Wednesday 14 May 2014

12 months

Almost exactly a year since I last ran I hit the road again on this perfect Spring night.

I wrote this note to myself last night and today I knew I had to run.

No.....not had to.

Wanted to.

I have actually been wanting to for a while but was so afraid my shoulder (unfreezing after months of painful frozen shoulder) wasn't ready.

But in the last few weeks its suddenly feeling free and almost pain free in almost full range of motion.

I did a plank in my workout on Monday with no ill effects

So I dug out my gear

and ran.

and it was awesome.

I wasn't fast, nor very graceful I am sure but I ran for 20 minutes without stopping and covered 3km.

Felt great.

So great.

I have signed up for an easy and fun 5km in September with a group of friends.

Great to have a goal.

Great to be back



Friday 3 May 2013

Back on the road again

Well - it sure has been too long!!!

Several things conspired against me keeping up my run program and the longer I didn't run the more fearful I was of starting again and being so far back.....

I kept giving myself deadlines....... but I kept justifying why I had to miss those deadlines.

Today I ran out of excuses and more than that I really WANTED to run.

Until I was halfway down the block and then I wondered what the heck I was doing...... HA!

It was a sunny but windy morning and so much warmer than when I was last out.  I need to reconsider my run clothing STAT.

In the end:

I ran 3km in 23min at an average pace of 8:02min per km........ and I was really pleased with that......I didn't have much left in the tank but I am back on the road and ready to take it one step at a time!


Friday 5 April 2013

Blurred vision


Some weeks just don't play ball.

I knew this one was trouble when I woke up on Monday morning (which was a stat holiday) and my shoulder was agony and my left eye was red and scratchy and painful.

I was SO frustrated.

The last day of a 5 day stretch off work always has me itching to complete "the list" of things I wanted to get done.  To run those errands the week would leave little time for.  To have a lovely meal with my family before the craziness of a new term.

But I was benched.  Or couched in this case.

And while the shoulder started to feel better the eye got worse.

This week has been mostly about blurred vision as the Dr has worked to sort our some pretty big issues in my eye.  It has been painful and frustrating.  For almost 3 days I have not been able to see this computer screen or my phone or anything in the near distance.

Looking up and out to the distance was fine.

In a surreal way my physical condition this week mirrored my internal / emotional condition.

My vision was blurred in more than one way.

I am so frustrated that my body has interrupted my running program.  I was so desperate to run I was in tears on Monday when pain and blurred vision stopped me short.  But really what was that about?  It's not like I am an elite athlete with Olympic time trials on the horizon (in fact I more resemble a shuffling Armenian grandmother than a runner - no offence to Armenian grandmothers intended).  I have a training program but no one was holding me to account to it except myself.   Same with Jazzercise....its me that wants/needs to go.

So there I sat on the step.....feet away from my runners feeling defeated.

Like a failure.

And then I decided I could sit there feeling miz and like a failure, feeling like I would never get back up again (its the Irish dramatic DNA in me to be so OTT) or I could give myself a break.

A week off.

To heal and to rest.

That all was not lost.  I might have to back up my run program a couple weeks but all is NOT lost.

And right away I felt better.  I felt like having given myself permission to rest and heal I had taken the self-imposed pressure off and I could relax.

In the past I might have used this bump to walk away from goals set, to throw back my head and wail that is was all too hard (see Irish reference above), to use this as a good reason to not follow through.

But this time I want keep going.

I have unfinished business out there on the road.  My body will return to its more cooperative ways.

My vision will clear inside and out and on I will go..... shuffling along..... one step at a time.

Sunday 31 March 2013

It's messy

I have had too many breaks in my running routine and I am mighty frustrated.

I was away on vacation and family time didn't jive with me taking off to run.  and then I had a work commitment on a run day.

So on Friday I hot the road ready to feel awful.  Firstly my iTunes failed me and my running play list disappeared so I had no music on my my run and nearly died of fright when the RunKeeper Ap talked to me.

I actually felt great - my legs and lungs were both ok and it was very warm.

It was a stat holiday - Good Friday - so lots of people were out in their yards in the sunshine - it was a much busier run with people out on the sidewalks than I am used to.

I missed the music and my splits were all over the place.

I ended with
25 minutes
Av pace 7.54min/km which is slower for me but after the break in my routine I was happy.
3.2km
No walking

I have managed to keep doing my Jazzercise workouts 2-3 times a week.

I have now tweaked my neck/shoulder and didn't run today but am hoping drugs and some sleep (after a sleepless night last night) and I can catch up with that run tomorrow and be back on routine even if a couple of weeks behind schedule now.

Wednesday 20 March 2013

Intervals......I am not sure we are going to be friends

I completely missed the 3 hours of sunshine today and headed to Minoru Track in howling winds and sideways rain (half the lower mainland is out of power).

The track is very exposed and the wind was fierce.

I had a nice 8 minute warm up jog and then my husband gave me the 2 minute start signal and I was off like a bullet ....... for about 100 meters...... then I wanted to die....... so I slowed down and to my horror I was walking before the 2 minute mark.

The 4 minute brisk walk felt long and I felt ready to run again......for about 150 meters....

It wasn't my legs it was my lungs...... crazy....

The third sprint was better and closer to being 400m but I was done!

I was wet and cold and tired.  Thankful for Allan for being there to give me the signals.

In the end:
21.49 minutes
3.06km
7.08 mins /km A NEW RECORD (bit I think it doesn't really count).

Hope you are enjoying Hawaii Erin Lee!  My next run will be in Tofino!

Sunday 17 March 2013

No awards but I am back

I have backed up my run program a week as I missed Wednesday due to torrential rain.....and Friday due to an 18 hour work day (driving to Seattle and back).

So I went out this morning to run last Sundays run over again.

It was hellish.

Let me just say I am exhausted......  the week was hard and long and I had girls night last night and although I was the DD I was out late and didn't sleep well.

I got out of bed and went to run with no breakfast and no stretching.

Stupid right!

I had stomach cramps and a sore left shin all the way.

BUT

I did it.......I laid it down on the road in sunshine and windy conditions.

And it felt good to get back out there.  To get it done.

3.1km
25 mins
8.05min/km


Sunday 10 March 2013

Long Run Sunday

Not such a long run today at 3.5 km but after my run Friday and being on my feet all day yesterday including a long walk around the bird sanctuary (and a short night thanks to Spring Forward) .... my body was tired and sore.

Went out in overcast but not too cold weather.  Ran the same route and almost the same distance as Friday but had a couple of short walking spells.

Ran mostly 7min splits with one 6 and one 8.....

3.51km
27.22 mins
7.47min/km

Still waiting for this to feel natural nevermind good......glad to be doing it......wish my body was looking better for the effort...... is this doldrums normal?

Who knows.....interval run on Wednesday should be interesting.