Believe to Achieve

Got my sleepless butt to the pool.  Prednisone taper madness.  Hip burning with pain and down my leg to my foot.  Swam with three other people in one lane but still swam faster than last Thursday and  I did all flip turns.  Maneuvering was tricky.  I just pretended I was in an open water swim with obstacles.  I zoned them out.  I swam 1 mile (well just over a mile as I swam 36 laps of a 25 yard pool and one mile = 1760 yards, just looked it up).  It took me 35 minutes with two stops.  I stop after the 12 and 24 laps for 30 seconds each.  Feeling strong despite my sleepless night and anxiety from the taper.  Freestyle is all about shoulder, arm and chest strength.  I barely used my legs.  They are for stability.   When I am in a 50 meter pool per length I will be faster.  Flipping over that many times and maneuvering around three other SLOW swimmers is not easy.  Did some really slow relaxing laps after my mile swim.  Honestly my mile swim felt really easy.  Not pushed at all and not out of breath!!  Forgot a swim cap again.  Wore my two piece thick tie at the neck swim suit.  Got to get a race suit so  I can glide in the water and so that my hair doesn't get tangle so badly I have got to remember a cap!!! 

taper madness continues (prednisone 15 mg twice a day).....slept fairly well....could have slept longer.  Drove Courtney to pool.  Swam 1 mile and did other relaxing laps as well.  Under 35 minutes again but tired today, longer break x 1.   I wore different TIGHTER goggles apparently as they were squeezing my eyeballs pretty hard leaving an indentation and my eyes sore.  Water got in them often too.  I wonder if they were my kids, hence why they felt too tight.  My grey pair yesterday were no problem.  That really affected my swim, doing the one arm stroke removing water from goggles with the other.  Leg and hip were in a lot of pain yesterday-- burning tingling numbness to the ankle.  Mostly in the left hip.   Better today but coming on again as I sit here-- mainly the tingling in my foot and ankle. No hip pain yet.  Tomorrow I am biking to the 10k in Provo and watching the top runners finish.  I never get to see this so it will be fun!!  Should be a 30-35 mile bike ride round trip.  Taking the hilly route there.    ....thinking SGM might have to be out if I can't get my foot to cooperate-- the tingling to my arch is worrisome--- pulsating, shock-like and my foot goes numb.  time will tell. 

30.24 mile bike ride--- up 6am.   Off at 6:17am.  Rode bike to Start/Finish of 10k Freedom Run from my house in Pleasant Grove.   15.06 miles at 4:00 AP on Mountain Bike taking the hilly route.  Only one light I had to stop at :D.   Almost saw the top runners of the 10k just after the mile mark but the light slowed me.   Instead I just rode up the course backwards from the Football Stadium and down 9th east to the Finish.    Had 20 minutes to spare to wait for Melanie.  Walked 1/2 mile of the course while watching LOTS of 5ker (thousands) finish.  It looked as crowded as the start of the Boston Marathon coming up to the finish from 9th east.    Then out of nowhere a LONE 10ker would run by--- the first guy, a skinny young fellow.  Then a few other guys, some without numbers (or shirts), then Kassi Harmon in first for the 10k followed by Jen Hughes and then YAY Melanie in third!!  I ran beside her until the finish.  She was in a zone and couldn't hear me cheer her very well.   Just before the finish shoot I went off to the side and another girl came up behind Melanie and passed her just before the finish.  She missed third by probably 3 seconds or less!!! Bummer.   She said she saw that she was PRing so she didn't push it harder and didn't realize the girl was there.   I run like that too.  No need to go all out and kill myself with a good PR already happening.  But darn she would have been third and win some prize money :D.  Way to go Melanie!!   PRs are awesome!!  JulieE came in fifth.  And a few runners I knew were in the 5 k.  I didn't stay long and took off on my bike ride home-- 15.2 miles at 3:57 AP.   Hill work baby!!!   I hope this makes me a stronger runner.  DAY 11 NO RUNNING.    (okay I ran 1/2 mile with Melanie but it felt out body being on Prednisone.  Can't wait to be off this drug.  Taper driving me nuts!!   I have random muscle pains all over mainly in my ribs).   Bike Ride I felt strong the entire time!!!   30.24 miles YEE HAW!!  AP overall pace 3:58!!

Fireworks last night at PGJHS with family.  Hard to fall asleep with neighbors shooting off "illegal" fireworks.    Worked all day in level 2.  Long day.  One baby. 

