So I have gone to 5 Physical Therapy sessions now. I really like the therapist, he is very nice and listens to me. You know that is hard to find these days. I normally do about 30 minutes of calf strengthening, 5 minutes of stretching and then about 10 minutes of an excruciating massage. He didn't do the massage the first two sessions. He tricked me. He didn't start with the massage until this past week. He said, "oh, today we are going to do a small tissue massage." Wow....great, that sounds good. Um...yeah.....not so much. It hurts SOOOOOOO bad! I clinch my hands on the pillow so bad, so as to not scream, that they hurt. But he is working out the knots, etc. and it is needed. So I endure. Have I mentioned I will do whatever it takes to run? :)
He has been made well aware of the goal as well. He knows I am trying hard to train for the 1/2 marathon at the end of March. He is working with me to meet that goal. But the other day he asked me something, just off the cuff. I was saying once again how much I want to run and he said, "what if you were told you can't ever run again?" I just sat there with a blank look on my face. He hadn't ever given an indication that my injury was that bad so I don't think he was trying to hint to something. I think instead he was telling me to chill out, in not so many words. That it won't be the end of the world if I can't run that Half in March, and that it is better than not being able to run anymore.
My progress has been going well for the most part. On Tuesday I was going to run 25 minutes straight, for the 2nd time, but ended up running 30 minutes bc it felt so good. My calf wasn't hurting so I went with it. But when I tried to run 30 minutes again on Thursday I couldn't. I stopped at 25 minutes bc my calf was getting tight. Hmmm....that's not good. But maybe after all I had put it thru that week (2 PT sessions (including the massages that have left bruises on my legs) and 1 30 min run) I wore it out. Plus now the shin splints are coming back. I feel like I am starting all over again.
Would you believe that I drove to PT on Friday morning at 10am when all the ice was on the ground and Houston was freaking out? The Dr called me and said he was up there and if I wanted to come I could. I really wanted to just lay in bed and get up late but I pulled myself out of bed.
I told the Dr about my run Thursday and he agreed it may just be fatigued. I told him I wanted to start running mileage on Saturday's and was going to start this Sat with 3 miles. So he decided to do the normal calf exercises and massage. Good thing was the he mentioned during the massage that the knot in my calf is decreasing. WOOHOO.....maybe I won't have to do that much longer.
I went for my 3 mile run toda
y. I want to report that it was great, my calf felt great the whole time and I breezed through it. But I can't. Unfortunately after about the 2nd mile my calf started tightening up and had a slight twinge in it. Something the Dr said was a sign to stop. I am getting so sick of this. I am so frustrated and am just throwing my hands up going, "WHY?" Am I ever going to be able to run again? When is this going to be over?
That's pretty much where I am at right now. I am not giving up though. I will go to the Dr on Wednesday and let him know what's going on and go from there. I am just starting to realize my goal of running at the end of March may not happen. Once again I may have to swallow my pride and back out. But I have to continue to do what is good for my health. Even though it SUCKS!
One thing I am looking forward to though, my silver lining you could say, is swim lessons on Tuesday. I start weekly 30-minute private swim lessons this week to learn how to properly swim. It should be very interesting. But I need to learn how to swim with my head in the water, I was taught side to side, and correct form. All in preparation for the indoor tri in a month. So at least I have that to look forward to. Plus I just registered for Warrior Dash, super excited for that.
February 5, 2011
February 3, 2011
I Came.....I Saw.....I Spectated
The big day was here. The Houston Aramco Half Marathon and Chevron Marathon was upon us.
When I made the decision to not run this race I dreaded calling Andi to tell her. We started this together and we planned to finish it together. I knew she would be very understanding though, I just hoped she had the courage to still run it. To my satisfaction she said "oh, well yeah, I am still running it." I immediately told her I would be right there by her side at the beginning of the race, in the middle of the race and of course at the finish line. Of course thinking to myself, "are you sure you can do this? be at the race that you were supposed to run, that you deserved to run, and not cry the entire time?" But it was may more important to me to be there and support a friend than to worry about a few tears. Plus it will be neat to experience a race as a spectator and not a runner. A running friend of mine, who is also injured, said, "oh Jaime, you will love it. You will see how much they need for you to cheer them on, in their eyes." She said she goes to races all the time to cheer the runners on, when she is not running, in cheerleading outfit and all. :)
As I watched the weather forecast for the race I thought, hmmmm.....is it better to run in the rain or spectate in the rain? Chance of rain was 60%, it didn't look like there was any escaping it. Luckily it wasn't predicted to be that cold. My husband, who had been planning on coming the entire time, backed out when he realized he was going to have to sit in the rain for 3 hours. But my daughter was all game so she woke up with me at 4:30am on Sunday to get ready and head downtown.
