4 weeks to go

I officially starting to get nervous about the Glass City Marathon. The main reason I’m starting to get nervous is that I’m having a hard time getting the runs in to continue to train. This week I have done nothing! I haven’t ran since Melt the Ice on Saturday. I’ve got to find the time. It’s starting to freak me out a bit (ok a lot). I don’t want to say I’ve lost motivation but it sure feels that way! I started too early on the training. I realize this now. I should have counted backwards 10 weeks and started then. I’ve got 4 weeks to get back on track and knowing that is half the battle I guess. Tips? Anyone? Anyone? I’m all ears!

T.

Melt The Ice 2009

This year was the third year I participated in the Melt the Ice 5k and this year did not go as well as last year but it was not a surprise. My goal today was to finish. I know that I have been running distances much longer than 3.1 miles but I have been fight a cold or allergies or something nasty all week. My chest was on fire around the half way mark. Deb and I ran the same pace throughout the race and we came in at 33:30. Paxton was going to stay with us but when we got passed by a stroller pusher she got fired up and I’m pretty sure I heard her growl and take off! I don’t have an official time for her yet but Rod said she was around 30 minutes. No one walked away with any awards but that was ok! Even Paxton didn’t freak out when she didn’t get one. Guess we were all just happy to finish!

Thanks for reading!

T.

Shoes feel good!

Well so far so good with the shoes. Survived a long run on Saturday with one sore spot on my right foot. Anyone who has seen me run knows that I am pigeon toed big time! My right foot turns in more than my left and I rolled on the outside of it a bit so that could explain the hot spot. I’m sure that once I break these shoes in or force myself to turn that foot inward I will be ok. Today Deb and I tested out the “new” Melt the Ice course. It was a good run. Got the blood pumping right away this morning. Paxton wants to test the course this afternoon so it looks like I might get in 6 miles before the day is over! I tried to map the course on Map My Run but it’s over calculating the distance a bit but it gives you a general idea of the change. This is Marc’s description of the course change: Start by Smith Road on the trail. Heads towards town. Once you cross the bridge, turn right down the ramp, through the tunnel and into Rodger Young Park. Left through the park gate and veer to your right and run around the parking lot. Back through the gate. Right onto the trail, up the ramp and back to the Rec Complex.

Someone doesn’t think I stink… Too bad anyway :-)

I was considering pushing off today’s 12 mile run until tomorrow or never and Julie called me out of the blue and asked if I wanted a running buddy. Cool someone took pity on stinky me! So we met up on the bike trail and headed towards Clyde. Both of us were breaking in new or newer shoes and I wasn’t sure if I would make it the full distance. We got in 7.5 miles in and both of us had sore feet. So we walked 3.5 miles back chatting. We split up around the rec center and I hobbled/jogged the mile home. So all together I got in 8.5 miles running and 3.5 miles walking. It was fun running with Julie. I will admit I know she is much speedier than I am and I was a little nervous about pace but she was cool with my slow pace and running slower gave us a chance to talk!

Next weekend is Melt the Ice 5k. Paxton and I are signed up to run. Should be fun. They changed the course this year. Not sure why they changed it other than I heard some people didn’t like the turnaround.

That’s it for now. Need to ice the legs!

T.

Got my new shoes on… Take Two!

I made the long journey to Northfield, Ohio to return the Asics I purchased almost 2 weeks ago. As I said on the blog they weren’t the shoes for me. I emailed Fleet Feet and Eddy the sales guy who sold me the Asics said they would be happy to take the return which was GREAT! I met with Eddy again today and he had me try on about 7 different pairs of shoes and watched my feet while I ran in the store. He did say that I seem to have some over pronation going on and he didn’t notice that last week when Cheryl and I stopped by. So I am now back in Nikes again. I’m not unhappy about this because I liked my last pair of Nikes and hopefully these will do well for me too. Tomorrow will be test for sure. I’m scheduled to run 12 miles with no breaks (YEAH RIGHT) so I figured I would take the trail to Clyde and back. I’m certain I will have a few breaks because I got a whole whopping 2.15 miles in training in this week. It was a busy week with appointments out of town and I just didn’t find the time. Reflecting back on the training I think I might have started it too soon. The training plan was for 10 weeks and I started about 5 weeks before that. Now I’m trying to stay focused /motived and keep training but I’m ready to just run the damn race! 

T.

What’s going on?

I’m starting to wonder if I have giant force field around me that scares people away from running with me. It started with Deb. We ran in so many races in 2007 together and then she disappeared in 2008. Then I ran in races with Cheryl and her body couldn’t take it and I can understand that. Now Heidi… she was running in a few races with me and now she blogging about not wanting to do it any longer. Honestly people I do wear deodorant when I run! I guess it’s just not for everyone. I will admit I’m not as enthusiastic as I was back in 2007 or even 2008 but it’s still a challenge for me and I do enjoy them plus I like the free tshirts! I still do it for fitness reasons as well. I guess I’m the type of person who hangs onto something until I can’t hang on any longer. I do this with people and apparently with hobbies too. I suppose this could be a true test of being a runner? Whether you stick it out when you aren’t motivated to do it. Once I get going I’m good but it’s the get going part that is hard. Paxton and I both signed up for the Melt the Ice 5k that happens on the 21st. Paxton has done little to no prep for this race and wants to run tomorrow. I hope that my little drill sergeant will force me to get motivated!

