Believe to Achieve

"SUGAR BAD FOR YOU"  This is said with a chinese accent.  It is a quote from Dr. Wong, cardiologist  I saw a few years ago for all my skipping heart beats and difficulty getting my heartrate down after exercise.  Turns out his ancient secret is right.  When I stopped eating tons of treats  20 months ago I began to feel better and my heart no longer skipped many beats except in cases of extreme fatigue or an allergen exposure like perfume.  No more HR problems after excersize too.  Where am I going with all this?  Well I am glad I chose yesterday in place of today for my free day because starting at midnight (Sunday  Morning) on my birthday  I was bombarded with treats.  First we started light- a veggie tray with  chips and dip then there was one of those cakes with TONS of white thick frosting. Followed by ice cream.  Well why stop there?  I decided to devour the last two donuts from my mother in law in a single sitting after arriving home from work in the morning yesterday.  It felt great going in but I knew I was in for it as my body tried to process it.  Needless to say I did not sleep well.  Less than 3 hours.  But hey its my birthday why lay there in my bed?  Got up and came downstairs to a vision of a double chocolate cake Troy and my littlest made for me.  Oh no.  Just when I was done with the treats already...but how could I turn away a present?  An hour later a ring at my doorbell and a present again revealed 4 chocolate frosted brownies with a layer of pink and red frosting and sprinkles.  Valentine-like.  Oh man, what next?  I managed to hold out until after dinner and Family Home Evening for a large piece of chocolate cake with milk.  No brownie.  Then, I could not fall asleep until 10pm.  Got up at 7:45 am and low and behold my vision had wavy lines all through it .  I have had this before.  It can be an aura to a migraine.  It is called scintillating scotoma.  It comes from the occiput region of the brain not the eyes.  I had surgery there but basically I know it is from the lack of sleep mixed with WAY TOO MUCH SUGAR, so help me.  I honestly feel like I have a hangover, although I have never had one of those per se.  But it doesn't end there...as I opened the front door to watch my daughter leave for school her carpool is yelling " Courtney take the cookies, take the cookies!!!"  What are they talking about?  I looked down and there was a card and a large plate of those sugar cookies with a chocolate KISS on them.  What?  So far no brownie or cookie has been consumed and after today's detox wicked run I have to refrain.  I am going to give them to my kids slowly over the week in their lunches.  My run today was so difficult and I bet it is because "SUGAR BAD FOR YOU!".    Here are the brief details of my run:  5 by 1K (1000m or .625miles)with 400m recovery lap  after a 4.1 mile warm up (3.1 mile run at 8:37 to the rec).  Goal was all at 6:08.  But that was clearly not going to happen.  I ran this pace for them:  6:18, 6:15, 6:11, 6:09, 6:07.  I should have switched TMs earlier by the third one the off balance TM was getting ridiculous.  It shook greatly when I turned it up on the SW.  Ahhh so much better on the last one.  So basically the first four were like I was on a ship.  This was not helping my head.  I was getting a bit dizzy.  I am prone to seasickness.  I use to get carsick all the time.  Anyway, survived it.  Head is pounding.  Ran home 3.1 miles @ 8:49 pace.  Total miles 12.5.

Slept less than three hours.  Right up there on lack of sleep runs.  It was difficult but I gradually "awakened" on my run.  Avg pace 8:28 for 5.5.  Ran a two mile loop 2.5 times switching directions three times.  Picked up my car (ran out of gas on my way home from work this morning and I am only a mile a way from work--pathetic I know, but I like to push my car on empty, just like I push myself).  Troy had exchanged the gas-less suv, filling it with 2 gallons of carry-out gasloine, with our Honda.  I was glad the sun was out but the air was chilly.  I sprinted the last .05 miles and got the garmin to read maximum (best pace) 5:42 per mile.  And that wasn't even all out so that was nice to see.  Weird running when muslces, brain and limbs feel all disconnected.  I just keep telling myself "this won't last forever" and somehow I can get thru each day.  I am doing much better than last year at this same time dealing with the lack of sleep thing.  I getting slightly more adjusted.  

