Ahead of Schedule

Last week's training called for 3.5 miles on Tuesday and Thursday, then 5.5 on Saturday or Sunday. I used Monday last week to redeem myself on last weekend's 5 miler, so I ran on Wednesday too. I think my legs are finally getting the hang of the new style of running. I still go back and forth between the balls of my feet and not. I think I can do this!

I went and ran on Sunday with some of the slower girls in our training group. It's so nice to have someone to train with and keep you going. Only problem is that I was torn between keeping my own pace and keeping with the girls. I finally had to tell myself to do what I have to do. Luckily one of them stayed with me too. The other girls are involved in a training plan with the local marathon training group, and their plan is based on time--mine is based on miles. They had to do 1:10 and I had 5.5 miles. We started off not knowing what distance/time we were going to run. The other girls were just going to see how they felt. The trail we took is a towpath trail along the river, so it was an out-and-back. We ended up turning around at 3 miles (not sure of the time, though) and doing a total of 6 miles, in 1:06. It was an 11:03 pace, which is great for us/me for a long run. So, I'm a week ahead of schedule in my training but I'm cool with that. We'll see how things go, I might need an rest week in there somewhere :)

This week is a stepback week. I have 3 miles on the schedule for Tuesday and Thursday, then a 5k race on the weekend. I haven't done a 5k in a while, so I'm pretty excited to see what I can do.

I also won a workout DVD from Fit Bottomed Mommas (thank you!). It was a Biggest Loser At-Home Challenge. I've done it twice already and really like the concept. There are 5 minutes of warm up, 10 minutes of Phase 1 Cardio, 10 minutes of Phase 1 Strength Training, then 10 minutes of Phase 2 Cardio, then 10 minutes of Phase 2 Strength, then 5 minute cool down. I was really sore after day 1, but I'm really starting to like it. It might become my "off day" training.

Redemption Runs Rock!

This last weekend's run was a disaster. I was supposed to run 5 miles. I went about 10am on Saturday and was pretty excited. I was going myself and was actually pretty excited. I put on my trail shoes to get traction in the 1/2 inch of snow and set out. I was feeling pretty good and running on the balls of my feet as much as I could. Unfortunately this was probably a mistake. I was going to go out 1.5 miles, turn around and go past the car for a mile, then come back. At the 2 mile point, I was in so much pain in my calves that I couldn't go any further. I tried leaning back on my feet, but then my ankle hurt. Both types of pain hurt so bad that I couldn't run anymore. I walked the next mile back to my car... in the mean time I was determined not to give up on the mileage, just the run. I was going to do 5 miles somehow but it would just take longer. I stopped at the car to text hubby and let him know I'd be a little longer than planned and told him why. My frustration got to me and I locked my keys in my car. Luckily I still had the phone with me. Texted hubby and told him I'd need the spare key in about a 1/2 hour. I ended up finished the 5 miles with several unsuccessful attempts to run.

Today I had 3.5 miles on the schedule. It was 58 degrees, on January 31st so I took advantage of the beautiful day. It was a little windy but I was bound and determined to re-do the run from Saturday. I had my route picked and everything. This time, I went back and forth between running on the balls of my feet and running more flat-footed. I tried to do more on the balls of my feet but when my calves started to hurt, I'd fall to flat-footed and run like that for a while. Unfortunately my ankle was bothering me but I pushed through it. I wanted to quit so bad, but I I did it! 5 miles in the bag! Yes! It felt so good!

If I can do it, you can do it too. Set your mind to complete your goal and you can do it!

Changed Form and PT

I've been getting antsy while trying to NOT run before I went to PT this week. It's a new year and our running group has a weight loss challenge going. Running has been a great source of weight loss for me and I've been anxious to get back to it. Tuesday last week I decided to give it a go again. It was a nice day so I ran outside. I was able to eke out one mile and was disappointed. I walked for 1/4 mile than decided to attempt running again, despite the pain in my ankle. But this time, I thought I might try the proper running form. See, I've never actually been taught how to run or had someone study my form. I've been told that you're supposed to run on the balls of your feet towards your toes but I've never paid any attention to it since it worked for me the way I was running (probably landing flat footed). Once I started running again, the ankle was pain-free while I ran on my toes. My calves were killing me, but in a good way.

