenderness/soreness and only minimal effort.  Splits were as follows:

11:00 AM - Bitter cold out today; that kind of cold that when you breathe in it stings your nostrils. I went with Emmy to her work and I got in a good treadmill run. I was going to go for an increased pace run, but decided to keep it easy and relaxed. I am not sure why but my right achilles is tight and I had to ice it a couple times last night. Feels better, though still hurts a bit. Almost like a grinding as I walk around on it. Am going to have to take it easy this week. Still get the mileage in when I can, but no speed work. I think I have been pushing a little hard with speed in December rather than just easy miles.

Miles 1 - 3 : 8:20 pace held steady.

Miles 4 - 10 - 8:00 pace. Only bad part was when the gym's treadmill decided to make me cool down after 60 minutes, so I had to take a 10 second break and reset the treadmill to finish the run.

Total Time: 1:20:40 Total Distance: 10.25 Average pace: 7:52 / mile

Asics 2120s:  68.68 miles

7:45 AM - So I wanted to try to run despite the lingering soreness.  Woke up to 9 degree temp so bundled up with spandex and pants for bottoms, and two sport long sleeve shirts with a zipper up third layer.  Temperature ironically wasn't a problem, though perhaps it was because I was preoccupied with looking for any signs of weakness in the right achilles.  I wanted to go as slow as possible.  I think I have realized that either the pain was due to me trying to get in such a long run on a treadmill after not using one for over a month? Or that I did a few too many miles after having nearly a week off for winter break.  Am going to try to do about 6-6.5 for the rest of the week and do them at slow pace to see if that helps.  I don't want to have to not run, because I think I would go crazy!

Mile 1: 8:28

Mile 2: 8:47

Mile 3: 9:06

Mile 4: 9:02

Mile 5: 9:13

Mile 6: 9:07

Last .43: 3:48 (8:48 pace)

Total Time: 57:33  Total Mileage: 6.43 miles  Pace: 8:57/mile

*Asics 2120s:  75.11

10:00 PM - Did half an hour of hot treatment with a hot pack;  Just really want this to go away.  I just want to ruN! it's so frustrating. UGH!

7:45 AM - Right now I'm torn between taking Friday and Saturday off, or continuing to log a couple slow miles each day.  I had initially wanted to do the 6-6.5 miles that I did yesterday, but after only about a mile and a half I realized that my achilles is still not wanting me to.  It's not that it hurts so much that you can almost feel the grinding/straining of it.  I think it might be a smart decision to take Friday and Saturday off and go for a slow run on Sunday morning.  That would give me nearly 72 hours of staying off my feet as much as possible outside of work and school.  And if that is still not enough, then I really am out of ideas.  I am just frustrated that this happened.  My legs are aching to go for a run, but my achilles just won't have it.

Mile 1: 8:55

Mile 2: 9:11

Mile 3: 9:39

Mile 4: 8:54

Total Time: 36:41  Total Miles: 4  Average Pace: 9:10/ mile

*Asics 2120s:  79.11

Another thought I have is that perhaps I have increased the total amount of miles per run too fast?  What with the whole week off when I went on vacation, I have logged 98.22 miles this month but I only have 12 total days of running including today's measly 4 miles.  That would average out to 8.1+ miles / run.  Just a thought.  I am thinking that if I take off until Sunday, I will have to plan out a start from scratch plan, perhaps going back to running only 6 miles a day 6 days a week with no long runs.  Which stinks because I really do like my 10+ mile runs :(

After reading everyone's comments and suggestions, I think I need to continue to stretch and be careful about my leg.  I kind of want to take time off, but I just don't know.  Sunday's race is out of the question, but I think that by Sunday I would like to be back on the 6 miles a day for 6 days program.  I guess I can run tomorrow morning light again just 4 or 5 miles at 9+ mile pace... and then take Saturday off and start in on the recovery runs starting Sunday.

7:45 AM - Coldest morning of the year so far.  Weather.com had it listed as 6 degrees but with the wind that it felt like -4 below!  I bundled up with 2 sets of spandex and a winter running pants for the bottom, and then 3 thermal technical shirts.  It worked because my face was the only exposed skin after hat and gloves and that was the only skin exposed.  So I am on the fence because I feel like one of those horses that slightly fractures a foot and has to be put down because it wants to run, but just physically can't.  My legs are raring to go, but my ankle and right achilles just don't want me to go yet.    I have become religious about stretching in the mornings and evenings, and I stopped at mile 3 today to stretch because it started to hurt a bit.  I am as per suggestion doing the calf raises, though I can only manage 5-6 on just my right leg, and about 10-12 with both feet together.  I will take Saturday off and Sunday God willing get 6 miles in at 9 minute or slower pace.  I hate babying it like this, but I don't think I have much other choice if I want to continue running.

