Slow & Steady Wins the Race :-)

My knee is better!  I guess icing and 9 advil really did the trick.  Still not feeling 100% great, some left ankle/shin/calf problems but let's hope its just remnants from H2C.

7am, 3 loops around the neighborhood, after 1.5 did 9 .1 speed-ups with .1 recovery, ending with the 10th one being a .5 (800) speed-up at about 7:30 pace.  I was REALLY tired after the end of these, I'm surprised the 5th cool-down mile wasn't in the 11's.  

TT: 45:15   AP: 9:03

Splits:  10:06, 9:14, 8:22, 8:15, 9:17

PM - 40 minutes on the bike trainer 

Surprise date for Justin tonight to see Blink 182 (who knew they were still around!) and Chemical Romance tonight at the Auburn Amphitheater!   

AM - 50 minutes on the bike trainer while watching Project Runway.  You know you know nothing about fashion when the outfit you hate gets picked as the winner. 

7am, absolutely lovely run with Lisa and Anya at Roegner, along the river, blue skies, pure loveliness!  Wanted to do 14 today but didn't think I'd be feeling it, dare I say I think I'm training for another MARATHON?  Am thinking Sacramento, it's a new state, downhill, and promises good weather (unlike Portland last year!) which dominates Seattle as my backup (hello hills).  Lets see if I can get Lisa and Anya in on this action...!

TT: 2:18:25   AP: 9:36
Splits: 10:33, 9:41, 9:27, 9:35, 9:31, 9:30, 9:32, 9:25, 9:35, 9:55, 9:33, 9:33, 9:34, 9:13

So consistent!

AM - 30 minutes on the recumbent bike.

PM - BMX biking at the fair!  It was WAY harder (and scarier!) than it looks!

7:30AM - Lovely run with Jordan, Rachael, and Frank.  I learned that I am way out-of-shape for hill-climbing as they proceeded to dominate me in running their very hilly neighborhood.  I must add in a hill workout every single week!  

TT: 58:20    AP: 9:42

Splits: 10:13, 10:06, 9:41, 9:54, 9:08, 9:16

FAIL.  7:00pm.  I decided to attempt Yasso 800's for the first time for my speed workout this week.  I'm not sure if the "I'm-going-to-throw-up" business is because I'm really out of speed-shape (which is at least partly true) or because it was too hot to run when I got home so I ate a big dinner before this workout, but regardless, I only was able to do 4 800's instead of the goal of 5, I had to walk for 3 minutes or so after the 4th, and then I quit before I got to the 5 mile mark.  So overall failure!

800 goal is 3:45-3:50 so I also only met the goal 50% of the time.  Oh well, I'll try again next week!

TT: 41:03   AP: 8:51

800 Splits:  3:55, 3:49, 3:48, 3:51

AM - 45 minutes on the bike trainer while watching Teen Mom (I'm cool).  I wanted to quit after 30 but I forced myself to finish the show!

PM - Great run with Jordanne at Cedar River.  She left after 4.5 so I decided to see what a MP mile (goal=8:40) would feel like.  It felt hard, not impossible but certainly not I could run 25 more of them or even 12 more of them, more like 10k pace hard.  In my defense, it was 80 degrees or something, but I'm still out of shape.  I have my work cut out for me!  It was really difficult to monitor my pace but then I had a revelation about having the "average split" on the Garmin (vs. average overall, which is kind of worthless), that should be way more useful, so I need to try that! 

1 MP mile: 8:46

AM - 45 minutes on the bike trainer while watching Project Runway. 

PM - 1.5 hours of yard work including mowing the lawn - I was more sweaty doing this than riding the bike this morning!   

