Everything I've heard about taper is true. You think it's going to be a walk in the park, but really, everything hurts and it sucks. My knees hurt, the tendonitis in my foot won't quite go away, heck, even my shoulders are tight and tired. Things that never hurt, not a single ache or twinge, are acting up and saying enough is enough. So to humor my creaky parts, I figured I'd take a day off from work, sleep in, and head to the pool. I am, or used to be, an avid swimmer. Even while enormously pregnant, I was swimming 2000-2500 yards twice a week. So replacing a run with a swim should have been a relaxing diversion. If only I had been swimming more than once since Max was born.
I knew I was in for it when I stepped out on to the pool deck to find that it was set up for long course! Okay, no big deal. I hopped in and started with my standard 100 free, 200 kick, 100 stroke warmup. Man, that first 50 just seemed to take forever. My stroke is all herky-jerky. The last couple months of pregnancy, I had no body roll to speak of, and frankly, I still don't. My left arm is big and burly from hossin' the baby around, but my right seems weak and uncoordinated. I couldn't keep my fingers together, and my wrists were getting tired. I was in fine cardiovascular shape, but my body needs some more practice before it remembers how to swim.
I quickly abandoned any idea of doing intervals, and just pushed on through to do my 1000. Today, I have a whole new set of swimming-induced aches, keeping my running-induced aches company. Ay, caramba.
Thursday, November 02, 2006
Saturday, October 28, 2006
8 miles
It was supposed to be 12, but since 4 were with the stroller, I figured that 8 was close enough. IronMo was on this side of the country, and came down to do her 20 with me. Whee! We ran 4 together (she was pushing Max in the stroller) then I turned back and she went on. It was great fun, and I am so excited that we'll get to run together on 11/11. The only downside is I got a stitch in my side (first of the season!) because we were talking up a storm.
We both overdressed, and I was really hot and sweaty after pushing the stroller over DWR and Plank Road's undulations. In fact, I did about as much walking as I did running. Not surprisingly for taper, I felt a little creaky. It's as if every ache and twinge from the whole season is having one last hurrah.
Max was a great passenger, and only pulled off his shoes and socks once.
We both overdressed, and I was really hot and sweaty after pushing the stroller over DWR and Plank Road's undulations. In fact, I did about as much walking as I did running. Not surprisingly for taper, I felt a little creaky. It's as if every ache and twinge from the whole season is having one last hurrah.
Max was a great passenger, and only pulled off his shoes and socks once.
Monday, October 23, 2006
Zero miles
Taking another day to let my foot heal after Saturday's 20. It felt stiff and downright old when I woke up this morning, but is feeling more limber now. I'll test it out Wednesday morning. Saturday, I'm planning on doing my 12 with (drumroll please) IronMo! She has no idea what a feat of endurance my marathon is going to be. It's going to be a challenge for a Boston qualifier to slog it out with someone who's crossing her fingers for 5 hours.
Sunday, October 22, 2006
20 Miles - take THAT, Dick Woods!
We started in inky predawn darkness. Shooting stars were raining down over us. It was flippin' freezing, and I had on only shorts and a t-shirt. By the end (but that was more than 4 hours later) I was plenty warm.
Claudia, Jim and I set out, and were soon joined by Kelly, who was only doing 8, since her marathon (Marine Corps) is next weekend. A mile into the run, we saw some headlights up ahead and moved to the side of the road. Then, a horrible crashing, scraping noise. It was still pitch black, so all we could see were the two headlights, which had stopped in the road. DWR is pretty narrow - barely room for two compact cars to pass, and no shoulder on most of it. So we slowed to a walk until we got closer to the lights. We discovered a pickup, stopped in the middle of the road. It was, or had been, towing a thresher (I think it was a thresher, it was something farm-y). But it had been towing it on the truck bumper, not a proper trailer hitch, and the bumper had come off the truck, and now bumper and off-kilter thresher were stranded in the middle of the road. We squeezed past it and continued on.
We ran down Plank Road after mile two. We did the whole section, 3.5 miles to 250 and back. It's all pavement, and it felt like marshmallows compared to the stony gravel of DWR.
Somewhere around mile 12, Jim was way ahead of me, and Claudia way behind. A dog, and by dog, I mean fluffy white canine that came up to my waist, loped out into the road. He sniffed around, and looked up at me with pleading eyes. I was walking at this point, but started back to a run, inviting the dog to join me. He declined, and stopped in the middle of the road, and watched me run off into the distance.
