running – Page 31 – The Celiathlete

September 22, 2012

Air Force Marathon 10K – Dayton, OH (September 15, 2012)

Me crossing the finish line of the Air Force Marathon 10K - Dayton, Ohio — Me crossing the finish line of the Air Force Marathon 10K – Dayton, Ohio

Race: Air Force Marathon, Half Marathon, 10K & 5K

Place: Dayton, Ohio

Date: September 15, 2012

Time: 51:58

I just want to start this entry off by saying that I was completely surprised by how efficiently and wonderfully this expo and race was put together and run. Honestly. It only makes me want to return next year (and run the half marathon instead of the 10K). Honestly, one of the best organized races I have participated in. So much fun. I enjoyed every moment of this…including the expo.

Which is where the story begins…

Cathy, Jenn and I left Columbus, Ohio shortly after noon on Friday to drive to Dayton for the expo. This was very important as it was the only time I would have to pick up my race packet. So…we made a concerted effort to get there in enough time to peruse the expo, get the packet, and see what else was happening. I knew one important fact about this expo and that was that Dean Karnazes (THE Ultramarathon Man) was in attendance and if at all possible, I wanted to meet him. The Web site for the race didn’t have an appearance schedule up, so there was no guarantee that this would happen…but in the back of my mind…I was hopeful.

The expo itself was amazing. The entire top floor of The Nutter Center was filled with booths that held vendors, other races, and a bunch of freebies. I love big expos because I absolutely love taking in every bit of it, seeing what other races are out there, talking to vendors, and finding the Bondi Band booth to add to my growing collection of bands to wear on race days. The last couple of races have had some pretty disappointing expos. That changed here.

The three of us made our way around the circuit of booths, taking a peek at different tables, seeing what merchandise was out there, and just following the signs to packet pick-up. This just happened to be on the other side of The Nutter Center and down the stairs to floor level. Packet pick-up, however, was simple. Just show your idea…tell them your bib number (12051) and you’re golden. You get handed a packet with your race bib in it and are sent across the way to retrieve your t-shirt. I somehow ended up with a Medium…so it’s really big on me…but…it still rocks.

As I was in line, Cathy and Jenn went to find seats in this section off to the side, because for once in our lives…we had good timing. Dean Karnazes was set to talk at 3:30. And it was around 3:00 p.m. YAY! I was stoked. So, after I gathered all my stuff for the race, I went to find them in the seats and join them. Poor Jenn got stuck sitting next to another creepy “friend” who pestered her the entire time. Sorry Jenn. I don’t know why that always happens to you!

Soon, the man of the moment was there. The announcer was trying to kill time and didn’t realize Dean had already shown up…so when he was finally clued in…he made the big introduction. And I was hooting and hollering because…Dean Karnazes is just awesome. And I count him as one of my running heroes. And here he was…about 30 feet or so from where I was sitting. My first thought was that he looks smaller in person than he does in “UltraMarathon Man” (the documentary he did about running 50 marathons in 50 states in 50 days). That was my last rational thought because then he started talking. And I was hooked from the first word, which I believe was “Hello!” LOL! But…his talk was extremely informative and entertaining. And we got to see him attempt to mess with the AV equipment as the sound was malfunctioning. Then the microphone wanted to give lots of feedback. It was sorted…and he got the hang of it. Let me say this…the man is an absolute doll. Very humble. And yes…he is every bit as super human as he sounds. But nothing short of awesome. He said he had to run to the airport to catch a flight to Wisconsin, but after he finished talking, lots of people went down to the table to see if he would sign something. I happened to have his book “50/50 Secrets I Learned Running 50 Marathons in 50 Days — and How You Too Can Achieve Super Endurance!” with me and went to go stand in the line. He began signing and doing a few pictures, then said that people with books were to step forward because he promised he would sign all the books. I was never happier to have a book of his with me. So, I got into the much shorter line and even scored a photo with him. He signed it: “Karen – Good luck on your first marathon! –Dean” I was telling him about how I was training to run my first marathon next year…hence the message. For the rest of the night, I was on cloud nine. Seriously.

Me with Dean Karnazes at the Air Force Marathon Race Expo

After the expo, we went to get checked into the hotel, then head out to shop at Half Price Books before hitting up a place for dinner. I had scouted out Find Me Gluten-Free and found a place called Sinfully Gluten-Free to try out for dinner. They had a small, but versatile menu. So, we arrived there and all placed orders. I got the pizza sandwich (no pepperoni, of course, for this vegetarian) with fries. Cathy got the chicken tenders with fries. Jenn got an 8-inch cheese pizza. They make everything to order, so it does take a moment for food to arrive. And that’s fine by me. When it did, I dug right in and was so happy with my sandwich. I even stole a piece of Jenn’s pizza and…absolutely loved it. Perfectly safe meal before a race. That’s what I am talking about. I love piece of mind when it comes to meals before a race. Afterwards, we raided the place for baked goods (I got LOTS of gluten-free cookies and a brownie, and while we were there, the three of us split one of their lemon bars – which was like eating a lemon cheesecake…SO GOOD!) and finally called it a night and headed back to the hotel to unwind and get ready for bed.

Now, the hotel had made an error with our booking. We had put in to have a room with two double beds, but we ended up in a room with a king size bed. The couch did pull out, so we arranged for Cathy & I to crash in the bed and Jenn took the hide-a-bed. Cathy offered to trade with Jenn, but she maintained she would stick it out on the hide-away for the night. We called down for sheets and get the bed set-up after playing around online for a little bit. We knew we were going to have an early morning, so we called it a night around 9:30 p.m. I set my cell phone alarm for 4:45 a.m. and then crashed out. I never slept so well before a race before…but I was out like a light.

The alarm sounded that following morning and after scaring Jenn half to death, I shut it off and shambled into the bathroom to change into my race clothes (which I had laid out the night before) and then eat my cereal to at least get something in my stomach pre-race. We all took turns in the bathroom, packed up our stuff, then went to check out of the hotel. The hotel happened to have take-and-go goodies out for runners and families of runners, so we all snagged something. I grabbed a banana and an orange. Cathy snagged a banana. And Jenn grabbed a bagel (which was itty-bitty…but a bagel nonetheless). From there, we made the short trip toward the Air Force Museum to attempt to find parking and make our way to the starting line.

Getting in wasn’t too difficult. Traffic was still light at this point, so we followed a stream of cars through a gate and just went where we were directed. We parked and then began the very, very, very long hike from the area we were parked in to the starting line. It had to at least have been a mile, if not more. Because every runner wants to hike that far before running in either a marathon, half marathon, or 10K race, yes? Anyway…we managed. I got to bypass security since I was a runner, but Cathy and Jenn had to have bags searched and get wanded down before entering the race area. But once we were through, we made our way past the finish line and to the start area of the race. It was still dark. And…yeah…it was about 43 degrees out. I had packed my running skirt and a tank top, so thankfully I had arm warmers with me. Or I might have been a little colder than I was. As it was, I kept my hoodie on for as long as I could before the start of the race. But as the sun began to come up and the 7:30 a.m. race start crept closer, Cathy took the hoodie from me. She and Jenn went to go find a spot along the start area to watch for me and I started to line up with the marathoners and other 10K runners.

At the Air Force races, the marathon and 10K head off together. They split at mile 3 and go separate directions. The half marathon starts an hour later at 8:30 a.m. The opening ceremonies were done. The national anthem was beautifully sung. And then the B-2 Spirit Stealth Bomber flew over the start line. It was SO cool. I was grinning like a fool. Then…the wheelchair participants were sent off 5 minutes ahead of time…as well as the blind runner who was doing the marathon. And soon…the marathon and 10K racers were off with the shot of a gun.

I was actually through the starting gate faster than anticipated. Jenn luckily spotted me and got a picture of my back as I ran past. Cathy totally missed me until Jenn pointed me out. That’s what happens with bigger races and all four of the race events for the Air Force Marathon, Half Marathon, 10K and 5K were SOLD OUT! So, it was pretty big.

