Monday, September 29, 2008

Day 110

20 miles in 3 hours 45 minutes

Yahoo! Before I started this adventure I never would of thought I could run 20 miles. It wasn't easy, but I felt better after this run than I have some of the previous shorter runs.

I had 2 bathroom breaks, stops at the aid stations and a brief walk (on my way to the bathroom). I probably would have walked a bit at the end, but my coach found me with about 2 miles to go and ran with me the rest of the way in.

I had one good fall coming down a concrete incline. I fell and rolled. I blooded my knee, scraped up my leg and arm, and bruised both palms and my shoulder. That was exciting!!! I'm not really sure what happened. It was around mile 12. I guess I was just getting worn out and dragged my feet.

The other thing I've had a problem with in the past is getting too warm. I thought I was going to have heat exhaustion. I was burning up and wanting to puke. However, I went into the restroom and doused myself with lots of cold water and that seemed to help for a moment, although I never really got over the nausea. Apparently we are having some uncommonly warm weather at this point.

My coach said that they have these really lightweight hats (Sweat Heads, I think was the name of them) that are suppose to wick sweat away from your head, that in turn keeps you cool. I might have to look into those.

Days 105 - 109

Track workout:
warm up
6 sets of 800m with a 90 second rest in between
cool down

Like all track workouts I just wanted to be done. The times were all pretty consistent so that's good. I wished I like the track workouts more. Oh well!

2 days before the 20 miler I was suppose to run 4 miles at an easy pace. Chris and I raced through 2 miles and said that's enough. Seriously, I think I ran my fastest 1 mile since I was in high school.

Tuesday, September 23, 2008

Days 97 - 104

Day 99 - Track Workout

I do not like mile repeats. For some reason running 4-5 miles on the road seems relatively easy at this point, but running 16-20 laps around the track seems like a pain. Every mile we switched off to run the opposite way around the track. My miles were all around 9 minutes.

This week I got sick. I think I probably stressed myself out over youth conference and there was also the huge weather change. I always get sick when the weather does that. Oh well! On the bright side my shins are recovering really well, which wouldn't of happened otherwise and my knee is also starting to feel a little better. I haven't figured out where to stretch to help those tendons around my knee to feel better. I guess this is where that "learning to run through the pain" part comes in!

Saturday, September 13, 2008

Days 91-96

This week I tried to take it easy. Sometimes I feel like I'm being a wimp, but unless you've had major shin splints, you would not think I was being so wimpy! I'm happy to report that the rest has paid off.

I ran 4 miles on day 94. The weather was cold. I'm not used to running in the cold air. It was a nice run, nothing major.

Day 96
workout: 18 miles
For one, this is insane!!! I can't believe I am able to do this. I've been a couch potato for so long that I wasn't sure this was really going to be possible. I knew I could walk it, but running is a whole different story. I am pleased to report that I ran nearly the whole thing, have to stop at aid stations (water & food set up along our route) and red street lights.

how I felt: This is where the shin splint recover has come into play. They didn't hurt that bad at all. I paid more attention to how my foot hits the ground and it has made a big difference. Don't let your heel hit first. I did get a couple of blisters on my toes and my knee is still giving me some trouble, but overall this has been the best long run since I ran 8 miles for the first time. I was even able to walk up my front steps without dying. OK, that might be a bit of an exaggeration, but my kids would tell you that was what was happening.

I only have 1 more long run that climbs in mileage. In 2 weeks I will run 20 miles. After that we start tapering back. I guess they think if you can run 20 miles, then you can also run 26.2.

Monday, September 8, 2008

The Stick

Having shin splints will make you want to try just about anything to make them feel better. Last week I got one of these - The Stick. I was told that there are only 3 gimmicky type things that help with shin splints and this is one of them. They said that the local University's athletic departments get them also. I really like it. You rub it on your muscles (not on your bones, like your shin). It helps to get circulation going and to rub out some of those rock hard muscles. I would highly recommend one to any athletic person.

