Believe to Achieve

okay....I think I am getting old.  My perception is going batty.    Well first I went to seven peaks yesterday and endured the crowds for 3 hours in barefeet.  I need to invest in swim shoes so I don't risk further left foot PF damage.  A kid in the pool however whacked my right foot big toe joint.  Then last night I completely walked right into a CLOSED screen door.  It was dark but visible to everyone else.  My neck and head bounced back along with my right big toe.   I awoke like I had been in a car wreck with whip lash and a sore toe thinking "am I really running with Kim and Jane this morning?"   They were doing their last long run down AF canyon.   Pace goal-- 6:45.  Yikes.  I just told them I would just hang back but as I drove up with them revisiting our training of last year as we drove up  I felt I should just hang with them for as long as  I could despite my foot and lack of any speed in 11 plus weeks except 10 min on/offs and a little tempo with Rachelle and a nice 7:17 AP 8 miler two days ago.     Well SURPRISINGLY it went WAY better than planned.  I chose NOT to wear my garmin so I couldn't stare at it and ran by feel hanging with Kim and Jane all the way until just before mile 9 when I was only 5 seconds behind.   At the finish I was total time behind 21 seconds.  Yee Haw!!!   The only reason I could not keep with them was my foot was SCREAMING out loud for attention.  Burning pulling taring feeling dead center in my fascia.  I lost mobility of my foot and I just had to slow down and mentally hang in there.   We stopped very briefly for four water stops and two other times to adjust shoes etc..    WAIT to you hear my splits which  I am pretty happy with considering my lack of training hard and PF.   Here they are (I had my stop watch and when I heard Kim's watch I would hit my lap button I would see the mile but not care about overall or current AP which is the problem for me with the garmin.  I was able to focus on staying with them rather than thinking we were running too fast etc... VERY LIBERATING!!) :  First three miles in 19:51 (6:45, 6:44,  6:22 -- I got these from Kim's watch), miles 4 and 5 in 12:41 (so 6:20 and a 6:21 mile I guess),  mile 6-- 6:05  (oops :D),  mile 7-- 6:39 we slowed after seeing the last mile.  We didn't realize we were going that fast!!   mile 8 coming out of canyon and onto golf course rollers-- 6:16  (wow!!) but foot hurting.  Actually it is my middle toe on my left foot.  A toe nail I haven't clipped in a while was digging into another toe and was bleeding.  I think that is why my entire foot acted up more as I tried to avoid the rubbing of the toe nail!!  We stopped briefly (I am fast at removing socks from my feet remember?!!) for me to check it out.  I thought  my old "need to fall off" nail was falling off but really I was just being punctured with a sharp edge of a nail.  I just said "let's just get it done I don't have time to bite off the edge :D and I am not that flexible anyway".  mile 9--6:41,   here comes the lack of focus as my foot starts to really fall apart-- mile 10 (steep UP hill out of park)  6:53   that took the wind out of me and my enthusiasm!!   Mile 11-- 6:59  flat mile on Alpine Highway.      After stretching just before mile 11,   I regained some speed as the first half of  this mile I was almost pain free until the PF just tightened up again.  Mile 12--- 6:52.   Gave up on the push  with rollers to the finish and just ran easy in. We also added a hairpin turn at the end to head back to our cars.  I was only 8 seconds behind Kim and Jane.   Mile 13-- 7:18 (them7:10)  Thought I wouldn't be walking right now but so far so good.  We iced in the river for 5 minutes (lack of time Kim and I both left our car keys in Jane's car at the top of AF canyon : D what losers!! so we got a nice guy to help us out and drive us to my house to pick up an extra key then drive us back to AF high school.   I was also out of gas and coasted down the canyon!!  Luckily Jane had $5 cash on her.  I never put my purse in the car when I go running.   Fun times!! Comedy of errors galore.  I currently have a head and neck ache because I also got into the helpful citizen's car and misjudged the doorway whacking my head so hard as  I was climbing in!!  Seriously I need a new brain!!   AP for entire run (at mile 10 we were at 6:31 avg.)  =  6:38 for 13 miles.   Total time 1:26:21.  Hello!!! :D.

Worked all day.   Walking really poorly. Right quad extremely confused to what I put it through Friday.  Seriously I am not walking normal.  At least it is keeping me from thinking there is anything wrong with my left foot ; D.   8:45 pm--- 10 mile lactic acid removal mountain bike ride all around my neighborhood-- 4:11 pace.  Got darker and darker and less and less safe but still refreshing (but not for my leg.  At times I just pedaled with my left leg only).

Worked all day.  Still walking funny.  Right quad really mad!!    Perhaps I shouldn't have run so fast Friday???

