Patience; the new endurance sport.

I've been trading some running days for stationary bike, and skiing.  The stationary bike really works up a good sweat, but it's just not the same.  The skiing gives me a nice sence of being outside, but doesn't provide one long cardio session.  I am getting more and more out of shape.  If you would have told me last Septeber that little pain in my back would lead to this ongoing thing in my Hip, I would not have believed how long it could go on.  I'm still in denial over this injury, and what's worse is that I am cross training and even skipping some days in favor of stretching.  Then I get sick of it and run days in a row, only to end up with that pain in the hip again.  Maybe it will be like my elbow where it will eventualy go away on it's own (that took 6-9 months). 

treadmill.

Shoes hardly seem to matter when the running is slow.  In Summer I felt like I needed new shoes like every 300 miles--now it hardly matters.  Then again, my back/ham/hip was breaking down during that time so maybe I did need new shoes all the time.  I keep pulling the typical weekend warrior routine on Saturdays/Sundays (running further and faster because I have more time) but then I pay for it the rest of the week.  I run for sanity, but pay for it with my hip.  I am trying to decide how I'm going to handle getting ready for Moab.  Even if I went in for the MRI to see if all that scar tissue from last year is to blame for my pelvic ligaments -- what will they do? I'd still have to do all this aggressive stretching and moderation.  With the mornings getting a little bit lighter, it has me wanting to run further distances. I have made a nice  routine of moderation using the stationary bike, and counting anything physical as excrsize (skiing, walking, push ups/sit ups, etc).  The thing about using running as a coping mechanism is, that once the hard kind of running that used to keep you sane is not possible-- the crazy comes out.  Where do you put all that crazy without the hard kind of running?

I loved the weather today; The freshly rained on wet pavement, the black glossy river water.  The air so filled with moisture. It feels like a Southern California winter today-- the right temp and everything.  I know it will snow again (for which I'm happy to allow for a few more ski days), but the the warm is finally breaking up the frozen tundra.  The air is so filled with moisture, and feels so clean going into my lungs.  I feel like I'm being washed from the inside.  Yesterday, it was much colder. So what appeared to be a shallow puddle or 'wet' pavement was actually black ice.  I  ice skated, arms flailing in slow motion, quite  few times yesterday.  But today, it was actually warm enough to be wet. What a beautiful rainy afternoon. I loved breathing the washed air.

Stared running with Sarah again this morning.  I haven't seen her since October (when William came).  She's getting back into the swing, and I'm limping along.  Nice to have company on the dark trail.  When we started, it was snowing pretty good.  There was about an inch of it on the trail--but I forgot about the ice underneath (rember the ice skating on Saturday?  yeah, well I didn't). We were going along, about a mile in, when suddenly I found myself  inexplicably on my back.  I wasn't hurt -- but incredulous that I was on the ground.  I lay there for a second and said out loud "I actually fell down" to which Sarah replied "yes, you actually did."  Nothing was hurt, but I can't remember falling it happened so fast.  I guess that's good.  Maybe falling will pop my hip and lower back into place.....wishful thinking.  If I could just stretch a few of those tendons way in there then I'd be good.  It was  so refreshing to be outside in the predawn.  It's been a while.  I came back and did another 2 on the treadmill since I have to do my stretches warmed up (got cooled down getting everyone off to school).  It will be nice to get into something regular again.  

Hey!  If you want to:

a) get pregnant by accident or design

b) develop graves disease, hypo/hyperthiroid or some other thiroid disorder

c) have a post partum breakdown

d)suffer a life changing injury

Then I'm looking for you!  Apparently I am the vampire of the running world. For if you choose to run with me on dark mornings, alone on the trail, one of the aforementined items will surely occur.  Just to warn you.

treadmill/alias/sit ups/push ups blah blah blah--althought I noticed how sore my hip was again--but this time in a different place, I could feel it when I was doing crunches.  But it felt swollen/padded.  So I went to look at it in the mirror when I was done and noticed I have a huge bruise where I fell on the ice.....It didn't hurt at all when I fell.

An hour on the stationary bike/situps/60 push ups.  There is no way I could ever work to 100.  Jim is a liar.  There is no way. 