It was very important to me to be there with Andi before she started the race. I knew her nerves would be shot and I was hoping to bring some calmness to her before the race. She arrived at the race early enough to attend the Catholic mass so she was in there when I arrived. To my surprise she came out very calm and collected. She said she was very glad she had gone and that it really helped to settle her nerves.
Makayla and I left Andi as she headed to the starting line and drove to mile 4 where the Houston Food Bank had a hoopla station. I raised money for the HFB in order to gain my entry into the race after I wasn't picked in the lottery, great organization. I got lost trying to find where they were so Makayla and I had to walk a long way. Luckily it wasn't raining yet.
During our very long walk to the hoopla station we walked along the street that the runners would be coming up soon. And wouldn't you know, we start seeing the lead car heading toward us. Wow....that didn't take long. I thought it might be the wheelchair participants but instead it was the men leaders. They ran RIGHT NEXT TO ME. I almost felt like I was experiencing an epiphany. It was SOOOOO neat to see them run. I don't normally get to see these really fast runners. They looked so great. Like it was completely natural to run a 6 minute mile, or less, they looked like we do when we are walking. The front women runners passed quickly after that. Makayla and I just stood in awe. I can't put into words how awesome that whole experience was.
We FINALLY found the hoopla station and we sat up our cheering section. I was amazed at all of the runners. We were set up at the bottom of a hill so you could get a very clear picture of the magnitude of this race, seeing all the runners coming down the hill. I had three people I was looking for, and that I had made signs for. Two co-workers and of course Andi. It was so hard to see faces, there were so many people. I saw Dylan first, he was in the middle of the herd, and I saw this little hand pop up and wave. He caught me off guard. "oh Dylan, yeah, go Dylan". I fumbled for my sign to show him. He smiled. Later he said, "Thank you Jaime! It was awesome when I saw you cheering me on."
I missed the other co-worker, I must have had my back turned when he passed. I almost missed Andi. I didn't see her until she was right next to me handing me her jacket. Did I mention there were a lot of people? I ran with Andi for 1/4 of a mile, checking up on her seeing how she was hanging in there. She looked great, smiling from ear to ear. I gave her a few words of encouragement and saw her run off. GO ANDI! Makayla and I stayed at the hoopla station until the last runner ran by. I cheered for an hour straight. At this race they put the runners first name on the bib so you were able to actually urge people on by name. That was really neat. I liked being able to say, "Go Amy, you are looking good." or "Go Eddie, you are running strong." yeah, this spectator thing isn't so bad. Runners were actually thanking me for cheering them on. Something I do when I run races, but never really realized how much it meant to the spectator until I was thanked.
After the last runner ran by Makayla and I trekked back to the car and headed to mile 11. It was the closest I could get to the end of the Half without getting into downtown. By this time it was raining pretty good. Makayla and I had to stay under the umbrella for a good portion of the time. I felt like we waited forever for Andi to run by. I know it probably wasn't that long but I was a little concerned about Andi since she hadn't really trained that much. But then I saw her. I ran to meet up with her. We thought ahead and brought extra socks for her to change into and that is the first thing she said to me when she saw me, " I need the socks." Her feet were soaking wet and she had blisters. While she was changing the socks I did a checkup to see how she was doing. She said, "you know, it actually isn't that hard. I actually feel pretty good." Well you go girl. And she was off! So Makayla and I made a mad dash to the finish line, we only have about 30 min (I told Andi to take her time) to find a parking spot and get to the finish line.
We barely made it as we dealt with traffic, etc. but we did end up seeing her cross the finish line, but from afar. It was set up to where you couldn't really get that close. But I cheered so loud she heard me and saw me cheering her on. I was so SUPER PROUD of her. She did it. She crossed the finish line in 3 hours and 14 minutes. As she says, she finished that race for both of us. One of the only goals she has completed in life. You go girl! Can't wait for many more to come.
So, did I like being a spectator? Yes, I REALLY did. It was really neat to be on the other side. I have a lot of respect for spectators that go out there and cheer for hours. Plus I saw so many things I wouldn't have seen while running. However, I am a runner. I hope to not have to sit on the sideline for too many more races. But if that is the hand I am dealt I will make the most of it and head out to cheer on the runners!
When I made the decision to not run this race I dreaded calling Andi to tell her. We started this together and we planned to finish it together. I knew she would be very understanding though, I just hoped she had the courage to still run it. To my satisfaction she said "oh, well yeah, I am still running it." I immediately told her I would be right there by her side at the beginning of the race, in the middle of the race and of course at the finish line. Of course thinking to myself, "are you sure you can do this? be at the race that you were supposed to run, that you deserved to run, and not cry the entire time?" But it was may more important to me to be there and support a friend than to worry about a few tears. Plus it will be neat to experience a race as a spectator and not a runner. A running friend of mine, who is also injured, said, "oh Jaime, you will love it. You will see how much they need for you to cheer them on, in their eyes." She said she goes to races all the time to cheer the runners on, when she is not running, in cheerleading outfit and all. :)
As I watched the weather forecast for the race I thought, hmmmm.....is it better to run in the rain or spectate in the rain? Chance of rain was 60%, it didn't look like there was any escaping it. Luckily it wasn't predicted to be that cold. My husband, who had been planning on coming the entire time, backed out when he realized he was going to have to sit in the rain for 3 hours. But my daughter was all game so she woke up with me at 4:30am on Sunday to get ready and head downtown.
