Believe to Achieve

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.

Well not the way I wanted today or yesterday to go for that matter.  Chiro appt went really well yesterday. First time pain free in my legs in a long time-- lots of adusting and stretch table/massage/heat/ultrasound to the lower back.  Lovin' it.  THEN--- after 2 hours of shopping with my husband and youngest daughter,we got back home to our dog yelping at anything that went by him.   I had my husband hold him down (he is only 10 pounds) because by process of elimination he had something hurting in his mouth.  I found a broken tooth.  Amber had given him a chew stick and his teeth have a lot of tartar (his breed brews tartar, dang it!!).  Well I pulled it out but left some root and he continued to yelp an hour later. Stupid me, without the aid of my husband who was busy at the time, I tried to check his teeth again and HE BIT my thumb!!!! OUCCCCHHHHHH!!!  I freaked out and screamed from the pain and my thumb was first in shock then it began to bleed all over.  I was so angry and I had to be at a staff meeting in 20 minutes.  While I was at staff meeting my husband took him to the vet.  My dog also has another tooth that is broken.  Our dog has a teeth cleaning and tooth extraction appt on Friday.  He got a shot for pain and an antibiotic shot.  He just barely yelped as I typed this.  It is going to cost us over 300 dollars!!!!  Plus another 100 dollars for last nights visit.  We chose a different hospital as Timponogos Animal hospital quoted us over 700 dollars to 900 dollars depending on what they find when they get in there!!! HOLY FLIP!!  I stressed out and am still stressed out.  I love my dog and I don't want him in pain so of course we are going to get him so help. I just can't take all the expenses this year!!     My plan today was to run a 3 mile time trial.  I had a hard time sleeping from the stress and the pain in my thumb.  I had to take Courtney over to where she would leave for YW camp at 9am and still I watched the hours go by for a cooler morning run.   I didn't get out until  1130am!!   I was so hot running.  There was a breeze and I wanted to just give up on the the time trial but I ran to the AF track anyway.  I went inside the school and used the bathroom and put water on my head.  I wore my visor.  I tried to feel motivated.  My leg went numb this morning when I got up and my ankle started to tingle again (my back problem still not going away).  Running at first felt off but I just couldn't not run.  I didn't run with my garmin and used my stopwatch for my entire run.  It took me 21 minutes to get there.  I course tooled it and it was 2.43 miles.  I then ran two warmup miles (as if I needed to warm up in this seering heat) around the track.  I took to swigs of my water I carried there and I was off.  Afte the first two laps I wanted to be done.   This whole run I was mentally battling the heat.  I wanted to stop after each turn.  I just couldn't get past wanting to stop.  Hence the complete breakdown in the pace.   I am telling you it was very hot.  Oh I had a head wind when I would turned south.  I actually was thankful for it.  It helped remove some stench but once I ran around the corner out of the wind-- stale humid sun beating down heat.  Why the heck am I running out here in the heat? I detest the heat.  This is not going to be pretty.  In fact I was so delirious at the end that  I couldn't figure out my watch to find my splits and eventually I accidentally erased them (my thumb was hurting pressing the numbers, I was handicapped!!) I do remember a few of them--  they went like this for the first four laps-- 1:33 (oh yah looking good), 1:37, 1:37, 1:38(first mile at 6:25, not too bad I suppose) then I just got worse.  I wasn't out of breath I was just so DARN hot, dripping beads of sweat.  At mile two I was at 13:14 (so my 6:25 mile turned to a 6:37.5 average pace-- that means this mile was a 6:49, how pathetic is that!!).  I kept telling myself "okay you can stop after 6 laps, okay try to go to 8 laps.  Alright Julie just do four easy laps the pace doesn't matter."  My mind was the issue.  I was under too much stress to run decently today but I had to get it done.  My last mile was 1:44, 1:45, 1:45, 1:40 from what I can remember.  6:54!!!!  so ridiculous.  It wasn't like I was giving it my all I was AGAIN too darn hot!!!  Overall time 20:09.  AP 6:42.  Stopwatch time.  I quickly walked over to the shade and put my head between my legs then walked in to the school.  AC on in there.  I had to pee really badly the last 5 laps.  I drank a lot of water before this run and apparently my kidneys kicked it in gear just before (when I pottied) and during.  I almost peed my pants after the run!!!  My muscles were twitching all over in my face and legs.  I am sure I was salt depleted as all I drank was water.  I am not really smart today.  Ran home easy after two cooldown laps around the track. 