And so…I was off. Sans music, by the way. I mention this because I normally run races with my iPod Nano. But Cathy didn’t pack it. She thought she had…but it was left at home in the gym bag. So, I ran this one completely without my tunes. I have run without music at races that don’t allow headphones, but this one had no restrictions…so I was a bit bummed about that. But…you know…you just get over it and get going.

The chilly weather was a nice change of pace, since the last big race I ran was the Indianapolis Women’s Half Marathon in the 90% humidity that nearly killed me. Once I got moving, the chill didn’t feel so cold. I was still glad I had those arm warmers on, but very glad I didn’t pack the long pants. The skirt was perfect.

The first mile of this race felt good. I took it easy. I decided I was just going to run this one easy. Not push too hard. And I just sort of paced myself for the first mile, leading up to this long, steep incline that lasted from just before mile 1 to around 2.5 miles. Seriously. This is not an exaggeration. For a moment I never thought it would level off or start any sort of descent. But, with the hill behind me, I was now making my way to the split where the Marathon runners go one way and the 10K runners go the other. I was on the wrong side at first…so, I quickly changed lanes and got into the proper side to make my turn into Mile 3. I was almost halfway there. I made a point not to look at my pace or my time. I just wanted to run what was comfortable. So…that’s how I kept it.

Mile 4 brought us back to the Air Force Museum. We were about to lap the museum. And as I hit Mile 4.5, I could hear them announce the winner of the 10K, followed soon after by the first female and 2nd place overall. Awesome. I was now feeling the excitement. Mile 5 ticked by and I knew that I was down to the last 1.2 miles. I pushed only a little…because I was determined to pass a woman who passed me up long before. She pushed too hard too soon, and I sort of saved some for the finish…so I passed her and just kept on going. I could hear the announcer, saying names of the finishers, talking about groups finishing together. Now it was getting real. I ran closely behind two guys as we rounded into Mile 6, and the Finish line came into view. That is an amazing sight no matter how long or short the race is. I pushed a bit more, feeling my tired legs. One of the airmen on the side cheering the runners on said “WOOO KAREN! YOU GO WITH YOUR PIGTAILS!” It made me smile. And so I pressed on and blew across the finish line, waiting before I stopped my Garmin. I have learned. LOL!

I walked through runner services, receiving my finisher’s medal from a very handsome airman, who also shook my hand and congratulated me. For the first time ever, I was handed a “space blanket” to wrap around myself to keep warm. This made me stupidly happy for some reason. Go figure. I stopped to get an official finisher photo in front of the backdrop, then went through the area where bananas and chocolate milk and bagels and pizza were being offered. I snagged a banana and a bottle of chocolate milk before meeting Jenn and Cathy outside of the runner services area.

We hugged and I snacked on my KindBar I brought with me. Then hurried over to get my results from the tent. I was hoping it would give official stats, but it only spit out my time. As I wandered back over to where Cathy and Jenn were waiting, I glanced at my time…and thought I might have set a new 10K PR. I had Cathy look up my time for the Rhodes City Run (my fastest 10K to date) while I finished snacking. When she said my time, I jumped in the air, pumping a fist with an exclamation of “FUCK YEAH!” I was a little excited…because I beat my time by almost 3 full minutes. Beyond happy. For real.

We stood around a little bit longer, then began to make our way back toward the Air Force Museum. Cathy went to see if she could find out what my placement was (that was a negative). So while she was gone, Jenn and I cheered on more 10K runners coming around the curve to head for the finish line. It was then we saw the first wheelchair racer in the marathon come in. It was SO cool. When Cathy joined us, we went to the museum, checked out the gift shop, and then headed out to grab Starbucks and return to Columbus for the remainder of the weekend.

The official results of the Air Force Marathon 10K have me finishing in 51:58. I was 120/1233 overall. I was 25/711 women runners to cross the finish line for the 10K. And I placed 25/96 in my age division. I couldn’t have been happier with these results, honestly. I was just elated with them. And I set a new 10K PR! Thrilled!!

The way this race was run, the people, the setting, the amazing atmosphere, the organization…all of it was awesome. And I do hope to make it back next year…perhaps to try for the half marathon instead. I had a great time and loved every single moment of my race experience. If you are looking for a well-run race…consider one of the Air Force races in Dayton. It’s totally worth the trip.

September 9, 2012

The road to recovery and reaching 700 miles

This has not been an easy road for me. I started off my year strong with a goal of running 500 miles by December. Well, that happened back in June. With that being said, I decided just to keep going…see what all I could manage beyond that. Tentative goal…perhaps 1000 miles this year.

And then…the great plantar fascia tear happened and I had the three week set-back that included no form of running at all. When I should have been increasing my distance and miles for an upcoming half marathon (at that point…only 4 weeks away), I was sitting on the couch, doing foot exercises given to me by my podiatrist and physician, praying with all my might that the pain would go away and that I would make the Indianapolis Women’s Half Marathon.

I got fitted for orthodics…which I hate. I hate them like death. I have only run in them once, but I am going to put some more mileage in on them this coming week. Why? Because that is what my podiatrist wants. My feet are adjusting to them when I walk around in them, so it is time to see what I can do in them on my runs. But not the longer ones yet. I’m not prepared for that. I can tell you…my feet aren’t either.

Slowly…I got back out to the roads. Barely at first. A couple miles here. A couple miles there. I was afraid to run. Here I am doing one thing that has always brought me joy…and I have this almost paralyzing fear to do it. And when I would go out, I would run painfully slow…afraid that if I pushed more or harder, I’d hurt myself again.

This went on for weeks…and then, just before the Indianapolis Women’s Half Marathon…I decided to just face my fear…and go out for a run. Just find a good pace. Stick with it. The problem was…the summer has been brutal so pushing would expend way too much of my energy and by the end of my run, I would be ready to collapse. But, I pressed on, even if it wasn’t the level I had hoped for. And my speed, very slowly, began to return.

And then, with the permission of my podiatrist, an amazing tape job on my feet, and a promise to take it easy…I made it to the start of the Indianapolis Women’s Half Marathon. The weather was, as it had been, brutal. More so with Hurricane Isaac on the brink of making it to Indianapolis. The humidity was at 90% and the race started out under a red flag. This half marathon almost did me in. It took me days to recover from it. I was dehydrated, despite having water with me and keeping a slower half marathon pace. I wilted more and more as the race went on and just prayed to reach the finish line. Which I did…sooner than I even anticipated. No new PR…but I wasn’t there to set one. I was there to return to running and face my fears.

And with all that done, my next half marathon was only a month and a half away. So, I jumped immediately back into training (again). I know that recovery time is important, and due to the strain of that half marathon on my body, I really did listen and slow down until I felt back up to par. In addition, I started doing circuit training workouts to help build up some core strength, and perhaps strengthen some muscles. I’ve almost done it for a full week now and I’m already feeling stronger. My runs…are feeling better.

Or maybe that’s the break in the hot weather.

This morning, I’m heading out for my long run. I don’t know how far I’ll go, but I’m going to run over at Seneca Park in Louisville, Kentucky for the first time. Why? It’s a chilly 57 degrees out this morning…and I just need a change of scenery. I’ve run everywhere in New Albany. I know where the hills are, where the flat areas are, where it’s difficult to run due to traffic lights, etc. I need to just go out there…to run. No worries. Just focus on starting slow, and then building into it. That’s the only way to properly prepare for a half marathon…and I want to work on that.

With the Hershey Half Marathon only weeks away, I’m already looking forward to it. September has arrived and the weather is starting to cool down. Humidity…going down. And I find myself more eager than ever to go out for my runs.

Here’s to staying strong, to staying injury-free, and to the next 100 miles…

September 3, 2012

Indianapolis Women’s Half Marathon – Indianapolis, IN (September 1, 2012)

Me crossing the finish line of the Indianapolis Women's Half Marathon – Indianapolis, Indiana — Me crossing the finish line of the Indianapolis Women’s Half Marathon – Indianapolis, Indiana

Race: Indianapolis Women’s Half Marathon

Place: Indianapolis, Indiana

Date: September 1, 2012

Time: 2:05:28

Let me start off by saying that this was one of the most difficult half marathons I have ever participated in. It had nothing to do with the course (which was wonderfully flat). Nor the number of people.

