One Year Running Anniversay...how did I almost forget.

I was getting an awesome massage on my shins last night when I remembered that this week is my one year anniversary when I started running.

Running has brought my husband and I together in a whole new way (not that we were lost before), it has given me peace when I needed it most, it has opened a new world full of new friends (both online and in person). What I forever must be greatful for is my health. Running has provided me the avenue to breathe deeper, live longer, and respect the body I've been given.

It wasn't an easy road to get to this point. I found out I wasn't only a high maintenance kind of gal, but I'm also a high maintenance kind of runner. After numerous different shoes, PT appointments and tears I found my running legs.

I have to believe Chris had some doubts I'd even like running, but he continued to support every crazy fad I tried to just get started with running. Love ya honey and you inspire me everyday to just keep on moving.

Thanks for reading everyone I appreciate all the support and I hope I can return it.



- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone

Stevi

All I Want For Christmas......

When I last left you I was excited about logging a new weekly mileage high of 29 miles despite a failed long run. I was hoping Santa would bring me some fresh legs, and allow me to hit my goal of 30 miles in a week for Christmas. I won't make you wait in suspense by wondering if I got it or not. Nope Santa decided that this wish was not happening this week, and it was made evident pretty early.

Monday was a planned rest day, and after the somewhat successful Sunday run that I had I was very hopeful for Tuesday evening run. I was planning on getting 6 miles in, and set myself up nicely for the 30 mpw goal. My gut was telling me it might be a good idea to run past the CRC store (about 1.5 miles into my run). Good thing I did since my shins tightened up so bad it hurt to walk. I decided I was being told I needed another day off so I called Chris to come get me. So Monday was a planned rest day, and Tuesday and Wednesday I had two unplanned rest days.
Now here is the point that I must interrupt your normally scheduled programming about my running life to share some not so scheduled programming. Wednesday was a short day at work. I left the office after having gotten a good deal of work done, and also finding a massage therapist that was familiar with working on runners (I made my appointment for the Monday after Christmas). I was excited to get home, and begin my long holiday weekend. No more than 3 minutes after leaving my office I was sitting at a red light and then I heard it....crunch!

Well wouldn't you know Santa thought I needed a new bumper. The girl behind me thought she had a tad more room than what she did when she tried to switch lanes. So I got out of the car and asked if she was fine. Looking at the damage I was lucky my whole bumper hadn't fallen off, but it was going to need replaced. Then I began the process of gathering information. I was a tad nervous about screwing up and not getting what I needed (I'm a paralegal and it would not look good). Lucky for me I dealt with two nice insurance adjusters (maybe it was the holidays that had them in a cheery mood). The other driver accepted liability and lucky for me she had full insurance. Now I am just waiting for the body shop to call to schedule the care repair.

Christmas eve I ventured to a local park trail with Chris and tried for 3-4 miles ( I really needed to burn off some sugar and stored energy from the day before). The first two left me cursing my legs, but the last two miles things began to turn around for me (I finally had some hope). I decided after the somewhat successful run to rest again Friday in hopes I could get more than 5 miles on Saturdays long run day.

Christmas eve evening was a family get together. As Chris and I were gathering up everything to hit the road, he went to put on his watch and wedding ring (which he normally only wears when leaving the house). After checking all the normal sports he puts it, we began to scan the floors. After 15 minutes of searching and coming up with nothing we left. Three plus days later and even the trash was searched, but sadly the ring has not been found. I'm not mad, but just sad that it may be gone forever. Chris has really beaten himself up over the losing the ring, but these things happen. We are already looking for a replacement, but regardless it is just a ring that was lost not our vows.

Back to running, Christmas morning was wonderful. Like usual Chris spoils me, and even gave into a little item I had been asking for in PINK.

These calf sleeves are awesome!

After a day (or two) filled with family and food....lots and lots of food. I was ready for a longer run on Saturday morning. Lucky for me I got 7 miles in, and all were completed without any real pain. I tested my luck again on Sunday and got 5 miles done on the park trail. Even with the injury, holiday craziness, wrecked car, and lost symbol of love this week I still got 18 miles total for the week. Today I am going to see a massage therapist, and yesterday I ordered a new pair of shoes. Later this week I'll post about my thoughts regarding WHY I get stupid shin splints, and actions I need to take to prevent this in the future.

I hope everyone had a wonderful holiday, and now it's time to look forward to a New Year (along with a post on a reflection of this past year).

Week Four: Honaker's Road to Boston

Week four was not derailed due to the holidays, but carried on as planned. The total mileage logged for the week 70 miles. In addition to the new mileage high Chris has logged over 50 days straight of running (some call that awesome, I call that crazy).
His week looked like this:
M- 9.05 Fartlek
T- 12 Med Long
W- 7.01 Recovery
Th- 9.01 Tempo
F- 7.2 Recovery
S- 1.13 Recovery
15.03 Long
1.16 Recovery
Su-8.46 Recovery

MERRY CHRISTMAS READERS!

Chris and I would like to wish everyone a very Merry Christmas (sorry a day late), and a Happy New Year! I'll be back on Monday to share some running and not so running related tails from this past week. Injuries, crashes, lost symbols of love my-oh-my what an adventure it has been this past week.