Jim, Claudia and I met back up at the water stop at 13 (mile 6 on the DWR stretch). Claudia was hurting, but we continued on, did the .5 mi that brought us to our turnaround point, and then headed back. We were DONE, we just had to get back the 6.5 mi to the parking lot.
Claudia was way behind us, and at the 4 mile water stop (that is, with 4 to go), we waited a bit to see if we could see her. I couldn't stop for long, as my foot was hurting worse when I was stopped than when I was running. So we decided to get back to the cars as quickly as possible, and then drive back up the course to find Claudia.
Those last 4 miles were a doozy, and after the 2 mile water stop, my foot was really hurting, and my legs were dead. It was mostly downhill, but my heart sank at the sight of even a gentle uphill - all I could think about was having to schlep my bum foot up that hill. With about a mile to go, I just quit running. Jim stuck with me, and we kept on walking. One foot in front of the other, right?
With less than a half mile to go, a car pulled up next to us - it was the course volunteers who had Claudia with them in the backseat!! They asked how we were doing, and I indicated my foot hurt. They asked if I wanted a ride, and I said no way, I came here to do 20, and I was doing 20.
The last 200 yards or so is a nice downhill into the parking area. Jim and I picked it back up to a run, and entered the parking area triumphantly. There was lots of cheering (Claudia, the water volunteers, and some other runners were still there), high fives, and pats on the back. It was over 4 hours since we had started - way, way off a 5 hour marathon pace.
I still hope to do a 5 hour marathon. My last 3 long runs (14, 17, and 20) have been less than ideal. Heat and humidity (14). Driving rain and cold (17). Hurt foot (20). I'll rest my foot over taper, let my body heal, and hopefully I'll be a well-oiled machine by Richmond, and the weather will cooperate. Plus, I'll have IronMo with me. I'm holding on to the 10:30 pace I held at the last track workout. I know it's there inside of me somewhere, and I only need 11:27.
Claudia, Jim and I set out, and were soon joined by Kelly, who was only doing 8, since her marathon (Marine Corps) is next weekend. A mile into the run, we saw some headlights up ahead and moved to the side of the road. Then, a horrible crashing, scraping noise. It was still pitch black, so all we could see were the two headlights, which had stopped in the road. DWR is pretty narrow - barely room for two compact cars to pass, and no shoulder on most of it. So we slowed to a walk until we got closer to the lights. We discovered a pickup, stopped in the middle of the road. It was, or had been, towing a thresher (I think it was a thresher, it was something farm-y). But it had been towing it on the truck bumper, not a proper trailer hitch, and the bumper had come off the truck, and now bumper and off-kilter thresher were stranded in the middle of the road. We squeezed past it and continued on.
We ran down Plank Road after mile two. We did the whole section, 3.5 miles to 250 and back. It's all pavement, and it felt like marshmallows compared to the stony gravel of DWR.
Somewhere around mile 12, Jim was way ahead of me, and Claudia way behind. A dog, and by dog, I mean fluffy white canine that came up to my waist, loped out into the road. He sniffed around, and looked up at me with pleading eyes. I was walking at this point, but started back to a run, inviting the dog to join me. He declined, and stopped in the middle of the road, and watched me run off into the distance.
Jim, Claudia and I met back up at the water stop at 13 (mile 6 on the DWR stretch). Claudia was hurting, but we continued on, did the .5 mi that brought us to our turnaround point, and then headed back. We were DONE, we just had to get back the 6.5 mi to the parking lot.
Claudia was way behind us, and at the 4 mile water stop (that is, with 4 to go), we waited a bit to see if we could see her. I couldn't stop for long, as my foot was hurting worse when I was stopped than when I was running. So we decided to get back to the cars as quickly as possible, and then drive back up the course to find Claudia.
Those last 4 miles were a doozy, and after the 2 mile water stop, my foot was really hurting, and my legs were dead. It was mostly downhill, but my heart sank at the sight of even a gentle uphill - all I could think about was having to schlep my bum foot up that hill. With about a mile to go, I just quit running. Jim stuck with me, and we kept on walking. One foot in front of the other, right?
With less than a half mile to go, a car pulled up next to us - it was the course volunteers who had Claudia with them in the backseat!! They asked how we were doing, and I indicated my foot hurt. They asked if I wanted a ride, and I said no way, I came here to do 20, and I was doing 20.