What is more lovely than to be the first footprints on fresh snow in the morning?  That soft crunch underfoot, the muffled quiet of the insulated air, cleansed and beautified by a downy white quilt laid upon the earth.  It snowed lightly the whole run.  I ran in awe of the world's camofloged flaws made soft and forgiving by the snow. I stood at the very end, end of the trail and looked over the frozen lake and listened to the breeze blow through the dry reeds.  My footprints (and the dogs) were the only ones out on that lonely winter tundra.  It fills me up to overflowing to partake of the world by myself in this way.  I ran 8 miles today, which I have not done since summer.  I'll do 7 next saturday and then 9 the week after that working toward 13.  I've got to start shorter faster weekday training runs and taking either Fridays or Mondays off.  Time to get in gear for Moab....six weeks and counting.  What luck to have this extra bit of winter beauty, just in time for a long weekend at home with the kids.

Today's run was brought to you by ICE.  I don't mind the stuff that packs down. That's like running on cork board.  It's the rest of it.  The slushy footprints that freeze into chunks, the thin black ice (melting snow on the pavement that freezes), the thick block of ice just underneath the surface of what appears to be untouched powder.  As you can tell I spent a good deal of energy negotiating the trail.  But there was untouched powder along on the sides of the trail.  That tells me, that the Grizzly Ridge and Goldfinger are still powdery. C-ya.

tread/push ups/core

And now a word about Asics Gel Kinsei 2.  I bought these shoes the third week of July.  They were really expensive, but I was running through shoes like every 4 weeks so I got these after eyeing the huge heel and midsole.  I ran about 200 miles in these shoes and I attribute the ultimate breakdown of my back/hip/ham to these shoes.  The heel is too lifted and shortens the ham.  I thought the extra support would be good, but for me, it turns out shortening my hamstring ie. extra padding on the heel did damage to my ham/and then back and hip.  I've reserved this judgement but on Saturday when it was so snowy outside, I wore these shoes again for their great traction.  AFter 9 miles in those shoes, I got that familiar ache in my hip.  I don't know how these things work exactly, but I think that all that extra heel padding/material isn't as good for you as you think.  I've been running on the much cheaper Saucony Ride's (mostly treadmill mind you) but they are sort of the purist running shoe--not a lot of big padding. But I think that's been better for me.  So I have a pair of $130 running shoes with less than 300 miles in my closet. It's a pity, they are good looking shoes.  That'll teach me not to buy such expensive running shoes.  What a waste.  ANYway, I ran 4 on the treadmill and then 2 out on the trail in pitch black night.  The dogs saw my running shoes and started going crazy and it made me feel really bad about running on the treadmill so I went those last 2 miles in the black of night.  But the stars were breathtaking and twinkly as I've ever seen them (even in the desert near Ocatillo Wells).  It was so spectacular to witness that dark clear winter sky.  So glad I have dogs.

Maiden voyage of the ProGrid V's.  They've been my favorite shoe so far.  My little Sage was really sick all night and through the day.  It was so tragic to be ill on a day so beautiful.  We laid in big bed and I worked while she threw up around 100 times.  Around 4:30 a full sized crystal prizm I keep in a west window went crazy and threw a gazillion rainbows all around the room.  It was magic and I felt I couldn't stay indoors another second.  I got out with the Dogs and did a run on the trail.  The sky was so blue.  It was a short run, out of mother-guilt, but I walked on the treadmill a bit, and did extra sit ups/push ups/stretches while my feaverish catatonic daughter looked at me from the bed. How long you gonna do that? she asked. She's seen me in action now (usually she's still in bed at 5:30 a.m. when I normally do this routine)  She may have guessed I was crazy before, but now she KNOWS.

The Jury is in.  Saucony PRoGrid 4/5 are officially my favorite, never fail-me shoe.  I didn't get to run in the morning because I've been up two nights in a row trying to keep the vomit off the carpet (everyone's go stomach flu....).  So I got a mintue in the evening, but couldn't bear the thought of the treadmill. So once again I tried the pitch black winter night running. I ran as fast as I could in the dark.  Seemed fast anyway.  All those sparkeling stars against the black moonless sky were such a sight.