6:30am Drove Courtney to her first swim team practice.  Came home.  Drove Brooke to Lindon Elementary to take her bus ride to Clear Creek for Summer camp for the Week.   Drove back to the Swimming pool in PG and ran 4.2 miles before Courtney got out of swim practice.  That is all I had time for.  Right quad a train wreck.  First mile (.8 uphill, steep) 9:15.  AP for 4.2 =  8:15.  Recovery run but man I feel like I am recovering from a marathon just on my right side.   I had a super migraine all weekend too just for fun.    Drove Courtney home.  Cleaned a little then went out to finish my 8 miler exactly two hours from when I started the first half.  NOW it is super hot.  Not a comfortable run considering my quad.  Managed a 7:30 last mile.   Odd.  I was in recovery mode.  Ooopps.  AP again 8:15 for 4 miles.  Total 8.2 @ 8:15 easy pace.  Iced in river for 10 minutes. VERY NECESSARY!! 

Two HILLY loops around PG rec center while Courtney was at swim team.  We rode our bikes to the pool slowly.   Courtney doesn't like to bike fast.  She is not into exercise like myself.  It is hard to motivate a teenager. 

Bike 2.75 miles

Run 8.2 miles (8:15 AP).  Right quad still sore but mending.  Oh my never going to do that again.  I was less sore running Mt Nebo half marathon with a 5 mile warmup running it in 1:19 then my 1:26 on the fly last Friday down AF canyon.  But I was in so much better shape last year.  I did some crazy stuff like run an unplanned SOLO marathon half uphill half downhill in 3:34 including 7 stops (and that was after already running 15.5 of those miles two days before UPHILL for 13 with Kelli).  Weird.  And then I ran speedwork at the track the NEXT day!!!  I was insane!!!   Sorry just reminiscing my craziness.   No wonder I was tired for SG. 

Bike 2.75 miles back home. 

Marathon grocery shopping, price matching and double coupons.  Joy. 

Dropped off Courtney at swim team.  Jogged over to rec center and ran on TM(first time in a long time) for 8 miles VERY easy as I am needing a slow recovery run--  started at 2 @ 8:57, 2 @ 8:49, 1.5 @ 8:41 then varying speeds from 8:13 to 8:34, mostly the slower.  AP-- 8:37.  Ran back to pool a short jaunt away.  I scraped my quad yesterday so taking it easy today was in order.   I am all covered in bruises and petechiae a sign of acute inflammation if the scraping is done right.  I didn't even have to push hard.  In Chinese it is call Gua Sha.  Gua meaning "to scrape" and Sha meaning "petechiae".  It said it is "serious medicine" but easy to do and very effective on releasing toxins held in muscles/nerves.  Oh did planks x 3 minutes front (3 x 1 min), 1.5 minutes each side (45 sec x 2).    Only 14 pushups (7 x 2) when my daughter needed me.

nothing.  so tired when I awoke at 515am for work this morning.  I probably walked 10 miles at work today no joke.  busybusy busy for 13 hours.  left home at 540am got back at 740pm  no workout  going to bed early for sure

so very tired from a tossing and turning night-- anxiety from my long day at work yesterday.  got up at 420am and ran 7 miles before driving again to UV hospital for a shift on NICU.  My muscles aren't feeling right.  I don't seem to be recovering well from any increase in mileage.  My PF is showing its ugly face once more.  Melanie scraped it Friday and it seems to be worse now.  Frustrating!!  AP 7:48 for 7 miles.  I wonder if I will feel good anymore?? hopefully I will tomorrow morning in order to run Kim in the marathon's last 6 miles!!  Good luck everyone.  kind of jealous.  Last year this race I was so very tired.  And here I am very tired again.  I suppose I could actually run the marathon because I am THAT masochistic but my body really needs a break.  No PRs in my future for the moment.  .......Good news-- I am on Rachelle's Ragnar team!!  last minute but hey that's me :D.  I am always up for an adventure !!

