Running in the Rockies

I finally got out to run - it had been a long time!! When I said that I might pay for my last run (last week), I really did. Plus we went out of town for 5 days and I had back and neck pain. I still have a cough - it doesn't seem to be getting better at all - but I don't have the aches or chills. It was amazingly hard to run today so I found myself walking much more. But I apparently wasn't paying attention to my pace while I was running because my average pace is the same, which means I was running much faster than usual. Oops.

I went to a new chiropractor last week. He uses the Active Release Technique and works mostly with athletes. I was amazed and so pleased!! After 6 weeks of never being without hip pain, I actually had NO hip pain for 5 days!! Unfortunately it didn't last because I had a lot of low back issues while I was out of town which probably threw my hip out again. So, I'm going to see him again on Monday. Hopefully I'll get over this plaguing cough soon and be able to run on a daily basis - finally! I've had to take it easy on my hip ever since I began.

Today I felt like I was dragging the entire time. My subconscious must've realized I was missing my daughter's doctor appointment. Doh! Somehow I thought it was at 11:30, but it was actually at 10:30. Ooops.

Went in between Conference sessions. It was really windy, and I thought about Michelle's post last week where her ponytail was sticking straight behind her. ;o) I felt much better than on Thursday, but I went without the Garmin so I don't know what my pace was like.

Congratulations to all the great St Geo Marathoners!!!! Paul - OTQ, that's so awesome!!! James - 43 minute PR is absolutely great!! I haven't had much chance to read the other race reports, but it sounds like everyone did great!!!

I did my first practice 5k today in 40:00! I was so frustrated that I couldn't find a time on Mon or Tuesday to run, so today I hired a babysitter. My splits were:

1 - 12:53

2 - 13:06

3 - 12:47

last .1 - 1:14

with an average pace of 12:54. This was actually better than I expected. My previous runs were averaging in the 15:00 range so I was worried it would take me over 45 minutes. The extra .3 in my total miles were for warm up and cool down.

It was a very different run for me since it's the longest I've gone so far. Usually I just listen to my heart and lungs and when they seem overly labored, I start walking. But with this run, something internal kept saying, "Ugh. What are you doing!" after I passed my normal 1.85 normal distance. I feel good now and am very happy that I was able to do my first 5k without dying. I also found it interesting that I ran differently when I was on the sidewalk then when I was on the trail - knowing that other people were watching me made me less aware of my running.

I took a different route today - it had much longer downhill and uphill stretches. Wowza!!!! The uphill was tough! It wasn't even much easier to walk it. I had our babysitter come again today which was nice. She has the entire week off of school, so I've been utilizing her!

1st mile - 12:00 mostly all downhill ;o)

2nd mile - 13:37 huffing and puffing!

Ave pace: 12:58

5k in 41:38.

mile 1 - 12:56

mile 2 - 12:46

mile 3 - 14:54 (knee problems!)

My hip didn't feel great yesterday after two days of longer runs than usual; and didn't feel great when I started my run today, but after a while it was fine. At mile 2, my left knee hurt and I had to stop. I was able to walk it out, but the next mile, it kept coming and going. I've never had this happen with my knee before. Usually if it hurts, I'm in trouble the entire way home. Very strange. So, it was an okay run/walk/limp today. ha! Although my hip is still much better because of the ART chiropractor, I think I still have to bite the bullet and actually go to a doctor. I'm somewhat doctor-averse. ... I guess that's pretty obvious after complaining for 8 weeks of hip pain.

The countdown begins for my first race!! A week from today . . . Ahhhhhhhh!!!!

[I never had time to post my run on Tuesday.] Kept it closesr to 2 miles per Sasha's recommendation. But I still think I want to run one more practice 5K before the race on Saturday.

I finally went back to that initial chiropractor who took x-rays of my hips. I wish he hadn't ever said anything in the first place because he scared me quite a bit and was actually wrong in his initial assessment. He initially said my hip looked like it was "wearing down". But on Monday, when we actually went over them, he said that they look fine, but that I need to take it easy. He thought I'd been running all my life, but I told him I'm just beginning and was never even in sports in high school. So, any wear and tear is just because of life; not from 2 months of running!!! I have some curvature in my back, and my hips and knees have had to compensate throughout my life. Anyway, the long and the short of it is - don't take medical advice from a chiropractor!

