First Month DONE!

I have apparently been training for my half marathon for a month now.  It's more like a month and a half since I restarted my schedule a week or so after I first started it.  ANYWAY, it's going well.  I'm two miles shy of my 50 mi July Goal for US Road Cycling.  I don't know why I thought I had 5 miles left, which I completed today, but I had 7, not 5.  Math.

I ate cake and all the Coke I could drink.  I think I had 4 cans today.  I was feeling so anxious so, of course, let's add caffeine to the mix!  That's a great idea!!  Buzz, buzz.  I'm all wonked out.  Agh, I need to meditate or hit myself with a mallet on the head and pass out.  Let's meditate, that won't hurt.

I also did 10 mins of strength training for the arms/shoulders.  I'm out of shape.  I couldn't complete half of the workouts.  Shame!  I was doing so well.

My kids are amazing to me, they got to swim in the pool and they weren't freaking out or throwing temper tantrums.  I was happy they got to swim because we got home, cleaned them up, changed, and went right to bed.  I threw my dirty running clothes in the washer and am ready for my easy run tomorrow.  Just 35 mins, I'm taking the dogs.  I feel bad that they've been in their crate while I try to regain my home from the dirt monster.  I cleaned and CLEANED today.

I'm pooped, all this "bad" food is upsetting my stomach and draining my energy.  I've been so sleepy, I should call it a night and go to sleep.  I should.

Weeks 1-2 in review

I still can't believe I can blog about running again.  It is amazing what a wonderful type of therapy running has become for me, there's nothing compared to it and I can't imagine how I survived those 4 months without being able to run more than a mile without pain.  It's cra-cra.

I am happy to say that I've kept up with all the stretching and strengthening that I used to avoid pre-injury.  It is no wonder I got myself injured, I was... let's just say "naive," to think that I could JUST RUN.  No, sorry, Nike Ads.  You can't just get out there and run nonstop.  There are walls you have to respect and climb them, not just bust your head on them!  Seriously, it's encouraging and motivating to keep those posters around but they LIE.  They lie, yes.

Anywho, so far:

Miles walked: 5.5 mi
Miles ran: 16.19 mi
Strengthening: 40 mins.
Stretching: 1 hour 51 mins.
Foam rolling: --

I don't know how much time I actually spend foam rolling, the pain takes my breath away and apparently, my ability to keep track of it.  I do know I have been foam rolling at least once every day.  I skipped some at the beginning but, with the addition of more miles, it's becoming harder to leave alone.  I want to add cycling (at home, is there a better name?) but I haven't been able to purchase the new (comfortable) seat.  It's Christmas shopping time right now, I'm not venturing in any store any time soon.

Also, I have a race coming up!!  Well, two.  A free 5K and a for realz one on December 1st.  It's a 10K and I don't think cycling may help my legs during the next two weeks.  I don't plan on setting any new personal records but who knows, I may end up with really sore legs if I'm not careful.

The virtual half-marathon at the end of January is pretty exciting.  Yes, it'll be by myself, but it's a pretty cool medal.  I'll have three by then!  Just three, but that's a whole lot.  I may even have to buy/make/get a medal rack.  Now, that's cra-cra!

5 mi planned for tomorrow and that'll end my second week of training.  My mom will watch my kid at the park while I go around and around.  It'll be nice running without the jogging stroller.  Those kids are heavy.

"It's not starting over...

It's starting stronger."  Yeah, that's what I kept telling myself as I went through my pre-run ritual.  Sunscreen, hair clip, tight capris, tight race shirt, socks, shoes, heart rate strap and watch.  I didn't want to get too excited, I didn't know what I'd do if my third try failed.  I'd die, that's what would happen.  Maybe not that dramatic, but I'd be angry and bitchy for weeks.

Anyway, here it is.  It's only a mile but it was a beautiful hot one!  All I kept thinking was how much I had missed it.  Not even the heat could make me stop.

Pure happiness.

My mother tagged along with the kids in the stroller.  They walked around the park while I prayed in my head for my knee to stay quiet.  So far so good!  I warmed up with almost 3/4 of a mile and ran at an easy pace.  We then walked back and I came home to stretch.  A real stretch, 30-60 seconds per move on each leg.  I think it's a good step forward!