It was very important to me to be there with Andi before she started the race. I knew her nerves would be shot and I was hoping to bring some calmness to her before the race. She arrived at the race early enough to attend the Catholic mass so she was in there when I arrived. To my surprise she came out very calm and collected. She said she was very glad she had gone and that it really helped to settle her nerves.
Makayla and I left Andi as she headed to the starting line and drove to mile 4 where the Houston Food Bank had a hoopla station. I raised money for the HFB in order to gain my entry into the race after I wasn't picked in the lottery, great organization. I got lost trying to find where they were so Makayla and I had to walk a long way. Luckily it wasn't raining yet.
During our very long walk to the hoopla station we walked along the street that the runners would be coming up soon. And wouldn't you know, we start seeing the lead car heading toward us. Wow....that didn't take long. I thought it might be the wheelchair participants but instead it was the men leaders. They ran RIGHT NEXT TO ME. I almost felt like I was experiencing an epiphany. It was SOOOOO neat to see them run. I don't normally get to see these really fast runners. They looked so great. Like it was completely natural to run a 6 minute mile, or less, they looked like we do when we are walking. The front women runners passed quickly after that. Makayla and I just stood in awe. I can't put into words how awesome that whole experience was.
We FINALLY found the hoopla station and we sat up our cheering section. I was amazed at all of the runners. We were set up at the bottom of a hill so you could get a very clear picture of the magnitude of this race, seeing all the runners coming down the hill. I had three people I was looking for, and that I had made signs for. Two co-workers and of course Andi. It was so hard to see faces, there were so many people. I saw Dylan first, he was in the middle of the herd, and I saw this little hand pop up and wave. He caught me off guard. "oh Dylan, yeah, go Dylan". I fumbled for my sign to show him. He smiled. Later he said, "Thank you Jaime! It was awesome when I saw you cheering me on."
After the last runner ran by Makayla and I trekked back to the car and headed to mile 11. It was the closest I could get to the end of the Half without getting into downtown. By this time it was raining pretty good. Makayla and I had to stay under the umbrella for a good portion of the time. I felt like we waited forever for Andi to run by. I know it probably wasn't that long but I was a little concerned about Andi since she hadn't really trained that much. But then I saw her. I ran to meet up with her. We thought ahead and brought extra socks for her to change into and that is the first thing she said to me when she saw me, " I need the socks." Her feet were soaking wet and she had blisters. While she was changing the socks I did a checkup to see how she was doing. She said, "you know, it actually isn't that hard. I actually feel pretty good." Well you go girl. And she was off! So Makayla and I made a mad dash to the finish line, we only have about 30 min (I told Andi to take her time) to find a parking spot and get to the finish line.
We barely made it as we dealt with traffic, etc. but we did end up seeing her cross the finish line, but from afar. It was set up to where you couldn't really get that close. But I cheered so loud she heard me and saw me cheering her on. I was so SUPER PROUD of her. She did it. She crossed the finish line in 3 hours and 14 minutes. As she says, she finished that race for both of us. One of the only goals she has completed in life. You go girl! Can't wait for many more to come.
So, did I like being a spectator? Yes, I REALLY did. It was really neat to be on the other side. I have a lot of respect for spectators that go out there and cheer for hours. Plus I saw so many things I wouldn't have seen while running. However, I am a runner. I hope to not have to sit on the sideline for too many more races. But if that is the hand I am dealt I will make the most of it and head out to cheer on the runners!
January 31, 2011
The Kids Partake In The Action.......
The kids got to practice their running skills one more time, on Saturday. I had both of them signed up for the Kids Fun Run, part of the Houston Half Marathon, when I signed up for the Half. They had been wanting to run a race and Tracy told me how much fun her family had in it last year so we thought we would give it a try. Plus I wanted them to see what all the hoopla about racing was about.
As soon as we got there we got their race packets and changed their shirts into the Fun Run shirts. We then went and got in their respective corrals, Makayla with me and Malik with Mario.
The race was great. It was a 3k, about 1.8 miles. Malik started off running, he couldn't wait. Makayla wasn't too excited about running. She had a side stitch and her ankle hurt and she just wasn't into it. It was hard for me b/c I wanted to run so bad. This was sort of like my mini-race, since I wasn't able to run the Half. :) But after telling her how happy she would be if she continued and finished the race she decided to give it a try. She walked most of the race but I did get her to run a few times. We all ran together as a family for a little bit, that was really nice.
