Training for a Belt Buckle

Headed out for a 3 mile run with the dog this morning.  About 3/4 of a mile from home I started getting a shooting pain below my left kneecap (the pain I had feared on the trail run last Saturday but never got). Turned around and started walking home.  The pain quit after about 5 minutes of walking, but I felt it on every stair as I walked into my house.

PM - went to gym and did a light leg workout with weights - light weights, lot of reps.

Twilight the dog is now ready for trail running with her new haircut:

Walked the dog again - still feeling occasional pain on stairs under that knee cap.  I will stick to walking and or pool running until Saturday and then try a knee strap to take pressure off the patella.  If I get much pain during the race on Saturday, I will just stop running.  Not worth permanent injury.

I'll do another walk this afternoon when we walk down to get my race packet.

PM - race walked with Twilight for 3.25 miles.  Silly dog thinks she is so smart - dragged behind me the first half of the walk like she was soooo tired, the minute I turned around she got 6 feet in front of me and was full of energy. Felt the pain under the kneecap on the few small uphill sections.  Just took more Ibuprofen and am icing the knee now.  Tomorrow I will test out both the neoprene knee brace and my patella support strap and see which one does best keeping the pain out of the knee.

Put on my neoprene knee brace and a weighted vest and walked/ran with the dog to the office.  No pain on the knee - ran about .75 of a mile.  

Too nice to last.  A little pain on the walk home - on uphill, downhill, curbs.  Hard to describe, but it feels like the kneecap floats and grinds against the knee at times.  It ended up doing this constantly back when I had to have knee surgery at age 19 (another person ago). Ended up carrying the puppy a few blocks because she was overheating.

Took a nap and then ran to the gym.  Used the patella strap and that seemed to help. No pain on that run.  Lifted weights for about 40 minutes, but I had no energy and then figured out I had probably eaten less than 500 calories all day. Bought a sub sandwich and on the walk home the knee was again hurting on any kind of uphill/downhill/stair.

My gut is saying don't run tomorrow.  I really don't know what to do.  Probably play it smart - but I rarely tend to do that.  Maybe I should just swim tomorrow and throw toys for an hour for the dog instead of walking her and actually let my knee rest.

Any thoughts?

Skipped my race today. I'm not going to run or walk and try and let the knee heal.  Will do some quad tightening exercises starting today to isolate the supporting muscles around the kneecap.

Finally decided to go for a run tonight.  The pace was lousy because my throat and lungs are very dry and I didn't have much energy, but it was so great to be running.  I really missed it the last few days and though how grateful I am to be able to run and how glad I am that I accepted Sasha's challenge to push myself to learn to run without always taking walking breaks.

Worried a bit about the knee for the first few miles, but it loosened up and there was no pain, so I forgot about the worries at that point in time.

Lots of melancholy thoughts tonight.  It doesn't help that on top of the holiday weekend I was then sick - so even more days alone and moping and not being able to run because of first my knee and then not feeling well. Sometimes I just let myself get drawn into the pity pot wondering why it is that some of the people I loved the most became so bitter against life and treated me so lousy. If it wasn't for my sister and my kids I would seriously think that simply living with me turns those I love into depressed, angry, hurtful people and it saddens me to think about that.  Oh well - time to move on. I'm too tired to continue trying to change myself to make others happy.

I'm grateful to be able to run and not be weary and walk and not faint.  What a great promise if we take care of our bodies.  Now if only I had that beach volleyball player figure.....

Epic Fail tonight.  My plan was to run the entire Little Cottonwood Trail.  I know my endurance is up there and I could handle the 3.25 uphills without stopping - but my body apparently did not agree with my mind.  Only made it 1.5 miles up the canyon before I had to walk the rest of the way up.  Between being sick, only getting about 4 hours sleep each of the last 2 nights, and a crappy fat filled dinner with my dad at Marie Callender's - just couldn't find any energy.  Was able to run the entire trail down - but not as fun as some times.  Due to the angle of the sun I was having a hard time picking a line in the rocks and there were too many idiot bikers whipping by without notice.  Walked the Temple Quarry Trail (.3) to cool down.

Going to the doctor this afternoon. My chest is so tight I can hardly breath and my face is killing me - so I think I have at least a sinus infection and maybe bronchitis.

Waste of time and money.  I just have a cold.  If I am still sick in a week I am supposed to go back. She did offer me cough medicine, but I said no thanks.

However, did have a nice chat with the PA.  I was impressed that she saw my necklace (it says 'Twenty Six Point Two') and knew I was a marathoner.  She ran a half marathon once and mentioned she trained for it in Chicago.  I asked what part of Chicago and she mentioned Hyde Park and then said, oh - and another city you would have never heard of called Westmont.  I said - "60559" and you should have seen the shocked look that came on her face.  She couldn't believe I knew the zip code to where she used to live - she hadn't remembered it herself.

