Smoooooooke, on the Waaaater

Well, more like smoke EVERYWHERE! There are huge wildfires burning in Quebec, and the wind is blowing gobs and gobs of smoke into Vermont with no regard for the border between our two countries. Justin and I were at a campfire last night with Charlie, so when we woke up we assumed the smoke we were smelling was on his fur or in our hair. Then we stepped outside and knew it was something more; the morning news filled in the details.

I went 5 miles today on my run. The first and last half miles were warm up and cool down, but the 4 in the middle were actual running! I went out on a fairly hilly course, but my cardiovascular system felt really, really good, if you don't count the smoke burning my throat. I was about an 11:30/mile pace overall, but a little slower sometimes. But I felt so good!

I did have my first "dive in the ditch to use the bathroom experience". I have just been waiting for the other shoe to drop with my IBS; I hadn't had an attack yet on a run, but I felt it was only a matter of time. Last night I ate heavy food and drank alcohol and didn't get a full night's sleep. All those things make a perfect storm to trigger an IBS attack.

I had ran out my 2.5 miles and was on my way back home when my tummy started to rumble. The road I was on has quite a few houses, so when I felt the cramping start in earnest, I jumped off the road, pushed through some leaves and grasses, paused my Nike +, and found a tree to lean against. As I was attempting to get situated, I looked down and saw a tick on my pants. Justin had a tick in his leg last year, and Charlie has had several, so I knew what I was looking at. I was so freaked out and startled that I slapped the tick away and ran up out of the ditch and back onto the road. I guess it was the opposite effect of being scared shitless, because I made it back home without incident. MUCH to my relief, and, I'm sure, to the relief of the motorists on the road and the neighbors who may have been looking out their kitchen windows.

Justin and I then went for a hike in Johnson, which was fun and lovely, but I burned up my calves, hammies, and glutes powering up those hills. We'll see how that feels tomorrow, after also taking my body out on its longest run to date this morning.

Run With Tim

There's nothing like a dog attack to wake a person up on a Saturday morning. Charlie (my Golden) and I were attacked by a huge mastiff-type dog as we walked on the road this morning. Charlie was on leash, and this dog charged. We are both ok, but the dog took me out and my wrist really hurts, and I"m scraped. Nevertheless, I am a RUNNER now, and the show must go on.

So, I drove to my brother's house and ran my normal loop on River Road. This time, though, I took said brother with me. We ran a 5K, chit-chatting with each other, and I wore my Nike + but didn't listen to music; I just did it to record my pace and distance.

When I got home, I promptly dropped my iPod on the floor, so I'm worried I may have damaged it. Though it seems to be working ok, it won't upload my workout to the Nike + website. However, when I try to load the Nike + website, it won't load correctly or log me in. So something is screwy. Therefore, I can't really report the stats of my run, but I can tell you I was sucking wind. Partially because I was talking, I'm sure, but I think also partially because I was hauling ass. The workout summary on my iPod says we kept an 11 minute mile pace, so I'm happy.

I had a moment of delirious joy when I looked at my iPod readout and though we run a 7:30 minute/mile pace. Holy smokes! I thought. I'm a contender! I thought. Then I realized that since I'd programmed my Nike + to track a 5K, it gave my pace in km/hour, not miles/hour. Bummer.

Couch to 5K- Week 9 Day 3: I DID IT!!!!

I am now officially a C25K graduate! I am so very excited, and proud of myself. I actually stuck to something, and I feel very successful. I look forward to just sticking around 3-4 mile runs for a little while, and enjoying my new status as an official runner.

My run this morning was great. It was a cooler morning than the last 3 have been, and I just felt good. I didn't get out of breath. I didn't slow down on the hills. I wasn't constantly checking to see how much time was left. I just went out and did it. It was a really nice way to end this training program.

"It is not the mountain that we conquer, but ourselves." ~Sir Edmund Hillary

"Winners compare their achievements with their goals, while losers compare their achievements with those of other people." ~Nido Qubein

Couch to 5K- Week 9 Day 2

We are in the middle of a big heat wave- temperatures in the 90s. So, I got up at 5am to run. It felt ok; I slowed down about a minute per mile because I ran the hilly course, but I did it. I knew I wouldn't want to run at 4pm with the heat and humidity. In other news, I also narrowly avoided stepping on a dead bird. Or rather, half of a dead bird. *gag*

I am so excited that I am only 1 workout away from being a C25K graduate!!

