Update

I went to my first physical therapy session yesterday. I liked the PT WAY more than the doctor. When he explained to me what was going on, it all made sense. And he used pictures...which is a good way to explain things to me...still fried from grad school...

So the problem is my posterior tibialis. If I spelled that right. And it's a problem for numerous reasons. I pronate, I don't have the range of motion I should in my foot, my calves are 1) weak and 2) tight, both of which contribute. I've got this whole list of crap I'm supposed to do, and I'm totally game, but I've really got to figure out when I am going to fit that in my day. I think I need to do it in the morning. Blah.

W8W2

Done!  And it was easy!  Well, not as easy as say, laying on the couch watching tv, but it was not hard at all.  It was so much easier than on Tuesday.  And Hazel did really well too.  The first half the ran at 5.8-6.0, almost all of the second half she ran at 5.5 and for a little bit she ran at 5.4.  This was much better than Tuesday.  I think 5.5 is about a 12 minute mile so I am happy - for us both!

In the last 3 minutes we came upon a cute little laso.  Anytime Hazel approaches a dog, or a dog approaches her, she slows to almost a stop.  I could not get away from this dog.  We passed said dog, but then it was right behind us and Hazel would not run fast enough to get away.  It was really annoying.  But we made it through.

I think I'm going to try and finish week 8 tomorrow so that I can start week 9 on Monday.  This will enable me to get in another full week with a day of rest before the race.  I'm going to do 31 minutes next week and then 34 minutes the final week.

Time: 28.01

Distance: 2.4

Average HR: 166

Max HR: 191

Calories: 362

Update

Okay honestly I'm sick of hearing myself talk about this...yet here I go.

So I saw the doctor.

First of all, he talked to my boobs the ENTIRE TIME. I'm not sure he ever looked me in the eye. And for God's sake, I was wearing a sports bra. Or maybe, thank God I was wearing a sports bra. He seemed very certain of what is wrong. I remember snippets like - pronate on the left side, floppy feet, tight calves. Physical therapy once a week, don't run unless the pain is a 2/10 or less, see me again in a month. "Now, your husband's feet wouldn't be this flexible" to me, who is not wearing a ring of course, and it felt like a smarmy - are you married? - question. I didn't take the bait. But smarmy aside, I did get the impression he knew what he was talking about.

But here's the thing. I don't think I need PT. For the love, I've only been running 2 months. I don't run far and I don't run fast. My tendons are SORE. I now have better shoes. I think I might torture myself with Airrosti once or maybe just not run for another week, ride my bike a lot, see if I am all better, then run and these new fancy shoes.

I think my 5k is out. I almost cried in the doc's office today because it's insanely frustrating because of what I've already said - I don't run far and I don't run fast. But I do love to ride my bike. So I'll do that, and yoga and let the tendons recover for now.

Sidebar: I am going to see my favorite Austin band play at MIDNIGHT tonight. You heard me. I'm going out at midnight. On a school night. And I've conned a girlfriend into going with. But oh how I love thee, Band of Heathens!

W8W1

What happened to the rest of Week 7?  I skipped it.  I'm doing a 5k on March 7 and if I do the program as written, I'll only have run 30 minutes by the time the 5k rolls around.  I decided to see if I could run 28 minutes.  I thought that I would be able to.  And I did!  I had to stop my watch for 1 minute while I took my long sleeved shirt off.  I was hot!  But I did run for the full 28 minutes.  Again, Hazel slowed down on the second half, slower than I would have liked, but oh well.  Maybe I wouldn't have been able to finish if she hadn't.  Hopefully she will build up speed.  At least she is going for 28 minutes and not just laying down in protest.

I am happy.  Next week I'll try for 31 minutes and then the week of my 5k I'll do 34.  At least that is the plan.  I only recorded the actual run part.  That is why the distance, calories and time are less than normal.  And I'm sure the distance is a little off.  Mary still hasn't gotten with me to calibrate.

Time: 28.03

Distance: 2.3

Average HR: 176

Max HR: 193

Calories: 395

Bah

So I got up before 5 on my day off and went to class, and just could not do it. Hurts too much. I am soooo annoyed by this because it's not as if I am running ridiculous numbers of miles, or running for speed...I am just doing recreational, should be good for me, jogging. I believe it's related to the fact that I am older than I like to think I am.