Couldn't take it anymore.  Muggy, humid and pent up energy....awake at 5am.  Decided to just run an easy 3 miles which turned into an easy 4 miles.  Actually due to the prednisone my muscles in my lower legs were in stabbing pain at the half mile mark and I had to walk.  The medication is not good for me.  My adrenal glands haven't started working on their on again.  It takes a few days for the rebound affect.  The next 3.5 miles felt almost normal.  I took it nice and easy and my last mile easy pace feeling was 7:33.  AP for 4.1 miles - 8:14. 

five hours then up.  tried to run but med side effect WAY too intense.    This reaction is hard to describe--- no adrenaline-- inability to put legs/hips into action without intense pain, drop to the floor-like intensity in the back down to the knees.  Marrow-like intensity.  so NO more prednisone for me.  Seriously this is INcompatitble with running more than an injury.  I could not lift my legs without a rebound pain intensity that if I tried to take another step I would have collapsed.  Biking uses the larger muscles so the pain doesn't come on unless I try to push the pace.  I will try biking later when the sun is up and my daughter's meet is over.  In swimming I noticed this muscle pain in the muscles between my ribs-- pulsating stabbing very uncomfortable to breath until it passes. 

Mizuno precision Japanese Flower.  Yup have been wearing last summer's shoe.  Haven't found the right shoe.  The WRONG shoe however I have found--- Altras (sorry my PF can't take it),  mizuno precision orange (they mess  with my left arch, seems factory problem, like an extra pad is added to the left shoe, noticed this when I first got them. Should have returned them.  )   Brooks Pureflow-- left foot pronates a lot in them!!  This is the shoe that really put my left foot over the edge.  My poor left foot is is a whole half size smaller than my right and always has to "swim" in shoes, hence why the arch in shoes is always bugging.  It falls in a different place than my right.  Okay enough already let's get to the good stuff. 

DAY 1 of ST. Georger Marathon Training.  Mainly my goal is to finish (laugh here).   Seriously, second goal is to finish without much pain.   Since I have been injured (and still am, laugh more, I can't take NO running anymore.  It is causing me to sink in to an abyss that I don't like to be reminded is there),  I  have a plan to take it easy on increasing mileage.  I mapped it out.  Only 5 miles a day with a long run of 8 miles this week.  I will also swim three miles and bike 40- 50. 

Today I got up and ignored the pulsating numbness tingling in my left ankle and the the PF residual pain.  Just can't give into it.  Wore my mizunos.  They feel cushy and sweet on my feet although I have over 600 miles on them.    Now I was a little worried the prednisone wouldn't be quite out of my system and I would have that rebound painful feeling going from my hips to my knees.   I really was hopeful that I could run through it if it did happen.  IT didn't happen.  My legs felt ridiculously light like they have absolutely NO muscle. Just skin and bone.  First mile uphill 8:34.  Felt real easy so I just kept it easy running UP to Kim's house and around the neighborhoods of my stake.   Felt really strong and light (stopped at a porta potty on 1800 north, conveniently placed in a moment of dire need.  Who knew it would be so light out at 550am??? )  the rest of my splits look tempo like but I promise you they were easy--- 7:55, 7:40, 7:27, and 7:09.  AP 7:45 for 5 miles. Walked two minutes then jogged the last .12 miles to my house.  Woke Courtney up for swim team.  SWAM a MILE in 34 minutes (36 minutes including the two stops to work out the lane schedule and take my usual every 12 laps break).    Shared the lane with two guys.  One guy let me go first in the circle of swimmers.  He started gaining on me after giving me a 1/2 lap lead.  I was thankful to see that he had flippers on but I made it a goal in the last 1/3 of my mile (12 laps when he was with me in the pool) to NOT let him pass me.  He didn't get a chance.  He started telling me how (after I finished my mile) he had to wear the fins for the navy and that the elevation was kicking his butt.  Mainly his excuse for not passing me but hey I have only swam a mile four times in the last 2 weeks-- the last time was four years ago.    I am just too competitive.  I honestly should do a triathlon like I said I would.  The Jordanelle is still an idea.  I am just NOT going to ride on a road bike.  To me it is NOT a good enough work out.  I need to feel my legs working!!  I am just a nervous henny is the real reason  I don't ride a road bike.  I like my body unbroken please, for the most part that is.  Day 1 of training... looking good so far.     Here is a song my daughter put on my iPod that I inserted running words-- da da da da daaaaa....  you think your faster than me, you got your sunglasses and your nike frees....and you run by like you think your faster than me....you got your PRs.....yahta yahta yahta.    : DDDDDD   hope you are smiling on that one. 