Push Ups, Ouch!

This week was the start of week four of the 100 push up challenge. As evidence by the below video's we are progressing along, sort of.

Although you will see me getting to a whopping 19 push up at one time, I have stalled at this stage. Unable to get past 19 push ups, I have gladly repeated the week 3 schedule, and will continue to do so until I can complete all three days.

Chris on the other had found an interesting way of getting an injury from push ups of all things (let me remind you the man runs over 60 miles a week, and has never had a major running injury). So last week what began as a bothersome achy big toe, ended up as tendinitis. How does one get a big toe injury, you ask? Take a close look at the video.



Yes the form could use some improvement, but ya know I'm a beginner.


See the stress his poor toes are put through? Someone needs to be wearing shoes when he does his push ups.

Just keep on moving, right?

After last weeks oops, this week was all about "just keep on moving". I was pretty mad about only getting 24 miles last week, so I set out early in the week to make sure that didn't happen again.

Taking Monday off, I went out on Tuesday after work and got in a pretty quick 5.5 mile run. Again I had not planned it, but I managed to accomplish a good progression run. Average pace was 9:38 for the run, and then the next day was 5 miles on the treadmill. Thursday I went out for 4 miles, and got to my driveway at 3.9 miles. Instead of running circles around my street (like I normally do) for the last .10 mile I just called it a day. I was a bit more tired on this run and really felt it in my shins. I still ended the run with a 9:40 average pace, but I had a feeling I was going to pay for this last month of fairly fast runs.

Saturday morning I was excited about having my first long run in the snow, and I was planning on getting 11 miles completed. Mile one was cold and the legs just felt heavy. I tried to focus on my surroundings and relax. 1 1/2 into the run and I knew I was in trouble. I stopped to stretch my shins, and when it hurts more when your standing, then I knew this shin pain was the real deal. It has been a very long time since I had shin pain bad enough to make me stop running.

I knew if I kept on moving the tightness may lessen. I just told myself to keep moving and it would get better. Mile 2 1/2 the tears just started streaming, and all I began to think about was how I am less then two weeks away from my one year anniversary. My one year anniversary of consistently running is coming up, and I also began discussing my plans for training this year for my half and full marathon. I have so many goals for my next year of running, that it was just easier to cry as I tried to run back to the store.

After passing my house and fighting the urge to call it a day after only three miles, I saw Chris running with a fellow running pal. I focused on the two of them and just ran. I had stopped crying and was just trying to think of something else other than the discomfort in my leggies. As I got closer to the store the pain started to get weaker and weaker. I got back and the store was filled with other runners getting ready to start their own runs and I just wanted to crawl into a hole. I wasn't sure if I could go back out running, but I knew if I stopped for the day and only got 4 miles in I would be a wreck for the rest of the day (yep it frustrated me that much).

As I sat there waiting for 8:07 the shins didn't feel so tight, so I began to think if I just went back out slower then maybe I would be OK. That is what I did, I stuck with a great group of runners that normally run a tad slower than what I do on the long runs. I was hoping the slower pace would work, and I could make something of this long run after all this frustration. Each mile I was ready to toss in the towel if the legs felt bad, but they never did. I ended with 9 1/2 miles with a nice average pace of 10:17. The pace is a far cry from my 10 at 9:37 last week, but I think my legs were saying they couldn't take all the pounding and that I needed to respect that. Lesson learned, respect your body!

Today Chris and I enjoyed another snowy run, but this time at a local park. The trail had so much snow I ended up running on the road leading to the parking areas. I tried my newer shoes out too, hoping that would help my shins and vowed to keep the pace really slow. I wanted 5 miles to get a new mileage high week, but I knew if I was to do it pain free it would have to be a real recovery run. As long as I kept on moving I was going to make this week a success, and I managed to do just that. Two miles into the run the legs actually felt good and I kept the pace at recovery level, and then added two hill sprints at the end of the run. 29 total miles for the week, and another mileage high.

5 days until Christmas and I am hoping that I will be able to give myself a nice Christmas present, which only I can give. If I treat my legs right, and they in turn treat me right. I will attempt to log 30 miles this coming week. It would mean so much too me to have this goal accomplished....maybe Christmas miracles can happen.

Week Three: Honaker's Road to Boston

Note: I corrected the last post on Honaker's Road to Boston. This is the actual third week of training.

Mileage for week three of training......67 miles, which is a new all time mileage high for Chris. He also had two good quality runs. A fartlek, and general aerobic progression run which both went well. The biggest improvement was his long run this week. He took the first 10 miles easy and then the last 30 minutes moderate. Unlike previous long runs (which he was running a tad to fast), he didn't feel total drained the following day. This should make some difference in his energy level for this next week of training.

Some great news came in this week. Two of the top US men's long distance runners will be racing at the 2010 Boston Marathon, Ryan Hall and Meb Keflezighi (the 2009 NYC Marathon winner)will be trying to take the men's title. I have already offered my legs and feet to stand in line at the expo to get any racers autographs if they so desire. It is sure to be an exciting race!