Back on track

I went to track practice tonight & I felt GREAT! The only time I had any problem was with the damn walking lunges so I didn't really do them. We did some jumping exercises & "butt kicks", then we did sprints for 1 mile. I was worried about how I'd do with the sprints but as soon as started my 1st one, I realized that I'd be fine. I had no pain at all & I actually ran a lot faster than I thought I would. I was even able to keep up the same pace for every sprint. Needless to say, I was VERY happy about that. After we finished the sprints I made sure I stretched really well & when I got home, I rolled my leg again.

I've decided that no matter what, I am going to roll my legs every day... "just in case". Better to be safe than sorry, right?

Tomorrow is a day of rest (new episode of "Lost"... WOO-HOO!!!) & then Thursday I plan to do a short run through the neighborhood. I haven't decided what I'm going to do Friday. Then Saturday I plan to do the full 8 miles at practice. We're finally leaving the park! Hooray! It'll be nice to have a little change of scenery.

Happy Mardi Gras everyone!

Eat, drink & be merry! :)

Success!

The Fleet Feet social/fundraiser was a pretty good success. It looks like they sold at least $1000 in shoes alone, plus I know at least 2 people bought Garmin's & several people bought lots of clothes & gear. I figure maybe the sales totaled close to $2000, maybe more. Too bad we're only getting 5% of the sales. But it's better than nothing at all, eh?

I resisted the urge to buy myself a Garmin. Truth be told, it wasn't that hard to resist. The Garmin is just SO friggin' bulky. I know it doesn't weigh that much, but it just doesn't feel right on my arm at all. However, I was informed that they are getting new Garmins that are smaller & more "watch-like", but still have the same features. They should be in stock in about 2 weeks & I put my name down for one. We'll see if it's small enough for my tastes. I'm actually kinda hoping it's not, cuz if it is, I know I'll buy it. I can't resist a new toy!

P.S.

Shameless fundraising plug:

If you happen to be in the market for some new running shoes or running gear, be sure to go to Fleet Feet in Rice Village tomorrow. Mention Team in Training & they will donate 5% of your sale to TNT.

Thanks! :)

94%

That's about where I am right now. I've been rolling my leg like crazy & it is paying off. It's hurting less & less each time & I think it won't be long now before I'm back to full "YEAH!!" strength.

Today, even though I really didn't want to get out of bed, I still did it & I went to Memorial Park for practice with the TNT group. I did some extra stretching before I started & even though I was feeling TONS better, I didn't go out full force. The schedule called for the full marathoners to do 6 miles, but I knew from the beginning that I wouldn't do any more than 3. I also knew I was going to walk it very slowly. I mainly just wanted to get out there & loosen the muscles up & try not to over-do it. I walked with my mentee, Jeannie who is coming off the injured list herself (she had to drop out last season due to surgery). It took us at least an hour to do the 3 miles & I barely broke a sweat, but it felt good to be out there again & I had no regrets about my decision to take it easy.

After the "run" I did a bunch more stretches & as soon as I got home, I rolled my leg again. (Cassie won't get out of my head!!) Sitting here now, my leg feels better than it has all week. If I keep stretching & rolling, I'm pretty sure that by next weekend I'll be able to go the full distance (8 miles) with no problems. One thing I've decided for sure: no more walking lunges for this girl.

Tomorrow I think I'll walk another couple miles, but again I plan to take it slow.

In other news, I was SO glad I didn't do the Rodeo Run today! Right at race time was when Mother Nature decided to be a bitch. The temperature immediately dropped & it began to pour down rain. I was just leaving Biba's after having breakfast with the TNT gang & I drove straight home where I've been all cozy & warm for the whole rest of the day. :)

Hats off to those that braved the cold & rain & completed the run. Y'all rock!

On the mend...

Days of resting, stretching, icing & rolling have paid off & my hamstring & ITB feel LOTS better. I was very tempted to sign up for the Rodeo Run today, but I came to my senses. As much as I'd love to do that run, I can't afford to re-injure myself. I need to think of the big picture... San Diego. It's all about San Diego.

