Filed under: Dealing | Tags: half marathon, injuries, long run, nerves, off day, running, running routes, struggle
Please excuse my absence. I’ve been running, but my runs have taken a turn for the worse lately, and I’ve been lazy about updating.
My longest long run was supposed to be Sunday, eleven miles to Waltham and back along the Charles. I finished the whole route, but I didn’t run all of it. After about five miles, the inside of my right ankle began to hurt in a horribly familiar way. I tried to run through it, but the pain kept increasing. So began the six mile sorry shuffle back to my house, half walking, half running, through a very depressing and chilly rain.
I have to say that I’m very discouraged. My ankle still hurts a little bit, and my taper weeks begin tomorrow in preparation for the Columbus Day Half. If this were the only “run gone wrong” in the past few weeks, I wouldn’t be so downhearted. However, the last long run wasn’t so hot, either, and I won’t even TALK about the last six-miler, which was interrupted by a bathroom emergency of epic proportions.
Basically, it seems like there have been very few runs lately in which I haven’t gotten lost, tired, hurt, or something else. I’m quite fearful that I’m not ready for this race, and am having awful visions of my ankle busting up at mile three, my angry self hobbling to the sidelines to watch my friends finish.
I guess what will come will come, but I sincerely hope that my taper weeks leave me slightly more optimistic. Running has been a solace to me these months, and I don’t know what I’ll do if it’s taken away.
Filed under: Inspiration | Tags: good day, running, running routes, short run
A housemate pointed out that there was a path along the Charles River, a mere three blocks from our place. I decided to explore it this morning, and I’m glad I did. I had to run along the street for quite some time, but the path gradually started to become more wooded and shady, and after about three miles, I found myself running across quaint little bridges, sandy trails, and little asphalt bike paths. I could hear birds and crickets chirping, and though the sounds of the city never quite disappeared, they were muffled by the sound of the river babbling over dams and rocks. I liked it even better than the esplanade, and ended up running almost six miles, which was slightly more than I had planned for the day.
Tomorrow night or Sunday morning will be another short run (love that my short runs are last month’s long runs), and next week we’re going to try again to break that double-digit mark!
Filed under: Dealing, Training Runs | Tags: fight, half marathon, healing, long run, races, running, struggle
Ok, it’s Tuesday. Things are not quite going the way I’d like. I planned a ten-miler for yesterday, but it didn’t happen. This morning I set out, but turned around early, managing a scant nine. I was late; the extra mile wasn’t worth my job.
It was a horrible run, honestly. I can surely attribute it to lack of sleep. I’ve been in Boston three weeks, and I still don’t have my things. Last night I simply couldn’t sleep. I’ve been taking a lot of it in stride; I’m even ok with just leaving all of it, pretending there was a fire. An ending, a clean slate, I can accept. But to have this linger on and on, to have them harass me for money, to have to find a lawyer I can afford…it’s a nightmare.
So I woke up this morning, already behind schedule with my running, and decided that I would do it no matter how tired I was. So I went. It was murder. I didn’t hit my stride even once; the entire nine miles was a struggle to keep going. I got lost once and I walked a number of times, though I didn’t walk far. I was angry with myself for walking, because it wasted time I could have used for the tenth mile. My ankles hurt, my breath wasn’t working, and my body, instead of flowing and working together, felt like a badly put-together Lego robot. My feet felt like lead on the hills. I couldn’t relax.
I hope things go better on Thursday. I’m thinking of going to a track and doing my own speed workouts. Perhaps they’ll at least make me stronger. I want to set a PR for the Half in October.
On the other hand….when you’re struggling that hard to get your body to do what you want it to, you tend to forget some of the other stuff for a little while. Perhaps I should be thankful for that.
Filed under: Dealing, Training Runs | Tags: half marathon, Inspiration, long run, moving, races, running
I’ve run this week. Two sketchy five-milers, one in a new pair of shoes – the Nike Vomeros, to be exact.
A new computer has been purchased, which means regular updates again. I’m sorry I’ve been MIA, but you see, when your “movers” turn out to be extortion artists who take your things, your life tends to get…interesting.
This Monday I’m running ten miles. I love it that I’ll be back in the double digits again. There’s something so satisfying about running that far. Maybe it’s that you know you had to work hard to reach that ten mile point. And it also means that a race isn’t too far away. My first Flying Pig “warm-up race” will be the Staten Island Half Marathon on October 11th. Only one more long run after this one, and the tapering process begins.
So excited. And tired. Bedtime.
Filed under: Eating, Training Runs | Tags: Eating, good day, long run, nutrition, running
Allison, Andrew, Mandy and I met behind BU this morning for our respective runs. Andrew and Mandy took off, Andrew to do a fast 10 (I think), Mandy to do 20 in preparation for her upcoming marathon, and Allison and I did a slow and steady 9-miler, finishing a wonderful loop around the Charles River in one hour and thirty-eight minutes. It was in the mid-fifties, sunny, and breezy. Perfect weather for a run, and we finished fairly easily.
When we got back, Allison and I drank chocolate milk and ate some of the bourbon brownies she had made the night before. It was incredibly satisfying and completely wrong for a post-run snack. I’m experiencing the sugar crash right about…now.
Must be time for another brownie.
