Our goal is in sight! The FCA HALF Marathon is next weekend. I am so proud of our team for staying with the project. We're about to see the benefit of all those miles of training! It wasn't always easy running in this Florida heat. All of us have had life step in and take over here and there, interrupting our training but we persevered and will see it to the end.
We do have 2 team members who had to drop out, sadly. Abbey moved away to Chicago, she is already deeply missed. It's just not the same without her. Sherry has an injury that's kept her from training for a few weeks now, but I really think she'll get back into it to run a different half later this year. Sherry is very involved in Breast Cancer Awareness and is a captain for the 3 day, 60 miles walk-a-thon coming up. We all wish her well with the walk and healing her injury soon!
We have another member who thinks she may postpone running a half for now, we'll find out what her decision will be by the weekend. Jim has a good pep talk for those little moments of doubt so she may still be in.
That leaves Jim, Bethany, Kim, Michelle, Bob, Ed, Tess, Cindy, Linda, Frank, Josephine and Jada...with Jacki on the fence. (come on girl...you can do it!!!)
We're all meeting for dinner the night before the race. To make it easier for those who work days, I'll have everyone's packets who signed the permission form for me to pick them up. This race is on a Saturday with packet pick up on Friday only. Lucky for me both of my employers have been highly supportive of my running and I have the day off from two of my jobs. (thank you Kellee and John...xoxoxoxo) I'm the boss of my third job and I hereby give myself the day off from Kim's In Stitches also. But one more call out and I'll fire myself!! (just kiddin')
This week is a rest week with a couple short runs. Worked out for me since I've been so busy anyway. I did my core exercise class and 2 yoga classes this week. Got my ass kicked in the first 2 classes, but Wednesday's yoga class was a nice gentle relaxing stretcher. The pain in my hips and knee is pretty much gone now, so I'll try a 3-4 miler Friday morning to see how it goes. I have decided to treat this half like I did the full...to finish happy and strong, never mind the original time goal. Which was 1:57:59. My new goal time is 2:22:22. I should be capable of that one.
This weekend's last training for the team has been changed to Sunday's 5k on Boca Grande. We'll do a 1 mile warm up, run the 5k and finish off with a gentle 1 mile cool down. The week before the big race is to be announced by Jim, but I'll stick my neck out and assume it's a very restful week planned. Probably 1 or 2 short runs with some mild cross training only. We need our bodies to be rested, infused with nutrition and ready to bang out those 13.1 miles!
Thursday, October 2, 2008
Tuesday, September 30, 2008
Half Marathon Training
The FCA Half is in 10 days. I feel less prepared for this race than I ever did for the full marathon last March. I feel old, tired and sore. Not as sore as I was, but still sore. I didn't do much cross training in the gym this summer. When I trained for the full Marathon last fall I cross trained every other day. I ran Mon, Wed and Fri (Fri was always a light run so I could do some distance on Saturdays) and then I was in the gym for weights or cardio. And the only two injuries (only!!! LOL) were a pulled flexor from yoga and a pulled achilles from stepping in a hole. Oh yeah, and a dog tried to eat me. Other than that tri-fecta I was perfect....HAHA! Oh wait! How could I forget I got the flu the week I was to run my 20 miler???? Maybe I wasn't feeling too prepared then either. So what's that? A four-fecta???? I ran the full marathon with 14.7 miles being my longest run. Pfffft....this half should be a cake walk. (yeah right)
BTW, when I saw Jim at the gym and told him about my hip/glute pain he told me to rest it before I could even ask about some exercises for strengthening those areas. I knew it.
Let us count the catastrophes during this Endurance Team Training period together....
3 nice pancreatic flare ups (it's kinda nice I shared this with all of you, now I feel free to discuss it with you...lol) over-hydrating troubles (which I have figured out and are no longer having any troubles I'm happy to report), upper respiratory failure (ok, not complete failure but the cough was sooo annoying when trying to run) complete loss of the use of my legs 3 weeks ago after that 9.5 mile trek I went on after being sick for 2 weeks, (maybe not complete loss, but it KILLED to walk) anyway...what else??? Oh yes. I think I have a pinched nerve or sciatica or a tumor growing on my lower back/upper glute area. You choose. They all have the same outcome for me. PAIN IN THE A$$. (I don't like to use foul language. Swearing is not too lady-like. I hardly ever use profanity. My husband is a wicked liar.)