What made this race so difficult was the conditions it was run under.

The Good: It didn’t rain on us. In fact, the rain that the remnants of Isaac was supposed to bring pretty much stayed in Illinois until around 6 p.m. that evening. And even then, it was a passing downpour that was gone. So, my shoes live to see another race. YAY.

The Bad: This race began under a RED flag. For those of you who are new to running or are unfamiliar with the flag system on race day…let me sum this up:

Green Flag: Low risk. If the Green Flag is displayed – Go, Go, Go.
Yellow Flag: Moderate risk. If the Yellow Flag is displayed – The heat index is at a point where runners/walkers should slow their pace if they are sensitive to the heat. Participants should be aware of their hydration level.
Red Flag: High risk. If the Red Flag is displayed – Participants should be aware that heat illness is possible and should slow down and increase their hydration. If they are sensitive to heat or humidity, they should not run.
Black Flag: Extreme risk. If the Black Flag is displayed – Runners should slow to a walk and walkers should walk very slowly. Stop, rest, seek shade.

So, while the rain held off, the weather conditions weren’t exactly ideal for a half marathon.

The Ugly: Running on a healing torn plantar fascia. Also, running in 90% humidity. Let me tell you…this sucks!! Imagine running and trying to breathe through a wet towel. Welcome to my Saturday morning race. I promise you…this didn’t feel good and it literally took me out afterwards. I’ll get to that later…

For now…we start at the beginning…which was Friday evening at the Hyatt Regency in downtown Indianapolis. Getting there wasn’t a problem, despite not being able to leave early from work. As long as I got there before the race expo closed, I was golden. It felt like a very near thing…but there isn’t much that you can do when more than half your office is already off and both myself and my roommate were pretty much the only people on our respective teams there. So…yeah…meh. The important thing is I got there in time for packet pick-up, which was what needed to happen.

Now, this race is only in its second year, so it is really small compared to most other half marathons I run in. I think the original count for pre-registers for the half marathon was 1799 as of Friday afternoon when I left the office to head to Indianapolis. This does make it the smallest half marathon I have run. But, that’s rather respectable for a second year race. However, I was kind of bummed about the race expo. It just…was a whole lot of nothing. Granted, everything that was promised on the Web site was there, I just thought it was going to be bigger. The expo was spread out over the 2nd and 3rd floors of the Hyatt Regency, but what it consisted of were some vendors in with packet pick-up, then a few scattered tables outside of the giant ballroom that was in. Then on the third floor, a couple other races and vendors were promoting their respective races/merchandise. And…that was it. There were manicures being done and some massages, but that had pretty much wrapped up by the time I had gotten there anyway from the Louisville area.

With that said and done…Cathy and I headed over to Noodles & Company for dinner. We got it to go, opting to head back to the room, put our feet up and relax some while we ate. Now…with me being gluten-free, Noodles & Company pretty much has one thing I can eat. The Pad Thai. Fine. Except I couldn’t get a protein on it. The tofu isn’t gluten-free. And I’m a vegetarian, so the chicken, shrimp, steak or meatballs. So…I was protein-less when it came to dinner, which actually bummed me out…but what can you do? At least it had 76 grams of carbohydrates. And to compensate for not getting a protein, I got a small bowl of strawberries to enjoy as well. And that was dinner. So, very light on the protein, but good on the carbs. It was something at least.

Of course, after eating I was restless and kind of wanted a dessert. So, we headed through the skywalk to the Circle Center Mall. We wandered around for a bit and then stumbled into Godiva. I got an Extra Dark Chocolate Truffle and that was my treat pre-race. Cathy got a truffle as well, then found a place that sold Diet Mt. Dew in the bottle so she could have some caffeine in the morning.

We went back to the hotel to unwind, relax, and catch up on the weather. At that time, they were still predicting heavy rains to make it into the Indianapolis area and completely soak the city for much of Saturday. Meh. So, I decided to lay out my race clothes for the following day. I decided on a pair of shorts and a bra top. Less fabric meant less to weigh me down in the rain. With that done, I set out my race number, safety pins, headband, shoes, socks, and ponytail holders nearby…and called it a night.

And it was a restless night. But I never sleep well the night before a race. Especially when I’m away from home. I just get restless and think too much or worry over things (in this case…Hurricane Isaac).

The alarm went off at 5:40 a.m., but I had already gotten up and gotten dressed. This was more of Cathy’s wake-up alarm, because I was already in my race clothes and just curled up in bed…waiting for her to figure out it was time to wake up. She actually got out of bed faster than I anticipated, so I set to getting myself fed to fuel up for the morning. This meant a bowl of Envirokidz Gluten-Free Amazon Frosted Flakes (eaten dry) and a banana with Justin’s Almond Butter for some potassium and protein. This is my typical pre-big-race meal. I now my tummy can handle it as long as I eat it an hour before I run. Which…was definitely manageable. Cathy ate her breakfast as well and downed her Diet. Mt. Dew to help her wake up. Then, I went to brush my teeth, pull my hair up, get my Garmin and my Road ID on, put on my headband, lace up my shoes, and then go and have Cathy pin my number on.

Problem. My race bib was bigger than my bra top. HAHA! Story of my life. I was going to put on my tank, but then figured I’d just wear my skirt and pin it to the front of that. So, I changed from short to skirt…which I was okay with…because there was no rain falling from the sky yet and it looked like it would at least be out of the area for the duration of the race. So, that wardrobe change wouldn’t affect anything at all. Now that I had a place for my race bib, I was pinned up and ready to run. Cathy grabbed my sign, again because there was no rain, and we headed down to the lobby of the Hyatt.

Plenty of women were milling about, eating, stretching, taking, getting coffee…whatever it was they felt needed to be done. We walked through and found a semi-vacant area where I managed to get some minimal stretching done before Cathy was telling me we should move outside. So…out the doors we went and headed toward where the start line was going to be.

And it was then that the announcement was made that due to the high humidity, the race would begin under a red flag so runners should not aim to set any new PRs or the like on this race. We were told to run smart and to stay safe. And if the flag was changed to black, we were given instructions on what to do and how to proceed. Well, I’ve run races under green and yellow flag conditions. This was my first red flagged one. With the conditions, we were also told that much of the non-essentials had been removed from the course. There were still water stops and volunteers there, but some of the signage and the like had been removed for safety purposes. This also meant the original corralled start by pace wasn’t not happening. Instead, once the road was closed down just before the race, all the women in the half marathon moved up toward the start line (which had a lot of wire strung out over it to register and start bib chip timing), with no sense as to pace. It was just a gaggle of women, of varying speeds, intermingled and strewn out across the road.

Cathy had given me a good luck hug and moved on toward the starting area to prepare for the start. The National Anthem was sung, beautifully, by a group of women (fitting as this is an all-women race). And then…we were all pretty much unprepared but suddenly we were on the run. The blowhorn went off and we all made our dash across the starting line and began our journey through the streets of Indianapolis. Just women…all on a mission.

I was told about 15 minutes after our start the Indianapolis Women’s 5K Race went off without a problem.

But…I was running the half marathon. And due to the fact that I was coming back from a bad, bad injury (a torn plantar fascia in my left foot that literally left me immobile without the aid of crutches for two weeks), I had promised my podiatrist that I wouldn’t break any land speed records. My foot felt great that morning, but I didn’t want to press my luck. I started off at a good pace…probably a little faster than I intended, and that was when the sheer weight of the humidity hit. I wasn’t even a half a mile into the race and I was already drenched. I could tell then this was going to be a difficult one. I just didn’t know how difficult until I got further into it.

