Races

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The Doctor Says…

Arrow Hitting The Heel Of A Foot, Achilles Heel, Symobolizing Weakness And Vulnerability Clipart Illustration Image by Maria Bell

After 3 weeks of burning pain in the back of my heel when I run, I went to the doctor today.

He took x-rays which he won’t know the results of until Monday.  He scheduled an ultrasound for next Friday. 

In the meantime, he prescribed anti-inflammatory drugs 2x a day, ice, heel lifts for my sneakers. He said to try running to see if the heel lifts help& if they do and there are no tears or bone spurs, I may need arch supports to use when I run.

He says it’s not PF which is easy to treat but maybe Achilles strain or heel spurs.  The treatment for that would be PT and no running!

So…………………. I may be walking Half Marathon #3  but I hope to be running in Half Marathon #4 (Nov 6 in LA)!!!!!!!!

This weekend, I will be crying having fun

playing mah jongg by the Schroon River

 

Hanging out on Lake George with my hubby

Happy Running! How do you stay positive when injured??

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To Race or To Train or Both?

Summer 2008, 2009, 2010 – I ran 5ks almost every weekend. My goal was to try to get faster.

April 2008 – 1st 5k – 37:36
November 2010 – 27:30  (I got faster!!)

Then it all changed…

January 2011 – 1st Half Marathon
April 2011 – 2nd Half Marathon

Since there aren’t many 5ks during the colder months, I didn’t feel like I was giving up much.

Silks & Satins 5k ’10
Mary & me before the CRSS 5k ’10

 

September 2011 – 3rd Half Marathon!!

The Dilemma…

Summer 2011:

Do I race the summer 5ks? (I LOVE races.)
Do I skip the 5ks and train? (I NEED to do long runs at a HM pace.)
Do I run the 5ks and train? (I think I am too COMPETIVE to just run a race.)
Should I move my long runs to a weekday? (What about RAIN & LACK of ENERGY after a long day at work.)

Do I Race or Train or can I do Both?

Happy Running (or racing  or training!)

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Half Marathon #3

My 3rd Half Marathon (Adirondack Half Marathon) will be on September 25, 2011 and it goes half way around Schroon Lake. (The Half Marathon will begin at the 13.1 mile marker and will end at the Full Marathon Finish Line. The runners will run on the easier section of the marathon course.  The first five to six miles are flat; then there are long, gentle hills on Route 9. Time to complete this race will be 5 hours.)

Good Things about this Race 🙂 :

  • The course is supposed to be beautiful.
  • It’s local – I can either sleep on my boat in Bolton Landing or at my friend’s house in Chestertown
  • It has an Expo (my first Expo.)
  • I won’t be running it alone (Bloggers Felice, Amanda & AJH, running friends Mary, Janis & Bridget are running it too.)
  • No pressure – 5 hour time limit
  • Lots of water stops
  • There’s a Pasta Party the night before.
  • You get a Finisher Medal!

Not So Good Things 😦 :

  • Training in the summer heat (never have run more than a 5k in the summer)!!
  • Finding time for long runs in the summer with weekend 5ks and boating on Lake George!!!!!
  • It’s my 3rd Half – Shouldn’t I aim for a faster time?
  • Are there hills? (I hate hills!)
  • My heel still “hurts” : OUCH!

LET THE TRAINING BEGIN!!

Happy Running!

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July is Here!

June Recap:

Goals :

  • 70 miles – FAIL – I ran only 59 miles but I was away and injured!
  • running 3-4 times per week – YES, the first half of the month but things slowed down when I was away and injured!
  • adding some longer runs – Again not as much as I would haved liked – I did run 6 miles once & 5 miles twice
  • a 5k race or 2 (finishing under 29 min) – YES – two 5K races – one under 29 min and the other under 28!! (but that was before the foot injury 😦  )

I continued to play tennis at least once a week and do yoga as well.  My 2 non-race weekends were  spent on beautiful Lake George.

Goals for July:

  • 70 miles
  • running 3-4 times per week
  • adding longer runs to train for my 3rd half marathon
  • a 5k race  (finishing under 29 min)
  • Get rid of my heel pain!!!

Happy Running!

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Monday & Back to Running

Update for Last Week:

My goal was 19  miles but  I only ran  for a total of  11.5 miles. (With my injured heel, I am glad to have run at all!!)
No Races
I played tennis 2x and did yoga 1x.

Goals for the Week:

This week’s schedule:

Mon – USTA tennis match
Tues – tennis
Wed-Sat – in Milwaukee for a work conference
Sun – at Lake George (weather permitting)

This week’s running:

Tues – 3.5  mi before work
Wed – 3 mi  before flight or wait try to get to 5k race in Milwaukee??
Fri – 3 mi in Milwaukee
 
Week Running Goal = 9.5 miles 
June Monthly Running Goal = 70 miles, a race or 2

Yearly Running Goal = 1011 miles

Happy Running!

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Foto Friday

Holding My Breath

I’m the one in the GREEN shirt!!

This was taken at my last race.  I hope it is not my LAST race.
 
Today is Day 2 of not running and “holding my breath.”
 