Malik ran almost the entire race. He has so much energy! We all ran the last few minutes together and everyone crossed the finish line. The kids got their medals and we went in to enjoy the kid zone. I was very proud of both of the kids but especially proud of Makayla for not giving up.
They really had a fun time and Malik is already talking about his next race. I think he is going to be my running buddy!
As soon as we got there we got their race packets and changed their shirts into the Fun Run shirts. We then went and got in their respective corrals, Makayla with me and Malik with Mario.
The race was great. It was a 3k, about 1.8 miles. Malik started off running, he couldn't wait. Makayla wasn't too excited about running. She had a side stitch and her ankle hurt and she just wasn't into it. It was hard for me b/c I wanted to run so bad. This was sort of like my mini-race, since I wasn't able to run the Half. :) But after telling her how happy she would be if she continued and finished the race she decided to give it a try. She walked most of the race but I did get her to run a few times. We all ran together as a family for a little bit, that was really nice.
Malik ran almost the entire race. He has so much energy! We all ran the last few minutes together and everyone crossed the finish line. The kids got their medals and we went in to enjoy the kid zone. I was very proud of both of the kids but especially proud of Makayla for not giving up.
They really had a fun time and Malik is already talking about his next race. I think he is going to be my running buddy!
January 26, 2011
Um Excuse Me......Something Is Wrong........
After the third race I felt a little tightness in my left calf. No big deal....just a little tight from all of the awesome races I have been running in. At first it didn't hurt while I was running, only afterwards. But then it got to a point where it hurt all of the time, including when I ran, so I sucked it up and went to a sports medicine doctor.
I am not injured, I am not injured, I am not injured. I replayed this about 50 million times in my head. As I sat in the doctor's office my stomach was in knots, please don't tell me I can't run. When the nurse took my blood pressure she said it was a little high, which is abnormal for me, my bp is always perfect. I asked her if nerves could effect it and she said yes, definitely. I told her we didn't have anything to worry about then b/c I am nervous as hell right now.
The doctor had me move in every which way trying to figure out what was wrong. She finally concluded that when I run I turn my left foot in slightly and now that I am up in the mileage it is starting to effect me, in my calf. She also said I need to build my glutes and ankles b/c they weren't strong enough. The ankles I wasn't surprised about, thanks mom for the wimpy ankles, although you would have thought I would have built those up carrying all that weight around all those years. The glutes I was surprised about, I mean my Lord, I do like a million squats a week! But ok...fine dr.....what do I do so I can run again?
She said to not run AT ALL until there is absolutely no pain in the calf, as well as use ice and Aleve. She also gave me some exercises to build those glutes up. But doctor....will I be able to run my Half Marathon in January? Sure, no problem, you will be fine by then.
It was a little hard to swallow the fact that I couldn't run for a while, but it wasn't the end of the world. I vowed to work out like a mad woman until my calf was better. Riding the bike, the elliptical, strength training, whatever it took to not lose the muscle tone and conditioning I had gained over those 5 months so far. I also threw in a few yoga classes, mostly b/c I needed the mental release but also to help build those ankles.
Speaking of the mental release. I had no idea how much running was feeding my brain, not just my soul, until I couldn't run anymore. I had heard about runners going into depression when they got injured but never really understood it. I have a much better appreciation for that now. I was very down for a long time. I wouldn't go so far as to say I was depressed but I was definitely down.
After 6 weeks, YES 6 WEEKS, I called the doctor back and said, "ok, it doesn't hurt anymore, can I run now?" And no, it wasn't the first time I talked to her since the original appt. I called that poor woman a million times to ask her a million questions. I felt like I was just wasting my time and of course everyone and their dog had an opinion of what I should do. I even went and got a MRI but they found nothing. But now it didn't hurt anymore, I was ready. Mind you at this point there is only 4 weeks left until the Half Marathon. She suggested a walk a minute/run a minute for 20 min and see how it goes. IT FELT GREAT! You should have seen me. I know people around me thought I was crazy, I was grinning from ear to ear. I was running again!!!!!
I ran min/walk min for a week and then the doctor said I could step it up and run straight for a while to see how it feels. Unfortunately that didn't work out as well as hoped. My calf started hurting again. I almost broke down in tears in the middle of the gym. You have got to be kidding me! Right when I was feeling comfortable that I would be able to complete this race. So I called the doctor back and went for a visit. She said things were looking up, my ankles and glutes were stronger and that I should be able to run the race. However she wanted me to go see a podiatrist to talk about putting orthodics in my shoes so I wouldn't turn my foot in as much.