8:30AM.  The schedule said 10 but next week said 15 so I had ideas of switching the two since we'll be out of town next weekend.  We went to a late movie (Planet of the Apes) last night (thanks for the free tickets Leandrea!) so I had a dilemma of choosing between my 8 hours of sleep or getting up early to beat the heat (supposed to be 90 today).  I think I chose poorly, as at after 11.5 it was 10:30am, there was no more shade, and I just couldn't keep going.  Left ankle bothersome in the first 4 miles as usual, wish it would freaking stop already.  

TT: 1:53:07   AP: 9:50

Splits: 10:16, 9:38, 9:57, 9:54, 9:41, 9:50, 9:37, 9:31, 9:55, 9:46, 10:00 

AM - Went and rejoined the gym this morning, then did 30 minutes on the elliptical (alternating every minute cycles 5-6-7-8-9-repeat resistance) then went to the one hour Centergy class.  It was HARD!  My arms and abs are going to be sore tomorrow.  Reminded me how good for me it is, I must go at least once a week.  

PM - 1.5 miles walking around the neighborhood with Cooper (it's his birthday!  So we got him a pool to play in, he likes it).

Went to the Ke$ha / LMFAO concert last night, now THAT was a good time.  Highly enjoyable.  We took lightrail for the first time and were like now THIS is how we should travel to Seattle!  Worked all day today though, which is much harder to do when it's so lovely out.  Downside - it's 82 degrees right now... INSIDE MY HOUSE. 

AM - Nice and cooler out this morning and there was no almost throwing up, so I'll call it a win, despite the sluggishness and not meeting my goal paces.  On the docket was 5 x 800's with 4 minutes rest in between (learned my lesson and upped it from 2 last week).  Did a 2 mile warm-up, then hung out in the lower neighborhood where it's flatter for the repeats.  Somehow I messed up the workout so it only had me doing 4 splits, and so I did 2 minutes of the 5th one and realized it was on a rest lap and just got confused and I should have just finished it but was too confused!  So I did about 4.5 800's. 

TT: 56:03  AP: 9:11

800 Splits:  3:49, 4:00, 3:59, 3:56, 2:06 (.26)

I'm slower than I think I am?  Stupid Singapore...

PM - Went to the gym with Justin, did 10 minutes on the elliptical to warm-up, 15 minutes or so of leg weights, then 10 minutes on the recumbent bike while waiting for it to be halftime so we could drive home.

PM - Suck Suck SUCK.  My ankle really started acting up on this run so I cut it short at 2.56 miles and walked home.  It's been bothering me lately but today had me worried about stress fractures, except a few hours later I could hop on the leg no problem, and the pain moves around from the shin to the side ankle to the calf, and usually goes away after 3-4 miles.  Today I wore the Saucony Mirage again and that probably didn't help, though you'd think they should since they have more cushioning than the Merrells, those have to go back.  I made an appointment at a foot and ankle place I have had my eye on for a while except I know they will recommend orthotics, they're all over their website.  They can't see me until Monday.  I guess I will rest, bike, stretch my calves like crazy, and ice like crazy until then.  And in my depression eat peanut butter covered marshmallows, a new invention of mine that should make me millions. 

AM - 45 minutes on the bike trainer.

AM - 45 minutes on the bike trainer.

AM - 60 minutes on the elliptical at the Luxor fitness center in VEGAS!  Yessss.  Really quick trip but enjoying the beautiful sunny weather as much as possible.  

Finally cashing in on my dream 5 years in the making - a vow (Justin likes to say vowel) renewal by Elvis.  Yessssssssss.  

Happy happy birthday to my Mom and Rachael!  

My shin felt horrible yesterday and was super worrying but today it felt great!  I wanted to at least simulate a semi-long run aerobically and our flight didn't leave until 9pm so I had time to kill, so I did 70 minutes on the elliptical and then did a test run of 3 miles on the treadmill.  It didn't feel great but it didn't feel horrible either, which was encouraging, although it was a "flex" treadmill and not the concrete sidewalk.  The gym is so ragingly boring.  I read a magazine, read running blogs until my phone died, and then watched the boring Emmy's, and still was being tortured by boredom. 