Then I decided to run a second day during the week, which has always been my downfall with the ankle. Thursday, I did the same thing, correcting my running form and other than the calf pain, I felt great! My ankle was virtually pain-free. Same thing on Sunday when I ran. I was able to run 3 miles, 3 days this week. I'm ecstatic! Perfect timing because it's the first week of my half marathon training plan.

Today I saw a PT for my ankle pain. I explained to him what I was feeling, when and where. He poked and prodded, twisted and turned, I walked and balanced. It appears my Achilles' tendon on my right leg is tighter than the other one and not as flexible. On top of that, my right leg seemed a bit shorter, but turns out my hip was rotated back, making it appear to be shorter and out of alignment. He did some adjustments for that, gave me some stretches and strengthening exercises and gave me the okay to run on my own. I go back next week and hopefully things will get better and continue to improve.

By the way, the foam roller is awesome. My calves were killing me after Thursday's run. I didn't do anything about it but after Sunday's run I used the foam roller. Less than 10 minutes, but it worked wonders! No lasting effects from the run. We'll see what tomorrow's run brings.

Happy New Year!

This New Years' Eve has gotten me thinking back over the past year and what I've accomplished. I ran 610 recorded miles in 2010, way up from last year. I ran my first half marathon, my first triathlon, encouraged one sister and my brother to run their first 5k's, but the thing I'm most proud of is that I've gained a sense of self-confidence that I never had before. I doubted myself every step of the way in my training, but in the end I set my mind to do something and saw it through and completed it. I will probably still doubt myself in future endeavors but deep down I know I can do whatever I set my mind to. That is amazing to me.

What will 2012 bring? I don't know, but I'm excited to find out!

No Real Updates

So, last week I was scheduled to see my primary doctor so I thought I'd ask her about seeing a PT for my ankle. In order to get a good idea of how it felt, I decided to run on it to see how it felt. I ran on Tuesday last week, on the treadmill. I did 3 miles, with virtually no pain. It was awesome. I knew I wasn't out of the woods yet though. The true test would be running more than one day in a week. So, my next scheduled run was for Thursday, which I did at the group run, held by one of our local running stores. My usual loop is 3 miles, and I was pushing a jogging stroller. A started feeling it about 1 1/2 miles in but made myself keep running to the two mile mark. Then I remembered and I didn't want to push it and injure myself anymore. I walked for about a 1/10 of a mile and saw some of the other runners nearby. I have to admit that I didn't want them to see me walking, so I picked it up again and ran the rest of the three miles. It felt pretty good, but I'm nervous now. I haven't run since, and haven't been running my long runs on the weekends. This week, because of the holidays, it's been a bit crazy but I hope to to go back again soon. I'm off work with the kids this week, so finding time to go out has been a bit difficult and the rest of the week is booked, so we'll see. I may have to get up early and do a DVD or video workout in the meantime...

Here's hoping it's healing. I will be scheduling PT though, hopefully to strengthen the ankle though.

Race update and Major Disappointment

I've been a slacker on this blog big time... I'd be surprised if I still have any followers.

The Turkey Trot went okay. I was able to run the whole time. I wasn't trying to PR, although I would have liked to. My ankle had been bothering me and it was the first time in 2+ weeks that I'd run. I did well, less than a minute off my PR. I could definitely feel the ankle by the end though.

The week after Thanksgiving I started a weight loss challenge with some girls at work. Nothing at stake, other than bragging rights. Perfect timing because of all the holiday parties... the challenge will last up until Christmas... harsh, I know, but I think twice now when I go for those cookies or those treats someone brought in.

It was also perfect timing because my training for my second half marathon was scheduled to start. Unfortunately, the ankle has been bothering me so bad that I can barely eek out a mile on the training runs. It's time to go see someone. I've got an appointment with my PCP next week and will get a referral. Hopefully I can see a PT soon and get this taken care of. Then I can resume my training. In the meantime the elliptical and I have become better friends. I've been doing as much as I can on the elliptical at the Y so I can pick up my training where I should be when I'm given the okay, or I feel I've rested it enough that it heals.

I'll update on here as much as I can. Hopefully I can keep going with the exercising I've been doing.

Oh yeah, and I'm down 5.5 pounds since Thanksgiving. It's amazing how much my pants fit better with just losing those 5.5 pounds! Doesn't sound like the other girls are doing as well, but I feel really good about myself and have more energy too! I'd like to lose at least another 10 but I'd be happy with 5 more...

Tendonitis Again?