I was excited to see the podiatrist b/c he was also a runner. I wanted to get a runner's opinion on what was going on. So we sit down and I tell him everything going on and he says, "were you training for a particular race?" I said softly, "um....yes.... the half marathon in two weeks" and he immediately says, "well you're not going to run that, right?" I said even softer, "um....I was planning on it" and I just looked at him with as much hope as I had and he said, "I highly suggest you don't run the half in two weeks".
No, no, no, no, no! This is not happening. I am running that race. He said there was about a 90% chance that I would blow my calf out if I ran that race and that would require 6-9 months of rehab vs. only 2 more months or so. Would you believe I still left that dr.'s office with the intention of running the race? I am just a little hard-headed.
However it ate away at me all day. Should I do it, should I not? On the way home I finally broke down and cried, the pressure of making this decision was just too much. I prayed to God that he would help me give this problem to him before it made me sick. And I prayed that I could talk to someone who would help me put things into perspective. And wouldn't you know not more than 5 seconds after saying that my phone rang? It was my sister. Wow....thanks God.
My sister and I talked about whether I should run it or not, for a while. I told her what the dr said that morning and she soon helped me to realize this one race just wasn't worth it. I think it was the hardest pill I have ever had to swallow. I cried and cried. What a disappointment. I had worked so hard for this and I so deserved it.
When I got home I told my husband and kids I made the decision to not run it. Once again, breaking down in tears. Even though I was crying I felt more at peace than I had in a while. The decision was made. It took me a few days to get through the pain and disappointment I felt. But I am not a wallower (or however you spell that), I refuse to wallow in my sorrow for longer than a few days. Time to get back on my feet and get this thing healed once and for all.
So I am now focused on a half marathon at the end of March. There a few other events I want to do in March as well, an indoor triathlon at the gym and the Warrior Dash.
I went to physical therapy for the first time tonight. The dr. only thinks I will need 2-4 weeks of it and I can still run while I am healing.
I ran 20 minutes straight twice now and my calf didn't hurt during or afterwards so I am stoked. Really hoping this is a sign of good times to come. I will gradually increase the time and hopefully train as much as possible for that half at the end of March. I really want to run a half marathon this year b/c I want to train for the full marathon next year, starting in July. If I am not ready in time for March then i will find one in April or May. I WILL RUN A HALF THIS YEAR!
I am not injured, I am not injured, I am not injured. I replayed this about 50 million times in my head. As I sat in the doctor's office my stomach was in knots, please don't tell me I can't run. When the nurse took my blood pressure she said it was a little high, which is abnormal for me, my bp is always perfect. I asked her if nerves could effect it and she said yes, definitely. I told her we didn't have anything to worry about then b/c I am nervous as hell right now.
The doctor had me move in every which way trying to figure out what was wrong. She finally concluded that when I run I turn my left foot in slightly and now that I am up in the mileage it is starting to effect me, in my calf. She also said I need to build my glutes and ankles b/c they weren't strong enough. The ankles I wasn't surprised about, thanks mom for the wimpy ankles, although you would have thought I would have built those up carrying all that weight around all those years. The glutes I was surprised about, I mean my Lord, I do like a million squats a week! But ok...fine dr.....what do I do so I can run again?
She said to not run AT ALL until there is absolutely no pain in the calf, as well as use ice and Aleve. She also gave me some exercises to build those glutes up. But doctor....will I be able to run my Half Marathon in January? Sure, no problem, you will be fine by then.
It was a little hard to swallow the fact that I couldn't run for a while, but it wasn't the end of the world. I vowed to work out like a mad woman until my calf was better. Riding the bike, the elliptical, strength training, whatever it took to not lose the muscle tone and conditioning I had gained over those 5 months so far. I also threw in a few yoga classes, mostly b/c I needed the mental release but also to help build those ankles.
Speaking of the mental release. I had no idea how much running was feeding my brain, not just my soul, until I couldn't run anymore. I had heard about runners going into depression when they got injured but never really understood it. I have a much better appreciation for that now. I was very down for a long time. I wouldn't go so far as to say I was depressed but I was definitely down.
After 6 weeks, YES 6 WEEKS, I called the doctor back and said, "ok, it doesn't hurt anymore, can I run now?" And no, it wasn't the first time I talked to her since the original appt. I called that poor woman a million times to ask her a million questions. I felt like I was just wasting my time and of course everyone and their dog had an opinion of what I should do. I even went and got a MRI but they found nothing. But now it didn't hurt anymore, I was ready. Mind you at this point there is only 4 weeks left until the Half Marathon. She suggested a walk a minute/run a minute for 20 min and see how it goes. IT FELT GREAT! You should have seen me. I know people around me thought I was crazy, I was grinning from ear to ear. I was running again!!!!!