Anyhow, I feel like I have this great team helping me with this. My coach Chris and my good friend Catherine are calling and emailing some guy named Mac at Runtex that they swear by and who they think I will get a lot of time with because I'm an attractive blonde. Sweet! I'll take attention any day. ;-) (I'm pathetic, and I'm okay with it)

I am going to Catherine's today to learn how to do the roller on my ankles. Apparently my afflictions are very similar to hers. And this is the woman who won the 3M half for her age group (40 something) a couple of weeks ago. Then both Chris and Scott mentioned various sports doctors. I'm hoping shoes and stretches do the trick though, and I think they might, but if I need to see someone I will.

I'll probably not run this week but still run the 5k on Saturday. Since I was never planning on really "racing" I think this will be fine. I'll try to get on my bike some so I still get some exercise.

This didn't start happening until I increased my distance. And I still wonder if it's related to random things like wearing heels all week, and how tight my freaking running pants are around the ankles. Gotta wear some heels to a board meeting, but otherwise I won't, and even that day I'll just carry them with me and wear them for the meeting. I'm encouraged too because I put on some really old mizunos to wear around the house this morning and I swear my ankles don't hurt as bad in them. The shoes I've been running in are Brooks. And on the shoe note, I've never truly been fitted for running shoes. I've always bought good cross trainers for walking, but always been clear I only walk in them when I've bought them. So Mac Daddy will hopefully get me in the right pair for running.

Thanks for listening! I appreciate my little running community in Austin, Dripping Springs, and Kansas City!

W7W1

okay, i'm back.  i know it's been almost a week since i last ran.  i went in for a second interview for a company that creates training here in town.  though i'm not all the way through the interview process, they had a last minute request from a client and the guy that had been working on it was sick.  she asked me to step in this week.  since it was due on saturday morning, and i have no idea whether they will give me additional work, i tried to get in as many hours as possible between wednesday afternoon and saturday morning.  i haven't worked for 3.5 months and before that i was in europe for 5 weeks.  my financial situation was getting dire.  so i held off on the running.  of course i could have done it, but i didn't need any distractions, and the running would have been a distraction.  i thought i would go yesterday, but after two 'working until 5am' nights, i slept all day.

so i went with hazel.  i started out slower this time.  the first half i went about 5.5 on my watch (which is close to a 12 minute mile) and on the way back we went a little slower.  hazel wanted to go slower, which was probably good for me.  we did stop a few times for 30 seconds or less while hazel went to the bathroom, but outside of that i ran the whole way.  it wasn't easy and it wasn't agonizing.  i did get a stich in my side right at the end but was able to push through it.  i was glad when the 25 minutes were up.  since my 5k is on march 7th, i'm going to see if i can go 28 minutes on tuesday.  

Time: 45.38

Distance (??): 3.1

Average HR: 163

Max HR: 189

Calories: 569

Lisa?

Donde esta?

Long run

First of all, Judah? No posts since what - Monday??

I ran 4 miles. Really. Okay, I will admit that I did not run up the stairs when I took some stairs on the trail. But at least it was stairs and it was only maybe 20 seconds. I held out fine with the cardio - felt great actually. Good breathing rhythm pretty much the whole time. I felt the longer distance in I guess my quads, but it was almost more like my hip joints. (I clearly don't know anatomy) I think I'll feel it tomorrow. Ugh and my poor feet - I just winced for the first 5 minutes but then that got all better. I think the foot pain is related to a new pair of work shoes I've been wearing. Not going to wear them anymore and see if this goes away.

I started getting antsy towards the end of the run but I know I could have run longer if I had set a longer goal because I felt pretty good. I ran at 5 mph - it took me 48 minutes to do the loop.

Not sure my hrm was right...my numbers seem high, but maybe that is right because I ran longer.

Stats
Max hr: 214
Avg hr: 164
Duration: 53:36
Distance: 4.01 + cool down
Calories: 474

I am really glad I did this. Now I know for sure I will have no problem with the 5k next weekend and will even try to push myself a teeny bit on speed.

It Is Finished.

