Doctor Envy

My husband said when he was running one of his races, he was telling his friend about the doctor he and I have been seeing for our running injuries. He's a runner, too, and actually runs a "Running & Endurance Athlete Center " as well as being a sports medicine doctor. He's the consultant to our running group.

My husband's friend said that she had "doctor envy" because our doctor has so much experience with running. It certainly helps to have a doctor who understands running, and more importantly why you run.

I found this out today when I went to my third PT (pain and torture) session. My first session was with Joe, who has run 10 Boston Marathons. He's the one who diagnosed me as bowlegged. After seeing him for the initial consultation, I've been seeing another physical therapist who is really nice and does a good job explaining the exercises, but she is definitely not a runner. (Her profile is not on the website, btw.)

She asked how I was feeling today, and I said my legs hurt in the usual places, but not too bad. I said I had taken a break from running, then I ran 6 miles on Saturday and 2 yesterday. When I met with Joe, he told me I could run the race if I felt up to it, or I could cut back. But my current physical therapist said "Six miles!" and shook her head in dismay as though that explained everything. I said I was supposed to run 13.1 but cut back because of my legs. I explained I was trying to train for the Columbus half marathon in October and I needed to run.

She said I could do other workouts to maintain my cardio while I was doing the physical therapy. Like swimming. Swimming? I can barely float, let alone swim. The whole reason I run is because it requires the least amount of coordination, not to mention it is really relaxing. An hour on a stationary bike would be unbearable (and would hurt my butt), and I'd never get a good work out swimming. And when and where was I supposed to swim? Let's not even mention the elliptical machine.

Later, Joe walked by and asked - "Don't you have a race coming up?" I said I decided not to do the race and instead did just 6 miles. He smiled and said that was a good idea and I was gearing up for the next race, right? At least he understood.

The woman I am working with admitted she hated to run. She was involved in a number of sports like volleyball, and running was part of the practice, not something to be enjoyed by itself.

So she doesn't understand. I need to run. I have to run. I will run! Just not so much yet....

I truly believe I'm on the right path. I just need to slow down and keep working on my PT. And talk to runners who will sympathize with my plight. Like Joe. Even if I am nowhere close to running the Boston Marathon.

Happy is as Happy Does

Don't you just love my snappy titles?

Yesterday my son asked me if I was ever happy. I said sure, all the time, why do you ask? He said that I don't look happy because I'm always tired. I said with a smile that he would always be tired too if he had to run after him and his little brother.

I felt bad, though, that my kids apparently don't see me being happy. Of course, I AM tired most of the time, but I am having fun when I'm with my family.

His comment made me think about what it means to be happy. When I was a teenager I thought everyone else was so much happier than I was - they were all having so much fun and I was the geeky little kid who didn't really have many friends. Being from the late 70s/early 80s TV generation (commonly known as "Generation X") I related everything to what I saw on TV. Those people were so happy eating Cheerios and drinking Coke and Kool-aid (not THAT kind of Kool-aid). How could I get to be that happy?

I realized when I grew up that happiness doesn't find you; you can't sit around and wait for something that will make you as happy as those kids playing Barbies on TV.

I take a good look at my life right now and I'm very happy. Things are crazy sometimes, but that's all part of the fun. I guess every once in a while I need to show everyone, especially my kids, that I am happy.

Daily Running Log: 2 miles on the treadmill.

Update

The vote was 2 - 1 not to race. And that's what I chose to do. Instead of racing, I went to the bike trail Saturday morning and ran 6 miles by myself. It was lonely at first, but there were others out there from my training group and we said hi! as we passed by each other. I managed to do the entire run and only took one water break at the 3 mile mark. I felt really good and didn't have much pain.

I actually felt the pain today in my right leg. It's not too bad but I hope the pain doesn't persist to tomorrow morning, when I need to run again. That's what usually happens - I can do the long run but then the following week I'm in pain.

I really can't think of anything to write besides this short update. Hopefully something will come to me tomorrow.