Couch To 5K- Week 9 Day 1

Scouting Report: Run at 7:40am on Sunday, May 23

Animals Seen:
*4 dogs (all friendly)
*1 cat (sunning on a woodpile)
*1 turtle (still dead in the ditch, as per an earlier blog post)
*1 woodchuck
*numerous robins and other birds

People Seen:
*6 runners (5 female, 1 male. 4 waved back at me, 2 did not)
*1 walker (female, waved)
*1 biker (male, waved)
*4 fishermen (yes, all men. 2 in hip-high waders)

I ran along River Road this morning, enjoying the beautiful sights, sounds, and smells. It was truly gorgeous, and I felt GOOD! This was my first 30 minute run, and it was awesome. I wasn't panting, I didn't really hurt, and I didn't totally overheat. I am glad I was done running by 8:30am, though- it's supposed to be well into the 80s today, totally sunny, and humid.

Nike Plus says that I was at a 10:29/mile pace for the first mile, then 10:59/mile pace for the second mile. At the third mile, I was at 15:00/mile, but I had just slowed to my walk after the 30 minutes of running. So counting my 5 minute warm up walk, I did a 5K today in about 35 minutes. That's great!! It was on the same course exactly as my town's 5K in August, so I'll be excited to see how much I can improve my time on that route before then.

I think the reason I ran more quickly today was that the course was flat, and it was still cool. On Friday I ran an hour later, and it was hot and the course was hillier. I will continue to run hills because I know they make me a better runner, but I do loathe them.

I am so very pumped!! I am going to run just 30 minutes again on Tuesday or Wednesday, and then on my last day of C25K I will run 3.1 miles, however long it takes me. WOOT!

Couch To 5K- Week 8 Day 3

It is a beautiful, sunny morning, and I took a sick day to go to a few doctor's appointments. I decided to sneak in my run first, before it hits 80*F as it is supposed to today. It's hard for me to believe that I only have 3 runs left before I've completed C25K!

Today's run was great for the first half, and hard for the second. I felt it get warmer as I ran, I did a course with hills, and I also fatigued myself in the first 19 minutes. Today I ran at just under a 12 minute mile pace. I was running to the beat of the music on my C25K Week 8 podcast. It was steady, so I was steady overall. That was a small victory, since I usually speed up and slow down throughout my run. On the first half of my run that pace seemed a little slow- I wanted to gun it, and felt like I could move more quickly and still be comfortable. Then by the end of my run, I was running that pace but I was quite tired, with heavy legs. I can tell that as I go on, my battle will be to find a pace that my lungs and legs are comfortable with, but that I can also sustain for 3, 6, 10, and 13.1 miles.

I am happy to report that 90 minutes of running from now, I will be a C25K graduate!!

A Thought for Today...

I was reading a few posts on the Runner's World forums, and I came across this quote from a runner:

"Stop trying to build your run into something you can't handle..."

I think that really spoke to me because I start every new run that has added mileage with the thought, "Oh my gosh, I won't be able to do it." I should psych myself up, not down.

Couch To 5K- Week 8 Day 2

Well, I have to pat myself on the back. I got up at 5am, did some morning chores, and then headed out on my run. I LOVE that by 5:30am it's nice and bright outside, and I can just take off. I listened to my podcast of "Wait Wait Don't Tell Me" from NPR, and looked at the dew on the grass and the cows in the field, the sun coming up and the birds scrounging dead worms off the road (ew). It was such a nice way to start the day. I never though I'd say running for 28 minutes was a nice way to begin a morning!

According to my Nike Plus, I ran 2.97 miles in my 38 minute (28 of them actually running, 10 of them warm up and cool down walking). At Mile One I had a 11:08/mile pace, and at Mile Two I had an 11:31/mile pace. That is not only faster than I've been going recently, but also more consistent that I've been. At the end of Mile Three my pace was 14:07, but I was walking uphill and on my cool down by then, so that's still good. I feel really proud!

I also did the work out at my home, where there are the hills. I hadn't eaten before I ran. Last night I didn't sleep great. It seems like a lot of things were against me, but this is the best I've felt on a run in a long time. I'm not sure what made the difference. Maybe just that it was right off in the morning, so I was somewhat peppy and the day hadn't dragged me down yet? Whatever it was, I'm glad I feel good running at 5:30am, because that's about when the Disney Half take off...in a little over 7 months!

Injection Three

WAHOO for my vascular system. Today's injection hurt very little and I felt totally fine during and after. Before, I was freaking out, thinking about what happened last time. I was so cranked that my IBS really flared- lucky me.