I got up feeling really achy this morning but definitely could NOT stand Kim up!!  Last year  she ran me in the last 6.2 miles of the race.  This year I did the same thing.  I parked at the finish and ran up 8.25 miles on the sidewalk/river trail (so not on the race course) beside the runners cheering as I went.  On the trail by the mouth of the canyon I couldn't see people for two miles but when I got to Canyon Glen Park and got a great view of the leader pack for the marathon--- two Kenyans (I believe) and  a BYU runner closely together.  I then proceeded back down the trail to the next river park and cut over there to the highway to meet up with Kim.   I was just .1 miles from mile 20.   At this point I had run 7:42 avg pace (8.25 uphill) for 10.41 miles.   I chatted with a few people.  Even saw Tara in her regular clothes but running shoes :D.   We were worried about the women taking long to get to mile 20.  We saw Emily Bates in the lead by a margin and if the race was on time she was on for a 2:59 marathon.  She obviously picked it up since she came in 2:56 (so I heard).  Next was Danielle Johnson who said she was done but she kept going.  Then an older looking lady (sorry if you are young ) .  She looked to be in her late forties early fifties.  Then came a girl I did not know.  Then Julie Esplin then a blondes chicka alongside my wonderful friend Kim.  So I took off with her.  I paced her in at a 7 AP.  She stopped at water stops so we actually ran a little faster as the stops put us at 7AP.  We passed Julie Esplin just before mile 24.   THEN the saddest part of it all-- OUT OF COMPLETE NOWHERE my hamstring felt like it was ripping from the back of my leg.  I started to limp (but I couldn't tell Kim and worry or slow her down).  I thought this is BAD.  I can't keep this up or I will truly tear my hamstring.  So I stopped and hurried Kim off as I told her my hamstring almost ripped off.   I tried stretching etc... and even grabbed a complete stranger (luckily she is a nurse) to drive her elbow in to my hamstring as I layed on the grass and watched JulieE and Josse run off.  So sad.  I didn't even get to see Kim finish strong btw she ran a 6:48 last mile and came in sixth overall with a time of 3:06:09.  Apparently there was one chickadee we didn't account for.  A girl with a nose ring in.  Don't remember her but it all went by so fast when the first 7 women were coming through.   So bummer Kim missed out on the podium picture and the $200 for fifth!!    AP for last 6 miles for me limping the last mile =  7:06.   Splits for fun-- 8:42, 8:00, 7:42, 7:43,  7:47, 7:39 (can't believe these are all up hill :D), 7:36, 7:23 (the steepest uphill mile, strange),  now turnaround-- 7:24, 7:13, and 7:07 for .41 (on the course for this).  Splits with Kim--6:51, 6:59, 6:59, 7:17 (walking thru water stop and the uphill mile), 7:06 (was faster just before my hamstring bit the dust), and final mile after roadside repair by nurse-- 7:28.  NOT sure how I managed that but I was on the course and the crowd pulls you through anything.    AP for all 16 miles=  7:28.     Massaged by chiropracter after race and he told me I had a second degree tare.  There was bruising on the skin which isn't a good sign.  I didn't scrape myself there so it is kind of concerning.   Iced in river with Kim and Jane x 10 minutes.  BTW my plantar fascitis was very ANGRY in this run UP UNTIL the moment my hamstring crashed.  Now I barely notice it.  I am apparently falling apart at the seams!!!   Not sure why but I didn't feel any wind going down the canyon for 2.41 miles so I think the wind ended in the race at mile 18 or so. Even when I stood on the sidelines watching the lead men just before mile 19 I didn't feel any wind. 

After a  1 hour nap yesterday  I could NOT fall asleep last night no matter what I did.  Tossed and turned.  4 hours is probably stretching it on sleep time.  Yesterday my hamstring and lower back was SOOOOOOO tight and painful to touch.  Just before church I scraped it (GUA) and without much pressure had a lot of  petechiae (SHA) in places other than my pinpointed hamstring pain, especially the IT band area close to and above the knee.  It is now a good size bruise but a lot of it went away when I attempted a slow recovery jog of 4 miles (but amazingly felt fine to run 8!!). Yesterday I thought I would be only be able to swim so this was remarkable improvement!!   My arch on my left foot was hurting (not dead center like my usual PF pain) and is due to the stupid shoes I wore (brooks pureflow) Saturday.  A big NO NO.  They cause my left foot to collapse inward and I think that put a lot of strain on my IT band and then my hamstring got the worst of it.   My lower back has also been painful to touch.  I used moist heat all evening and that worked the best along with some ibuprofen.   It is still tight and going faster today would have proved fatal so I just ran easy-- 8:15 pace for 8 miles. Odd that easy is 8:15 lately.  First mile 8:37.  Last mile 7:54.  

