NOVA Marathon Challenge

I watched the NOVA Marathon Challenge on PBS on Tuesday night. The show documents 13 runners as they train for and run their first marathon - the Boston Marathon. One of their coaches was Uta Pippig. At one point, she is on Heartbreak Hill running up it with the NOVA runners. She gives them advice. All I could think was how crazy that would have been to have The Uta Pippig telling you "you can do it, stay relaxed, you've got it" - how incredible! You can read all about the challenge here.

I first thought, "Why would I need to watch that? I lived it.", but really I am glad I did watch it. I spent the last 15 minutes of it crying. I cry sometimes when I watch running and I'm OK with it. I cried watching Kara Goucher win the Great North Run on YouTube and I was out right sobbing watching the NOVA Marathon Challenge. I guess I cried - ok bawled - because I remember what it felt like to run all those miles in training and on race day with my training partners, Sarah & Steph, but also because I cannot run right now and I just want it back.

I want the feeling back. I want to see the sweat dripping on me. I want the cool fall air on my skin. I want to break out my tights. I want to put on my long sleeves. I want to experience those hot showers have long, cold runs. I want those endorphins. I'm like an addict in withdrawl. So here is my last shot before PT tomorrow morning...

Dear Goddess of Running,
Please, I need to get back on the road. I need these legs to be in motion again. I'll even take it slow... OK, I'll try my best to take it slow. Please, I'll give up ice cream for a month... OK, I'll only eat ice cream once a month. And I'll never litter the beautiful routes I run on or that others run on. I'll never curse running and say, "I'll just go tomorrow instead." I'll never take advantage of the fact that I have to able legs to run on. I'll cross train. I'll weight train. Please just listen. Listen to my prayer. I want to run again. I really need to run again. I'll do my best to be a smart runner.
In Running Spirit,
Janette

I hope she hears me. In the meantime... sweet dreams and here's to PT tomorrow morning.

Got the Munchies? Try These Ideas from WebMD

I think I subscribe to just about every e-newsletter that was ever written. Today I received one from WebMD. They send a great e-newsletter that gives you just a few articles with some healthy tips/news. I have really enjoyed the issues I've received.

Today's e-newsletter contained an article called, "Beyond Snack Packs: 22 Healthy Munchies." I know what you're thinking.. "Another article with complicated, boring and totally useless snack ideas." Well, the WebMD suggestions for healthy snacks are actually easy to do! They might be a little of the same old stuff you have in your pantry now, but they are healthy and will provide you with a little extra energy for the day. So definitely give this article a shot!

Ultrasound & PT Monday

I had my ultrasound to rule out blood clots in my leg this morning. As was expected, no blood clots were found. The woman who did my ultrasound showed me how they tell if blood clots exist. After she lubed me up with the jelly, she rubs the deodorant shaped stick around my leg. She starts at the top because clots travel north and works her way to my ankle. At certain points she presses the deodorant down on my leg. As I watch the screen, she shows me my artery and vein. When she pushes they squish down and as long as they squish, there are no blood clots - if they don't squish, you may need to worry. She also showed me how they detect clots with sound. Again, she presses the deodorant on my leg and then squeezes the bottom of my leg. This creates a wooshing sound as the blood pushes through my arteries and veins. If there were no sound, she would worry. It was really incredible to see how all of it worked and I was so happy that she took the time to show me around my leg. I guess she did owe me something after rubbing all that disgusting jelly up and down my leg... ugh!

**Disclaimer**
The above described ultrasound should not be taken scientifically as proof of whether clots exist or not. It is merely my rendition of what the woman told me. It should, in now way, be taken as the truth regarding your own personal health.

So I followed that with my day job and then some PT. Tonight's PT session included: stim & wall press, StairMaster kickbacks, high knees, hip adduction/abduction (the one that does the outside of the leg), stim & balance with weights, StairMaster 4x1 sprints, skiing leg press, stim & leg kickbacks, stretches, stim & ice. Whoa! What a session.

I love my PT place because they ask you how long you have to do PT that day, you tell them, and they work within it. Oh not to mention you can just drop in whenever is convenient for you. That's right, convenient for you. When did the doctor/patient relationship actually start being about the patient... apparently whenever my PT place opened.

