Week One

Yesterday I threw in another 90% PAIN-FREE run before the World Series game 3 first pitch. Truthfully, I missed the first pitch but it was worth it to get 2 miles in. E made game three guac and had a beer waiting for me when I finished work, but I knew the game food would be that much more delicious with a Run and AbRipper. The headlands run is a little too much up-and-down for my knee, as the pain was definitely there on the last uphill.

So here's how week one panned out. Completed exercises are in bold.

WEEK ONE - October 23 - 29

Saturday - Chest&Back, AbRipper

Sunday - Plyometrics

Monday - Run 2 mi., AbRipper

Tuesday - (YogaX) 30 minutes yoga

Wednesday - (Legs & Back, AbRipper) Rest

Thursday - (Run 2 mi.) Legs & Back, AbRipper

Friday - CHILL :-)

So we stuck to our guns fairly well. We were short a 2 mi. run, but I got that in yesterday, as I said above. So now I'm just short a "shoulders and arms" workout. The biggest problem is obsessively watching the Giants in the world series, and game times are wack! Once that's over I hope more time will free up in the evenings.

PAIN-FREE

Yesterday was my first pain-free run since the beginning of AUGUST. It felt great. As soon as we hit the 1 mile mark I forced myself to turn around and I managed the whole two miles without real pain. E kept me to a fairly quick pace which I believe helped my knee to not fall into the pain routine. So that's awesome. We also did ab ripper and stretched, and the day before did our Plyo. So I'm supremely sore, but it feels great and we haven't missed a workout yet! Today is yoga and the next day another run which I'm looking forward to. Yeah!

P90x - running/throwing style! The long winter ensues...

Wow! E and I just did the P90x Chest and Back workout and my arms are frickin stuffed. Ab ripper topped it all off, of course. We listened to the Giants at the same time and had to interrupt a few of the moves to scream, jump, clap and generally show our fan-ness. Game 6 = intense.

Since the rainy season has begun (pouring for the past 24 hours), and I can't run, and E wants to be in better year-round throwing shape, we've decided to embark on another round of P90x with slight modification. We're generally following the Phase 1 plan but exchanging one of the upper body workouts and the kenpo X for running/throwing, allowing two days per week of sport-specific training. This, assuming the season will allow me to run in the rain! :-) I've been trying to remember to foam roll every day, and am committed to keeping my mileage down and my overall fitness level up!

So here's my general plan:

PHASE 1

WEEK ONE - October 23 - 29

Saturday - Chest&Back, AbRipper

Sunday - Plyometrics

Monday - Run 2 mi., AbRipper

Tuesday - YogaX

Wednesday - Legs & Back, AbRipper

Thursday - Run 2 mi.

Friday - CHILL :-)

WEEK TWO - October 30 - November 5

Saturday - Shoulders and Arms, AbRipper

Sunday - Plyometrics

Monday - Run 2 mi., AbRipper

Tuesday - YogaX

Wednesday - Legs & Back, AbRipper

Thursday - Run 2 mi.

Friday - CHILL :-)

WEEK THREE - November 6 - 12

Saturday - Chest&Back, AbRipper

Sunday - Plyometrics

Monday - Run 2 mi., AbRipper

Tuesday - YogaX

Wednesday - Legs & Back, AbRipper

Thursday - Run 2 mi.

Friday - CHILL :-)

Recovery

WEEK FOUR - November 13 - 19

Saturday - YogaX

Sunday - Core Synergistics

Monday - Run 2 mi.

Tuesday - X Stretch

Wednesday - Core Synergistics

Thursday - Run 2 mi.

Friday - CHILL :-)

I've got a copy of this plan on my desktop and will bold each workout completed. I've been drooling over the Canyonlands 1/2 marathon in March. The lottery is in November and I can't stop thinking how badly I want to do this race. How badly I want to resume running in the first place!

So, get in shape girl. Because you love it!

Down to Zero

My mileage. I sprained my ankle yesterday, pretty badly. I'm now on crutches, hobbling around doped up on advil. Can you believe it? At least now I can say I have TWO injuries preventing me from running the Half Marathon on Sunday.

It's been nice to read others' October race reports. I think next time I might train for a full marathon............................................................. why not?

