10 Miles

But it wasn't pretty.  I walked far more than I wanted to especially up all the hills in the last 4 miles.  Heel was fine while running but it's bothering me some now.  Pace was terrible!  But I wasn't rested.  I tilled the garden and mowed the lawn yesterday afternoon!  Slept very well but body was tired to begin with.  I ran around the 6 mile block and then the 4 mile block.  Gorgeous day!  Getting too warm by the end though.  74 when I got back to the house.  But just beautiful out there.  Leaves are at peak or beyond already.  Not much on my agenda this afternoon except holding the hose to water everything that Mother Nature is sorely neglecting.

Running

I did run today. I don't have deep regret. Shallow regret, maybe. But, dang, I can't just sit around! I ran 4ish miles. And my leg was sore, but I didn't have the stabbing pains. And then I made sure to keep it lathered in menthol, I kept it bound, and I used heat and ice. So hopefully I can baby it but run. It did feel a lot better today and I don't know if that was acupuncture or rest. Either way, I'm glad. Not 100%, but better. I have another acupuncture appointment tomorrow at 7:15. At the very least, it will be relaxing!

Interesting Experience

My appointment was very interesting today. In a good way. I really liked the woman who did the work. She used to have an office but now works out of her home. She is in Normal Heights, just a couple of blocks away from me! I did feel the needles going in - well, all except one. It didn't hurt, it just was a pinch. She put a "relaxation" needle in my forehead. She then put two in my right arm and two in my right leg. None on the left side. She said that the body mirrors so pain on the left is often treated on the right. She put the needles in and offered me an eye cover with lavender. She also offered music or quite, and I chose quiet. Which she seemed very happy about! Then I laid there for about 30 minutes. She came back and re-stimulated the needles and then removed them. And I did feel better when I left. But I don't now! I'm feeling very tired and sore on my right side. Not the same pain that is on my left, but just a bit tender. So we'll see. I don't know if it will work or not but I do think it did something. I just don't know what! I'm going back on Friday. As of tonight, I have no intention to run tomorrow. Which is probably smart, acupuncture or not.

Dr. Visit Email

This is just a rehash of the email I sent you - for posterity's sake! I did go to the doctor and I didn't learn much. She wants me to see a sports medicine person, but that's going to take weeks. Bit she said that it is just a pretty serious strain, not ruptured of anything. I'm doing all the right thins by od'ing on ibuprofen , Icing, wrapping with an ace bandage. She said I should try heat, too. And rest. HA. One day off is torture already!!! I did ask her about acupuncture and she was very for giving it a try. So I'm going tomorrow! New experience! I'm going to the lady Bart used when he had that terrible tendinitis in his back. Oh, she also mentioned that it could be the it band and I should do some stretching. So, no quick fix.

And ouch!

So. Yeah. I'm going to the doctor tomorrow. My left quad is just all torn up. I had this big plan to get up at 4 all week so I could do 10 mile runs before work. And I started it today but, around mile 8.5, I didn't think I was going to make it. I probably should have walked. But, hey, we ignore pain here, right? And I would continue to do so, believe you me! But there is no way I could run a marathon in this condition. Basically I want to know if I've done serious damage or if this is just a strain. Do I need to take time off? If so, how much? I think that I could still be successful even if I took a couple of weeks off. But I really don't want to. Nor do I want to ditch my insoles because my right side is feeling so good. Doctor at 11:40 am tomorrow. I will report back! I've been taking (probably) poisonous levels of ibuprofen all day, icing, using menthol patches, and wrapping with an ace bandage. Probably should have started all this on Saturday.

6 miles - accidentally!

Today I waited until 10 am and had Mom drive me to Centuria where I got on the Gandy Dancer Trail and ran the other way - toward St. Croix Falls.  Never done that before and thought it was going to be about 4.5 miles.  Absolutely gorgeous trail!  Beautiful!  We have to run that the next time you're home.  Through fields and trees.  And it turned out to be 6.02 miles to the info center in SCF!  But I did it in 64.42 minutes and that's almost a record 6 mile time for me.  And what a morning.  Sunny.  58-60 while I was running.  A little wind but not much.  Just a perfect, gorgeous run all the way around.  I will do that again!  The only downside?  You run right past Kentucky Fried Chicken near the end and I was hungry!

