Day 4 of Pain

So, apparently both Jenni and I suck at blogging on a regular basis. This could also be due to the fact that we both suck at training alone. If we lived in the city, we would be logging miles like there was no tomorrow. Unfortunately, with no training partners, I think we are both lagging in our half marathon training.

I have been running a reasonable amount of times per week, but have been sucking in the mileage department. I just can't convince myself to go out and run 10 miles in the freezing cold.  Once school let out, I was determined to get my ass into gear. On Christmas eve day, I ran 10K, which was not as much as I needed to do, but at least a start in the right direction.  A few days later because it was too snowy and icy outside, I decided to run the stairs in my building at work. I figured a 5 minute warm up jog around the building, then 20 minutes of running stairs, followed by a five minute cool down jog. No problem, right?

Bahahahahahaha.

Boy was I wrong. Not only did my legs shake for 6-8 hours afterward, I woke up the next day with CRIPPLING calf pain. So bad, in fact, that the act of going downstairs for breakfast took about 5 minutes because I had to pause after each stair to keel over in agony. The only thing that has ever caused me this much pain before was snowboarding. It hurt to make the slightest movements with my legs. Even just walking was torturous, so I spent most of the day in my office chair.

I woke up on Day 2 after running the stairs and the pain was even worse. I didn't know that it was possible to feel more pain in ones calf muscles than I had felt on Day 1. I decided that my problem was my lack of activity the previous day, which had not allowed my muscles to unclench themselves, or whatever was going on. My brilliant plan of action was to go for a run. Easier said than done. I attempted to start running a few times, each resulting in so much pain that I had to stop immediately. I figured the least I could do was walk the route I planned on running. After about 10 minutes of walking, I tried running again, and while painful, it was not unbearable this time. I ended up walking and running 3 miles. Unfortunately, the running did not help to alleviate the pain because it was basically the same on Day 3

Today is Day 4 since the fateful stair-running day, and I am still in pain. Today I managed to run 4 miles, and it was not terrible. I hope that within the next couple of days I will be able to move up and down stairs without wanting to die. One can dream....

Intent

Internet, you see it - right there, at the very top of my list. I had the alarm set for 615, I had my shorts and stuff all laid out, I was going. Funny thing about laying my clothes out. It took almost no effort, because they were laid out from the night before.

Two days, I had the intent of waking early to run.

It's not a lie, it's on the list.

What happened? Let's ask my alarm clock why it decided not to go off. I have no idea! Yesterday, I just assumed I set it wrong (am/pm, maybe I shut it off in my sleep...something) But this morning too, no, the fault is in the alarm clock.

Sadly, as with many things, the fault is not mine but I suffer the consequences. I did not wake up at 6:15, I woke up at 7:30. And clearly, based on this list, I had missed the alloted running time. There was no way to squeeze it in and be ready when my airport ride arrives at 9:30.


(OH, and even though this list makes it look like I need ONE HOUR to change my sheets - really, the post-run shower, dry hair, get dressed and the like were all wrapped into that last item. They didn't explicitly make the list, because I wasn't so afraid of forgetting to do them!)

Sooooo....

I did not do my run again today. I think I have a mental block that prevents me from wanting to engage in runs over 4 miles. Today I was determined not to let my excuses get the best of me. I laid out my running clothes before I went to bed nice and early last night. I woke up at 7 to tend to the fuzzy one (the dog), but I was so sleepy, so I convinced her to nap with me in the guest room before we went out for her morning stroll. That lasted all of 10 minutes until she saw someone who had the audacity to WALK PAST OUR HOUSE. There was no convincing her to rest after that atrocity. So, I went downstairs, ate my half a powerbar and drank my 8 oz of water and took her outside. We spent about 5 minutes in the back field so she could do her business, and then we went on a 20 minute walk. Great warm up for running, I thought to myself. I like to wait at least 45 minutes to let my powerbar digest, so I decided to rest on the couch for about 15 mins before I went to my run. Two hours later, I woke up. Whoops!

When I woke up, it had started raining, which I took as a sign from the universe that I really should go running. I suited up and headed out. I was hungry, and felt off, and 7 minutes into my run, my iPod died. I took that as a sign from the universe that I really shouldn't go running. So, I turned around and headed home because I suck. I did do my pilates tape when I got home. That counts, right?

run, thwarted.

Yesterday I realized that the Metro Tri is a week from Sunday. That's 9 days, if you count today. And celebrations of last week kept me from running, I began getting nervous. I laid out an intricate plan to LD yesterday.
Friday am - 4 miles
Sunday am - 6 miles
Monday am - boot camp
Tuesday am - boot camp
Wednesday am - 5 miles
Thursday am - bootcamp

See, the care that went in to that planning. It'll get me ready for a 10K in 9 days - and also for a nap! In fact, I think I need one just looking at that. I'll sleep on the plane on Friday for sure.

