My Body Has Spoken

      My body has definitely warned me, and I think it has mainly stemmed from Friday's run that was supposed to be on Thursday and then running the 5 miles Saturday morning. I don't think (I hope) it is a serious injury, maybe just need a bit of rest and recovery, my right knee feels a little tight underneath like around that hamstring tendon. Then my left knee is sore right at the top either around the Patella or the Lateral Patellar Retinaculum; maybe even the Patellar Tendon - honestly I am not sure but am hoping and praying that it is nothing serious and that 48 hours of recovery and rest will help do the trick. No more extra miles during training and no more runs the very days before our long run - nope, nope, nope.

Our 5 Mile Long Run

   I was definitely a little nervous this time, since I had to make up Thursday's 3 miles yesterday morning. The run did go real well, I cut two minutes off last year's 5 mile run. My knees are a bit sore, but I think if I use the foam roller and keep icing it everything will be fine. I am contemplating running a mile on the trails tomorrow morning, but I don't know if that would be a wise idea. The trails are softer to my feet and joints, and I don't think a mile would really hurt though - but I shouldn't be taking chances right now and adding any extra runs in. 
Next Saturday is the YMCA 5k race, and I am not worried about it at all because 3 miles isn't anything for me now - I just hope my knees aren't trying to warn me of a future injury. I guess I will see how the legs feel tomorrow morning before I go, if anything I might just go and take photographs of the trails so I can look at them and fantasize running them when I can't.

First Group Run in like Two Weeks

    Since the little storm this last Sunday, we have had what would be a cold front compared to last week. Tonight Team 13 is not being canceled so I will be running with the large group, 3 miles tonight. I have been missing these runs since this heat wave; I miss running with the group because it keeps me busy and distracted. My pace and training aren't really being affected by the heat too bad, I think  an increase of about half a minute up to a minute on some of the runs. The YMCA 5k race is less than 2 weeks away now, though it is at 7 a.m I really hope the heat isn't bad because I would like to see myself around 28:00 minutes if not less.
     I will probably update this blog on how the run went tonight, the temp should hang around 90 but it will feel like 97, still better than being 97 and feeling like 110 degrees.
     I stayed around 30 minutes for the 3 miles, it was hard and sucked because of the humidity but we got it done and I am happy for it. Our YMCA 5k race is about one week and 3 days away, next Saturday, I really hope the weather is below 80 for 7:00 a.m or at least no humidity.

A Break in the Weather

   Yesterday was great, it started out at 97 degrees around noon and within 10 minutes a storm brought in a cold front that dropped the temp to 79. It felt so good, Saturday morning I went for the 4 mile run and wore sweat as a layer of skin. Today mother nature shows some mercy and the temperature went from 97 to 83 in less than 30 minutes and then hit 78 in an hour. Even though I had ran my long run yesterday, I couldn't help but give in to the urge to run at Audubon Park. I only did a 1 mile trail and felt so great afterwards, I am so happy that I went ahead and ran. There is just so much satisfaction in running trails that if I could run trails the rest of my life, I would be content with that. I will probably regret it tomorrow as I should stick to my training schedule but I am so happy I went, feels like I have gained an ounce of my sanity back.
      I really want to run the trails some more, but I really feel that I should stick to my training schedule and not add an other runs. Once I finish the Half Marathon in October I will probably do a lot of my runs on the trails during Fall, Winter and Spring.   

One not so Great Run, But I got it In

    This morning's 3 miles was tough, the temp was around 80 but the dew point was 74% and the humidity was 88%, it was miserable. Team 13 is probably going to be canceling a lot of our training runs due to this heat wave, but I am sure I can find a group that is crazy enough to run or I will just run in the mornings when it isn't nearly as bad. Saturday morning's run is probably canceled but since it is our 4 mile long run I will make sure to find a group that is running it. I am now wishing and begging for winter, I don't care anymore because if this is what I can expect from summer, I don't want it anymore! Even running with as less clothing as possible doesn't help, I feel like I am running through water or jello at times and eating air rather than inhaling it. I really do hope this helps with my pace and stamina when the heat wave is over and good weather comes in, right now I am anywhere between 9:26/mile to 10:05/mile with this crap. Here's to praying for the end of this heat.

People Think I am Crazy

   What else is new, it is 96 degrees outside but feels like 100 and humid. I am running with Lee and his group tonight at 6 p.m and it will still be above 90, am I really that crazy? I mean hell, if others can do it why can't I? We are doing 3 miles tonight, Team 13 was canceled but I have to get my mileage in for the Half Marathon. I am a little nervous, not just cause I am scared I might pass out while running but that Lee and his group are faster than me. He said a few (including his ex) are around 9:30 a mile or so, but that is my relaxed pace not my slow and easy pace for the heat. I will probably be averaging around 10:30 for the first mile if not slower, I don't want to look slow to them but damn it I hate running alone! Gosh I am nervous, son of a bitch I must be crazy to do this...... I already told him I would be there even though temps will be down in the 80s by 8 p.m but I hate running Chandler at night due to the wild animals and possible crazy people. I guess I must suck it up and run with the group.

A Great Way to Start the Morning

    This morning's run went really well, we ran 3 miles and I finished right around 28:19 so my min/mile was around 9:26min/mile and I feel really good about it. My legs did begin to feel like jello with the last mile but nothing to cause me to slow down or worry about, and with about a half mile left I did start to feel just a tad nauseous but again nothing I feel I should worry about. The upcoming 5k race is in 3 weeks from today and we will be doing 3 miles Tuesday and Thursdays, next Saturday will be 4 miles and the following Saturday (a week before the 5k race) will be 5. I feel confident and ready for it, the week runs I will try and keep my pace around 9:30/mile but only as long as my body can handle it (safely) and on the long runs I will keep it at around 10:00/mile unless my body is capable of doing better. I was a little concerned last this last Tuesday's run as my left knee was hurting but since then there hasn't been any soreness or pain; I have been icing it, using the foam roller and stretching consistently now. 
     I am really longing for Autumn now, the cool temps do help with my running but hopefully this will cause me to do well for my first Half in October. Honestly the only truly annoying thing is that intense headache you feel around the outer part of your skull, I know it is from the heat and the sun but I don't always feel it so I won't worry about it too much.