Daily Running Log (July 28): 6 miles on the bike trail.

To Race or Not To Race - Part 2

This question is getting harder to answer as each day passes, so what do you think? Check out the poll on the right and vote.

Right after my first PT session, I was initially torn. I thought I might race if I felt up to it. Then I overdid it on the elliptical and I couldn't walk, let alone run a race. I made up my mind I would take it easy and not do the race.

I don't get a refund of my race registration fee so I am still picking up my race packet. My husband went to pick it up at the running store but then they ran out of race bibs and my husband did not have time to wait for the race director to return with more. I would have told him to just get my shirt, but he was considerate enough to think I still might change my mind and so I would want the bib, just in case. So he said he'd come back later.

Then I get an email from my running team and they have cancelled the long run because others are going to do the race. I am so bummed out; I was looking forward to the run this weekend. So now I'm tempted to do the race again.

I decided to save my husband a second trip and go out tonight to get the packet. I put the boys in the van and off we went. I promised them ice cream if they came with me. One big problem - I forgot where the running store was! I still don't have my race packet. I did get some mocha chip ice cream, however. (See why I need to run?)

I don't know what this all means! Should I do the race or not???

Yesterday I had my second PT session and it was pretty intense. I have several more calf strengthening exercises and I can feel the burn. I did manage to run 3 miles today and can feel it in my posterior tibialis muscles. But not as bad as usual.

Anyway - tell me what you think! Take the poll and vote.

Daily Running Log: 3 miles on the treadmill.

Try Try Again

I had a great 2 mile run on the treadmill this morning. I had planned on going outside but it was a little chilly and I would have had to go back upstairs to get the Garmin, and I would have awakened the baby, who decided to wake up at 4:15 and then go back to sleep until about 5:30 when he woke up again until someone gave him a binky. At least that was my excuse for wimping out and running in the nice warm basement. And I have no idea how to turn on the light for the Garmin since the sun was not quite out yet.

The rest of the day was a typical Monday - it took me until 3:00 pm to wake up and really start being productive. Yep, I piddled around for several hours at the office until I finally had a mocha and then cranked out the work for two hours and went home.

Tomorrow morning is my PT appointment. I think I'm making progress. I do know I can't wait to run again. It felt SOOOO good.

Daily Running Log: Easy 2 miles on the treadmill.

Stop and Smell the Roses

I want to thank everyone who has been reading and enjoying this blog. I had no idea anyone would think stories about shin splints, especially my shin splints, would be entertaining. I have had people (thanks Mom) tell me how much they like reading my blog and give me support in my running. I've almost convinced you all I'm a real athlete.

Even with all the support, I was starting to think you would not want to hear yet another story about my shin splints or penguins. So this is a story about something else, even if it is still mundane. That's my life, folks. You are the ones reading about it.

So here goes:

After the fiasco last week when I pulled my calf muscles, I decided to take a time out and start over fresh on Monday (I'm calling it a "do over"). I've waited a week and now I'm ready to run tomorrow. It will be a short run, and I might try to do it outside if the sun is up early enough.

It was really hard not to run for a few days. On the other hand, I did get a little more sleep. On Saturday morning, I decided to walk the dog (usually my husband's job) to stretch my calves. I was reminded of walking Abby in the mornings before work before the kids were born. It was a chance to get some exercise and enjoy the morning before heading to the office to sit at my desk all day and read emails. About ten minutes into the walk I looked at my watch: 7:15. My training group was starting their Saturday long run. It was a beautiful, cool, crisp morning. I had a vision of all the different pace groups starting out and my fellow penguins lingering, waiting and looking for me before heading out to bring up the rear of the pack. With the Garmin, I became a de facto leader, shouting out "1 mile!" when the Garmin chimed at me. When we first started our Saturday runs, there were cones at all the half mile markers but I would always miss a cone. Now that everyone should be doing longer runs, they have not put out the cones in a while. While we know where most of the miles kind of are, it's hard to follow your pace without knowing where each mile begins and ends. Having the Garmin makes you the popular kid.

