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August 17, 2005

Phantom Pains, a Few Days Off and a HAPPY B-DAY to my MOM :)

I have been freaking out since Monday. But before I complain about a few days of complete rest, I will rewind to Monday. I had an absolutely amazing run - mostly due to the fact that I coerced my twin sister (back from Africa) into running with me and a few others. I typically run from the running specialty store that I work at in Chicago. I have recently declared myself the ringleader of the Monday Night Anarchy Group. A lot of the runners that our store attracts are local road race winners and speedsters. After running long on the weekend, I refuse to engage in the typical pissing matches that occur on Monday nights - i.e. everyone declares that they are going to run "easy" and the next thing you know, you are hanging on by a thread and huffing and puffing just to keep the group in sight! So my group is gradually increasing its membership and we usually bang out 7-11 miles around 8:00-8:30 pace. Anne joined us and the most frequently heard comment was the following: "Your sister is a goddess." Translation: "Is your sister single? Because I think she is HOT!" I agree - she is hot :)

I am completely off track! At any rate, we ran our 7.2 mile route and the last mile, I was feeling extremely fresh and happy . . . my feet started going and my stride followed. I clocked the last mile in 6:15. I have been running most of my runs this way in preparation for the marathon: start off "butters" slow and gradually increase the pace. The best part of Monday night was yet to come . . . I drove home, walked in, and B. was waiting for me - he was all decked out in his technical running clothes. The two of us headed out for a swift 3 miler and I logged 10+ miles for the day.

And then the phantom pains invaded my foot. I started to feel a dull ache in my left foot - 3rd metatarsal (aka: stress fracture site). I immediately decided to take yesterday and today off, OD on aleve and ice compulsively. I think I could have run - or at least cross trained - today, but I am too cautious and too paranoid to risk anything at this point. I am planning on an easy 6 tomorrow morning - and hopefully another 20 miler on Sunday. I know that part of the problem can be traced back - once again - to switching out of my mizunos. Our store is running low on them and I refuse to buy off the internet (EVIL EVIL EVIL - it puts little guys like us out of business!) . . . so I am paying the price. Fortunately, I have some old pairs in the closet that I am going to resurrect and squeeze every last mile out of before I can finally update my Mizunos. I generally train in the precision - a nice, low profile, lightweight shoe. Anything with more "shoe" and I suffer.

Enough about my pain - HAPPY BIRTHDAY, MOM! I know she reads my blog every other day and she frequently reminds me that I need to update my running life more often :) Will do, mom. I am so lucky to have at least one loyal fan like you out there. You are the best :)

Posted by bridget at 10:45 PM | Comments (4)

August 11, 2005

Yet Another "Update"

I don't know where to begin because I am absolutely drowning in my own thoughts right now. I think I need to rewind a few weeks to do justice to this majorly delayed post.

My running took a little bit of a nose-dive the past 3 weeks, but I am not going to freak out yet. I was on a roll with the 50 mile weeks for 8 weeks. Then B. and I went to Boston and I decided to take an entire weekend off from running so I ended up with a 30 mile week. Feeling good, I brought it up to 40 the next week and hit 51 again last week. This week should conclude with about 50-55 miles in the bank - BUT, unlike a lot of my fellow bloggers, I seem to take an abnormal amount of days off with no cross training - 20 milers always help boost the mileage! Sometimes I feel like a lazy runner when I read other blogs, but I try not to unlock my competitive side. I think I have been doing this long enough to know that my body does not appreciate much more than 60 miles per week with a little weight lifting and core work thrown in. I hope I achieve 80 mile weeks two years from now (that is the long term plan anyway).

BEST UPDATE: I ran a really cool trail race outside of Chicago FOR FUN! My best friend, Caroline, decided to sign up so I decided to run with her - it actually wasn't much of "fun" run since she bolted up the hills and around the course at 8:30 pace!!!! She is a closet running prodigy who is finally willing to "out" herself. I have a feeling that she will be running 7:15 race pace by the time September arrives. It was so much fun to actually enter a race, run it, and not worry about pace or time or other local runners looking up my name to check out my results. I have never felt such a wave of anxiety-crushing peace on a run. I think I am going to kidnap Caroline a few days a week and force her to run with me!

This past weekend I finally met Alweiss at the Chicago Distance Classic and we ran together for about a mile (actually, the best mile I had the entire race!). I had quite a frightening race experience that I am still trying to digest and figure out. I hate wallowing in uncertainty, especially when it involves my own physiology! At any rate, I comfortably ran 6:43s all the way through about 10.5 - 11 miles. I think my 10K split was 41:47 or something thereabouts. I didn't feel like I went out particularly hard and I felt very in control. But my body decided to rebel against my comfort and my excitement at the prospect of finally dipping under 1:30 again.

It was definitely a little toasty outside, but I was not alarmed - I have grown accustomed to 90 degree weather and since B. and I have no air conditioning for really complicated reasons (another blog entry to follow), I think my body has adapted to unusally warm temperatures. BUT, on Sunday I fell apart the final two miles. My hands and feet started to tingle and then they went completely numb. I couldn't unfold my hands enough to pick up water. I also got the chills and stopped sweating. I considered walking, but I kept telling myself that it was only 2 miles!!!! I slopped home in 1:32.01. At first sight of the clock, I felt relief, then embarrassment, then anger, then disappointment and then happiness. I finally decided that I had to choose my attitude for the rest of the day. I am happy because I ran 6:43s for 11 miles. I am happy that I finished the damn race, I am happy that I ran faster than I ran last year, I am happy that I didn't pass out - see, I have many more reasons to feel happy than sad! I know I will produce many sub 1:30s in my lifetime - this weekend I lacked the magic; it simply was not there.

I ran an easy 7 on Monday and felt like an almost dead fish fighting for its life. I flopped around on the Lakefront path before deciding that I was being stupid for pushing it - and for playing russian roulette with whatever ailment my body underwent the day before. I rested on Tuesday. I met my twin sister - who is finally back from Africa and down from the SUMMIT of Kilimanjaro - on Wed. for a swift 10 miles. I think we kept it around 8:00 - 8:20 pace. It was relaxing. I had a ton of time to run today, but once again decided to take a rest day. I hate taking two rest days in a week, but my marathon is 7 weeks away and I do not think I should risk the extra 7-10 miles/week. I can handle the big fat "0" in my log. I think - at this point - no matter how much or how little I train, I will show up this fall slightly undertrained and frustrated. I have revised my marathon goal too: 3:15 or faster (3:15 seems so far away on most days). There is no way in hades I have a 2:59 in my legs - definitely not in 7 weeks (I can feel the butterflies swirling in my stomach at the prospect of breaking 3 - but it's hard to suck it up and realize that my training alone this time is not going to get me there).

I have so much more to write, but I am climbing out of bed in 5 hours to kick off my Friday morning with a 20 mile trail run. I am working through the weekend, so I think I should shoot for 20 tomorrow. Who knows - I have a terrible habit of not hearing the alarm clock! If that happens, I still have 2 days to squeeze in a 20 miler.

I can feel the loopiness in my brain accelerating to incomprehensible levels - it is time to sign off and hit the pillow.

Posted by bridget at 11:00 PM | Comments (3)