The last 200 yards or so is a nice downhill into the parking area. Jim and I picked it back up to a run, and entered the parking area triumphantly. There was lots of cheering (Claudia, the water volunteers, and some other runners were still there), high fives, and pats on the back. It was over 4 hours since we had started - way, way off a 5 hour marathon pace.
I still hope to do a 5 hour marathon. My last 3 long runs (14, 17, and 20) have been less than ideal. Heat and humidity (14). Driving rain and cold (17). Hurt foot (20). I'll rest my foot over taper, let my body heal, and hopefully I'll be a well-oiled machine by Richmond, and the weather will cooperate. Plus, I'll have IronMo with me. I'm holding on to the 10:30 pace I held at the last track workout. I know it's there inside of me somewhere, and I only need 11:27.
Monday, October 16, 2006
Foot update #2
And then it started hurting again. So I wasn't miraculously cured. But it wasn't hurting as badly. I skipped my run this morning, and made my way over to the shop after work. I ran laps around the store, in sock feet, in my shoes, in my shoes with different inserts, in shoes with the same inserts. Three salespeople listened to my tale of woe, and finally the great and powerful Oz himself took a look. Mark assured me that my inserts were fine, and then gave me a good dose of perspective. Running seventeen miles in the wet and the cold is bound to make something hurt. So I walked out of the shop with the shoes and the inserts I came in with, and headed home to take another dose of Advil.
Sunday, October 15, 2006
Foot update
Yesterday I wrapped it up in an ace bandage, and when I wasn't laying on the sofa with it propped up, I was hobbling around. At bedtime, I took a big dose of ibuprofen, and left the ace bandage on. I couldn't sleep. A searing pain overtook my foot, accompanied by cramping. I pawed off the ace bandage, and managed to fall asleep. This morning when I awoke...I was cured. My ankle's sore from compensating for it over the past week, but the lump is almost gone, and there's no pain at all. Weird. I'm still going to try to take it easy this week - my big 20 mile run is Saturday, and I don't want to jeopardize it.
Saturday, October 14, 2006
8 Miles
Frosty morning. We started in the pitch black. There was just enough moonlight to be able to avoid potholes. The sky lightened and the sun began to rise somewhere around mile 2. The light was filtered by the turning trees, and dappled the frosted pastures with silver and gold. At water stops, steam rose off our bodies. It was tranquil, and passed by far too quickly.
Yes, my foot still hurts. But I was able to keep an 11:30ish pace without pushing too hard.
Yes, my foot still hurts. But I was able to keep an 11:30ish pace without pushing too hard.
Monday, October 09, 2006
1215 Miles
Well, not exactly. Mama's gone to Dallas for a conference! No running today - just a lot of flying and sitting around. I did read the new Runner's World, which had a bit about running in, of all places, Dallas. And then I left it on the plane. It's just as well - I'm resting for a few days, if you can call schlepping around the conference center resting. My right foot really, really hurts and has a lump on it. Am I freaked out? You betcha. The upside is, other than the sharp, excruciating pain in my foot, I was surprisingly un-sore after my big run on Saturday.
Max's papa called a while ago, and apparently bedtime did not go well. That hurt worse than the lump in my foot.
Max's papa called a while ago, and apparently bedtime did not go well. That hurt worse than the lump in my foot.
Saturday, October 07, 2006
Seventeen Miles
ROCK ON!!!
Today's run was wonderful on many levels. I ran the whole thing with Claudia and Jim. I was powering up hills for about the first 2/3. I did the 17 miles I set out to do. I felt like I'd accomplished something significant when I was done. I got a chocolate mint Clif Bar.
But it was not without adversity. Two words: Driving rain. Oh, and one more: Cold. I ran 17 miles in the driving rain and the cold. I am not kidding or exaggerating. It was about 45 degrees, and the radio was rife with flood warnings on the dark and winding drive over. I was completely soaked by the end. Heck, I was completely soaked by about three miles into it, despite sporting my brand-new fluorescent "water resistant" top layer. My feet were so wet that at the end, they were white and wrinkled. I have blisters on the bottoms of my toes. I wore a fleece toque the whole time, and still had a few moments where I was shivering. My legs got so cold that they started cramping up with about four miles to go and I walked/run-shuffled to the end. The last three miles were the longest @$#%^#&^ three miles of my life. Longer than the last three miles hiking out of the Grand Canyon.
