One

One run.

Just me.

No watch, no ipod.

It felt good to go slow and enjoy the weather.
It felt great to feel my legs carry me.

I'm not going to even think about races or anything right now. Just being good to myself.

(So as a reward, I'm enjoying a strawberry, banana, oj smoothie! YUM!

What am I doing?

Ugh. Not a good time, right now. And, I hate it. It's spring time, things are supposed to be getting better.

I'm job hunting. It feels hopeless.

I'm not working out. At. all. Haven't for 2 weeks. Don't feel like it.

I don't want to get out of bed.

It will get better, I know. It has too.

But in the meantime, I'm watching my race schedule get shorter and shorter. The 1/2 Mary is not going to happen. Wow. At this rate, I'm not going to be racing at all this summer.

i can't win

short one here... mainly b/c typing is at a minimum...

i managed to slice well into my left index finger yesterday afternoon...

5 stitches and a few darvocet later... i'd like my break now, please!

Frustration Strikes Again

Well, this week, I've been side-lined ONCE MORE by something that felt frighteningly like a heel spur. I'm guessing that this came on the heels (ha ha) of my last run... too much too fast. This is getting old, old, OLD. I can honestly say that I've never had this many problems with injuries...

And it's getting scary. I have a race in six short weeks. A big race. One that I can't just show up to and hope everything turns out okay. Beyond that, I have the biggest race thus far in August. And there is no base. None. Every time I get going again, I have some other annoying injury that needs rest and ice. I'm really not sure what to do.

Meaning... I'm starting to think that I can't do the 1/2 marathon. I need a rhythm. I need to get it going. I just seem to be going in so many other directions right now.

Deep Breath. Ok. Well, it is what it is. I'm actively searching for a job. That is showing some promise, but honestly it's like having a second job. It takes time. It takes workout time, some days.

Well, the good news is that after three days of rest, ice and ibuprofen, my foot feels great. I'm glad I didn't run yesterday, as that would have been pushing it. I need to figure out the cause of all of these problems.

1. Too much too soon. Pretty sure this is the cause of the PF and shin splints before, but I was trying so hard to be careful this time... Maybe I just can't do speed work until after the 1/2 Mary...

2. Not enough variety. Or not enough stretching. I know I function better with yoga. I didn't go this week.

3. Not enough focus. Or not the right focus. Perhaps PRs aren't the way to go this year... Maybe I should just enjoy the experience and get settled with job stuff.

4. Shoes? Nah...just got new ones, they seemed better.

5. Current job is very physically demanding already... It could be that the demanding nature of speed work (or sometimes any workout) might just be too much (ack! it sounds like I'm getting old!) I've finally gotten to the point where my legs and body don't ache morning, noon, and night just from working. That's progress. Perhaps I just need to take it more slowly for now.

So, where to go from here:
Foot is better. I will get to the gym tomorrow and run for 30 minutes. Do stretching and crunches. I will eat a good diet and drink water. Focus needs to be injury prevention and consistent base building. Speed work needs to wait, me thinks.

Okay, thanks for reading through that. I was in a bad spot. It's going to be fine, but coach, I could use a phone call :)

I hope every one had a wonderful St. Patty's day!

So Far, So Good

So far, it's been a good week. I've gone running 2 times (little or NO foot or shin discomfort), and I started that new class, PiYo - I felt like I was in heaven when I left!

Eating and sleeping are going moderately well.

As far as the time goal goes... Err, well, I dunno. Maybe I should start thinking about that in a week or so after I'm back into the swing of things...

I hope all of your weeks are going well, and that you are braving the snow/cold well. Here in PA, the state has shut down again due to the whopping 3" of snow we received this am. :) It is beautiful, though.

I cannot WAIT to get on my bike again!

Interesting Night

Whew, what a night. I honestly felt like I jumped down the rabbit hole tonight. It's amazing what too much alcohol and stupidity will do to a person. Thankfully, I was sober. Boy, ppl can be dumb. I had to actually yell at a good friend. I hate doing that. I'm already feeling old.

But it gave me pause enough to think about what I'm doing with this 1/2 marathon coming up. Thanks, Joe, for your words. It can still be done. I think that's what I needed. A little hope.

I realized that I need to be kinder to my body. I met my goals for last week. I got to bed almost every night by midnight and got up (spontaneously the past two days!) at 8:15-8:30. It's good to have that back under control.

Eating is ehhh. Better, though. I'm back into my mode of eating only what I take to work, so that's a great start.

I also realized that I need to have a fluid schedule, seeing as my work hours change day to day. So, I mapped out a strategy for this coming week. We'll see how it pans out.

So, I'm going to follow Crackhead's strategy and set up some managable goals for this coming week:

• In bed by 12. Up at 8:15 - 8:30.
• Follow a flexible schedule. Rest days when I work 12-15 hour shifts (duh).
• Focus on good eating habits.
• Get excited about my time goal (and figure out what that is).

I think that's good for now. I have a lot of other things going on right now, so I'll keep it simple.

Focus!

Ok. Phew. I guess I just needed to vent or something.

It's nothing that a hot bath and a good night's rest didn't cure.

That, and I just got my gym's publication in the mail today. I asked a while ago about these pilates/yoga classes they have and was told that even with my super membership that I'd have to pay extra. I was *not* happy, knowing that my body is SO tight right now, and also knowing that the cure to that tightness was being held in front of my nose.

Until today.

I opened up the gym publication (nicely done, just a lot of typos) and read grudgingly about the class... until I get to the part that it's FREE for fitness/pool members! FREE! What a wonderful word!

I called just to make sure. :) There is hope after all.

So, that's my focus, along with getting to bed by midnight and getting up at 8:30. Let's see how it goes...

This is really not good.

Not good at all.

My eating is out of control.

Every time I run I get twinges of PF and shins.

The new shoes I just got suck.

I feel terrible.

I can't seem to find balance in my life.

Let alone discipline to go to bed and get up and to effing PUT THE FORK DOWN!!!!!!!

I'm pretty sure that I'm not going to be able to run a half marathon in 8 weeks.

Oh yeah. And then there's timberman.

Forgive me for being negative but right now things SUCK.

suckity suck suck.