My friends would have to get along without me this week, however. I continued on my leisurely walk. Abby's initial burst of pull-my-arm-out-of-my-socket energy subsided into the stop-and-sniff-every-two-minutes pace. We had a very pleasant walk and I was able to appreciate having the time to relax and enjoy the morning without worrying about whether I was going too fast or whether I was sufficiently hydrated. I even brought a cup of coffee in a travel mug with me on the walk.

After my husband's short run (I was NOT going to be jealous) we decided to pack up the kids and go to the zoo. We have a membership at the zoo and visit all the time. The Columbus Zoo is a great place to visit, and not only because of Jack Hanna. They continue to improve the habitats at the zoo and educate people about animals and conservation. Both my boys just love it. We packed a picnic lunch and my five year old had the obligatory Super Pretzel. They played at the playground and we rode the carousel. All in all a great day.

And the perfect end to the day was receiving Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows in the mail. I have every Harry Potter book and I was not going to miss out on this one. I was up pretty late last night to start to read it but I haven't gotten very far. I'm afraid that once I start running again I will be so tired at night I will either get to read only one page before falling asleep, or I will still not be able to put the book down and will get even less sleep.

Either way I had better add some money to my coffee card this week.

Murphy's Law

If there's a Murphy's Law for runners I have the perfect example. I take time off from running to give my legs time to recover from my shin splints. I decide to cross train on the elliptical machine to get in some cardio. I haven't been on an elliptical machine for about a year. I do 3.5 miles in 30 minutes and when I get off, the back of my legs lock up! I hobble from the gym back to work.

The next day, today, my calves are so tight I can't believe it. I thought I would try running a few miles tomorrow with the training group but even that might be a challenge!

So all I can say is, I feel like an idiot. The bright side is I decided not to run the race next week. I don't have to worry about getting my miles in.

Race for the Cure 2007

My office - Race for the Cure May 19,2007

That's me on the left in the long sleeves pink shirt and black shorts!

This was a lot of fun and having an office team encouraged a lot of people to get out and try a race. We also raised over $1000 for breast cancer research. I want to thank my very generous family for donating to the cause!

To Race or Not To Race

I went to my first physical therapy session yesterday. The therapist watched me walk and noticed that I am bowlegged. There's a medical word for it but I don't remember what it is. My lower legs curve outward slightly more than normal.

What this means to me as a runner is that when I start to run my feet start out in a pronation position, instead of a supination position. Then my feet continue to pronate, and essentially overpronate, causing the posterior tibialis muscle, a thin muscle along the inside of the shin bone to do all the work that should be shared by the other muscles in my leg. At least that's what I think the therapist said. It's essentially the same as having flat feet, but I don't have flat feet, just bowed legs.

Running more than a moderate amount every week puts additional strain on the posterior tibialis muscle, and recovery takes longer than usual. Because I'm training for the half marathon I've been running a lot of miles and haven't given my legs much time to recover. So my posterior tibialis muscles are constantly sore and tired. My new shoes should help compensate for the overpronating, but the bottom line is my muscles are not strong enough for the work I am asking them to do.

The therapist said I could choose to stop training for three weeks, skip the July half marathon, work on strengthening and stretching and then gradually build up to training for the Columbus half marathon in October. Or we could work on pain management for the July race.

If it will help diminish the pain, I will forgo the upcoming race and focus on getting better. I told him this. Then I asked if I could run at all and he said I could cut down on my miles, especially my long run on Saturday, and then the next Saturday if I feel good I can do the race.

In the meantime I have stretches and strengthening I have to do and then I'll have another therapy session next week.

I am pretty sure I will not run the race at this point. Why bother? Why put my legs through such pain just so I can run the race? If it weren't for the pain I know I can do it. I could have done ten miles last week without walking if it weren't for the pain. Doing the race would only seem to make my recovery longer, and I don't have anything to gain from doing it. I might have to give up my entry fee but it goes to a good cause anyway.