So tomorrow I will be a good little girl & go to Memorial Park & I will maybe walk one slow loop around the park with the TNT gang.

Being responsible is no fun.

No pain, no gain MY ASS!!!

My right ITB/hamstring/lower ass region bothered me all friggin' day today. It wasn't as bad as yesterday, so I still went to track practice after work. Things started out ok. The stretches felt fine, but the walking lunges hurt too much so I didn't really do them. Things felt better when we did the leg lifts & quick steps in place, but once we started the actual running portion of the practice, it all went downhill from there.

We were alternating fast, medium, & slow speeds every 2 minutes. I started out lightly jogging & that wasn't too bad, but once I switched to a power walk, I could feel my leg tightening up. When I started running again, the pain eased up, but as soon as I walked, it all came racing back. After only 2 laps around the track, I stopped. I had to stretch the leg out. I laid down on the track, crossed my right leg over my left knee, then lifted my left leg. Coach Ginny stopped to help push my left leg back more to get a better stretch & as much as that hurt, it felt great, too. Coach Bill already had his roller out for another partipant who was having problems with her quads, so as soon as she was done, I got on the roller.

SWEET JEEEEEEEEEEBUS that f'ing hurt!!!! I just grit my teeth & sucked it up & continued to roll my leg. Not much later, the rest of the group stopped & Bill & I gave a quick "Roller 101" course. I don't think the participants were too happy to see me grimmace in pain (Hell, I wasn't happy either!) but I think it was good for the coaches to talk about what could happen & how to aleviate the problem. We certainly don't want to have people dropping out due to injury.

So basically I'm off running/power walking for the next few days. I was going to do the Rodeo Run on Saturday, but now I'm not sure I will. I think for now I'll just go to the gym & work on the stationary bike & of course, roll my leg every day.

I hate that I'm starting out this season so poorly. This is what I get for not training properly last season for Houston. *slaps forehead* I'm such an idiot! Grrrrr!!!

Weekend Recap

Went to the 2nd Saturday practice with TNT this weekend & let me tell you, it would've been SO much easier to just roll over after turning off my alarm & snuggling further underneath my down comforter & going back to sleep. But I didn't do that. I got out of bed & braved the cold & rain & did my 1 hour run with the group (4 miles total for me).

It was FREEEEEEEEEZING out there but that just motivated me to get my ass moving. It took me about a mile before my body warmed up & I felt comfortable & then I felt pretty good the whole rest of the time. Last week I did the warm up exercises with the group before the run & felt shitty the whole run. This time I skipped the warm up & just went running. It's what I'd always done before & sure enough, I felt pretty damn good during the run. My right ITB only bothered me a bit in the beginning & my thighs & butt that had been hurting so much since the Tuesday practice were feeling much better thanks to a good hour of yoga the other night. I ran the whole time with Carissa & we pretty much skipped doing intervals altogether. We just ran when we got too cold to walk any more. We managed to keep a pretty good pace, despite the lack of running.

After the run a bunch of us went to breakfast. My honored patient, Jonathan Nitsch showed up with his mom & it was good fun. He's such a great kid (only 17 years old) & he & his mom are SO f'ing excited for all of us. They said they're going to try to come out every weekend to join us for breakfast & keep us motivated. My mentee (& coach) Anne & I are planning to have a car wash as a fund raiser (once the weather warms up) & we asked Jonathan if he & his friends would like to help out. He said he'd love to & said he'll bring his friends from school as well as all his cancer patient buddies. We're not sure yet where we'll have it, but I have a feeling it will be a big success. If it is, then I'm thinking that maybe we can do another one the next month.

After breakfast, my ITB was feeling sore, so when I got home I broke in my new roller that Adrienne had given me. HOLY SHMOLEY that hurt like a sonofabitch when I used it. But it definitely felt much better afterwards. I think I'll get a stick later this week to help with my other muscles.

