Believe to Achieve

apparently YESTERDAY's run was not good for foot AT ALL nor walking around for three hours halloween evening and all day at work for 13 hours.....luckily it is cold out now but a run this morning would have been nice in the warm prestorm air but .....because of my foot it wouldn't have been worth it.   I will my TRY my uttermost hardest to NOT run for over a week.  This foot problem is going no where and I will  probably ask for a bone scan to still rule out stress fracture.  The pain is getting ridiculous.   IF this is PF like I suspect however --- PRETTY FRUSTRATING condition.  It is messing with my form and all my other muscles are getting additional workout trying to figure out how to run with a hurt foot.  My metatarsals were not forgiving for my brief moments of running with curled toes.  That has to stop since then  I would end up with fractures there!!  So here I go--- JULIE C is NOT GOING TO RUN FOR A WEEK.  Runners not so anonymous statement!!   BUT IT HAS TO HAPPEN dang it..... I can't believe this!!!  but when the pain over rides the fun of running it just has to.   I am going to start swimming and lifting weights, possibly cycling.  And I will probably get a wicked core for eating all the chocolate I am going to eat in my sadness!!!

slow at work so I was cancelled   : D.  So....I decieded to go to the cycling class at 6am class.  Well apparently it was just me and an old guy with the instructor.  A pretty popular class going on next store apparently so this one not so on Wednesday mornings.  Fine by me, personalized training : D  and since I haven't cycles in eons it was nice and HELL- o WORKING IT BABY!!  Still don't know how to match cycling with running.  Probably over did it.  Then I did planks 60/60/60  x 3 like Kelli and Rad yesterday.  HOLY FLIP!! I was certain I would not be able to finish the last set but somehow I managed!!  Came home and found my daughter still very ill with strep even after the shot (she also got a rash from the penicillin) so she was sleeping.  I went downstairs and did my pushups--- 12, 10, 8, 8, 12 = 50.  So of course THAT wasn't enough (and since I just bought a pass to the rec ctr)  I had to try a muscle mix class that TOTALLY WHIPPED my butt.  However the instructor was impressed at how well I did (the class was full and I was in the second row).  I was one of the fitter ones there aerobically--- but the KICK BUTT MOVES were NOT easy.  Of course she added weights and this ridiculously TIGHT stretch rope (I got the hardest level, blue, because everyone first grabbed all the easy ones before I could find out which one I needed).   OOOooooooo baby  I probably won't be able to get out of bed tomorrow.  We worked EVERY MUSCLE!!    LOTS of squats!!!   NEWSFLASH--- I read a great article on PF and found out that the shoes I have been wearing for the past three months are probably the ROOT cause of my PF (besides running a lot in them).  They DON'T pass the FLEX test.  You take your running shoe and bend at the forefoot and if the shoe bends BELOW the metatarsals it is VERY bad for overpronators and will cause PF.  Well,  I have run in mizuno precisions for over a year and have had two of the pretty hawaiin ones, then two orange and NOW two japanese ones.  The first FOUR pairs PASS the flex test for being GOOD for me but the NEW precisions (supposed to be just different color, not made differently)  COLLAPSE COMPLETELY almost in a COMPLETE BALL FORM!!  HENCE why when I bought my pair just before the SGM I noticed the heel pain within a few runs!!!!  SERIOUSLY NOT GOOD.  So of course I am going to let the MIZUNO company KNOW HOW I FEEL about their shoe!!!   I have been running in this shoe even while injured the last four weeks so of course I am getting NO BETTER.  Basically,  I am NOT wearing them again.  I actually wore the two models ago pair to cycling today and to muscle mix class.  Here I was thinking I had been crumbling to pieces and the solution was a minor fix--- MY SHOES!!!!    Go figure.  It just didn't make sense that I got this injury so quickly after YEARS of running without one. 

Just a little cheating....after waking up this morning pretty sore in places I haven't been sore in a while : D  I headed back to the rec center.    Got on the elliptical using the arms as well for 30 minutes.  HR only 130 at the highest but not sure if this is the best for my heel.  It only felt like it was pulling with some tenderness so  I went easy.  Haven't done the elliptical in YEARS!!  Did level 8 for most of it.  Sometimes 12.    Then because that just wasn't cutting it and I only had a few minutes before I had to come home and get my daughter to piano I ran 1.5 miles on the TM starting out real slow and increasing the pace every .1 to .2 miles to 7:30 by the end.  At first the change felt really WEIRD from the elliptical.  The elliptical definitely is NOT close to running that's how different it felt.    Kept the incline at 2%.  FELT really good and my PF just felt swollen not painful.  But after the run I took off my shoe at home and YUP still quite tender to the touch.  Off to the chiro this morning who will do Ultrasound to it and let me borrow his machine.   7 PM--- Cycling class with SORE butt, inner thighs etc...OUCH.  Worked up a good sweat.  Chiropracter did the ultrasound to my heel then worked my calf muscle then did laser.  My foot feels scarred up because when I walk on it it feels swollen!!  but its sore often.  BLAH.  MORE cycling for me.   Also need to get out and buy new running shoes. 

