So I'm a Runner...: January 2009

Wednesday, January 28, 2009

Two Days Off

Well It seems the magical spot that I originally had this x-ray taken in the fall for is acting up again!! I think its a terrible shin split.... 3/4 the way up inside left calf. BOO. It goes away after I start running, but it hurts walking around now. Im on my hardcore RICE plan- with I standing for ibuprofen and ice!

That said Monday I ran 4 miles, stupid shin hurt the whole way and yesterday I ran 1 mile on the elliptical. It was the best elliptical ever I actually felt like I was running with ZERO pounding. It was a startrac brand?

Anyways I did my lifting thing as well and have decided no running till next week. Just some elliptical and weights with a whole day-o-rest today and tomorrow! Fortunately its cold out. However city sports had a sale and I got some snazy cold gear underarmour tights to be able to run outside in comfort. I love spandex! I suppose doing the elliptical only this week as fine and I had planned for a "kick back week" since I have been increasing my weekly milage pretty steady. Funny how I plan safe ways to go about doing this... with built in rest and kick backs and my stupid shin still kills!

Monday, January 26, 2009

Treadmill Running

Well this week I logged a bit of treadmill running. I've been getting bored and annoyed with running on the sidewalks of center city and don't always feel like biking out to the east/west river loops unless its for a longer run. So I've been chilling with the treadmill. I find I can push myself pretty hard on the treadmill and throw in a fast 8 min mile here and there which I think will be good for a little speed training every now and again. I have a hard time doing things like that on the road because I just tend to run at pace with my music.

I dont know that I ever said this... but my goal for 2009 is to run 800 miles and complete another marathon. I am hoping on Chicago, but Philly is always here for me if I need it. I think I'll do the half for sure! But that is a ways away.

Im training for the Cherry Blossom 10 miler and am stoked! I'd love to cash in around 1:30, but I don't know if I can do it... I think its possible I rarely run slower than 930 min/mile now. I got 2 months!

This week:

monday-nope

tuesday 3.1 @ 9:14 pace

wednesday- nope

thursday- 8.5 @ 9:38 pace

friday-nope

saturday- 5 miles 9:18 pace

sunday- nope

I got 16.6 miles for a total of 46.8 this month!

Saturday, January 17, 2009

A Run For Matt

So I did it in the cold. I ran 8 miles (my longest since the marathon) on Friday in "feels like 3 degrees" Philadelphia. It felt great... Even in the cold. I have cold gear under armor top and bottoms and fleece pants and a fleece jacket, gloves and head band to boot. I only had a slight chill. My pace was 10 min average, which because of the cold I'm okay with..

So the reason I ran outside in the cold instead of the treadmill, and 8 instead of 6 miles was because on Thursday I went to the wake for one of my patients. A 20 year old man, Matt, fought a year long courageous fight with leukemia and passed away last week. He fought with every ounce in him till the last minute. I was very very close, as was our whole floor, to him and his family. After the wake another nurse and I went back to their house till around midnight! We felt so included. Every member of the family came up to us and thanked us for the care we gave matt and his family. I have gotten many thanks, and comments that make me feel appreciated, but this was overwhelming. So when something started to hurt, or I got a bit cold, I thought of matt on this run and pushed on. To be honest I think about my patients a lot when I run. Its a good way to decompress from the high emotions there. When I start to hurt, their struggles help me put things in perspective, and make me thankful that I can run and hurt at all! So this is a thanks to Matt and his family.

Friday, January 16, 2009

Running in the Cold

SO I've been MIA from the blog, but not from running!! To back track.... I got two runs in when I was in icy/snow/friggin' freezing NH over new years. A 3 miler and 4 miler. One after a full day of skiing! It was so cool to run through the crunchy snow. I don't think I could feel my legs towards the end, and was STOKED for the hot tub after each run. That week I got in 7 miles over three runs with my cross training being two full days of down hill skiing... slim but I'll take it as Im GRADUALLY building the base.

The next week I got in 2 runs and a bike session at the gym totaling 10.4 miles over 2 runs. These runs were very very cold. 14 degrees cold, I find you do warm up after 5 minutes and I am amazed how my sweat doesn't find a way to freeze!... I think it was frozen on the tips of my gloves!

This week: My sweet road bike was STOLEN out of my basement the previous friday! So Wednesday I went to keswick cycle company in Glenside, complements of a car ride from my grandparents. I got a sweet way better Specialized Allez!!! It cost the same as my other K2 and is WAY better. To bad I'm a chicken and I think its too cold for a long ride today. I'll test it out going to work on Monday. So yea... they broke into our basement (my roommate and I that is) and took our bikes-- cut my lock to do it. Fortunately our insurance covers it... PAIN IN THE BUTT...

So I had 30 min to kill before my grandparents dinner reservation and I got a 2 miler in...showerd and was ready to go, all in 30 min! Go me.

Thursday I worked and went to a patients wake.. more on that.

Right now my arm is killing, as it has a pulled muscle. My gym has free training sessions, I finally did one. And I guess they pushed me a bit hard... and it is pulled/strained! But the workout was killer.

So now I am debating to run 6-8 on a treadmill, or outside. More to come after as to my rationale! It says feels like 3.... and I'm going to bundle up and go for as long as I make it!

Adios!