I can't imagine that I'll feel any happier or more emotional at the end of 26.2.
Sunday evening update: 36 hours later, my shoes are still wet.
Today's run was wonderful on many levels. I ran the whole thing with Claudia and Jim. I was powering up hills for about the first 2/3. I did the 17 miles I set out to do. I felt like I'd accomplished something significant when I was done. I got a chocolate mint Clif Bar.
But it was not without adversity. Two words: Driving rain. Oh, and one more: Cold. I ran 17 miles in the driving rain and the cold. I am not kidding or exaggerating. It was about 45 degrees, and the radio was rife with flood warnings on the dark and winding drive over. I was completely soaked by the end. Heck, I was completely soaked by about three miles into it, despite sporting my brand-new fluorescent "water resistant" top layer. My feet were so wet that at the end, they were white and wrinkled. I have blisters on the bottoms of my toes. I wore a fleece toque the whole time, and still had a few moments where I was shivering. My legs got so cold that they started cramping up with about four miles to go and I walked/run-shuffled to the end. The last three miles were the longest @$#%^#&^ three miles of my life. Longer than the last three miles hiking out of the Grand Canyon.
I can't imagine that I'll feel any happier or more emotional at the end of 26.2.
Sunday evening update: 36 hours later, my shoes are still wet.
Wednesday, October 04, 2006
Four miles*
*with stroller
Max's papa had Important Work to do this morning, so I took the boy with me on my run. I do this rarely, despite having not one but two jogging strollers. We set out in the big ole purple Baby Jogger II with the 20" wheels. It was a bit nippy, so I put socks and a hoodie on Max. He pulled off his socks before we even got out of the subdivision.
I surprised myself by actually getting a rhythm going while pushing the stroller. And all that extra weight meant a great upper-body workout. Max got to watch birds ("buh") and cars ("buh") and trucks ("buh") go by, so overall it was a win-win.
When we got home, he was all tuckered out. I gave him a snack and some water, and put him down for a nap. He slept for almost two hours, and woke up with a sweaty head and one side of his face all smushed.
Max's papa had Important Work to do this morning, so I took the boy with me on my run. I do this rarely, despite having not one but two jogging strollers. We set out in the big ole purple Baby Jogger II with the 20" wheels. It was a bit nippy, so I put socks and a hoodie on Max. He pulled off his socks before we even got out of the subdivision.
I surprised myself by actually getting a rhythm going while pushing the stroller. And all that extra weight meant a great upper-body workout. Max got to watch birds ("buh") and cars ("buh") and trucks ("buh") go by, so overall it was a win-win.
When we got home, he was all tuckered out. I gave him a snack and some water, and put him down for a nap. He slept for almost two hours, and woke up with a sweaty head and one side of his face all smushed.
Saturday, September 30, 2006
Track workout - 9? 10? total
Today's track workout was the reward for last week's awful run. Mark was there, and gave us a pep talk, and the lowdown on the run. A 2 mile warmup, then 6 laps, down a hill, "surge" up the hill back to the track, then 4 laps, hill surge thingy, 3, hill, 2, hill, 1, 1-2 mile cooldown. I was way faster than I thought I'd be - at an easy pace, I was still doing 10:30 miles. 10:30? Me? What? How'd that happen? I mean, I was really trying to go slow. But there I was, at 10:30. Huh. Such a difference from last week when I struggled to do 12:00.
Of course, it was all put into perspective when I was "surging" (read: huffing and puffing) my way up the hill and the guy who won the Pepsi 10K blasted past me. Oh, *that's* what Mark meant by "surge." Yeah, mama don't surge.
But what really mattered was that I felt powerful. Not only that, but it was just a lovely day to be running. It was cold this morning - tights and fleece and see your breath cold. It was really difficult to get my butt out of my heated seat and into the cold, dark morning. But the first several laps around the track had a vista of pink and red clouds as the sun rose over the pregnant clam. The view alone was worth getting up at 5:30.
I also had a chance to chat with an old airline buddy - he's training for Richmond, too. I hadn't seen him in years, until last week on Dick Woods, there he was! Since our company went under, he's been with JetBlue, down at the bottom of the seniority ladder. But JetBlue's treating him right, and hopefully he'll be upgrading to captain again sometime soon.