As long as the therapist thinks I can run moderately, that's what I think I will do. I will only run 5 miles this Saturday with the training group. It will be hard, because running the longer runs is where I can really feel the endorphins and have the incredible sense of accomplishment at the end. And I can eat more since I've burned so many calories!

I am determined to run the Columbus half marathon. My husband is running the marathon and it will be inspiring to be sort of running a race together. It's the last big race in town before winter comes and a whole new world of training starts for the races coming up in the spring.

It's time to do my PT now. I'll take it day by day and see how it goes. I'll run to enjoy the run and not worry so much about getting all my miles in or how fast I am going. I will triumph over my shin splints. I am a penguin. I waddle but I don't fall down.

Daily Running Log: 3 miles on the treadmill. No walking.

Feeling Fit and Doing Fine

Every time I see an article about someone losing weight, they inevitably have starting running. Running is an amazing way to get fit - it's easy, it's fun, you can burn a LOT of calories, and you can either do it alone or with other people. And there are plenty of gadgets to help you fit in with the other "elite" runners.

I have lost about 35 pounds in 18 months. Basically, since my second son was born, I have worked really hard to lose weight. I have reached my goal weight, and even though I can stand to lose a few more pounds, I have stopped keeping track of my weight.

Over the years I've tried many things to lose weight, and after my first son was born it took me three years to get back to my pre-pregnancy weight. One more year and my other son was born and I had gained more weight than I had ever had before.

After three months I joined a gym and started walking and doing the elliptical machine. My husband started running. I thought he was crazy since we were both operating on very little sleep due to the new baby; but he swore that he had more energy after he ran. It didn't take long for him to become addicted. He says it is all my fault. The first time he spent $90 on a pair of running shoes (I called them tennis shoes!), I said that he had better use those shoes after spending so much money on them. So he did. Now he's a running fanatic and his primary goal now is qualifying for the Boston Marathon. He's run four marathons and is training for the Columbus marathon in October.

When he was on his way to becoming a real runner, I started walking longer distances and faster, and thought, what the heck, why don't I try running? After a lot of short intervals of running then walking, I finally was able to run a mile, then a mile and a half, and so on. I didn't have to be too coordinated to run nor did I have to play on a team.

You don't have to strive to win a race to enter and run in it. People even cheer you on, and if you are in the right races, you get medals, T-shirts and even wine! After my first real race, a four miler on Thanksgiving Day, I was hooked. I never thought I'd be running half marathons. That was 3 of those four mile races! Nevertheless, I kept running, and running, and soon had finished my first half marathon. I was hooked.

I now have muscles in my legs that you can actually see (and some that are pretty pissed off at me right now). I like the way I look and feel. I can find clothes that fit and I'm not embarrassed to wear a bathing suit. I still will NOT wear a bikini, though. Too many stretch marks.

Even though I still have shin splints (the physical therapist said I was bowlegged but that's another post), running has been good to me. I hope to be able to do it for a very long time.

A Good Run

I have a theory that in my training, I have to have at least one bad run to bring me back to basics and teach me to be better prepared for my long runs. I remember having at least one bad run during my last training cycle that caused me to doubt whether I could do the upcoming race.


My 8 miler two weeks ago was one of those runs. I was already tired when I started because not only did I wake up at 5:00 to meet my training group at 6:30, but I hadn't slept very well the night before. Both boys woke up at least once during the night and the dog was adamant that I let her out into the backyard around 4:30 a.m.


I wasn't mentally prepared, either. I was tired and cranky and didn't really think what faced me. I had just had a great 7 mile run the week before and felt great after that run. One more mile would be no problem, I thought.


At the training, we heard a lecture on types of training, mostly focused on heart rate monitoring. I felt like I was nowhere near that kind of training. We didn't get any time to warm up or stretch; immediately after the lecture it was time to run.