I mentioned that when I moved to Illinois at age 3 we lived in Westmont and it then became Darien (both with the same zipcode) and we started talking about favorite streets and stores and missing Giordano's Pizza.  She even attended my old ward and knew the bishop (from when I was married) that became Stake President and I was able to tell her that he died last year and his widow lives off the Jordan River Parkway in Lehi.  Small world....... (deja vu music playing)

Ran the RHPC Half marathon this morning.  I knew going into the race that I would not be able to PR since I had been battling both knee pain and being sick for a week, but wanted to do the run and put in as good an effort as I could with my health issues.

First 5.5 miles were uphill. Pinked 2 runners at mile 1 and another at mile 2 and figured that would be it.  We ran almost up to Vivian Park and I kept my pace just past the comfortable level on the uphills.  It was fun approaching the turnaround because I saw other runners from the race and was high fiving them and cheering them on.

After the turnaround I just tried to consistently run faster than comfortable to start getting used to pushing my pace.  I was glad for the cloud cover because it kept the race cooler.  I had extra water and gatorade because I didn't know how my lungs and throat would handle the running, but they seemed okay with drinking every 2 miles, so dumped any excess to lighten the load.

I was a bit concerned about never seeing Marion or Leslie - but figured they were big girls and knew the route.

Around mile 11 my lungs started hurting, but I figured I'd keep on pushing and finished under 2:30. If I was well I think I could have possibly pushed down below 2:20 and PR'd - but was okay with my efforts - especially through the uphill sections.

No great miles - but consistent and my body was okay with pushing - so I will start pushing my miles 2-3 times a week to start getting my speed down again.

Had to go in to work to finish a project that had to be done for a client after EOD Friday. 2.5 miles each way.

Still no energy this morning.  Tried to push my pace, but my lungs and throat just wanted to make me puke.  I really hate the gaggy feeling I have between snot running down the back of my throat and mucus coming back out.  

Enjoying some lovely butter pecan Ensure on the rocks and then off to work.

PM - ran to the gym, did a chest, triceps and core workout. Ran home. 10 x around the world core workout.

Tuna fish is calling my name.

Too lazy to get out of bed today.  

For the first time in a week and a half I am starting to feel better today.  Still have lots of mucus and crud coming out of me - but I don't feel horrible all the time today. Yay!

I will fit in a workout this afternoon if I can and then am going to see Hello Dolly at Hale Center Theater tonight.

PM - Did Back and Biceps lifting tonight.  3 miles running on the treadmill.

Met Leslie and walked the first 2 miles uphill on the Little Cottonwood Trail this afternoon. Between the uphill and the heat, it was toasty.  Les turned around at mile 2 and I continued to the top - running as much of it as I could (about 2/3 of the remaining trail). Ran the entire 3.25 miles down and then walked the little side trail as a cooldown/stretching period.

Around the world core x 10.

Just ran 3 miles with the dog this morning.  

I don't know whether to be concerned about my lungs or not.  The past three days have been 'different'.  I go to bed at night with high expectations for my workout in the morning. Then I wake up and my lungs feel 'tired'.  I can't explain it - but I can really feel my lungs when I wake up and they are not happy.  They don't bother me later in the day, but take away my motivation for working out in the morning.

Also, I have had the ball of my right foot hurt for the past 2-3 weeks.  It is most sensitive when I walk barefoot, but I can also feel it when I am running.  Strangely enough, it hurts less running in the FiveFingers than in padded shoes.  I felt the ball of the foot several times on my trail run yesterday.  It is not a painful hurt, but feels like a bruised foot would - however, it doesn't get better or worse and it does not stop me from working out.

Maybe I'm just getting old and falling apart.  Any thoughts?

Update: Went to the doctor who says my lungs are clear - no sign of infection or asthma.  However, considering the amount of training I do and my fitness level, she says that maybe there is some kind of upper respiratory infection/inflammation, so we are trying a combination of antibiotics and inhaler to see if they help.

PM - 2 miles with the dog.  We headed down to a snowcone shack and shared a sugar free snowcone.

2 miles running with Twilight, then another 8.4 on my own.

Too tired to do an early morning run.  After 15 hours of work yesterday in an office building with a dead air conditioner, I got home after midnight and didn't fall asleep until 1 a.m.  Got up with enough time to do a quick puppy walk and back in the office by 6:45 a.m.  

Maybe later????

Took Twilight up to Millcreek Canyon tonight for her first trail run.  It was supposed to be a hike, but she wanted to run more than half of it.

Started my run 2 hours too late and the heat definitely got to me.  Ran the first 6.25 out and then ran out of steam.  For the next 4 miles I alternated between running 200 steps at between 9 mm and 10 mm and walking 100 steps.  

