New Year of Running - 1/1/11 - 1/15/11

[OakLeaf]

I'll start!

I'm feeling better little by little, and I probably would've been dealing with the heat and humidity better today if last night hadn't been New Year's Eve. Not that I partied all that hard or stayed up all that late, and in fact our celebration wound up including a 2.5 mile walk under the stars with some friends, but just enough alcohol that I know about it today.

Just 3.7 today, but I'm really grateful I'm able to run at all. It isn't really a "resolution," because I hope to be back on the bike within a week, or two at the most, but I plan to use my time on IR to develop better running discipline.

[limewave]

Started off the New Year with a PR. 7:59/mile for the 10k distance!

[OakLeaf]

Wow Lime, that's terrific! Congratulations.

[HillSlugger]

I start my new triathlon training plan on Monday with a 3 mile, easy run.

[7rider]

I really need to sign up for an event so I can have some training with a focus. That worked so well for me for the Celtic Solstice race and I have been aimless and lazy since. My friend Pam dragged me out for 4 flat miles today. My first run (I did walk 2.5 recently) outside since the race.

But this "okay, I'll run twice a week to maintain form and fitness" just won't cut it for me. Part of it is the lack of motivation to wake up at 5:30 to go for a morning run in the dark. Why????

So if any MD folks know of any good 5k or 5-milers in - oh, say mid-March, let me know!!

[indigoiis]

Hi all... I had a great week. I raced yesterday, the "hangover classic" and got 4th in my age group. It was my third best race pace (8:24) and I think/KNOW I can do better. But I'm still fairly happy with it as 3rd in my age group was 7:35! Today I did 6 at 9:04 with hills. 98% of my issues are in my head, I know. Well that and the 10 lbs I could stand to lose. LOL.
Off tomorrow but will probably ride to the bus.

[indigoiis]

Oh yeah, 7 I forgot to mention I like your reference to the song from Godspell - I knew it immediately as I read it!

[OakLeaf]

3.8, plus a quarter-mile walk break after 3. I'm still feeling pretty beat up. The spot below my sternum was bothering me today even without the HR strap - not sure if the bra band irritates it (no going without that), or if it's the movements of running themselves.

I've looked at anatomy charts but I really can't figure out what it is that I bruised in there. I'm guessing the pleura - I feel it in my lungs/bronchi/throat, but I'm not having any coughing or trouble breathing that would suggest the lungs themselves are bruised.

[colby]

I did go for a run yesterday, 4 miles or so with my dog. It has been very cold here, highs in the single to low double digits (F), not really inspiring for running and I was avoiding the treadmill as my Ironman training season begins, well, today, and I hate to use up my tolerance on optional days It was sunny and a crisp but comfortable 20 degrees when we went out.

We're back in the 20s now and insulated with clouds for a few days (the clear sky and sun FEELS warmer but doesn't do much for the temperature overnight). Hopefully some of the ice melts, it's a little treacherous right now. We basically had 10-14" of snow in less than 24 hours and then it got very cold, they plowed most things in the middle of the snow but anything left on the ground froze up and temps too cold to thaw it (or it just re-freezes overnight into a new less attractive shape). Yuck.

[GLC1968]

Great job limewave and indgoiis!

I did my first run of 2011 today. 4.95 miles in 54 minutes. It felt pretty comfortable and I'm looking forward to another 3-4 miles tomorrow.

[indigoiis]

Oak - have you ever had any lumps removed? I did, right at the bra line, years ago, and have scar tissue there now (it's amazing how much scar tissue for the tiniest little incision) and I found it helpful to snip the elastic on all my bras in 4 places: between the girls, under each arm, and in the middle of the back. I snip it only up to the seam - not all the way through. Works wonders.

I had a scheduled 4 miler today. I felt klunky. The line from "Elf" kept playing in my head, "let's face it. I'm just a cotton-headed ninny muggins." That's kind of how I felt. Plus, it was 20 degrees for the first time in days, we went out later than I wanted to so there were more cars (and I hate cars. I don't know why but the headlights bother me - the way they sloowwwwwly drive by - even though I'm lit up like Vegas) and of course, when I'm slow and running with Tom, I feel like I'm really slowing him down. It makes me kind of pissy. All in all a 1 out of 5 on the joy scale. I told him tomorrow I need to run the intervals scheduled by myself.

[skhill]

Had an unexpected moment on this morning's run-- while passing an elementary school, the crossing guard stopped traffic for me. Nice!

5 miles, including a couple laps on the track at the former high school, and it felt like a slog. I think I was going too fast... but I find it hard to slow down when it's so cold.

[katluvr]

I haven't been here for a while. Running has been intermittant, but I have kept up a few runs through the holidays.
Goal was to run 5 miles on New Years day...let's just say I celebrated a bit too much and hand a long walk instead. So Jan. 2nd was a slow and easy 7 miler. Longest run since my 1/2back in Nov. I am planning on bumping up to 9 tomorrow. Again nice and slow. My next 1/2 in Feb will be at an easy pace with my sister, so just trying to log miles and work off holiday pounds. I have a semi-training schedule on the fridge!
It was muggy and warm this weekend. I did like the cool/cold (for FL) morning runs I did in Dec, but hate the cool/cold days. Tomorrow should be 50's.
K

[OakLeaf]

@Indigo - thanks, but no, this is directly below my sternum. I don't even know whether it's properly "chest" or "abdomen." Diaphragm, pleura, fascia, I really don't know, but it pulls and irritates my lungs rather than hurting on the surface.

I took a pretty hard shot there. I remember everything except the actual moment of impact (which, that moment of traumatic amnesia is normal for me), but I was pretty dazed and don't have a good sense of the passage of time - but anyway, when the squad got there they put me on oxygen. I didn't feel like I needed it by then, but maybe I was still having trouble breathing when they first got there, however long that was.

It's been long enough that I am frustrated - two weeks today - but I know from experience how long soft tissue injuries take to heal, and I can't realistically expect to be all healed up "inside" when I still have a few scabs and visible bruising on my hands. I'm just reallyreallyreally thankful it wasn't worse. And that I run, because from the half-pecan-sized lump that will be on my chin for a while yet, I might've broken my neck if I didn't have good bones.

So anyway, I just did two miles today, for the sake of getting out there and sweating and the "discipline" I mentioned before.

[limewave]

@Indigo - thanks, but no, this is directly below my sternum. I don't even know whether it's properly "chest" or "abdomen." Diaphragm, pleura, fascia, I really don't know, but it pulls and irritates my lungs rather than hurting on the surface.

I took a pretty hard shot there. I remember everything except the actual moment of impact (which, that moment of traumatic amnesia is normal for me), but I was pretty dazed and don't have a good sense of the passage of time - but anyway, when the squad got there they put me on oxygen. I didn't feel like I needed it by then, but maybe I was still having trouble breathing when they first got there, however long that was.

It's been long enough that I am frustrated - two weeks today - but I know from experience how long soft tissue injuries take to heal, and I can't realistically expect to be all healed up "inside" when I still have a few scabs and visible bruising on my hands. I'm just reallyreallyreally thankful it wasn't worse. And that I run, because from the half-pecan-sized lump that will be on my chin for a while yet, I might've broken my neck if I didn't have good bones.

Could you have possibly knocked out one of your ribs? I'm just throwing it out there. Some of my ribs get pulled out and I have to have them popped back in. It makes it very difficult to run and sometimes bike when they are out. It hurts to breathe and aches.