For Marion's benefit alone, I wore the Garmin-- which I have not used in a few months (according to the history setting-- 5 miles on November 26th). Anyway, I got to run this morning with the famously friendly and lovely Marion!  I haven't run more than 8 miles in a while, so I brought the Garmin to gauge it.  I never can tell how far I'm going when I don't give myself a time limit or care about the M/M.  It was so fun to chat up Marion.  She now knows my life story, and I know she likes Golden Retreivers.  Not exactly a fair exchange (looks like I need to get out of the house more often).  I thought we we'rent going to get in enough miles going my regular route, so I had us double up on one segment of the trail and by the time we'd turned around we'd already done the 9 we were supposed to be running.  So we ended doing 11.18 oops.  Never run with me if you actually care about mileage, or speed. There is a reason I have not kept track using my Garmin since my hip gave out and this is it, but I told Marion I'd post for her sake:

   10:10/10:18/10:28/11:09/11:06/11:49/11:01/12:23/11:49/11:50/13:01 and 12:/58 for .50

But the Garmin guaged I'd used over 1,000 calories-- at least all that ice cream I ate yesterday didn't go to waste.....:)  Thank you Marion!  Let me know when we can trek again in some fabulous new location.

I changed my profile picture to when I took first place in the Pioneer Day 10K (first place in my class).  It's not the greatest picture, but a reminder to myself that I ran a consistant 8:00-8:13 minute mile in 3 races this summer.  I ran 12 miles (recorded 11.18, but ran 12+) Saturday with Marion and the hip did not hurt afterwards.  My knees and lower back were a little sore/stiff after, but not bad.  I did extra stretching. So I hope to begin some shorter, faster mid-week runs--even if on the treadmill (just for speed/endurance). I'm excited to see my sis in Moab!  Treadmill @6.5 and 3.0 incline, 300 sit ups, 50 push ups, 60 second minute planking. 

I ran 3 therapy miles with Sarah in the early morning.  It was 43 degrees.  Not sure how I feel about that balmy good news.  The 40's is my preferred running temp and it's so short lived-- and it generally marks the end of Utah County skiing. But I was happy to see the light in the East oultlining the mountains.  We'll have sunlight in the morning yet....but then comes DLS time when 6:00 a.m. becomes 5:00 a.m.  I hate that.  Then I ran 2 really fast miles (9:13-8:45 m/m) on the treadmill.  Yawn.

Ran 6 boring treadmill miles and had to open the door to the outside for cool air. It got hot running inside the house, but then outside was only like 50 degrees.  Everyone has been so thrilled with the balmy weather, and I'm just not done skiing yet.  The snow's melted off my lawn.  Hard to believe.  I remember the most incredible snow storm I've ever seen was March 1st (1998).  Just the day before, my boss said "I can't believe we're almost done with winter, it's the end of February!" She hates winter, and was so thrilled she'd escaped another....but then the next day it snowed like 3 feet.  She was so depressed, her car was stuck in her driveway, so she called us all to cancel work as a 'snow day'.  Then I just headed to Sundance with a huge smile on my face. I still hold hope for one or two more excellent stormss.  The past two weeks has been supreme.  I'll miss it.

I'm having a hard time getting up at 6:00.  I know when it's light out it will be easier, but this morning I woke up, put my feet to the floor, and I got a sudden bright flash of wavy electric light that shot through,and then vibrated in my eye for 3 hours (Mirgrane!).  I've never woken up with one. But I always, always get a big one the last week February, or first week of March, and one in October.  It's either the changing light or allergies.  Anyway, the headache was bad enough I took Imitrex--which made me, hmmm, don't know how to describe that, it made me feel hollow. The mirgrane was gone, but I was spacey (and I think it's just naproxine and aceitamenaphine)..  Anywho, I ran after work.  But I forgot how it gets dark so early.  So I got the kids all in order (homework, piano, scouts, etc) and then took off.  2 miles---way down the trail--- in I realized it was getting dark, not dusk---dark. Stars were coming out and the moon was a dark sliver through the tall dark trees. I'd been so absorbed in the running I didn't notice it was full-on night time.  I wish I would remember to wear my Garmin, because I'll bet you I did those 2 miles back in about 15 mintues.... But then there was another girl running her big dog on the way back.  I felt a little better to not be the only human on the trail at night.  But I was also a little jealous of her dog.  He looked like he actually might attack me if I tried any funny business.  I looked over at my two dogs and they looked like they might go fetch her slippers is she asked them to.