CYCLING class last night at 7pm and up at the crack of dawn this morning and moving slowly at times but the more I move the better I move so MOVING is GOOD.  OKAY... so the week thing  (to NOT run) didn't completely happen but  I do work the weekend and getting up at 4am to run in the DARK AND COLD weather isn't appealing to me lately  (today was nice....calm before the storm) so I should be good to NOT run.  Will do a cycling class again.  It kicks my butt!!  I am so sore from all the changes.  My run on the TM at the PG rec ctr. was so funny at first.   It was like post marathon soreness that I used to get in the past but without the fatigue feeling.  My heart was WILLING.  So of course after warming up very slowly I managed an overall AP of 7:58 for 8 miles (first mile 9:14, last mile 6:40).  HOLY SORENESS!!!  DROVE home to get my daughter up and off to school.  THEN I did 60/45/45 planks x 2.  Then, 11/13/9/9/13 push ups (55 total) GUY pushups.  Oh YAH!!  THEN....arms-- biceps(2 types), triceps (two types), shoulders (3 types), bench press, pecs and rows--- 2 sets of 10-12 each.  Burn baby!! and my MUSCLES are starting to appear in a SCULPTED form!! : D.  Foot was needing some support during my run since  I wore my shoes from last Spring.  Mizuno wrote me back about my shoes.  WAY lame CUSTOMER SERVICE.  He was rude and just told me to get fitted even though I told him to try the test on the shoes (push test) and see for himself the shoe was made differently without telling the buyer!!!  We butted heads a few times in our "chatting" emails back and forth to each other. 

ran anyway at 430am because  I woke at 4am and couldn't get back to sleep.  It began to snow while I was running.   I came back to a RED abdomen and back and chest in areas!!  It didn't feel that cold but apparently my fat doesn't insulate well.  Pace slow too because I am still sore from all the cycling and yesterday's mill run to boot.  AP 9:03 for 8.  Foot was doable.  Less pain at work while walking on it but still quite tender if  I probe it so I try NOT to.  Who the heck thinks PF should be played with? seriously it feels better NOT to massage it!!

EARLY TM run-- 5:35am---2% incline, 8 miles, 7:52 AP.  First mile 9:05.  Gradually increased the pace every 1/2 mile by .2 mph until at 7:30 pace (four miles).  Ran 3 miles at 7:30 then the last mile somewhere about 7:00 AP, getting it down to 6:27 briefly.  STUPID PF!  I am determined that this is a DISEASE!!  seriously WHATEVER you do don't CATCH it!!  I also have a Morton's Neuroma between metatarsals 3 and 4 on the opposite foot.  I can actually see it bulging on the top between my two toes.  It feels like a toe nail is growing backwards into my toe and it shoots pain signals up between the two toes.  Hence, the term neuroma.  A benign, but painful, nerve tumor.  I looked up the pathology report of my first morton's neuroma surgery I had back in 2001!!  It was 2.1 cm by 1.6 cm by 0.5 cm!!  That is rather large considering the little space it had to hang in and grow (between 2nd and 3rd metatarsal).  I don't want surgery again.  Apparently there is a new treatment involving injecting sugar into it (prylotherapy) which ends up killing it.  However I don't if there is a Dr.  around here that does it.  Will ask my podiatrist when I see him.  Hopefully soon.  I am calling for an appt.  soon after  I finish this report.  Anyway!!  Did 63 pushups (not easy today for some reason, wrists felt achy and my strength was down.  I think I needed some fuel.  I hadn't eaten since 730pm last night and it was 8:15am when I did them)  Basically I did 14/12/11/10/16 with 70 seconds in between, except the last set I rested for 120 seconds before doing them.  Opted out on more arms today.  Oh yah I did planks at the rec ctr....60/45/45 x two is all I had time for.  But even those felt hard today.  Oh well. 

