Believe to Achieve

Last night my entire leg following the sciatic nerve was in intense pain.  Took a muscle relaxant and still was feeling it.  I could barely flex my foot. This too shall pass.  But darn it I want to be injury free ASAP.  Currently and not sure what brought this on, I have scintillating scotoma (wavy lines through my visual field in my right eye).  This usually happens if I am dehydrated, overly perfumed (went shopping with my girls yesterday) and another combo I can't figure.  It happens only about three times a year.  But it is quite freaky.  It is apparently an "aura" to a migraine. 

AM  ran 5.1 miles (AP 8:54) with tight hamstrings while Courtney rode her bike beside me.  Nice and easy.  Tried a new way of tying my shoes and it seemed to take a lot of pressure off my arch and bunion.   Later had hubby massacre my hamstrings with a massage and myomed cream.  PAIN. 

UnPlanned PM ran 5 miles (AP 8:33).  We went out as a family to see Sorcerer's Apprentice then to Wendy's.  The air was cool at 7:50pm and  it felt fall-ish so I naturally thought of running.  I couldn't stop the feeling turning to action so soon after arriving back home I got in my running shorts etc...and took off for five more.  Hamstrings tight but shoes feel better with the new tying job.  They sure don't have any forefoot support.  Perhaps this is where the problem lies?  Just glad I got ten miles in.  Work 12.5 hours tomorrow and didn't feel like getting up at 430am. 

Drove to Melanie's house by 6am.  Ran a 3.36 mile warm up  mostly uphill at 8:42 AP.  Ran 10 by 400 meters with 400 meter running recovery.  Splits unknown until the end as they are set up to go off with garmin with those beeps and you can't see your pace.  Pathetic they were and NO headwind to blame them on.   We just are laughing at ourselves.  We had no water and did not eat anything.  I felt water was needed.  But really I am just out of sw shape.  My foot pain turns out to be back pain---MAJOR SCIATICA or DISC rubbing on that nerve.  My foot,  back  and hip hurt at the same time and then the clopping of the foot got worse and worse with each repeat.  My shoes have no absorption and my "old lady" back can't hack it.  It sure was killing me.  Especially on the 4 miles of cooldown.  Splits alternated with recovery paces-- 6:30, 8:24, 6:29, 8:10,  6:35, 8:00, 6:22, 8:24, 6:14, 8:13, 6:16, 8:13, 6:28,  8:14, 6:28, 8:20, 6:21, 7:52, 6:21, 8:04.    Cooldown 4 miles at 7:50  AP.  Total miles 12.6 miles at 7:51 pace.  Perhaps if  I walked for recovery I could have run them better?  The road was a bit busy so that slowed us at times but seriously why the loss of power?  My 800s are just as fast.  Odd.  But come to think of it I was never winded in this run.  Just in pain.  So maybe I just need to get back to pain-free to be stronger. 

Forgot I needed a long run this week and I work Fri - Sunday 12 hours DAY shifts so no time otherwise.  Had hubby join me up the canyon  for 2 miles up the left fork then 2 miles down then he drove home.  He had daggers in his eyes at his finish.  Then I took off down the canyon on my lonesome to get in a 17 miler.  Foot and back ailing.  The whole nerve down the leg.  Geez.  Seriously most of my running is done by my right leg which FEELS GREAT through everything.  How can this be?   No time for an adjustment just yet.  Every time I think I have time for myself something comes up around the house with the kids and school starting and soccer practice.  The canyon was cool but when I hit the reservoir in the beginning two miles, not in the shade, the heat was on as it was nearing 10am.   The rest of the canyon had spots of shade and tolerable heat as I was taking it easy on this run. Partly due to yesterday and partly due to the fact that I need to enjoy running again and taking it slower is how I will achieve that.  I guess the fact that my back/foot is hindering me plays a major role in my feel good running.  Running slower seems to help.  Here are my splits:  9:48 (love an easy uphill start, in Peru they do as well, just read MichelleL's blog), 8:51 (still ALL uphill and I am pulling away from my dear hubby), turned around at 2.15 miles so the third mile is part REAL steep and the rest down at 7:49, 7:23, 7:08, 7:03, 6:51, 6:44, 6:50, 7:02, WAY HOT NOW !! 7:21, 7:07, time to slow it down this is NOT a race and I just want this run to feel easy. I didn't take any Gu or any fuel so I was left wanting by mile 13.  I did have four water stops (brief).  7:31, 7:30, 7:49, 7:57 really HUNGRY, totally feel depleted of sugar in the veins, last mile  7:31.  DONE.  Thought about one more mile since I was 1/2 mile from my home but WHY?  Enjoyed the slow walk home.  My pelvis and other joints were not happy. I wore my gel cumulus asics shoes.  MUCH better than the mizunos that have NO cushioning whatsoever.  I would not have been able to do this run in those.  AP for 17= 7:33.  AP for miles not including the two uphill--  7:19.  So happy with that.  I think I can at least get another 3:11 out of St. George.  New shoes on the horizon.  Probably Asics that fit. 

5.41 miles at 8:45 AP at 8:20 PM after working a 12 hour Day shift, getting home at 7:15 pm and Eating a big dinner.  Felt I wouldn't get myself up at 430am so decided to get it done early to reach 45 miles this week.  This is my off week when I can run only three days that I am not working since I work Tues. Fri, and Sat. so I have to squeeze in the miles and juggle fatigue.  It was rainy and the lightning lit up the sky quite beautifully.   Footing tricky as it got darker.  Foot started to hurt and clop by mile 3.5 but back in check with my cushioned  ascics cumulus'.   

3 extremely Slow miles on the HEAVIEST OF LEGS.  I wore ace bandages on both my lower legs all day at work to relieve the achiness and throbbing I have been feeling in them.  It worked and then my ankles and thighs swelled to unrecognition.  I had the notion to run while my daughter rode her bike.   It was more like a trot.  A BIG ELEPHANT TROT.  MY LEGS were like LEAD.  I felt very awake.  No tired brain feeling like night shift.  But my darn bloated body was not up to any quick motion.  This pace was SLOW!!!  AP 9:56.  I think I was going backwards at times.  My, my, my......what is happening here?