Sunday was the Mentor party. We invited all ouf out mentees over to Carissa's house for food, drink, & brainstorming. It was a big success. We helped everyone with ideas & tips for fundraising, helped them set up their fundraising websites, gave them all sorts of training tips, & told them stories of our past events with TNT. It was a good time & I think it really helped put them at ease & got them motivated to really get going strong. I must say, we really do have an AWESOME group of mentors (if I do say so myself). We work very well together.

Today was a holiday & I didn't have to go to work. WOO-HOO!!! I had planned on going to the gym to do some weights but within 15 minutes of me being up, I pulled a muscle in the back of my upper right thigh. I'd just come back inside from taking the dog for a short walk & I was bending over to scoop his dog food into his bowl & suddenly... BAM!!! I immediately felt a sharp tightness starting at the back of the upper right thigh, but I before I could straighted up & stop it, it was too late. It hurt to walk & it bothered me all day today so I skipped the gym completely. I did, however, do about 45 minutes of yoga tonight & that seems to have helped with the problem. Immediately after yoga, I iced it down & took some Ibuprofin. Hopefully it won't be as painful in the morning. I still plan to go to track practice tomorrow, but I'll be cautious. I don't want to mess myself up even more.

I need to make an appointment to get a massage this week. I've needed one since after the marathon & just never got around to doing it. No excuses this week. It needs to be done! I have GOT to get in better shape. I've got the Rodeo Run this weekend, then the Bayou City Classic coming up 2 weeks later. I've also decided to do the Country Music Half Marathon in Nashville on April 29 so I can't dilly-dally (I'll be going with my friend & fellow HRB-er, Erica who's doing the full).

Damn. Look at the time. It is WAY past my bedtime & I have to get up early for work in the morning.

Happy running! :)

Ouch

Went to my 1st track practice last night.

Wore the new shoes. That, combined with a super soft, state of the art track made it feel like I was running on pillows.

However, today my ass & thighs are SCREAMING at me.

Stupid lunges.

And let me tell ya, you haven't lived until you've had a football field full of 9th grade lacross playing boys & a stadium full of parents watch you skip (yeah, that's right.... SKIP) around a track.

That's hot. ;)

That new shoe smell

Out with the old...



and in with the new...




Meet my new Asics 2110's. Aren't they nice?* I can't wait to break them in tomorrow. I only wish the colors were more "girly", but that's not gonna happen cuz my feet are too wide to fit in a women's running shoe. Yes folks, these shoes are a mens size 9. Yeah, that's right! I'm "woman" enough to admit that I need a big f'ing shoe! Are you? ;)

(* the sad thing is that after about 2 runs at Memorial Park, you won't be able to tell the difference between these 2 pair)

Go ahead... make my day!

These might very well be my most favorite socks ever. I cannot WAIT to wear them tomorrow. Never before have a pair of socks been so appropriate... especially now. Just ask the waiter at Little Papasito's. You do NOT want to mess with me! :)

If it ain't one thing, it's another...

Ever since the Houston 1/2 Marathon, I just can't seem to get healthy. My shoulder & ITB were the 1st problems, (the shoulder is still giving me trouble) then my left calf, my right ankle, my right hamstring, and now I have a horrible, nasty, disgusting head cold/bronchitis thing going on. The only time I've left my couch since yesterday afternoon was to go to bed. As soon as I woke up this morning, I headed back to the couch where I've been all day & done nothing but sleep, & watch movies on cable. Now I'm into my 3rd of about 6 episodes of Sex & the City, season 4. (I love HBO On Demand).

Ugh!

The 1st practice for the summer season of Team in Training is this coming Saturday & I don't want to miss out on it. I went to the kick-off party yesterday & met a few of my mentees & started getting really excited about it all. This friggin' cold better go through its course before the end of the week or else I'll be REALLY pissed!

*humph*