The first couple miles I maintained a normal race pace for me, so I had to actually tell myself to slow down. It was early and I still had a lot of race left. I hit the 5K mark at what would be a slow 5K for me, so my reminder did work. I was already starting to really feel what running in high humidity does to the body. I was really feeling tired. It wasn’t fatigue from not sleeping well. I’ve gotten the same or less amount of sleep prior to all my other half marathons. This was the soul-sucking, energy-sapping humidity and it was really giving me a fight. At mile 5, I had to crack open my Sports Beans and take a few with some water (I carry my own water bottle). This helped a little. I felt a little more energized the next few miles. Mind you, I have never had to break into my Sports Beans so early in a race. I normally hit them up around Mile 10. But that wasn’t happening. I needed a boost because I was really feeling like I was losing energy and fast.

It was about at Mile 5 I decided to walk a water stop and take in some cold water the volunteers were handing out. I haven’t walked a water stop since I ran the Chicago Half Marathon a year ago. But given the humid conditions, the fact that I was trying to recover from a bad injury, and that cold water sounded better than the lukewarm stuff now in my bottle, I walked the stop. I drank a little of it, then poured the rest of it over my head. Which was fine, except it loosened one of my ear buds. And then I couldn’t get it back in. So, I just tucked it into my bra strap and carried on with only one ear bud in and my music still going to keep me company on the road. I figured I could attempt to tuck it back into my ear further up the way. Problem was, when I tried…I noticed that the actual cushion on my Yurbuds was now missing, so putting it back in my ear wasn’t happening. GRRR. Oh well…

I noticed a lot of women who were slowing down and walking more than usual at these races. But the humidity was causing a lot of problems with hydration and stomach issues. Many women were getting stomach cramps. Some were not able to keep anything down. Some just needed to use one of the port-a-potties along the course. The gist of this is…we were fighting. All of us doing this race were literally at war with the humidity…and it was starting to win.

At Mile 8, a volunteer on a bike came riding the other way telling all the women running by to make sure they stopped and got water at that water stop. I decided she was right and I should do that. I was already fighting to lift my legs again, so I figured another drink of cold water would refresh me. I poured the rest over my head again and carried on.

Two more miles ticked by…and the race was getting harder and harder. This course was very flat. But the humidity was unrelenting and many women who were being cheered on by their friends/family members along the course were declaring that they didn’t feel to great, despite insistent compliments from their loved ones that they looked great. Around Mile 10, I was heading toward the crest of a very minor incline and on the corner, a man was standing there shouting down the hill at one of the women who had chosen to walk for a moment. In this sort of weather, under a red flag, that is to be expected. He was just harassing her, telling her that she needed to run, that this was a run not a walk, and it was just plain mean. A man walking the other way shouted at him and said, “Hey! Be nice! They’ve come a long way.” The heckler replied, “Fine, I’ll be nice. Run. RUN!” Grrr. I just wanted to smack him upside the head…but I didn’t want to expend any of my energy on him and focused on the last 3.1 miles. That was all that remained. A 5K.

Longest 5K ever. And at some point in the early part of it, my other ear bud refused to remain in my ear, so it was done without music to motivate me through. Let me tell you…it was a struggle. I glanced at my Garmin at one point and saw my pace at 11:54, which I have never run at. That is like…amazingly slow for me. But each step felt like a battle I was losing. I got out my Sports Beans again, though they didn’t even sound appetizing, and downed a few more with some of the water left in my water bottle. By Mile 11, I was doing a little better. Mile 12…I was starting to see more spectators and the extra encouragement always helps on a hard race.

It was also at this point we were rounding a corner to head toward the finish in White River State Park and we were directed around where some Barbeque Festival was going on. Let me tell you…after running in 90% humidity and feeling like (I’m not going to candy-coat this, friends) shit, the last thing I wanted to smell was charring meat. I mean, aside from being a vegetarian, it was pretty much stomach-churning at that point. But, I pressed on and came around a corner, seeing the entrance for White River State Park. I was almost there.

I think it was sheer stubbornness that got me across that finish line in the time I managed. I figured I’d finish more around my first half marathon time (Chicago 2011 – 2:20:51), but with Cathy cheering me on near the finish line, and tons of spectators just making some noise, I pressed on. The announcer said my name as I crossed…and that was that. Race done. I got my race chip deactivated and headed into runner’s services, where I was given my finisher’s medal, a beautiful rose, a bottle of water, and a banana. I waved at Cathy and set my stuff down to get my finisher’s photo taken in front of a backdrop, then continued on to where Cathy was waiting for me. She gave me a hug and we moved away to give other finisher’s and families/friends space to locate each other.

The massage tent was just up the way. So I cracked open my bottle of water, took a few sips, and headed over to get signed in. I was told to head into Line 3, which I did. Cathy dug out my protein shake and then hurried to go check the unofficial finishing times. While she was gone, I was chatting with the woman ahead of me about the race and we both thought the humidity was just enough to do anyone in.

And as Cathy returned…I handed her my protein shake, which I managed a couple of sips from and said it wasn’t sitting well in my stomach. A moment later, I looked over at her and told her I felt really light headed. She told me to lay down and put my feet up in the air. Which I did…and that helped. A lot. After a couple moments, I felt better and got back up. This lasted for a few minutes, and then I was feeling light headed and seeing a lot of black in my vision. So, I laid back down and got my feet elevated again, and remained that way until it was my turn for the massage chair. As my legs were feeling heavy, I asked to have them worked on, which my masseuse did to perfection. She was very nice and kept me talking about running, racing, and other such things. I felt so much better afterwards, drank some water and called my mom and dad as the unofficial results had posted my time.

I meandered back to the hotel with Cathy where I ducked into the bathroom to shower off. Thank God for that hotel stay for another day. I needed a cool shower to really bring me back to life. I took my time…just let the sweat (or liquid awesome) just wash away. I got out of the shower, dried off, and dressed for the rest of the day, which involved sushi for lunch, a visit to the Indiana State Museum, more sushi, rest, and then dinner at The Adobo Grill. For much of the visit to the museum, I felt awful. I managed to get through the three floors of displays and the like and it was only when we were in the gift store that I told Cathy I was ready to leave. I wasn’t feeling good. It was dehydration. Because when I got back up to the room, I got my large bottle of smart water and began drinking that…and I was feeling revived. The second round of vegetarian sushi was an added pick-me-up as well.

So…I managed to make it through to the finish, though the humidity kicked my butt in the process…and honestly almost did me in. But I made it through to the finish and recovered the rest of the weekend.

Official result for the Indianapolis Women’s Half Marathon are that I finished in 2:05:28. I was 236/1416 finishers overall. And I was 46/254 women in my division. Fighting back from injury, walking water stops, and battling the weather made this a bittersweet finish. It’s my second slowest half marathon time…but I felt like I fought for every second of it. And I couldn’t be happier with these results. Sure, part of me wonders what I might have managed had the humidity been better or even walked the water stops…despite having an injury…I think I could have set a new PR. But this was not the race for that. Not under these conditions. And I’m okay with that. I overcame a lot to get to this race and I overcame more to get through it.

And for that…I feel like a winner.

Me conquering my injury, my doubts, and the humidity at the Indianapolis Women's Half Marathon. — Me conquering my injury, my doubts, and the humidity at the Indianapolis Women’s Half Marathon.

August 31, 2012

Running through a hurricane…

Well, I was hoping and praying and dreaming of a nice day for the Indianapolis Women’s Half Marathon on Saturday morning. But it seems Hurricane Isaac has other plans for the race. So, as much as I was hoping to stall any chance of me running a half marathon in the rain…it seems like this will not be the case. It is going to happen…on Saturday.

Am I worried about it? Nah. I mean, yeah running for 13.1 miles in the rain isn’t my idea of a great time…but I do love to run in the rain. Hurricane weather, however, I’m not too sure of.

As it is, they are predicting winds up to 7 mph and about 6 inches of rain in Indianapolis. That’s a whole heap of rain.

So, if I like to run in the rain…why the blog?

Because…I just got new running shoes not too long ago. And, sadly, running in the rain shortens the life of shoes by…a lot. So, the hard-earned money I put into those new kicks…is about to be shot. I will do my best to get them dried out as soon as possible. This means I’ll probably be grabbing a newspaper at the hotel and getting the inserts out of them as soon as possible.

