track fan

1:02:51.  I thought my leg might be getting better, but it did not feel like it today.  It hurts so much right now that I might have to miss my workout tomorrow.  Bummer is that with our trip, I won't be able to see John again for a week ... I am pretty frustrated right this minute.  But, I don't have time to dwell.

Have a good day bloggers!

For your reading pleasure, a look at Paige Higgins. This is a series of articles that Greg has been writing as he tries to change her "marathon" shuffle ... as you can see, these things take time.  If you haven't been reading the whole series, I highly recommend them, you can find the links at the bottom of the link.

AM: (10 miles, 1:24:29).  23:32wu +strides/24:07cd.  5 mile Steady State run (target pace: 7:16-7:29).  7:18, 7:23, 7:23, 7:24, 7:18.  I was surprised on a couple of counts.  First of all, I did not feel good this morning, I am pretty depressed about my leg hurting so much and not being able to stop it ... and during my warm-up I just did not feel "smooth".  And, it is still warm, not as hot as a couple weeks ago but still 88F at the end of my run.  Anyway, I negotiated with myself  - the schedule said 4-6 mile steady state -- and I told myself I would feel that I had a successful workout with 4 and a great workout with 5.  I know how these are supposed to feel, not really hard, Greg says, "you should get tired from the duration of the workout, not the speed" and he always wants us to start at the slower end of the range and work down ... it is better to do more and slower than less faster.  My first 800 was at 10K pace!  The problem with this is that slowing down to pace is tricky, you can't just slow way down (otherwise you get out of rhythm and can end up going too slow which makes the other miles slow), I just slowed down slowly over the next 800 and hit my comfort pace.  I was telling Dean that I kept remembering that I was doing 8 miles at this pace before my 1/2 last year, and today I was mentally having trouble getting my head around running 20 laps!!  But by the last mile I knew I was done and the last one was pretty fun ... mentally getting stamina going again after a break is hard ... but it comes back pretty easy (Dean said I am less than a month away from doing 8 again) which is good, because it will be cooler soon and it bodes well for decent 10 mile and 1/2 marathon tune-up races this fall before the marathon this winter (if I can ever get rid of this pain in my calf).

 PM: easy 4 in Sugarhouse park (on the grass outside of the park -- I have missed this run!).

Got to rush, get packed and get to airport, happy cooler Utah temps here I come!!!

Have a wonderful day bloggers!

???  I don't know how long this took.   Dean and I drove over to Sugarhouse (he can't run much and did not want to waste much of his mileage running on the roads) and ran on the outside of the park on the grass -- I did 3 laps around the park (~2 miles each lap) and then the mile uphill back to the "condo".  Nice day, we got out at 11AM (I love it!) and it was nice and cool -- cooler than 5AM in Tucson!

We have to get some wedding stuff, and then go  help out Steve and Rosemary before the rehearsal dinner tonight.  I did not actually plan it this way but we are right across the street from where the wedding and reception will be held and 2 blocks from their house!!!  I did not realize all of this until last night when we drove in!  I rented a condo from "Vacation Rentals By Owner" -- ever since we did this in Europe is what I do whenever we travel (on personal travel) - it is much cheaper than a hotel, usually more room, and more comfortable too.  

I hope you have a wonderful day bloggers! 

After limping through another run, I finally am giving up ... I am taking tonight off (no 2nd run) and am not sure yet about tomorrow, but thinking I will take it off too.  I am just worried that after spending 24:53 (I timed it) literally limping before feeling I can run a smooth stride without screaming in pain is probably not doing the rest of my body any good either ... and then even when I am able to get a decent stride it hurts the whole time.  The thought of another 2 hours of pain tomorrow just did not sound fun.  We are flying into Tucson on Monday morning and then driving straight to John's house, he knew it was serious when my text said, "I am not running".   I decided that since training won't be starting for about 3 more weeks, the main thing would be to start healthy -- nothing says, "not a good marathon" than having problems before you even start to train ;-).

After my painful 8 miles I had a wonderful breakfast with Michelle, who needed to recover from an awesome training run with allie!!   

 At least I can enjoy the wedding tonight, not worrying about getting up early to run.  Although I would rather run.  

Last nights rehearsal dinner was  more of a "BBQ party" than a rehearsal dinner, it was awesome to see all of our old friends again.  Steve (the groom) had written two songs (he plays guitar and piano) for Rosemary, one was about her, and the other was about getting married (sort of bluesy/ballad/ early country) -- very nice, it made her Dad cry.

Have a good weekend bloggers! 

