Bugger.

I'm already failing at sticking to my plan. That just figures. After I spent ~6 hours working on homework yesterday all I wanted to do was hang out on the couch watching Parenthood on DVD and eating leftovers. So I did, and it was marvelous. But it did not help me reach my running goals. Tomorrow is a new day!

Disappointed

I just totaled up the mileage that I've done so far this year (not including several runs where I didn't wear my watch) - 50 miles. That's just sad. And I'm supposed to be training for races! I guess I need to get my butt in gear and actually put in the work, huh? Anyway, I just downloaded and printed my new training schedule for San Diego, so I'm going to try my hardest to stick to it, although the first couple of long runs might be shorter than the schedule since I'm just getting back into things.

So here are the runs I have scheduled for the next week, please help keep me accountable!

Tonight: 2 miles
Saturday: 6-7 miles
Monday: 2 miles
Tuesday: 4 miles
Thursday: 3 miles
Saturday: schedule says 10, I say 8-9

I can DO this!!

Vacation Run

Last week I traveled to Las Vegas, NV to visit my mom during my spring break. I brought 2 sets of running clothes so that I could do a bit of training while I was away, and on my first morning after arrival, I set out to run around their neighborhood.

I did 2 loops of their gated community, which totaled about 1.6 miles. Not a very long run, but better than nothing (especially after an evening of wine tasting and beer drinking the evening before). It felt pretty good, and the best part of all: NO foot pain! I guess I'm getting used to the orthotics, which is a relief.

I didn't manage to get in my second run, and I haven't run since I returned, but I'm planning to go out tonight for a few miles.

In other news, I've decided to switch events for the summer. I was originally planning to run the full distance in Anchorage on June 23. That got changed to the half after my PF diagnosis, just so I wouldn't aggravate things. Now, after looking at my class schedule for the summer (and considering my fund raising minimum), I have decided it would really be best to switch to the Rock n Roll San Diego half marathon, June 3. This way the event will occur during my 3 week break from classes, so I won't have to do homework (or end up behind in class) while I'm away. I'm a little sad about missing out on Anchorage, but I know it'll be there in years to come. On the bright side, I will get to meet one of my friends from the Interwebz while I'm in San Diego, and it will be my first visit to southern California!

Picture post

I know what you're thinking - 2 posts in one day? This must be MADNESS! :-)

I noticed the other day while perusing some other running/fitness blogs that I haven't posted any pictures of me here yet. I decided to remedy this by asking The Husband to take pictures whenever we go running. Saturday's the only time we've gone since I asked, so here are some pictures from our run Saturday morning.

Since it was St. Patrick's Day, our TNT coordinator dressed as a leprechaun. He really pulls this look off, don't you think?

A shot of me coming down one of the large hills on the east course.

The course we run on is surrounded by nature, I love how beautiful everything looks in the early morning light.

The Husband and I at 3 miles - decked out in green.

Another picture of the sunrise.

Saturday Long Run - 3/17/12

FYI: Saturday is our normal long-run day. I wake up super early (around 5:15AM), drive ~45 minutes to the area where our Team in Training group meets, and we start running around 7AM. I love running with a group - although I don't run "with" anyone besides The Husband usually, it's great to meet with like-minded people and run for a common goal.

Anyway, Saturday the full marathon folks were scheduled to do 12 miles. I, of course, am injured, so I've just been doing what I can. Saturday I decided I'd do at least 4 and see how it went, since it was only my second time running in the orthotics. The first 2 miles still felt terrible - my feet were fatigued/achy-feeling like I had run 13 miles already. This sensation stuck with me (at varying levels of intensity) for about 2 miles, and then - *poof!* - it stopped! I guess it's just a warm-up thing, because the next two miles went by with no aching, burning feeling AND I wasn't experiencing any arch or calf pain. It was great! I still decided to stop after 4 miles, although I think I could have gone longer. I don't want to push too much too soon while breaking in the orthotics.