mizuno precision 12s.  5am before work.  5.1 miles @ 8:11 pace.  Really tired when the alarm sounded.  Wish I could be lazy like the last two weeks and really tempted myself but decided 40 minutes of sleep after waking to an alarm wasn't worth my failure today to get in my run.  Warm out.  Busy long day at work.  So very tired right now.  Will probably go to bed early. 

mizunos prec japanese flower.  5am run before work.   5.1 miles with 5x 0.1 at 6 to 6:18 pace.  Kinda sweaty in these but there was a breeze today.  AP 7:55 for 5.1.  Worked all day.  Nice day at work. 

Challenged to a 1 min 30 second WALL SIT yesterday at work....NOT PRETTY.  I could barely make it.  She also wanted me to lift one leg up while wall sitting.  NO way.  She proceeded to tell everyone that "runners are weak" since everyone watching me was surprised it was hard for me since I run marathons and have a thing for pain.  Time to do MORE wall sits to get strong....BUT not today.    I don't feel good. Yesterday at work I started to feel stomach flu symptoms....today I awoke feeling weak.  I still was going to run and even thought  I could swim a mile afterwards.  I had dropped Courtney off at the pool and headed out for my hilly five miler around the benches of PG.  I was pooped and my HR felt too speedy.  I was achy all over, like you get with a flu.   Not much strength.  I wore my new saucony mirage 2 shoes that arrived yesterday and it made it feel even harder to run.  New shoes always confuse my body.   I am too sensitive.  I got to five miles and was still a 1/2 mile from the pool where my car was.  I decided swimming and not feeling well wasn't a good idea.  My arms felt really weak especially with all the achiness.  So.....in case I can't even run long tomorrow I got in the "long" run today and ran 8 miles.  AP 8:06.    Iced in river.  Feel really weak right now and need a nap.  Tylenol taken. 

Went to Amazing Spiderman with Troy, Courtney and Troy's high school friend Dave and wife and a couple of his kids.  Went to bed at 1 am.  Woke just before 6am.  Drove my tired Courtney to swim team.  For some reason I was very awake for only sleeping 4.75 hours.  Ran in my mizunos.  The mirages caused my back to ache and my ankle numbness to be even greater along with arch pain.  Not good and depressing for me. I have an MRI for my lower back today.  Worried it won't show what is wrong and I will have to pay more money to the foot and ankle dr.  I think I have tarsal tunnel syndrome.  The pain and numbness in my ankle fits completely with how I have been feeling to a  T.   It also talks about how people with back problems can have a "double crush" on the nerve --- lumbar disc compression cause pain and numbess down the leg to the ankle as well as further compression through tarsal tunnel.  I have noticed my foot on the left is flat now when I used to have an arch so something weakened in my ankle which in turn must have caused my ankle to turn inward and cause impingement on the nerves.   I do not like NOT  feeling my ankle. That tells me nerves are dying.  Anyway....I still got in my run but by the end my left lower back was aching and that nagging "hamstring" --really sciatica was trying to show its face.   I think the mirages run yesterday played a role there.   My legs felt good in the mizunos despite the lingering pain issues from yesterday's run.  AP 8:00 for 6 miles.  Ran up to the canal (great hill work) and ran on trail for three miles.  SWAM a 1800 yards (1760 yards is a mile, so just over a mile as usual).  FEELING REALLY STRONG IN THE POOL.  My breathing is finally connecting well with every three strokes and my flip turns I don't feel like I am out of breath like I had my first four miles I have done.  I felt smooth.  Maybe it was my new racing bathing suit : D  I FELT GREAT in the water and swam over a mile in 33:30.    34:50 with a couple of breaks.  I really should do some triathlons.  I think I could do very well if I weren't so scared of road bikes!!  LOVE MY MOUNTAIN BIKE!!!  I know I have said this several times before. I just feel safe on it!! 

Stuck to plan.  Phew!!  Okay, one mile over and a little change (yesterday I ran 6 instead of 5 but the trail was so inviting, low impact).   Ran at 530am before taking Courtney to Payson for Swim Meet.  Plan is to quickly head over to Mona and see the finish after I watch Courtney's first event.  Swim meets are long!!  AP today 8:07 for 5 miles.  :D.  Off to work at noon. 