:-)

So, a few runs have happened

Actually, just one. Friday found Meghan and I out on the Haul Road. Again, I was totally rocking it at a super-slow pace. My knee felt .... actually, it didn't feel. I couldn't feel anything, which means I was pain free. I tried not to think about it, or get excited, or even notice it at all. At 1.7 miles I had a faint shimmer of pain and we turned around immediately. I'd say we made it another .5 miles before I had to stop and stretch. I busted out a very measured, controlled .5 miles before declaring "Damnit Shit" and walking the last .6 back to the car.

I rewarded our pathetic efforts with a carton of cool coconut water each, and we stretched our IT bands in the sun while discussing my future running career. Turns out, I've officially bagged my 1/2 Marathon due to conflict of more important plans and the obvious outcome of me not finishing said 1/2 marathon. Let me just say that again to be clear:

I've officially dropped out of my October 17 Humbolt Redwoods 1/2 Marathon

This is both good news and bad news - a mixed bag, let's call it. On one hand, I can stop stressing about (not)training and pain. I can stop wondering what it's going to be like to run 2.5 miles and then walk 10.6. I can focus on my future as a runner, this fall and beyond. On the other hand, this is wholly depressing and anti-climactic, and I face a pretty constant challenge of not thinking I'm a stupid loser for having such a stupid loser IT Band. Also, it was to be my first real race. With real aid stations, tons of people and super-human achievement.

So, back to my future. I am now going to be a 2 mile girl. I will run 2 miles, 3 times per week. This is a very short distance, but it tends to lately be a pain-free distance. I am going to be a roll-the-shit-out-of-my-ITB girl as well. And I'm going to just have fun. I am also going to take some serious time off from running while it rains, storms and shits on us all winter, and will become a second-round P90X'er as well. This is the plan, anyway.

I so desperately desire to run a Half or a Full, and sincerely hope that my next year of life will be the year when I can accomplish this.

Sort Of

Well, it started out well. I plowed through 2.3 miles like it was my J O B. I felt great. I felt invincible. I stopped for 30 seconds to stretch and take in the amazing view of the ocean. I tightened up my knee brace and started back towards the car. I guess stopping was a bad idea because almost immediately my knee started to hurt. I ran/walked another mile and called it a day - Erin came and met me with the car.

Damn. Last night I rolled the shit out of my IT band, and then had a deep tissue massage from Erin that made me cry. Still need to wrap the roller pipe in some foam for more comfort.

In an effort to pretend that I am still a runner, I'm entering Katie's giveaway for some schweet Cliff schwag. Yum. If I can ever log another long run in my life I will giveaway many many things as an offering and sacrifice to the gods of IT bands everywhere.

Back At It!

So it's official. I bought the shoes. FINALLY! I'm pretty damn excited. I've been drooling in anticipation for weeks/months at the thought of a trip to Fleet Feet to have a 20-30 minute personalized fit consultation with a sales associate. :-) Let's just say it was everything I thought it would be. I was really impressed with the guy who helped me. E and I were basically hovering at the front door waiting for the San Fran store to open at 10. I showed the guy my old Asics Cumulus' (embarassingly beat, grungy & falling apart) and then he measured my skinny pedos at size 7 while sitting & 7.5 while standing, which apparently is important? He watched me walk, and then came back with a pair of beautiful Mizuno Waveriders. Who ever thought I'd stray from Asics? Not I. They felt incredibly different from my good ole' standbyes, and I wasn't so sure. So after a good 45 minutes, several pairs Asics, Brooks, Saucony & Mizunos, and a quick jog around the block, I decided on the Waveriders. Gotta hand it to the guy for getting it right on the first try! The 30 day guarantee helped me make the decision too - because these shoes feel so different the unconditional return option helped me take a step outside the box and go with something completely new! New has to be better for my IT band, I presume.

I also received some encouraging news from another sales associate who suffered a 6 month stint of no running due to IT band tightness. He said the only thing that helped was a foam roller & regular massage. Good to know. Also good to hear he actually recovered, which apparently is really unusual? Anyway, I'm stoked.

I still might cancel my scheduled 1/2 marathon on October 17 because really, I'm not ready for it. It's hard to deal with because I've actually scheduled an entire 3 day weekend trip around it. I'll run tomorrow in my new zapatos, stretch the crap out of my ITB, use my new Salonpas heat patch-thingies and report back.

Peace.