As of now, the race is set to go off as planned. However, if there is lightning…there will be a delay of the start of the race.

I trained so hard to get back to running in time for this race. I’ll run it rain or shine. And I know I’ll have a blast doing it. This race means a lot to me because I had to really fight my way back from injury…taking baby steps…working with the most amazing podiatrist ever…and taking a hit on my training…but it’s been worth it. And I want this race to be good. Even if Hurricane Isaac drenches me from head to foot. Even if it means I have to go buy new shoes when all is said and done. The fact that a month ago I couldn’t walk…but in two days I’ll be heading out for a wild, wet, crazy 13.1 with 1799 other women in the streets of Indianapolis.

Amy I ready for this? Yeah. As ready as I can be and ready to shine as best as I can given the circumstances. No new PR will be set on this race. I have to run this one smart so as not to injure myself again. My podiatrist was kind enough to get me to this race I owe him the respect of following through on my promise to run this one easy.

In the end…it will totally be worth it.

Rain or shine.

I’ll be at that finish line!

August 29, 2012

Walk Away From Colon Cancer & 5K Run – Louisville, KY (August 25, 2012)

Me crossing the finish line of the Walk Away From Colon Cancer & 5K Run – Louisville, Kentucky

Race: Walk Away From Colon Cancer & 5K Run

Place: Louisville, KY

Date: August 25, 2012

Time: 25:49

It was early in the morning when my alarm went off prior to my first race back from injury. Let me tell you…I was ready to be back to it. After doing a fun mile run (my local running store hosts the BlueMile BrewMile at local breweries/pubs) to test out my new orthodic inserts on a short run and…get back to running with others, I was hungry for this race. And I woke up feeling really good, really rested, and ready to take on the hills of Iroquois Park in Louisville, Kentucky. This particular park is known for its rather large hills. I’ve run there a few times and every time…the hills kick my ass.

That Saturday morning…I was feeling quite confident. I found a little saying on Pinterest as I was relaxing prior to eating some cereal and heading out to the park. It said:

Turn a setback into a comeback.

It was spot on how I felt about this race. As I mentioned in the previous blog, this is the second time that I’ve run the Walk Away From Colon Cancer & 5K Run. Last year…I was coming back off of a stress fracture and horrible runner’s knee. This year…a torn plantar fasciitis. Honestly, my goal is to run it next year without making it a comeback race.

But…technically it was a comeback. And I promised my podiatrist, my mom, my roomie, and my friends who cared that I would take it easy. I had ever intention of doing that.

My roommate and I arrived at Iroquois Park about an hour before the start of the race. I grabbed my Cashew Cookie Lärabar, my iPod, and my iPhone and we locked up the car and started toward the amphitheater. When we rounded the corner, we were in for a shock. People were everywhere. There were lots of booths set up for the health fare and such that accompanied the race. One of Louisville’s food trucks was there as well. The giant 10 foot colon was inflated and inviting people to walk through it. And the crowd was awesome. So many people were milling about, checking out the booths, seeing what was being offered, and talking with those around them. The atmosphere was uplifting. And at the 30 minutes pre-race mark, I cracked open my Lärabar and nibbled on it. It was right around this time that the executive director of the Colon Cancer Research Project, Andrea, welcomed all the runners, walkers, and teams. And she introduced other speakers, who proceeded to give short speeches. Then…they called all the colon cancer survivors in attendance up to the front. It was so moving.

My roommate said she was going to head up toward the start line to get a spot, so she hugged me and wished me luck before setting off. And a moment later, the organizers told the runners to head toward the start line, as we were to lead the line of people so the walkers would be safe and not get run over. U2’s “Beautiful Day” was playing over the loud speaker. And I was taking steps toward that starting lineup. And that was when a slight bit of fear set in. I felt like I was about to hyperventilate. It was all in my head. I knew it was fear of getting hurt again, not being able to do this for awhile. I really wanted to get past this fear I had of the one sport I have ever found joy and love in. With a few very deep breaths, I set my iPod, focused on Bono’s words as he sang, drew meaning from that, and then listened to the race director give instructions on how we were to navigate the course.

Then…a moment later, I hit start on my iPod and we were sent off with a whistle. With a deep breath and a slow exhale, I flashed a peace sign to my roommate as I stepped over the sensors at the start line…and was off.

Navigating Iroquois Park at a decent pace is really not hard. Especially since this race starts us going uphill and has us end going uphill. Yeah…it is evil. So, I just worked on running a smart, good race. It was warm out, so I wanted to take that into account when I set my pace. I also didn’t want to push too much at the beginning and have nothing left for the hill I knew I’d face near the end. Most of this run was actually done going uphill. There were some downhill parts, but mostly uphill. Trust me…it is possible.

My first mile ticked off and I was actually running better than I anticipated. I felt good. I was able to breathe without laboring too much. I tell you, the two weeks I spent not running due to injury had messed with my fitness levels. I felt so out of shape when I returned. And running slower is not easy for me to do. But I understand the importance of doing it…for the benefit of my heeling foot and to prevent further injury or further aggravating an injury. I wasn’t too worried about my pace. My goal was simply to come in faster than my comeback time from the previous year, which was 30:52. It holds the distinction of being my slowest 5K race I have ever run. I was already off to a better start, despite my initial trepidation. I think a lot of that was all in my head.

I focused a lot of attention on the uphill climbs. I had people pass me, but I didn’t care. I was not ready to push like I used to, and fight up that hill. I was having enough of a fight trying to do so without straining a tendon. With a half marathon coming up the following weekend, I didn’t want to do irreparable damage on a 5K.

Before I knew it, Mile 2 was in front of me and I was holding a decent enough pace, even passing some of the people who had passed me up on the hills. But they caught me again as that steep hill hit. I knew it was coming, and I had managed to conserve enough energy to propel myself up it at a slow, steady, decent pace. I didn’t care who passed me, I was getting up that hill safely. And that’s what I did. And when it leveled off, I could see the edge of the parking lot coming up, and that meant I was almost to the finish line.

I didn’t look at my watch or waste any time. I just kept on running. I wasn’t sure exactly how much further I would have, but soon, I could hear people. And then I saw my roommate waving at me, cheering for me. The finish line was right there. I just had to get over the line. And according to the clock, I already smashed my previous time from the year before. I crossed, breathing hard, and immediately heading over to the cold water being offered. I grabbed a bottle and Cathy came over and found me, already telling me how well I had done and that she couldn’t believe I ran it in sub-26 minutes. I surprised myself. And I felt good…if not breathless and really hot.

Afterwards, I worked my way over to the Earth Fare tent where I received a banana. I love a banana after a run and this tasted so good. We settled in at one of the picnic tables and I went to go get more water from another booth. While there, I found orange slices and grabbed one. I ended up splitting it with Cathy…then went back and got one more for each of us. Crazy delicious. It was just what I needed.

After a few moments of re-hydrating, I decided to go and look for a friend of mine that I used to work with, who was supposed to be walking at this event. I stood around, cheering on those heading to the finish line, hoping we’d cross paths. But I never saw her. And when I look at the official results, I don’t see her name on there…so I guess she didn’t make it to the race that day.

After the finish line was taken down, the awards were to be given out. Even if I know I’m not getting anything, I tend to stick around and cheer for those who do. And it was to my extreme shock that I ended up placing 3rd in my division. I happily went up and received my medal for that honor. I couldn’t have been happier.

Talk about turning a setback into a comeback. I’m really tempted to take that medal in and show my podiatrist. Maybe I will.

So, as it stands the official results for the Walk Away From Colon Cancer & 5K Run are that I finished in 25:49, was 72/684 overall, and 3/54 in my age division. Totally pleased!!! How could I not be. I missed two prior races due to not being able to walk leading up to this, was very nervous and tentative in my training runs…and then…I manage to surprise myself.

It was a great morning for a great race. One that benefited a fantastic cause that is near and dear to my heart. Next year, my goal is to run this race without having to make it a comeback from injury race.