I ran min/walk min for a week and then the doctor said I could step it up and run straight for a while to see how it feels. Unfortunately that didn't work out as well as hoped. My calf started hurting again. I almost broke down in tears in the middle of the gym. You have got to be kidding me! Right when I was feeling comfortable that I would be able to complete this race. So I called the doctor back and went for a visit. She said things were looking up, my ankles and glutes were stronger and that I should be able to run the race. However she wanted me to go see a podiatrist to talk about putting orthodics in my shoes so I wouldn't turn my foot in as much.
I was excited to see the podiatrist b/c he was also a runner. I wanted to get a runner's opinion on what was going on. So we sit down and I tell him everything going on and he says, "were you training for a particular race?" I said softly, "um....yes.... the half marathon in two weeks" and he immediately says, "well you're not going to run that, right?" I said even softer, "um....I was planning on it" and I just looked at him with as much hope as I had and he said, "I highly suggest you don't run the half in two weeks".
No, no, no, no, no! This is not happening. I am running that race. He said there was about a 90% chance that I would blow my calf out if I ran that race and that would require 6-9 months of rehab vs. only 2 more months or so. Would you believe I still left that dr.'s office with the intention of running the race? I am just a little hard-headed.
However it ate away at me all day. Should I do it, should I not? On the way home I finally broke down and cried, the pressure of making this decision was just too much. I prayed to God that he would help me give this problem to him before it made me sick. And I prayed that I could talk to someone who would help me put things into perspective. And wouldn't you know not more than 5 seconds after saying that my phone rang? It was my sister. Wow....thanks God.
My sister and I talked about whether I should run it or not, for a while. I told her what the dr said that morning and she soon helped me to realize this one race just wasn't worth it. I think it was the hardest pill I have ever had to swallow. I cried and cried. What a disappointment. I had worked so hard for this and I so deserved it.
When I got home I told my husband and kids I made the decision to not run it. Once again, breaking down in tears. Even though I was crying I felt more at peace than I had in a while. The decision was made. It took me a few days to get through the pain and disappointment I felt. But I am not a wallower (or however you spell that), I refuse to wallow in my sorrow for longer than a few days. Time to get back on my feet and get this thing healed once and for all.
So I am now focused on a half marathon at the end of March. There a few other events I want to do in March as well, an indoor triathlon at the gym and the Warrior Dash.
I went to physical therapy for the first time tonight. The dr. only thinks I will need 2-4 weeks of it and I can still run while I am healing.
I ran 20 minutes straight twice now and my calf didn't hurt during or afterwards so I am stoked. Really hoping this is a sign of good times to come. I will gradually increase the time and hopefully train as much as possible for that half at the end of March. I really want to run a half marathon this year b/c I want to train for the full marathon next year, starting in July. If I am not ready in time for March then i will find one in April or May. I WILL RUN A HALF THIS YEAR!
My Third Race........
Houston's 2nd race in the warm up series for the Marathon is a 25K race downtown. They offer a relay as well, for those training for the Half. It is a three-person relay of 5.2 miles each, however I didn't want to just run 5.2 miles so I originally opted out, until I found out you could run more than one leg. I was immediately stoked. For one, that would be the farthest I have run so far and secondly, I wanted my friend Andi to join me so she could feel what it feels like to run in a race.
Andi and I joined the running club together last July. After a car accident left her in PT she decided to walk with the walkers in the half and not push herself to run. So we didn't get the chance to really spend time running together. This would be a great chance to bond over running. :) Plus, she needed a little motivation at the time and I knew this would do it for her. As I said before, there is nothing like your first race.
So she met me at my house very early that Sunday morning and we headed out, including my very supportive husband! We got there with like 15 minutes to spare and by the time we found the tent our running club was in Tracy was in panic mode b/c she was worried we would miss the start. But we made it and trotted over to the starting line.
Andi and Tracy took off when the gun shot and they were on their way. Leaving me behind. It was the first time I actually got to experience what my husband had been doing at these races, waiting. It seemed like an eternity for even Tracy to make the loop but she trotted on around that corner and I yelled so much I thought I would go hoarse. And then finally Andi came. She was the last person to come in from the first leg of the relay but I could not have been prouder of her! SHE DID IT! Completed 5.2 miles, which I believe was the longest she had run so far.
And I was off. It was so hard to sit there and watch all these people run by, I was sooooo ready. I had to make myself watch my time b/c I knew the adrenaline was pumping hard by now. I waved at Tracy and Pat (another running buddy in the club) each time we passed on opposite sides of the road. It was nice to see her face a couple of times, in the midst of the craziness, even though she looked like she was going to pass out. :) Tracy always looks like she is about to pass out when she is running but she always does fantastic.
It felt great turning the corner for the second loop and seeing Andi and Mario cheering me on. I am very blessed to have a husband who completely supports me. It was very cold that day and he sat all bundled up in his jacket waiting for just a glimpse of me as I ran by.