1:04:25.  Such a happy day.  I am not exactly pain-free, but it is oh so much better than last weekend.  John found a couple of spots yesterday and I am going back on Saturday (and probably a few more times a few days apart) -- I am feeling much more hopeful that we can clear this up in a couple of weeks.  I will be taking it pretty easy this week, and then we shall see about next week ... 

The other happy thing is that it is cooling off here!!  It was only 85F this morning, which is so very nice!!  They are forcasting some 70s in the morning this week -- Yippee!!

Have a great day bloggers! 

So much for a great day on Tuesday.  I am pretty depressed, well, until I read Kory's blog and then I am grateful. Kory, you are awesome.  But, I can't run right now.  I am still hoping that I can clear this up in a few days so I can start my marathon training in two weeks ... right now I am bummed.  I don't think I can do the elliptical either, but I am going to give it a try tonight and if I can't do that I will spin or find a pool to swim.  I need some exercise, because this lack of exercise is making me really tired.  weird isn't it?  

Speaking of weird ... na, I don't have anything, the only thing that popped into my head when I wrote that was, "Burt" ;-) he he he, just kidding.

I hope you are having a wonderful day bloggers, I hope to have something more interesting to write in the near future ;-)

Nada running.  1 hour on the elliptical (called FE for "freaking elliptical" at our house).  Wasn't as bad as it could have been, I guess.  I couldn't get my heart rate much above 136, even with the resistance and incline set super high (I did two of the preset workouts).  Dean said that I should not set the incline high and see if that is actually "harder" -- I really need to get my heart rate at least to 160 in order to be getting a good workout.  Anyway, I was glad I was able to work out (without hurting my calf).  I will do it again tomorrow ...

On a happy note, when I am able to run again the weather will be oh so much more comfortable ... 66F this morning!!  Yippee.  Only 95F last night when I left work ... Fall is gooooood!

I am wishing you all happy trails and pain free running!!! 

Another hour on my old friend the FE.

Not a happy camper.  Luckily, I am so busy I can't be sad.

1 hour walk/hike on my old friend the Yeatman trail.  No snakes (I feel safer walking here than I do running - mainly because I don't get to the truly dangerous spots walking and secondly because I can see better when I am walking) - but, I did see a HUGE and I do mean HUGE snake skin.  I told Dean about it and said, "the snake it belongs to is even bigger, hence why he shed his skin).  HUGE.

Went up to see John.  Made a HUGE amount of progress on my leg.  I asked him, "so, when is this going to be fixed?"  - he rolled his eyes.  Then later I asked, "so, when do you think I can run again?", he looked at me and said, "isn't that another way of asking when is it going to be fixed?" and rolled his eyes.  Lastly, I asked him before we left, "so, can I run tomorrow?".  He said, "wait and see how badly it hurts".  He thinks it will hurt from the treatment.  

He also showed me how to tape my foot, he wants me to tape it whenever I run for a while -- mainly he is doing this because he thinks I need orthotics ... we shall see.

45 min walk, 15 min run.  Was a little sore from treatment, I can't tell if it is fixed or not.  I won't run more than 15 min at a time until it doesn't hurt at all anymore.

1 hour on the gol' blasted elliptical.

My goal is to exercise at least as long as I would be running.

I saw Stephanie Rothstein at John's last night (she was the woman who finished the 20K last weekend just ahead of Nan).  Last year at this time she was sidelined because of a fractured sacrum -- she FE'd a lot last year.  I am thinking of her while I cuss at the machine in the gym ;-)

1 hour of psychological torture on the elliptical machine.

Just me and the FE ... another hour, another 650 calories.  Today I kept the incline lower and focused on keeping my strides/min at 190 (I actually got it up to 210).  Still couldn't get my HR above 120.  I am sure I am actually getting a much better "all over" workout these days, but to be honest I really don't care about overall health, while I  know I should, I just don't.  I care about running.  

The funniest thing is that I just am completely not used to gyms.  In a way the people watching is one thing that makes it sort of tolerable.  Now this is not a gym-gym it is a gym that is a wellness center for empolyees of UA hospital/medical center and patients that are recovering from stroke, heart attack, or something like that (most of the non-employees are over about 80 years old).  I only see the older folks when I work out in the morning, if I work out at night (last night I finished up about 8:30) then I see employees.  Anyway, there are still the 'peacocks', and the 'tired and overworked but trying to stay in good health'.  Pretty nice folks all and all.  Weirdest thing is that the 'gym' has windows on one side and from this window you can see a long covered seating area (looks like a long bus stop - at least 100 m long) - I thought it was a bus stop, but then I kept seeing patients walk by ... and then, I realized it is the smoking area.  So, if you want to have a smoke you have to sit there on your bench and watch a bunch of weirdo's in the gym watch you.  Pretty interesting ...