Of course, it was all put into perspective when I was "surging" (read: huffing and puffing) my way up the hill and the guy who won the Pepsi 10K blasted past me. Oh, *that's* what Mark meant by "surge." Yeah, mama don't surge.
But what really mattered was that I felt powerful. Not only that, but it was just a lovely day to be running. It was cold this morning - tights and fleece and see your breath cold. It was really difficult to get my butt out of my heated seat and into the cold, dark morning. But the first several laps around the track had a vista of pink and red clouds as the sun rose over the pregnant clam. The view alone was worth getting up at 5:30.
I also had a chance to chat with an old airline buddy - he's training for Richmond, too. I hadn't seen him in years, until last week on Dick Woods, there he was! Since our company went under, he's been with JetBlue, down at the bottom of the seniority ladder. But JetBlue's treating him right, and hopefully he'll be upgrading to captain again sometime soon.
Wednesday, September 27, 2006
Coupla short runs
Monday I was still sore from Saturday. Today I was just running short on time. But I gave it my all - I banged it out with headphones on. IronMo and I are ironing out the details of race day. Uh, nothing else to report.
Oh, the new inserts are okay. They're thicker than the old ones, so I have to lace my shoes differently, and I don't have it quite right yet. How could something so simple be giving me such fits? Did I mention that I was the LAST kid in kindergarten class to learn to tie my shoes? When Asics starts making serious running shoes with velcro closures, I'll be first in line.
Oh, the new inserts are okay. They're thicker than the old ones, so I have to lace my shoes differently, and I don't have it quite right yet. How could something so simple be giving me such fits? Did I mention that I was the LAST kid in kindergarten class to learn to tie my shoes? When Asics starts making serious running shoes with velcro closures, I'll be first in line.
Saturday, September 23, 2006
14 Miles
Wooooohoooooo. I did it. This is the farthest I've ever run. Please don't remind me that it's nearly twice as far to finish a marathon. I'm still basking in the glory.
It was warm and humid again. Not hot, but definitely no snap in the air. At least it was overcast, so the sun wasn't beating down on us. I started out with Jim and Claudia and Chris, but I just wasn't feelin' it. I walked up a hill or two and felt really dejected. I caught up with them at a water stop (though at some point Chris went ahead, and I didn't see her after about mile 4), and ran the rest of it with them, on and off.
Everyone was having kind of a crummy run - bad chi on Dick Woods today, I guess. But we slogged through it together. We all kept apologizing for having to slow down or stop, but everyone was just waiting for someone else to cave so we could slow down, too. It took nearly three hours to complete it - THREE hours!! But I was in good company. Jim and Claudia were actually doing 13, so with 2 miles to go, I popped off down Plank Road for a half-mile.
Plank Road sucked.
It was one giant downhill, which meant one giant uphill on the way back. I didn't mind being alone - despite being tired and sore, I felt pretty chipper. With just 1/2 mile to go, a car pulled up alongside me - it was Claudia and Jim! Claudia had been hurting earlier, and with less than 1/2 mile to go, just couldn't go any more, so Jim ran back to the start, got his car and picked her up. They made sure to cruise out a little farther, to make sure I was still doing okay. A few minutes later, we all rendezvoused at the finish, and ate our Clif Bars. Everyone milling around had some complaint about something. We were a big bunch of whiners. But it was good to be done with it.
When I got home, the baby was napping, so I had time for a shower. I put it on as cold as I could stand it, and, for the first time ever, actually sat on the built-in seat. I had to sit down to take a shower. I felt cleansed from the inside out when I was done.
Even though that run was painful physically and mentally, it was a great confidence booster in a twisted way. That run sucked. It hurt. It was uncomfortable and NOT fun. But I did it.
One foot in front of the other.
It was warm and humid again. Not hot, but definitely no snap in the air. At least it was overcast, so the sun wasn't beating down on us. I started out with Jim and Claudia and Chris, but I just wasn't feelin' it. I walked up a hill or two and felt really dejected. I caught up with them at a water stop (though at some point Chris went ahead, and I didn't see her after about mile 4), and ran the rest of it with them, on and off.
Everyone was having kind of a crummy run - bad chi on Dick Woods today, I guess. But we slogged through it together. We all kept apologizing for having to slow down or stop, but everyone was just waiting for someone else to cave so we could slow down, too. It took nearly three hours to complete it - THREE hours!! But I was in good company. Jim and Claudia were actually doing 13, so with 2 miles to go, I popped off down Plank Road for a half-mile.