Mizuno precisions, japanese flower.  Hmmmm how many miles can I put on these shoes?  I honestly should not have run this morning....who know what I am doing to the nerve in my ankle--   crawling ants feeling as the nerve tries to come to life, numbness like feeling all around mostly the inside of my ankle and follows above and crosses over the top and to the bottom of my foot.  I am like falling apart....what the heck is all this injury stuff???  My PF is numb so I may be injuring it more and more.  I can't get into my podiatrist for two weeks from today.   Hmmm how much damage can I do in that time??  Got my MRI report back--- it showed facet hypertrophy on all my lumbar vertebrae and a dry disk at L3-L4 and a herniated disc (mildly protruding into the ventral thecal sac--- spinal cord) at the L4-L5.  So my thought about "DOUBLE crush" to my ankle is probably true--- first a pinched nerve in my back and second a pinched nerve in my ankle.   Blah blah blah.  I am in training. NO TIME FOR INJURY.  Plan this week-- 6, 6, 6, 5, 5, 10  = 38 miles (up four miles from last week).  Ran cautiously for six mile this morning out and back past AF high school to the half course mile 12 mark and back home.  Although I strategically avoided my ankle completely FREAKING out--- the nerve keeps doing a popping feeling so it causes "electric shock" like symptoms in my ankle....I still ran 9 x 30 second pickups with 1:15 to 1:30 seconds in between just to test myself on speed. I have no speedwork planned this week or next.  I am waiting for week 4 to run some at the track after  I build up my running aerobically.  I felt really strong in my pick ups.  Pace was in the 5:40 range.  Love the short speed.  In between I ran easy but it made my last two miles a 7:17 and 7:10.  AP for 6 miles= 7:54.  First mile 8:44.      Then I had to go biking....because it has been since the 4th of July!!!  AP for 12 miles 4:05.  It was an intense hilly course on the foothills of PG.  I was tired at the end. 

1pm-- ONE MILE with Courtney in the sun.  Courtney wants to get in shape aerobically for soccer etc....So we started our training together.  One mile and some change-- 9:51.  Stopped for 45 seconds at 0.62 miles.  Courtney having a hard time breathing.  She had just eaten and it was hot.  AND she hasn't run in a while except little bursts at twice a week if that soccer practices.  She has been swimming though.  I motivated her with talks of Rachelle's "never ran more than 2 miles" two years ago and NOW look at her :D.  I hope Courtney doesn't lose motivation. 

Trying out new mirages version one feels better on my feet and not so much of a "stability shoe" feel.  Woke at 6am. Drove the carpool for swim team practice.  Ran 6 miles (3 miles out and back, hilly) from the PG pool at 8:06 pace, first mile 8:46.  Last mile 7:43.  Changed into swim suit and swam my fastest over a mile yet this season-- 34:06 for 1800 yards (1760 yards is a mile).  This time includes two stops after 12 laps (36 laps is 1800 yards) and 24 laps for 30 then 40 seconds.  FYI I looked up about my mile time and for swimming in races swimmers are usually talking about METERS for the mile but only saying a mile = 1500 meters which is 1640 yards which IS not a mile but UNDER a mile so basically in an Olympic distance I would be swimming the mile in 28 minutes or less.  I wouldn't stop so I can take away that time as well and I seem to go faster in OPEN water.  I am feeling stronger and stronger in my swims.   I swa 6 more laps as well working on my breaststroke and a couple backstrokes too.  I really am not liking my foot problem--- tendinitis or tarsal tunnel?? I have a Dr appt in less than two weeks...in the meantim I am trying NOT to over do it and actually have NO ankle/foot to run on.  Remember when I said I would stop running when my ankle falls off?  apparently my ankle is trying to detach itself.  Double coupon shopping day with Troy and Courtney.  We saved tons!!  only 152 dollars for two cart loads. Oh yah.  Troy is really good at it!!  price matching is very beneficial when feeding my hungry little family.  Check out my face book for the link to a very cute video on youtube about Cookie Monster singing to the new popular song (that I don't like the lyrics too but cookie monster version ROCKS) "here's my number baby, so call me maybe".  Very cute and pretty much fits my family!! 