I had all intentions of attempting a run this morning with my herniation/sciatica/hamstring  problem along with a swollen ankle (not sure why-- but it is next to the arch) but decided rest was in order-- one more hour of sleep and a long day at work on mom/baby at UV.  Was better than usual.   Besides a painful foot to walk on my day was good.  

tired not sleeping well but managed to get out in the cool air.  felt nice ran slow AP 8:21 for 8 miles.  foot and ankle swollen and tender in the ankle.   i am thinking this is a no pr year as i am exhausted and having a lot of nerve pain issues and a lot going on at home....so I am escaping to Ragnar with Rachelle just for fun.  I am leg 5.  7.8 miles uphill on dirt.  4 miles slightly up, mostly flat.  2.8 miles easy.  345pm, 1230am, 930am. 

gRaveYard mizunos resurrected for a heat simulation run at 1105am.  This was not on purpose.  I had to get Courtney to her Swim Meet at 6am and I was a timer there for 3 hours.  Memory Lane.  Three summers ago all three of my girls were on swim team.  Brooke didn't want to miss out on staying up late and socializing so she quit.  Even though she was really good at it.  Amber only was on her first year and was taken out because her sisters wanted out.  Now Courtney is back at it.  She did quite well for three years off (two seasons off).  I came home from the meet (time trial meet with Lehi Flyers) hungry so ate first then made sure my kids did their dusting chore for the day.  So got out at 11 and ran withOUT looking at my watch once even when the mile pace would beep I CONTAINED myself from peeking.  I wanted an easy run and no focus on pace.  My guess for the first mile was a 9:30 (but it was 8:53) and my guess for overall pace was between 8:30 and 8:35 (and it was 8:15!!)  AP 8:15, 8 miles in the heat.  First thing Brooke said to me when I got back "mom you are all wet!!"   I did go through a couple of sprinklers that I could find.  ANKLE HURT THE ENTIRE RUN but the SHOES were HEAVENLY!!  They are the ones I ran at the Mt Nebo half last year.  Precisions with the japanese flowers.   I had been wearing them to work and that's all.  But my feet weren't jiving with my other shoes and causing more harm than good.  Done with minimalism.

FUN TIMES--- woke at 5am to take daughter to swim meet and watch her team compete until 745am.  Got home at 7:55am, quickly gathered prepacked gear for Ragnar.  Troy drove me to meet my team at Target in AF.  Arrived at 8:15am.  Met my team.  All new to me (except Rachelle) and was very excited to hang with them!!  Thanks Jorge, Jake, Steph, Hollie, and Rachelle.  I really appreciated all your company and getting to know you all!!  Van 2-- even though we met briefly a few times I could tell you all were fun great people sharing in an experience of nuttiness and  pure fun!!

Leg 5, 7.93  miles UPHILL ON DIRT. VERY HARD.  Well, I was hopeful as we arrived in Logan with pure cloud cover and low 80 temps.  What more could I ask for?? Of course THAT would all change by the time I ran at 330pm.  It was in the high 80s and NO CLOUD COVER but fortunately there was a breeze (which isn't always the best on a dirt path with cars passing you however).    After Hollie, Rachelle, Steph, and Jorge pulled off remarkable splits for their legs I was a little leary of my leg as Jorge informed me last night my leg had to be rerouted 500 more feet in elevation gain due to mud slides. FREAK out!!  it already was climbing 1263 feet in 8 miles!!!  BUT just before taking off I got a hold of my sister and the last thing she said before we lost contact was that my leg was no longer rerouted.  I was in heaven with that notion.  I lined up for my leg and there was a guy in the shoot with me.  I started to pump myself up by saying to him and his team "don't even think that I am roadkill!!".  Well it turned out his team left the shoot first and I passed him in the first half mile (I think, as I didn't wear my garmin for any of my runs--- I am trying to break the habit for the best.  I run freer without that thing and this time I certainly did.  I had my stop watch and was timing everyone's legs.  I am OCD that way.  It keeps my sleepless mind busy).  I couldn't believe I was finally running 10 hours after waking this morning.  AND it felt extremely hot (Boston- like except I was on dirt and climbing a mountain).  Oh well I just ran and ran and ran NOT looking once at my stop watch.  I PASSED 35 TEAMS!!!!!   The guy's I first past-- his van-- totally cheered me on like I was a hero.  I was the only one actually running up the entire thing.  I was in TOTAL shock when I saw the ONE MILE TO GO sign.   I thought for sure I had three to go.   It is hard to gauge on trails and uphills.  It was then I looked at my watch turning to 57 minutes when I got there.  I didn't have time for math but I thought Cam (who I was replacing) goal was 63 minutes  and I was kind of disappointed but still felt strong so I booked it uphill (I can do anything for one more mile) passing several more teams walking as this is the steepest mile.  I came in at 65 minutes!!  Seriously a little over 8 min/miles ????  I felt great!!  My team didn't even see me coming when I passed our van in the first few miles.   Totally funny to see their shock.  Apparently my UNDERDEVELOPED calves sprout when I run uphill!!     When I finished I realized Cam's prediction was actually 67 minutes for this leg.  I had gained a little time without feeling like it all!!  AND this leg was 0.13 miles LONGer than written after asking several others that ran it.  Rachelle's next leg was 0.2 miles shorter so it all comes together at the end :D .    Rachelle is the RAGNAR queen.  We decided it is ULTRA RAGNAR for us next time-- TEAM JILL (TEAM Jack for the guys and we will give them a 2 hour head start).    I for one will have to take the whole week off from work the week before  to capitalize on sleep gains.  At 10 pm I wanted to fall asleep so bad and I can't take caffeine so I was stuck feeling NO adrenaline rush until my last leg when just the thought of BEING done kept the flame burning :D. 

