Jelly Bean...Virtual 5k

Isn't it funny how the romanticized ideal running experience gets turned into a "mom, when can I get it in" one?  Yes.  We traveled down south for the weekend, the highlight for me was to run in warm temperate weather.  Walking...yes, LOTS.  Running, not so much.  We had to pack light, which doesn't include a jog stroller.  So my running became hotel treadmill running.

However, it may suck, but it will get it done.  I ran a virtual 5k over the weekend.  My first ever.  As it was virtual, it didn't matter where you ran it, so the treadmill was ok.  I ran mostly at a pace of 5.7 - 6.0 mph. I really hoped to be at about 30 minutes, but my "official" time was 31:43.

It was my first, so I guess it is a baseline or PR for now.  Now onto the Hearty Hustle, a run to benefit the boys' schools, which I will be doing with a jog stroller, so no potential PR...but let's see what running with people can do! :)

PPW Run 1

So I ran for the first time since the half marathon today.  It felt good.  I ran a timed 3.1 on the tread mill, since I am thinking I want to do a lot of charity 5k's this summer.  They are cheap and the go to a good cause.  I get my adrenaline fix and a charity gets some funding.

So I ran most of it at 5.5 to 6.0 mph...then for the final .4 miles I kicked up to 6.5 (thanks to the skinny chick next to me who ran the entire thing at that rate....

So I did my first timed 5k in just over 30 minutes (our half pace was about 44 minutes)

20 pounds in 20 weeks

Rhonda and I are up to it again.  She said she wanted to loose 20 lbs before our next half marathon, which is on September 24, 2011.  That gives us roughly 20 weeks at a pound a week.  She thinks that it will help with speed.  I am sure she is right, if you weigh less it will take less to move it, right?  Makes sense.

So we are doing the pound per week challenge.  Tuesday (?) was weigh in day and now we move forward.  I am excited, because if I can use her to motivate me to do a half marathon, this challenge will be cake.

We are now linked on myfitnesspal.com and app, so we will be checking in on each other's progress...let the fun begin!

I like Rhonda am not a huge fan of publicly announcing weight, but I will post about my losses and hopefully not gains.

The Big Dance...

I cannot really beleive I am saying this, but I can now say, I have ran a half-marathon!  Holy cow. From Couch to 5K to half marathon finisher.  A little progress in less than 9 months I would say.  So in 9 months Couch to 13.1 miles.  Yikes.

We began training in January and completed the half marathon yesterday.  It was an all around amazing experience.  Our goal:  FINISH.  Goal accomplished. 

The weeks out I began stalking the weather.  I was so concerned about it.  When it came down to it, it was going to be warm and windy, but no rain.  First thought:  Woo Hoo, no rain...70's, love it!  Second thought:  I have not trained on HILLS, in HEAT (yes every outdoor MI run involved a ski cap) or that long in the wind.  Oh, boy.

Did we finish?  YES!  Was it rough going at times...you know it.  I am not sure either of us could have finished alone, but together, failure was not an option.  Was I stellar standout in my age class, nope.  Did I make an amazing friend, yep.  I wouldn't do it any other way than being there every step with Rhonda.

13.1 miles, 1 medal, 1 blister and some general soreness later, I am a half marathon finisher.

I am a success story!

My PT is writing a book about running through injury.  He asked me to tell my story since I a "success story"  I had fun writing it and because I like to overshare..her it is:

After running distance in High School, I took a hiatus from running.  I would do it to break through a fitness plateau, but didn’t do it regularly.  I fell into this pattern again during the summer of 2010.  But with two kids in tow, running became an endorphin escape.  In short, I got addicted; the endorphin rush made me more patient, tolerant and a better mom.  Work got hectic, I missed some runs and took some time off.

When a friend of mine began training for a fundraising half marathon, I got motivated.  We shared the passion of the March of Dimes, as we both had babies born too soon.  So the run for dimes fundraising effort put running back in my life.  So in essence, after taking years off from running, running half of a summer and then taking a few months off again, I was ready to become a virtual training partner for a half marathon.

Things were going great until about 2 weeks into actual training my right leg went numb and stayed numb.  This was disturbing to me as I was mentally committed. I saw a doc, an avid runner himself, who made my day with the advice "don't stop running."  He prescribed physical therapy and a gait evaluation at Agility Physical Therapy and Sports Performance.  When it came to getting runners back in the game that was where I wanted to be. He told me everyone there is great, but initially you need to see Scott. He can do an assessment and gait evaluation.  Best advice I ever got.

I had been told that I had "good form" which meant I don't run like a girl. However, the gait evaluation showed differently.  I had some issues that could be helped with good shoes and some with technique.  Scott gave me some tips that would really help with actual good form and got me into some good shoes. I continued to run intermittently, doing most of my training on the elliptical.  When I ran, I concentrated on my form. 

I felt like I had been physically sidelined and it was beginning to affect my mental state.  I began to doubt if I could actually do this.  Between the positive mentoring I was getting from my training partner and the PTA’s at Agility and a book, Run Like a Mother, which is written by mothers who run (and contribute to Runner’s World), I began to get out of that self-doubt slump and get back on track.

I also was given exercises to strengthen my core, glutes and hamstrings.  Ironically, the reason I was running (to raise money to fight prematurity) was the reason I was having issues.  The weeks I spent on bedrest and then being too busy to strength train had atrophied my muscles so much that I was overcompensating and causing the numbing issues.  As my strength increased my symptoms decreased and I was running more and more.  I started cautiously, but added more distance and times per week with the progress ok’d by Scott.  I spent about a month alternating running and elliptical use, religiously doing my prescribed exercises.  The techniques Scott gave me also helped to not exasperate the condition. 

Eventually, I felt comfortable with running according to the training program.  Scott re-evaluated my gait which confirmed how I felt:  I completely changed my running form and my core, glute, and hamstring strength made me feel like a different person.  In short, the doc was right.  Everyone at Agility is great.  I fully credit them for getting me back on the road.