mizuno precision japanese flower.  they are so old i am not putting them up on the list of shoes above.  many, many miles on them, let's just say that.  Up at 6am.  Carpool to pool for Courtney.  Ran up to canal trail on Battlecreek Drive from PG swim pool.  First mile 9:12.  Last mile 6:40.  Ran 4 miles on the canal dirt trail.  AP 7:49.  I was movin' on the trail and didn't realize it.  THEN another mile swim at the pool.  Took 10:20 to go 12 laps.  That is pretty quick.  I felt strong.   1800 yards in under 33 minutes with 40 second and 30 second break.  Then did 2 laps breast stroke, 2 laps back stroke and one lap again with freestyle.  Will start some speed work in the pool next week.  Work the next two days so just two 5 mile runs those days and one 10 miler on Saturday.  Ankle-- numb and shooting nerve pains. Didn't act up as much as yesterday.  Steroid shot in the back pending.  Kim's mom's ankle is also numb from a herniated disc in the same area.  She got a steroid shot yesterday. Waiting to hear how she feels, if the numbness goes away.  There is also the new therapy where they inject antioxidants into the site.  It has a high success rate.  Not covered by insurance so I need to make sure that's the best treatment.     I have a herniated L4-L5 lumbar disc.  My left kidney is also working overtime.  CUTEST video I have seen in a while and appropriate since I love cookies:  go to youtube and find the video "Sesame Street: Share It Maybe".  Definitely a must watch.  Show your kids/nephews/nieces etc.... :D.

442 am run before work.  tired.  8:19 AP for five miles.  first mile 8:39 --thought it was over 9mm so I guess that is good.  ankle may Never get better if  I keep running on it without a diagnosis but it is crunch time.  ready to go otherwise....actually "sciatic nerve" tried to show its face again---hamstring pain that really is nerve pain.  I sure hope I didn't open a can of worms trying that swiss ball work out Rachelle posted on her blog.  it seems whenever I do workout that involve planks and stability the nerves in my back get inflamed.  need to do more exercises for my WEAK back.  those core exercises were intense.  my shoulders are achy today!!  worked at utah valley hospital on pediatrics. 

early morning run before work at 6am.  5 miles @ 8:10 pace.  First mile 8:49.  Last mile 7:39.  long day at work. Tired.  Where did last years body go??  Every night I am just tired.  Perhaps it is all this heat!!!  I don't do well in heat.

I signed up for this race yesterday to try and get my butt in gear even with a bum ankle.  Yup still insane.  Would you expect anything different from me?  More insane is the first 2.5 miles of this course.  The first  mile is all uphill with part of it labeled "Goliath".  The second mile contains the second half of Goliath then some rollers.  It starts at Timpview Highschool and heads north, turns right after going .8 miles and head up Goliath then turns south at the top with a rollers that is still a net uphill until mile two, then a few more rollers in mile three then if you can even get your breathing/heartrate in control (which I couldn't since I am out of shape) you can take advantage of the second part of mile three (wonderful downhill) and mile four some little roller then downhill by the Provo Temple.  Miles 5 and 6 are flat with the last .2 miles UPHILL.  Seriously this course kicked my butt.  IT was soooooo hot and humid that I was completely saturated in sweat in the two mile warm up I ran.  I was so much worse in the race.  