I hope you are doing well, staying healthy, keeping happy and running well!

1:05 on the wonderous elliptical.

Talked to John today, he might come and make a house call on Saturday (which would be cool and save us 4 hours of driving time).  U of A Wildcats are playing his hometown team (Iowa State Hawkeyes) on Saturday and he has family that is in for the game.   Anyway.  I told him that this morning was the first time in over a month that I have been able to walk with no pain ... he told me that he knows it is hard, but "keep up with the FE for a while longer".  He apparently know things it is a calf strain and that these injuries are notorious for getting reinjured if you start back too soon.  So, I am still ellipticaling - and today it hurts a lot again anyway.  Can you say "tired of this?".  BUT, I am lucky in so many ways, small potatoes!

Ryan and Sarah Hall spent a fews days in Phoenix this week (seeing John actually).  Ryan is running the Philly Half this weekend -- as part of his "tune-up" for Chicago.  GO RYAN!

1:05 on my old buddy the FE.  zzzzzzzz, boring.

30 mins of intervals on a spin bike + 1 hour elliptical.  Next Tuesday I am going to my first spin class, so I wanted to get prepared.  The good news is that my mountain bike shoes will clip into the spin bike ... the bad news is that something that I was doing hurt my calf -- I am hoping the instructor, Jessica (who is my massage therapist and is letting me in her classes for free for then next couple of weeks) can show me how to do it right so I don't hurt my calf.  It was a good workout.  I think I will have to increase my workout times to keep a little fitness, so I will likely be working out either 2 times a day a couple days a week or increasing my overall workout time a few days a week.

I was so busy today that I just now (7:30PM) finished my "lunch" - I ate some nonfat yogurt and granola + a banana and nectarine for breakfast at about 9:30 and then had non-stop meetings until 6PM, meaning no lunch.  And then, I am cruising across town to get to my Egoscue appointment (I was late, of course) .... and got into an accident (not my fault, this guy hit me from behind as me, and everyone else was stopped in traffic).  I felt bad for him, he was scared (and so young).   No one was hurt, my car is dented, but I don't really care that much and I am not sure I will even get it fixed.  What a day.

GOOD LUCK tomorrow all you racing bloggers!!  I can't wait to see how  you do!

John finally told me today, he is 100% certain it is a stress fracture.  I don't know what I did yesterday, but it started hurting pretty bad on the bike (didn't hurt on the elliptical).  Anyway, today you can (and even I can) see exactly where the problem is ... and it is bone. 

I am having some tests done on Monday.  I am not supposed to use the elliptical without a walking cast ... but I am not sure what I will do tomorrow (since I can't pick up my cast until Monday).  For some reason the spin bike hurt my leg.  I am pretty depressed.  I will be more depressed if I am not running by mid-October (my drop dead date for being able to train properly for Houston).  Getting old is not for sissys.

But WOWWWWWEEE congratulations allie and Scott and all the fastrunning bloggers who ran TOU today -- YEA!!! 

1 hour 10 mins on the good ole elliptical machine (I can't be mad at it anymore because it looks like we will be friends for a while).

Lots of good racing today, The Great North Run (Ritz rocked it in 4th in the high 62s), Philly half, where track stand out Meseret Defar ran a 67:44, her first time at the distance (and had a sprint finish with Lineth Chepkirui, 67:46!!!) - Shalane Flannigan ran the 4th fastest 1/2 marathon time by an American woman in 68:36.  McMillan Elite athlete Brett Gotcher was first american, 9th place overall, with a 62:50.  Ryan Hall struggled, but still finished 14th with 63:55. 

Another hour on my old friend the elliptical.  Wore the boot all day (but did not wear it on the elliptical ..). 

Woke up in pain similar to a couple weeks ago.  I think that because of where my leg is hurt I can't wear the walking cast.  This is not good, because I think it means I might have to use crutches.  

Went to a spin class today.  Was awesome in terms of a workout -- did not really get my heart rate up as high as I would have liked, but my legs were trashed.  Unfortunately, it sort of hurt my leg ... but my leg is just so darn sore today anyway (because of the boot I am afraid) I can't tell what made it hurt.  Jessica (the instructor, my friend and massage person) said that on Thursday she can show me how to do "hills" sitting down (when most people stand).  And she is getting me in the gym free for a couple of weeks.  I was thinking about joining (even though it was a huge gym, not really my "style") since they have a pool.  Unfortunately, the pool is a shallow lap pool and I am not allowed to do "pool running" where I can touch the bottom.  So, now I am not sure if I will join this gym or try to find one with a pool with a deep end.   I do like the spinning stuff, I just can't tell if I can do it or not ... meaning I can't tell if it is hurting me.