Plank Road sucked.
It was one giant downhill, which meant one giant uphill on the way back. I didn't mind being alone - despite being tired and sore, I felt pretty chipper. With just 1/2 mile to go, a car pulled up alongside me - it was Claudia and Jim! Claudia had been hurting earlier, and with less than 1/2 mile to go, just couldn't go any more, so Jim ran back to the start, got his car and picked her up. They made sure to cruise out a little farther, to make sure I was still doing okay. A few minutes later, we all rendezvoused at the finish, and ate our Clif Bars. Everyone milling around had some complaint about something. We were a big bunch of whiners. But it was good to be done with it.
When I got home, the baby was napping, so I had time for a shower. I put it on as cold as I could stand it, and, for the first time ever, actually sat on the built-in seat. I had to sit down to take a shower. I felt cleansed from the inside out when I was done.
Even though that run was painful physically and mentally, it was a great confidence booster in a twisted way. That run sucked. It hurt. It was uncomfortable and NOT fun. But I did it.
One foot in front of the other.
Friday, September 22, 2006
Off today, but important updates
I went to the shop and got some new insoles for my shoes. They're comfy and supportive. At least they were for the 10 yards of jogging I did on them in the shop. Anyway, they'd better work, as my old insoles went in the trash at the shop inside the box the new ones came in. Oopsie.
And I got my Phase II program from Mark. Very reassuring. He gave me props for doing this while still nursing. I'm certain he went home to Cynthia after reading my questionnaire and said, "You will never believe what this crazy lady is doing." Anyway, he left my weekday runs pretty much up to me, and my weekend runs pretty much as I'd figured a few days ago. He put a big star by the last long run, circled it and noted "Very Important." Um yeah, I get that.
My game plan is: no more day care special, no more coxsackie. The weather is fab-yoo-lus, and we're down to the wire. I am reaching the point that instead of freaking that I'm not going to be ready, I can see the light at the end of the tunnel - my goal is right there. It's not like back in June when 7 miles seemed like 7 light years. 26.2 scares me just a little, but IronMo will be there! And support people! And water stops!! And junk food!! And spectators! And other poky runners. This town is full of really serious runners, and they tend to scare us poky folks away. It takes a lot of cajones for me to go out on Saturdays. Looking at last year's results, there were over 700 finishers with times at or above 5 hours. SEVEN HUNDRED. That's about 20% of the field. I'll be as fast or faster than 20% of the runners in Richmond.
One step at a time, one foot in front of the other.
And I got my Phase II program from Mark. Very reassuring. He gave me props for doing this while still nursing. I'm certain he went home to Cynthia after reading my questionnaire and said, "You will never believe what this crazy lady is doing." Anyway, he left my weekday runs pretty much up to me, and my weekend runs pretty much as I'd figured a few days ago. He put a big star by the last long run, circled it and noted "Very Important." Um yeah, I get that.
My game plan is: no more day care special, no more coxsackie. The weather is fab-yoo-lus, and we're down to the wire. I am reaching the point that instead of freaking that I'm not going to be ready, I can see the light at the end of the tunnel - my goal is right there. It's not like back in June when 7 miles seemed like 7 light years. 26.2 scares me just a little, but IronMo will be there! And support people! And water stops!! And junk food!! And spectators! And other poky runners. This town is full of really serious runners, and they tend to scare us poky folks away. It takes a lot of cajones for me to go out on Saturdays. Looking at last year's results, there were over 700 finishers with times at or above 5 hours. SEVEN HUNDRED. That's about 20% of the field. I'll be as fast or faster than 20% of the runners in Richmond.
One step at a time, one foot in front of the other.
