making a comeback!

So I was going to run this morning after work, I was feeling great and very awake.  But one of the girls at work wanted to talk and talk ect. and I missed the window of opportuninty!  I was hoping to get a few in in the morning and then a few before I headed back to work because I knew the afternoon time would be short.  So I was right and headed out with very little time to spare to do 2 quick miles.  Once I got out it was about 58 degrees and beautiful!  I was totally comfortable in shorts and t-shirt and decided to add on at the end inspite of lack of time because it was so nice! (totally paid for it when I got home though!)  I didn't make 5 for the day, so I'll have to make that up somewhere in the week, but got more than I thought that I would.  Nice little squished snake in the road along the way, I guess that he couoldn't resist the beautiful weather either! 

Well today was the day that I decided that my body and mind needed a PUSH and a SHOVE in the right direction! It's been almost 3 weeks since I've done any kind of longer run and I have had a difficult time making myself do so. Well when I got out it was another beautiful day! I don't think that you could ask for anything better, this weather just screams "get out and run!'' At times it was almost hot (how quickly I forget the true hot days of summer) but once I was into the run about 4 miles my body started to give in and just go the distance. Now that I'm done I'm glad that I got it over with and hope that the rest of the week I will have broken the mental barrier that has been limiting me. Average pace 10:07 for the run.

Was beginning to think I might not make it out today, but I finally did around 4:30. It was yet another beautiful day to get out and enjoy! I hope these last a few more days but I think we are pushing it now. I am trying to make an apt. at TOSH to have a gait analysis done, called the guy but didn't hear back, to see if there is anything that would help with the hip or the foot. I also need new shoes so I'm going to get those this Sat. too. I have to take my daughter to Primary childrens on Friday for a procedure and would have loved to get both scheduled but it doesn't look like that will happen, but I can still stop and get the shoes Sat. on the way home. My friend who is a PT says that one of the things that she thinks will help would be to strengthen my core, so I guess I'll start working on that. Not sure how I'll go about it though... sit ups I guess? (I'll ask my personal trainer friend in the a.m.) I'm running in the morning with a friend! Yea! I'm also a little scared though... she's in a lot better shape than me (she's a personal trainer) but said she didn't mind my pace because she's used to doing various paces with clients. She lives just down the street and teaches my kids violin/piano lessons. I'm not sure what to expect, we'll just see how it goes. If we have a adequate pace for both of us and could hook up once or twice a week or even just some long Sat. runs I would be thrilled! Wish me luck in the morning! :)

So I went running with my friend Kara today. I'm not sure what to think of the run, loved the company and definately feel like I got a much harder workout than normal but our avg. pace was 9:49. I usually hit around 9:58 and it's not uncommon for me to have a 9:49 average, so I don't know what made todays run that much harder? At the top of a aprox. 1 mile steady climb, that isn't that steep but never levels off, she stopped us and checked our pulse, mine was around 190-200. I felt like that was a little high, but Kara didn't get to excitted and when I asked she said the only way to get it down is to keep running. She suggested to add sprints in the middle of a run from time to time, I fugure like fartleks and she thought that would help too? So my analysis for today is good workout, felt like I pushed myself pretty hard, but a little confused as to why it was so hard? I'll look forward to running sometime next week with her again, but I'm not sure I could manage a long 7-10 mile run unless she tired out. Another difference is that cardiovasularly she is more fit, when I start to get tired, she was just feeling her body kick in and had some ummph, when I was feeling ummphed out!

No goose egg today, BARELY...... Really a matter of time today, I have to be to SLC in a few hours to take my daughter to an apt. at PCMC, then the good news is I managed to get an apt. at TOSH after her apt. for a gait analysis (so I will get a little more running in today..... LITTLE). I hope he can solve all my problems! ( I hope I'm not to disappointed when he doesn't) but if not maybe just a little insight would be o.k. Sat. on the way home I'll pick up some new running shoes, that couldn't hurt the situation! I packed my running clothes to get in a few miles while in SLC. I hope that I do, probably won't make 30 for the week, but I didn't see this little bump in the road when I set my goal. Well almost the official weekend, YEA!! HAPPY RUNNING :)

Got up and did a quick run at my sister-in-laws and it felt o.k. Wouldn't have been to bad but I was constantly worried about getting lost in the gigantic subdivision they live in.

As for the gait analysis that I had on Friday, I'm not sure if I really got any answers (ping goes some change!) He said that my gait and form were actually pretty good, but since I was having pain in that hip, he really looked for a problem. He said that my left leg is a little stronger (more muscle) and that each leg kinda has a different pattern that is different from each other? He said the left could be stronger because it compensates for the right. Also that I had a small amt. of hip rotation in the right leg and that could be causing a bursitis. He recommended an orthotic to be made for both feet that builds up the out side of my right foot slightly that would help with that rotation..... So then the next day on the way home I stop at the Running Corner to get new shoes. I tell them that I need orthotic friendly shoes that aren't too squishy (friday said not to much cushion that allows more movement, irritation in the hip) and told them about the pain in the hip and the PF. The owner took a look at my shoes and in about 3 minutes told me what the guy Friday said. Looking at my shoes there isn't much of a wear pattern that is obvious at all, more at the tips of the toes and then (I coudn't tell) but a subtle difference in the left/right and he said that my left leg was a little stronger ect. He said my form was good by looking at my shoes and said this gait was actually hard to teach people. He watchced me run and said I had pretty good form, we found shoes with a little insert for the PF and I'm hoping to solve the problem with the shoe change and not the orthotic and he thought that was a good idea, he said something about orthotics and that if this didn't help then give a try? Which is what I was thinking all along. I ended up with Asics TN694 speedstar II. They also told me my old shoes were the kings of squishy! So I hopeful (but not too) that I can help things out with this and get my milleage back up!

I was excitted that the owner at the Runners corner told me good things about my form, I'm just not sure why I can't make that produce more speed? But I guess I'll be patient with that.