Please get better soon leg! 

Went to the doctor, shockingly enough he said I have medial tibial stress syndrome (aka shin splints), which is so weird because much of the time the pain is in the side ankle, not the shin.  He didn't think I have a stress fracture (yet) but I think it's good I've been cautious and always rested during the many episodes of this, since that is the next step.  He taped up my foot and added some padding and said if it helps we can do orthotics or modified superfeet to get me mostly landing on the outside of my foot (and not rolling in).  This is the 4th running doctor I've seen AFTER the wretched fibula fracture of 2009 (not including that guy!) (and I've seen 3 different PTs as well), blah!

AM - Went out and did 3 miles to check on how the ankle was feeling and if the taping was working, didn't want Jordanne to waste her time meeting me later if I couldn't run!  Didn't feel great but didn't feel bad either.  Nice and chilly out.  

PM - Met Jordanne at BPA trail, we did 5 miles and my ankle actually felt pretty good, but I was having this weird heartburn like pain in my abdomen that didn't help!  Jordanne entertained me though and it was good to get some miles in.  Good thing she was there because I would have gone home after, but she made me go to Centergy as planned.  5 minutes on the elliptical and 1 hour of Centergy.

Going to New Orleans tomorrow for a conference.  I don't want to go! 

AM - 60 minutes on the bike trainer, then 100 squats and other fun exercises I'll probably regret tomorrow. 

30 minutes on the elliptical in the hotel gym.  SO boring.  Forgot my ipod, there were no magazines, no tv's, I almost died of boredom. 

Holy humidity.  Ran around New Orleans (along the Mississippi, in the French Quarter) this morning, ran into Marie out running too so it was nice to have some company.  Wow that was a lot of sweat for only 3 miles.

After the worst night's sleep ever (I had to move to a different, crappier hotel where people ran up and down the hall drunkenly yelling all night and the door was paper-thin), an early morning presentation, and the new fitness center being equipped with stair steppers from the 1970's, soooo my workout involved walking to Cafe Du Monde to get Justin some beignets.  So glad to go home.  

Pretty lazy all day today, with a bit of working, a bit of napping, and a bit of football-watching.  Finally dragged myself out the door at 4pm promising myself I could just do 1 lap (1.5 miles) and stop if I wanted.  But then the mind games took over, and I "just one more lapped" myself through 8 laps!  Oh mind games, how I love thee.  Leg felt pretty good!  Just some tiny ankle twinges that would only last a few minutes.  I felt really tired in the 10th mile.  Absolutely perfect weather, sunny, perfect temps, and an amazing book: A Dog's Purpose - READ IT!

TT: 1:54:24   AP:  9:32

Splits:  10:03, 9:42, 9:23, 9:40, 9:46, 9:18, 9:32, 9:32, 9:19, 9:28, 9:22, 9:17

PM - 30 minutes on the elliptical, 20 minutes of weights.

Hmmm, not sure what to think about this run.  Took Cooper, which was a mistake because his gentle leader was missing so we did the first mile in under 9 minute mile pace, which is majorly different from my usual slow warm-up pace!  I did the big loop with the huge hill, one regular loop, one big loop, then remembered quality over quantity and stopped before my ankle could start officially hurting.  Took Cooper on a mini-loop walk after.  

During the actual run I felt great, very hopeful I was almost done with this ankle stuff, but after the run I felt less-hopeful.  

AM - 60 minutes on the bike trainer while I watched the Biggest Loser.

Today's supposed to be a running day and I went back and forth about it.  My ankle feels pretty good, the icing/resting/ibuprofen/inserts (waiting on modified superfeet inserts that should help even more) seem to be working, but if I get to do the obstacle course race on Saturday (Hell Run) I want to be able to do it!  Quality over Quantity.  Or... nothing over quantity?  

AM - 35 minutes on the bike trainer and 15 minutes of weights.