During the run, I didn't stop. I had a water bottle, and I had never stopped for water or breaks in any training before. I had done 8 miles before; I did a half marathon before! The last part of the bike trail I had to run was to the deck to a lake and then turn around. Heading to the lake I ran down a hill and didn't feel too bad. I turned around and had to run back up the hill. But I couldn't; I was exhausted and my legs really hurt. I walked up the hill and forced myself to run one painful step after another back to where our training group was. My legs fought me every step of the way and I was so tired. If this wasn't hitting the wall (at least mentally) I hate to see what it really is.


When I got home, tears welled up in my eyes when my husband asked how it went. I felt so defeated. I was depressed for days, and my legs really hurt. I couldn't get in all of my weekly miles either, and didn't get a boost in confidence until the next weekend.


So I really tried to mentally and physically prep for this weekend's long run. I carb loaded, I was ready to stop at the gatorade stations, I was not going to let that hill kick me in the butt. I had the Garmin so I could pace myself and know exactly how fast I was going. And I had the run/walk strategy to give my shins a rest.


I still wasn't sure I could do it but I was prepared. I was even prepared if I couldn't do it; I was ready to give up the upcoming half marathon in favor of physical therapy and doing more gradual training for the next half marathon race in October if I had to. This run would be the test to see if I had it in me to keep going and to see if my shins would hold up.


Much to my joy (and relief) I did have it in me and my shins were fine. I felt pain in various parts of my legs but the run/walk strategy enabled my legs to rest a bit after each mile. I think my new shoes helped a lot too. And I had a running partner for 6 of the 10 miles. When I got to the green trash can on the trail (the only green trash can and the turning around point for the 10 mile run) I shouted out "the green trash can!" and then looked around to make sure no one heard me. No one had, thank goodness, but I really didn't care at that point. I had a mile and a half to go and I was going to do it!

I took a cold bath when I got home. We went to the pool and had a great time. Tonight my husband made pizza, and tried a new chicken barbeque recipe which was fantastic. And finally, I had told my older son that if Mommy did 10 miles, we'd go out for ice cream. The toffee chip waffle cone was fantastic!

Daily Running Log: 10 miles. 12:45 m/m but felt good! One more long run until the race!

I did it!

10 miles baby! Gotta love the Garmin! More to come.....

Have You Tried Snake Oil?

Google "shin splint cure" and you get all kinds of results. Shin splints remind me of sinus problems. There are several possible causes, different symptoms and lots of people with ideas of how to cure it. I had sinus problems many years ago and tried steriod nasal sprays and even magnets. My ear, nose and throat doctor said I had a deviated septum and inflamed tissues, and a bone that was blocking my nose so I had a harder time breathing. Surgery helped a lot but I still have to take decongestants and ibuprofen occasionally and I started using a neti pot which seems to help a lot.

I searching for more information on shin splints, I found cures ranging from a book with a 3 day cure, special stretches, expensive shoes, massages, to even surgery. It all depends on what type of shin splints you have, whether you have pronation problems and what activities you are engaged in.

My husband had them last year and stopped running for three weeks. He says he wishes he would have stuck with it like I am doing. What I am doing is very hard, however; it's discouraging to try to run and not be able to, and I hate living in fear that every little twinge I feel in my legs might be a problem.

So, just like last weekend, I'm pretty anxious about this run. Even though I haven't trained this way and don't otherwise think I need it, I will try a variation of the run/walk program. You run a few minutes and then walk a few minutes until you can run continuously for 30 minutes. Supposedly even experienced marathoners take walk breaks. Last weekend I stopped at each water station to actually rest and take a drink of Gatorade. That seemed to help a lot. This Saturday I think I will run a mile and then walk a minute to give my legs some relief from the pounding. 10 miles is a lot of pounding, even when you go very slow.

I actually was able to get an earlier physical therapy (pain and torture) appointment on Monday. This long run will be the test of whether I can do the half marathon in 2 weeks. I have a feeling I'm really going to need physical therapy after tomorrow.