recovery run--- slept well last night and got out in the cool of the morning.  Felt soooooo good.  So much better than yesterday when since I got out at 6:35am!!  I was like awwww  I am not even the least bit sore from yesterdays semi-speedwork (mostly heat simulation run!!).  Then when I saw my first mile pace of 9:40 I knew exactly why it felt so easy.  I seriously thought I was at least a 9mm.  Too funny!!  Like I must have been asleep!!  The next mile was still over 9-- 9:08!!  My legs felt great.  I didn't feel like I was working hard (duh the pace) but really?  Oh well this is a true recovery run.  AP for 8 miles 8:21.  NEWSFLASH-- I am the 3:40 Pacer for  the Pocatello Marathon (thanks to Rachelle :D).  Yup it is Official!!  8:24 pace.  Going to have to contain myself as the pacer director wants me to run that pace regardless of the course elevation changes.  This should be interesting!! :D.  I am soo gonna run it right on.   Kind of nervous too-- I am suppose to be a first responder as well if someone collapses during the race!!  A no brainer but my pacing job goes out the window if someone collapses.    This is going to be a nice training run.  I had only three 18 milers planned before SG and now I only have two planned with one 26 miler : D.   I am driving up with Rachelle, and Rachel. Fun times!!  The marathon is September 1.  Beautiful scenery!! 

Cancelled from work.  Yay now I can go to the zoo with my extended family in the hot sun ; D.  Up at 530am.  Out by 6am.  Ran 8 miles at 7:50.  First mile 8:53.  My first miles are just slow.  Last four miles-- 7:50, 7:30, 7:17, 6:57.    AP 7:50.  1/2 mile cooldown 8:45 pace.  I am not sure about any PR at SG at this rate.  I just don't feel into it yet.  I have no base and one speedwork, oh and a nice Timp Half Pacer time.  I have yet to run a long run.  I think I am clinically depressed. 

Met at Kim's house a mile away.  Drove up with Kim, Jane, Madison and met Melanie at the mouth of AF canyon.  Left one car there then drove to Timp Caves Monument and parked.  Ran up 5 miles past Tibble Fork Reservoir on to  dirt trail for like .1 miles then turned around.  5 miles up then ran the Timp Half course to mile 10 and turned right at Deerfield Elementary instead of left.  Plan ORIGINALLY was 14-15 miles then realizing the run we were doing (the rest were running 20 miles except Melanie who was running 12-- she ran 20 Thursday with JulieE) it looked like I would get 16 plus miles--I stopped running at mile 16 and walked towards Kim's house leisurely.  It felt so nice and I never give myself a break.  I always push, push push and today I was just going to follow the plan.....except as I started walking down the steep hill to Kim's house I decided to jog back to my car, this mile also has the nice climb back to Kim's.  It ended up being 0.6+ miles so of course I just decided to run to 17 miles even :D.  I was running easy.  I felt really good today (except the electrical feelings to my left ankle, but no pulling hamstring/sciatica pain.  I awoke with a good amount of nerve pain to my ankle but I tried to relax and not worry as I know it is from my back and I am seeing a pain specialist on Friday.  I needed this run.  It started out easy and the threesome in front of Madison and I were going easy ( I could tell since we were right with them).  If only they wouldn't look at their lap pace.  It always makes them speed up.  There is NO slow running with them EVER!!!  Madison and I didn't look at our watches until the end of the five miles of uphill.  We were proud of our 8:13 AP at that point.  We talked the whole way, in between breathing heavy.  Air is thick up there not to mention the incline.  I was surprised at our splits the first 5 miles--- 9:09, 8:05, 7:55, 7:53, 8:13 (last mile up includes that steep incline just before you reach the reservoir.    we were out of breath there!!).    Jane and Kim were a ways ahead.  Their AP was 7:30.  I told Madison that I don't like to train that way and that booking it on long runs is not how I am going to get faster.  But kudos to my friends who can always book it!!  I just can't mentally or physically do that to myself.  We stopped for water at  the top then ran back five miles for another water break.  Then another 2.5 miles to Melanie's car at the mouth of the canyon (bye Melanie!) and then on to the golf course.  I split from the others as they continued toward Lone Peak and  I had to turn and go up the hill (mile 8.5 of Timp Half).  I got the great shade of the river trail though and turned my music on for the first time.  The remainder of the splits from the top (all felt easy except last three miles I was tired!!)-- 7:18, 7::21,  7:15, 7:06, 6:55, 6:32, 6:34, 6:48, 7:08, 6:49, and 6:45 (my last mile was the rolling hills mile and I was at 7:10 average pace at 1/2 mile to go so I kicked in gear to get it under 7mm).    Walked a mile then ran a cooldown mile of 7:57 pace.  AP for 16 miles =  7:21.  AP with cooldown mile 7:23.   Iced in River 8 minutes at Timp Caves.  Brrrr!!!