The 10K dream lives on

I had a really good 4 mile run this AM -- on flat grass, but 40 minutes pain-free anyway. If things continue to go well the 10K may still be a-go. Here's hoping...!!

Adding a Workout Log

I've added a new workout log to help me keep track of what I have done when. I was doing this in a table in a Word doc but it was too hard to make sense of. This log is linked in the right column of the blog. Hey, Michele, where is your blog and can I link to it???

I love Google Docs for sharing things, it's very cool site. I've turned a bunch of students onto the site for group work and file sharing.

If it can be tracked, logged, written about, counted, or analyzed, I'm going to do it! OCD, I know, I know.

By the way, JRP asked how long it takes me to swim a mile in freestyle. Today it took me 42 minutes. Not speedy by any means, but very enjoyable.

3+ mile run on grass

Today I ran on the really flat grass by the indoor tennis center. It's a bunch of soccer and softball fields all together so it's a pretty roomy area. And although doing laps like that made for a pretty dull run, it was helped by the fact that I ran for 32 minutes with little difficulty. I might have had one more set in me but thought better of it and stopped. So I don't know if this means things are improving or just that the grass reduced the irritation, but I'll take it :-)

Tennis Fun

The tennis tournament today was SO much fun. Possibly the most all-day fun I have had without my children in recent memory. The weather was great and it just meant so much to be able to play with my mom. I think all the women just had a marvelous time and it helped to get me out of my own head for a while. This definitely motivated me to work to get my tennis turned up a notch.

Happy Weekend!

Not much to report fitness-wise...but my folks are here for the weekend so I am enjoying having them here. Friday I ran in the AM and had some issues, didn't push it. Had my tennis lesson in the AM and played doubles with my mom in the PM. Today was the swim meet alllll morning. By afternoon I was just going nuts and went back and swam a mile. I am still just pining for and missing the higher-volume running workout. There is just nothing, I mean NOTHING, like it.

I found a really good ITB synthesis report online that was written by a physical therapist/runner and it discusses a sizable number of primary peer-reviewed journal articles. Surprisingly little is really understood about ITB issues, particularly among the medical community, but what is known was sobering nonetheless. It can become chronic if not dealt with. As I learn more, I am starting to accept that this issue may not resolve quickly. I'm trying to remain optimistic longer-term, but I'm also having to think about reality in regard to the August race. I WILL run a half-marathon too, maybe in September, maybe it will just have to be a month or two later. I have to let that personal pressure go.

The article said to think of running as rehab and not as training for a particular time or distance goal. I need to remember that. It also talks about doing shorter runs but at a higher speed with walk intervals. The higher speed tends to aggravate things less than does jogging. I'm not planning on running again until Monday, and then on grass.

I need some new goals -- maybe with lifting or swimming -- to focus on and tide me over until this passes. I've just been in a tailspin lately. I think it's time to get some limited leg training back into the equation - leg extensions and curls, maybe even light lunges, and calves. Probably no hack squats. I'm ready and willing to hit it harder in the gym and with my diet. I'll focus on what I can do and not what I can't.

Early on I posted a picture of myself that I hated that was part of my inspiration to get in shape. I am getting there and like this new picture much better.