I learned a new lesson about running on this race. To date I had never taken water or gatorade from the volunteers handing it out b/c I carried a fuel belt and never ran out. Well I ran out at this race so at the last water station I grabbed a cup of gatorade. I was so close to the finish line I didn't want to stop running so I just turned the cup up and "drank". Um.....yeah......not so much. That doesn't really work. I was now bathed in gatorade and I know the runners around me were thinking "you dumb ass". I just laughed it off, wiped my face as much as I could and realized if I fold the cup sides in when drinking and running it doesn't spill. :)
I crossed the finish line with an average time of 9:39. Andi ran up with me and we crossed the finish line together. I was so happy she did that.
Overall it was a great run. I proved to myself I could run 10.5 miles, I am ready for the Half now, what is another 2.5 miles?
Andi and I joined the running club together last July. After a car accident left her in PT she decided to walk with the walkers in the half and not push herself to run. So we didn't get the chance to really spend time running together. This would be a great chance to bond over running. :) Plus, she needed a little motivation at the time and I knew this would do it for her. As I said before, there is nothing like your first race.
So she met me at my house very early that Sunday morning and we headed out, including my very supportive husband! We got there with like 15 minutes to spare and by the time we found the tent our running club was in Tracy was in panic mode b/c she was worried we would miss the start. But we made it and trotted over to the starting line.
Andi and Tracy took off when the gun shot and they were on their way. Leaving me behind. It was the first time I actually got to experience what my husband had been doing at these races, waiting. It seemed like an eternity for even Tracy to make the loop but she trotted on around that corner and I yelled so much I thought I would go hoarse. And then finally Andi came. She was the last person to come in from the first leg of the relay but I could not have been prouder of her! SHE DID IT! Completed 5.2 miles, which I believe was the longest she had run so far.
And I was off. It was so hard to sit there and watch all these people run by, I was sooooo ready. I had to make myself watch my time b/c I knew the adrenaline was pumping hard by now. I waved at Tracy and Pat (another running buddy in the club) each time we passed on opposite sides of the road. It was nice to see her face a couple of times, in the midst of the craziness, even though she looked like she was going to pass out. :) Tracy always looks like she is about to pass out when she is running but she always does fantastic.
It felt great turning the corner for the second loop and seeing Andi and Mario cheering me on. I am very blessed to have a husband who completely supports me. It was very cold that day and he sat all bundled up in his jacket waiting for just a glimpse of me as I ran by.
I learned a new lesson about running on this race. To date I had never taken water or gatorade from the volunteers handing it out b/c I carried a fuel belt and never ran out. Well I ran out at this race so at the last water station I grabbed a cup of gatorade. I was so close to the finish line I didn't want to stop running so I just turned the cup up and "drank". Um.....yeah......not so much. That doesn't really work. I was now bathed in gatorade and I know the runners around me were thinking "you dumb ass". I just laughed it off, wiped my face as much as I could and realized if I fold the cup sides in when drinking and running it doesn't spill. :)
I crossed the finish line with an average time of 9:39. Andi ran up with me and we crossed the finish line together. I was so happy she did that.
Overall it was a great run. I proved to myself I could run 10.5 miles, I am ready for the Half now, what is another 2.5 miles?
Andi, Me, Pat and Tracy
January 24, 2011
Third Place.......What??????
The next race I ran was a 5K to benefit Addie's Faith Foundation, formed to fight childhood cancer. I picked this race for a number of reasons. 1.) I had never run a 5K before, 2.) it was for a great cause, 3.) it was on a Sunday, so it didn't disrupt my long training runs on Saturday and 4.) they had a 1K for the kids to run.
Everyone was so excited for the race. The kids had been wanting to run with me, even though they couldn't believe I could run faster and longer than them, and they wouldn't be able to keep up. I am an old lady to them, how I could run further than them? So I was excited to get them to a race they could actually run.
Tracy and her family joined us. Tracy and I decided at the beginning of the race just to go all out. What was 3 miles when we were up to running a lot more than that? Let's just give it everything we have and see where it gets us. Thanks to Tracy's Garmen we were able to pace ourselves and we ran very hard at a 7:45 pace, which is WAY faster than my normal 9:40 or so. But it was for a short period so I was able to maintain, but I could not have run another minute after I crossed that finish line. I thought I was going to throw up for the first time running. All I kept thinking was "don't throw up in front of the kids". I didn't want them to remember that when they thought of running. :) I was able to hold it all in and after some water was just fine.
Well come to find out Tracy and I tied for THIRD place. That is just insane. I couldn't believe we did that well. We were very proud of ourselves! We even got a 3rd place medal. I started to feel like a real runner. Like I could really climb to great heights. I was more pumped than ever.
Can you tell I was sucking air big time? But I love this pic b/c it shows Tracy and I crossing a finish line together, maybe one of the only times that is going to happen. :)
Everyone was so excited for the race. The kids had been wanting to run with me, even though they couldn't believe I could run faster and longer than them, and they wouldn't be able to keep up. I am an old lady to them, how I could run further than them? So I was excited to get them to a race they could actually run.
