Off Week

I now know why people build rest weeks into training.  This became a rest week due to injury.  I was having issues with my shins and finally figured out that it may be due to my shoes.  After a couple of days with rest I went to a new (old) store to be fit for a new pair of running shoes and started from ground zero.  I did take my shoes that I had been running in, but I told the guy that I was working with that I wanted to go in with zero bias.  I wanted him to take me through the same steps he would take everyone else through. 

The first step was to look  at my arches and how my feet make contact with the ground while I am barefoot.  The  next step was to look at my stride in a zero stability shoe and she if I was pronating while running.  The used a video camera and measuring tools to measure the amount of pronation during my stride. 

Technically, I was in the best stability shoe that Mizuno made, but it wasn't I guess what I needed.  I have switched back to my original running shoe, the Asics Kayano.  I have always been an Asics girl and the switch to Mizuno was odd. I am hoping some of the other underlying issues I was having as well will cease.  I was having issues with blistering on the balls of my feet which I had never had in my Asics. 

I plan on cycling tomorrow if I can get my stomach feeling any better.  I am feeling a little under the weather today and hoping it's not a big stomach bug that has been going around.  I am chilling today and hoping to ride tomorrow.  The ride will  be in place of my long run.

Turkey Trot and Training

Well, at least I went into the Turkey Trot on thursday with the proper mindset.  It was a training run and nothing else.  Because if I was going for a time result... it would have sucked.  It was a horrid jog/walk anyway, but if I had my mind set on a specific time, it would have been even worse.  I was disappointed enough in how it went as a training run.  It was my furthest run ever... IN MY LIFE!!  It was an 8k or 5 miles.  The first 3 to 3.5 miles went as planned, maybe a little faster than planned and that is where the downfall began.  I must have been doing well because a guy running near me was using me as his pacer.  He was trying to keep pace with me.  I was just trying to do my own thing and here is this guy using me as his rabbit.  I guess it made me feel good, especially when my left calf seized up and all I could do was walk.  The only thing I can figure is that my calf got too tight before the run started and then through the hills it continued to tighten and then the last hill it wratcheted to the final point that my foot went numb and I couldn't run again until it released.

What made it worse was that I was passed by the blue-light escort within the last mile.  Fortunately, I am just so determined that I finished even though I walked the last part of the "race."  I am not one to quit unless someone pulls me off.. I am a little dogged in my determination. 

The Stick is the best thing known to runners and cyclists alike.  I bought mine several years ago when I was doing a lot of training for the MS 150.  My legs would get tight with all the miles I was doing on the bike.  I am also using another product.

CEP Compression Products are another product I am using.  I am using both sleeves and socks.  I prefer the sleeves, but the socks have a graduated compression which my legs seem to respond to.  Even better is that I can wear them for flights or travel because I bought the medical grade compression.  So for someone like me that has clotting issues normally, my compression socks for training can double as a life-saving device. 

Road ID I never run, cycle or train anywhere without this product.  It even doubles as a medical alert for me.  I have the interactive so heaven forbid I have a seizure somewhere and I am unresponsive or get hit by a car or fall doing something silly.  At least I have my id on me and all my medical information is available right there. 

These are some of my favorites and I will post more favorites as I go.

As far as more training.  I also did a brief training run this evening for 30 minutes and 1.54 miles.   This puts my total training mileage for 2011 at 43.81 miles on the run.  For me, it is a personal best and every mile from there is increasing that personal best.  I stand a good chance of getting past 75 miles by the end of the year if I keep it up.  I'm going to start my countdown here, so the race is February 26, 2012.  We are under 90 days or right at.  Let's go.  I am one month into training and it is finally starting to feel good.  Some days feel not so good, but not bad. 

More training and an upcoming 5 miler

More training!!!  4.2 miles sunday evening, travel day on monday and tuesday.  I was able to get a training run in yesterday before heading to my cousin's graduation from infantry school.  I got in an easy 1.3 miles and then upstairs to shower and changed.  I am planning to pick up a couple books and learn from a couple people about the changes I need to make dietetically.  I am surprised that I am close to being able to run half of my half marathon distance at my 1:1 jog/walk ratio and I am quite happy with that.  It's been a struggle early, but as long as I stay with my training, it will continue to improve and I will get stronger.  Off to cook thanksgiving and I will do my best to run early in the 5 miler and then be able to eat a decent, but not too big turkey dinner.

Princess Half, here I come

Well, I've begun my training for my next big thing. 

I am registered for the Princess half marathon on February 26, 2012.  My first big event in 2012.  I saw the medal last year during the Royal Famil 5k and just had to have it.  SERIOUSLY, this thing is some major bling.  It will be my first MAJOR bling that I'll be able to rock.  I just finished week two with just under 4 miles for the week.  For me, the non-runner, that's a good week.  I'm still working on this whole running thing. 