Leg 17, 4.22 miles (got this off another runner on the blog).  Moderate, mostly UPHILL. 30:46  minutes.  AP 7:17.  Felt faster than that.      When you run fatigued it always feels faster than it is but it may have been long.  I passed 20 teams.  One VERY skinny fast guy passed me looking very serious.  It was about 1130 pm.  We had gained 45 minutes for our team.   Goal was a tempo run for this leg and run the next leg with Rachelle at 9 min miles.  Well it wasn't wise as RACHELLE was in full on race mode and I was in "I need to lie down and go to bed mode".  I should have bailed out of this run.  My legs weren't tired or sore (except the PF and painful calf that I  had run through even the first run, I am getting used to ignoring the pain there).  I was doing Yoga breathing to stay awake.  I felt like my brain wasn't getting enough oxygen and Rachelle was telling me I was going too slow (in not exactly those words).  I just didn't feel the need to BOOK it for every run and Rachelle was like the energizer bunny.  I swear her 5 hour energy drink lasted well into the night!! :D.  She took off from me the last 1.5 miles.  At the mile to go sign I decided to pick it up a bit.  We were only passed by three fast guy teams.  WE passed many teams but we were talking so we didn't count them.  One girl I completely freaked out by passing her.  I didn't mean to.  I just said "hi" as I ran by.  My AP for Rachelle's leg was 8:50 for 8.2 (probably longer).  

When Rachelle and I finished our leg up the hill in the night to pass off to the next van THEY
 were nowhere to be found.  A cell phone call resulted in alarming (now quite funny) news.  They were at the WRONG exchange.  In fact they had dropped off the next guy (he just joined the team two weeks ago and never ran a Ragnar) at LEG 16 instead of 18.  He was by himself waiting and waiting...wondering where we were when we said we were just a few minutes to the exchange.  Van 2 had to drive back and pick him up and drive him TWO exchanges down the course.  We added almost an hour to our team's time.  I am sure that stress caused Van 2 to gain some strength in their early hour runs.  I know it would have mine!!  I felt bad for them.   For us it was bitter sweet.  We had gained 45 minutes but lost them in an instant.  But it wasn't really a race so it didn't matter.  I had to be to work at noon so I was sligthly stressed but work said it was okay I came in at 1pm.   However we MADE more time  up in our last legs and gain 30 minutes from the time we lost!!  I left for my last leg at 11am instead of the predicted 10:32 am.  Our team would have come in at 27:30 hours but things happen.  I wouldn't my change my team. They were all a blast to hang with!! Van 2 I met briefly and everyone of them had their own special running story.  And I love that!!  We came in 32 in our category and 69th out of all the teams!!    We are FREAKS on a Leash!!  Oh yah!! We lived up to our name. That's all that counts!!   

Drove to exchange 24 to TRY to get some sleep.  Didn't happen.  Rachelle and I were in the back seat of a minivan.  I think we both tried at least 10 positions to sleep in. All of them VERY uncomfortable.  I finally forfeited my spot and got out of the van without a wink of sleep and walked around aimlessly.  Rachelle was greatful.  I just decided sleep WASN'T going to happen.  You would have to drug me to sleep at Ragnar.  Even then that might backfire to the HORROR of the team!! 

Leg 29, 3.0 miles (course tooled long, as I knew it was based on effort).   20:23.  RACING flats SAucony A15s.  I think that's their name.  Not a good idea I realized as ROAD construction made it hard to fly in these shoes.  I was force to run on the side walk with bits of tarry gravel all over the place passing up and over many curbsides at intersections with MORE gravel to traverse.  The last mile was the best with a covered bridge to cross the Provo River (I just learned that it was indeed the Provo River!!) and a treeline path to the finish, passing off to Rachelle.  AP 6:47.  Passed 20 teams!!   Cooled down with Rachelle, although I was thinking more like lying down-- 1 mile.  Off to work.  Arrived at work at 1:09pm.  Worked until 6:45pm.  Left work.  Ate two bites of dinner and made the ascent to my bedroom and crashed at 7:25pm.  Woke at 530am.  10 hours of SLEEP.  OH YAH!!