stop WATCH run.  Garmin low battery.  3 MILE TIME TRIAL.  Forgot I was going to do this when I awoke so I had to switch gears and NOT go to the rec. and bundle up for the outdoors.  I have to say that I thought I remember the weather report saying it would be in the 30s at night.  APPARENTLY I was reading the weather for St. George (southern Utah).  I was completely taken by the EXTENT of the COLDNESS/FROZEN TUNDRA FEELING.  YIKES.  Two layers and tights, headband and gloves was NOT enough at first or for any part of the run but perhaps the last three laps on the track when I felt it was safe for my hands to lose the gloves--ONE at first and the other two laps later.  My hands were so cold they could barely push the LAP BUTTON on my stop watch.  BUT still I didn't peek at my watch until I accidentally saw the time when I was pushing up my sleeve on the last 1.5 laps.  It read 17:09.  I was trying to do the math and figured it would be close.  BUT honestly my problem was ANXIETY.  I didn't know how well I was doing the first 10 laps but I felt like for sure I was close to that PR but then the UNexpected TRACK trauma came on.  Two women entered the track and began picking up the fence door that fell and they began to worry me that they were going to hop right in FRONT of me and I just lost concentration for a moment feeling weird "RACING" in front of strangers when I had 3 laps to go as I passed them at the track entrance.  I wanted to yell out "don't get in my way please.  I don't want to exert more energy trying to pass you.  I only have three laps left.  PLEASE."  When I got to my last lap I peaked again at my watch and I didn't quite get the math down in my head about how fast I needed to go.  I just ran as hard as I could in the FREEZING air and passed the girls on the final stretch as they took off  quite a ways in front of me before my last lap.  I felt slightly nauseated the last 50 feet but other than that my legs felt great despite the fact that I could tell that they were stiff from the cold.  I came home to find out that it actually was less than 20 degrees out!!! 17 DEGREES!!!! ~ 17 DEGREES!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!  No wonder my chin was frozen during my warm up.  NO wonder I didn't PR today--- I was 3 seconds SLOWER--- 19:47 (actually only 2.5 seconds, I just checked my entry two weeks ago).  Didn't have my garmin to tell me how badly I didn't hug the  corners, thankfully.  The effort was there and I felt this was a definite EXCELLENT FREEZE YOUR HINEY off TIME TRIAL!!  BRRRRrrrrrrr   as I came around the track and ran north--  the wind chill (slight wind  nothing drastic at all, just ICE AIR) was ALARMINGLY nasty.  My warm up pace (I ran a  two mile loop by my house  that I already knew the distance for) was a 9:01.  It felt like I was running faster.  Not because I was out of breath but because my legs felt light.  But the AIR was super THICK.  Burning a hole through my lungs of course.  I ran another two miles to the track.  So 4.07 miles (USED THE COURSE TOOL to determine distance) @ 8:49 AP.  Even one lap around the track took just over two minutes.  LEGS were NOT wanting to warm up in this AIR.  Too bad they were forced to run fast for 12 laps.  It was dark at first but with DAYLIGHT savings on my side I could see the sun working its way up over the MOUNTAINSIDE.  Didn't come over the top until I got home unfortunately.  Here are my lap paces--- the two laps when the girls came by me show how anxiety/people watching me--  really distracts me-- 1:37, 1:39, 1:38, 1:38, 1:39, 1:39, 1:39, 1:39, 1:38, 1:40, 1:40, 1:34.   Total time 19:47!!!!  : D.   Actually these are pretty consistent paces.  Must have been the song I kept playing over and over-- it lasted exactly 800 meters so it was perfect : D.  The song was "Tonight, Tonight"...there is a party on the rooftop, top of the world tonight....  Maybe I should find a song that make me run consistent 1:35s!!  : D.   However it looked like I was coming down in pace with that lap 9 at 1:38-- Then as I rounded the corner I saw the two girls.  At least they helped me run a fast last lap.   Ran almost THREE miles for a cooldown. Even that pace was surprisingly slow.  Thick air must give you the allusion of running faster.  That pace was 8:41.  I guess its either that or the COURSE TOOL is off.   My body started to melt when  I came in the door.  I had to jump in the shower within 40minutes of being home because I began to SHIVER quite a bit.  AHHHHHHHhhhhhh WARM/HOT showers are the best after a COLD RUN.  : DDD    Let me know what you think?  does cold weather slow you down?  or am I just in worse shape from two weeks ago?  It was 60 degrees two weeks ago. I ran that trial just as the cold front was approaching--- the air was amazingly warm for October.  However am I going to run a time trial in two weeks? the track will probably be covered in SNOW and ICE.   PM-- CYCLING CLASS-- tone and endurance, so floor for 30 and bike for 30.  NOT easy but a great sweaty workout nonetheless!!   MY PF foot is hurting less and less---CROSSING FINGERS, praying for a miracle. 

