11 days, 8 hours, 33 minutes...

It's been a long while since I've made a post but it's also been a tough training season for me this fall. I was doing great in the summer in training to qualify for Boston this December and had even ran a 13 miler faster than I needed to with a 8:28 pace. However, as many of you know, life catches up with you sometimes and for me, it did. I had been running with plantar fasciitis over the summer without realizing what it was but once I was diagnosed I gave it a couple weeks to ease up. So that meant no running but I did cycle and do my strength training in the meantime. Then the mother of all pains hit me a week after I started running again, a lower back muscle spasm that was quite intense in pain level that left me on muscle relaxers for a couple weeks just so that I could function. I ended up not running for several weeks, basically all of September and October. I was fully healed by November 7th and I got to work immediately on running with only 5 weeks to get some long runs in. The PF still present might I add. I had to keep my mileage way down from what it was over the summer so I basically did a small run once during the week, cycled the other days, and did one long run on the weekend. My cardio has not had the time to get back up to par like it was in the summer but I can still run the distance, just not at the pace I wanted to. So this year, no BQ, but still a gift from God to allow me to run at all on December 12th. I refused to back out. It's the one race every year I look forward to running and that's the marathon. As a mother, wife, and college student, I don't have as many chances to run a lot of races like I would like to. So the marathon means a lot to me. Plus, it's my last one here in Hawaii so I'm rather nostalgic about the whole thing this time. I have had some crazy ups and downs but grateful to my coach, Mickey, and to God, my ups have always brought me up to the highest point of confidence in myself.

Boston will be mine one day, God just told me I have to wait a little longer and I accept that.

God's speed

Fighting against the odds

So this week I attempted some running. 6 miles one day, then 4 on Friday and 10 today. The 6 and 4 were not bad and neither was the 10 but I can feel the pain coming back in my heel. I ran today a little nervous because yesterday I had shooting pain a few times while I was sitting down. Today I went out strictly for endurance and survival purposes. At mile 2.5 I felt the pain and told myself that I would stop if it happened again but it didn't, so I kept on going for my 10. It felt great to run again and it was a comfortable run no pain or stride being off due to my heel. However, I am doing A LOT of icing to control pain. That being said, I will be visiting with the doctor this week to see what he says (not that I'll listen much I'm sure). I'm not one for going to the doctor anyway and if he tells me to not run for a long time I'm debating when to laugh, before or after I leave the office.

My marathon is in December and it is my last one here in Hawaii and I would hate to bow out. So I figure I will be fighting the odds again this year just like I did last year due to dehydration from medicine. I guess if I get sick I'll just avoid the medicine so I'm at least hydrated and just worry about the PF. ;) I will have to focus on cycling to help keep my cardio in check and pray that I can pull off a long run on weekends and ice the foot the whole week. I know it takes a very long time for PF to heal so I'm hoping to push through enough training to carry me 26.2 miles. I can rest afterwards and I'm sure I will need it after this.

Telling a runner not to run is like telling a baby not to crawl, we do it anyway because we love the adventure it brings us.

Rough road

It's been awhile since my last post and much has happened and "not" happened. School is back in session and keeping me busy as usual as it must. Afterall, knowledge is power. In relation to running though, I'm afraid a BQ will not be in my sights this December unless I pull off some crazy training between now and then which is unlikely due to having plantar fasciitis in my right heel. It was bothering me for some time but I did not know that's what it was until a few weeks ago. So running has tapered but i'm slowly getting back into it this week and so far so good. My month of August and September were tough with some added stress at school. That has been eliminated though and worked out for the best. I had 2 weeks of crazy studying to catch up on other classes, so again, training was halted. For me, my education has to come before running and my family comes before all else.