I hope you are doing well, happy trails fastrunning bloggers!

A little more than an hour on the FE.  Spin is out, I might try a recumbent bike in the gym.  I did borrow an aqua jogger, and am planning on doing some deep water running on Friday (at the Y), and then maybe follow that up with a deep water aerobics class - they have one that lasts 75 mins ... hopefully I can get at least 90mins of a workout in.  I found a great website yesterday, Julia Lucas and Ian Dobson  ... Julia has a stress fracture in her foot (though she is still planning on running in the OT's next year) and has some awesome things to say about getting through injuries.  I think I will print them out and tape them to my wall  as inspiration.    I was doubly bummed yesterday because I found out my grant did not get funded, and that was my 2nd (and last chance).  Luckily, I had already been planning on submitting it (well, a slightly different and I think better) under a different mechanism. 

It is FINALLY in the 90s here ... and cooling down more every week.

I hope you are all safe, sound, and happily running!

approximately 75 mins of bike and elliptical.  Heart really not into it today, sort of down.  It has only been a 2.5 weeks, it feels like an eternity.

Happy trails bloggers.

One hour of deep water aerobics (with a group of women at least 20 years wiser than I) + 30 mins pool running.  I think my brain fell into a coma, and has not woken up yet, from being under-stimulated. 

I will likely do the "aerobics" once a week (because it is hard to weight-lift in the water and my arms worked hard) and I guess I will try the deep water running 2x/week - even if it "kills" me.

big goose-egg from anything today.  I am having problems getting an aircast for my leg, I did however, manage to find a relatively inexpensive water-proof mp3 player so as soon as it gets here I will do as much deep pool running as I can.  The problem is that although I have not been running for over 2 weeks I have not actually "rested" my leg at all, and  since I am not immobilizing my leg (can't wear a boot because of where the pain is) I am not sure I have started healing yet.  So, I will try to stay off it for one whole week (pool running only) before I do the elliptical again.  This will, however, have to start next week because I am deathly afraid of weight gain (despite cutting my caloric intake by about a half).  So, I will elliptical tomorrow (though I might not tell Dean) and start my "only pool running" regime sometime next week.  My MRI is on Wednesday (insurance woes abound, somehow they don't care at all how much not having a definitive diagnosis interfers with my life) - and I will know for sure then how much time this little "blip" is going to interfere with my training -- and whether or not I will have to defer my Houston entry to next year. 

Well, I will spend the day cleaning my house (much needed, I won't even tell you the last time it had a thorough cleaning) and writing my "personal statement" for my 3 year tenure and promotion review.  Such fun. 

I hope you are all happy, healthy and enjoying your weekend!

A naughty 60 mins of ellipticalling. 

So, weirdest thing.  Last night, in the middle of the night, I woke up with the most horrific back (flank) pain.  I thought, "I have run 85 mpw and have never hurt like this before, but I hurt my back from CLEANING house????".  So I roll every which way in bed trying to get rid of the never-ending pain.  I got up, walked around, laid back down, ...., just waves and waves of pain.  So then I lay there hyperventilating and  thinking, "Oh my, I might have to go to the ER, this might be some sort of kidney pain and it just won't let up".  Dean woke up and asked me if I was ok, and I told him what was going on and then when he asked if we needed to go to the ER, I said, "I don't think so" ... After about 1/2 hour more it sort of abated -- I could still feel it, but the waves were getting a little less nauseating.  I can feel it this morning, and still can't tell if it is muscular or deeper.  I can definitely feel something when I take a deep breath, but I don't have a fever or any other pain, so I am right now, assuming (hoping) it is just something going on with my back.  The only other thing it could be, without any other signs of infection/inflammation, would be a kidney stone ... and so far, I have not passed one.  I am dragging today because of lack of sleep, and pain, so I can't tell if I feel sick or just drained.  I didn't feel particularly "good" on the elliptical, but when does one anyway?

Anyway ... it was weird, and it kind of pissed me off.

Back to work.

I hope you are all enjoying your Sunday!!

another day, another hour + wu/cd *in* the gym.  Which is probably ok, since it still is 100F degrees here!!  This is way outside of normal for us this time of year, it should be in the 80s now!  

I hope you are all training hard, focusing on being the winners that  you are and making us bloggers proud!
 

another hour another ...yawwwwn ... hour.  