WAITING to RUN until the ACTUAL temp and the FEELS LIKE temp MATCH at a more suitable enjoyable state.  CURRENTLY temp is 20 degrees but FEELS LIKE  7!!!!!!!!   SEVEN degrees--- freak me out no way!!  I was chilled to the bone yesterday even after my long hot shower.   The humidity level nose dives as the sun gets higher in the sky---ALLELUYAH.  The best time to run looks about high NOON but will probably run at 11am as both temps match then at 36 degrees : D.  Maybe I should go at 9am but still I just looked and it say 25 degrees feels like 17.  NOPE not doing that again.  So off I go to wash my blinds.  I started yesterday and I have 34 windows-- actually 30 now since I finished four yesterday. It is a 7 day process.  I don't want to get overwhelmed.  I haven't cleaned them in four years.  Sad huh? but working nights I didn't care or see or whatever but now that I am not running as much and its freezing out and we are having a homecoming at my house on Sunday and I don't leave my windows open in the Winter--- I am getting to them.  WOW the cleaned ones look LIKE NEW!!! : D.    1045am  ahhhhhh warm!!  wore all the fixins' of course.  But better than this morning would have been.  AP easy pace 8:33.  Was pretty tired starting out and ending.  Cyycling must have wore me out a bit.  Finished up with 72  ppush ups per schedule.  : :D.  Feel really strong.  Biceps and triceps bulging these days : D.  btw I just had my vision checked so I am typing this with very blurry vision. Sorry for any typos.  I can't see anything on the computer screen.  Pretty funny.I can see colors sso I know how to save this to the blog  at least.   PM-- Cycling class with my daughter Courtney.  I was tired heading out the door but after that class I sure woke UP!!!  LOVIN' CYCLING! :D

Could not sleep last night but tried.  Went to work at 530am.  Home at 2pm.  Sent home early.  Hospital slow right now so I offered since I have a lot of PTO.  Good thing I did a massive bout of fatigue came over me and  I literally could not move for four hours.  Somehow I managed, as planned, to drag myself to the gym and run 6 miles very slowly.  It didn't feel too good.  We had just refinanced and closed on the house 30 minutes before hand and my head is always spinning when I sign THAT many papers.  But got a great rate compared to what I had and our payments will be lower and taking off a few years of our loan. But still stressful for me.  AP 8:29 at 1%.  Tried 2% for 1 mile but I was just plain old DEAD TO THE WORLD. 

so love OUTDOOR running.  The TM is the pits.  Too overstimulating for me.  I was in the back row last night behind all the bikers, ellipticals and other runners.  I felt "crowded".  I longed to be outdoors so I was glad to get outside at 6:40am this morning for a nice easy 6 miler before sending Courtney off to school.  AP 8:38.    Then I did planks 90/60/60 x 2.  Followed by 80 PUSHUPS!!!  16/18/13/13/20  (120 seconds in between).  Once again REAL pushups.  OH MY!!  My pecs feel tight in my shirt these days.  Must be swelling.  : D.  Pretty funny.  I do my pushups with no shoes and no other things too.  Just for concentration.   BTW I could NOT fall back to sleep after crashing at 930pm until 1230am.  I was up UNTIL 430am counting sheep.  It was ridiculous.  I am JET lagged from getting up at last weeks time but not making it up with sleep. And the dark early stuff then working OUT at night in the dark is causing my diurnal rhythm to QUAKE.  So I only slept again from 430 to 630 but it was the kind of sleep that you are aware you are asleep.  NOT restful. 

Kim picked me up in the rain at 6:10am to drive to Provo Canyon and meet up with Jane, Julie and Melanie.  I knew I would be running alone as my foot is again acting up and I just don't want to run fast from the get go.  It doesn't feel right to zip in to 7 pace from the start.  Just little Ol' me and my over 40 year old bones :D.  I stopped to pee once on the way up and when the girls were stopped at mile 6 to turn around.   My foot gradually became more and more sore no matter how I tried to land on it.  Bummer.  So on the way back with the girls now a ways in front of me, I stopped to stretch for about 45 seconds.  Then as I neared mile 8, I decided to just go for that 4 mile fast finish for the heck of it.  My foot was angry by the end but during the running fast I didn't have time to "dwell" on it.  Last four miles were 6:48, 6:50, 6:42, 6:42.  Passed the girls at the second fast mile.   They were getting water.  I didn't bring any.  Don't remember ever being thirsty.  Must have been all the rain and wetness around me.  btw those last two miles were exact to the hundredth of second-- 6:42:37.  Thought that was pretty funny!!  : D.   I got back home cleaned more of my blinds, ordered my kids around to get things done and then played a game with Brooke and Courtney.  Then went to Amber's Futsal game.  AP for all 12 miles- 7:45. AP for first 8miles = 8:15.  First mile 8:52. 

