Running with Resolve: January Runs

[indysteel]

Ugh; I just had my worst run in a few months. I ran after a yoga class. That may have been mistake number one. I do better if I ran first thing or a couple of hours after lunch. Then I overdressed for 56 degrees. That was mistake number two. Third mistake is that I've been a bit undermedicated for my thyroid, so my HR is a bit elevated. Oh well, tomorrow's another day.

[Tri Girl]

Today I did a virtual half marathon with my husband and one other friend. We did the Sandy Hook Memorial virtual half. I signed up online, printed my bib and the money went to the United Way Sandy Hook victims fund. It was super cold at the start (temps were 21*F with a wind chill of 5*F and a stiff north wind). It didn't matter, tho. It wasn't speedy, but that wasn't the point of this run. At each half mile I would look down at my bib and say one name to the beat of my breathing and footstrikes for that whole half mile. No music and no distractions today. Just 27 angels running with me in a pack and keeping me company. When it was "their" half mile- I imagined them coming to the front to run beside me. I imagined the kids smiling and happy and in a place where love abounds and happiness is always just a glance away. I saw the faces of my own students and faculty as we ran. It was the most peaceful and beautiful run I've ever had.
The Lego Duplo block was what I made for the 15 people who RSVP'd on FB to run with me. I thought the blocks were a great symbolism for the kids and their innocence. Only 3 of us braved the cold, tho.


Oh, and I finally figured out my blood pressure meds. I figured it out in that I stopped taking them. I was off them for 3 days while I was waiting on her to call me back. While off them, I monitored my BP in the mornings and in the evenings and it was below 120/85 most every time. That is within the safe zone, so I'm going to count it good and try to stay off them. And no, I didn't bother to discuss this with my doc. I'm not sure she has a clue anyway after talking with her about it over the phone (I seemed to know more about the differences between ACE inhibitors and Calcium channel blockers than she did). I think the dizziness I was experiencing when first switching to the Lisinopril was because my BP was too low. Yep, just call me Dr. Trigirl (and watch me slowly kill myself). I'll talk to the real doc (not the PA) about it when I go in next time.

[Crankin]

Good work, Tri Girl.
I did a measly 30 minutes on the treadmill, 3 minutes running, 2 minutes walking. I upped my speed on every interval, until the last one was at 6.2. I can't tell you how hard it is for me to run for 3 minutes at any speed. It just never seems to get easier for me, but I keep doing it, albeit, sporadically.

[Tri Girl]

I did a measly 30 minutes on the treadmill, 3 minutes running, 2 minutes walking. I upped my speed on every interval, until the last one was at 6.2. I can't tell you how hard it is for me to run for 3 minutes at any speed. It just never seems to get easier for me, but I keep doing it, albeit, sporadically.

Measly nothing! Intervals are hard on the treadmill!!! I'm the same way- it never gets easier, I just keep plugging away. Great job!

[indysteel]

Wow; that's great, Tri Girl. Good on you! And good job Crankin! I can relate to how you feel. It's gotten a bit easier this winter, but last winter, running was rough. I never felt like I made any progress. And the only reason that I feel like I made some progress this winter is that I slowed down my average pace by a about 20-30 seconds a mile. It doesn't sound a huge difference, but it's been the difference between me having to stop every 15 minutes or so and being able to run straight through. I still have a lot of progress I want to make in terms of distance, but I'm okay with that pace for now. Mentally, it's the stopping and starting that bums me out the most.

I ran 4 miles yesterday. It was about 24 degrees and I was sporting my new Sporthill (pun intended) Saga tights. I was slightly underwhelmed in that I was expecting them to be a bit toastier. They weren't much warmer, and somewhat less comfortable, than my Sugoi Sub Zeros. I'm increasingly resigned to the fact that I'm just going to have to double up my layers for temps that cold. Or run faster.....

[OakLeaf]

TriGirl, that brought a tear to my eye...

I'm still pretty up in the air. Turns out it isn't my plantar fascia, it's my Achilles right where it attaches underneath the heel. I got that acupuncture needle right in it after all ... which wasn't nearly as bad as I'd been dreading, though it did feel pretty bruised for the better part of 24 hours. Slathering with Traumeel and saran wrap, 20 minutes of electrical stimulation a day, and it seems to be healing nicely, touch wood.

Everything else is on the right track, too. Keeping hope alive in spite of really needing more mileage than I've been able to safely build. I did almost 11 today, most I've done since my heel went out, and I had almost zero numbness in my legs during the run, hardly any popping in my neck afterward; chest, shoulders and arms are better than they've been. 89 days and counting - it could still happen. I <3 my acupuncture doctor/all-around sports med guy.

[Crankin]

Bed is still open, Oak.

[indysteel]

My fingers and toes are crossed for you, Oak!

[Artista]

Oak, what are you working towards in 89 days?

[OakLeaf]

Boston Marathon. I actually qualified after I originally got hurt, but before the injuries snowballed. Still keeping my fingers crossed.

Thanks Crankin. I'll PM you in a day or two. And thanks Indy.

[Artista]

Goodness, Oak...I remembered that you qualified for something big but couldn't remember which one it was. Sending healing wishes your way.

[katluvr]

This weekend I'm doing a 5K and 10K. Do this race every year and love the combo. We have been having spring like weather here, but it always gets cold the weekend of this race. This year is no different but it just appears to be more seasonable. Last couple of years this has been the 5K I've managed to break the sub 30 min in the 5k (yes, I'm not very speedy). Not sure that will happen this year. I ran an easy paced 6.2 miles yesterday in this wonderful spring weather, walking a bit along the water front to just enjoy! Plan to try and up my pace tomorrow for about 3 miles in preparation for this weekend!

K

[skhill]

Well, I completely overslept this morning, so missed out on my run. Probably needed an unscheduled rest day anyway. But yesterday, the ice sent me to the treadmill, where I managed 4 miles in 32:06. Oh so close to that 8 minute mile...

[Artista]

I'm just starting to run again after a 6 week hiatus to let my ankle heal after having hardware removed. I discovered trail running the week before surgery. Running on trails is so enjoyable that I can't imagine ever running on pavement again.

I managed 2.3 miles yesterday of run/walk. Have to ease back into constant running while the bones continue to strengthen. I now have enough additional range of motion in my ankle to run UP hills without knee pain.

It's hard to believe that the woman who despised beginning running last February now looks forward to it

[skhill]

Welcome back, arista!

As it's looking to be bitterly cold on Monday, I did my traditional MLK day run today. Started off running the length of my city's MLK Ave., then wound my way back home going past assorted sites with connections to local black history. This time that included 6 historic African-American churches, one of which has a hidey-hole in the bell tower that sheltered passengers on the underground railroad. On the depressing side, went past the site of a slave jail and the auction blocks (separate ones for house and field slaves). On the more positive side, I also included 4 schools that were part of the colored school system and the site of another, and did a quarter mile on the track at the old colored high school. Wound up the run going by a new elementary school named for William Wells Brown, the first African-American novelist who happened to have been born here (as a slave) and the cemetary. It was just shy of 7 miles, and that pretty much ignored the sites on the east side of town. It was not a fast run at all, as I stopped to read a lot of historical markers. Local history and running, what a great combination!