Triumph and Failure

Isn't it funny how running seems to be a mix of both - often at the same time? Very much like life. Made up of many many successes and fails, but all that matters is how we respond to them. So my triumph or success is that I really did have a good run today. I felt great and I am totally confident in my ability to do the marathon. My time won't be great, but it's all about having fun. So I will absolutely be able to be a success with that! My failure is that I didn't do my full miles. I stopped around 17. Why? Partially because I left late (around 8) and it was warmish, but that's actually just an excuse because it really wasn't bad and I've sure run in hotter weather! But my left quad (both, actually, but especially the left) really started cramping around mile 13. Not a dehydration muscle cramp, but just "use/overuse/what the heck are you doing!?!" muscle cramp. Don't worry. You know me. I totally have a theory. I think it is related to those new insoles. And they are really helping me, I think. I'm very glad I spent the money to try it out. But I bet they are changing my gait. Maybe I've been running in a way that relies more heavily on the hamstrings and my quads have not been as involved? What do you think? Did you get new soreness when you started using your orthotics? Next week is supposed to be 15 (I'm already starting the taper - can't believe it!), and I'll replace it with the 20. Well, that's what I'm thinking now!

8 Miles

I didn't really want to get out there this morning.  Cold (47) at 8 am and windy.  But I decided I would go over to the Gandy Dancer Trail and give it a go and if I was too cold I would just quit.  Nearly froze the first mile but the wind wasn't so bad because most of the trail is in trees.  But that also meant it was in shade.  Warmed up after the first mile though and it was beautiful after that!  Went 4 miles north (almost to Milltown) and, of course, 4 miles back.  I did walk some as usual but did ok.  Did 8.06 miles in 88 minutes so pretty good for an old man.  Feeling a little stiff now that I've been sitting down for a while but doing ok!  I think I'm back on track!

Runnin!

Well, this audio book is keeping me on the move, that's for sure. I really am so tired today and didn't feel like running but I did. I just needed to know what's happening! It was a beautiful morning. Lots of low fog. It was pretty humid! I'll take 80 and humid over 100 any day! My abs are still sore from that pike thing!

Stress Relief

I had a pretty stressful day today, so I ran twice! I did 4 this am and then I just did a quick 3 tonight. I really didn't sleep well last night. It's cooler AND I just paid my power bill! Usually it's only 25 to 30 bucks but it was 70 this time! Which makes total sense and I actually plan for in the summer, but still! So I didn't turn on my AC when I went to bed last night. Meaning I was miserable till 12:30 when I finally did turn on my AC! My hamstring still feels better. So maybe this insole thing was the magic I needed? Oh, also lifted weights today. I also blew up a ball we have at the office, and did this today: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SMLhWOHF4Z4&feature=relmfu I only did maybe 4 and my abs really hurt!

Quick update

Why quick? Because I have Borderlands 2! I should be relaxing and winding down after a day of work but, instead, I'm going to play video games! It has really cooled down here. Such a relief. Low 80s. I had a good run this am even though I didn't really want to go. I was tired because I didn't sleep well last night. But I did it and enjoyed it and I was (and am!) glad I went. Then my coworker and I did that giant hill again today. She walked and I ran. We both did a lot better! I only walked twice. I think I walked 4 or 5 times the first time we did it. We'll do it again on Thursday. Off to Pandora! PS - foot and hamstring feel pretty good.

Insoles: Day 1

So I think they seem ok. My foot doesn't ache and I just now realized that I have not even contemplated my right hamstring today. I have a toe that feels achy and it's the one I have tendonitis in. It doesn't actually hurt though. I did have a good run this am. 5 miles. Good temp. Maybe 70. Only got to 80 today, so a lot cooler than it has been. I lifted weights and I ran hills. Busy day! Now I'm having some sweet peppers (tis the season and they are soooo good!!!) and then I'm having a smart dog. I'm hungry! I wanted to tell you about the "strongly held beliefs" my helper had yesterday! I believe he was probably 21 and I also am pretty sure I had some "strongly held beliefs" at that point in my life! "I have a strongly held belief that the vast majority of runners are heavy drinkers." Wow, did I totally disagree. I don't know anyone like that nor do I see that in Runners World or any forums and it doesn't hold true with the running group that I get email from every day! "I have a strongly held belief that virtually all runners are extroverts." HAR HAR! Such crap! "I have a strongly held belief that runners should not listen to music when running." Orly? "I have a strongly held belief that runners can have epiphanies that bring them to tears when running." Dear Shoe Dog Guy, what bunk....oh, wait. Yeah, I agree. He gets one shoe out of 4!

Back At It

But not outside.  I slept like a log last night.  Got up once at 4 am (NO, not to run!) and then slept until 8 am.   And when I was ready to run it was 50 degrees out there but very, very windy.  So, I decided to stay inside and did 3 miles on the TM.  Pace was 10:14 so pretty good.  Thought I would die though!!  Lungs aren't 100% yet from the cold but I didn't start coughing so I kept running.  Then did my 50 pushups and 50 situps.  I haven't done any of this since last Wednesday so felt good to get back on track.