Mid-Tempo Run Day.  Wasn't looking forward to running on tired legs, they feel tight in the upper thighs to the buttocks.  Need a deep massage and some stretching.  Sleep still not great but better last night to get in over 8 hours, it just didn't feel rejuvenating.  I guess I need another Disneyland trip.  The nights there were soooo luxurious.   Okay I'll take Hawaii instead.  Anyway, ran to the rec and added on a mile to get 4 miles there.  Warmup mile on the TM at 1 % incline, was going to change it to zero for the tempo run but I decided to test myself and keep it at 1% telling myself I could turn it downanytime to make it feel easier.  I always take the bait.  After the warmup I ran these mile paces:  7:08, 7:08, 7:03, 7:03, 6:59.   Goal was 7:05 avg so I think I got that right on.  Felt very controlled and if my butt and hips weren't tight it would have been really nice.  I am off to Olive Garden for Birthday Luncheon.  My mother in law gave me a gift card there.  Too bad I can't have dessert...for a while.  I did drink 8 ounces of gatorade though as I am out of Orange Juice.  Work the next two nights.  Should average exactly 60 miles this week.  Just keeping it real :D.  EXCITED for the WINTER OLYMPICS.  I would have loved to be an Olympic Cross Country Skier.

Progressive feel like a runner run.  Was feeling yucky, just one more night.  BTW I wake up while I am at work and do really well staying with it and alive.  Hence my problem with staying alive during the day when I should be sleeping and can't.  Anyway.  Told my husband I wasn't going run.  Then ate a banana and peanut butter toast and taped on the valentine chocolate kisses to my kids Valentines they wrote out last night.  Figure I would try to get a run in at 250pm.  So just got out and slowly came alive and legs in the mood by mile 3.  Got my pace to 6:53 at one point.  The whole run began to feel easy especially at 7:20 pace.  Since first miles were turtle like overall pace was 8:18 avg.  Was supposed to be a recovery run anyway.  No over doing it.  I work in pediatrics tonight.  Luckily it is at the hospital closest to my home :D.  Probably be a long night.  

The extreme no sleep thing is wearing on me that I don't think I will convince myself to get out today.  No words to describe.  My shift was long, working hard for very ill children.  I think I will just enjoy walking around in my newly zeroed sauconys.  They feel great walking around.  My head is in the clouds and my mind fuzzy that neurologically I need to give my body a break.  So much for 60 miles this week unless I turn my 13 miler into 20 tomorrow.  I'd say the chances for that is 50/50.  I've been known in these parts to be a not so anonymous insane runner : D.   I am toying with the idea of a cycling class tonight.   I hope there isn't one available on Fridays so I am not tempted.  Need to go read the rec center's calendar and that's too far away right now (bedroom closet).  I am drifting as I write this so I am going to try to sleep again.  I also will be getting in some walking passing out flyers for the Valentine's Social tomorrow night.  Chocolate Fondue Fountain will be served.  Sorry but I think I am taking another free 1/4 day.  I haven't been able to stick full-heartedly to this no sugar/chocolate thing because otherwise I wouldn't make it thru my shifts in a happy mood.  Probably an excuse but chocolate really boosts my mood before working all night.  Oh well.  I should do better that I don't work until Monday night then have another three nights off then repeat the 5 of  7 night thing again.  Luckily I like my job and really love it when I am working with the babies :  D.   "Wo unto the unintentional LIAR for she shall not....I don't know where I am going with this except...wearing my zeroes around and still not sleeping I told myself to just jog to Kim's and show her my new shoes and that I was wearing the socks she gave me.  She lives a mile a way.  It was 5:15pm. Well, I woke up after my 10:20 minute first mile and the cool sun going down air was just so relaxing that I kept trotting along feeling more and more alive and free.  My legs and feet felt awfully light in my new shoes and I wore shorts with a headband and gloves etc...   I felt so refreshed with every mile.  I kept it easy and my legs were lovin' me.  Did manage to speed it up naturally that avg pace was 9:12 for 7 miles.  I ran on sidewalks and dirt sides of road to try out the shoes.  I am liking them.  Time will tell.  But first day on them very reassuring.  I guess this run means I am not running 20 tomorrow.  Ahh.  Just an easy 13 to make 60.  My nose is not growing.....yet.

13 (.26) Dreadful miles.    Wish to blame it on the wind, the cold, lack of sleep, new shoes and no interest.   Was doing well until I stopped and my body froze up and I couldn't run any longer.  My new shoes were ailing me and I just couldn't keep going.  I started strong and finished dreadfully slow.  I almost called my husband from Walmart in Cedar Hills.  And these last three miles were downhill.  No umph in my umph.  No nothing.  It was a definite Forrest Gump moment.  I sure hope this is a brief phase.  I surely felt like I had never ran before in my life (the last 4 miles).  Well, at least I made it to 60 miles for the week.  That is the only positve in this string of sadness.  I feel down.  Depressed.  I am sure I need to just run more :  D......later, another day.  Looking forward to rest day.  Off to put on a Valentine's Party for our ward.  A chocolate fountain should cheer me up.  I think I need a Smoothie : D.