I talked to the doctor, and he basically said that the more the injection hurts, the more likely my body will have a strong reaction. When I react to pain, my heart starts to pound and there is a build up of pressure in my nervous system. My brain thinks, "Uh oh, Emily's having a stroke!" and opens all of my veins up wide. This causes my blood pressure to drop, and then I have fainting symptoms like I did last time, with tingling, nausea, dizziness, etc.

Knowing what happened and why is interesting and all, but I am so very very thankful that I didn't get to experience this miracle of nature again today.

Couch To 5K- Week 8 Day 1

It was another beautiful day today, so I was eager to get out running. At least mentally. I knew I'd had 2 days of rest, and I knew the weather was perfect, and I knew I was starting the second-to-last week of the program. Plus, I had a new running tank on- bright pink. Oh la la.

Physically, however, I was not eager for my run. It really felt like a "morning after" work out. I did have a bit of a "night before"; I went out to the Upper Deck Pub with four friends, and had three drinks over three hours. I also ate brunch and supper out last night, which means I didn't consume the healthiest foods. I felt a little sluggish when I hit the path at the sports center at 9am.

Still, I ran my 28 minutes total, and with warm up and cool down I went 3.5 miles. My knees hurt when I started up, but that faded. My Achilles area hurt on both ankles today, for a nice change of pace (pun intended), but that stopped when I stopped running. Overall, I think it was "good crappy day" as Dave V. would say.

I bought a foam roller last night. There are different stretches that this roller facilitates, and Lord knows I might as well put my ample body weight to good use. I tried it briefly this afternoon after my room, and I felt foolish. And it *hurt* a bit. I'm going to keep at it, though. My friends with foam rollers give them rave reviews.

Today's run was the first time I've truly believed that I am capable of running for 30 minutes straight. I ran 28 minutes, so I KNOW I can sustain another 2 minutes of running. A very cool moment for me, because I am certain that 8 weeks ago I could never have run 30 minutes without throwing up or passing out. I was struggling to run 90 seconds. This gives me a very real sense of achievement.

I think once I finish C25K, I will work on improving my distance. So, I'll run for 30 minutes, but work up to being to run a full 5K in that length of time. I average a little over a 12 minute mile pace, so it would stand to reason that I'd finish a 5K in about 36 minutes. I'd like to get that to running a 5K in 30 minutes. We'll see. I'll have a month to improve before the WHBW race. After that, I'll start training up to the 10K distance. I would love to do a 10K in the late summer/very early fall. That will still give me a good 16 weeks to get from there (6 miles) to the 13.1 mile distance I need to be able to run for the half-marathon.

I get my next injection tomorrow, and frankly, I am shitting bricks. It hurt so very much last time, and I felt just terrible for about 15 minutes afterwards. I am going to tell the doctor all this, and hopefully we can find some way to avoid it this time. Blerg.

Couch To 5K- Week 7 Day 3

I ended up taking Wednesday off from any kind of physical activity, except a brief walk with the dog. So yesterday, I decided to finish off Week 7 of C25K. The weather was SO gorgeous that I was actually itching to get outside.

I ran my 25 minutes at the sports complex the next town over. Between that and the 5 minute warm up and cool down, I went 5K! I am well on my way to being able to run a race. I actually signed up for a 5K in Burlington at the end of June. Women Helping Battered Women (WHBW) is holding a 5 and 10K race to benefit their shelter and program. It leaves from ECHO, and will follow a lovely route along the lake. I have paid my race fee and committed, so it's nice to know I will (hopefully) more than just survive it.

The run went fine; it was warm but not to hot, and breezy but not too windy. There were people on the path and a few cute dogs. Students were playing lacrosse and practicing the high jump. A few home owners who live along the path were cutting their lawns. It was just nice.

I am making a concerted effort when I run to not think "How much time is left? How far have I gone?" It makes the run stretch on and on, and whether I'm 1/8 or 7/8 through my run, I will still finish. So what does it matter? Still, I can't help thinking this way, even when I'm enjoying my run. I don't know why. I think I like the sense of achievement I have after completing my workout. I am also very task oriented, so checking "complete Week 7 C25K" of my to-do list makes me feel very productive.

Couch To 5K- Week 7 Day 2

Today was another 25 minute run, with a 5 minute warm up and 5 minute cool down. Justin and I were both after school late tonight, so when we got home a little after 5pm, we decided to run together. My idea. Idea FAIL.

I averaged a 13 minute mile pace, which takes the 10 minutes of walking into account. That' s not bad for where I'm at. Justin was good overall and kept the pace with me. Then, he sprinted ahead and jogged back to me. He did some Monty Python "Ministry of Silly Walks" around me. He skipped. He danced.
I think he was just having fun, but I also think he was getting bored running at my pace, although he's too nice to say so. The frustrating thing is, Justin doesn't run. He does other cardio, and some weights, but he isn't a runner. I've completed almost 7 weeks of a training program, and I'm way slower than he.

