Afraid of the Dark!

Oooh weee, I ran today, actually 5 miles on the treadmill!!

So what is great about that?

Well my run training has been going like this, run one week, then the next week, hobbling around the household watching reruns and eating ICE cream, and not able to run. Okay not really so bad, the junk food eating part that is.

So last week I tried taking it slow and do some easy runs on the treadmill. One hour runs at a very easy pace. Okay not to bad!

Then the weekend. I was pretty nervous trying to actually run outside. I know the run would be okay but more worried about the aftermath. All that impact, my feet was not liking that lately. But lace up my shoes I did, finishing 10 miles of actual road running at an easy pace.

Then I met up with two of my soon to be Ultra Runners, kickstand Pam and Caroline for Sunday's trail run. They had a 3.5 hour run planned, but I was hoping to try to do more, give it a shot at least. So I headed to the trail around 5:30am just to try a little bit of night trail running on my own.

Yes, it was spooky being out there, I had a headlamp, a flashlight on one hand, and something to protect myself on the other. I know we don't have super dangerous wildlife out there roaming around, but all I could think of was flashbacks from the movie "The Blair Witch Project".

So I need to work on getting over my fear of running the trails at night, especially if I ever want to finish a 100 mile Ultra race.

Maybe I should carry my teddy bear when I was a kid? Maybe that would help? you think so?

But after running for a few minutes, then walk and look behind me in the dark, I met up with my running buddies. The sun was starting to finally rise on the ice packed snowy trails. The trails was really not to bad, allot of icy spots covered by snow which was bearable, but the ice did make it feel like we were running on the roads most of the time.

But even though the last hour was a little bit of a struggle for me, I was able to complete a 4 hour trail run with the help of my running buddies.

So a 30+ mile weekend and almost 50 miles for the week consisting of running, aqua~jogging, and some miles on the elliptical trainer.

From zero to almost 50, YEAH, but better yet, I think going from running miles to zero miles will not happen this time around, so far anyway.

I actually did make a appointment to go see an orthopedics doctor, but good old HMO, the only appointment available is 4 weeks away. So for now, I'm going to continue to self treat myself.

So what do I do now?

Hmmm, I'm honestly still undecided if I should still attempt the 100 miler in less than 7 weeks. I can actually drop down to the 50 miler 30 minutes before race start, so I'm not going to loose sleep over how many weeks I have left or if I should do the 100 miler or not. Because I still have plan B approved by the my "agent," yes the wife, as my alternative for my quest for craziness.

So hopefully another descent week of running along with some recovery things to hopefully keep me healthy for this week. So whatever happens I'm fine with it, because I'm back to some running again and training with some of my TRI club teammates.

I just wish it would at least stay above 40 degrees now and then, because it does get a little cold out there under the moonlight sky.

Progress!

I think my trail shoes are getting really lonely these days. Missing a 50k trail race over the weekend stings a little bit. But I know it was the right decision to not go.. I would have finished the race but would have paid a heavy price afterwards.

So I headed to the gym instead, because things are getting better on the injury front. Feel more optimistic, but it has been up and down the past month, so I'll take any kind progress as it occurs at this point.

I've been sleeping with one foot in a night splint and the other one bandaged up providing compression. Surprisingly it has helped.

Good enough to get a couple of running miles on the treadmill. Along with more pool running, some strength training, and going to my masters swim class. Activity does make the body and soul feel so much better.

Then the latest addition of Triathlete magazine comes in the mail. I sometimes forget I'm a triathlete as well and not just a trail runner. So with more active recovery comes more time surfing the Internet for races to possibly enter.

So I'm adding this one on my 2008 tentative race list. The Great Illini , and since I will be there, might as well do the FULL distance (2.4 swim, 112 bike, 26.2 run), RIGHT!!



More things to get excited about!

"60 to Zero"

Hmm, Zero to 60, that was my last post.

Now this week became 60 to zero, okay 60 to at least a couple of running miles.

I think it finally sunk in that I need to back off on my 100 mile training.

I have really tried taking it one week at a time. But being able to run one week, then the next week I struggle with my injuries is not really fun at all. I need to restart and put the caution flag out.

I do sometimes forget it is only February and have a lot more months of racing ahead of me. My ankle is still bothering me a little bit, but it is starting to cause other problems because I'm trying to adjust my running motion and overcompensate.

I also have some arch pain to add to my feet woes.

I was planning to do a 50k trail race this weekend. So instead of a D.N.S (Did not Show) it will be just a "D.N.R" (did not register) on the race list, a little disappointed, but at least I'm not out of the registration fee.

I'm also leaning towards my 100 miler plan B option. Drop down from 100 to 50 miles at the McNaughton Trail race in April.

So the next candidate might be the Mohican 100 in June, just because it seems to be harder than the Kettle(KM) 100 that also is in June.

So time to suck it up and do some non-impact running again. I've somewhat got over the boredom factor of the elliptical trainer, but going to try something equally as boring. AQUA-JOGGING, thanks to eBay I got some aqua-shoes to provide a little resistance in the water. But since I don't have access to a deep water pool, I'm going to be running back and forth in a shallow pool. Ohhh the mind-numbing boredom.

If anybody has any more ideas of anymore mind-numbing non-impact cardio to get me through this time? I'm open to any suggestions, while I wait to see my foot doctor to tell me I need to rest more.

Zero to 60

Before I get to that, let me tell you, I was able to get tickets for the kiddo and watch the Hannah Montana Concert movie in 3D. Boy, was that interesting. It was actually pretty good. I think all movies should made that way.

Then we went to go see High School Musical 1 and 2 on ICE. Okay not so interesting, my kid punched me in the arm because she caught me napping at one point.

So I needed to do some running after all that. My ankle x-rays came back negative for a stress fracture, which really means not to much, you can't see it until it heals anyway. But a bone spur showed up also. Now that hurts like a bi-ya-tch if it gets irritated.

But my soon to be "UltraRunner" running training partner, KickstandPam threw down the challenge. She is doing her 1st 50 mile race in April.

So Saturday, we met at 5:30 am near the trails. We've had a significant amount of snowfall. So 12+ inches of snow and my ankle not being 100% was not going to like the trails, so we hit the road for a long run. My ankle was all taped up and tried out some of my night running lights for the first time. I felt good out there, ankle not a great problem but tentative running for sure. We met some other people from our club and at the end ran for over 3 hours and almost 18 miles.

Then yup, repeat the next day on Sunday.

Me and KickStandPam met up again and started at 6:00am. This was going to be the test. To run back to back long runs and see if my body and ankle will hold up. So more road running in 30 degree weather. The last hour was a struggle but almost a 4 hour and 22 mile run. 40 miles in one weekend. I have not done that in awhile.

I must say, if I ran it alone I would have not had the motivation to run that far this weekend. I'm really grateful to have somebody I can Ultra train with these day. Eventhough she got us loss running around in her own neighborhood, she did excuse herself before she let one rip.

Ahhh, it is good to be running outside and with my friends again. Definitely needed a nap after Sundays run but overall my body held up.

Yeah, Zero to 60!

Running miles that is, in one week. Hopefully on the road back. Still taking one week at a time thou, but more optimistic to at least attempt my upcoming 100 mile event. For now that is all I need.