Splits-- 7:53 (9:08 in the warmup where I felt I was suffocating), 7:51 (I am pretty sure I was moving in place for a bit at the beginning of this mile, the rollers in view didn't help me mentally after the first water station.  Mile three pleasantly surprised with 6:30.  One guy (in his 50s based off his white hair) completely cut off the corner after we turned left and you were to stay and go around the cones.  He gained momentum from this and easily gained 15 seconds based off that move.  I was irritated!!  Mile 4-- 6:40.  I seriously was like if SGM is hot this year I am not racing it!!  The heat was killing me.  My HR just never recovered from that ridiculous hill climb!!  I thought the girl ahead of me was the woman I talked to at the start that I had warned about the first mile and she said she ran track but just had kids so she was out of shape.  Turns out that wasn't the case at all-- it was 17 year old teeny bopper (cute blonde, taller and I but skinnier).  We met just before the awards.  She was like "wow you did great.  Last year you would have beat me.  I ran it over 43 minutes".  This year she ran it in 41:24.  She won 100 dollars.  Nothing for second place.  I didn't care and knowing she was somewhere out in front and unseen from where I was just gave me the excuse to slow it down.  I was seriously nauseated.  MY legs felt like jello.  Mile 5-- 6:55.  See I slowed but it was flat to slightly uphill then a short downhill.  Mile 6 I wanted to quit and walk so I am sure that is why I slowed.  7:15.  Oh well.    The last .2 miles are uphill.  Yuck.  The sun was beating in my face.  I was just glad to get this over with!!  Oh at mile 4.7 there was another left turn and the guy in front of me completely cut off  the corner without going around the cones.  So losery!!! It was obvious where you were supposed to run.  I am sure white haired guy (who finished close to the first girl) cut that corner off too!!  Sorry it just annoys me.  I want to run the course the right way and I expect others to but what do you do???  blah.  Funny sidenote-- two bikers at different times just before mile two were giving me encouragement.  I was still recovering and running a lot of rollers and told them "sorry I can't talk".  I told one of the bikers to tell the girl up in front to "slow down!!"   He said she was slowing on the uphills so I could catch her on the down.  I was in no mind set to race so I didn't have it in me to catch her.  I was feeling quite dehydrated.  In fact right now I think I have a slight case of heatstroke-- I am dizzy and my HR is up and I feel like vomiting.  I needed to take in some salt before this race.  I only took a few swigs of powerade and 1/4 of a banana.  I think a salt tab would have saved me.  I was wondeirng if someone would have collapsed on this course because I thought I was about to.  Okay, long report.  Nothing wrong with 2nd place on a comeback. Ran coolddown in 8:09 pace.  Warmup pace 8:14 for two miles. Total miles 10.2.  Oh yah-- Course short unless the garmin can't pick up the intense vertical gain accurately.  The race director swears the course is on but Ian Hunter ran it and really believes  it is closer to 6 miles as well.  The RD is my neighbor.  He used his bike with a device to track the distance.  Not sure what kind that would be or how accurate it is.  According to a recent conversation on this about the Boston Marathon course-- GPSs can be off hence why they use a similar device to mark the course.   Feel free to enlighten me.  When I course tooled it the satellite had a hard time getting elevation at times.  We are right upside the mountain.  Effort the same for me in the heat and with the giant (goliath) hill.  Of course THOSE who took OFF the corners even ran less.  Silly boys!!

okay, plan this week--- 8, 5, 5, 8, 4, 15 (13 for half pacer--1:35-- at the Timp Half Marathon with 2 mile warmup) = 45 miles.  With three miles swimming and 10-20 miles biking.  This is my last week of free swimming at the PG pool so biking is taking a back burner.  I go to the pool with Courtney in the morning on my days off.  I first go running then get right in the pool after a cold shower.  Today I ran 8 miles (8:09 AP) from the recreation center going south on Locust ave and up through Lindon to Orem, an out and back 8 miler, 4 mile turnaround.  Easy day.  Quads sore today, not a lot but enough to think I would be tired to swim afterward but luckily I barely use my legs in swimming.  I let them take a "vacation" when I swim.  Swam a mile plus 40 yards freestyle (1800 yards) in 33:55 which includes  two 35 second breaks at the end of each 12 laps.  This felt easy and like I said I wasn't really using my legs much except to push off on the flip turns.  Ankle is a piece of work-- luckily my PF is numb.  I wake every morning to a numbish ankle with shooting nerve pains in my inner left ankle and a numbish outer calf with tightness all the way to my foot.  It really is getting to be ridiculous.  Luckily I see the podiatrist a week from today.  I sure hope I haven't caused more damage waiting to see him for the past three weeks.  Off to work this afternoon.  Covering a shift for a friend for 6 hours.  I also work the next two days. At least I get time and a half for the holiday tomorrow-- 12 hours worth.  Good luck to all those racing tomorrow. 

mizuno precision japanese flowers-- 5 miles before work.  tired.  AP 8:00.  long day.  no holiday for me. 

bed at 11pm up at 320am.  Couldn't get back to sleep.  Ran at 4:25am  without a watch.   Pace unknown.  Course tooled at 5.5 miles.  Off to work right now.  done with humidity.  AP about 8:20.  stopped twice-- once I thought I saw a burgular in my neighbors garage-- but it might have just been my neighbor--- he was struggling with the car keys...will have to ask my neighbor.  freaked me out a bit. 