Day 89 & 90

Day 89

Workout - 10 miles
Chris and I went really late after meetings and work. From our house to the MTC is 5 miles. So we went there and back. I twisted my ankle once and nearly face planted it. I tried to work on my running form. By the end I was completely running on empty.

Day 90 - rest day
For once, in many weeks, I woke up and I wasn't in a ton of pain. I felt better than I have in a long time. I don't know what it is. For a couple of weeks now I've hit a mental slump. It's been hard to even want to run, granted I think that had something to do with the pain that I've been in. But I think that I'm coming out of it. I don't think I've ever worked so hard for anything. It's been physically and emotionally difficult. But it's getting closer and I'm hanging in there. It's getting more exciting the closer it gets. Now if I could just raise the rest of the money then I might be doing a bit better also!

Days 86, 87, 88

Day 86 - rest day

Day 87 -
Workout was suppose to be 4 miles, but my workout ended up being 10 minutes straight up a hill. Chris & I had a nice chat with Hawk and he gave me some excellent advise about how to change my running form to prevent shin splints in the future and told me to run straight up hills to get rid of the shin splints that I have. He said that running up to the Y wasn't steep enough. It needs to be the steepest hill I could find. I run up a hill in North Orem. I was foolish and went at the hottest part of the day. Oh well! It was a great workout, even if it was only 10 minutes.

Day 88 - rest day

Day 85

Day 85
Track Workout:
4 laps warm up
7x800's at 10k pace
90 second rest between each 800m
2 lap cool down

My legs were still really sore from Saturdays run. So by the 3rd 800 I was dying. I wanted to quit. Then I thought I need to at least do 4 800's so that I'll of done half of them. At the end of the 4th I thought, ok I can do one more. By the time I finished the 7th I could hardly believe it. My legs (shins and right knee) really hurt, but I did it!

Tuesday, September 2, 2008

Days 83 & 84

After running 16 miles, I jumped right into the car and tried to make it to Keyan's race. BIG MISTAKE. I missed his race. He called, as I was about to get off I-15 to head over to AF High School, to say he had finished. If only I had run a little faster - GRRR... I did, however, run the 16 miles in under 3 hours, which made me happy. The worse part about all of this is getting into my car right afterwards and driving from SLC to Provo (since I didn't stop for Keyan's race). I am still paying for it 3 days later. My shins hurt bad. Going down stairs is the worst! Also after running my lower back hurt. I know, I need to be doing sit-ups. I don't like doing sit-ups. I wished I had one of those machines that's supposed to make doing them easier. They probably don't work though.

Day 83 - rest day

Day 84 - rest day

Day 85 - I ran around the park cheering Keyan on at his race. My kids would not say that I ran, more like tried walking fast, but moved like a person who'd been beat up! I think I may have warmed up my legs enough to get through tonight's track workout, but it's a killer so I'll have to wait and see if I make it.

Day 83

16 MILES

That's all I have to say about that!!!

Days 77- 82

Day 77 - rest day

Day 78 - rest day

Day 79 - track day

Workout:
4 lap warm up
3 sets of:
1200 meter (10k pace)
1 minute rest400 meter (5k pace)
3 minute rest
2 lap cool down

Chris had me run this at a faster than I normally would pace. I didn't like it very much at first, but after it was all over I didn't feel any worse off than when I run it slower and I get done a little faster!

Day 80 - rest day

Day 81 - cross-train
I went swimming for this.

Day 82 - rest day
I seem to have a lot of rest days! I don't think my body is made for running this much!!! However, I am hanging in there and I will finish this marathon. I just wished that it would get here already. I'm not a very patient person!

Day 76

workout: 10 miles

Since we had the yard sale this morning, I had to run around my neighborhood. Of course I had to make Chris come with me!

Yard Sale

We've been doing so much to raise money for the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society. We had a yard sale in a parking lot off 7800 S. in West Jordan (I think). We each made a couple of hundred dollars. Every little bit helps!