I have an 8k planned for Thanksgiving day which to be honest, I am mildly concerned about.  I had to flip two weeks on my training plan.  Thanksgiving week was supposed to be a short week, but I've wanted to do the Turkey Trot for several years and I mis-read my training plan and registered.  Oh well.  Can't change it now.  I'll just go do it and have fun with it.

Here we go

Well, after a lot of rehab and several hundred miles of cycling, cycling season is OVER!!

I didn't do my usual end of season triathlon as I got closed out this year. My friend ran it this year and did quite well. Once I finished Bike MS, the bike was put away for a while and I have already headed into half-marathon training. I am seriously hoping the knees can hold up to a four month training plan, but I am also planning to cross-train and use my bike to help me limit the stress on the knees. February 26 is the date.

This year my sister has said she is going to run with me. I hope she is already training. The one thing I have already told her, I have given her nearly 5 months to prepare for this. I am not staying with her. I stayed with her during a 5k at the end of May and by the end my calves and quads were killing me from not doing my normal race strategy, I walked a very hilly course for a long time. I kept my promise to my sister that I would help her finish her first 5k and I did. But the half is a bucket list item and I plan to train and be NOWHERE NEAR the cutoff mark. They aren't going to have the chance to pull me off the course unless it involves an ambulance.

The official training plan begins Halloween weekend and I am doing some maintenance work prior to that. I have been working on a 5k plan to get my fitness or maintain my bike fitness in between. I've been doing well maintaining my training plan to this point and have actually run more this year than any previous year (unless you count middle school.) SERIOUSLY!!

I have crossed the 26 mile mark this year and it will only go up from here. Please, keep me in your prayers, my knees and I need it desperately.

Thank you so much everyone and please click follow to keep up with the updates. I'll be posting my training plan shortly and you all can help keep me honest. If anyone wants to join me on a training jog/walk, let me know. I would enjoy the company. Especially as it gets colder.

Rehab update

Well, the first pt session went as well as could be expected. Actually, maybe better.

Range of motion for flexion was 105 degrees. Expected range of motion at one week postop is expected at 90 degrees. I was only 1.5 days postop. I had already ditched the crutches, walking without a limp and doing really well.

Modified pt, leg lifts, quads, calf stretches and hamstring stretches.

Saturday was a busy day and I was up A LOT!!! I took today (sunday) easy, stayed off the leg a fair amount to try to keep the swelling down. It looks pretty good and I am hoping the improvement continues.

I am hoping to just do easy laps on my hybrid bike tomorrow night at the church. Nice flat and easy laps around the church parking lot. One of my riding buddies has said he would ride with me, which is awesome. I miss my team and my friends. I can't wait to get back on the bike, but I also need to do it within reason. I don't want to have to need another surgery within 18 months again.

Still hoping to start training in time to get a full half-marathon training plan in, but we'll see.

Well, crap

I hadn't posted in a while and for good reason.

I had been dealing with a knee injury and all things considered, (two significant surgeries last year) it wasn't something I really wanted to face. Add to that the sweltering heat here in the southeast and I hadn't been doing much training.

Shortly after July 4, I registered for the Princess half-marathon at Disney World in February. '

I hadn't ridden in about 10 days and for a while, my rides had been quite uncomfortable. My left knee would scream with every downstroke of my pedal. I hadn't felt that in so long and I was just hoping it was positioning of my cleat, changed that, didn't work. Bought new pedals to give my knees a little more "float" so my feet weren't quite so locked into a certain position hoping that would help. NOPE!! Finally, I went out on the 16th attempting a long ride before my mission trip and 1/2 mile in, I knew something was really wrong with my knee. I turned around after 2 miles. Returned to the start and all I really wanted to do was throw my bike. Not that it would really solve anything, but it just might make me feel better... at least until I realized the damage to my bike.

I had my mom contact my orthopedist while I was on my mission trip and get me an appointment. That appointment was yesterday. All the x-rays looked great. The only problem is, it didn't feel so great. I had a catch that was quite painful and even despite bracing for several weeks as a precaution, I hadn't seen any improvement. So, decision was made yesterday to take care of the knee quickly to prevent any further damage and possibly future injury that would be worse than what was currently going on.

I had surgery this afternoon to cleanup the knee cap and the damage that has happened since the surgery last year. The good news is, there wasn't any damage we weren't expecting. I start rehab on friday and hope to be back on the bike in the next two weeks. I'll have to take it easy, but fortunately I have a good cycling base already in place.

Additionally, the half-marathon training plan hasn't started yet, but my therapist should be able to get me to a point where I can train from the end of the rehab and into the training plan.