August 21, 2012

The road to recovery…yet again…

Me and Cathy at my first race back after injury last year was the Walk Away From Colon Cancer 5K Run. It has the same distinction this year. — Me and Cathy at my first race back after injury last year – the Walk Away From Colon Cancer 5K Run. It has the same distinction this year.

It was just last year around this time that I was prepping for my first race back from an injury. That injury was stress fracture in my right foot and really bad runner’s knee in my right knee. It kept me out of running for 3 months last year…and I struggled hard to come back to it. I was determined to be a better, stronger, and smarter runner after that. And…with a lot of motivation, a lot of practice, and listening to what my body was telling me…I did just that.

And my first race back happened on August 27, 2011 at the Walk Away From Colon Cancer 5K Run in Louisville, Kentucky. It was my first time running in Iroquois Park, so I had no idea what to expect. But from what I heard…it was hilly. Not what one wanted to hear when coming back from injury. But…with a lot of long-distance cheering from friends and family…and my ultimate support section (that being Cathy, my roommate…who has never missed a race yet and is always at that finish line)…I got through it and finished with my slowest 5K race to date. Yes…even slower than my first 5K ever.

But there are lessons in these stories.

As I stated in my earlier post, I’m recovering from a torn plantar fascia. This very painful injury had me on crutches for two weeks and has since had my foot taped up in order for me to comfortably move around. It was hard for my podiatrist to even okay me to run a little bit, let alone okay me to run in a half marathon on September 1, 2012…but he did okay it as I assured him that I would not push too hard and I would slow my pace. The point was to heal properly, not do further damage.

Well, that date is rapidly approaching…and my first official race back after missing out on two prior due to being on crutches and unable to run…is this Saturday. And what is it?

The Walk Away From Colon Cancer 5K Race.

Again.

But, I think I’ve done well to prepare myself for this. I rested for the first week after seeing my podiatrist. He had given me permission to run up to 2 miles, but I didn’t…figuring I could take the rest of that week off and then slowly get back to it. And…that’s what I did. When I went back to get fitted for inserts for my shoes, he said that I could work my way up to 10 miles over the next couple of weeks, gradually increasing my runs by 20%. But if I hurt…I was to stop. I agreed.

And so far, I’ve been doing fine. Sometimes something hurts, but I slow my pace and ease up…and I get that flow going again. My first weekend back on the road, I did a 10K run around my parent’s neighborhood. This past weekend…8 miles…with as many hills as I could find. I’ve kept my pace slower than I used to run and so far, my foot has treated me well. Nothing that has crippled m up again. And I intend to keep it that way.

The road to recovery is not an easy one for me. I put on my running shoes and all I want to do is take off and see how fast I can go and for how long. I’ve had to train myself to look at my runs differently. And it’s even more challenging when what used to be an easy run now feels so hard. It’s amazing how much fitness you can lose over just 2 weeks from being up on crutches and unable to even walk. I’ve been pretty good about doing my foot exercises he gave me to do, hoping to get that tendon back into perfect shape. I struggle at times to push myself because I have this fear that if I push even a little bit…I could get injured again…or do worse damage. And that’s the last thing I want to do. Those two weeks I couldn’t run were two of the worst weeks I’ve had in a long time. I was miserable.

But when I finally laced up my shoes for an easy 2 mile run…my first since the incident…I looked at my roommate and told her I was afraid. She told me not to be afraid of something I love doing so much. It’s okay to be nervous…but I shouldn’t be afraid. And so…I set out and ran…2 very easy, very slow miles. And I was glad I did.

That fear is still there every time I put on those running shoes and head out for a run. I want to get back to where I was pre-injury, but I know I need to take it easy. Ignoring the pace on my Garmin is not an easy task. I tell myself not to look…just to count the miles. And that’s what I do. But, sometimes it is just so tempting to let my eyes wander down on the watch and see what pace I’m going at.

Right now…it’s not about speed, it’s about getting through each run safely, without pain, and feeling good. The fitness will return once my body has healed completely. Until then…it’s all about pacing myself. Slow and steady means I get to race. And if that’s the case, I’ll be a tortoise. Because a stretch of time without running is torture to me. I’d rather be slow then sedentary.

On Saturday…I hit up the road at Iroquois Park once again for the same race I made my official comeback in last year. My goal is to simply finish…whether it means walking the hills like I did last year or not. At that finish line, I want to cross it without having to limp or needing assistance. I just want to run a good race and continue on my path to a full recovery.

Yes…this isn’t an easy task…but I’m making it work because in the end, I know it will make me a better runner.

The hardest lessons are most often the most important ones. I’m learning a lot about myself and what I’m capable of now more than ever.

August 2, 2012

Color me blue…bandaged…and bummed

Taped up foot to help with torn plantar fascia

Remember my letter to my left foot? Epic fail. Instead of doing me a favor and getting better…it decided it was going to ignore my pleas all together and so something of its own accord. It decided to get painful.

After my 4 mile run over a week ago, where I carefully taped up my foot and got through the race with no issues…my foot decided to fight back. So, after cooling down and standing around and chatting with my friend Keith afterwards, I stepped off the curb to start toward my car and found myself literally paralyzed with white-hot pain coursing through my foot. Not good. And from there…it got worse. To the point that after fighting all day to move, when I got home that Saturday late afternoon, my foot had enough. And I could no longer put any weight on it.

It was like that on Sunday too. So, Monday morning I made a phone call to my doctor to see about getting an appointment. I figured something had to be wrong because any pressure I put on my foot led to lots of pain and tears. She was booked up until 3:30 p.m. on Monday, so I ended up taking time off from work and finally getting in to see the doctor. This meant I needed some help from Cathy (the roomie) because I couldn’t walk anywhere. She got me up to the office, back to the scale, and then to the exam room.

My doctor came in and asked me some questions. At that point, my ankle was still a little swollen, but it wasn’t as bad as it had been. I had been icing it religiously and taking Ibuprofen though. Well, she decided it was Plantar Fasciitis, which is inflammation of the thick tissue on the bottom of the foot. This tissue is the plantar fascia and it connects the heel bone to the toes and creates the arch of the foot. She said she would schedule me with a podiatrist, but until then I was given some exercises to help with my foot. She offered to write me a prescription for crutches, but someone at the office had already volunteered to bring some in for me.

Every day, I would say a little prayer that when I woke up, I would be able to stand on my foot. But it didn’t happen. The pain didn’t lessen either. To bear any sort of weight on my left foot was excruciating. I’d try…oh, I would try, but it hurt like hell. The crutches were a Godsend, except they hurt my arms. That following day after I saw my doctor, I got a call from her office saying my appointment with my podiatrist would be the following Monday. A whole week away. I was more than a little frustrated. And I still hoped that I would be better by the weekend and could cancel my appointment with the podiatrist and get back to my active lifestyle and daily runs.

It didn’t play out like that. And one reason I had hoped to be better by that weekend was I was registered (for a whopping $55) to be a runner at The Color Run in Louisville. What is so great about The Color Run? Well, they throw paint powder on you as you run the 5K. A few ladies in my office were doing it. Every time they brought it up, I started to cry. Because I knew…I couldn’t do it. Not even walk it. Not with crutches. Could you imagine going 3.1 miles on crutches. My arms hate me for even thinking about it. It sucked. But I consoled myself with the fact that I was out of luck…and out of my entry fee on this 5K.

I thought I was dealing with that well, until I went to packet pick-up (after all, I paid $55, I should at last go get my number and swag bag…with t-shirt and all). I got my race number, my packet, my t-shirt and hobbled back to the car. And started to cry. I had really wanted to be a part of that race. And my foot had other ideas. No amount of consoling from my roommate helped either, but she tried. She really did. As the day went on, I endured pictures of the race going up on Facebook by not just my co-workers, but friends of mine who were able to be a part of the fun event. I had to stop going to Facebook, because it only made me cry again.

The very next day was my appointment with my podiatrist. That morning, I hobbled into the office and turned in my paperwork. They soon took me back to an exam room, got me prepped for some X-rays. Let me tell you, when you can’t put any weight on your foot, stepping up to a platform to get X-rays of your foot sucks. It sucks scissors.

