175 and counting...

4 miles today makes 175 since May 25th. Cool !! I put in several miles in Jan, Feb, Mar but didn't keep it up through some vacations... I may go back and track it at some point but I have been so sporadic over the last 3 - 4 years, it probably won't be very impressive. I do like this stat though. Hubby is right there with me, he got up early to do 6 this morning. I'm SO proud of you!!

The miles continue to increase and I was still tired from Sunday so this wasn't my speediest. 4 miles ~ 50:04 ~ 12:30 pace. I think last week's 4 was 48:57. Just get the miles in, right? I'd love to do some speed work but I don't think I'm there yet....

Hubby came home with a treat for me, new green shuffle. He is going to use the silver one. He put the entire collection of 80's hits that we bought recently ~ 10hrs worth ~ on my shuffle, plus some country favorites. That should spark some commentary. That's okay, I can take it :) Thanks, Sweetheart!

Eleven...

Hey Everyone!! Thanks so much to everybody who sent well wishes and good thoughts my way. I totally felt them this morning and was thinking of many of you as I ran. (Amy running in the dead of the afternoon heat (crazy), Patty hiding gatorades on her route (stealthy), Running Chick taking a nasty spill (I'm so sorry), Brian learning the hydration lesson again (humbling), Hoosier and Silly Lilly working through some health stuff, and the list goes on...) Thank you all for being with me....

I DID IT!! I've officially done ELEVEN. I don't know why this scared me, I had just done TEN, but every week is moving into new territory so I guess there's bound to be doubts.

I went out the door around 5:45 and the humidity was close to 90% - nasty. Also, Garmin got up on the wrong side of the bed, so I fiddled around for quite awhile as I walked a half mile to warm up. The air was positively soupy but it did improve.

I finally sort of gave up on Garmin, and headed out. It started to work somewhere on the way so the splits are sort of there, sort of best guess. I started out low 13, high 12's, and progressed to 14's at some point. A couple of the miles that I took walk breaks for Gatorade were in the 15's, but I decided I should stop pausing Garmin, as this will be realistic. I feel like this should bum me out, I am so DANG slow, but I don't really care. I FINISHED and I have felt a sense of accomplishment (between naps!!).

My energy was there and I was really pleased with this. I do have a question for the veterans.... I have been fitted at our local running store and feel like my shoes are much better, no problems with knees, calves, achilles, bunions, blisters, etc. However, my feet are still what seem to be the rate-limiter for me right now. I am usually icing ankles, arches, balls of feet. Do they just take a while to get stronger as you first start ramping up the miles? Is this to be expected or do I go back to the running store? Hubby thinks I probably need to strengthen but I was curious what you all think?

Anyway, I am doing pretty well by tonight. Next week, 4,6,4,12 !!

Nervous Nellie

Had a decent 5 this week and then 4 miles yesterday on the treadmill. I didn't feel like getting up super early so I decided I would do it on the tm sometime during the day. Well, it was possibly the worst 4 miles in over a month. I was just dying and had to walk some of it. I was so down, during and after. How in the world am I going to do 11 on Sunday? I started really doubting that I can do this and it has lasted a while.

Afterward, I started analyzing a bit and realized I didn't eat or drink much all day. I think I got a little cocky and thought, "it's only 4..." I guess I have to keep having these same lessons over and over until I actually learn something. It does scare me a little, so many little things can go wrong and sabbotage a run.

Hubby always does his long on Saturday. He had a rough time today which is adding to my anxiety. Oh man, I hope I can make it through.

RUNNERs are GOOD PEOPLE

So, I've been recovering after the 10 miler ( I still like saying that!) , and after a few days of rest, I think my iPod is coming back to life after the rain, too! I thought it was a gonner. I did 4 miles yesterday, sore at first, but got it all worked out. Still enjoying the, "you did HOW many?" comments. Thanks, too, to all of you for your well-wishes and encouragement. RUNNERs are GOOD PEOPLE!

Been thinking about how blessed I am to have my job and everything that it has afforded me. I get to help really neat, good people improve the quality of health care that they provide. (The one's I don't like, I make them call me, Dr. :) ) I am passionate about wellness and prevention and giving folks the right tools and support to reach their goals. One of the things I do is teach health care colleagues new ways of working with patients that will help them make those ever difficult, extremely important, "life style changes". Perfect for a runner, right?

I also get to do some pretty cool things. I got to meet the President, speak to him and shake his hand awhile back. I got to go to Italy (I did not shake the Pope's hand - but that is the Vatican in the background!). I've also been working with some wellness and prevention groups to raise issues in the campaigns and national debates (this IS all-important IOWA and the Straw Poll is this weekend - can you believe the power we Iowegians carry?) It just so happens my cousin in DC does some PR work for Governor Mike Huckabee. Can you believe how this all falls into place?

Let's see, he's one of the biggest proponents of wellness and prevention, taking good care of chronic disease, but also taking responsibility for your own health, has lost 100 pounds by doing the all-important life-style changes himself, wrote a book about it (that I actually USE and SUGGEST in my workshops) AND, HE's a RUNNER!! Yes this is speaking to me both personally and professionally. I helped one of the groups connect the dots and line him up as a speaker for their next major event. How cool is that? (thanks, cous!)

