So, on a whim a week and a half ago or so...I decided to sign up for the Quad Cities Half Marathon. My sister was running the full (her first!) and I decided it would be cool to go to support her...and if I was going anyway, I should probably get in a training run! ;) According to my schedule, I was supposed to do a 12 mile run this weekend (I am now in the "tapering down" period....last Sunday's 20 mile run was the peak of training). So, I figured that doing the 13.1 mile half marathon would be just fine. It was a great race....and I love the Quad Cities. It's weird how it really does feel like home to me. I didn't grow up there...but I spent 4 years of my life there (I went to Augustana for undergrad) and my parents now live in Geneseo (they moved there when I was 18; right when I moved to Augie, actually)...so it's always nice to be "back home."
Well, I ran the half in 1:52:09 today....15th out of 114 in my age group! Not too shabby :). I was happy with that...and I don't feel too terribly today ;), so that's a good thing too!
More later....it's been a busy weekend so I need to go get some things done before the work week starts...
Sunday, September 27, 2009
Thursday, September 17, 2009
Sigh of relief...
So my knee feels better than it has since before my 18-mile run on Saturday, September 5! WHEW! I've employed the advice of many ;)...and hope that things continue to look up. We're just over three weeks til race day, folks!!
Workouts the past 2 weeks....
Saturday, September 5: 18 miles
Sunday, September 6: Rest
Monday, September 7: Rest
Tuesday, September 8: ran 1 mile slow, walked 1 mile (***after my PT friend told me NOT TO DO ANYTHING...whooops)
Wednesday, September 9: Rest
Thursday, September 10: Rest
Friday, September 11: Rest also had an ionic steroid treatment on my right knee
Saturday, September 12: Rest
Sunday, September 13: 14 miles
Monday, September 14: 65 minutes on elliptical
Tuesday, September 15: 30 minutes "running" in the pool (in the deep end with a fitness belt thingie), followed by 5 minutes of laps
Wednesday, September 16: 8.5 miles also had an ionic steroid treatment on my right knee pre-run
Thursday, September 17: 30 minutes "running" in the pool (same as Tues.)
And, I feel great! I'll be taking the next two days off and then running the big TWENTY on Sunday. I can't wait!! :)
Workouts the past 2 weeks....
Saturday, September 5: 18 miles
Sunday, September 6: Rest
Monday, September 7: Rest
Tuesday, September 8: ran 1 mile slow, walked 1 mile (***after my PT friend told me NOT TO DO ANYTHING...whooops)
Wednesday, September 9: Rest
Thursday, September 10: Rest
Friday, September 11: Rest also had an ionic steroid treatment on my right knee
Saturday, September 12: Rest
Sunday, September 13: 14 miles
Monday, September 14: 65 minutes on elliptical
Tuesday, September 15: 30 minutes "running" in the pool (in the deep end with a fitness belt thingie), followed by 5 minutes of laps
Wednesday, September 16: 8.5 miles also had an ionic steroid treatment on my right knee pre-run
Thursday, September 17: 30 minutes "running" in the pool (same as Tues.)
And, I feel great! I'll be taking the next two days off and then running the big TWENTY on Sunday. I can't wait!! :)
Sunday, September 13, 2009
ONE MONTH to go!
I can hardly believe it...just one month to go til the big day!
This morning I ran 14 miles with Dan and John...it is a "taper down" week before building up to our big 20-mile run next weekend. We took it a bit easier than usual (Dan is also battling some issues....his are with his Achilles tendon in his left foot).
I feel decent...not nearly as awful as I felt last Saturday afternoon after the 18-mile run. After the adrenaline wore off last Saturday my knee hurt really badly.
I went to see David McClure at the Sports Enhancement Center on Tuesday and Friday this week and he helped me out a ton...he's a really nice, really great guy. He had some good suggestions...and gave me some steroid therapy (pics in previous post!) on Friday that seemed to really help. I am hopeful!
Nate, also at the Sports Enhancement Center, also suggested some new shoes...Asics Nimbus...I bought them Wednesday and then tried them out for 6.75 on the treadmill at the gym. They were expensive ;), but felt great. I wore them today on the 14 mile run and had no issues with the fit or feel of them...which was wonderful.
So between rest (I did NOTHING Sunday, Monday, Thursday, Friday, and Saturday this week...YOWZA!), ice, Motrin, new shoes, steroids, David, Nate, and a band worn above my knee during today's run (per another trainer at SEC's suggestion)....I am doing better.
No way am I giving up, no way, no how! I am far too excited about this...and have been training for far too long! Basically all year, really! I got really serious about the IL half marathon back in February, ran the half in April, and then registered for Chicago shortly thereafter. So, this has really been a February-October deal! We're going on 7.5 months right now of training.
It's frustrating, honestly....cardio-vascuarly I feel AWESOME. I feel like I could run and run and run and run forever. I haven't even been really winded at the end of all of our long runs (aside from last week, when I finished the last mile of 18 miles in 7:20ish....yeah, that's a story for another time). The endurance issue is with my joints (particularly my knees!)...which is so frustrating! I wish I could whip those puppies into shape and make them more durable ;).