So...I think I'll run that half in 1:57:43. (in my dreams) Who says I'm losing my humor????
More like 2:22:22. I'll be ok with that. I hope.
I think all of you know me well enough by now, that no matter what happens Oct 11, 2008 at the FCA Half Marathon, I will be there. I will be smiling. I will be happy. I will be among friends who I have come to care very much about. Being there to see them reach their goal and knowing I got to be a part of that will by FAR be more important to me than my finish time.
This is the last time I will air my complaints. Thank you for listening.
xxx
Kim
PS. I probably will still complain now and then.
xxx
BTW, when I saw Jim at the gym and told him about my hip/glute pain he told me to rest it before I could even ask about some exercises for strengthening those areas. I knew it.
Let us count the catastrophes during this Endurance Team Training period together....
3 nice pancreatic flare ups (it's kinda nice I shared this with all of you, now I feel free to discuss it with you...lol) over-hydrating troubles (which I have figured out and are no longer having any troubles I'm happy to report), upper respiratory failure (ok, not complete failure but the cough was sooo annoying when trying to run) complete loss of the use of my legs 3 weeks ago after that 9.5 mile trek I went on after being sick for 2 weeks, (maybe not complete loss, but it KILLED to walk) anyway...what else??? Oh yes. I think I have a pinched nerve or sciatica or a tumor growing on my lower back/upper glute area. You choose. They all have the same outcome for me. PAIN IN THE A$$. (I don't like to use foul language. Swearing is not too lady-like. I hardly ever use profanity. My husband is a wicked liar.)
So...I think I'll run that half in 1:57:43. (in my dreams) Who says I'm losing my humor????
More like 2:22:22. I'll be ok with that. I hope.
I think all of you know me well enough by now, that no matter what happens Oct 11, 2008 at the FCA Half Marathon, I will be there. I will be smiling. I will be happy. I will be among friends who I have come to care very much about. Being there to see them reach their goal and knowing I got to be a part of that will by FAR be more important to me than my finish time.
This is the last time I will air my complaints. Thank you for listening.
xxx
Kim
PS. I probably will still complain now and then.
xxx
Monday, September 29, 2008
Aches And Pains
I am soooo frustrated these last few weeks. I finally got over that pancreatic flare up that set me back 2 weeks and now I'm having some funky hip pain. I seem to do fine with any distance under 5 miles, then all H-E-double hockey-sticks breaks out. I was pretty sure I just over did it when I banged out a 9.5 mile run coming off that 2 week hiatus. Pretty dumb thing to do after not running for a while, but then I don't always think. That's what makes me SPECIAL. That and the twitch I'm getting in my left eye. Sexy, I know....
The Endurance team met last Saturday for an 11 miler. I was curious to see how my achy breaky hips would hold out. I decided to go out veryyyy slow, about 13 minute pace. It was hard to stay down because I was feeling so good but I was in for the distance...hopefully painfree. Jim started off with the lightfoots and backtracked back to me and Cindy now and then to check on us. He had to cue me a couple times to slow down so that was good. I'll admit it sucked watching Ed and Michelle up ahead trotting along like I wished I was. It was also difficult watching Jim take off and run a 6 minute pace to catch back up to them. I could feel the draw to take off and follow them, but I didn't.
By mile 5 or so I felt that familiar pang in my right knee. My hips had been achy from the beginning but not getting worse so I didn't stop from that. The knee is a different story. I saw what Ed went through with his IT band injury last spring, I know for a fact I don't want that kind of trouble, especially 2 weeks away from the half marry.
I cut across and found Michelle and Ed headed for Sabel Trace so I sped up to catch up to them. Probably shouldn't have done that because then my knee was killing me. I had to walk the last mile or so back to the gym. I'm usually ok with having to do that, but this time it did plant a worry in my head. If I can't do an 11 mile training run at a leisure pace, how am I gonna finish the half marathon?? Never mind that I was hoping to finish it in 2 hours. I pretty much gave up my time 3 weeks ago, I decided my first half will be for enjoyment and to just finish. The second one will be different. Well, my heart and my head argue about that all the time. The facts are facts though...que sera, sera....