Now that I am back into the swing of things though I feel so much better and after the past 2 days of running, although short mileage, still has my hopes up for maybe at least a sub 4 marathon this year. If not sub 4 I feel confident that I can do 4:30. I had some great training and cross-training over the summer and I have continued to strength train with weights at the gym and I feel my legs getting stronger each week. At the beginning of my weight training I was pressing 135 on the leg press and I am up to 195 now. That hopefully will increase to 215 in a couple weeks. When I have to take time off from running to allow my PF to subside, I cycle. I'm hoping that after a long run this weekend that I will still be pain free the morning after the run. I ice my heel 3-4 times a day for 30-60 minutes at a time. Basically, any chance I get. I also bought inserts for my running shoes and normal walking sneakers. So far so good. There is still discomfort at times but no limping and it never hurts while running (thank goodness).

The trick for me now is to get the time on feet and get some nice long runs in for endurance and get my cardio conditioning built back up. I'm hoping I can do this within the next 8 weeks. I have a lot to focus on these days, family, moving mid-January, starting to study for MCAT's, college, and soon volunteering my time at hospitals to increase my chances of med school acceptance. A lot on my plate and one heck of a balancing act. However, I know with the support of everyone in my life and most of all, God's help, I can do all these things and excel. I have the two most important reasons in my life to succeed in all that I do, my children.

Until next time, keep the feet kicking high and love life on the road/trail, whatever your fancy!

Back from quad healing time

So this week was my first week back from taking some time off to let my right quad have some rest time. I had a pinch that wouldn't quit so I just worked on upper body and core for two weeks. I logged 64 miles this week, 29 of them running, rest cycling. I had to keep the mileage low this week to ease back into the groove of things. After the antsy time off I was happy to get back into a routine. School starts for me the 23rd so my running days are only Tues, Thurs, Sat, and Sundays now with long runs on Sunday. Crosstraining will be Tues and Thurs at the gym after I do my morning run of speedwork on those two days. I'm going to have a hectic schedule this semester so I hold my body and mind hold up.

I've started taking a vitamin to help out, B complex with Vit C and it seems to have helped by keeping me from having the need for a nap. I've also made my own mix of smoothie since the store bought ones tend to turn my stomach. I use 2 bananas, ice, some apple juice, and dumped 1 1/2 scoops of whey and a scoop of my recoverite in it. Tastes great and it makes about 24 oz so I drink the whole thing.

My pace at the beginning of the week was a cautious one hanging around the 9-9:30 range but by Thursday I was off like a prom dress again. Saturday I had my best 5 miles ever with an avg pace of 8:22. My long run though still needs work. The pace is there but I have to get my body used to it so I can stop the breaks. It weighs on my mind for race day but I still have 4 months to go so I'm not getting too mental about it. Instead, I'm trying to figure out how to overcome it. Today's long run was short by 3 miles but still went well, avg pace 8:30, but...with 4 breaks. That's not going to take me to a BQ... not unless I can keep cooking along at that pace. Just something I have to work on. I get to start strength training for my legs again this Thursday so hopefully after a couple weeks I will notice less stopping.

Other than that I'm doing pretty good and staying on top of my core workouts. My planks are just over 3 minutes now and I always hold the position to see how much longer I can handle it. I made it to 3:30 once. Yoga is working nicely for me. I enjoy it and the way it makes my muscles feel after a run or at the end of my day is nice. A nice good stretch for me.

Tomorrow I get a nice med deep tissue massage that my body is in much need of and I cannot wait! I haven't had one since my groin injury last year! My muscles will be thanking me, well, until I have to do Fartleks on Tuesday morning...

Overall, successful week, now on to the next one and hopefully better!

I live. I dream. I run.

2 week update

It's been a couple weeks since my last post mainly due to a horrid hormonal week that left me full of lead when running. This week I did all my run except for Friday due to a very sore right quad from lunges.

Anyway, I'll skip the hormonal week because nothing good EVER happens that week. I just run what my body will allow. However, this past week was okay but could have been better. My fartleks went really well and for the first time I extended the intervals to 6 minutes. THAT was hard! My goal for fast pace is always to be a full minute below MGP which is 8:35, so I aim for a 7-8 range on fartleks. This week, I did it! Even for the 6 minute interval! Grant it I thought my legs would fall off, but hey, that will get better in time. :) This weeks long run was a little tough though, not sure why yet. It was hot even before the sun came up and I didn't take an endurolyte. I didn't have my garmin working so I had no idea of my pace. My first 8 miles were great but I may have been going too fast because I started to fizzle...then my legs started to tighten up and the last 3 miles I had a side stitch again and had to stop and go. It just wouldn't go away this time.