I couldn't sleep last night...I tossed and turned all night. I was really worried about my knees, particularly the right one that has given me issues since last Saturday's 18-miler. I feel ok right now (probably still floating on that runners' high a bit! ;))....but I have a feeling I am going to hit a wall and just CRASH later on today.
P.S. a little lofty ;), but in the back of my mind is the 3:40:59 Boston qualifying time requirement....I mean, if you double my half marathon time you get something around 3 hours and 54 minutes....and I am in much better shape (if my knee cooperates, of course ;)) right now than I was before the half marathon....is it realistic to shoot for? Not sure. Now that it's in my head, it's gonna be hard to forget about it ;). However, I am gonna do my best to push it back and "forget" about it and focus on.....1) Staying healthy.....2) FINISHING....and 3) finishing in under 4 hours.....
Here's to running....and staying strong and healthy!
This morning I ran 14 miles with Dan and John...it is a "taper down" week before building up to our big 20-mile run next weekend. We took it a bit easier than usual (Dan is also battling some issues....his are with his Achilles tendon in his left foot).
I feel decent...not nearly as awful as I felt last Saturday afternoon after the 18-mile run. After the adrenaline wore off last Saturday my knee hurt really badly.
I went to see David McClure at the Sports Enhancement Center on Tuesday and Friday this week and he helped me out a ton...he's a really nice, really great guy. He had some good suggestions...and gave me some steroid therapy (pics in previous post!) on Friday that seemed to really help. I am hopeful!
Nate, also at the Sports Enhancement Center, also suggested some new shoes...Asics Nimbus...I bought them Wednesday and then tried them out for 6.75 on the treadmill at the gym. They were expensive ;), but felt great. I wore them today on the 14 mile run and had no issues with the fit or feel of them...which was wonderful.
So between rest (I did NOTHING Sunday, Monday, Thursday, Friday, and Saturday this week...YOWZA!), ice, Motrin, new shoes, steroids, David, Nate, and a band worn above my knee during today's run (per another trainer at SEC's suggestion)....I am doing better.
No way am I giving up, no way, no how! I am far too excited about this...and have been training for far too long! Basically all year, really! I got really serious about the IL half marathon back in February, ran the half in April, and then registered for Chicago shortly thereafter. So, this has really been a February-October deal! We're going on 7.5 months right now of training.
It's frustrating, honestly....cardio-vascuarly I feel AWESOME. I feel like I could run and run and run and run forever. I haven't even been really winded at the end of all of our long runs (aside from last week, when I finished the last mile of 18 miles in 7:20ish....yeah, that's a story for another time). The endurance issue is with my joints (particularly my knees!)...which is so frustrating! I wish I could whip those puppies into shape and make them more durable ;).
I couldn't sleep last night...I tossed and turned all night. I was really worried about my knees, particularly the right one that has given me issues since last Saturday's 18-miler. I feel ok right now (probably still floating on that runners' high a bit! ;))....but I have a feeling I am going to hit a wall and just CRASH later on today.
P.S. a little lofty ;), but in the back of my mind is the 3:40:59 Boston qualifying time requirement....I mean, if you double my half marathon time you get something around 3 hours and 54 minutes....and I am in much better shape (if my knee cooperates, of course ;)) right now than I was before the half marathon....is it realistic to shoot for? Not sure. Now that it's in my head, it's gonna be hard to forget about it ;). However, I am gonna do my best to push it back and "forget" about it and focus on.....1) Staying healthy.....2) FINISHING....and 3) finishing in under 4 hours.....
Here's to running....and staying strong and healthy!
Friday, September 11, 2009
Saturday, September 5, 2009
18
Well today was the day of more firsts for me :)...I ran 17, then 18 miles! The most I'd run prior to this was 16 miles, so miles 17 and 18 were totally new territory...and it felt great! I had the best "runners' high" ever afterwards, too ;). After three straight hours of running, I felt like I could conquer the world! So, I picked up an iced coffee for me and some McDonald's breakfast for Jeremy on my way home (per his request; yeah, we're health freaks around here! HA! Actually, though, he has lost TWENTY-EIGHT pounds this summer; and it wasn't like he needed to, either)....then when I got home I did 2 loads of laundry, cleaned out the fridge (aka threw away old/expired stuff, and washed the shelves/walls of the fridge), cleaned the litter box, emptied/re-loaded the dishwasher....and then crashed. Boy oh boy was I TIRED! I still am. I've been somewhat worthless for most of the day.
In other news, I may have screwed up my right knee. It's not feeling good. I just e-mailed a co-worker whose husband is a PT who works at a sports' clinic here in town to see if he could see me. I am not messing with this crap; I hope it's something I can deal with and deal with quickly and easily. There are just FIVE weekends between me and the marathon and I am not giving up!
In other news, I may have screwed up my right knee. It's not feeling good. I just e-mailed a co-worker whose husband is a PT who works at a sports' clinic here in town to see if he could see me. I am not messing with this crap; I hope it's something I can deal with and deal with quickly and easily. There are just FIVE weekends between me and the marathon and I am not giving up!
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