PainFULL Weekend

Unfortunately, my leg took a turn for the worst this weekend. Dave and I were running errands and shopping on Saturday and as we walked around my calf/achilles grew tighter. By the time we got home, it felt like there was a giant knot in it. Dave forced me - no really, forced me - to sit down on the couch and ice, stretch, heat, repeat until he was good and ready for me to be done with that. Turns out after about a million repeats, he fell asleep on the couch and I just couldn't disturb him. Normally, I would wake him and tell him to go to bed, but I wanted to be nice today (notice the alterior motive). Sunday when I woke things weren't really any better. But I really just sat around and watched football - oh and watched the Red Sox win the World Series - and hoped that on Monday my PT would tell me to go run 20 miles. Ha!

Physical Therapy

I went to my first physical therapy (PT) appointment Wednesday. I was really happy everything could move so fast. The faster I get started on a recovery program, the faster I can start running again.

The first PT appointment started with a general intake (What hurts? Where does it hurt? How often do you run? What's your sports history? Any previous injuries?...). He then started stretching me out so I could point out to him exactly where my leg was hurting. Then he sent me off with an intern to start all my exercises. I did some wall press with muscle stimulation, StairMaster work, stretches, StairMaster and then some ice and muscle stimulation. At the end my PT diagnosed me with achilles tendinitis.

Believe it or not this diagnosis is pretty good. I didn't tear my achilles. I will be able to run again. The injury doesn't mean that someday I'll hurt my hip or knee because of it. The whole situation is manageable with a little TLC. The PT says he'll have me back running by the middle to end of next week. The more PT and the more time I can devote to it, the better I'll recover and the sooner I can get back.

I went back for my second PT appointment today. I did a few different StairMaster exercises, a couple muscle stimulation sessions - one with balance, one with the wall press, some leg press and some ice and stimulation. It doesn't sound like much, but a lot of this stuff is new to me so it's really working some different muscles. I regularly run and do yoga so the weights and StairMaster are totally new sensations and I'm liking it.

I'm allowed to do whatever this weekend except running. I can do the elliptical as hard and as long as I want. I can lift weights. I can do yoga. However, I have to be able to do all these things without any pain. That's the key. So my plan is to jump on the elliptical and have some fun with that - I'm being positive here because I hate the elliptical - and then lift some easy weights and do my normal yoga. So we'll see how things go.

Oh and on Monday I got for an ultrasound of my leg just so they can rule out that there is no blod cotting going on.

On the road to recovery! Let's hope this is the shortest road ever!

Beautiful Long Run Turns to Semi-Disaster

While out on my long run Sunday all I could think about was writing about how incredible autumn is (as if I haven't said it enough). I was going to write about the smell of the leaves, the smell of the "one-last-barbeque" for the year parties, the look of the families out to enjoy the last warm days, the refreshing feeling of the cool autumn air and on my skin, and so many more sensations I felt during the run. However...

I finished the run just about 10 yards before my apartment and as I was walking up the hill I thought, "Wow my calf is really tight. That's weird. I better make sure I stretch it out." And I actually listened to myself. I went inside, grabbed my yoga strap and stretched my calf out and everything else for that matter. All was well and good. And then...

Dave made dinner for us and we watched game 7 of the Red Sox vs. Indians series (Red Sox won) while flipping back and forth to the History channel to learn all about the story of the The 300 and Sparta and Persia and all that (I am totally into that by the way). So all was good as I sat on the couch. Then I stood up. Wow, really tight calf. Again, so weird. Oh well. I say goodnight to Dave and head home. I walk up the stairs. Ouch. Ouch. Ouch... I have a lot of stairs. Oh - I was also carrying two bags of groceries and two laundry baskets. I do not feel well...

I call Dave. My calf is so tight and I don't know what to do. I will heat it and take Monday off. No. He looks up a ton of information online and comes to my apartment. He checks out my legs to see if there is any swelling, gets me set up in an ice pack, gives me a massage and puts me to bed. And I'm sure things will be better Monday morning. I wake up Monday morning...

And its even tighter! How is this possible!? What did I do?! Dave encourages me to call the doctor and so does my manager (my boss at work who doubles as my running coach although I don't know if he realizes that part). They are able to get me in that day. I suffer through the day and go to the doctor. She says...

"Well, you didn't tear your achilles and it is still intact." She said intact. INTACT - as if it really could come off!!! Oh my word!! "I think you just have a strain/sprain." I don't know what she said there because I was just waiting to hear the you-can't-run-for-a-million-years-and-why-would-you-want-to-anyway speech that all doctors who don't run like to give. But - this girl is actually a runner! YES! She says take two days off and then I can return to 50% intensity, distance, etc. She also gave me a precription for Naproxen so I can get the swelling down and make the pain go away. Then Tuesday comes...