But with the help of the X-ray technician, we got me up there and positioned for a few different X-rays…of both feet, the left foot, and the right foot. And then, with my crutches, I was back to the exam room and waiting on the podiatrist. He arrived…and introduced himself. He seemed very nice. He asked me to give some background as to what happened, so I told him the story about the race and everything. So…he was quite aware that I am a runner. Oh…and then I broke some more news to him…I am signed up for a half marathon on September 1, 2012…exactly a month away.

He hung his head, “Oh crap.” When he inquired as to my training schedule, I whipped out my iPhone and pulled up my app for that (Yes…I do have an app for that). He looked at it and then handed the phone back to me. And the said that it looked like I had tiny tears in my plantar fascia. He pulled up the X-rays and began to show me the evidence of this. And when he was done with that, he said that normally he would give patients a Cortisone shot in the foot, but as I am a runner, he wouldn’t do that. He believes giving runners a Cortisone shot is sending them on a suicide mission. So, he instead taped up my feet (yes…both of them) and got down to the nitty-gritty.

He gave me 6 exercises for my foot/ankle/calf muscles to do three times a day. I could still run. But I really had to dial it back. No more than 2 miles. Slow. Easy. And then…for the rest of my training, I was to move to the pool or the bike or the elliptical (as long as my heel doesn’t come up off the machine). Two miles of running. When I’m training for 13.1? Yep. But…I want to get better, yes? He then said, that if the pain didn’t let up…then we would have to nix the half marathon in 4 weeks. I almost cried. Almost. The only reason I didn’t was because it was still green lighted for now. FOR NOW.

Then he told me he wanted me back in the office on Thursday to get fitted for some orthotics for my shoes. Okay…I was supposed to go out of town to Columbus after work on Wednesday…but getting my foot back in working order did have to take precedence. So…I agreed and scheduled the appointment. Unfortunately, it wasn’t going to be until later in the afternoon. GAH!

Two reasons this frustrated me. For one…I was entered in a 5K (which I knew I couldn’t do…so now I was out another $30 I was out), and had to postpone my journey out of town to visit with a friend. But…it was for the best and in the best interest of my foot. It just sucked. Oh…and he told me I was not to use the crutches unless I was in a lot of pain. So, I sucked it up…and walked my way out of the office. Wouldn’t you know it…having my feet taped up helped!

So…here I sit…$85 poorer from races I don’t get to run. Plus out my co-pay at the doctor’s office…plus the co-pay I have to pay tomorrow when I go back. Let’s not forget the cost of my inserts for my shoes…

Yeah…it’s not pretty, friends. Not at all.

But, there is a silver lining to this cloud. Tonight I was able to stand on my left foot as I was changing into my pajamas. It didn’t hurt enough to make me think that I should sit down to do it. So, I see that as a good thing and as an improvement. I’ve been good about taking the anti-inflammatory he prescribed me. And I’ve been doing my exercises three times a day. I haven’t gone back to the gym yet…and I haven’t tried running…yet. I’m scared to. I don’t want it to hurt and I don’t want to do further damage.

But not running is killing me more, I think. I’m irritable, I’m cranky, and I’m missing it. Even if I can go for just two, slow miles…then…I’ll take it. So, I think on Monday…I might give it a shot. Even if I last for a few steps. I’m at least trying. I’ll get back to it. I hope. I was just reaching the peak of my running. I was better than I ever had been. And then I was sidelined. So…here’s to thinking positively and hoping for continued improvement. I’d really like to run in that half marathon. It’s women only race…which I love. I ran the 5K last year and said that this year it would be the half. I hope to still be able to do it. But that’s up to my doctor in the end. I trust him. After all, he called me the day after my visit to see how I was progressing, if the prescription was working, and if I was staying off the crutches.

As for the tape…it’s been a huge help. I’ve been walking on my own since he taped me up…and that was leaps and bounds ahead of where I was prior to going into his office to see him.

So, I’m bummed to sit out of yet another race I paid for…but I hope this will mean I can come back to the 13.1 miles I want to run in the beginning of September. Keep your fingers crossed. And here’s hoping my foot continues to heal properly, perfectly, and remains strong so that I can get back to pounding the pavement and building my speed and endurance back up.

Yeah…I miss running.

A whole hell of a lot.

July 22, 2012

Grand Slam 4 Miler – Louisville, KY (July 21, 2012)

Me crossing the finish line of the Grand Slam 4 Miler – Louisville, Kentucky

Race: Grand Slam 4 Miler

Place: Louisville, KY

Date: July 21, 2012

Time: 34:22

I admit…this is a race I probably ran better than I should have. When I say better…I mean faster. Because, from previous postings in this blog you will note that I have had some issues with my left foot. I have done much to make sure that I would be in form to run this weekend…including not running all week leading up to this race. But, alas…I woke up this morning and I still had minor pain. So, I hobbled myself over to the drawer where I keep my running gear, pulled out the athletic tape, and wrapped it up to give it some extra support.

In hindsight…I’m glad I did that.

I was already upset this morning because my foot was still bothering me, but, you just suck it up buttercup and do what you can with the cards you are dealt. I grabbed some water from the fridge to begin some morning-of-the-race hydration and got breakfast ready. Easy. Cereal. With unsweetened almond milk. My normal pre-race brekkies.

However, this was two hours ahead of race start time, so I knew I would burn through the cereal and be hungry…probably by the start or at least by the middle of the race. So, inside my gluten-free drawer of protein/granola/fruit goodness, I emerged with a Truebar by Bakery on Main. It’s a chewy, gooey fruit and nut bar. I had never had one before and…ooops…this one was flavored with chai…so it had a bit of a spice to it. Not what you want pre-run…but that will teach me to read labels before just grabbing and hurrying out the door to the race.

I finished getting ready for the race, got my number pinned on, and made sure I had my iPod and my Garmin. Then it was out the door because who knew what traffic going into Louisville would be like.

The ride to Slugger Field in Louisville, Kentucky was easy. Seriously. No traffic hold-ups. No problems. The biggest issue of the morning was deciding on whether to park in the street or a lot. We finally chose a lot that was labeled as Private, but all the runners seemed to be parking there regardless. We are lemmings. We followed what everyone else was doing.

The tables were just getting set up for race day packet pick-up, and we had just about an hour before the race started. Cathy and I headed into Louisville Slugger Field because I wanted to use the restroom…you know…one with running water and toilets that flush (PRINCESS!). With that done, we went back down to street level and stood by the gate where we talked and I began to stretch.

That’s when Keith showed up. I know, because we had arranged that he would text me so we could meet up before the race. So, his text came through and I told him where we were standing. Moments later…there he was. It is so nice to know another runner in the race. This is the second race that Keith and I have been able to line up together in. The other was the OneAmerica 500 Festival Mini Marathon. I see him on Monday’s at my fun run at BlueMile in the Highlands of Louisville too. Keith and I have a lot in common, so we were fast friends after I joined the running group. Now it’s a matter of me being able to get to Louisville in time to make the fun runs on Monday. But…that’s a different rant.

We stretched, talked running shoes, and races we were thinking of running or have already signed up for. We’re both running in races next weekend…but different ones. He’s doing the Waterfront Challenge 5K Urban Obstacle Run while I am doing The Color Run (basically, I get paint powder thrown on me in this race…awesome!). So, different races. But, we talked about other options coming up that we both were interested in doing. It really made time fly and before we knew it…we were being asked to line up as we had 10 minutes to race start.

I gave Cathy a hug and she wished me luck and told me to take it easy. I agreed. And she went to go get situated for the start of the race while Keith and I chose a good spot to start…sort of near the front-middle of the pack of runners. There were just under 500 finishers in this race, so it was a decent size, although both Keith and I thought there would be more people. I prepped my Garmin and my iPod and the announcer said that we would get a “Runner’s ready…” And then the horn.

