Ready to run?

Well who knew that doing planks and mountain climbers was the worst possible thing I could have done on Saturday. DR said I could have gone out and run hard sprints and it would have been the same stress on my broken foot. Ooops... But told me to judge my pain level. He said I'm not ready to out and just start running (probably need a couple more weeks) but that I could powerwalk with some running thrown in and judge how I am doing by how I feel the following morning. In other words, if it hurts, I did too much. I'm not ready and back off. He told me that I was going to have to use common sense with my pain level and use it as a tool to know how much or how little to do. My foot is still currently throbbing from Saturday, so no exercise today. .maybe tomorrow? :)

First Half Marathon - Hershey Half

Wow, I can't believe it has taken me this long to write about my first Half. October 16, 2011 was the day. I was nervous, excited and very emotional. I have never cried during a race before. But after I passed the starting line, I felt the tears - I was actually doing this. I also have never really enjoyed a race before, and I have to admit I enjoyed this race. It was one of the hardest things I have done to date (besides labor of course). The hills were killer, but I took each one and braced for the next one. I was doing awesome until around mile 10. I hadn't walked once, but then both calves cramped at the same time. I almost fell. 

I have never had anything 'cramp' during a run. I tried to run through it, but knew that wasn't going to happen. So I powerwalked. I was disappointed that I had to walk, especially so close to the finish, but I knew if i didn't I wasn't going to be able to finish. I then again tried to run, and after about 20 steps my legs cramped again. This time it cramped all the way up to my thighs. So I powerwalked again and then tried running again - same thing. 

At this point, I knew I had to walk/limp/shuffled if I wanted to finish. I think the last mile took me close to 20 minutes to complete. 

But you know what, I DID IT. It wasn't pretty. But I completed my first Half Marathon and I didn't get picked up by the bus - 2:38:36.

Fast forward to today's date.... well... after the race I was extremely sore.. and I developed some pain in my left foot. But it was my right heel that was bothering me. I had an issue with it before the race and ran through it. To make a long story short, I decided to go to a podiatrist about my right heel. While I was there he wanted to x-ray my left foot because of pain on top of my foot... come to find out I have a stress fracture. So the Hershey Half gave me an extra medal - a nice cast on my foot. I'm off it for 4-6 weeks probably. My left heel has a plantar's wart which may have to be cut out in two weeks if the meds don't work. 

Sooo.... I suppose if I have to be sidelined, Winter works for me. 

I'll be back. I've already signed up for the VA Beach Half Marathon next year. 

Frustrations Lately

First of all, I have to say that I am enjoying the cooler temps. (Although yesterday it was very humid). But running lately has been very frustrating. 
First of all, I'm exhausted with lack of sleep. The Lil Man hasn't been sleeping so great since all of the heavy rain with Irene and then the flooding from Lee. Second, because I'm not sleeping, I am not getting up early enough to get my runs in before hubby goes to work so I am using the jogging stroller. Let me say that the jogging stroller is GREAT. It allows me to take the Lil Man out for a run. But it is SOOOO hard to push. Within the first half mile it seems like I am already struggling. So far our longest run has been 4 miles (he got cranky the last mile). But pushing the stroller is leaving me very sore which is requiring more rest days because I haven't been able to use the jogger stroller for back to back days. My hamstrings are hating me right now - especially my left leg. Lastly, my long runs have been non-existent lately. I should be running consistently 8-9 miles and that isn't happening. Realistically I don't think I will be able to get in a long run for the next 2 weeks. 


So you'd think my shorter runs would just leave me refreshed? NOT! They are leaving me even more frustrated because I feel so very slow. I know to stop comparing myself to 'before' but that is really hard to do sometimes. 


I had to remind myself today that it has only been 4.5 months since I went from not even walking to running. It's a very slow process. I suppose I am making progress. It is just taking time... 

First 9 Mile Run Post Pregnancy

I didn't want to do this today. In fact, I got out of bed, back in bed then talked myself back out of bed and put my running clothes on. As I was driving to drop off my car to start the run, I almost turned around and went back home. Mentally I just wasn't into this. But I told myself that I needed to do at least 6 miles today. 


About about 4.5 miles, I thought about looping back to the car.I was fading fast and was beginning to get stomach cramps. But then I saw someone walking, and didn't think much of it until he started running behind me. CRAP, there was no way I was letting this guy (whoever he was) run past me while all of these cars were out on the road. Of course we were approaching a hill, double crap. I pushed it and stayed ahead of him (not that his goal was to pass me, but I was determined it was going to be a cold day in hell before that happened this morning). I made it up the hill. Unfortunately he did too. Thankfully, he kept going straight as I made my usual loop into a neighborhood.


I was approaching 6 miles. Why quit now? I completed my first 9 mile run since having the baby. 


It's only been a few hours since I completed this run, and the soreness is setting in already - wow.


I'm glad I pushed through this morning and completed this run. 

First 8 Mile Post Pregnancy

Last week was my first 7 mile run, and I wasn't 100% sure what this week's long run would be especially since I haven't slept much this entire week. I had wanted to do 8, but just wasn't sure if that was going to happen this week. 

The temp was only 71, but it was VERY VERY humid. Within a mile, I was soaked with sweat already.Also, the route that I was running, I had to pass my car 4 times which I don't like to do. It makes it too easy to just stop. 

But I found the will power today to keep moving. The main goal was just to do the distance. But, I also had hoped that I could keep the pace to the mid to lower 11:00's. For the most part, I ran a fairly even pace give or take 30 seconds. Mile splits were: Mile 1 ~ 10:40, Mile 2 ~ 11:17, Mile 3 ~ 11:13, Mile 4 ~ 11:32, Mile 5 ~ 11:09, Mile 6 ~ 11:30, Mile 7 ~ 10:56, Mile 8 ~ 11:14. Overall, my average pace was 11:11. I was pleased today with the distance and the pace. 

I do believe I may have patted myself on the back a little once I got home. First of all for getting up early after very little sleep to run, and then for completing the run. There just may be an ice cream cone in my future.