I set my alarm for 4:50 a.m. and then I didn't turn it on so I MISSED MY RUNNING CLASS! I was so incredibly annoyed with myself when I woke up. I just really don't do that kind of thing. Anyhoo, I emailed Chris and asked her what my schedule should be the rest of this week since I missed the class. She recommended I run an "easy 2 to 2 1/2" today, take tomorrow off, then do my long run on Saturday. I groaned when I saw this suggestion because I very strongly prefer to run in the early mornings and not after a full day of working and parenting. So I really wasn't sure I was going to do it. But of course I did. So thus ends Couch to 5k for Clare. I ran 30 minutes tonight, which was 2.5 miles. I started this journey on December 17th so it was 8 weeks. I remember being exceptionally pleased when I could run for 5 minutes and I just ran 30!

Week 8 (in the program) was a turning point. I hated 6 and 7, then 8 and 9 I felt like a runner. My main motivation for doing this was to lose some weight. I lost a whopping 2.4 lbs. :) BUT...I look better and feel better than I have in a long time. Along with the running I'm doing yoga, and have been doing weights with a trainer every week since July. So while I am not at pre-grad school weight, which was my goal, I know I just need to let that go. I am about 3 lbs heavier but I am much more toned and much healthier. I bought jeans today...same size I bought about a year ago...but they look better! At least I am choosing to believe that.

All that aside, running is good for my mental health. I just dig it.

Stats
Max hr: 180
Avg hr: 157
Duration: 40:00
Distance: 3.05
Calories: 324

Week 9 Day 2

It was a good run. I wasn't in the mood and I am starting to not like the treadmill so much, but I got up and did it and it was pretty good. The thing I noticed the most was my cardio. I just never really got winded. That shows up in my hr stats too. Now, the downside is that I ran for 30 minutes and didn't even burn 300 calories! I guess that might motivate me to pick up the pace. But speaking of pace, I'm now running 5.0 mph consistently on the treadmill, which means I am likely running faster when I'm outside, and that's satisfying.

My heels still hurt, but clearly not bad enough to keep me off them. I noticed yesterday they hurt worse at the end of the day...and I wasn't on them at all! Drove down and back to San Antonio and sat in a seminar all day. Who knows. I am starting to think a trip to Runtex to talk about my shoes might not be a bad idea. I paid attention to my stride today and I am definitely striking mid foot and not heel.

Tomorrow is a class day, Friday is an off day, and Saturday and I am going to try to run 4 miles. We'll see about that. Going out with my brother Friday night and he has always been a terrible influence. :) I think I'll decide now to be the driver so I can have a good run!

Stats
Max hr: 169
Avg hr: 147
Duration: 40:00
Distance: 3.02
Calories: 292

W6W3 - Not Quite

well . . . i had to walk.  like twice.  i know, i know.  mary was powerless to stop me.  it was truly awful.  here's what happened - first off we started running and mary let me know via her garmin that the 6 mph (10 min mile) pace my watch said i had been running at was really an 11.25 min mile.  i suspected as much, but was still really bummed out and annoyed.  annoyed just because i want my foot pod to report the right pace (at least for the most part).  then, because i was with mary, i ran a little faster than normal, which hurt me later on.  she totally told me she would go at whatever speed i wanted, but still, i felt like i should go faster.  that was a bad idea.  at about the 14 minute mark i stopped and walked for a minute.  mary protested loudly.  i could have kept going but another 11 minutes felt like forever.  and really, i think having another person with me (this was a first for me) kinda threw me off.  i went faster than normal.  i didn't slow down as much as i should have when i started having trouble.  i didn't say my mantra or do the 'self-talk' that we normally do to get through a tough spot.  it was really windy (we ran into the wind on the way back).  and i had to go to the bathroom fairly bad.  i know - wah.  after a minute i started up again but then 4 or 5 minutes before the end i walked again.  i did run the last 3 minutes.  by that point my HR was over 190 and i had a stich in my side.  it was really hard.  i just hope that on wednesday it is slightly less hard.  i'll try again with mary in a week to see if i have any improvement.  so the distance is probably off - mary's garmin said we ran 1.9 miles in the 25 minutes.  so total milage was probably about 2.7 or 2.8.  but dude!  check out my calories burned!!  

