Double Sad

Sports injuries are the worst! Not only are you sad because you hurt yourself, you're sad because your body is having widthdrawl from all the endorphins you were once getting from exercising.

A.K.A. I'm injured, and I am really bummed out about it.

I hurt myself plenty as a kid/teen while playing softball, soccer and the like. But I haven't hurt like this for this long in years - probably since senior soccer season (that was the year they discovered my tendons weren't connected to my feet properly, but that's another story for another time). I was running 16 days ago and I decided to take a different path (mistake 1). I wanted to start looping back on my normal path, so I cut through a side street (mistake 2). It was a big hill, but since it was the day in my workout when I was supposed to be running hill intervals, I thought - no big deal! (mistake 3). I booked it up the hill and around the corner and after a couple more blocks, my knee hurt. And worse.

I ran through it (mistake 4) and got home, iced it and went to bed. The next day, it was still bothering me so I stayed off it and iced it again. Day 3 was better, so I ran on Day 4, and I only made it .75 miles. I had to walk-run for the rest of my 3-mile loop and call it quits.

Fast forward 12 (!) running-free days, and I thought I would be nice and well-rested. I went for an easy run and made it 1.71 miles before I had to walk. I did a couple short intervals after that and had to walk the last .7 home. Today, I'm back to not being able to go down steps.

I serioiusly almost cried last night becuase I am so frustrated - my race is in five weeks and there is just no way I can do it. I know I've done it before, but I won't be able to do it this time, I don't know how it's even possible. And that makes me feel like a quitter. A quitter becuase of something I can't control.

HM 2.0 - Day 3

While I didn't exactly sip water at Night Owls (happy hour for you non-Chi Omegas), I did enjoy just enough cab sav to still be up for my three-mile trek to make up for Tuesday's mishap. AND I knocked it out in 26 minutes, which isn't too shabby considering my lack of running lately and the intense humidity. Enough with it, Mother Nature!

I didn't do intervals after my run (tsk) because it was too dark for the track in the park. I cannot believe I didn't think of using the treadmill until Ryan said that's what he did. Duh. (I blame the still-present jet lag.) At any rate, we'll continue these intervals (speed training, as Hal calls it - it helps you increase your pace in long races by building endurance, I believe) throughout the next eight weeks, and Hal wants you to run at your 5K pace. I know that I can easily do a 5K in about 25 minutes, and I'd like to use this training to get that down to about 24, so I'm targeting an 8-minute mile. I found some music that helps keep that pace, and while I'm starting off with just Eminem, Gaga, MIA and Black Eyed Peas, jog.fm has a whole playlist to help you keep pace. It's amazing how much music can help you - iPods and iPhones once again make me wonder how people did anything without technology! I'll let you know how it goes today, and I mapped out how far 400 meters is from my front door so I can't make excuses in the event that I can't get to the park AND both treadmills in my gym are broken.

Until next time!

xoxo

HM 2.0 - Day 2

Day 2 and I already fell off the wagon! I picked wine over running (could you blame me? The James-and-Leslie-favoriteOyster Bay Sauv Blanc was 1/2 price for a bottle at Mellow Mushroom!), so it looks like I'll be sipping water during Night Owls and doubling up tomorrow's workout...

HM 2.0 - Day 1

I know, I know, I said I wouldn't do it again... but, as Britney says, oops! I did it again: I signed up for another half marathon!

This time, I'm doing it, hopefully, right and following a real training program via Hal Higdons. I have a handy dandy spreadsheet of workouts, signed up for three training races (Atlanta's Finest 5K, Celebrate Freedom 10K and Iron Horse 15K) and enlisted a training buddy, Ryan.

Today is Day 1, and it's weird to me that Hal has you start with stretching and strength. I don't know much about strength, so I just started with my normal 23-minute Jillian Michaels 30-day Shred Level 2 routine. I'm going to have to step it up and find something else to do for the rest of the eight-week program, though.

What do you do for strength training?

Getting Back on the Wagon

Following my half-marathon adventure, I have NOT been motivated to get myself to the gym. It's a valuable lesson I've learned twice in the past year - if there is a hard-and-fast threat in my future, I'll be there, no problem. Without said motivation... not so much. I saw SUCH good results physically and emotionally the two times I stuck with it, I shouldn't have a problem getting myself in gear. But I do anyway!

Although, my snazzy new post-half shoes (Mizuno Wave Inspire 8 in White/Anthracite/Prism Violet) help a lot - they're wonderful!

How do you stay motivated?