Gotta go carb load - I think honey graham sticks and milk are carbs, right?

Shin Splints Part Deux

New running shoes can be a blessing or a curse. This morning I'd have to say mine were a curse. They are designed with more cushioning to lessen the pounding in the forefoot, which contributes to shin splints. The shoes also have more arch support. I think this contributed to the pain on the bottom of one of my feet and also my legs. Now I know why some runners (including my husband Imelda) buy three or more pairs of a shoe they like before the company "improves" it with a new version. Once you get used to how a pair of shoes feels, it's hard to adjust to a new pair.

I went to the doctor again yesterday morning. He basically said it's time for PT (his scheduler called it "pain and torture") but I can't get in until July 20th. Turns out there are lots of us injured runners and my doctor is prescribing PT for all of us. Physical therapy will help me with stretching and strengthening the muscles in my lower legs, and hopefully lessen the pain of the shin splints. I am hesitant to be too hopeful about this since what my problem is basically is "hyperpronation" which means that I walk funny. My feet turn in. (Just like a penguin?) I am wondering if I will need to be fitted for orthotics and even if that would be helpful.

I was supposed to run 5 miles today according to my training plan but I could only do 2 miles when the pain just took over. It's a dull pain down the front of my legs now and some still lingers on the insides of my lower legs.

I will not give up but I think I'll rest until Saturday. Not sure if I'll try the new shoes on the 10 miler I'm supposed to do. At least it's not supposed to be hot!

Daily Running Log: 2 miles in new shoes. Had to stop numerous times.

Time Waits for No Woman

Having time to run is as much of a challenge as running itself. Time will not make itself available to you; you must take the time back for yourself.

I work full time outside the home. I have two wonderful and adorable young boys, 6 and 2. I am very fortunate that I have a husband who is not only understanding of my need for time to run, but he is also a full time stay at home dad. The guilt factor for working is much less for me because he's at home with the boys. He's doing a fantastic job. It's his passion for running that allows me the time to pursue running myself; he understands why I do it and what it entails.

I was thinking about this at 5:00 am when my watch alarm woke me up. I had to run 5 miles this morning and when you are running at a 12:00 minute per mile pace or greater, 5 miles takes at least an hour. That's just for the running itself. I have a 10 minute warm up and 10 minute cool down and stretches. I have to ice each of my calves for 10 minutes afterwards. That's two hours before I even eat breakfast and shower.

So I pack my lunch the night before. I have a low maintenance hairstyle, I don't iron, and I wear suits that I take to the dry cleaner. I don't have to think about what to wear; I just grab a blouse and suit and my one pair of black shoes and I'm ready to go.

All my time in the evening is for the kids while my husband walks the dog and then runs. I also try to spend as much time as possible with them all on the weekends. Needless to say, the house isn't spotless and we still don't have furniture for the living room (after 2 years in our house) but we are all pretty much happy and pretty lucky to have what we have.

I have to say it again - I am very lucky to have the husband that I do. Especially when our evenings are mostly spent icing while we veg watching some DVD (Alias right now) and then practically fall asleep on the couch. It's not a pretty picture - he's got a bag of frozen peas sticking out of his pants, a bag on his ankle and a paper cup of ice for an ice massage. I,too, have the paper cup with ice for my legs and the ice keeps popping out of the cup across the floor. Everyone thinks this is hilarious, by the way.

It's getting late - I had better go ice.

Daily Running Log: Did 5 miles. Usual spots did not hurt too much; I have new painful areas on my legs - the rest of my lower legs must have felt neglected and want ice massage too. Bought cool new shoes tonight. See the doctor in the am!

No Sweat

I did it! Not without pain but I did manage to run six miles today. No sweat. Actually, lots of sweat but my nifty running clothes with wicking took care of the sweat.

My mantra was slow and steady. I didn't even take my music player, because The Ramones' Blitzkrieg Bop and my other music tends to cause me to pick up the pace unconciously. And sing out loud, which can be embarrassing.