I went to see my Athletic Trainer at work today because of my ankle/calf issues. Bottom line is, he thinks it's tendonitis and wants me to take some time off. I'm not sure that I can do it. I get ansty and get bored with the bike and elliptical. I do have to say that I didn't even make it one day. It's November but it was 70 degrees in NW Ohio, so I really wanted to exercise outside today. Since I go right from work, it was either walking or running. Running gets the job done more for me so I started off running but didn't even make it 3/4 of a mile before I was in so much pain and couldn't continue.

I'm scheduled to run a Turkey Trot on Thanksgiving so hopefully I can rest before then and go out on Thanksgiving and give it m all, hopefully healed. I don't know how I'm going to do it. I'm too antsy and want to get out and run! Any advice on how to stay inactive or how to make ankle tendonitis heal magically fast? :)

2 Race Updates

It's been a while and I've done two 5k races since I wrote last. The first one was really special to me for more than one reason. It was the Red Ribbon Run, which was my first 5k I ever ran, 2 years ago. When I did that race 2 years ago, my time was 40:16, and I ran it with a good friend of mine, who got me into running (love ya, girl!). This year, I was running it with my sister, her 2nd 5k ever, first without pushing a jogging stroller. Two days before our 34th birthday (yes, "our" birthday--we're twins), I got a PR on this race! My time was 29:26, which was a PR by 12 seconds! In two years, I took 11 minutes off my time. Sweet! I'm still pretty slow, but I don't even care about that anymore.

The next race was the following weekend. I wasn't even planning on running it, but it was a 5k that my work put on as a fundraiser for our charity we chose this year. It's a trail run and since I had done the RRR the week before, I was going to let hubby run this one while I stayed with the kids. Things turned out differently than planned and I was able to run. Surprisingly enough, my time was 30:33, which is amazing since it was a trail run. I was really happy with that time. It was fun too, since we had a costume contest and other happenings.

Making a Comeback?

I've been struggling through some ankle problems lately. My right outer ankle has been hurting about a half mile into my runs. I took last week off, hoping it'll help since I'm supposed to be running another 5k this weekend with my sister (no strollers this time--yay!) Well, on Saturday, we were out of town and I was going to take it easy and do a nice slow mile/mile and a half run. Well, things were going so well that I ended up knocking out a 3 mile run! It wasn't pain-free, but it definitely felt better than it did before.

Today I was curious to see what would happen. Unfortunately it was raining outside so I had to run on the treadmill. That worried me with my ankle, but I managed to eke out 2.5 miles. After the first mile, I took a little walking break, less than a quarter of a mile then started running again and ran the rest of the way. I stopped to walk mostly because I had a stomach cramp I couldn't shake. I usually breathe through them, but today I was a little self conscious in the gym with someone walking right next to me, so I didn't want to breathe too heavily and look silly. I know, that's a crazy thing to worry about, but the walking break seemed to help get rid of it though.

Is this a comeback? My ankle still is a little tight/sore (I can't really explain what the pain is or what is causing it), mostly after I run, but these last two runs have felt better. I don't know what my speed will be like on Saturday, but I will definitely be able to run again! I can't wait!

4 miles today

I was supposed to get up early today and run before #1's cross country meet, but it had been raining and I could hear the wind blowing like crazy. Yeah, I turned my alarm off. Anyone who really knows me, knows I'll find any excuse to not get up and to sleep in. Hubby and #1 went to the cross country meet themselves so I stayed home with #2 and #3. The schedule worked out that when they got home, hubby went for a bike ride, and when he got back I went for a run.

The wind was still blowing pretty strongly and as small as I am, I was afraid that I would blow away :) I ended up driving over to the towpath along the river and ran out there. It's blocked by trees there so it wasn't windy at all down there.

I went out knowing that I had more time than I usually do on the weekdays so I wanted to do more than 3 miles. It was an out-and-back, so I my plan was to go out two miles and come back the two (mentally, I would have like to do more, but I didn't have THAT much time). At the mile and a half mark, my ankle was really starting to bother me. I was going to ignore it and work through the pain, but it started to hurt upon impact. So at the two mile turnaround I stopped and stretched the ankle. After that it was fine but I had to take it slower on the way back. I ended up do the four miles in 44:08. A lot slower than the first half pace was but I got through it.

Wish I knew what was the problem. This ankle has been bothering me for a while now. I know it's not the shoes because it hurt before I got these new shoes... any ideas?