Tomorrow we’re going up to Lake George for the weekend.  That should cheer me up!!
 
 
I’m going to try running again on Sunday! Wish me luck!
 
Happy Running! Enjoy your weekend!
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Am I injured?

I tried to run last night before yoga & the BACK & sides of my heel HURT!!! I walked a lot and then went to yoga – NO PAIN when I walked, no pain when I stretched!? When I got home, I iced my heel and took ibuprofen.

This is how it started.  I ran a 5k on Sat – no pain that I remember.

It was sore when I ran on Sunday so I ran slow and cut my long run from 8 to 4 miles.  I played tennis all afternoon – NO PAIN!

I did NOT run on Monday but played tennis Monday nite – NO PAIN!

I ran a slow 3 miles Tues am.  Heel was the same – SORE.  I played tennis after work – Again NO PAIN.

Now as I sit at the desk, of course, my heel feels fine!

What’s wrong with my heel?

I should see a doctor but who has time for that.

What should I do?

  • Stop running all together
  • Stretch
  • Ice it
  • Take ibuprofen

Well, at least for today, I will do the above.  For the books, I’m not a good patient and don’t follow advice well. 

 I trained for my first half when my foot hurt and ignored it.  I bought new shoes and ran the half in them.  I did the same for my 2nd half. However, this pain is scarier… it feels more serious…

Training for my 3rd half starts July 4.  I hope the pain is gone by then!!!

Happy Running?  Do you ignore injuries?

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Wordless Wednesday

I like this picture because:

  • I remember how HAPPY I was to be done.
  • I didn’t wear my Garmin and it seemed like more than 3 hours but I finished 6 minutes FASTER than my first HM.
  • My feet are IN THE AIR so I must have been running fast at the end.
  • My hands and feet were so COLD and WET.  That may be PAIN on my face not JOY!!

Happy Running! Do you have photos like this?

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Kinderhook Bank OK 5K (or Beat the Rain) Race Report

This was the 2nd year I’ve run this race.  Last year, I didn’t know anyone there.  This year, I was excited to run with Mary, a race addict like myself.

This past week was hot and humid, but yesterday, the weather cooled down and today promised to be great for racing (except for the chance of showers 😦 )

I remember the course being flat and being my first under 29 minute race!!!

I woke up to the sound of rain…oh no would it be another Lake George Half kind of day??!!  I changed my clothes 3 times.  First a tank & skirt, then a sleeveless top with another skirt and finally, a short sleeved top with the original skirt. I also brought a hat, a jacket, pants, and a change of shoes & shorts.

I was prepared to get wet!! The rain continued as I drove 40 minutes to Kinderhook.

When I arrived, it was a downpour!!! I debated about staying in my car or running the race.  I texted Mary and she said she was racing no matter what.   PRESSURE!!!

I waited until the last minute and dashed to get my bib and timing chip.

I found Mary, I stashed my pants & umbrella under a table, tied my jacket around my waist and ran to the start.  No time to use the restroom, or take my Gu or drink some water.

Miraculously the rain stopped!!!!!

We started near the front and I was caught up with the fast runners (unlike last week).  Not good!! By 1 1/2 miles in, I was dying.  Hard to breathe (humidity??), nausceous…had to stop and walk.  I hate that!

I struggled for the rest of the race!!! I forgot about my goal and just wanted to finish before the rain came!!

Finally I saw some flashing lights.  The finish line?? False alarm  Just cop car.

And so I dragged myself through the finish line not sprinting like last week! But excitedly I was under 28 minutes!!! 27:57.  Hooray!

I waited for Mary and then had some refreshments – bagel, donut, watermelon…

They give out handmade pottery as AG prizes so I waited around till they put up the times. It appeared that there were at least 3 women  ahead of me in my age group and it was now raining HARD, so I left.

Race Splits:

mile 1 – 8:43
mile 2 – 9:11
mile 3 – 9:11
.1 – 8:15

So glad, it didn’t rain during this race and that I beat my last year’s time of 28:42.  No PR but under 28 minutes.  I’m happy with that.

No boating this weekend.  After a hot, sunny week, it may be raining all weekend.

I hope to squeeze in more miles later or tomorrow!

Happy Running!  Good luck on any weekend races!

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What’s Up Next?

This Saturday I will run this 5k for the 2nd time. Last year this race was a PR for me at 28:42 so I hope to beat that. My friend Mary should be there.

Sean's Run with Mary

If the weather is good, we will be heading up to Lake George and somehow I would like to get a long run in!!!

This one takes place in Milwaukee & if I arrive there with enough time to get to it, I may do it. (I will register when I get there.)
This is a Point to Point race. 10 Miles of rolling hills along scenic Lake George from Lake George Village to Bolton Landing, NY. Again, this is a real maybe.  It is very challenging because of the HILLS!!! I need to get some longer runs in.  Another issue is that I arrive home from Milwaukee on June 25.  I have to figure out how and when to get there…will the hubby cooperate and how will our boat in Bolton Landing fit in??  Weather will play a big part too. (I will probably wait until close to June 25 to register.) If I can’t do it, I will definitely put it on my list for next year!!!

Happy Running! What races are you looking forward to?