By the way, not only did he lose the weight and start running, he did a marathon. I have included a picture of him finishing -- and YES, the campaign provided me the pic and actual permission to use it!

There's another good before and after at: http://www.politico.com/news/stories/0607/4668.html

As I was thinking about how darn nice and what good people RUNNERs are, I realize, this guy is one of us. I really am not the typical political, campaigning type but I do like the idea of the importance of it all. I sort of feel like I should do more. I know that PR is at a premium before the Straw Poll. I offered to run with him (I'm sure the media would want to cover this) but on second hand, I really don't want to see myself running on the news!! Perhaps I will go to the Straw Poll instead and weigh in. This IS Iowa, He IS a runner, it seems the least I can do....

Double Digits

With perhaps more drama than I was hoping for, I did manage 10 miles this morning. I waited awhile to write, and yet I still am not quite decided on how I feel about it. I mean, YAHOO, I just went double digits and more than I ever have, but it wasn't pretty and I feel fairly yucky still.

It started with a huge storm. I wasn't sure if I should go or wait it out and risk it getting really hot, so, I went. It was quite a downpour! I really wanted to have fun with it and certainly never got upset, but it was a little rough. The rain part was fun, but the ankle deep, unavoidable currents in some places and scary-close lightning, not so much. My shuffle threw up the white flag at only one mile, if that tells you how soaked I was. Hope it's okay after it dries out. I certainly got some, "woman, you are insane," looks. That part, I kinda like!

The rain miraculously quit at 2 miles and good thing. I think the extra weight of the water and slogging through really took a toll on me as I was quite tired feeling. But, I came out of it okay and decided I could live with being soaked through. At mile 5, my sweet husband was sitting with the boys, still in their jammies and munching on blueberry bars. He had towels, dry socks, and gatorade. I was half way and this gave me strength. What a sweetheart!!

At mile 6, I had a thought, "I only have 4 left. Holy cow!? When did I start thinking like that?" I remember when 4 was practically a death sentence!!

After that, I held my own until about 8 and started to tire. Took a few breaks to gel and drink, but had a harder time picking back up. The hill nastiness started at around then and put me just about over the edge. I slowed and just kept saying, "head up, breathe good (yeah that's real scientific) and keep your feet moving." I made it to 10 but wanting to quit so badly. I could really rejoice in all this if:

1. My joints didn't hurt so bad -- ice has helped and my hobbling is now looking like someone in their sixties - believe me, I started in the 90's. Had a hard time even walking a little in the neighborhood to loosen up after the run.

2. I had gotten the message sooner that you need like 3 times the normal Body Glide in torrential downpours. OUCH. I am not a happy camper.

3. I had eaten more with the ibuprofen. Once again, my stomach is on fire and I have paid for it most of the day. Really got to see about some Celebrex on Monday. Duh, who do I work for again???

All in all, I will likely be beaming by tomorrow that I did 10. I'm sure I'll be back for more.
10 miles ~ 2:14:35 ~ 13:27 pace
13:08
13:18
13:21
12:52
13:20
13:17
13:13
13:30
13:53
14:35

Rounding Out Week 6

The rest of the week consisted of a crack-o-dawn 5 miler on Wednesday and a 3 miler today -- I just couldn't hack the early morning twice but it is getting pretty hot so I elected to do the 3 on the treadmill with a TiVo friend, Horatio Cane. Is TiVo like the best invention in ages? Man, I love it. I have a friend who says once you get used to it, you start wishing you had it for other things (like when you miss something on the stereo and wish you could just back it up!) I'm telling you, my husband has come up with some great gadgets/devices/ and all around nerdy techy ideas but this was one of his better ones. I liked it so much I lobbied for TiVo on every TV in the place. I love you, Honey!

The 5 miler doesn't seem that impressive, except I compared it to my last and then it was pretty cool. Not the same scenery as last week running a long the lake, but a little improvement.

5 miles on Wednesday ~ 1:03:48 ~ 12:45 pace (last week was 1:07)

13:18

12:25

12:08

12:55

12:57

3 miles on Friday ~ 35:58 ~ 11:58 pace (not quite as fast as my "running with a club run", but I can live with it!)

13:30 Warmed up as I went

11:30

10:58

For those keeping track, I have logged another mile technically in the TEN's. And, not only did I get an "impressive" on even pacing this week, I got an "impressive" from Tom at Runner's Lounge the other day on my improvement. You runners are so nice! Thanks to everyone for all the support.

Up next, 1-0.............Here's to new milestones!! ( I googled "milestone" pictures and they look a lot like tombstones so I think I will find a nice toasting glass instead!)

CAVE PEOPLE UNITE

Hmm, maybe we do need a club for cave people. No dues, just carry an imaginery club and vow to beat back the little negative voice in your head. Ask for help when you need it, share stories, celebrate each other's success....etc. (sound familiar??)

What could we call ourselves?

I SO need a leopard skin running outfit, now. Anyone seen one?