I've been a little shakey on confidence again about qualifying for Boston in December but I think that is due to just a bad 2 weeks of running. Some things I just can't control but I need to get my spunk back into my runs. That needs to happen this next week. That WILL happen this next week. I've broken through to my marathon pace now I have to work hard to extend the miles with it. Hard and tough for me but I'm far from being a quitter and will push my body as hard as it can go. Slacking off is not an option and neither is quitting. Time to shove off the bad runs again and focus on what I know I can do!

This next week will be a no fail week.

May God give me speed, strength, and endurance!

My highest mileage week ever!

So this past week was intimidating a little because I have never ran 56 miles in 6 days. The most I've done is 42. I just took it day by day, massaged, ate well, and rested while I could. I had to do 2 TM runs, one 10 miler and one 8 miler fartleks. Both a bit boring for me but I did it. I had speedwork pretty much all week so by the time I had Friday's fartleks I had to walk out the last quarter mile but my fast pace was pretty good, 7:15-8:30, slow pace 9:30. I welcomed a leisurely 4 mile run Saturday although I had considered not running it. I'm glad I did though. I had a goal for the week and I wanted to met it. Today's long run was a little tougher than last weekend because I had a lot of miles on my feet already and I was not really mentally ready. I decided to mind trick myself into thinking the run wasn't 16 miles but that meant running up a 2 mile incline. The last 4 miles was run/walk and the last mile was an all out walk due to right hamstring discomfort. Luckily all is better now after an ice bath and shower. I did well the other days with my running and held my MP when I had to and made sure to take it easy on runs that I was told to.

My nutrition has improved with an increase in protein, more fruit, and more raw veggies. My weight has stayed the same but my measurements have decreased. However, the weight stabilization could be due to the increase muscle in my quads and hamstrings that are noticeable now. Yay!

Another week = a week of success. Next week a little less mileage and a little easier with the pace to give the legs a break. It's going to be another good month! Last month I logged 148 miles, my most in a month ever. I look forward to July!

I live. I dream. I run.

"Livin on a Prayer"

I titled this week such because that song happened to be playing my last mile today. Mile 13, "halfway there" to a BQ. Last weekend was one with self doubt but I had set my mind to go with my heart for this week. Well, it worked. My brain and legs are finally working together in the same direction--speed! Every single run this week was either at or below my MGP of 8:35 and that is WITH warm ups. I did hills and flats on each run and did about 8:20-8:35 going up and around 7-7:30 going back down and once I went down my legs seemed to want to keep the pace and I hung around a 8-8:15 most of the time. Each run I challenged myself with adding miles and keeping the momentum. Challenge complete! Today was my long run of 13 miles and I was 20 seconds below my time needed for a full marathon. Pace of 8:33...WITH 2 miles warm-up...
I am still overwhelmed and still trying to soak it all in. A BQ finally feels within my reach. Now to work harder and keep that pace and get these legs even stronger! I do have to stop periodically but I try to keep the stop no more than 30 seconds but I know eventually that will subside and I'm sure if I ran a half marathon race right now I would probably keep on trucking to the finish on sheer adrenaline.

I've fixed my nutrition this week as well which has helped me to recover immensely each day. No more breads or pastas or even a sweet snack. All energy fuel for my body. I'm helping the banana companies a lot... Each night I have been massaging my quads and hamstrings with Hammer balm and then using my happy stick to get the entire leg. It feels great and refreshes my legs. I've been staying on top of my protein intake and taking my tissue rejuvenator's regularly.

I've also found the perfect match for my feet, FINALLY! My Brooks Ghost 2's and balega socks. No blisters and I still have all my toenails!

I don't know what else to say except that I am extremely happy about my breakthrough in my running. I have been saying a short prayer just before every run this week. What can I say?

God is listening. A little faith, prayer, and courage goes a long way.