On another running note, I emailed Fleet Feet and they are happy to take my shoes back and find a pair that works. That’s the good news.. Bad news is I have to make another 200 mile round trip to get them. Looks like Friday will be a road trip! 

Thanks for reading,

T.

Ouch!

Well the shoes are going back this week! My feet are killing me right now! Yes I did my long run today and it was a challenge at my longest distance yet at 11 miles but I could definitely tell very soon into the run that the shoes were not working for me. They don’t feel very supportive and I felt like my foot was smacking the ground flat and the whole time I felt like I was running in mud. My ankles are hurting so bad right now and ankles were never an issue before. So I can only attribute this new pain to the new shoes. So that is why the shoes are going back!

Back to the run… I finally hit the 11 mile mark today. Actual run time was just under 2 hours but I did have 4 one minute breaks. I took on the new portion of the bike trail today. This was my first run on the new section. It was nice and flat. It was definitely quiet along this trail. I think I encountered 4 people along the run. I like more traffic along the run. It makes it more interesting to see others along the way. I’m sure that there will be a lot more traffic on this trail once the weather breaks, it is March after all..

Finding Motivation

Well I gave the new shoes another shot on Wednesday. I still can’t give an accurate/fair assessment of them because my shins hurt for the first 2.75 miles of the 3.75 miles I ran. Only in the last mile did they feel like them warmed up. I have been scouring the internet looking for stretches and exercises to help with shin problems and have found some good ideas. My RunnersWorld magazine hit the mailbox yesterday and lo and behold they have a page dedicated to shin splints. Great advise and suggestions. They also had an article on compression socks and the two weren’t affiliated but I did some more research and see that some runners swear by them to help with shins and calves. They are not cheap! $25-$30 a pair but if it makes the pain less it would be a small price to pay! They reviewed two companies. Recovery Sox and OxySox. Both look good but Recovery Sox offers a hot pink fuschia sock! SOLD! If anyone has any experience with these socks, good, bad or otherwise please leave a comment! 

I’m also going to rant about my lack of motivation. I have been getting in 90% of the training runs the plan calls for and trying to stick to a descent diet but I have been struggling big time! My weight has fluctuated weekly up and down and I haven’t had that dedication to Weight Watcher’s that I had in 2006. For some reason this time around has been very difficult. I have been going to the meetings for the past 5 weeks and thought that paying for those weekly meetings would be my motivation but honestly it hasn’t motivated me at all. So I’m again at a crossroads. Let’s be honest folks money is tight these days and I’m paying $11 a week for those meetings and if my heart is not in it then what’s the point. So after going back and forth in my mind on the pros and cons of continuing to attend the meetings I’ve decided that I’m not going to attend anymore primarily due to cost. I can still do this on my own and I know what worked before. So it’s now a matter of regaining focus and determination. I will always be a ”Lifetime” member of Weight Watchers and I can go back anytime I want but until I back down under 152 again I will required to pay for weekly meetings. I’ve only got 5 lbs to lose to hit that magic number and that will be my first “mini” goal to reach. I’m not giving up at all even though at times I feel like I am. I have my lovely “before” picture on my refrigerator door to remind how far I have come and what I don’t want to look like again!

Got my new shoes on..

Cheryl and I drove to Fleet Feet in Richland (other side of Cleveland) yesterday to pickup some new shoes. They measured our feet and made some suggestions on shoes based on our foot styles. Ironically both us have the same type of feet. Both of us have arches that aren’t flexible and mine are low. The guy there had us do some running in the shoes and we picked out what felt best to us. I got a pair of Asics and Cheryl got Brooks. It’s so hard to pick out shoes. I’m always so worried I’m going to pick something out that feels ok in a store but when I run I’m unhappy with them. And of course the fact that you are spending $100+ on them doesn’t make you feel anymore at ease. So I was going on the Fleet Feet guys expertise. I took them to the rec. center last night and ran a mile on the track. I can’t say if I liked them or not because I’m experiencing some major shin pain from the run on Sunday. They could be the best thing in the world but I was so focused on the shins that I didn’t pay any attention to the shoes. The guy at Fleet Feet did tell me that my Nike’s were “wrecked” and they most likely are contributing to the shin issues. So I’m going to take it easy today and give my shins a day off to calm down and try again tomorrow. Last thing I want to do is hurt myself this close to the run. 

Thanks for reading!

T.

Rough run

My training plan called for 11 miles and I wish I was posting to say that I reached that milestone but I came up short today. I was only able to squeek out 8.5 miles before giving up the battle. My legs felt like lead and my left foot was bothering me big time. Cheryl and I are still going to go to Fleet Feet tomorrow and find out what they have to say about what shoes are good for me and hopefully it will help with the foot pain I’m battling.

Thanks for reading!

T.