Friday January 29,2009

I don't recall my run but I ran two easy miles. The children ran with me part of the time. I did 3:1 run/walk intervals.

January 27.2010 Wednesday

Temperature: 56 degrees
Distance: 4 miles
I'm using a training plan that was created for me at http://www.runnersworld.com/. I clicked on easy as the moderate plan looked too difficult for me.
Throughout the day I had to keep shoes on my feet. I usually always walk barefooted but I couldn't yesterday. I wouldn't say my feet hurt but they were not comfortable without shoes on my feet. Most days, I don't think about my feet. That was not the case yesterday.
I suppose my feet have to adjust to the long runs.
The run went well but by the last ten minutes I was annoyed and wanting it to be over already.

Monday January 25, 2010

Today I ran 2 1/2 miles. I did run/walk intervals of 3:1. I ran for a total of 30 minutes and walked for a total of 30 minutes. The temperature was 78 to 80 degrees and the sweat was pouring off me. I had a cup of green tea before I ran and failed to have water. I had to stop halfway to get and drink two cups of water. I also got a towel to wipe my face dry. I have no idea what my pace was as I also had to stop to walk Bekah home.

Long Run

Saturday, January 23, 2010

This was my first long run wearing my second pair of running shoes. The temperature was from 78-80 degrees. At some point there was a misty rain and a cool breeze.

I started a little late. When dusk came James & Rebekah followed me in the van.

I did interval running.

I ran four miles. The day afterward I needed a long nap. As I woke up, I felt very old during my nap and wondered if this was how it might feel to be 60 years old.

Documentation to compare with my next long run- 69:00 17:25

New Shoes

I headed to the running shoe store on Tuesday wearing my four month old running shoes. The associate first commented on the way I tie my shoes. Apparently, she thinks I tie them too loosely. Apparently, she doesn't know how tough it is to get out of the house when you're homeschooling and you've got to get breakfast and lunch into little ones and then run errands.
She had me take off my shoes and schooled me on how to tell if they are worn out or not. She had the same pair on sale and my feet felt like a million dollars in the new pair. The old ones felt very loose and misshapen. The new shoes were on sale at 25% off. :)

I was somewhat incredulous that my shoes only lasted four months. I did run thru rain in them twice. I don't know if that made a difference. The associate claimed that most running shoes last five months.

I canceled my appointment with the Cleveland Clinic foot specialist which was a relief. It was scheduled for 8 AM. I would have had a difficult time making it there on time.

Unfortunately, I didn't take another pair of shoes with me on Tuesday. As I walked around town running errands my right foot started to ache. I wish I had thought to buy a pair of $1 flip flops. I was too much of a scrooge to walk around in running shoes around town.The next day my right hip hurt badly as well. I was afraid to run. Instead I walked for one half hour in walking shoes, of course.

Today I ran in the new shoes and had no pain in my foot nor my hip.

I'm a happy camper and glad to be pounding the pavement again.

I'm always analyzing things though and now I'm wondering if I should have perhaps tried another brand of shoes. Perhaps another brand will last at least five months.

*Note to self: Brooks Adrenaline GTS 9
10.5 Width D

My Right Foot is Failing Me

My updates are tardy due to a contrary and ornery computer. We got our computer back from the doctor today.
Wednesday I ran wearing a foot supportive brace.
Friday I had pain in my foot and I walked for one hour.
Today I tried to run with the brace and was unsuccessful. I was able to run with the brace on but my foot felt a little weird.
I thought it was a problem with my ankle but I think it is really my arch.
I made an appointment this coming Wednesday with a foot specialist at Cleveland Clinic. The sports medicine doctor was all booked up. The receptionist suggested that I see a foot specialist.
I'm going to visit a running store and ask them what they think about my running shoes. They are fairly new but I'm wondering if I need a better insole. Hmmm...

Recovery Fail

Yesterday I went out for my regularly scheduled run as I do every Monday, Wednesday, and Friday. About 1/4 mile into the run I had great difficulty breathing and my right ankle hurt badly. At that point I remembered reading somewhere that you should take off one day per every mile ran in a race. Stupidly, I thought, well I've run before with aches and they just go away. I will just do one easy mile. That was a bad decision. I shouldn't have ran until today. Since my run yesterday, my right ankle has continued to ache. I also had some temporary pain in my right thigh. Frown.