Thursday, September 21, 2006
Wednesday, September 20, 2006
Very few miles
In the past 10 days, I have run very little. Maybe twice? Yes, Max and I were both sick. Again. I had a terrible cold, and just when I was out of the woods, Max came down with Coxsackie virus, aka, hand foot and mouth disease. Yum. Poor fella had several near-sleepless days and nights, and was refusing to eat or drink. He's finally back to his charming self, and I swear, swear with all my heart that this Saturday, I will run 14 miles. Yes, indeedy. Even if I am sick and throwing up and have blisters on my throat, feet, and hands, I will haul myself down Dick Woods Road and back because I am SEVEN weeks away from this marathon and feeling like a real pansy. IronMo sent me a lovely and reassuring email, but I am sure that in the back of her mind she's thinking I am crazier than she is. Training for a marathon with a small (or should I say "small," since he's 22 lbs) baby is ludicrous, especially when you're still nursing and always exhausted to begin with. But without this goal, my "nap when the baby naps" inertia would be overwhelming and I'd still be soft and out of shape. I do enjoy being a hot mama. And I adore being strong and focused and in shape.
Here's the deal:
9/23 - 14
9/30 - 10
10/7 - 16
10/14 - 10
10/21 - 18-20
10/28 - taper
11/4 - taper
11/11 - twenty-six point two
Game ON!
Here's the deal:
9/23 - 14
9/30 - 10
10/7 - 16
10/14 - 10
10/21 - 18-20
10/28 - taper
11/4 - taper
11/11 - twenty-six point two
Game ON!
Saturday, September 09, 2006
Pepsi 10K (6.2 miles, plus warmup)
I had a great run - I ran the first 4 with Claudia - Jim was just ahead, and finished in just under an hour. I started out feeling a little sheepish for having missed the long run last weekend (and two weeks before, and two weeks before that) - Jim did 20 miles! Holy crap. But with 2 months to go, I think I'll be okay. I think that having the break has been good - I missed some of the hottest weeks of the summer, and got recharged and rested. Starting training in June for a November marathon is a little bit overkill. I see that now.
Before the race, I jokingly said I'd run it in 67 minutes, but estimating that I'd actually do it in about 70 -75 minutes, which is about an 11:30 pace. Claudia is still getting over her injury, so we started out together. We did the first mile in something crazy, like 10:05. Don't laugh, you hard core folks. To me, a 10 minute mile might as well be a 4 minute mile. We continued at a fairly good clip until just before mile 4. There was a long hill just before the turnaround at mile 4, and when we came around the bend and saw just how long we had to go until the turnaround, my legs just died. Claudia went ahead, and I walked up the hill a bit. I got my second wind around mile 5, and was passing people left and right (okay, so I passed a guy who must have been 70 and a couple of people jogging with headphones who may or may not have actually been part of the race) all the way in to the finish. That was fun! It was a small race (250 entrants), so I was by myself in the chute. There was lots of cheering and I felt like I was winning!
And then I looked at the clock: Yippee! 1:06:40 - that's 10:45 per mile, and 20 seconds faster than my joking, pie-in-the-sky time. Whoosh!
I gobbled up a whole wheat everything bagel, and milled around with Jim and Claudia. There was a drawing for door prizes, and I won one! I had my choice of a travel mug, $5 and a sticker from C-ville Coffee, some schwaggy stuff like t-shirts, or, a round of golf (plus cart) for 2 at Birdwood. I took the golf, figuring that Max's papa might enjoy it.
Jim, Claudia, and some others were heading to Panera after. I really wanted to go, but, as I put it so eloquently when they invited me, my boobs needed to get home.
Before the race, I jokingly said I'd run it in 67 minutes, but estimating that I'd actually do it in about 70 -75 minutes, which is about an 11:30 pace. Claudia is still getting over her injury, so we started out together. We did the first mile in something crazy, like 10:05. Don't laugh, you hard core folks. To me, a 10 minute mile might as well be a 4 minute mile. We continued at a fairly good clip until just before mile 4. There was a long hill just before the turnaround at mile 4, and when we came around the bend and saw just how long we had to go until the turnaround, my legs just died. Claudia went ahead, and I walked up the hill a bit. I got my second wind around mile 5, and was passing people left and right (okay, so I passed a guy who must have been 70 and a couple of people jogging with headphones who may or may not have actually been part of the race) all the way in to the finish. That was fun! It was a small race (250 entrants), so I was by myself in the chute. There was lots of cheering and I felt like I was winning!
And then I looked at the clock: Yippee! 1:06:40 - that's 10:45 per mile, and 20 seconds faster than my joking, pie-in-the-sky time. Whoosh!
I gobbled up a whole wheat everything bagel, and milled around with Jim and Claudia. There was a drawing for door prizes, and I won one! I had my choice of a travel mug, $5 and a sticker from C-ville Coffee, some schwaggy stuff like t-shirts, or, a round of golf (plus cart) for 2 at Birdwood. I took the golf, figuring that Max's papa might enjoy it.
