Marathon Mom

Not running means spending a lot more time inside the gym lately. This morning my long "run" consisted of 1 hour elliptical, 15 min bike, then a short break to run downstairs to meet and send off my run group then back upstairs for 1 hour elliptical and 20 min bike for 2 hour 35 min workout. Another mentally draining workout, I wish I was outside running! All this time in the gym and I see a lot of interesting things... The man on the elliptical who smelled his armpits every few minutes. Huh? You are working out and sweating, pretty sure you will smell. The man wearing his swimsuit who sat down by the pool, read the newspaper and then headed back to locker room (bike overlooks the pool, always interesting there). There is going to be a local baby boom in the next few months, I have never seen so many pregnant women at the gym as I did this morning! This only continued as ai shopped this afternoon, we are being overwhelmed by pregnant women! What is the point of a 5 minut...

 Follow up appointment with the sports med doctor today didn't go perfect but not worst case either. On Tuesday I read the radiology report on my MRI which said there was no stress fracture, today the verdict is slightly different. My sports doc and another doctor looked at the MRI and disagree, thinking that the white that shows on the one single image is a stress reaction of the bone. So basically a precursor to a stress fracture, ugh! I guess I made the right decision to stop running last week. Good news: I am cleared to run Boston and the doctor said "it will not break at mile 10". I can do any other activity that does not cause pain, which is pretty much everything else: biking, elliptical, pool running, walking. Bad news: I am not cleared to run yet. Right now I feel 80% better then I did a week ago and should be 100% in the next week but can't do too much and risk further issues. We talked about calf strengthening and getting a DEXA scan to see why...

This past weekend should have been an easy Saturday run and my final 22-23 mile run on Sunday for Boston and then the taper. Saturday wasn’t bad: 1:15 elliptical while my run team ran in morning and then 45 min pool running and 15 min swimming laps in the afternoon so my little fishy girl could “swim” in the kid pool with daddy. Sunday, instead of a nice long run I got one of the toughest mental workouts of the training in as I tried to replace it with an equivalent time of cross-training. I had great plans that soon took a turn, and headed to the gym at 6am on Sunday with plans that revolved around an 8am spin class and 9am pool opening. Little did I know neither of these were actually happening! My planned workout: 1:15 elliptical then 1:15 spin class and ending with 30-45 min pool running and few swimming laps. My actual workout: 1:15 elliptical, change to bike shorts and head to spin class to find out it isn’t happening so 1 hour on spin bike instead, change into swim suit o...

Yesterday's visit to the sport med doc didn't go as I had hoped. I heard the words that norunner ever want to hear "I think it's a stress fracture". The leg pain was getting better but still there as a dull ache so I was hoping for a simple calf strain and continue running answer, this was not what I got. On exam he was able to find a few painful spots but nothing that was too terrible, but he also saw the weakness in my left leg which was a concern. When he asked me to hop on my left leg things were done, it hurt, I  was weak and couldn't do it :-( Crap! I hadn't even realized this, guess I was compensating pretty well. He is optimistic that it is my left leg for the first time and not my right like with my previous 3 (yes, 3) stress fractures and posterior tibial tendinitis. Since it has been going on for over a month he got an x-ray which as hoped was negative. So the good news is it is not a full out fracture or well healing stress fracture. The ne...

I often have these moments and thoughts that make me realize I am truly a runner and doing, experiencing, thinking things that only a runner would. Driving down a hilly section of the freeway you think of how good a route for hill training this is and briefly contemplate the ability to run it. Your pants fit (or are loose) every where except your muscular thighs that are attempting to bust out the seems. When asked, your 2 year old says mommy runs for a job. Hahaha I wish! You know all of the public restrooms and port-a-potties. I just cleaned out my car to find: 2 headbands, a running jacket, pair of mittens, 2 running hats, fuel belt, multiple wrappers from gels and bars, empty water bottles, race bib, arm warmers and an old pair of running shoes. I own more running shoes then "regular" shoes and am willing to spend the money on these first. I know distances based on having run places Waking up at 4am on a weekend to run is normal and actually enjoyable I eat mor...