Time: 42.53

Distance: 3.2

Average HR: 157

Max HR: 193

Calories: 503

Day 3 of Running Class

It was raining pretty hard so I was extra pleased with myself for going. But I needed to run today and it was really hot and stuffy in the house and there was no way I was getting on the treadmill if she had cancelled class. So I was glad she didn't.

We did our warm up run, which was hard. Sometimes I just don't feel it; this was one of those mornings. We went straight from the warm up to drills and I had to catch my breath first and then catch up with them. After drills we did "speed play." So, for a mile, we would run faster than normal for a minute, recover for a minute, run, recover, so on and so forth. I just couldn't do it at first. Like I said, just not quite right this morning. But she said walk to recover and once I started that the running intervals were fine. I also think that was the point where I finally got warmed up, and got used to my shoes being completely water logged. Another reason for being off today - burning sinus pain all through the right side of my face. Good times.

So my feet HURT. I knew they were going to. I didn't run yesterday but could tell they were tender. When I started my warm up today it was no fun, and they hurt the entire hour. I am thinking that they are just having to get used to my running longer distances not on a treadmill, and that I just need to push through the pain and toughen them up. It isn't an injury, they are just tender. I got my shoes in November, I only wear them to run...don't think it's necessarily a shoe issue. What do you guys think?

W6W2

Today was a little harder than the previous workout, but I did it.  I decided to try and see if I could run a mile in the first 10 minute interval.  I ran between 6 - 6.6 mph.  Unfortunately, Hazel tried to stop twice (forcing me to slow way down) and had to go to the bathroom once.  If not for that I totally would have done it.  After 10 minutes I was .04 shy of a mile.  That made me pretty happy.  And yes I was running faster than I ever have, but it felt good.  I knew it might pay for it on the second interval.  

Hazel did great on the first 10 minutes.  I could have gone even faster, but I ran at the speed she did.  On the second 10 minute interval, hazel slowed way down (like I expected her to).  For the most part she stayed between 5 - 5.4 mph.  A few times she dipped below 5 mph.  Near the end of the second 10 minute interval I did get tired, but I made it.  And actually, if Hazel hadn't held me back, I could have gone faster.  But I think it was all good.  

I am a little anxious about the 25 minute run on Monday.  I wonder if I will be able to do it.  I hope so.  

Time: 37.29

Distance: 2.7

Average HR: 156 

Max HR: 190

Calories: 437

Recovery Foods

Clare - I was just thinking about you and how many workouts you are doing throughout the week.  Something to consider, with the number and intensity of your workouts, you might consider a recovery meal.  

There are widely varying opinions about what constitutes a good recovery meal, but in summary, it's taken within 30 minutes of a workout (1 hour at most), and contains at least a 2 to 1 ratio of carbs to protein (very low fat).  I've read from a number of places that chocolate milk actually makes a pretty good recovery meal, as long as it is the 1% (or ideally fat free) version.  Also shoot for something that doesn't contain high fructose corn syrup.  

Just something to think about!  I would definitely consider doing this after your strength training and possibly after the running class and other runs.  May not be a necessary after the yoga.  

Week 9 Day 1 - Only 2 runs left in c25k!

Hit the trail solo this morning - no friends, and no dog. Pokey was sad but I'm just not there yet. She needs to give me a few more weeks.

I hate wind. I will take many other elements over wind, and it was quite windy. But that was the only negative this morning. Temperature was perfect. Anyway, I ran the full loop from Mopac to S Lamar pedestrian bridge and back. And then I kept running to make sure I got a full 3 miles. That's by far the furthest I've ever run and it felt great! I swear it takes me a full 20 minutes right now to get in the groove. Once I hit 20 everything feels better. Of course I ran really slow - I work on speed with Chris, begrudgingly, but not when I am doing "long" runs. (long for me...I've lived in Austin my entire life and never once thought I might ever run that whole loop) I could have kept going but Sarah and I have a full schedule today and I needed to get back.

So that run was Week 9 Day 1 of c25k - although I ran longer than the 30 minutes, and also my homework from Chris. Tomorrow is an off day but I'm going to yoga.