Tracy and her family joined us. Tracy and I decided at the beginning of the race just to go all out. What was 3 miles when we were up to running a lot more than that? Let's just give it everything we have and see where it gets us. Thanks to Tracy's Garmen we were able to pace ourselves and we ran very hard at a 7:45 pace, which is WAY faster than my normal 9:40 or so. But it was for a short period so I was able to maintain, but I could not have run another minute after I crossed that finish line. I thought I was going to throw up for the first time running. All I kept thinking was "don't throw up in front of the kids". I didn't want them to remember that when they thought of running. :) I was able to hold it all in and after some water was just fine.
Well come to find out Tracy and I tied for THIRD place. That is just insane. I couldn't believe we did that well. We were very proud of ourselves! We even got a 3rd place medal. I started to feel like a real runner. Like I could really climb to great heights. I was more pumped than ever.
The First Race......Nothing Like It......
This was the one thing I journaled in the 7 months I have been running. Enjoy!
I was so excited for my first real race. I had been training for 3 months and was just at 7 miles so this 6.5 mile run shouldn’t be a problem.
I did everything I was supposed to do the night before, to have a successful run. I went to bed early, ate a good meal, got my fuel belt ready and even put some new songs on my ipod. I was ready!
I got up bright and early on race day, at 5am, so I wouldn’t be rushed when leaving the house. Mario, my husband, and I headed out around 5:45am.
When we got there we had a heck of a time finding the Kingwood Fit tent, but finally located it, unfortunately too late to take the team pic. But I found my race partner, Carolyn, and we shared our excitement for the race (it was her first race as well). As we were talking I reached into my jacket pocket to get my ipod out and only pulled out headphones. Where was my ipod? Panic mode starting to step in. I have NEVER run without my ipod and now I have to do a race without it? I ran to the car as quick as I could, hoping I dropped it in there, but to no avail.
As I was walking back from the car it hit me that I was about to have to run 6.5 miles without music. And I had JUST downloaded new songs and everything. But I decided to make the most of it, as I try to do in every aspect of life, and enjoy the sounds of a “race”.
When I got back over to my group I met up with Tracy,my running buddy, told her of my misfortune and my new plan and we started walking over to the starting line. There were so many people! Tracy was quick to tell me that there would be 5 times that amount of people at the Houston Half in January, man I can’t imagine.
The gun goes off and Tracy and I are on our way. After about ½ mile together I told her to go ahead and run ahead of me (she is faster) b/c I was worried I would push myself too hard at the beginning and not be able to finish strong.
So it was just me for the next 6 miles, no music, only the sound of the race. So many sounds I never thought of or considered, I heard:
- People talking (remind you I normally don’t hear this b/c I ALWAYS have my music)
- Footsteps on the downtown streets
- Running shorts rubbing together as legs moved
- Water splashing around in fuel belts
- The sound of people running through Gatorade/water cups after runners have thrown them down (this is the one I was least expecting)
- People on the side of the street yelling words of encouragement
- The lone man about 3 miles into the race ringing his cow bell. He might have been out there to encourage one person in his family, etc but he encouraged us all.
- The two little boys standing on one of the overpasses on Allen Pkwy telling me to keep running, that I could do it and I was a winner.
- The volunteer who called my number on the walkie talkie to the people at the starting line, so they could alert Carolyn to get ready for her leg of the race.
- The many people at the end of the race, shouting so many encouraging words, “You are almost there”, “you have a perfect pace”, “you are doing great”, “keep it up”.
So because I “lost” my ipod I had a whole different experience than I would have with it. I really “felt” this race and what it meant to be a runner. I am so glad God instilled in me the thought to make the most of that challenge and to turn it around into something positive.
As I hit the last mile or so I turned on the after burners and went after it. I knew I had it in me at the time. Thank God I had been running hills on Tuesday’s because those hills on Allen Parkway would have killed me otherwise. I just envisioned myself on the little hill on Kings Park Way in Kingwood and made it through every one of them. It felt great, even though my heart rate was a little higher than I like it. And it helped so much to have people shouting from the sidelines those words of encouragement.
Mario was waiting for me as I crossed the line, I was so amazed with my pace I was trying to tell Carolyn that if she really went after it we might have a chance to place (not having a clue where we sat.) I finished my leg of the race in 1 hour and 2 minutes. That is a 9.5/min mile. I have NEVER run that fast in my entire life, I normally run closer to a 10/min mile. So I was ecstatic.
I never thought I would call myself a runner. I never thought I would LOVE to go outside and run. I never thought I could run more than 3 miles. I never thought I would be half-way fast at running. I never thought this was me……but it so is!
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)