I have a friend who's an avid runner and also a Physician's Assistant. When I was explaining my hip problem, she said that it sounds like my IT band. (I think this is what Heber said that it was too.) She recommended Yoga. In fact, she said if it wasn't for Yoga, she probably wouldn't be able to run at all. And she's done Boston in 3:33. So, I'm going to keep running, try to squeeze in Yoga somehow, and see an orthopoedist (just in case).

Took a different route - less hills and all sidewalk. (I usually take a trail that's a little hilly.) It was a beautifiul Autumn morning!!!!

I need to remember to take my knee brace tomorrow and difinitely to the race on Saturday too because my knee keeps trying to flare up and slow me down. Hip felt great.

Last practice 5K before my race . . . Ummm . . . Blast. For some reason this whole morning, I've been thinking that today is Thursday and that I have tomorrow to take it easy. It wasn't until just now that I realized that TODAY is Friday. Oops. ha, ha, ha. What an idiot. Oh well. It's only a benchmark 5K anyway. In fact, I probably shouldn't have even signed up for it this early on in my training. Sasha is quite right about my distancce - I feel great for the first 2 miles and then I struggle with my silly knees the last mile. So after this race, I'm going to stick to 2 miles for 3-4 weeks. I'm not really sorry that I'm racing, though - I needed something to motivate me and make me excited about running. I just feel a little dumb today that I botched my prep. Oh well. Can't undo it; the accomplishment tomorrow will not be in my finishing time, but in my finishing!

BTW, I have an Orthopedist appt next Tuesday.

My first race!!!! Where to begin. . .

Well, all day yesterday I worried that I was going to hurt myself if I ran the race today since I wasn't thinking and ran 3 miles that morning. I called my brother, Heber, and he recommended that I massage my legs to help them recovery quicker; and if I still didn't feel good, that it wasn't a bad cause to simply donate the $20 registration fee to (hee, hee). Actually, I had already thought of that; and this morning when I woke up and my legs felt a little sore, I thought about it again. But, I didn't think that I was feeling sore enough to really skip my very first race. So, I got ready and headed out the door.

It was a 5K run or a 3K walk for the Pikes Peak Region Peace Officers Memorial. The weather, though chilly in the low 50's while waiting around, was great for running and there was no breeze. It was a flatter course than I've ever run in my practice runs, so that was very helpful! I didn't take my Garmin, so I wouldn't be distracted by how much farther I had to go. This was good for that reason, but also bad because I'm not really sure what my correct finishing time was! When I came in, I saw the clock say 36:37, but on the unofficial report, I came in at 35:55. I'd love to claim the faster time, but I think the 36 is more accurate. And even at 36:37, it's over 4 minutes faster than any of my practice runs. My knee only hurt for about 15 seconds a little after the first mile, and then it didn't bother me at all! My hips felt great too! And I cranked up my iPod, so I didn't even pay attention to my heavy breathing (which was quite distracting, actually, when I could hear it in between each song - ha!)

I was able to run almost the entire time, which was amazing for me!!! I only walked about 4 times, and only for a short distance. I don't know my splits since I didn't have my watch, but I felt great the whole time! I told my husband that he did such a great job massaging my legs, that he saved me from a potentially horrible race!!! Plus, he might be stuck doing it next time!!! ;o)

The best part of raccing was the distraction of having other runners around me and coming in at the finish line to a smiling husband and my 3 girls!!! Overall, I am very happy with my first race. I was able to run without hurting, enjoy the moment, and come in at a time that I was secretly hoping for (anything around 36 mnutes was my hope, but I would've been content with anything faster than 40:00 which is what I was doing in my practice runs).

Yeah!!!!

I just realized that I haven't run a single Monday this entire month!!! What a slacker! I must really hate Mondays more than I consciously realize. ;o)

Different route today - again. But it wasn't a great route because there were parts when there was no sidewalk and the snow is melting. Yup, that's right . . . the SNOW!!! On Saturday the temperatures got up in the 70's and we woke up on Sunday morning to a couple inches of snow. Love Colorado! (crazy place) :)

Thanks, everyone, for your support in my first race. It was fun and I learned quite a lot about myself and how I race. I've been figuring that I actually could've given more at the very end. So, today when I got to the end of my run and my body was trying to tell me to walk, I kicked it up and sprinted home!!!