Finally! Long Run Update!

Sorry I didn't post yesterday - I was a little bit brain dead! Actually, I felt really good. Just really worn. Do you ever have a headache and a total inability to think after a long run? Yesterday I did not! And I'm really proud of myself because I think it was all about my hydration and fuel. Well....and getting up at 4. I did get up at 4, and I hated it! I had that shaky feeling of being ripped from a deep sleep. Probably because I was! But I got right up - no snoozing. And had coffee, water, and oatmeal. Then I got on the road - only 5 minutes after I had hoped to leave the house. And then I ran. I did Kensington. Which is mind numbing at that distance (18). But I didn't want to go downtown that early because of all the homeless people. And I didn't want to go to Lake Miramar or Murray. Partially because I don't want to be that alone and isolated that early (although I always have my pepper spray!). But also because those lakes would have been baking by the time I was done! So I just did the elongated loop. A lot. And I did it! Next Saturday I do 20, then I start winding down. A 15 is I think the following weekend, then a 7. I've been drinking coconut water and eating honey and that really seemed to work for me yesterday. I'm very excited to try my insoles tomorrow!

Sleep like gangbusters!

You know, I actually don't even know what gangbusters means! Hm. Dictionary.com tells me it means "very successful" - so, yep. Like that. I didn't sleep great last night, although I also didn't dream. But I didn't eat blue cheese last night, either! I went to sleep around 11 last night, but I was wide awake by 5. So I got up and I'm glad I did because my book was so good that I ran an extra 2.5 miles so I could find out what was happening! Good run today. Nice out, although still humid. And I lifted weights when I got home. No hills today because, well, everything broke. So, I've noticed something. I am feeling happier. And the only thing I've changed is that I am listening to this book when I run. Here is my theory: I was becoming immune to my music and not really listening. Rather, I was ruminating about work. I used to not think about work when I ran, but I had lost that ability. I just worried about it. And I was losing my joy of running and I've been so life crabby and down. And now I am starting my day with an hour or two of just having fun. And since I've started doing that, I feel happier. So the book absorbs my attention and leaves me unable to worry about work. Or anything, for that matter. Well, other than, "Can I get another mile in to find out what's up?!"

Busy Day!

Whew, I'll sleep tonight! Oh, first, I totally dreamed again last night! And I even kind of remember it. Crazy. Now, I've been eating blue cheese. So maybe it's that. I did my 5 mile run this morning. I'm excited for tomorrow, another 5 mile. It's been really humid here. So even though it's only, say, 73 at 6:30 or 7, it's still a bit icky due to the humidity. Right now it is supposed to be 96 on Saturday, which is super bumming me out! I ran hills at lunch. I'll do that again tomorrow. Really need to get serious on that point. Then Brian and I had dinner tonight. We went to Tao, which is on Adams Avenue. Really good. I had mango mock chicken with wild/brown rice. And now I'm tired! Oh! I also went to the library today. I didn't find "my" book on cd but I did find The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy and Dangerous Women. The second one is a collection of short stories about, well, dangerous women! I've been looking on all kinds of sites for my book (at a cheaper price) but no dice so far. I know I'll end up buying it but now I feel like I'm on a mission! Jessica got the first book in the series today and she totally loves it!

6 miles

Today my run was six miles. Slow. Again. I must come to grips but I cannot! Anyway, I did it. Very very humid today. Cool in the am, but humid. I ran some hills at lunch. Which was at 4;17! But I still took a break, and I'm really trying to get in the habit of that. What else. My book was great again today. I'm getting ready (Well, I have several hours left I think) to get the last book. But it is so expensive! I will have to check with my library. I can find the abridged version for 10 bucks but unabridged is 20 and, you will be shocked to hear, I want unabridged! In more shocking news, we're kind of peaking around 80 degrees this week but, don't worry. Saturday will be 90. Sigh!

Lame Sleep In!