I feel like I have aged like five years since SGM.  Seriously where is my stamina?  I think I am going to get checked for mono.  I am constantly achy all over after runs etc...and after working all day I am completely BEYOND wiped out.  Today was a day when  I felt completely dimineralized-- chronic pains everywhere, wrists, knee caps, joints everywhere-- my feet were painful all over.  Burning pain, bubble wrap ready to burst.  So I had my husband gently massage me.  But we had a very exciting busy day-- my brother in law returned from his mission to Zimbabwe, he even extended it 6 weeks.  He served well and fought home sickness the first few months and ended up having the greatest experience of his life.  His homecoming talk was so wonderful.  I even cried.  He said "I cried hard when I left (home, Utah) and the funny thing was I cried hard when I left Zimbabwe".  He came back a greater man than when he left.  He loved the people he served and you could feel it.  It is so wonderful to have him back but he is going through quite the adjustment-- only back now for 13 days.  Off to BYU Idaho in January.  That will get him going : D.  We had his Homecoming Dinner at our house.  Luckily dinner was made for us -- Cafe Rio style food made by his Aunt.  Actually BETTER than cafe rio.  Yum. 

I managed to sleep a little better last night.  The festivities yesterday consumed our day.  But it was worth it.  But I was wiped out and my body was falling apart.  The sleep was necessary.  I think I got 8.5 hours  :D.  Got up and ran 8 miles in the chilly air.  Went really slow because my body is trying to break down.  I didn't want to freak it out.  Just eazing into the run.  First mile pace 9:28.  Ahhhhh that's the ticket.  Second mile over 9 as well and I was feeling so much better.  My body slowly came alive and I just kept my pace in hide mode.  There is no need to push pace against the garmin when your body says no.  It makes all the difference in the world.  Wore my old mizunos.  Really got to get out today and buy the Altras (zero drop shoes).  I started to wear the mizunos I wore for SGM that messed up my foot and lo and behold the problem is back FULL force with my PF.  Luckily I have an appt. Wednesday.  AP today 8:42 for 8 miles.  So lovely.  That's what I needed..  Then I did 86 pushups according to the schedule with 60-80 second break in between except the last set I rested about three minutes gearing up for the finish.  I was spent by the third set so I needed all the rest I could get.  Sets were 17/19/15/15/20.  I actually could only get in 18 for the last set then in 30 seconds I finished the last two.  PUSH UPS are SO HARD.  I look like incredible HULK these days.  Don't think I like this look on me.  My shirts are fitting tighter around the chest!!  What's that all about?????????  Did the rest of my arm workout.  I skipped them last week due to fatigue but this week I thought I would start it again.  2 sets of 10-12 reps each exercise. 

NOTHING     something is going wrong with my body.  after doing nothing yesterday but the little 8 mile run then the pushups I did some cleaning then drove to my daughter to soccer at 5pm.  I went into the runner's corner and tried on Altras and bought a pair.  Ran on them for only 10 feet.  Need to break them in.  So put my comfy trail shoes back on and headed out the door to go get my daughter.  When I took my shoes off at home my left big toe was in so much pain that in an hours time I could not walk on it.  The joint had swelled to double the size and became slightly reddened.  It felt extremely tight.  I had to limp everywhere.  Eventually I just laid in bed.  It came to my mind that this had happened to me about five years ago and I swore my foot was broken.  I was at work so I got an xray.  Not broken but the radiologist felt it was gout.  So....on that thought I realized that was EXACTLY what was going on.  I read up on purine foods and I had just about everyone on the list for several days.  Not only that other joints were ailing me all day Sunday.  I felt like crap.  Even Thursday I had the biggest bought of fatigue I could hardly move....so I am left to thinking I have some AUTOIMMUNE problem going on.   Gout happens either if your body can't process the increased amount of purine foods taken in(proteins, like meats, lentils) or the kidneys are not able to break them down for some reason.  It took over a day for the pain and swelling in the joint to go down.  For while I could barely lift my big toe off the ground when my foot was flat on the ground.  I kept drinking lots of water and avoiding the trigger foods.  So basically there was no way  I could possibly run on my foot.  

Woke just before 5am.  Had to drive to Provo for work so only ran a short run plus my body is rebelling so much I decided three miles is all it can handle today.  AP 8:48.  Joint pain better but right foot PF is back with a vengeance.  Actually it kind of feels like the gout did in my big toe.  I am apparently falling apart.  Depression setting in.  I can't figure out what is wrong with me.  I felt so fatigued all day today.  My eyes keep burning with fatigue. 

This fatigue and joint pain is getting ABSOLUTELY ridiculous!!!  I so need a nap even after sleeping 8 hours last night.  I ran at 6:42am.  It was cold and my feet hurt all over at first.  Must be the Altras I have been wearing to work the past two days to work them in.  They are zero shoes.  So when I put on my mizunos this morning I felt so "high" on my heels.  My first mile was at all I  could muster for sanity---9:38!!!  Creaking some more ....somehow my last mile was a 7:48.  The air was thick and so was my body.  AP 8:27.  What has come over me?

