Denouement

Felt much better today, pain at max 1-2

Ran with Aubrey and Jaime.  SI felt tight, more accurately my whole right glute area from upper hamstring to lower back was tight, and was almost to form changing level.  

Rheum is ordering my Enbrel today.  Starting phase 2 of training.  I figured it would come to this.  I am surprised in some ways that I got this far without it, but I am sad I couldn't go farther.  I think I will change my blog name to reflect this continuing theme.  I hope to have my first dose by Thursday.  It's coming in the mail, but hopefully will be expedited. 

Ran with MacK in the morning.  It felt better than Monday, but still tight.  I felt like I would continually go up against a wall, at around 8:20 pace, and that my tightness wouldn't allow any faster pace.  

My enbrel will arrive Thursday.  Got that all worked out today.

Walked 2.15 this evening and did the core workouts that don't put pressure on my joint.

Will go to the PT tomorrow and run afterward.  I am hoping I will feel better tomorrow. 

PT appt this morning.  He found a new way to torture me, apparently when he was working on my lower back, a muscle that attaches to my lower back on the right side is also irritated.  He could squeeze on these muscles on both sides of my spine and the left side felt like some pressure, but the right side felt like a Vulcan pinch, so once he found that was sore, he went to town torturing me up in that direction, along with my various and sundry other areas he normally works.  I slept in and ran after the PT appt (good call, if I say so myself).  I ran in SF, it was windy! And during my stretching it started raining huge heavy drops, I was strategizing how I would need to go to Big 5 and buy a dry outfit, since I needed to grocery shop before heading home.  Thankfully, the rain mostly stopped after one mile, and I had enough time to dry out (mostly).  Even better, my right side felt mostly normal.  The outside hip is niggly, but I am more concerned about my SI joint, so I'll take niggly anywhere else.  Was able to do 7:30's without trouble after warming up.

Oh, my gosh, I just filled in the top of this workout and my enbrel arrived!!!!  My stomach is all a-flutter.  I have to wait for it to get to room temperature then phase 2 of my training begins.

I think I'll write up this workout backwards.  

9am-- I am driving through the Salem farmlands and it is sunny and blue skies.  I am searching for my hat and gloves and coat which I foolishly discarded in the second mile of my eight mile tempo.  Why couldn't the weather have been like this during the tempo?

8am-- gulping down oatmeal with blueberries.

7:50--in the shower, I am moaning because I am pretty sure I have legs under my waist, but I can't feel them, and I can't feel my toes.

7:48--I made it! but why are my toes a funky blue color?

7:35--I squeal as I enter the ice bath.  I have a goal of 12 minutes this time, its 46F, my slimfast shake isn't cold enough, I used all the ice on the bath, but I figure I don't need my drink cold since my bottom half is freezing.  I chug the drink, read Bleak House, and try to forget about the ice.

6:55 I jump out of the car and hit the bushes, realizing I am not going to make it home without a pitstop. 

6:50 get to my car, done with 13 miles

6:40 done with tempo, relieved I didn't give up during it

I did an 8 mile "steady state" run which I guess is faster than marathon pace, but slower than 1/2 marathon pace.  It is supposed to be 6:26-6:38.  I was gunning for 6:38, since I haven't done longer than a 6 mile tempo (or a 5.6 mile race) in 15 months.  It was brutal.  We started the tempo into the wind and snowing, but thought, that's ok I'll have tailwind eventually.  I suppose I did at some point, but I swear, 80% of the time the snow was in my face.  At 6 miles I thought that there must be some acid in the snow because it was irritating my eyeballs and I couldn't keep my eyes open for long periods, I wished I had my hat.  My watch registered the pace at 6:42 overall, but I tracked one mile on the 1/2 marathon race course and it was 6 seconds faster than my watch.  So I put today's tempo into the course tool, and it said 8.15, in keeping with my lame watch's tendencies.  So if you count it at 8.15 miles, then my pace was 6:34.  I think I like the faster pace better, I'll take that one.  Basically I think I need alot more practice with tempos, so I can get mentally and physically tougher. I am satisfied with this workout, given the weather and my recent SI issues.  

I had tightness in the outside hip bone area the whole time, a 1 when running easy, a 1-2 when running faster.  It feels like it is bruised.   Not as concerning as SI pain or whole glute seizure.

Ok.  I gave myself the shot.  So glad I didn't faint because noone's home.  I guess I am not so tough.  I had to tell myself to breathe, then I had to tell myself to not hyperventilate.  A bathroom is a dangerous place to pass out.  It wasn't too bad, just stung a little.  I better go eat something . . . :D 

Walked .5 on TM then stretched inside because it is raining again!  Met MacK at 9:30 for a shorter run, good thing it was short because I was soggy by the end.

Met MacK and Aubrey at 5:30.  I thought better to wake up early and run with them than to sleep in and run alone.  Good call.  We ran together for just over 10 miles, then MacK was so kind to lend me her gps watch since I didn't make sure mine was charged.  I was supposed to run 12-14, with 2-4 at goal 1/2 marathon pace at the end.  My goal 1/2 marathon pace is around 6:26.  I started these tempo miles at 10.4 miles.  First mile was 6:24 and flat, MacK and Aub are ahead of me (because I took a potty break before starting the hard miles).  Mile 2 was gradual uphill, I was close to catching them, but they had picked up their pace.  I ran with MacK for 1/2 mile, It was so nice to run side by side with her through hard running, I think it might be the first time ever that I heard her breathing hard (I was breathing hard too). We were going 6:20 pace when we were together, but I must have slacked off when she pulled back because the mile split overall was 6:27.  Mile 3 had some downhill and was 6:18, mile 4 was flat and 6:17.  I jogged slowly until I hit 15 miles (I was halfway up heartbreak hill) then I walked the 1/4 mile to my car.  Bought a bag of ice on the way home.  I am now ice-bathed and showered.  

Will nap later today, I am sure :D