Been Awhile

Its been awhile since I posted last...my apologies.

There hasn't been much to write about. The biggest story going on is the weather in this part of the country. Earlier this week we had a bit of a warm up... if you consider 40 degrees a warm up. Much of the snow melted; many of the huge piles were reduced down significantly. We actually saw the concrete of the driveway for a day.

I did manage to get in a few more miles of running. On Sunday, the 21st, I ran a mile again but this time I was pushing my baby in my B*O*B stroller, which added an element of difficulty. I was buoyed, though, by my MP3 player for which I finally got headphones that work. Having little tiny ears, earbud headphones don't work really well. I need the ones that get shoved into the ear canal. I finally purchased some as I was very low on funds for a while and have determined that the tempo of some songs can help you go that little bit farther.

I rested on Monday and ran again on Tuesday, this time pushing past my normal mile marker and clocked in 1.2 miles but without the baby. Not a huge gain but a gain nonetheless. After that, its been snowing again. Considerably. Since last night around 11pm, we've managed to accumulate another 9 inches of snow. The wind has picked up as well, gusts over 30mph. Heavy snowfall, high winds...makes me want to get outside to run. It actually kinda does. That wasn't sarcasm.

I haven't run since Tuesday. I should push myself to hit the treadmill in the basement. I'm kinda not into running on the treadmill but if I'm serious about this race in March, then I better get my training in one way or another...baby or no baby, snow or no snow.

I have 29 days left to train for a 5K.

Serious Soreness

That Monday run, the 15 minute one...well, I was experimenting with a method of running called the Pose (r) method. You can check it out here. Now, I was just thinking about the basics: forward leaning, land on the forefoot, let gravity help, stay off the heels...

I knew my calves would be sore but...ow. Sore. Sore. Sore. My quads, nothing. Its all in my calves.

Yesterday I had a bit of a time stretching upright to get out of bed. Today is a bit better.

I am behind on my training schedule and I really don't want to push to April for the race but in the 1-1/2 weeks I've been on a plan, I've only gotten two days out on the street. The weather has been either feet of snow, below freezing temps or both. I don't have the gear (I think) to run in this weather and I'm not sure I want to risk a cold to try.

Monday was beautiful so I convinced my aunt to stroll with my son while I did my run. It was only 14 degrees outside so we made sure that Littles was all bundled up.



He could barely see above the scarf but that B*O*B stroller I have is amazing, it will go through anything: the sand on the beach in Santa Monica or seven inches of snow in Cleveland.

We got 4.5 inches of snow yesterday and are expecting another 3 or so inches today. The street hasn't been plowed. I would like to run and I never thought I'd hear myself say that but now, since I can run, I want to run and I CAN'T! Curse you, Mother Nature! :-)

Procrastination

For a long time now, I've thought about running a marathon. It seems like finishing a marathon is a really big personal triumph. I've watched my mother complete seven of them between the ages of 35 and 55 and I figure if she can do it, I can do it.

The reason I haven't started running is because, up until recently, my heart/chest would hurt considerably whenever I tried to do any kind of cardiovascular exercise, not just running. My heart would race over and above the effort level I was putting in, well into the 200's and for someone my age and overall health, that was excessive.

The first thing I should have done was consult a doctor but I don't have health insurance so I've never had my heart checked out. I just can't afford it. I know, I know, "You can't afford not to!" But really, between seeing the general practitioner and paying for all those appointments and tests to be referred to a specialist to have the same tests done over again was way outside my affordability.

Recently, I started seeing my Applied Kinesiologist again after moving back to Ohio from California. He put me right back on Cataplex E2 by Standard Process for my heart. Seven pills a day for an indefinite period of time. Then, while out on a walk pushing the stroller, I decided to try jogging to the next driveway...then the next one and the next one. Before I knew it, I realized that the intersection ahead of me was the one that was exactly one mile from my house. I had just run a mile and I hadn't really tried! I was elated!!

The next day, I was seriously sore but I felt great. Then winter came with a vengeance as well as some troubles so I haven't tried to run a mile again.

I work really well with deadlines and accountability. I've offered up to a friend that we run a 5K (3.1 mi) race together in March. I'll have to start training for that to be able to show up and do it, like I promised.

I am hoping that this will lead me to the 26.2 I'd like to do someday.