I know I'm a much better runner than I was 7 weeks ago, and I know it's a losing game to compare myself to other runners. Especially a male who is 5 inches taller than me and at healthy body weight. Still.

Today didn't feel good overall. My lower back (left side) hurt, and my left knee hurt, and my right Achilles hurt. It has been a very stressful week at work so far, and it's only Tuesday. I am going to do weights/cross training tomorrow and then probably take Thursday completely off. I think my body is saying it needs a little break.

Second Injection

Yesterday I had a vascular reaction to the shot I received in my knee. That means my body has a big "Holy Crap!" moment when a chemical is injected, or when a big amount of pain is experienced. This has never happened to me before, and I've been pretty badly injured, and given blood, and had many shots.

When I received my injection yesterday, it really hurt. Some of the worst pain I've had in my life, actually, and that's saying something since I had my entire abdomen cut open to remove a 10lb ovarian cyst. It only lasted for about 10 seconds, if that (the length of the injection). After the doctor had withdrawn the needle, I all of a sudden got very hot and shaky. My hearing started to fade, and I got extremely nauseated. As the doctor walked me to the door, I couldn't really understand him. I made it into the lobby and took a few deep breaths. I checked out with the receptionist, and then got to my car and bawled. By then my knee wasn't hurting and I was feeling better, but I had scared myself.

I didn't tell the doctor, but I will before I get my next short next week. Yesterday was injection two of five, and they're all a week apart. Of course, now I am dreading the next one, which is going to flare my anxiety, which has been kept pretty well in check lately. Not only am I now dreading the shot- and I have never had a problem with needles- and the pain, but now also the horrible feeling afterwards.

I have several people I know who are currently undergoing very intense medical treatments, which are very painful. I know what I went through was very brief, and hardly matters. It certainly isn't comparable to what these people are going through. I am doing this really by choice, to alleviate knee pain. This morning, I feel totally normal. I need to count my blessings, and I realize that. I just had a hard time focuses on that fact yesterday as I gagged in a carpeted waiting room that smelled like feet.

Couch To 5K- Week 7 Day 1

Sooooooo. Today was a 25 minute run. Straight up, no intervals. Which turned out to be a good thing, since when I got out on my warm up walk, I realized that the Week 7 podcast for C25K hadn't uploaded to my iPod. Oh well. I fired up the Nike Plus and told it I wanted a half hour work out (5 minute warm up walk included) and turned on my music and took off...

...into the fourth ring of Hell. Well, not Hell, because Hell is supposedly hot. It was disgusting outside today. Snowing and 40*F and very windy- gusts up to 40mph. I had to run today, because tomorrow I am getting another shot in my knee, so that means no running until Tuesday afternoon at the earliest. I got up at looked outside, and almost threw in the towel. But I don't want to fall behind, and I felt like running in crappy weather would help me earn my street cred as a "real" runner. So off I went, in long capris and high socks, a long sleeved t-shirt, a yellow windbreaker (with hood pulled up) and a baseball cap. I'm sure I was quite the looker.

I was afraid my asthma would flare up in the cold weather, but it didn't. I coughed a little afterwards, but felt fine lung-wise as I ran. I think it helped that I'm now fit enough to control my breathing and breathe in through my nose and out through my mouth as I run- it warms the air, I think. Small victories.

I ran the course from my house, because today is Mother's Day and I had to be at my parents' by 11am. That means hills. Those blasted hills. The hills, combined with the weather, made today's run much less pleasant than Friday's run, although they were of the same duration. I ran more slowly and felt ickier by the end. BUT. I. DID. IT. I think that is going to be my refrain throughout my training. This sucked, that sucked, but I did it.

Couch To 5K- Week 6 Day 3

Today's run felt really good! Here's what I did:

Brisk 5 minute warm up walk
Run 25 minutes
5 minute cool down walk

I ran a new route along the river in town, and it was a cool and sunny afternoon. I kept my breathing even the entire time, and at the end of the run I felt like I could've gone on. My left knee hurt, and my right Achilles/ankle/something hurt, but as I ran on, the discomfort faded away. This run was encouraging.

