Believe to Achieve

Plan-- run easy 5 miles.  Foot not near as painful--- 20 % left to heal.   But it did go through several rebellions during the run but ended up turning numbish (maybe it was the endorphins? :D) and amazingly the last 1.5 miles were pain free.   The good ol' days.  I was even pain free walking around my house.  AP for 5 = 8:27.   Turned out to be a progressive 5 miler starting with 8:48 and ending at 7:47.  Felt really good to smell the spring time!!  I had some kinks in my form and the sometimes odd feeling in my foot made it interesting.   When I got back I stretched and took my girls to school after they ate breakfast.  I was just so badly wanting to get out there again and was fearing I would over do it. 

I was back for 30 minutes then headed out again for 3 more (AP 7:53).  I felt so good.  The last mile was 7:31 and it felt easy.  I stretched some more.  I had my music in for the last three miles. This is the first time I have run with music in over three weeks.  Okay, well I haven't been running so it is not a long stretch as it sounds.  But I don't bike with music (safety) and I ran Boston sans music.  Even my little jaunts on the Cape were without music.  I wanted to feel everything. The music pumped me up.  I felt like maybe I could really turn back into my goal oriented running self.  Subthree is still out there.   But I will take it one step at a time.  : D.  Oh yah---  15 pushups, 60 second front plank, 30 sec side planks, 10 more push ups.  First of arm and core work since well before Boston (probably four or more weeks).   My adrenal glands are apparently working.  That was pretty scary on that med last week!!   happy day!   

I so miss my visiting teacher, neighbor, and friend Lee Ann Dayton.  She passed away last Thursday after having a heart attack Wednesday and then surgery Thursday morning for a quadruple bypass. Met with her husband on Saturday and we cried together.  They would have been married 62 years this June.  She was turning 83 in June. Church yesterday was a tear fest.  I could feel her presence everywhere there. The choir sang and she is in the choir.   She always sits right behind me at church with her husband.  He said he could see her up in the choir.  He came to hear the choir.  He also was determined to get his home teaching done.  My neighbor told me he called her yesterday.  Troy (my husband) was talking to him before church and he said he hasn't missed a home teaching appointment in 70 years!!!!!!  That is the kind of couple they were!!!  They even were at the temple doing sealings on Tuesday (when she had several attacks of not feeling well and having a hard time breathing).  She called me three times on Monday and last week she left a message on my machine that she had some vegetables in her garden for me.  That message is still on my machine.  I want to remember her voice for as long as possible.  She has taught me how to serve and she was an amazing example to everyone!!!  Thank you Lee Ann!!!

Barefoot on the grass running for 4:20 (1/2 mile, a guess) in the afternoon before my daughter's soccer game.  This is the advice  I got for healing my PF.  Had planned a 5 miler but was called into work when  I thought I would have it off for sure.  Some confusion at work and I was the one on call.  I asked for it off for the funeral.  Luckily my coworkers were helpful and one came in for me.  I worked from 630 to 1030 and then attendended the funeral for Lee Ann.  Another tear fest.  It is just hard to not hear her voice.  It was distinctive.  Everyone has been blessed by her service in our ward.  I am still in shock that she is gone.   The emotions have made me exhausted and the four hours of non-stop work didn't help.  I will not run today.  Last time I ran exhausted injury was upon me.  Foot was hurting at work but now it is gone.   Emotions got out the pain. 

5 miles at 5am before work-- easy pace 8:05 (last mile 7:35).  Left leg and foot a real bugger thru the run and at work-- something is wrong with the nerves and vessels (blood supply).  I noticed a couple months ago that my feet turn dark puple if I sit forward while typing on the computer.  Also several knew large veins have developed on my left ankle.  I am wondering if this is contributing to my foot pain-- less blood flow to fascia-- chronic PF.  My entire foot is having numbness, burning and shooting pain up the toes.  It even extends up my lower leg.  I have a dull ache in my left back (sciatica???).  It is pretty painful.    If I elevate my foot for a time the pain is much improved when I start walking again.  

not sure why but foot and leg just not happy.  ran up 1100 north and back down. 8:27 AP.  very steep hill.  entire foot has nerve like pains --- shooting this way and that and up my leg to my calf.  probably will have to stop running again.  need some physical therapy.  

hopeful side note: pray for Madeleine McCann to be found alive.  yes what's done is done.  Pray for her parents to find an end to this sorrow-- alive or passed on.  So many families affected by such crimes of others.  It is heartbreaking to listen and read about.  It has been five years.  She would be 9 years old.  

Plan was to ride my bike to rec center and work out on stairmaster.  Well....I rode my bike with my kids to their elementary school (1 mile) then took off to the rec center almost three miles from their school  (AP 4:32).  Using my own moutain bike with the fixed tire.  Yay.  The gears work.  So biking was very nice.  I need to get my daugther's bike looked at.  Well....it was such a beautiful morning the outdoor track at PGHS was calling my name for an easy half mile warm up....well 1/2 mile turned into 3.14 miles.  I guess my bike got my legs going even though I felt like I was moving slow (riding your bike before running does that to you).  I ran progressive miles without even trying and one I did when the high school boys gym class came out on the track.  I was ahead of all of them at my easy pace-- except a boy who sprinted past me then stopped.  He was wearing the clonkiest shoes eva!!!  ridiculous.   Anyway...my miles were 7:56, 7:20 and 7:11!!   with the last .14 at 7:02.  I wasn't even trying.  My foot got extremely tight and numb.  I don't get this.  It acts like my neuroma has doubled in size and is taking over the space between my metatarsal.  It is an odd feeling for sure and soon the tightness goes to my ankle then my calf.  As soon as I stopped and stretched the pain/tightness went away.  I went inside the rec center and ran 5 miles on the TM at 1 % easy-- 2 miles at 8:00 (slightly faster), 1 at 7:53, 1 at 7:41, 1 @ 7:20 or faster (sped up to 6:49 at the end).  Foot getting very tight again.  LIKE ONE BIG muscle cramp!!!  not sure how I got this font going on right now.   AP for last five miles  = 7:47.   These shorter mileage days with cross training make me feel stronger.  NOW if I can get this foot to feel like it used to !!!!     Rode my bike home and added on a bit for fun (it was so very Springlike today, freshly cut flowers and grass!!!)  4.65 miles @ 4:04 pace : D.   OH YAH!!    Good luck everyone that is racing tomorrow.   I work of course so I will be thinking of all of you!!!  btw I wrapped my foot in an ace bandage and wore my boot all day.  That seemed to help a lot.   I also wore the ace bandage around my foot and ankel all night as a splint to keep my foot flexed. That helped even more!!!