Jim, Claudia, and some others were heading to Panera after. I really wanted to go, but, as I put it so eloquently when they invited me, my boobs needed to get home.
Wednesday, September 06, 2006
Who knows? But I ran fast.
I started out on my regular 4-ish mile route, and about a mile into it, realized that I'd forgotten to wheel the garbage can up to the curb, like I'd promised my husband. Ooops. So I turned back, did my chore, then ran into the adjoining neighborhood, intent on shaking up my routine. I ran as fast as I possibly could for as long as I could. Which wasn't very long. But I felt very speedy and buff. I gave some extra kick when I passed the kids at the bus stop, just in case they cared. Sadly, my shirt clashed with my shorts, so they were probably more dazzled by my bad fashion sense than my speed.
I'm supposed to do the Pepsi 10K this weekend. Sounds like fun, and it starts an hour or so later than my usual run, so I'm definitely in.
And for weeks, I've been crossing paths with another woman runner, we'd wave and say good morning, she with her headphones, and me with my flushed face. It turns out, she lives just down the street from me, has 3 boys, and is automatically cool because she is French. She's faster than me though, so I'm still partnerless for my weekday runs.
I'm supposed to do the Pepsi 10K this weekend. Sounds like fun, and it starts an hour or so later than my usual run, so I'm definitely in.
And for weeks, I've been crossing paths with another woman runner, we'd wave and say good morning, she with her headphones, and me with my flushed face. It turns out, she lives just down the street from me, has 3 boys, and is automatically cool because she is French. She's faster than me though, so I'm still partnerless for my weekday runs.
Monday, September 04, 2006
3.5 miles - shake it like a polaroid piiiiiicture!
I rarely run with headphones. But it was just that kind of morning. So I ran and had a blast, I shook it like a polaroid picture, loved my lady lumps, and elevated my soul. I made furtive glances to see if anyone was looking and skipped for a hundred yards. I took it down a notch with Otis Redding, and cooled off while John Mayer made me feel good about myself.
Saturday, September 02, 2006
Holidayless Weekend - 0 Miles
Another Saturday missing its run. Max and I both had a cold this week. Friday evening, I wasn't sure if I would run Saturday morning or not. Then the power went out (thanks, Ernesto!). By bedtime, it wasn't back on and I was preoccupied thinking about the stash of breastmilk in the basement freezer. I decided that if the power came on in the night, I'd run. Otherwise, I'd be scurrying to move the milk to cooler climes before 7 months of daily pumping had to be dumped down the drain. The power came on at 6:40am, 25 minutes after the start of the run, and about 20 minutes before I was going to pack it up and drive really really fast to my parents' house. It was for the best - I spent much of the night tossing and turning with sinus pressure and congestion. I had a terrible sinus headache, and was grateful to be able to sleep in. Just over two months to go - I am freaking out a little. I just hope the next couple of months don't contain the run of illness the past six weeks has. I'm spent.
More encouraging is Max's foray into solid foods - he's an amazing eater. He's gradually dropping feedings, and for the first time in months, I'm not famished 24/7. I've resolved to actually start using the freezer stash (which stayed frozen solid during the dark and stormy night), so I've dropped my nightly pumping session. I'm holding steady at 115 lbs, but my body's still changing - none (and I mean none) of my clothes fit any more, so a shopping trip is definitely in my future.
I realized on my last run that I need a new pair of shoes - I bought these when Max was just 2 months old! The arch support is slowly collapsing, and I really felt it last weekend. So tomorrow, back on the wagon, and a trip to the shop for the shoes to get me to Richmond.
More encouraging is Max's foray into solid foods - he's an amazing eater. He's gradually dropping feedings, and for the first time in months, I'm not famished 24/7. I've resolved to actually start using the freezer stash (which stayed frozen solid during the dark and stormy night), so I've dropped my nightly pumping session. I'm holding steady at 115 lbs, but my body's still changing - none (and I mean none) of my clothes fit any more, so a shopping trip is definitely in my future.
I realized on my last run that I need a new pair of shoes - I bought these when Max was just 2 months old! The arch support is slowly collapsing, and I really felt it last weekend. So tomorrow, back on the wagon, and a trip to the shop for the shoes to get me to Richmond.
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