That’s exactly what we got. And we were off. The slow trot up to the start line was easy. It was when I crossed the start line and, as usual, went to take off, that my foot began to bother me. Right there. With the first step. I was so not happy with that. In this instance, it meant that I had to shorten my stride and figure out a good way to land without repeating the incident from the Activate America 5 Miler back in 2011. I slowed my pace and was doing this strange hobble, step sort of run. And that’s how it worked…for four miles. Mile one was easy, it seemed. But then as the second mile came on, there were some inclines. Those were particularly hard on my left foot. I didn’t power through them as I usually try to…I just tried to keep a good pace without pushing too much. Mile 3…same thing. Mile 4…same. My entire goal was to not be limping across the finish line. This also meant, despite knowing the finish line was right ahead…no all-out pick-up-the-pace and get there sprint at the end. None of that. I just…kept on at where I was and that’s the pace I crossed at.

I was handed some water and the man who handed me the bottle stopped me so he could read my headband. Today’s race headband said, “Find Your Happy Pace.” I love that saying…and for today’s race I found it very appropriate. I made my way over to where Cathy was standing and we began watching for Keith. He had stuck with me through the first mile…but after that I lost him. I knew he wouldn’t be too far behind me. And I was absolutely right. When we saw him round that corner, both Cathy and I started shouting and cheering him on. And as he crossed, I went to go high-five him…and we both grabbed water and made our way over to the curb to sit and relax…and try to cool down. While the morning was a lot cooler than it had been, it heated up fast out there.

We sat there, discussed the race, our paces, and how we felt we did. We re-hydrated. I took off my shoe and unwrapped my foot, giving it a bit of a massage before easing it back into my running shoe. Finally, we decided that we would move on as all of us had things we needed to get done that day. For me…first stop meant brunch at Wild Eggs.

Anyway…as we got up, Cathy and Keith began to meander off. I went to take a step and just stinging, hot pain went through my foot. I was paralyzed right there from it. I tried again, and had the same result. I was stuck…and they were walking away. Cathy did turn around and came over to help me move. She let me cling to her as I got moving. And once I got moving, it hurt, but at least I could keep moving. It was when I stopped…or sat for long periods of time that the pain would start up when I stood up or tried to move again.

But…I was a trooper. We got to Wild Eggs and I was going to go in and put our names in…but my Sketchers I changed into were worse on my feet than my running shoes. So, after Cathy parked and helped me get inside…we got our names in and went to the bathroom so I could change out of my running clothes and into street clothes. I made a decision to do what I never do…and that was just wear my running shoes today. Why? They are stability shoes…so while it still hurt…my foot could at least tolerate me standing, walking, etc. in these. So, the rest of the day, I had trouble getting going after sitting at a table or in the car, but once I was up and moving…I was fine.

Upon arriving at home though and after making a grueling climb up the stairs to my apartment…I went to take off my shoes. And that’s when the issues started. I could hardly put weight on my foot. It was excruciating pain when I even tried. So, I crawled out to the living room and went to put some items we had purchased away. When I couldn’t stand up to do it…we decided something was wrong. So…my foot has been up and becoming friends with every ice pack in the apartment on rotation. And I’m taking it very easy and downing Ibuprofen. It doesn’t hurt to press hard on my foot or anything…only for me to put my weight on it. SUCKS!

So…I’m down for the count for the time being. I’m hoping that resting it and taking it easy will make make it easier to move around on. So, cross your fingers and send good heeling thoughts my way. For now…I’m off to soak my feet in Epsom salts. Here goes nothing…or something…like healing.

That being said…my official race results are that I finished the Grand Slam 4 Miler in 34:22. That’s way better than I thought I would given my injury heading into the race. I was 139/489 overall and I was 5th/38 in my division. Not too bad for the injured girl, yes?

Now…to get back into running order. The sooner…the better. Because…seriously…ow!

July 21, 2012

A sincere letter to my left foot

Dear Left Foot:

I don’t know what more I can do for you. Ever since you were hurt, I have done my best to take care of you and get you back into running form. But you are fighting me with every step. I have bathed you in Icy-Hot. I have rested you on an ice pack. I have given you gentle massages. I have kept you elevated. I have even stopped running. And you know how much I hate not running. I’ve sacrificed for you in hopes of getting some compensation and a little relief in return.

But tomorrow is a 4 mile race I have been really looking forward to running. And you still aren’t better. I’ve done all I can for you and said prayers to the running gods that each morning I’ll wake up and take a step…and not feel pain.

But you have let me down each and every morning since the injury occurred.

I know runners have the mantra to run through the pain…well…tomorrow that is what I will have to do. Slowly. Easily. The very things I hate doing during a race.

I’m starting to wonder if my plan to really push myself on a race will ever come to be.

So…I ask again…before I rise to get the ice pack for one more night…please…please feel better in the morning.

I have my athletic tape ready in case you protest…but I’d really like to be able to move without limping or wincing. And I’d really like to…RUN!

So, please…have a little mercy on the runner who has taken some mercy on you.

Please? I bought you new running shoes last weekend…that should be incentive enough…

With my sincerest hope and gratitude:

Me.

July 20, 2012

Just over 600 miles and already striking out

Anyone who knows me and has seen me this past week will know that I am not a happy girl. How could I not be happy, you might wonder. I mean, on Saturday I purchased brand new running shoes. That would make any runner happy, yes?

Well…normally…yes.

But not me. Not right now.

Why, you might inquire, am I miserable? Because I haven’t been able to run.

It happened…again. My roommate followed me too close and when I had to stop as someone stepped in front of me, her foot came down on the back of my shoe and tugged my Achilles again. AGAIN!!! At first I tried to lessen my speed and intensity…but the pain wasn’t getting any better. So, I had to make a conscious, and difficult decision, to rest.

Yeah…I’m moody now. My runs mean more to me than anything. I’m hard at training and now…for the second time…for the same reason as before…I’m sitting on the bench. And here I sit with weekends of races ahead of me, including a 4-miler this Saturday. I’ve been taking Ibuprofen like it’s crack and icing my foot whenever possible…but it just won’t get better. My mornings at the gym have been delegated to the weights and the elliptical. UGH!! Let me run!!

I hate it. I hate every moment of not being able to run. Every synapse in my brain tells me to just do it…and then the logical part kicks in and tells me…if I rest it…it will get better…faster. Well, I’ve been resting it and while the pain has subsided some, I feel like every muscle from my left calf down to the bottom of my heel (and sometimes through the arch) is tight now because I’ve been trying to compensate for the soreness in the heel. UGH. So, I’m now making an even bigger conscious effort to not limp and not baby my foot. The problem is…it still hurts. And the longer the pain lasts, the more concerned I get about Saturday’s race and the unhappier I become.

I’m not in a good place right now. The elliptical machine does not make me happy. My 35 minutes are better spent running than gliding back and forth on a machine. It’s not the same. It’s fantastic cross training…but it’s not the same. It doesn’t feel the same. It’s not…the run.

The Grand Slam 4 Miler is taking place downtown this weekend…and I’ll be there. I just hope I can put forth some effort in this run. I ran one hell of a 4 mile race this past winter and I was hoping to see how this compared. I’m thinking my pace will be slow…my effort easy…and I’ll just have to wait until the next one.

And yes…this once again…makes me unhappy. It literally pisses me off. I hate being injured. Yes…it was an accident, but being sidelined again for being stepped on again is not an easy pill for me to swallow. I want my run. I want to get out there and do what I love to do more than anything in this world. And when I can’t…when I have to sit here with my foot on an ice pack, praying that the running gods will have mercy on me and get me back into form by Saturday morning…it’s hard to feel confident. I want to train. I want to be out on that road, feeling that pavement under my feet, or…hell…finally properly seeing what my new running shoes can do.

Frustrated doesn’t begin to explain how I feel. I’m upset. I’m sad. I’m missing my run.

I just need to run.

So…another day of rest, more ice, and a shot of Ibuprofen in the morning, noon, and at dinner. Maybe, at least, by Saturday, I can walk without a limp. Or better yet…make some attempt at a lope…if not a jog. But a run? Would that be asking too much?

I hope not. Because the call of the road is constant…and my running shoes are begging for some pavement to beat.

I guess we’ll just see how it goes…