oh my goodness i cannot sleep!!  humidity/heat/hormones the three Hs that make up my He**!!    I got up to take my daughter at 6 am after pacing the floors at 4 am.  As I backed out my daughters friend was coming to pick her up---seriously??  I had fallen back to sleep again at 530am or so...and awoken to the 610am alarm so very exhausted.  Three shifts in a row-- two of them 13 hours long, one 7 hours.   Rarely sitting down and no official "lunch" break.  Just wearing on me as the years pass.   I had 8 miles planned so instead of starting at the rec like I thought I was until a new driver showed up I ran from my house.  No swim today.  Just too tired to push myself.  I ran a 4 mile out and back run-- running the last 2+ miles of the Timp Half course.  This course is EASY.  The second hill (there are only two in this race) is only about .15 to .2 miles long.  It really is a fast course.  The other hill is just after mile 8 and is about   .05 miles long.   The rollers just keep it interesting along the stream.  I am pacing the 1:35 group.  I had to use a bathroom pretty badly so I ended up adding on at the top of farm hill--  bathroom at the reservoir was thankfully open.  AP today-- 8:11.  Would have been slower but a girl I passed on my way back to my house by AF high school (I waved at her and smiled and gave two thumbs up, she had music on), well she about three minutes later "sprinted" past me  (really about 7 mm pace) and I was just NOT in the mood to be passed today.  She had a little smily smirk on her face.  She didn't even say hello.  I, of course just stayed on her heels and eventually passed her.  She had gained 15 seconds on me as I was in shock she was the same girl.  Kind of funny.  Maybe she is a blogger and knows me and is reading this right now ; D.  I just kept up the pace ahead of her.  I was not going to look back but when I turned down the road to my house I could see down the road where I came from and there she was about 20 seconds behind me.  I waved and she waved back.  How funny is that ?  Went to reservoir and soaked there for 10 minutes to cool my sweaty body off.   

Ran with neighbor after we drove the carpool to the LAST swim practice of the summer.  Big meet tonight, for my daughter : D.    Donna called me last night to see if I would run with her.  We left from PG pool and did a scenic loop up locust then east then up some more than down.  Five miles at 9:45 AP.    So nice to go so easy. I felt so very achy-- like an old lady getting out of bed.  I can't figure out my body. It seems to be rebelling.  Going to eliminate dairy products for a week and see if that makes a difference.  Not going to be easy as I eat a lot of dairy.  In particular, eating ice cream at night seems to really make me tight in the morning and very achy.  Just had been noticing this happen.  So talking it over with Donna that is what I am going to try.  Made healthy banana muffins (only 2 tsps of honey per 12 muffins) and whole wheat flour (from scratch) and cold pressed oil.  YUM with butter!!  SWAM ONE MILE in the stormy air--- trying to beat the lightning.  Pace unknown but probably under 34 minutes as usual. Pace clock kept resetting after I think 15 minutes instead of being on a 60 minute clock and I didn't have the braincells to count my time every switch over just counted my laps. 

1 mile warmu up with Rachelle on the dirt trail.  1:35 Pacer for Timp Half.  Excited to take it easy and cheer my followers on.  I will write the course variation splits I was supposed to do in parenthesis based off the elevation changes per pace band next to actual splits ran--  I was right on the first couple miles then well I didn't have my garmin in mile split mode so I tried to guess my pace-- a little off.  Every mile felt VERY EASY.   7:02 (7:02) , 7:18 (7:19), 6:52 (7:19),  7:01 (7:08), 6:42 (6:53), 6:51 (6:57), 6:59 (7:08), 7:07 (7:15),  7:39 (7:32),  7:41 (7:19), 7:32 (7:19), 7:46 (7:31), 7:26 (7:22),    0.1  @ 7:17 pace.   I walked through the last two water stations to slow time down :D.    NOTES-- this was so easy and fun!!    I told all my followers that this wasn't a negative split course by course elevation drop so I was running faster at the beginning.  There were times I had to mentally slow myself down.  My friend Scott Mumford teased me that I was running 7mm AP at mile 8.  I told him "just don't let me pass you" and of course "don't worry I am slowing down to get the pace right on".  My followers were okay with my method and the fact that when I slow down then those trying for 1:35 can feel even better about themselves when they speed up and pass me since I slowed to the 7:30s ( it would seem that they are flying!)!! :D.  I had tons of energy and cheered for everyone to book it the last miles when they passed and cheered those with me.  I had a blast.  I tried to sing but everyone had ipods on-- except one nice fellow that stuck with me the whole way.  He is from Las Vegas.  Fun hearing his running stories and another young fellow (unfortunately he fell back at mile 8) that is 19.  He was very chatty so we had some good conversations.   I was only bummed about my ankle and sciatic nerve pain.  I could have in no way raced this without permanent damage.  I see my podiatrist on Monday.  I am so done with my left leg.   My heart LOVED this run!!  I was inspired by one lady about to turn 50 running a PR by over 8 minutes!!!  Seriously looking great while running too!!  : D.  I met her and stayed with her until the finish at mile 12.   Stayed about 15 minutes after the race, then took right off  and  drove to Orem  and watched my daughters soccer game that put her in to the finals.  (They won the tournament later that day  :D), then worked from 10am to 6:30pm.  My coworker was kind enough to fill in for me while I ran and then watched the game :D. 