Yes I ran, despite advice from others to sit out and keep resting the leg and possibly against my better judgement (I'll know tomorrow if my leg agrees with my decision or not). I woke up this morning pretty much pain free and continued to feel fine after 45 minutes on the elliptical. I headed into work at 6am deciding that the final decision would be based on when I was able to leave and if the leg held out. Based on 40 years of tradition this race is always held the Sunday closest to St. Patrick's Day and in the early afternoon to not interfere with all the churches along the route and allow the temperature to warm up (not an issue today, it was 80F and sunny). Even with the wonderful weather and St. Patrick's Day stupidity I still managed to have an easy day at work and got out around lunch time, thank you locals for behaving and not injuring yourself or others and saving me from being stuck at work all day on my final weekend shift ever! I met up with my team...

I am out, at least for now. After an awesome feeling 22 mile run on Sunday Tuesday's hilly run was slow and achy but not the worst yet. Wednesday I tried a 10 mile interval run and it sucked! Started out with kid and dog aiming for 4.5 miles and planning another 5-6 with only the BOB. By the time I finished the first loop I was in pain and walking, so I dropped off the dog at home and decided to skip the rest and instead walk/run to the store with the BOB to grab a few veggies for dinner. By the end of what totaled 7 miles I was feeling okay, I think the starting and stopping with the dog wasn't helping anything. Based on Wednesday's run Thursday became a bike day with 1 hour on the trainer in the morning and then a 2 mile family walk after dinner. Friday I made up some running miles with 1 hour on the elliptical and then did some strength and core before work. I just couldn't hold back after work with temps of 80 and sunny I had to at least attempt a run to the store,...

Happy Friday, a 3 day weekend and it began with an hour on the bike trainer and will likely continue with an afternoon run, I love these double days! Oh my, what have I just done? For years I've thinking about running an ultra and now I am committed to a 50K. I just registered for the Afton Trail Run in July. Now to figure out how to actually train for this so I don't embarrass myself! There is a 9 hour limit so I figure I will be fine and worst case I can stop after the first 25K loop if I need to. I honestly don't think the running will be a problem but I am concerned with fueling and not upsetting my GI system. Any advice? "Exercising" I guess this is what happens after a week of good news and excitement. The workouts of last weekend and then a nice 10 mile run in sun and warmth earlier this week along with time on the bike have inspired me and helped me arrive at an important decision. After being recruited about a month ago and then three interviews ...

What a weekend of workouts! I guess that's what happens when you hang out and train with friends training for an Ironman! It all started with an innocent conversation when the endurance trainer at the gym where I am the run coordinator asked me to let his group know about us. Fast forward a few weeks and I was asked to join some of the "fast" runners for long runs and it has progressed, I am now biking and have gotten into the pool, even considering a triathlon this summer. Saturday started early with a long run of 18 miles in the snow. I love snow running, it is just so peaceful and calming, but I could have done without the wind, bad footing and ebing pelted in the face with icy snow. It was tough and slow, but a great way to start the weekend. Kind of strange having my first real winter run in March, what a strange year so far. Sunday was another early morning. I was convinced to sign up for a spin event which is basically 1,000 people doing a 2 hour (actually 2:15...

Look what my friend the UPS man brought (along with two new pairs of compressions socks)! If it isn't running clothes/shoes then he brings me wine, I think he is my best friend! Love the Boston jackets this year, now to convince myself to wait another 6 weeks to open the packaging. Not sure if I think it is okay to wear it until marathon weekend, that has got to be some sort of bad karma. So there it sits, bag still sealed. 6 weeks from today on our 10th anniversary we leave for Boston and I will let myself open it then. February left with a bang and March is here melting all the remains of the snowstorm with forecasts in the 50s next week. February was a good month for workouts, I kept with my goals of cross training and even got in 2 pilates classes at the end of the month and swam once, a huge accomplishment considering it has been 3 years since my last swim! I logged... 222.4 miles running (a great higher mileage month despite the calf issues) 5 hours 15 min on th...