Saturday was a rest day for sure. Sunday my daughter Kerri gave me 2 Aleive and WOW...I felt fantastic! That tells me it's inflammation. This morning I ran 4 miles with Ed. I was exhausted and had to go slow but not too much pain. Ed was very good to me, he even stayed with me instead of taking off. Ed told me sometimes the first year of running can bring out the areas that may need extra care, like knees and hips. Makes sense, I am still a relatively new runner. Only been at it for 10 months. I plan on hitting up Jim for some cross training exercises to strenghthen my hips and knees. I know he's going to tell me to rest up first...of course...lol
Right now I'm feeling pretty good physically, mentally I'm going a little crazy.
So here's some fun news....less than 2 weeks to the FCA Half Marathon! YAY TEAM! It looks like all of us are ready except for one injured and one doubting herself. Jada, or as we who love her call her....JETTA...someone wrote her name on a race bib that way and we tease her mercilessly....teehee...anyway, Jada has been MIA for a couple weeks but we know she can finish the half. We have a pre-race pasta dinner planned the night before the race. It gives everyone a chance to relax and talk about what to expect for the race. And eat like maniacs. Except for Ed, who eats really light the day before a race. What he doesn't know is I'm making him a cheesecake. He can't resist THAT....teehee.....it'll be a good time with good people. I'm looking forward to it almost as much as the race!!!!
The Endurance team met last Saturday for an 11 miler. I was curious to see how my achy breaky hips would hold out. I decided to go out veryyyy slow, about 13 minute pace. It was hard to stay down because I was feeling so good but I was in for the distance...hopefully painfree. Jim started off with the lightfoots and backtracked back to me and Cindy now and then to check on us. He had to cue me a couple times to slow down so that was good. I'll admit it sucked watching Ed and Michelle up ahead trotting along like I wished I was. It was also difficult watching Jim take off and run a 6 minute pace to catch back up to them. I could feel the draw to take off and follow them, but I didn't.
By mile 5 or so I felt that familiar pang in my right knee. My hips had been achy from the beginning but not getting worse so I didn't stop from that. The knee is a different story. I saw what Ed went through with his IT band injury last spring, I know for a fact I don't want that kind of trouble, especially 2 weeks away from the half marry.
I cut across and found Michelle and Ed headed for Sabel Trace so I sped up to catch up to them. Probably shouldn't have done that because then my knee was killing me. I had to walk the last mile or so back to the gym. I'm usually ok with having to do that, but this time it did plant a worry in my head. If I can't do an 11 mile training run at a leisure pace, how am I gonna finish the half marathon?? Never mind that I was hoping to finish it in 2 hours. I pretty much gave up my time 3 weeks ago, I decided my first half will be for enjoyment and to just finish. The second one will be different. Well, my heart and my head argue about that all the time. The facts are facts though...que sera, sera....
Saturday was a rest day for sure. Sunday my daughter Kerri gave me 2 Aleive and WOW...I felt fantastic! That tells me it's inflammation. This morning I ran 4 miles with Ed. I was exhausted and had to go slow but not too much pain. Ed was very good to me, he even stayed with me instead of taking off. Ed told me sometimes the first year of running can bring out the areas that may need extra care, like knees and hips. Makes sense, I am still a relatively new runner. Only been at it for 10 months. I plan on hitting up Jim for some cross training exercises to strenghthen my hips and knees. I know he's going to tell me to rest up first...of course...lol
Right now I'm feeling pretty good physically, mentally I'm going a little crazy.
So here's some fun news....less than 2 weeks to the FCA Half Marathon! YAY TEAM! It looks like all of us are ready except for one injured and one doubting herself. Jada, or as we who love her call her....JETTA...someone wrote her name on a race bib that way and we tease her mercilessly....teehee...anyway, Jada has been MIA for a couple weeks but we know she can finish the half. We have a pre-race pasta dinner planned the night before the race. It gives everyone a chance to relax and talk about what to expect for the race. And eat like maniacs. Except for Ed, who eats really light the day before a race. What he doesn't know is I'm making him a cheesecake. He can't resist THAT....teehee.....it'll be a good time with good people. I'm looking forward to it almost as much as the race!!!!
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