Difficult to get up, Dean got home from work at midnight (grant deadline), poor guy.  

Thursday -- pool running (I hope my new mp3 player gets here by then).  My aircast should be here today ...I am hoping by wearing it when I am walking, and ellipticalling, I might speed this healing up!  Back/kidney is better, still can feel it, but not really painful, just weird.  I guess I just can't clean my house, for health reasons.  Do you think insurance will pay for a house cleaner?

Have a  beautiful, joyous, day bloggers.

One hour on the elliptical. zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz  I watched "Hell's Kitchen" (cooking "reality" show).  An hour of my life I will never get back.   I hope I never have to see that again. (I don't have a choice on what is on the TV).

Here you go, what does this have to do with running you ask?  nothing, just like my life right now ;-).

The Washington Post's Mensa Invitational once again invited readers to take any word from the dictionary, alter it by adding, subtracting, or changing one letter, and supply a new definition. Here are the winners:
1. Cashtration=20 (n.): The act of buying a house, which renders the subject financially impotent for an indefinite period of time.

2. Ignoranus : A person who's both stupid and a bum.

3. Intaxicaton : Euphoria at getting a tax refund, which lasts until you realize it was your money to start with.

4.Reintarnation : Coming back to life as a hillbilly.

5. Bozone ( n.): The substance surrounding stupid people that stops bright ideas from penetrating. The bozone layer, unfortunately, shows little sign of breaking down in the near future.

6. Foreploy : Any misrepresentation about yourself for the purpose of getting laid.

7. Giraffiti : Vandalism spray-painted very, very high

8. Sarchasm : The gulf between the author of sacrastic wit and the person who doesn't get it.

9. Inoculatte : To take coffee intravenously when you are running late.

10. Osteopornosis : A degenerate disease. (This one got extra credit.)

11. Karmageddon : It's like, when everybody is sending off all these really bad vibes, right? And then, like, the Earth explodes and it's like, a serious bummer.

12. Decafalon (n.): The grueling event of getting through the day consuming only things that are good for you.

13. Glibido : All talk and no action.

14. Dopeler Effect: The tendency of stupid ideas to seem smarter when they come at you rapidly.

15. Arachnoleptic Fit (n.): The frantic dance performed just after you've accidentally walked through a spider web.

16. Beelzebug (n.): Satan in the form of a mosquito, that gets into your bedroom at three in the morning and cannot be cast out.

17. Caterpallor ( n.): The color you turn after finding half a worm in the fruit you're eating.

The Washington Post has also published the winning submissions to its yearly contest in which readers are asked to supply alternate meanings for common words. And the winners are:

1. Coffee, n. The person upon whom one coughs.

2. Flabbergasted, adj. Appalled by discovering how much weight one has gained.

3. Abdicate, v. To give up all hope of ever having a flat stomach.

4. Esplanade, v. To attempt an explanation while drunk.

5. Willy-nilly, adj. Impotent.

6. Negligent, adj. Absentmindedly answering the door when wearing only a nightgown.

7. Lymph, v. To walk with a lisp.

8. Gargoyle, n. Olive-flavored mouthwash.

9.Flatulence, n. Emergency vehicle that picks up someone who has been run over by a steamroller.

10.Balderdash, n. A rapidly receding hairline.
11. Testicle, n. A humorous question on an exam.

12. Rectitude, n. The formal, dignified bearing adopted by proctologists.

13.Pokemon, n. A Rastafarian proctologist

14. Oyster, n. A person who sprinkles his conversation with Yiddishisms.

15. Frisbeetarianism, n. The belief that, after death, the soul flies up onto the roof and gets stuck there.

A little over an hour of gloriously boring deep water running.  I had spent some money (and some time downloading a few pretty cool "radio mystery shows" - kind of like Philip Marlow done on the radio) on a "waterproof" MP3 player. Well, the dratted thing died after 5 mins.   I am sending it back and demanding my money back, but it goes in the "pile of things to get sent back" (like walking cast-boot, extra aircast - because they told me they did not have one, yet sent me one 5 days later after I already had obtained one, and 2 swimsuits that did not fit).  Just to add insult to injury (pun intended), not only can't I run, but I am paying a lot for the privilege.

Anyway ... I did finish a whole hour and broke it up with doing 2 min hard, 2 min easy, 3 min hard, 2 min easy, 4 min hard, 2 min easy .... etc.  I don't think I killed too many brain cells in the process, just my spirit ;-).

 
I hope you are all training well, recovering well, tapering well, and just plain ole, being awesomely well!!!