540am run on the TM at the pg rec.  Goal to run 12 if possible as easy as pie.  No going overboard.  Wore my Altras for their first "test run" after wearing them for two 12 hour shifts.  Started out at 9:38 pace for a 1/2 mile then gradually, ever so gradually increasing the pace by .1 every 1/2 to 1 mile.  No rush.  Ahhhhhhh felt so good to run soooooooo easy.  Especially with 0 % incline.  YUP zero incline with ZEROed running shoes.  Don't want to completely freak out my already freaked out legs and feet and spine.  But this easy pace was like a holiday for me.  I felt alive again.  Because the pace was so easy for me my body was "on top of" the front bar.  I looked around and all the other runners were trying to "catch up" to the bar.  I was always touching it with my waist.   Ran first 6.7 miles at AP of 8:57.  See how wonderful?  And the zero shoes felt good on my feet except for some minor "tightness" around my foot.  I can't figure my right foot out.  It seems to be thicker than my left that shoes fit tighter on it.  blah.  Anyway....was planning on running the rest just as easy.  Had to ZERO the TM because it automatically stops at 60 minutes.  So that is why 6.7 miles for 60 minutes.  Stretched then started up again at the same mph I was at which was 6.9 or 8:41 pace.  So loving this vacation pace at 0 percent.  Well of course easy is just not normal enough for me so in a moment I changed my mind and ran the last four miles under 7mm.  So 6:58, 6:58, 6:53, 6:41.    Then ran .45 mile cool down at 8 pace and briefly faster.  Drove home and finished up with 100 push ups---  10 x 10 in PERFECT form.  More than ten and my form dwindles so I took breaks in between to get to my 100 but I did it.  Can feel my middle back saying "what in the heck did you do?".  Did them all barefoot!!  : D.  Off to see BREAKING DAWN at 11am with Troy, then out for lunch  :D : D. 

slow miles in the frozen ice tundra.  Actually, black ice so cautiously ran in the Altras wondering if they had enough traction and not willing to risk it by running quicker.  Plus it was cold and snow blowing in the wind.  Not nice.  but you know I am still feeling pretty lousy.  had a  doozy of an atypical migraine---intense migraine down my right arm, right rib cage and down my leg ending at the bottom of my foot (starting at the top of my head).  BURNING pain.  My rib cage and upper forearm by my elbow feels like somebody kicked them  really hard.  But not a  bruise  is seen.  NERVES.  burning.  painful.  not sure why this happens but seems to be cyclical and following a neuropathway.  Bummer. My feel HURT all the time too.  Geez.  It makes me feel old and I wonder if I will ever feel well again.    9:15 AP for 6.  I feel like I am going backwards in time.  Four years ago I had attacks like these every day for a year.  I so don't want to follow that strict diet again to avoid all the allergens.  My dr. wants me to get an allergy test done that will test me for over 300 allergens (chemicals, foods/colorings/ viruses etc).  She thinks that is what is causing my joint pain attacks and headaches.  Probably.  Just don't want to pay out 352 dollars.  But I do have a health savings account.  I just want to be normal. 

going on the hypoallergenic diet-- avoiding the food from the list of an old test done on me for my allergies in April 2008. I am allergic to :   Dust, mold, tobacco, cigarettes, bacteria, yeast, viruses, weeds, gasoline, pollen, cheese, cow's milk, citrus (orange, grapefruit, lemon, lime), pineapple, strawberry, corn, corn syrup, milk sugar (lactose), table sugar (sucrose), garlic, onions, soybean and chocolate.  AND a slew of food additives inclu, msg, sodium benzoate etc....etc..I am even allergic to my own hormones (autoimmune--estrogen, progesterone, etc....etc..) as well as some neurotransmitters.   This list was so long that I just couldn't take it.  Three years ago I went on the hypoallergenic diet and took tons of probiotics.  Even had me on an antiyeast med, but I ended up allergic (greatly) to it.  I had major die-off reaction to it.  Rash, itching rash every where.  This test was done by electromagnetics.  The one my current doctor wants to do is a blood test.  I figure the last one hit a lot of what I already knew to be my sensitivities so I figured it wasn't lying.  And the fact that I got a lot better with the diet and avoidance of the foods and probiotics it is worth being VERY diligent.  Great, holiday eating should be interesting.  Ran like a turtle the first few miles wondering if I ever will feel like myself again and then the last few miles I kind of did.  HOPE.  First two miles 9:44, 9:27 : D.   Last mile 7:42.  AP 8:32 for 8 easy miles in the drizzly wetness.  Better than the cold however. 