One hour on the stationary bike at level 5 resistance.  I've been thinking about MichelleL's hip/sciatic/Sacroiliac Ligaments.  While I've worked only about half as hard, and have had nothing to lose but my personal enjoyment of running over the same kind of injury, reading hers, is like reading my own blog entries from Oct/ St. George Marathon.  I hate to say it, but all those ligament tears, and hamstring attachment are still not healed 100%.  I still have pain in my lower back/hip and the top and bottom of where the ham attaches at either end if I'm not careful to stretch or go too far/too fast.  It's been a real learning process for me--The other day while peddling away at the stationary bike I declared out loud "I'm sick of being patient."  Which made my daughter laugh out loud.  "Well, that's oxymoronic" she said (what does she know? she's 12).  I've decided though that I am certain that pool running is inferior to stationary biking where cardio is concerned.  I have the crappiest stationary bike (a Reebok brand) I bought at this traveling 'used cardio' equipment tent sale in front of Food4Less or some idiotic location --but it was cheap, and it does work, and it has helped me keep my cardio agility during the days of only being able to run 3 miles.  It has been a life saver.  I've been reading Michelle's woes about going to the pool and having to play chicken with the swimmers in the swimming lane. I hate the gym, I hate the pool, I hate the chlorine, I hate to share my space --it's the antithesis of why one runs in the first place.  It made me mad just to have to read her blog entry about it.  It has been such a frustrating 6 months for me....the 7 pounds, the inability to take off when and for how long I want to, the alternating cardio, reduced impact work outs, the stretching, ohmygosh the hours and hours of painful PT stretching.  I'm just glad I'm no on the other side of these 6 months. The body is amazing in it's ability to perform, and heal, and bounce back.  But the mind and spirit--that's another challenge altogether.

I was in a car accident last night.  I have a friend who just got a brand new Mercedes C300---red, glossy, absolutely gorgeous.  We were rear ended right as we were pulling off the freeway in Salt Lake. Teenage kids behind us going about 40 mph not realizing there was a stand still line exiting the interstate. You know, I love a gorgeous car ( I grew up around them), but I'm reminded time and time again what a waste it is to have something that expensive.  STUFF, always gets wasted.  Unless you really like spending a lot of your free time and mental energy taking care of somthing that expensive (AND you enjoy throwing $100 dollar bills out the window for a hobby)--it's not worth it.   I probably should have whiplash--but that particular car has so many insane saftey features, I hardly felt it even thought the air bags and head rest impact stoppers were deployed.  I want to own the kind of car that if I'm rear ended on a Friday night, I would not even remember or care on Saturday.  A car is a car.   I wore the Garmin today but decided not to look at it until about half way through.  I ran pretty strong, but not full out and was averaging 9 m/m.  This was news to me.

9:11/ 8:54/ 9:05/ 9:14/ 9:26/ 9:24/9:09/9:31/9:43/9:30/9:39/10:53 

I really thought they were 12 m/m for sure.  I stopped to stretch the right places twice, but overall had a really strong uninteruppted run.  Made me wonder about Ogden in May (the half vs. the whole?).  The warmer weather really makes a difference on those wounded ligaments.  They are feeling pretty ok, no pain sitting, no aching in my outer hip.  Next Saturday I will strive for negative splits.  I thought I was going to do that today, but around 10 miles I really took it down a notch.  I wasn't expecting to have such a great run, it's been a crappy week overall.  It was nice to see the river today, unfrozen and dark green.  Funny though, today was the day of the hundreds of tiny black birds roosting  in a single tree chirping loudly.  Also geese (Canadian Geese) all honking and gathered in the cow field.  Then there were the 100 or so seagulls standing way out on the still frozen Utah lake.  Standing there in a group waiting, as if the thaw would occur at any minute.  At the pier I saw where they cut that square out for the 'swimmers' last weekend.  The ice is getting more opaque as it thaws, but it's still frozen.  There were tons of runners out there in the sun, enjoying the sparkle of light on the newly unfrozen waters.   I can't believe March (my least favorite month of the year  is right here.