Since I'm a bit behind in my training plan I think I may shoot for the half marathon (and a PR!) in Anchorage. I can set my sights on a full for December or February, I think, and get in solid training for that. The only trick will be keeping up my base mileage over the summer - it's SO HOT here in Texas that each run is an epic battle of the will just to get out the door.

This week I'm planning to run tonight (2-3 miles or so?) and 2x while I'm visiting my mom in Las Vegas. My flight leaves early tomorrow morning, so I may not post again until I return on Saturday.

My week

So, I've had my orthotics for a little over a week now. I don't notice them at all while walking around anymore, so I'd say they're "broken in" for general activity. I ran in them for the first time on Saturday morning - that was an experience. I made it about 1/2 a mile before my feet started aching, and by 1 mile my feet felt like I'd gone 10 or more. Not an ideal situation, but I know that it will take some time for my feet to adjust to running with the orthotics.

This week I haven't done any running, mostly because I've been biking to and from work since Tuesday (my car is in the shop). So that's 6 miles of biking, 3 miles each way! I might try a short run tonight to see how things are feeling, but otherwise I'll just try to increase my distance on Saturday.

I have also been very good about not going barefoot in the house (with the exception of middle-of-the-night bathroom trips) by either staying in my (old, worn-out running) shoes + orthotics or wearing my Birkenstocks when I get home. I have also started rolling my feet out with a frozen water bottle. Now I just need to remember to do my stretches and increase the amount of time I'm icing/rolling my feet.

I still haven't heard back from my coaches on a revised training schedule, so I'm thinking I'll just make one up for myself. I will ask The Husband for his feedback as well, since he's *actually* run a full before. Stay tuned!

My 1st Podiatrist Visit

So. I had my first visit to the podiatrist yesterday afternoon. Aside from a ridiculously long wait (it was about 40 minutes past my appointment time when I was taken back, and about an hour total before the doctor saw me), the appointment was good.

The bad news: I have plantar fasciitis in my right foot. It is not presenting with the typical heel pain, but rather starting at the ball of my foot and moving back along the arch. I have decreased range of motion in my big toe (especially on the right (injured) foot, but it's starting to affect the left toe, also). This is all caused by the way my foot moves when I walk and run.

The good news: I don't have to stop running! I need to do fewer runs overall, but I don't have to stop completely, which is good.

The treatment: I am to ice, stretch, and massage my foot. I am not to walk barefoot. I am wearing non/semi-custom orthotics for now, and once my insurance approves, I will be molded for custom orthotics. Not sure how long it'll be before that happens and they are ready.

I'm breaking in my orthotics right now (2 hours yesterday, 4 today, 6 tomorrow), and I should be able to do a modified long run on Saturday. Wish me luck!

1/2 Marathon Recap + Foot Pain Woes

So, we did it! We ran the Cowtown half marathon on Feb. 26. The weather was *perfect* for a race - around 50*, partly cloudy, and breezy (transitioning into gusty winds toward the end of the race). As you can tell from my blog, our training was not up to the usual standard, so we ended up walking the second half of the race due to my foot pain and the Husband's IT band discomfort. We finished in about 3:28, so definitely not our best time, but we had fun.

After the race I took the week off from running, but I did ride my bike on Thursday afternoon and Sunday morning!

Sunday evening we headed out for my scheduled 8-mile long run. Again, we had great weather for our run. We ran a different route than normal, which was fun. But my foot started feeling "off" around 1.25 miles, and got worse from there, escalating to a 3 or 4 on the pain scale intermittently. We rounded it out at 5.5 miles, and I immediately iced my foot. Haven't been running again yet, but we'll head out for 3 miles tonight and see how it goes.

I've scheduled an appointment with the podiatrist for tomorrow afternoon. I've never been to a foot doc before, so I'm hoping for a good experience, a diagnosis, and a fast recovery! I definitely recommend seeing a doctor sooner rather than later when you think you have an injury. Best-case scenario, it's a wasted copay, and worst-case, you have to take some time off. But it will be less time than if you wait too long to see the doctor! I realized when filling out my new patient paperwork that I've been having this foot pain on and off since mid-January, so it's definitely time to get it looked at. Wish me luck!