Orthopedist today said the cartilage (sp?) in my hips is great. It's not my IT band of bursitis. There's a small cyst on the inside of my hip joint that he's not terrible worried about in itself, but he wants an MRI to make sure there's nothing causing it. He also gave me a script for PT. Happy days (except the thought of sitting in a noisy MRI machine for 1/2 an hour!!! I keep thinking about it and getting shivers!)

Great, great run!!!! I was able - for the first time - to run WITHOUT WALKING at all!!!!! I am so happy! After I pushed past the first urge to walk, I made it to a mile and kept thinkin, "Hey, I'm not dying; I can go further." And then, I became determined not to walk until after 2 miles. And then, I figured I might as well make it all the way home! I even kicked it up a notch on the last bit. My splits were:

1 - 11:21

2 - 12:14

.25 - 10:32

Ave - 11:39

I didn't mean to go fast, but that's actually faster than my 5K race average! Maybe it's because I had such a lazy day reading Twilight ... the whole day (ooops). That book is so addicting! I read the whole thing in less than 24 hours and its 500 pages!!! Crazy. I want to start the next book (New Moon), but I think my children need to see my face for a few days without having to peak over a book. lol

What a crazy day!! I ran this afternoon, but haven't had a moment to log it until now (10 p.m.). We had our ward Halloween party tonight and I only had 2 of our 5 costumes done. It was kind of fun, I have to admit. This year I actually did a theme for our costumes: my husband and I were convicts, Cami was a police officer, and the babies were money bags. It turned out cute. But the party was too late for my little ones. Audrey was beside herself by the time we got home; and Hayley wasn't far behind her!! Cami was still feeling sick today, so I'm amazed she did as well as she did at the ward party. The kitchen and house are finally put back together again and I can relax. . .

Today's run was a bit of a bummer. I forgot to turn off my iPod the other day, so it was dead; and I didn't realize how much having music was a great distraction for me until I was struggling to keep from walking and finally succombed. Bummer. Also, my left knee bothered me more on my second mile. The orthopedist could tell just be feeling my knees, that my left knee was weaker. Guess I better work on that, huh?

Happy Halloween!!! What a slacker I've been in my running!! Maybe I need to find another race so I have something looming in the future that gets my lazy self out in the freezing cold!! At least I'm done with the Twilight series, though, so I won't be so obsessed with reading instead of doing what I should - like running! I'm not sure I'm totally happy with the ending of the Twilight series, by the way. I spent most of my run today trying to reconcile myself to it. lol

I took my old route this morning and almost did it without walking. At my halfway point, my legs started walking without consulting my head first. Ugh. Today was my first day to run in the cold. It was 35 degrees. It wasn't as bad as I thought, although I've been coughing ever since I got home. ha! I think it's somehow a city law that Halloween can't be warm in Colorado Springs! It's been in the 70s until today! It's like that every year - relatively warm until Halloween when all the poor children are dressed up in paper thin Princess or Superman costumes. Poor trick or treaters! Luckily we don't have children who know what they're missing when we don't go Trick or Treating. That lucky window will be closing soon, though, I'm sure, as Hayley gets older. Hee,hee! We went to the Ward trunk or treat but had to leave before the candy was passed out because Audrey was soooo tired.

My oldest daughter is on her way to Denver Children's hospital today for a gait analysis. This is the first test of hers that I have not been there for. She's going with Daddy while I stay home with the babies. I feel very weird not being the one to take her. I know it would've been miserable taking the babies - or even just Audrey; but I can't help feeling like I'm the one who has to be there for every medical test or therapy session that she has. The results of the analysis will tell us which braces will be best for her (and if she's over braced right now) and if there are any surgeries that they recommend now or in the future. It's a 3 hour analysis!!! And the report will be about 20 pages long! Crazy, huh? Hopefully it will be very helpful, though.