Well, I decided today was my day off and I was going to sleep in. But did I? NO! I woke up at 5 and then got up at 6. Oh well. I did take the opportunity to start reading this new book I have called The Power of Habit: Why we do what we do in life and business. And I'm glad I did because I am only a little of the way in and it is absolutely fascinating. I recommend it, if you like reading those kinds of books. Takes a lot of information from studies done over the years and applies the information to habits, what they are, how they're created, and how they can be changed. You and I would probably be great examples for them to study because we've both made incredible changes in our lives! Also talks about the fact that habits do not have to be good. Don't I know it! As you know, I did some running yesterday. 11 or 12, don't remember. It just killed me to turn off my book though! Such a crucial point. But that's the deal I made. I get to listen when I run. I was insanely sore last night. I took a lot of ibuprofen. Today I "slept in". Well, I took it easy anyway! But last week I was talking to my coworker and she was telling me that her doctor basically gave her the smack down and told her she needed to get her exercise on. And she does. Then we talked about hills and that I'm worried about going to SF without more under my belt. And she told me about a giant hill by us - right by Qualcomm. And so we decided to do that today. And we did! Even though she forgot her gear and had to go home and get it. Anyway, I ran the hill and she walked it. And it is no joke. My lungs were burning and I had to walk a couple of times! So, naturally, I can't wait to do it again! I did lift some weights when I got home. So I guess I only took it kinda easy! Back to running tomorrow.

Good Morning

And it was a good morning, too.  6.12 miles with no stopping and no walking!  Legs felt like rubber coming back down the driveway but I did it.  Also up to 50 push ups and sit ups again so did those, too.  Will get back to 60 of those eventually.  Gorgeous morning again.  58 when I left the house and just perfect for running.  I wish this weather could last!

Good and Bad

The good news is that I did 14 miles really strong and I did run and walk 18 miles. The bad news is I walked! I'm not counting it. I got up morbidly early this morning and checked weather.com. It looked like our high was going to be about 85 (around 1 pm) and that Lake Murray was going to be the same as my local weather - for once! Since I figured I'd be done around 11 or 12, I decided to go to Lake Murray because it was only going to be a couple of degrees hotter. Turns out, weather.com was soooo very wrong! When I finally got back to my car, I saw that it was 91 degrees out there! Let me tell you, I felt much less bad about my 14 miles! Way too hot. So I think it was probably 88 when I started to walk. Do you think tomorrow is too soon to try again? I feel pretty good. I was thinking that I could get up early again and keep it local because it was at least 10 degrees cooler here - as usual. When will I learn to stop trusting weather.com?!? Frustrating! Anyway, I may call a redo tomorrow. We'll see how I feel in the am. But at least I got 14 really good miles in.

Osceola 5K

Hey, I uploaded a photo!  First time I've tried that.  Anyway, our run was GREAT this morning!!  I got 2nd place in the men over 60 age group!  And all 3 of us won door prizes!  Angie and I got $10 iTunes gift cards and Mom won a sweat towel!  She has all the luck in the family!!  Anyway, a great morning and I did very well.  Average pace was 9.48 so I was very, very pleased with that!  I couldn't hardly believe it actually.  Heel felt just fine and never bothered me once.  On to the Whistlestop Half in Ashland on 10/13!!

4 Miles

Today was a four mile run. Went fine. I didn't do anything else today because I don't want to be sore for my running times tomorrow. 20 miles - little nervous. I'm getting up early (5 or 6) so I can try and beat the heat. Locally it's supposed to be 82, 86 at Lake Murray. I'll probably go over there then.

I'm Back!

I'm still not 100% but I'm plenty good! I had a really great night of sleep last night (once I finally fell asleep!) and woke up really rested this am. I had a 5 mile run. Really nice out. And I listened to my book. I can't wait to hit the street again tomorrow because I'm getting close to the end of book 1. I need to find book 2! I did weights and lunges when I came home. And I had a healthy eating day. So a good day all around. I'm pretty nervous for my long run on Saturday. I'm planning on getting up at 5 to beat the heat. Although I think this heat wave is supposed to be done now. I hope anyway!

Good Morning

Did the 3 again today.  A little cool.  Only 51 when I left the house so I was in long sleeves and pants.  Nice morning out there though.  Heel was ok.  Felt it now and then but not serious.  Taking tomorrow off because we're running that 5K in Osceola on Saturday morning.  Have a good day!

Bike ride today

I hate to have to say this out loud but my heel was bothering me a little when I got up.  bothered me some yesterday afternoon and evening, too.  So I decided this was a good day for cross training.  Rode my bike 5 miles as hard as I could.  And, you know, that is exercise, too!  Wow.  I can feel it big time.  Different set of muscles or at least a different pull on them.  Very, very foggy here this morning so I didn't take the iPod so I would be sure to hear cars.  Yes, there were 3!

6 miles

It wasn't very pretty because it was too warm.  74 when I left the house and 82 when I got back and not a breath of a breeze anywhere but I ran around the 6 mile block today.  I walked quite a lot in miles 5 and 6 because of the heat but my overall time was still a pace of 11.21 so I was happy with that.  Shirt and shorts soaking wet!  Good feeling!  Heel and groin were fine.  No problem at all.  So thankful for that.