Sidebar: I think I must have had an Allan switch. I wish I had realized that before and just turned it off. I still feel sooo good about all that. Lauren mentioned him the other day and it was just like - oh right. I went to grad school with him. Laughing! Life is good. But I have this reservation for dinner next Saturday night and no date. Should I cancel it or make it a point to find a date? I can't decide.

Okay, sidebar over. Here are the stats, and don't make fun of my slowness. Not that any of you would. These include my warm up and cool down. My hr numbers seem high. The average is the highest I've ever seen and the max isn't right, so I think my heart was tripping a little.

Max hr: 223
Avg hr: 162
Duration: 41:35
Distance: 3.0 +
Calories: 352

Off to an ice skating class. Really.

W6W1 - Best. Run. Ever!

I've read all the horror stories about how going from the 20 minute run back to the intervals is like the worst thing ever, but really, it was delightful.  Delightful!  Okay, maybe not delightful, but it was pretty great.  I sort of thought it would be.  I did put it off all day today, because a part of me always thinks the workout will be awful.  Thankfully, it wasn't.  Maybe some of it had to do with the fact that I thought it was two 8 minute intervals and a 5 minute.  Instead, it was two 5 minute intervals and an 8 minute.  I even checked the workout before I left the house.  And I listened to it on the podcast, but by the time I got down to the trail all was forgotten.  

I decided to take Hazel today for three reasons:  1) She really, really wanted to go.  She now knows what it means when I put on my running clothes.  She gets very excited.  2) She needs to get in shape too.  And 3) I'm not training for the Olympic time trials.  I don't need to be so rigid.  It's okay if she needs to stop to go to the bathroom and even if she can't go quite as fast as I want her too.  She'll get there.

And she did great.  The first half we ran at about 6 mph and the second half between 5.5 and 5.8.  There were a few times when it dipped down, but she did great.  She did stop once during a run interval but it was only for 10 or 15 seconds.  I was very encouraging to her this time.  I'm glad I took her.

I was surprised when the first 5 minute interval ended.  I could have gone much further.  The eight minute went good as well.  Even the final 5 minute interval went well.  I could have kept going.  I wasn't even that tired at the end.  And I didn't even have to say my 'Burn After Reading Mantra' (I'm bigger, I'm back, I'm better, I'm back, than ever, I'm back, you f*ckers, I'm back).  It also makes me happy each time to make it further and further down the trail.  

Yay.

Time: 40.20

Distance: 2.9

Average HR: 155

Max HR: 189

Calories: 464

Class Day 2

So...I ran yesterday morning, worked out with Lauren yesterday afternoon and did a lot of leg stuff, and then had class this morning. I FELT it. On the "warm up" (which is a mile run, puh-lease, that's a warm up???) my legs were tired and my legs are almost never tired. So today was tough. So mile warm up, ran drills, then did a 1/2 mile run and then two 1/4 mile runs. Chris said - you look really at ease running. I said - I'm not. But the thing is, I suppose I am. I don't know why I am so fearful of pushing myself...I am sure it would be an interesting topic for a therapist, but I digress. So, on the last quarter mile run I ran with Chris and really pushed hard. I sort of thought I might puke at the end but didn't. And now I've forgotten my time which annoys me but it was 2 minutes and a little, so on pace for an 8 minute + mile. Now, I can't sustain that at this point, but it was really satisfying to do that.

I said to Chris, "ya know, I've never been sore. I started running in December but I've never had sore calves, etc." She says - "that's because you don't push yourself very hard." It's true. This is exactly why I like having a trainer/coach whatever. I am super conservative with pushing my body. And it's so my nature - if I see someone as an authority figure, I'll do what I'm told. Unless it's something illegal, unethical, unsafe, of course.

Stats:
Max hr: 177
Avg hr: 140
Duration: 51:38
Distance: 2 miles + drills
Calories: 343

Of course the stats include the recovery in between runs, the standing around learning things sometimes, etc. The distance is cumulative.

Good God I am looking forward to taking tomorrow off. I might do yoga if I don't do it tonight, but that is ALL.