I don't know if we're ready (the knee and I) to start an actual training program again.  The race in December is not an issue, it won't be the last race and I know I won't come in first place anyway so there's no worries.  I'm just happy I can wake up early for a reason again!!!!  I could not be happier.

Strength training moves for my knee tomorrow.  Maybe I'll run again in two days.  I don't want to anger the knee.  And maybe I shouldn't celebrate until tomorrow if there's no knee pain during the night or later on... I pray there won't be.

Duckies!

I made it to BodyPump, I wanted to celebrate that seeing that today wasn't such a great day.  Long story short, anxiety is and will never be my friend.  It's ok, I can deal with it as long as I take long walks (or RUNS) and do some type of other activity.  Anxiety attacks aren't great and I feel for e/one else who deals with them.  There, anxiety can go suck it.

I walked with my mom and my Little Bear passed out.  She had been feeling sick (still!) or something or another.  She was not a pleasant child to be around today!  Goodness, I hope she feels better.  She barely ate until my mother came and made me look like I never feed her.  Always.

Pictures from today's walk:

Staring at the clouds instead of looking at Garmin to not look crazy.

There's a lake facing our complex so there's always hungry ducks around.  For a while, there were a bunch of duckies quacking and begging for food, then they disappeared.  At the same time.  My mom and I thought someone had eaten them.  Who knows, there's crazy people everywhere.  Anyway, we found them today!

I guess they're smart and stay around where the food's at for free.

My mom counted 14 duckies and one faithful duck mom.  She was watching us and threatening to attack.  My mother and I are afraid of bigger-than-cats birds.  A goose attacked and chased my mother once, I just hate their little icky feet.  And eyes.  Their eyes can see through your soul.

No kidding.

We finished and came home to give the kids a bath and feed them dinner.  I felt like a mother duck.  Both fell asleep without a peep (lol) and I am now getting ready to go to sleep while batting Olivia the Kitten away from the laptop screen.  She doesn't get it.

Wore knee band.  No pain!

I have a date with the elliptical on Sunday, I am very excited to try out some real cardio again!

My Patellar, Your Patellar? We'll find out in 13 weeks.

Ugh, so Garmin is down and I can't upload my race results.  Awesome, Garmin.  

My knee was super while the race took place, we cooled down and while walking to the car, it starting acting out.  Stupid knee.  Well, stupid me.  I found a great article full of useful information at fix-knee-pain.com, and I realize now (again, for the third or fourth time this week) that I overtrained, that I didn't "watch it" or let it rest... yes, yes, I know.  It's my fault.  Question is, how do I fix it?

Well, the article is thorough.  It is exactly what I've been researching for the past 6-7 days.  I've found great inspirational blogs about injuries but nothing about what to do about them.  Sure, there are great "you should've been doing this stretch" topics, but I already fucked it up, ok?  Give me something to do.

This article does.  It goes into detail about a 13-week long (if you do the max recommended weeks per phase) "Anti-knee Tendonitis Program."  I can follow programs (except the one that I didn't while I got injured)!  So, today was day one.  I'm ready to stop running (yes) and start to prepare my knee for real training.  I mean, go big or go home.  Right?  Damn, right.

Phase I is a set of basic steps every new runner (athlete) should follow before doing anything else.  The one thing all articles have agreed on, is that runners get injured because we just don't know.  There are a million things that go on while running, any one of them done over a period of time will take you out.  We are naive and wishful about the wind on our faces, the crunch of gravel under our feet, the better legs... We are all guilty.

The only thing I need to get is a stretchy band that I was hoping to buy anyway, I can find it at a discount store with a little looking around.  I'm really excited about this injury now.  There are a bunch of butt exercises (!) and inner thighs touch ups.  It'll be a good 13 weeks, I say.

Food was all over the place today because we are out of food.  My husband did a quick run to the store to get what the kids needed to survive for another day (diapers, wipes, juice, milk) but my job was to cook a meal for two with frozen meat and a box of salad.  Done and doner.

 I'm not posting pictures today, the Gummy Bear is crying like there's no tomorrow.