8 sleepless miles on the trail.  Ankle and hamstring angry.  AP easy 8:39.

8 miles easy on the roads.  Kind of stress about the pain in my hamstring and back.  But I am so masochistic and unrealistic..someoone tie me up!!  8:19 AP.

8 miles.  2.7 to the gym with Kim.  Suicidal workout.  Abs (haven't done any for at least two years (except some planks) along with squats (probably been over two years) and arms while cycling.  Spin class kicked my butt.  Then ran back home and added on because I am insane.  Why am I running through all this pain??  I need help. Psychotherapy and rehab.  AP 8:00 even. 

not sleeping and time to work at UV mom baby.  Called at 440am to be put on call for my anniversary (15 years) THEN 10 minutes later I was called in to work at Utah Valley.  Long BUSY shift (13 hours).  I could barely move after yesterday's abs and squats.  But it kept my mind off my hamstring/back.   NO RUNNING.   There would be no way I could run normally.

Freak out I am not sleeping and I am so very sore and NOW my hamstring is madder than ever.  The chiro seemed to make things worse for me.  I really shouldn't run this half marathon.  I am wasted tired and my leg is a mess.  Why do I still run???   LOCK ME UP PLEASE!!!   AP 8:11.  It hurt the whole time.   Work was ridiculous, handing out pain meds all day when I needed pain meds.   Bending down (those abs again) was difficult.  I thougtht this run would work out the soreness.

WARNING REPORT will be frank and depressing but I am not trying to impress anyone.  AND most of all I am ONLY competitive with myself so all this self loathing is self-comparison.  Any tom,dick or harry (Mary : D) can fly on by--that is not my goal-- to take others down.  I just want to reach my own goals.  With that said I am BURNT out with running IN PAIN.   I just can't do it anymore.  I awoke extremely tired after two 13 hour shifts with the same burning tight hamstring, hip and back.   I was thinking "who the h--- runs a half marathon downhill with this kind of pain and why the heck do I think I have to run it?"   I just couldn't NOT run it.   And to run it slow the first miles would have been painful too so why not try to go faster (GOAL to stay between the 1:25 and 1:30 pacer)???  Besides the residual "too many squats in years" soreness in every muscle of my thighs and hips was I knew the hamstring/back pain I had been  experiencing  would gradually take me under  as the course geography changed the last few miles.  At mile five I could feel it pulling and it scared me.   My PF pain was numb.    My hamstring/back problem came on suddenly two weeks ago as I paced Kim in the UVM the last 6 miles.   The pain then was so intense there was nothing I could do to run.  I was so sad to miss Kim at the finish.  It came out of nowhere but I believe it was due to the concrete of UV course and minimalist shoes causing tons of stress on my SI joint/hip then kapoof-- hamstring!!  I was so glad that several times the pain waxed and waned that I was able to run Ragnar but since Ragnar the pain has gotten worse and worse.  At mile 9 my leg was so tight that I just had to "envision" myself in SPIN class doing the One-legged work out.  My left leg turnover was completely useless and running faster was more painful.  I kept telling myself I could slow down and when my fun Ragnar buddy Holly passed me I knew I couldn't stop.  I had to try.    Just before mile 11 I got a pebble in my shoe at the top of my ankle.  It was bugging me so I stopped and tried with my tight fingers to get it out and then it fell to the sole of my foot.  Dang nab it I am going to have to just run with this stupid pebble under my foot.  Of course it was my left foot and  of course it was right under my PF.   Just more fun for me.   My goal at this point was to at least run in the 1:27 range.  I lost a lot of time in the last three miles.   But there just was NO way I could run faster with the memory of the intense pain at UV that stopped me completely there.  I had to finish.  I walked throught the last water station and then tried my hardest to finish strong but really was thinking "I don't want to run anymore.  It is not fun in this pain.  I need some serious help!!  SERIOUSLY!! YOU (talking to myself) are the STUPIDEST runner ever Julie.  What is with you.   Stop running.  Stop it already.  Cut it out.    I ran into the finish with a chip time of 1:27:13.    6th place overall.  I saw a woman at the start who clearly looked older than me and she sped off in the first 500 yards.   She was in 5th, 53 seconds ahead of me (49 years old.  I learned her name is Keri Hatch).  Never saw her after the starting line.  But then again I am not usually looking out to pass anyone unless they happen to be there in front of me when I am running a certain pace.  Holly rocked the last miles finishing in 1:25:04.  Seeing her finetuned core pass me and feeling my blubber move around while I ran made me realize how much I got to get some ab strength to do better at finishes (after I get rid of the pain of course).  Visited the physical therapy table after the run.  He said  that my SI joint was completely off causing the sciatic nerve, most likely, to get very irritated, as my pain goes all the way to my foot.  My foot is numb, my ankles goes numb and burns at times but mostly my hamstring is on fire and my lower back aches quite a bit.  He also thought it could be a herniated disc.   Holy crud what if I have a herniation??  I do not want surgery.  But I really want this pain to go away.  It is throbbing right now as I type.  Paces for fun (STOPWATCH :D< NO GARMIN : D):  6:38, 6:24, 6:34, 6:18, 6:13 (starting to feel the hamstring pull/tear OUCHIE, hold it together mantra),  6:04 (alright slow it down),  6:27, 6:47 (starting to hyperventilate from the stress!!),  7:00 (HI HOLLY :D!!), 6:51, 7:07 (pebble in my shoe stop),  7:18 (just not feelin' the love at all),  and 1.1 miles in 7:27 with 5 kers in the way-- I am weaving all around them like everyone else had to but it was just for .25 miles so not too bad.  Cried at the finish because of the pain.  I am truly going on leave.  Overall time 1:27:13.  Oh yah ran a one mile warm up on the dirt road with Melanie.  I could feel the squats.  Again stupid move doing lots of squats for the first time in years three days before a half marathon.  At least I felt better in those areas today.  Yesterday was pretty funny, unable to bend down normally.  My coworkers got a good laugh!    QUESTION:  did you stay inside the cones or "cheat"?  At mile 12.5 there is a crosswalk with cones to cross over with a police car as you turn ritht. The guy just ahead of me cut off those cones taking the quickest way back.  I am thinking that I should have too but me and another guy followed the cones because that was how it was marked.    I didn't have a garmin but I heard the course was on, maybe slightly over. 