left leg nerve pain pulsating ....  numbness tingling and shooting pains to the foot.  Back only slightly bugging and twinge in hamstring area (sciatica).  off to podiatrist this morning-- tarsal tunnel or all the herniated L4-L5 disc??  after that it is steroid shot to the back time....I can't wait any longer the pain is intense right now.   so done with nerve pain.  if this leg pain ever subsides before SGM this year  I am so going to PR big time because I will no longer be down and depressed and could do what I want to do with my running.  I feel trapped with this injury.  I am trying to dig myself out. By golly I am gonna do it!!  8 miles today at easy/recovery jog.  Even though I didn't race Saturday (but paced) I haven't run over 10 miles since....hmm.....the AF half the third week of June. And that is the longest I have run in a while as well.  NO long runs for a few months and NO speed work except a couple pick ups for 30 seconds or so and the Goliath 10k last week that kicked my hiney!! 

Podiatrist appt--- verdict TARSAL TUNNEL SYNDROME-- nerve entrapment in the posterior tibialis ligament and  lost arch due to  weakened posterior tibalis muscle from the entrapment caused by shoe wear (brooks pureflow inverting my already pronated foot) and avoidance of running on plantar fascitis.  Answer:  exercises to increase strength/flexibilty.  STEROID shot.  Didn't even feel it (bad sign-- told you I the nerve was damaged-- I have had numbness in my ankle with tingling shooting pains to the foot/plantar region for five weeks.  I was all braced to freak out from pain of the shot but nothing.  What I did notice was the end to the shooting pains.....for the moment.  I ran timidly on four hours of sleep and wearing my mirage 2 saucony shoes for first time in over two weeks.  They give support for the semi-pronator.  When I wore them only twice before my inner ankle was angry with the support (it wanted to still pronate, where it felt comfortable in its misery, it didn't want correction of any sort) but now with the steroid shot the shoes feel comfortable.  Hopefully I can straighten out the problem before the steroid wears off and my left foot has time to notice it is in new alignment.  I have lost my arch-- wet foot print no longer shows an arch.  I have found great articles on this problem and I am doing what they say to do.  Today's run my legs felt so wonderful.   I was worried the first two miles and ran a 8:57 pace x two miles-- so relaxed going this way and that -- a new running route to break up the monotony and so I don't know mileage/pace as well as adding on good hills etc...  Last few miles were 7:42, 7:23, 7:31 (last mile was on dirt for 0.25 of it).   The land behind my house is being developed and I wanted to see how long now it would be for my kids to walk to school (0.5 miles).  Yay for NO driving this next year.  Amber benefits mostly as she is still in 4 th grade.  Brooke only gets a year with this short commute.  Before there were gates blocking the kids from going over on the undeveloped private property.  I loved this run because it was almost as if I am healing...I may be coming back....slight twinges noticed in the ankle-- dead nerve trying to come back to life.  AP today 8:02 for 8.3 miles.  Chiropracter appt this morning.  I am also getting a steroid shot in my back next week as my tarsal tunnel is also being accentuated from my herniated disc-- it is called a "double crush" syndrome-- compression from the ankle and from the back of the same nerve.  Melanie gave me hope of a guy who had the very same symptoms of ankle numbness and hamstring pain and had same day surgery for a herniated disc (small) incision) and four days later a heck of a lot better.  Although I am just headed for the steroid shot first.  His did not work.  Fingers crossed.  Sometimes they are not placed in the right spot.  Mine will be done under fluoroscopy.  Don't I sound like a complete mess?? okay at least my right side is holding together just fine ; D.