Turns out, I'm already behind schedule. Her Highness woke me up this morning at 4am whining. This is not a new development, and I believe it's an actual problem which I will explain elsewhere, but it was 4am and I was awake to feed my master. OH LORD. When I stood up, I could count the muscles in my butt. Because every last one of them hurt. When I reached up on the shelf to get Mia's food - I could also feel every single aching muscle in my arms and shoulders. There was no way I was going to make it 4 miles. I wasn't sure I would get myself back in to bed.

Luckily, for all involved, I did make it back to bed, and opted to sleep a little later. I woke up and tried (painfully) to stretch - and resorted to the Stick for a little muscle relief. My legs feel fine now, ohhh boy my arms and shoulders are screaming. I might be able to pull out a four mile run later this evening, especially if it rains! Otherwise, I'm behind before I've even begun.

Public declaration fail

Well, this is what I get for declaring to the internet that I am going to go on a run. I FAIL.

My shin splints from Sunday were still pretty bad yesterday, so I thought I might wait an extra day to let them chill out. They are still pretty sore today, but not so bad that I wouldn't have run on them. I did, however, wake up this morning with an EXTREME stomach ache. I think it could be all of the potato chips I have been eating after not eating potato chips for years. Or it could be the anxiety of arguing with my former property management company. Or it could be the 20 chocolate covered graham crackers I ate yesterday from a large package of cookies that only cost $0.99. Cookies that cost $0.99 for 50 are probably not the most nutritious things.

Whatever the cause, my tummy hurts. A lot. And so I didn't go running. If it eases up by 5, I will go for my 4 mile run. Any later than that and I will just become mosquito food.

It's a catch 22 of a slippery slope into darkness.

Am I being dramatic, maybe. Do I exaggerate, definitely. Is it a serious problem, for sure!

I love to run. I love the way it makes me feel like I've done something productive. I love the way my life goes when I'm running consistently. I love the challenge of running. Basically, nothing bad can come from running. And when I'm in a good routine, I actually enjoy getting up early and going. It's peaceful, it's productive, it's pretty awesome. Like LDH says, running saves lives - or at least mine. Except when it doesn't.

Here's how my running slump usually goes:

Some traumatic or intense life event happens and I grant myself "permission" to slack off. I sleep in, I eat crap, I mope. This leads me to think of running as a chore. And the longer I put off the running, the guiltier I feel about it. As I continue to not run, my mood declines, other life events happen, and running becomes a distant memory. Bad mood begets no running, no running begets bad mood; lather rinse repeat. And thus it goes.

Until one day, when I remind myself that running, while it now seems like something loathesome and horrific, will actually solve all my problems. Running will make me feel productive and accomplished. It will make me feel awake and happy. It will make me feel peaceful and relaxed. And I do, have to coach myself through this. Until it sinks in. And then, I'm back!

The end of May was rough for me, running wise. The Ragnar Relay that some friends and I had been planning for the better portion of a year had come and gone. LDH up and deserted me. And, the first post-ragnar sans LDH run I went on was terribly sad and miserable. I went runless for the better part of three weeks, until Wednesday, when I finally dragged myself to a treadmill (blech, I hate treadmills). And, ohhhhboy, was it TERRIBLE. Not the thing I needed to pull me out of the current running funk. I'll try again, outside, in the early morning on Sunday. I'll return to Town Lake. And all will be right in the world.

Route: 2.4 miles on a treadmill.

Time: if I told you, you'd cry for me.

Lessons learned: treadmill running does not do the same as outdoor running to help you overcome downward spiral of doom.

First Sackville Run = Fail

I left Austin, Texas on May 30 knowing that I would be traveling for two weeks before I would be in my new house in Sackville, NB. I packed a large quantity of running clothes because I knew I would have nothing to do for 2 weeks except run. Yay! Except I totally underestimated the power of my own laziness. Without Jenni there to force me out of bed and into my running shoes, I just stayed in bed and sometimes on the couch. In the entire two weeks, I only ran once, and it was on a treadmill!

I moved into my new house 4 days ago and every day since then I have vowed to go for a run "tomorrow." Conveniently, tomorrow never came. Yesterday my excuse was eating too many chips. Today my excuse was getting up to late. Finally Jenni convinced me to JUST DO IT, DAMMIT. So I did. I set out for my run at 2 pm. It was a lovely breezy day here in Sackville, and it felt amazing to get out running. I felt so amazing that I didn't even mind the rolling hills on my short 2.6 mile run/walk. Usually I avoid hills at all costs, but today I loved them. Well, at least for the first 11-12 minutes. I was running too fast and then the sun came out and the wind died down and it was damn hot. I wasn't very well hydrated, but I had thought to myself, well it's not like it is Texas. But let me tell you, it sure felt like it. I was hot and dehydrated and miserable, so the last 1.3 miles of my run consisted mostly of me running for 30 seconds to a minute and then walking for 3 minutes. It was pathetic. I even faked an injury because these obnoxious high school kids kept driving past me and yelling things. I was embarrassed that I was barely running, so I started limping. Seriously.

Summary:

Route: 2.6 miles, mostly pavement
Time: I don't even want to know.
Lessons learned: 1) Don't run while dehydrated. 2) Don't run in the peak afternoon sun even if you live in Canada.