NO running DAY 2 (okay day one really, I don't run Sundays but I am counting it :D)  Left hamstring and lower left back VERY tight and NOT happy.    Looking back at my MRI from 4 years ago-- I had a mild central disk protursion (herniation) in two places L3-4 and L5-S1 with dessication (drying of one of my discs) and narrowing....my hunch is it BACK with a vengeance.  (no pun intended ; D)   If it was a torn hamstring with this amount of pain I would see bruising/bleeding at the surface and I don't which tells me IT IS the NERVE (sciatic) being pinched.  My left big toe goes in and out of numbness and the arch of my foot has nerve-like pains (not where I had plantar fascitis).   Got up however at 6:20am to drive Courtney and Ashton (neighbor's son) to swim team.  Got the kids up and going as we are off to 7 peaks in Provo today at 930am before the mad rush.  We are meeting my sister and her kids for a few hours of fun!! 

Day three NO running.  Yup sticking to my plan.  I am even thinking of NO exercise for a week.  My hamstring is so very tight and tender.  blah blah blah.  Worked 12.5 hours in the NICU-- very busy day.  Stood almost the entire shift and only a 15 minute lunch!!  Work again tomorrow so temptation to get up and run plus really this hamstring feels worse than my PF ever did as far as trying to "run" through the pain.    I am sure weight gain will ensue.  Oh well.  Summer lovin' had me a blast!! :D

No running DAY 4.  Yup can't run even if  I tried to disobey my orders.  Left leg going in and out of conciousness.   Numb, burning, tingling, mostly burning from lower back to hamstring to ankle to foot.  Herniated disc is most likely diagnoisis.  Chiro appt tomorrow and regular dr. in afternoon then pain specialist for shot in the back a different day.  feel so out of touch with NORMAL running.  pain is wearing on me. 

Woke at 520 am but went back to bed until 620am to take Courtney to swim team.   In the 10 minutes before getting in my car I decided to put on my bathing suit (not a racing suit-- a cute two piece, not bikini, with a tie at the neck and waist) and brought my goggles in case I got the incling to swim laps.  Well I got there and two larger woman were swimming laps, older mother and daughter.   I watched my daughter's swim team for a bit and then got in the water.  I did one lap as the two women finished a 1/2 lap.  This was my first lap in a long time and since the women told me it was 36 laps to a mile I of course decided to swim a mile.  First time since summer of 2009.  Not sure how I got out of the habit back then other than TOO much running!!  After the first few laps of freestyle I decided I would break for 30 seconds every 12 laps.  The first lap going easy took 49 seconds with going around the two women.  After that my swimming endurance (lack thereof) showed and I averaged 55 to 59 seconds per lap.  Basically it took me 36:10 to swim a mile INCLUDING two 30 second rest periods.  NO FLIP turns as there were built in stairs on one side and the water was only three feet high. They only leave one lane open for nonswim team swimmers and it is on the shallow end.  The swim team was swimming in all the lanes beside me at times causing quite the wave action.  I can tell my breathing is off for the mile right now but I am pretty pleased with my debut mile.  I will have to go back three years on the blog and see what I was swimming then.  I couldn't kick too hard as my lower back needs LOTS of TLC.  My ARMS were TIRED!!    Off to the chiro in one hour.