1 hour weight training on back, biceps and core.

40 minutes hard on the elliptical trainer.  Got ticked off halfway through when I was dripping sweat and two women got on treadmills in front of me and turned off the fan.  After they did a leisurely 15 minutes and got off, I asked if they would mind turning on the fan and they looked kind of sheepish not realizing they had only thought of themselves.

2 miles with the dog.

2 miles with the dog.  My body and lungs and mind were shot. I'm falling apart and don't know if it is physical or mental.

Taking a rest from running today to hope my body heals.  

It is my daughter's 22nd birthday today.  I sure miss her and wish I could be with her. 

I have tickets a concert tonight - but am really bummed because Sugarland pulled out of it and they were the group I really wanted to see.  I'll go anyway and enjoy Kenny Chesney, Lady Antebellum and Miranda Lambert. I am debating on walking to the concert.  It is less than 3 miles away.

PM - 5 miles walking to and from the concert and then walking the dog.  It was hot - west facing seats and full on sun the first 3 hours. 

1 mile with the dog.

Ran 2 miles (net uphill) to the gym.  Forced myself to conquer the mental demon sitting on my back.  Did a killer leg workout - legs were shaking the whole time.  Noticed on quad isolation exercises that my left quad seems significantly weaker than my right quad and need to work on rectifying that.  Ran 2 miles home.

6.2 miles hiking up the Pipeline Trail with my sister and the puppy.

No mileage yet today - I couldn't get out of bed early this morning.  I hope to get some miles and weight training in tonight.

I am actually (FINALLY!) feeling better and only occasionally cough.  I think between the massive stress I have been under at work, plus heavy training (for me, at least) that I went into burnout mode and was overstressed every way possible and my body just gave out on me.

I am re-evaluating if I will finish out the marathons I have paid for this summer/fall or if I will just work on getting a better level of fitness and strength.  Last week I was totally ready to be done running any races, now I am in a bit of a better frame of mind. A few days off definitely made a difference.

Work should be getting a little less stressful.  I am wrapping up a major project and have three more that are almost completed and will then not have to focus on quite as much as I have been doing.  My boss returned part-time today and full-time next week after months out of the office on bed rest and maternity leave (since the end of January).  She will take part of the burden off of me, since I have been doing as much of her job as I could in addition to my own.

I have scheduled Thursday and Friday as vacation days and hope to actually have 4 days without any work done at all (if no crisises arise) and can then re-evaluate my health and fitness and training future.

PM - Started running at 4 PM and ran 4.5 miles out, stopping at Gold's Gym to do 50 minutes of chest and triceps, then 1.5 miles home.  I soaked my head at 3 miles and it was totally dry a little more than 15 minutes later when I hit the gym.  I think that means it was hot out.  My feet were feeling pretty toasted in the Five Fingers on pavement at that time of day. Walked the dog for 1.5 miles.

Three miles walking with the dog this morning.  It was good to finally get my butt out of bed early again.

Headed out this morning to run the Pipeline Trail up  Millcreek Canyon.  Ran 4.5 miles to the overlook and drank 16 oz of fluids.  I saw a little trail heading up from there and hiked up it, thinking it only went a short ways up.  After a half mile of scrambling and hiking, the trail still continued on, but was really rough, so turned around.  I ran back a mile or so to the Rattlesnake Gulch trail and ran .65 down that (hoping it did not live up to its name).  Hiked back up and drank the rest of my fluids and finished my stinger pack. 

It was getting hot out and I don't think I have drank enough liquids this week because I started to bonk.  Alternated walking and running (running in the shadier areas) but my body was really struggling.  At the stream above Church Fork I took a risk and wet down my hat and also drank 24 ounces of water out of the stream in less than a minute. I could have drank a lot more - but am worried enough about giardia as it is.  After that I was able to run the remaining 1.5 miles back.

I stopped at Dan's and bought a 16 oz bottle of chocolate milk and inhaled that.  I can tell I must have dehydrated myself a touch because it has been 5 hours since I needed to use the bathroom last.

Hiked up the Little Cottonwood Trail and then ran down it with Leslie.   She hasn't run much lately and I figured she would run more if I stayed with her - so I wore my Five Fingers to slow me down.  The uphill miles weren't too bad - although I didn't remember the trail being that rocky.  The miles we ran down were quite painful and Leslie stayed ahead of me a lot of the time.  It was always a relief to get a few feet of sandy or less rocky trail to run on so my shoulder and neck muscles could unknot from the discomfort.

1 hour of legs and core at the gym afterwards.

PM2 - 2 more miles with the dog (walking). We stopped on the way home for a sugar free snow cone.  Twi was very upset that we passed the booth on the way out because she loves snow cones.  She can also tell when it is open or not and ignores it during the closed hours.