So how slow did I go? Let's just say that this one speed walker kicked my butt most of the way. We kept passing each other. She was truly walking fast; and I was truly running slow. I think I came a long way from last week when I told one of my running partners we had to pass the walker right away. That got me around six days of painful calves. So this time I embraced my inner penguin and took it nice and slow. Yes, I guess I was jogging, but dammit I did it for six miles!

When I got home I logged my miles on my spreadsheet and looked at my total miles so far. 287 miles since January! Then I looked at my shoe miles, and added all the walking warm ups and cool downs, and realized I had logged over 300 miles on my shoes. Time for new shoes! One of my friends from work suggested I get my shoes checked out when she read my post on shin splints, and I think she may be right. I wear Brooks Adrenaline GTS 6, but I think I need more cushioning. I will let the experts at Fleet Feet help me to select new shoes.

My husband's new running toy came in the mail today. He bought a Garmin Forerunner 305. It has a GPS receiver and can tell you how many miles you are going and your pace in real time. It has a lot of cool features. I can't wait to try it out on my 10 miler next week. Our running trail is poorly marked so I never know when to hit the button on my watch for my splits (laps). Knowing minutes per mile helps you to set your pace.

So I guess today's run was encouraging. I was able to do it and hopefully not be in so much pain this week that I can't do the rest of my miles. And I should have new shoes before my next long run which should really help. And a cool new running toy to try!

I'm not discouraged by my inability to run fast. Apparently, based on my half marathon time I should be training at a slower pace than I am currently running my long runs. And when I look at my list of reasons I run, "winning," "going fast" or "passing the walkers" are not on the list. I feel good, and, frankly, especially in my running clothes, I look pretty good, too. I love running.

Daily Running Log: 6 miles, 12:22 m/m. Beautiful day. Nice easy run. Power to the penguins!

Why I run

I am facing tomorrow's long run with some trepidation. Even though the mileage is somewhat less this week -6 miles - my calves still hurt and I'm worried I won't be able to do it. Six miles has been no sweat for me so far but with my shin splints this week it will be rough. Slow and steady, I have to remember.

This is probably a good time for me to recall why I do this:

1. To be healthier
2. To lose weight
3. To be able to keep up with my sons
4. To boost my confidence
5. To feel good about myself
6. To prove I can do it
7. Endorphins!
8. To have a life outside of work
9. To relieve stress
10. To have time for myself

So when I wake up tomorrow at 5:15 am to get ready, I can remind myself that it's worth it.

Wheaton does Kirk (and Picard!)

Ok I had to do this geeky post. I love Wil Wheaton's blog and he had this website in his last post.

In a new video on the KvP site Wil Wheaton acts out moments from four different final scenes from the first round of the Kirk v. Picard contest.

Enjoy.

Little Red Riding Hood (LRRH)

Since I didn't run today and don't have anything compelling to write about running, I thought I'd write about writing. Writing for this blog is liberating, considering what I do for a living.

I work for state government and I'm an attorney, so I tend to get mired down in bureaucratic technical jargon. I oversee rule writing for certain government programs, and we have great debates over the meaning of a word or phrase when we are trying to convey a complicated concept in a rule. We work closely with advocates who help us communicate policies to our constituents in a way that we hope is understandable to them.

I ran across a great website that centers on plain language initiatives in the federal government. This is a fantastic idea. Some of the federal agencies we work with have embraced this approach; others have not gotten the hang of it yet.

The website has examples of government writing converted to plain language. But what I loved most was this:

Little Red Riding Hood
At a previous but undetermined timeframe, a single-family domestic domicile was inhabited by a young girl, known as Little Red Riding Hood (LRRH), and her Maternal Parent (MP). The Maternal Parent (MP) had once provided for the fabrication of an article of clothing, a cloak in nature (including a "hood" or protective covering for the head of the wearer), that was RGB code [255,0,0] in hue (aka, "red"). As a result of this action, and the resultant repeated usage of the "hood", the young girl was always known as LRRH in substitution for the name identified on her birth certificate and other identifying documentation.