another impromtu EXERCISE moment :D.   Got up at 6am.  Took Courtney to swim team at 630am.  BACK TRACK--- yesterday went to chiro.....ah!!!!!!!!  he is sooo good--  heat, ultrasound, massage, adjustment, decline table (strestch the lumbar region).  He worked my tight hamstring, psoas muscle, and lower back for a while.  Almost an hour!!!  I had hope coming out of the office but then a few hours later even with icing my back was throbbing.  I had another appointment with my regular doctor (his PA actually which I wasn't sure was the right decision but it turned out great since he has had three back surgeries and has had very similar troubles for a while).  Well he of course is starting conservative (the way I like to be....I just want the pain to go away and the NUMB ankle really WORRIES me!!).  He said I most likely have two herniated discs based on previous MRI four years ago that showed central disk protrusion in two places (L3-L4 and L5 -S1)and that they were obviously clamping down on my sciatic nerve causing the hamstring, calf and foot/ankle pain/numbness.  He told me most people read that on their report and think "see I am disabled" and look for claiming disability at 30).   NOT me of course, having run at least 10 marathons since then :D) He put me on ORAL prednisone taper for 13 days!! YIKES.  Steroids always worry me.  When I was on solumedrol that was one I would NEVER take again--- it gave me the most intense back and leg pain (severe MUSCLE cramps spasm, takes your breath away and you can't move).  The pharmacist told me that although prednisone and solumedrol are both corticosteroids, solumedrol has an extra molecule at the end (chemical makeup) that was probably the cause but that I should be very careful that if it happens again to call my doctor.  It is a high alert med for this problem being serious.  YIKES.  I have taken prednisone before and the only problem I have had was some cushing's syndrome symptoms for being on it for over a month and if you don't taper off it ---- IMPENDING doom symptoms.  So of course drs. always taper you off them.   One dr. didn't and it was the scariest thing ever!!  Anyway enough about prednisone the necessary evil drug!    HI KATE!! :D  7 peaks today?

As I was driving my daughter I saw my neighbor Cristi on her road bike taking off on a ride.  She was nice enough to ride back to my house and wait for me to get back from taking the kids to swim team.  It took 10 minutes.  I hopped on my bike and we were off on a 20 mile hilly adventure to the mouth of the canyon--- taking all the PG, Lindon, and Orem hills along the way.  It was scenic (a bit smokey smelling air however, but started to clear with the wind on the way back).  Loved the workout.  I was on my mountain bike.   We averaged 4:18 pace I guess--- she had an odometer and I had my stopwatch-- 1:26:18.  This was a great exercise day.  I feel great!!  Endorphin high or prednision ???? who knows.  Loving the biking thing!!   Oh yah when I got back I dropped off my "on its last leg" Honda Accord with 212,000 miles on it at the shop.  IT burns thru oil like no tomorrow!!  Apparently that is normal for an old car the repair man said.  I go to him a lot.  He knows a lot about cars.  He said he doesn't see too many cars (with original parts, ie motors) go more than 250,000 miles and lucky if over 200,000.  So I guess we are doing better than we thought!!  Rode my bike home 1.5 miles.  Legs feel great!! :DDDDDDD Century rides here I come!!

Worked all day in the admit nursery : D.  Fun times with the newest additions to the world!!  Love my job!!  Babies rule!!   DAY 7 NO running.   Oh I did do a 30 second or so jaunt on the grass at a soccer fielf barefoot.  Felt lovely.  Ankle and PF-like symptoms (probably really my back referred numbness pain) coming and going all day. Left foot does not seem right anymore.  It inverts when it used to have an arch.  When I make a wet footprint I have NO arch on my left foot (way flat footed) and my right foot has a normal arch.  I have done this test many times with my feet (you know when you read an article "what foot type are you?" when searching for running shoes in the RW guide) and have always had an arch in both feet.  Not sure how I lost the strength in my left foot tendons/nerves???  hope I didn't do permanent damage ignoring my back all along.  At least the pain in my hamstring which really was a NERVE not my muscle (sciatica) has completely subsided.  That was intense.  Hip is also better and lower back does not hurt.  My foot and ankle go numb.  Day three on steroids.  Crossing fingers.