Last Night's Team 13 Run

    Last night's run went great, we were put into groups as usual with the fast runners in front and my group (btw 10 and 11 min/mile) after them. People were given route maps to we wouldn't get lost, apparently the ones in front didn't take the right turn so we went .50 miles more than we needed so I ended up running 3.5 miles instead of just 3 miles. Not too bad but I am beginning to feel concerned for my knee and really hoping that nothing comes of this soreness, I don't know what I would do if I miss this year's Half Marathon.
    Tomorrow morning's run is 3 miles unless somebody takes a wrong turn again, I just hope I can get enough sleep tonight so I can force myself up at 5:40 a.m because I have not been able to get up that early all week. I have to wait on Ethan and Jared now, and Jared always has an attitude in the morning when he is supposed to wake up. 

I GOT MY RUN IN!!

   Take that Mother Nature, I got my 3 mile run in tonight, it might have been a little more than 3 miles but not more than 3.10 miles I believe. I was a little worried that I would not get my run in tonight, but luckily the weather gave me a window, a very short 50 minute window.

Mother Nature Sucks

     Team 13 was canceled tonight due to severe weather; so I had decided that I was going to go in and run on the dreadmill, but as I was driving down Morgan and coming to Boeke which leads to Wesselman's Park I decided to go and see if there was a chance I could sneak my run in before the bad weather. A few of the Team 13 volunteers were there just in case members came not knowing it was canceled but I felt guilty because I did have plans of going ahead and running, instead I smiled pleasantly and talked to one of them and then headed to Ivy Tech to the Dreadmill. The weather was starting to get pretty questionable, no rain yet but lots of lightning when I arrived at Ivy Tech only to realize that I did not have my school I.D with me so I was unable to go in and use the gym. Believe me I am pissed off, the temps have cooled down but now there is a monsoon outside and I am scared I will not get my 3 miles in tonight. 
     I will say this, if it stops raining by at least 8:30 p.m tonight then I will go and get my run in. I don't care if I run around this Chandler country neighborhood thing, I will even drag my brother along and he can ride a bike if Cameron is comfortable with me out there running alone. Rocky might even get to experience a bit of running with me, lord knows he could handle 3 miles. I do not know if I can run tomorrow because that would be getting too close to Thursday's run (if it isn't canceled). What the hell am I going to do!!!!!???
     

Lord how much of this heat??

   This is just impossible to handle, I am afraid I won't be able to keep up my training if the weather stays like this. My husband doesn't want me running in this extreme heat but I cannot miss one day now that we are at 3 miles and increasing weekly, even if I have to run on the dreadmill, whatever it takes. I will run the Half Marathon this October, nothing is going to stop me this time. I don't care if I have to run in just my shorts and a sports bra from now on, or even if I have to take my water bottle along with me.
   I will probably add on to this post later today, to add how my run went whether it was in the heat outside or on a DM.

Graduation to Team 13 Today!

      Today's 3 mile run went really well, I ran under 30 minutes but only by ten seconds. Tuesday is the beginning of Team 13 and 3 miles to 13 miles, I am a little concerned because the long runs will be increasing by a mile, it is very weird because the Tuesday and Thursday runs are 3 miles while only the Saturday long runs will increase. I honestly don't know if I will be able to handle that large of an increase. I am excited but nervous at the same time, we have 13 weeks to the Half Marathon and I am praying that nothing bad happens.
      I won't be doing any squats from now on, as it seems that causes my knees pain. I will probably get back to squats this winter after the Half Marathon, I really do hope my first Half Marathon goes well.

Tonight's Run

     Tonight's run went pretty good, I was not feeling any side stitches really but my core did feel a bit tight. My legs were feeling sore from yesterday's workout though, so I might take it easier tomorrow morning and not do the squats. It seems that every time I start doing squats, my knees start to act up. I still kept it at sub 10 min/mile though and so that is better than nothing, Saturday morning is the 3 mile run and hope I do really good.

The Spawn of Satan Keeps me from the Trails

    I want so badly to get back to running on the trails, but those damn horseflies are merciless this time of the year, from June to September they are unbelievable. I love John James Audubon Park, the trails are so challenging and just great but these damn monsters drive me insane! People have given me advice but I just don't know if any of it will work, and I do not want to deal with another episode of running for my life from the tiny little buzzing beast/s.
    Tonight we are running 2.5 miles and Saturday will be 3 miles and the last day of Jumpstart and the beginning of Team 13, I have been feeling strange pains in my chest but I am hoping like hell that it is just side stitch and I should slow my pace the first mile and use it as a warm up. I am so ecstatic, I cannot begin to describe it; I can just feel it in my gut that I will be running the Half Marathon this October! I am no longer feeling any pain or soreness when running, I have even increased my speed to almost a full minute faster and am sub 10 min/mile during training runs - even in this heat!!!!! YMCA's 5k race/training run for the Half is this August and I am so ready for it, the 10k is in September and I have no fear of it!!!!!!! This is such a wonderful feeling; last year I felt hopeless, hell I had my doubts this last Spring but now after looking back on my improvements and all that I have learned - I feel that I am about to cross a milestone (3 to be exact), for almost a year 3 miles has been my wall and I was not able to cross it. Now I know I am going to break through it and move forward..... steadily of course!