I Can Do Hard Things

AP: 8:40

9:04, 9:02, 9:08, 8:42, 8:15, 8:09, 8:17

I met my SIL at the mouth of Provo Canyon for an "easy" run.  HA...she is smoking fast and this was her "easy" which was my fast. 

I really did feel awesome on this run.  My breathing was very controlled and we had a great  conversation. 

On my Saturday run with Tim, I felt a weird ache in my left foot on the bottom.  I didn't think much of it.  But during the last 2 miles today, I could definitely feel it. 

We finished the run and drove to her house to meet our families.  As I got out of the car and stepped on my foot, there was a definite PAIN.  Not just an ache.

We then all hiked up the the Y and it hurt the whole way.  Major hurt.  I tried to hide a limp during the afternoon.  I couldn't even put weight on it.  Definitely failed the hop test. 

Depressing....so so depressing.

No running.  I taped my foot and wore my orthotics in my house shoes.  It definitely better as I can put some weight on it.  But I still couldn't run on it.  I've been debating whether or not I should go see the doctor.  But I know he would do an xray and if it didn't show anything I would need an MRI (which is a nice $800).  I think I will give it a few more days.

I worked out with my trainer tonight.  I'm gonna be sore tomorrow!!!   It was nice to workout a few endorphins.  I am always grumpy when I don't run.

Met with trainer again this morning.  For only 30 minutes, I sure sweat a lot and am worn out at the end of the session.

Foot is feeling much better.  I've been taping it and wearing my orthotics in my house shoes.  When I take off the tape or the shoes, it aches.  I am able to hop on it. 

PM:  2 miles....couldn't go any further.  The muscle on the bottom of my foot pulls when I go to push off.  Frustrating!

I tried to run this morning as my foot felt great.  As soon as I pushed off, I could feel an immediate pop/tear/ache on the arch again.  I tried putting my orthotics in my running shoes.  Nope.  I tried my Kinvaras (which are more minimal than my Asics) and that helped, but I still couldn't run on it.  Ahhhhh....

So I went to the doctor because I am not patient enough to wait it out!  But Dr. Rich wasn't in, so I saw someone else.  I should have waited to see Rich!!!!  He thought that a muscle/tendon was inflamed on the bottom of my foot.  DUHHHHH...  He gave me some sort of anti-inflammatory.  And told me I needed to rest. 

So tonight was the Father and Son's campout.  For the past few years, while the boys are gone, we girls have a "quilting bee".  Yep...neighborhood dork!  But we had quite a few people come and we tied 3 baby quilts.  I made a chicken salad, pasta salad and a chocolate cake.  Mmmmmm.....

It was so fun to chat and teach the little girls how to cut and tie knots!!  After everyone had left, my best buddy stayed.  We sat on my front porch and chatted while the girls played night games on the grass.  We didn't go in until 10:00pm.  I'm so grateful for my dear friend to listen to my woes (and I listen to hers too).  I always go to bed right on time so I can get up for my run and it was refreshing to "break the rules" and stay up late to play.  My girls were so excited about this new rule-breaking-mom!  It is good to have balance in life!  There really is more to life than running!

I've been stressing about starting my SGM training on Monday.  "I'm going to be so behind" "I'm going to loose all my base miles"  "All my fitness is going to be gone".  Wahhhhh...Wahhhh...Wahhhh.  I'll admit, I've been very grumpy this week.  I forget how much I *need* to run...not want to run!  My body needs a way to get out all the stress and craziness of life.  AND with school being out, I feel like I need it more now than ever!

 Boys got back from the campout and I headed to the gym. I did a hop test before I left and could feel that pop on my foot immediately.  Even though I had NO pain before.

I thought I could do the stair mill because I could keep my foot flat and not push off.  SUCCESS!!!!  I had a lot of "junk" to get out since I haven't run all week!  7 miles on the 7000PT in 59 minutes - 870 calories burned.  I like the stair mill because it is the closest thing to running.  I feel like the minutes per mile are equivalent to running.  I was a sweat bomb!!!  My body felt like it had cobwebs in it.  I haven't run all week and was rusty!

Then I did a cornucopia of core work, heal/toe walking (toe walking is too much pushing off) and stretching (25 minutes).  I left a lot of junk and sweat today at Gold's Gym.  Then I met my family at In -n- Out and put back on the 870 calories I had just burned!

I'm going to try to do my SGM training on the stair mill until I can get back on the road.  I hope it will help me keep my fitness level up.