During one 24-hour interval, a request was issued by the MP for LRRH to deliver a package to the MP's Maternal Parent (MPMP) (genealogically identified as the Grandmaternal Unit (GU) with respects to LRRH).

This package was to include:

• cheesecakes
• fresh butter
• one dozen (12) strawberries....

Read the entire article here.

Shin splints suck

So I woke up this morning intending to do five miles on the treadmill. I woke up early, as usual and had a little breakfast and some coffee.

But my legs still hurt. Ever since May, when I started training for the July half marathon, my calves have hurt. The pain ranged from sharp pains when I tried to run to dull soreness that occurred after a run. I went to a doctor who is affiliated with the training group. He's a runner too, which is important because he takes into consideration the fact that we are training when he gives advice for treatment. He said in an email to me that if my gait didn't change when I ran, go ahead and run but take it easy. And to make an appointment to see him.

So I see the doctor thinking I have some serious calf strain or something. First I talk to the resident in training about my history - of running, of injury, etc. Then the doctor comes in, asks where it hurts, says something medical to his resident and then says, "you have shin splints." "Really?" I say, a little deflated. Shin splints are a common injury for runners and occur with overexertion - like an increase in miles, speed or hills. Like what you do when you train for a half marathon.

I don't think shin splints go away unless you cut back whatever you are doing. I've been doing the ice massage thing, going even slower on my shorter runs, and using The Stick to massage the area every night.

My long runs, however, are on Saturdays with the training group. And even when I start out in the very back, somewhere along the way I pick up speed. I'm running on hills, and I'm running a lot of miles (for me). My last long run was 8 miles and I'm still in pain. UGH. So I was supposed to do 5 miles yesterday and 4 today. I skipped yesterday and did 3.5 today. I keep taking ibuprofen.

I'm not doing any more until Saturday.

And I'm seeing the doctor next Tuesday. I'm a little worried I might not be able to run the race in July at all. I might have to start over and try to prepare for the Columbus Half Marathon in October. That's a long time to stay motivated.

Daily Running Log: A SLOW 3.5 miles on the treadmill. In pain the whole time.

I am a penguin

So this is my first time blogging anything. I don't usually divulge much to people. I'm a pretty private person. But I'm intrigued by this blogging thing. I can't imagine anyone wanting to read this but writing it might be fun.

The main reason I want to try blogging is to chronicle my journey as a beginning runner. I have been running for about a year, and I'm hooked. I have run 3 races - a 5K, a 4 miler and a half marathon. I'm training for another half marathon at the end of July.

I started running as a gradual transition from walking and using the elliptical machine to lose weight. I had just had a baby (our second boy!) and was the heaviest I had ever been. I am not exactly lazy but I'm not the athletic type, and my brother still says he can't see me as a runner, but this is has been my salvation of sorts. I've lost 35 pounds, I feel great, and I feel like I have a life outside of my full time job and family (husband, two young sons and a high maintenance dog).

My husband has been wonderfully supportive. It helps that he is a runner as well. He's been running a little longer than I have and has a few marathons under his belt. He's a terrific stay at home dad, so he also views running as a very important part of his life. He loves that he can talk running with me and I don't zone out like I do when he starts talking fantasy football, baseball or whatever other fantasy sport he's doing....

OK so it's time to fess up. I'm slow - really slow. Just call me a penguin . It gets frustrating to watch all the other runners pass you by at the start. So frustrating that I start out at the back on the long runs with my training group. I just mutter under my breath "I'm a penguin. I'm a penguin."

I have to run slow because my lower legs hate me. They really do. I have increased my mileage since joining the training group, and I have also run more outside. There are a few others in my group that are at the same level, but I feel like since I've been running for a year and I felt good about my very first half marathon time (2:36), I should be able to better.

Daily Running Log: Rest day. I should be doing 5 miles but my calves hurt like crazy.