Nature did rear its ugly head again this run, though. Or, should I say, its ugly ass? The rotten, dead turtle I saw in a ditch near the road had no head. Its shell was shattered, and it's back end was all crushed. As I approached the ditch I thought, "What is that thing down there? It looks like a dead turtle." As I ran on, I wasn't sure what I'd seen. Then, just a liiiiiitle bit beyond the ditch, I got a whiff of said turtle. Definitely a turtle. Definitely dead. I guess my stomach got a little upset because I burped for the next minute or two, but no real harm done. Well, at least to me. There was DEFINITELY harm done to the turtle.

Next week's plan is to jog 25 minutes each of the three training days. I know I can do it physically- it's the mental game I think I'm getting into now. Not getting bored, not doubting my abilities, and not borrowing trouble (as in, "You're this sweaty after half an hour? Imagine two and a half hours!!).

Couch To 5K- Week 6 Day 2

My run on Tuesday went really well. There were a lot of hills, but I conquered them. There were fewer bugs. I felt more relaxed during my runs. It just overall was a fine day. Nothing noteworthy, nothing bad.

I chose to do another 5K with my Nike Plus, so there was a little more than 5 minutes of walking at the end. Yesterday's program was:

Brisk 5 minute warm up walk
Jog 10 minutes
Walk 3 minutes
Jog 10 minutes
5 minute cool down walk

I am giving myself a total day off from any kind of working out on Wednesday (other than walking the dog) so my next run (and final run for Week 6) will be on Friday. It's 25 minutes. I understand that physically I can do it, but mentally, I am a little worried. That seems like a loooong time to me.

I did end up getting the shot that helps lubricate my knee joint. It was much less painful than the cortisone shot I had in the past. I haven't noticed a difference yet, but it supposedly can take up to 5 sessions for the shot to work, and then it lasts for up to 6 months to a year. The doctor doesn't want to treat my left knee (which is actually the more painful one currently) until we've fully treated the right, which I guess makes sense. I feel very lucky overall; my knees have behaved thus far, knock wood. They hurt MUCH worse when I was still doing lunges. I'm glad I quit those, LOL!

Couch To 5K- Week 6 Day 1

The way these middle weeks of C25K work is to give the runner long runs on the third (final) day of each week, and shorter runs with walk breaks for the other two runs. Today's Plan:
Brisk 5 minute warm up walk
Run 5 minutes
Walk 3 minutes
Run 8 minutes
Walk 3 minutes
Run 5 minutes
5 minute cool down walk

It was very hot and humid today, even though I was done my run before 11am. I didn't really mind that so much, but I really minded the black flies and gnats. Lordy Moses! They were swarming me from the minute I stepped out the door until the minute I stumbled back in. They got in my eyes and mouth, got smushed in my clothing, and worst of all, were very distracting. I guess I need to go on the hunt for a good bug spray, although I dread the thought of slimy, stinky bug spray running down my arms and into my eyes as I sweat. Blerg.

Robert Ullreys struck again today. In two of the songs on his Week 6 podcast, there are water sounds. There are waves crashing at the beginning and end of one song, and then river-like flowing water in another song. Now, if I were on a long run, I would be scared that this would make me have to pee. However, on this shorter run, it just made me thirsty. REALLY thirsty. I don't bring water with me as I run right now, since it's only for about half an hour. I don't usually want it either. Today, though, as I heard the sound of water in my ears, I wanted water in my gullet. A little piece of torture, courtesy of Bobby Ulls (as I've taken to calling him. I think we've grown really close over the past 6 weeks).

The run itself was fine today. I used my Nike Plus for the first time, and really enjoyed it. I followed the C25K plan, but I told my Nike Plus to have me do a 5K. As that worked out, I had about an extra 7 minutes of walking left after the actual C25K program ended. The fastest time in which I completed a mile was 11 minutes and 47 seconds, which is pretty darn awesome! I'm sure that was in the middle of the workout, when I ran 8 minutes and walked only 3. I really like the feedback I get from the Plus, and I like how easy it is to use. So far, an A+ from me!

Tomorrow I have a follow-up appointment with a orthopedist about my knees. I had a cortisone shot in my right knee awhile back, and it really helped- I think it still IS helping, knock wood. Tomorrow I am scheduled to start a series of injections that will help lubricate my right knee joint and hopefully help stop some of the grinding. However, I don't want to fix what ain't broken. I'd rather hold off on that injection and instead try a cortisone shot in my left knee, which is currently the one that is bothering me the most. We shall see.

A Quick Shout-Out

I have two people who have already helped me on my running journey, and I wanted to thank them quickly.

Jenn S. let me use her hot tub to soak and relax, and has been encouraging. Thanks!

Dave V. gave me injury-preventing strengthening exercises and great advice. Thanks!