Did Not

Well, I didn't run today.  I know, I know.  I decided to try the treadmill again today since I'm back to the intervals.  Seemed like I should be able to do it.  But then I waited around all day to go to the gym.  I know, I know.  So I finally got to the gym at about 9:20 (40 minutes before close).  Plenty of time to complete W6D1.  I had spent time earlier today making my podcast.  And then I synced my ipod.  I thought about looking at the workout right before I left but then thought, why should I?  I can just listen to it at the beginning of the podcast.  Bad move.  I'm standing on the treadmill about to start and I went to cue up the podcast.  Of course, it wasn't there.  Like at all.  Have no idea why it didn't sync - but it didn't.  And I had no idea what the workout was for today.  I remember an 8 minute interval but not anything else.

In my defense I did immediately call Clare to see if she could tell me what the workout was, but she didn't answer.  So I ended up just walking for 25 minutes.  

I know, I know.  I should've gone earlier, but I didn't.  I did decide that I simply cannot run on the treadmill.  I tried.  First I started out at 5 mph and it felt a little fast but it was okay.  Then I cranked it up to 6 mph just to see how it felt.  OMG - it felt like I was sprinting!  I really don't understand this.  I watched my watch the whole time to see how the foot pod was tracking the mph and it was pretty close, if not a little low.  Like, the treadmill would be at 6 mph but the watch would say 5.8 or 5.9.  And it was pretty close when I went 3.5 mph.  The foot pod reported mostly 3.5 but sometimes 3.4 or 3.3.  It only really got off when I went 3 mph.  At that point it fluctuated between 2.4 and 3.0.  Weird.  So I think for the most part the mph I am running on the trail is accurate.  For example, I don't think the foot pod says 6.0 and in reality it's 5.4.  If anything, I'm running slight faster than the foot pod is reporting.  And the distance was fairly accurate.  At the end of the 25 minutes, the foot pod underreported the distance by a tenth of a mile.  

I know, I know.  Speed doesn't matter.  But I just find it all interesting.  It is soo much easier for me to run faster on the trail than on the treadmill.  I guess I won't really know my speed until I do a timed race or run on a track.  I don't think I can run on the treadmill at this point.  I know it's mental for me - but the mental is a big thing for me.  

So I will just keep running on the trail.  

Week 8 Done and Great Run!

That was the best run ever. I ran at 5.0 mph the entire time which is a first, and I was never really miserable. Now, I know I will be miserable again, but it was so nice to have a run that just felt good like that. The key for me is hiding the clock and my speed. I do look at distance, which I find motivating. Today I told myself to just go for 2 miles, then I could look at time and speed. At the end of 2 I was close to being done with the 28 minutes and was at 5.0 mph. Yay! And the hrm behaved. So, all good!

Stats
Max hr: 200
Avg hr: 151
Duration: 40:39
Distance: 3.0
Calories: 309

My 5k is in a couple of weeks and I am feeling really confident that I'll be able to run the entire time.

Good way to start the day. I work out with Lauren this afternoon, then have running class tomorrow morning. Needless to say, Friday will be an off day, and I'm looking forward to that.

W5W3 - PASS

I did it!!!  Just barely, but I did it.  I did not stop for the entire 20 minutes.  The last 3 minutes I thought I was going to have a heart attack, but I pressed on.  

The first 10 minutes went okay.  Not easy, but not awful.  I wouldn't even say they were hard.   The second 10 minutes were exceptionally hard.  I was really huffing and puffing.  And I had a minor cramp in my side the last few minutes.  And my calves were killing me.  I really don't even know how I did it.  I was sure I would stop.  I just went minute to minute at the end.  First I said to myself "only 5 minutes left - you've run 5 minutes a bunch of times now", then "only 3 minutes left - you can do that", then "two minutes left - everyone is going to think you're a pussy if you stop with only two minutes" and finally "1 minute left - I know I can do 1 minute".  Sound familiar??

And actually, have you seen 'Burn After Reading'?  Most of the 20 minutes I repeated the following phrase:  "I'm bigger . . . I'm back . . . I'm better . . . I'm back . . . then ever . . . I'm back . . . You fuckers . . . I'm back".  Who knows why that was my mantra today.  It just was.

And then finally the 20 minutes was finished.  I completely stopped.  I had to.  It felt like my heart was about to beat out of my chest.  But then I walked the rest of the way home and I gradually felt better.

Time: 35.42

Distance: 2.6

Average HR: 166

Max HR: 192

Calories: 455