Mile 1: 8:38

Mile 2: 8:52

Mile 3: 9:11 (uphill)

Mile 4: 9:03

Mile 5: 8:33

Total Time: 44:32  Total Mileage: 5.02  Average Pace: 8:52/ mile

*Asics 2120s: 84.13

7:45 AM - After two days off I thought that I would be feeling better and up for a run.  If my leg holds up I want to hit 36 miles for the week.  Temperature was a brisk 13 degrees this morning, but sunny and very calm out.  I started out and felt pretty good.  My achilles didn't even start to hurt until mile 4.  I think I just need to embrace the slow easy pace and continue to ice and what not.  Tomorrow I will need to try to average 8:45 or slower pace so that I don't hurt too much.

Mile 1: 8:16

Mile 2: 8:21

Mile 3: 8:37

Mile 4: 8:45

Mile 5: 8:31

Mile 6: 8:29

Total Time: 51:40  Total Mileage: 6.07   Average Pace:  8:30/mile

*Asics 2120s: 90.2 miles

7:45 AM - 11 degrees today. Woke up and the achilles was still sore. But as it seems this is going to be a problem I am going to have to deal with for weeks or months (oh I certainly hope not), I decided I needed to get out there to get in a run. My morning was made better since Emmy called me right before I was going outside, so that certainly made my morning. I found it hard to concentrate during the run since I was constantly monitoring my achilles. The pain would come in for a mile, then go away for a time, then come in again. It seemed it hurt more on the uphills. But maybe that's just me. Just wish I felt better. Hopefully I can continue to heal despite getting in daily runs. Did a lot of stretching afterwards.

Mile 1: 8:38

Mile 2: 8:56

Mile 3: 8:55

Mile 4: 9:07

Mile 5: 8:54

Mile 6: 8:45

Total Time: 54:13 Total Mileage: 6.1 miles Average Pace: 8:53/ mile

*Asics 2120s: 96.3

MY ACHILLES HURTS A LOT. THAT STORM IS SUPPOSED TO GET HERE TONIGHT TOO. I THINK I WANT TO TAKE THE REST OF THE WEEK OFF, LESS I RISK RUPTURING IT.

 Found this on a website... crap! I've been doing ALL THE WRONG THINGS!

Exercises to Avoid

http://www.drpribut.com/sports/spinjur.html#achilten

Excessive stretching is not good for your achilles tendon. The stretch that I most often recommend is the "wall stretch". I do not recommend the "stair stretch", the "incline stretch", or the "put a towel around your feet and pull up until it hurts stretch". If any of these are working for you, that's great, you don't need any advice. In most cases, for the patients I see, these stretches put too much tension on the already tender achilles tendon. Contracting the muscle when it is in a stretched position, as initial therapy of an injured achilles tendon is not a good thing.

What a shame. Warmest day of the year so far - 38 degrees right now. And I can't run.  My mom 'grounded' me from running this morning, and I said, 'eh even if I wanted to run, my foot hurts so much that I'd be lucky to get the 500 feet to the end of the driveway'. :(

I guess I'm experiencing the frustration that any runner feels when their body is saying "RUN RUN" yet some stupid nagging little injury that appears out of the blue is putting a damper on that.  I am going to concentrate on situps/pushups I guess so at least I can get something in. 

AM Crunches: 300  Pushups:  100; arms: freeweights

The pain that I'm feeling now is definitely more intense than when I was running a couple days ago.  I think it didn't help that I was on my feet for 9 hours at work today.  I picked up a copy of Noakes' Lore of Runningand read up on the severity of achilles issues and how to treat them.  According to Noakes, I should have concentrated on the "eccentric" stretching to strengthen my achilles and calf muscles .  He says you should allow your weight to bring your heel down past the level of the stair and then raise it back up.  I don't think I can do this right now.  It really got enflamed at work today to the point where it almost hurt to stand.  I should never have kept running on it.  Noakes said to take a minimum of a week off from the initial injury, and I had to be a moron and run like 5 x in a week.  I'm really bummed.  I guess I'm going to take a couple weeks off.  That shoots all my 2008 goals to hell. Grrr. Frustration doesn't even begin to sum up how I feel.  I'm just angry at myself that I let myself get hurt.  Running is my only outlet really.  Without it I know I'm going to be going crazy. *sigh

Yay for goose eggs.  I applied Icy Hot right before I went to bed last night and woke up and there was less soreness and swelling.  Trying to stay positive.  Going to get a shower and then I guess pushup/situp time.

AM  300 crunches, 100 pushups   free weight exercises.

PM  Icing and some light stretching; free weights and 300 crunches.