8 before work in the frozen air : D.  4:38 am.  Wore my trail shoes because I really am liking flatness under my feet.   HOWEVER, my lower back is spasming or something from the flatness in the heels.  I wore my NEW trail Altras (zero drop) to work today to work them in.  Ahhhh feeling really good under my feet, but lower back not too happy.  I need a relaxant but don't have any.   Not how out of the blue a first mile at 8:34 felt good.   The next mile was under 8 as well.  Then I was at 7:30s.  The trail shoes usually slow me down but not today.  AP for 8 = 7:42.  Weird.  I almost felt like myself : D   

okay so  I got carried away....8 miles turned into 12!!!! oooops.    AND I wore my TWO versions ago mizunos with my new mizunos inserts (since the others were trashed) placed inside them.  I don't know why I EVER RAN IN THOSE Japanese flowered mizunos.  SERIOUSLY after wearing the trail shoes to work that are FLAT and trying those mizunos (the new ones) on  again, OH MY!!!!  but when I tried on my old mizunos (the pretty turquoise ones) WHAT A DIFFERENCE.  I was on a cloud!!!   lovin' it.  ODD how much they changed a shoe that states it is the same shoe just different print etc... with some positive upgrades NOT!!!!   Ran easy in case  I decide to race tomorrow.  Not sure.  AP for 12 miles up and around Cedar Hills area from my house in Pleasant grove = 8:24.  First mile 9:12.  Last mile 7:47 (the only mile in the 7s).  When I got to eight  I was a few miles from home so I decided to just run my long run today even though in my former self 12 miles is NOT a long run.  Trying to find my running self again.  60 % there.  20 minutes after my run  I drove up to the reservoir in Pleasant Grove and iced my self for 4 minutes while I talked to MelanieB.   Got a few STARES from a couple of fisherman.  I was wearing my bathing suit.  I am sure they enjoyed the view, huh!!!!! 

I signed up on Monday to run the 4 miler because I needed to get myself back out there in the action.  Was worried about how I would feel since I have been one big bundle of joint pain after another-- mostly in my right heel, lower back and feet (metatarsal).  I was particularly worried that even after two aleves in 16 hours the joint pain hadn't really subsided.   After my 12 miler yesterday at 10 am I felt great.  But four hours later my joints were not happy once again.  Can I really feel this old already?   Woke again this morning at 4 am with LOTS of joint and muscle aches.  Seriously a 12 miler doesn't ever do that to me!!!  Whatever.  Well, since the aleve I took yesterday around 4pm wasn't really working I decided to take two tylenol and then a magnesium supplement.  Two hours later after walking around and a 2.5 mile warmup before the race nice and easy my joint pains had subsided.  YAY!!  However, when I stood before the race and the warmup the muscles in both my legs twitched over and over kind of like a seizure of the legs.  No pain just intense shaking.  Worried again.  Something metabolic is going bonkers.  I decided perhaps I took too much magnesium or hadn't taken enough glucose in so I took a strawberry/banana gu 10 minutes before the race started after I warmed up.  I started to feel better.  I hadn't eaten anything for 12 hours.  Oooops.  Now to my race report and details which I am quite pleased with.  A course PR for me.  Ran this several times YEARS ago.   The last time was in 2006!!!  WOW.  TIME FLIES.    

Warm up 2.5 miles at about 8:30 pace.  One mile with Tara.  I could tell and already knew her and her friends would be a ways in front of me.  No worries.  My goal was just to get under 27 minutes (6:45 AP).  It was cool on the warm up but after the 2.5 miles I wanted everything off including my runner tights but that couldn't happen since I didn't bring any shorts.  So I just ran with a light shirt, NO gloves or head band.  Runners that didn't warm up were FULLY clothed at the start.  Warm ups surely pay off. 

Mile ONE:  6:25.  I had my garmin in hide mode but I got curious around .3 miles into the race to look at my AP -- 5:59!!!! YIKES  so I overshot and slowed down A LOT apparently to get this pace.  I should NOT have looked at my split.  IT mentally plays with my head.  So I just kept my watch in hide the remainder of the race except when it got to the miles it would show me for 10 seconds my split.  I didn't know my overall time until I got to the last 1/4 mile. 

Mile TWO: 6:30.  Feeling quite relaxed and very NON tight.  Was feeling hopeful that I would clearly BREAK 27 minutes.

Mile THREE: 6:42 running around walkers a bit and a slight uphill (same as mile one) but really not sure how it was slow other than I was off by myself for a while until the end when I passed a few people. 