This morning I'm having low back discomfort. I added some magnesium and zinc to my daily dose of calcium intake this morning as well as two extra strength Tylenol. This afternoon I think I will need to buy something to support my ankle.

Race Day

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This morning our son and I ran our second 5K.

I got more sleep before this race. I went to bed at 10 but woke up at 4 AM. I was unable to get back to sleep until 6 AM. Unfortunately, my alarm was set for 6 AM. :(

The weather was unexpectedly terrible. We were expecting a temperature somewhere between 55 and 59 degrees. Instead it was cold and raining and 43 degrees. We are asthmatics and we don't run well in the rain. We had a hard time breathing but we pressed on to the end.
Unfortunately, I forgot my watch in the hustle to get out early with three children, one who was being grouchy and uncooperative. Being a slower runner and at the tail end of the crowd, I imagined that we were running much slower than our previous race.
We were stunned to see the time on the clock as we approached the finish line. We finished 1.61 minutes faster than our first 5K two months ago.
I grabbed my son's hand and we held up our hands high up into the air as we crossed the finish line.

No Walking Today

I made an executive decision today and decided to run instead of doing run/walk intervals. The temperature was 38 degrees. I will admit that the temperature influenced my decision not to walk.

For the first ten minutes my lungs burned. Thereafter, the discomfort ceased.

I ran with a big, long, and jagged stick in one hand and MACE for dogs in the other hand. I didn't see the unfriendly canine today.

My pace was 14 minutes.

I will take off from running until race day which is Saturday. I'm really glad I ran in the cool air this morning. If it's the same temperature on Saturday I can look back on today's run with some confidence.

The Dog or Me

Today was my long run in prep for our second 5K this Saturday. I ran for distance instead of time today. Initially, I ran 3 and 3/4 miles. It was 51 degrees outside. I experienced quite a few things. I had some head pain, postnasal drip, a fleeting side stitch, and chest tightness for about 15 or 20 minutes. Whatever. I just kept running. I ran all sorts of intervals but mostly stuck to 2:1 run/walk intervals.

I have no idea what my pace was. As usual, I overdressed and had to stop and take off some of my clothing. I also had to return home to stuff my pocket full of Kleenex tissues.

I did have to keep my gloves on for the entire run.

After mile three I went inside for a water break. I also rolled up some dough and prepared it for a second rise.

I ended up running for about one hour. After 3 3/4 miles of running a big ugly bad red collared dog came at me twice. He was mean, threatening, and vicious. I didn't know quite what to do upon our first meeting. I knew not to run. I thought about jumping on a car but figured he would just jump right on the car with me. Unfortunately, I saw no sticks or rocks around anywhere. I just backed away from him and circled the car then retreated into the grass and disappeared into the inner courtyard.

I borrowed one of my son's bat and returned outside to complete the last 1/4 of my run. A kind neighbor asked me if I was OK when he saw me armed with a bat. He knew of the dog I had met and told me the dog had come after his 2 y/o son recently. That ticked me off even more.

Before I could complete my last 1/4 mile run, the dog appeared again out of nowhere in a completely different part of the circle. I was ready for this ugly canine this time. With my bat pointing towards his ugly face, I shouted at him, took a step towards him, and told him completely off. He challenged me for 5 seconds, retreated, and walked away like a coward.

Still I was nervous walking home. I kept looking over my shoulder. I called 911. A very kind officer came by. We had a nice chat and he gave the children mints. Officer Vinnie advised me to kick the dog under the mouth if he comes at me again. I asked him if I could purchase some kind of spray and he recommended Mace. I bought some tonight at a local Army/Navy store. I will be ready for that feisty dog if he messes with me on my brisk walk tomorrow. I'm going hunting for a humongous stick tomorrow too.

Tonight our son had soccer practice and I ran with his team for about 1/2 mile because I can. :)

Galloway- Week Three Day Three

Happy New Year!

Walked two hours at the mall yesterday to find new walking shoes. I have a big and wide foot. Shopping for shoes is a chore for me.

Ran one mile today. It took me forever-18 minutes. It I stopped a few times to allow Jimmy catch up with me. We ran 3:1 intervals. The temperature was 80 degrees but it felt a little more hot to me. I think I'm also running slowly because I walked a lot this week. This is the week I'm supposed to decrease my running by 50% anyway.

My next running day is Monday. I'm planning to run four miles but I will break it up into two runs. Galloway recommends two separate runs for the older novice runner who wants to do a long run.