Half Marathon, Day 36

32:43
3.64 miles
8'59" pace

Half Marathon, Day 35

30 minutes
That's all I've got - used the treadmill today!

Half Marathon, Day 26

76:34
8.5 miles
9' pace

Fastest 1k, fastest mile, fastest 10k! Woot!

Also, today I hit 100 miles on the streets of the ATL, not to mention the 1 day I used the treadmill and one on the elliptical. They count for something, right?

Half Marathon, Day 25

I'm embarrassed to admit that I injured my neck... while using my garlic press. It happened yesterday morning while I was making James' chili for the Chi O Stew & Brew cook-off, and I feel like such an idiot! I mean, it was a lot of garlic, and I guess the repetitive motion got to me at 8 a.m., but still! I ran ok yesterday, and I actually thought the running loosened it up a bit, but I was w-r-o-n-g wrong. I woke up this morning in such a massive amount of pain that I had to use my hands to help support my head when getting out of bed. After three hours of not moving and taking the heating pad on and off, I finally felt like moving again. But, by the time evening came, I knew I didn't have it in me to run, so I did 60 minutes on the elliptical. I figure low impact elliptical is better for the neck and better than not exercising at all, right? So no mileage or pace, just time:

60 minutes

Half Way! Plus, Mapping the Race

The race website has a PDF of the race map, but it's so abstract, I wanted to know where all I will be running. Many of the streets are close to home, and I'd like to start trying out some of the course, so I mapped it out on Google. It's not quite perfect - over by .2 miles, but it should help as I am planning my ever-growing runs!

View Larger Map

Also, I didn't notice that Friday marked an important day in my training. It was the half-way point - 22 days in, 22 days to go! If training is anything like actually running, the worst of it is over -- do you always feel like the first half of your run or race is the hardest? The good new is that I feel like I've made a lot of progress, but I also know that I have so much more to do. I have only run 65 percent of the total race distance (8.5 miles) at one time thus far, so I know where my biggest opportunity is. I think I'm going to try to do start doing longer runs every other day to build up. I did three longer runs last week, 65, 80 and 80 minutes, and if I can do that again this week but maybe 80 , 80 and 100 (trying to hit 10 miles!), I will be happy with my progress. Just have to keep mentally ahead, that's the hardest part! :)

Half Marathon, Day 24

80 minutes
8.55 miles
9'22" pace

Half Marathon, Day 23

50 minutes
5.5 miles
9'05" pace

Half Marathon, Day 22

60 minutes
6.29 miles
9'32" pace

Half Marathon, Day 21

79 minutes
8.29 miles
9'32" pace

Half Marathon, Day 20

65 minutes
7.01 miles
9'24" pace

I obviously didn't run the last three days, and I have no reason other than pure exhaustion. My body really started fighting me last week -- shin splints, blisters, a sore foot -- and I rested all weekend. Unfortunately, I just do not have the luxury to keep doing that! Instead, I really need to step up my runs this week or I'm never going to make it all 13.1 miles. I am getting comfortable at my pace, so I think I need to start adding time - even if it's only five more minutes a day. Wish me luck!

Half Marathon, Day 16

60 minutes
6.15 miles
9'46" pace

Half Marathon, Day 15

45 minutes
4.61 miles
9'45" pace

Another first today! I ate a bug.

Half Marathon, Day 14

50 minutes
5.61 miles
8'54" pace

I am starting to feel like a real runner, complete with shin splints and ridiculous blisters UNDER the calluses on my big toes (thank you, deformed tendons!). Today, I thought I was going to get two miles from my house and have to call my husband to pick me up because my right shin hurt so bad. It's been aching for a while, even when I am sitting at my desk at work, but it hasn't impacted me like that at the beginning of a run before. I pushed through and made it home after 35 minutes and then decided to at least make it to 45. I actually did 50, and was on pace to set more PRs, but I want to make sure I can run again tomorrow so I called it quits. Now I am contemplating wearing flats to work for a few days to let my leg chill out. I didn't know this race would impact my fashion choices, too!! :)

Half Marathon, Day 13

60 minutes
6.61 miles
9'06" pace
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What a run! My best 1 mile, 5k and 10k times - 8:13, 27:58 and 56:22 - AND my longest run at 6.61 miles. Love it!

Half Marathon, Day 12

60 minutes
6.14 miles
?? pace (darn treadmill!)
The treadmill on the left...

After a f-f-freezing Saturday, I was hurting yesterday and didn't run. I knew I couldn't take two days off, so I sucked it up and ran inside today.

It was terrible. I hope it gets warmer soon!