Mile FOUR: 6:28!!!  I apparently have no kick.  In fact I kind of COASTED in to the finish line.  I HONESTLY DO NOT LIKE TO FEEL NAUSEATED RUNNING.  That tells me I am pushing too hard and hey TODAY IS A HOLIDAY.  I felt the nausea coming on with .1 miles to go so I just didn't push it in.  No need to .  I had been following Tara and her group of friends about 30 seconds behind and the last .3 to 1/2 mile they really kicked it in to gain a lot of ground over me.  But I hadn't worked on my kick in 8 weeks so  I didn't care.  BUT I do care that I didn't try harder to get under 26 minutes!!  Oh well.  I reached my goal so I am very happy about that!!  : DDDDDDDD     WON A  12 pound TURKEY.  GoBBLe!!

Worked from 6am to 1215pm this morning.  Came home and joined my husband and daughter Courtney to the rec. center.  Thought about running outdoors since it was sunny.  But when I got there it was nice to be there with family and not weather the WINDCHILL.  Brrrrr it felt cold.  8 miles easy.   Although I have been suffering with intense burning nerve pain down my left side from my face to my leg, espec. face and left hip, I felt the need to detox by running.  I was fatigued driving over there but for some reason as I started out on the TM 9:30 pace felt so easy and so did 9pace (sometimes after work  I feel so sluggish working out on the mill, so this was a surprise).  Ran AP for first mile at 9:01.  All at 1%.  I felt better  and better as the run went on that after a two mile "warmup" (not really that but I had to take a pee stop) at 8:45 AP I ran the remainder six miles at AP of 7:42.    I felt wonderful.  I watched a couple trade off from the rowing machine to the track every 7 to 10 minutes or so.  She smiled a lot at me like she knew me.  Then  I realized that I think she is the girl I beat out at the UVM by over 10 minutes for the master's win.  The one that I thought was deaf because her husband (trainer) told her NOT to talk to anyone and stay focused.  Nerve pains dissipating but I am having a lot of random twitches all over my body.  This seems to be another one of my MS-like attacks.  It sure has lasted a long time this time.  Pretty much since SGM.  Should be over soon.  Especially when I strictly follow my hypoallergenic diet.    AP for all 8 miles = 7:57. 

TM at the pg rec at 550am.  Since I will be running outdoors the next two mornings before work in about 25 degree weather I opted for indoors today.  Foot acting up OUT OF THE BLUE again.  My lower back HAS been in a lot of pain so I am beginning to think this foot pain is related to my back--- disc problem.  The pain takes my breath away.  It almost feels like I wouldn't be able to move and then it improves and I can walk.  Who knows what the heck is wrong with me.  I am one big whiner with joint and muscle pains.  But this run felt quite easy.  Ran 7 miles then rezeroed the TM to get the last 3 miles in.  First 7 in 57:10 (8:10 AP).  Last three in 22:08 (7:23 AP).  First mile 9:01 AP.  Then just picked up the pace by .1 percent every half mile.  All felt easy.  So very glad about that.  Drove home.  Did 2 x 20 pushups.  Wrists not liking all the pushups so have to scale back.  Told you my joints are having issues.  Finished with upper body and some planks, abs.  AP for all 10 miles = 7:56.

ran in the cold morning at 430am before work.  BUT  80s PULLOVER saved the day.  Felt nice and cozy and began to get pretty sweaty for a few miles then that froze so it never got too bad.  Went to work all day and had terrible nerve pains in my back and down my legs.  Getting ridiculous.  INSANE.  I am wondering how much longer I can MENTALLY take this on with out freaking out.  Went to Relief Society social and that was nice but I was so very tired and the pain was intense I had to take a pain pill.  Have had those sitting in my closet since my brain surgery in 2004.  Worked slightly but more than anything made me loopy and tired.  Went to bed at 930am.  AP 8:28. 

the pill yesterday kind of dragged on until morning but got out there nonetheless in my pullover again.  Warmer this morning (still cold mind you).  AP 8:21.  Worked all day.  EVERY LAST FRAGRANCE BURNS my face and ear nerves on my left side of my face.  My ear feels like it is under water but really it is just my nerves there feeling numbish and then pulsating burning pain ( I had a Dr. look in my ear certain it was full of fluid).  I am not sure how much longer I can take this.  I am not happy about returning to my neurolgist and do all the followup MRIs I have been ignoring.  I like the idea that it allergy related rather than some disease affecting my brain.  Or the malformation surgery repair I had coming undone.  That would be tragic.  I know I sound so ridiculous talking on about my ailments...but this is my journal....so I honestly just hope someday (and maybe that day is when I am dead), I will have answers.  I am at a loss trying to figure out this neurological disease.   Sometimes I would like to let someone feel what I feel all day long and then have them tell me what the heck they think it is and whether I am just perfectly fine to complain about these burning pains.  Is there no balm in Gilead?  I feel despondent in my complaints...sad.  I fought this fight four or five years ago....why again??????   I am just depressed because of the pain (and not the reverse).