Tuesday is here and I've been set up with a Physical Therapy referral. I'm icing and heating my leg and being totally lazy. It does not feel that much better and I don't know that the pain meds are necessarily helping. I will be reassesing tomorrow as to whether I can try a run or not. My guess is I won't be ready and better just sit for a while more so I don't take myself out completely. I'm hoping I can at least try a yoga class with some modifications for my achilles.

My fingers are crossed that everything turns out well.

Family Shout Outs

Congratulations, little sister! Heather, great job on your first 10K at the Boo Run for Life in Washington, DC. I can't believe how much you have improved since I kicked your butt we ran the 2006 Iron Girl 5K in Quincy, MA. Great job and keep it up!

Congratulations, nephew! Michael, you are awesome at soccer and every college in the nation wants you! Congratulations! You've worked really hard and you will be a success!

Having Fun

I felt like having some fun today so I threw out whatever was on my schedule today and went up to the track to run. I wore my iPod, which I never do anymore, but I downloaded some new music that I wanted to check out.

The sun was shining. I was singing Milli-Vanilli style. I was having fun. I did 4 miles total, which is good for me at the track because going in circles gets a bit boring. I mixed in some strides and a fast mile.

I felt invigorated afterward because it was just great to put some music on and enjoy the outdoors while doing something I love.

Running vs. Jogging

And the age old debate continues... what makes a runner a runner and a jogger a jogger? Who's better? Who's cooler? Who's more dedicated? Who dresses prettier? Who dresses smarter?

Runner's World has a discussion thread on this topic where Run Dad Run points out that one is a runner when running "becomes a way of life." I agree with him. When I first starting the act of running, I would have only called myself a jogger. I only ran because I was carrying about 30 extra pounds. I didn't need to run, I didn't crave it. I could have just as easily gone to the gym and rode the bike to shed the weight. Now, I need to run. I crave running - almost as much as ice cream. When I'm not running, I'm reading about it or writing about it or talking to someone about it or thinking about it. I'm obsessed with it. My name is Janette and I'm addicted to running. Seriously. I am a runner.

John Bingham wrote an article for the November 2007 Runner's World called, "I am Not a Jogger: I may waddle when I run, but I'm running all the same." I really enjoyed reading this article because Bingham points out all the things that he feels make him a runner. He says he is a runner because his runs have names (i.e., tempo run, fartlek), his shoes are training equipment and not a fashion statement, and because he is willing to work to reach his potential. Most importantly, Bingham says, "I am a runner because I say I am. And no one can tell me I'm not." So take that all you runner versus jogger people who just want to have a debate! You might be faster than me. You might log more miles, but I am runner. I am a runner!

Personally, I am a runner and I don't want to be a jogger. I hate jogging. I hate my easy runs. I hate taking it easy. I do it because my body tells me to and so does my training schedule. One day a lady stopped me for directions during a run and she said, "sorry I interrupted your jog." She motivated me to run back home the faster that I ever had. I sprinted through the streets saying to myself, "Jog?! F*&!ing jog?! I'm running here lady! You want to race me?! Huh?! Do ya?!" Yeah, so I freaked out, but it's OK... I am crazy. I am a runner.

In the end I think Bingham has hit the nail on the head. So everyone stop reading this and go for a jog, a run, a rog or a jun. Just get out, get some exercise and have fun!

Lazy Days

My boyfriend, Dave, and I were out last night with his little brother watching the Red Sox play Cleveland in the ALCS. Dave is a Cleveland fan. I need to point this out even thought it's off topic because I think it's hilarious. He was born and raised in the Boston area, went to college in Rhode Island and now lives near Boston. Did I mention Ohio in that sentence? No. Here's the thing... Dave has 5 brothers and 2 sisters (I know... wow!) and everyone liked the Red Sox so Dave had to go against them just to be different and have something to get after them about.

Back on topic now... . Although we got in late I had about 8-9 hours of sleep last night. For some reason, I woke up exhausted. I honestly think this is from the beer because my body is just not used to it anymore since I really don't drink. Dave and I had breakfast and ran some errands. He then took off for Rhode Island while I went to get myself lunch. After lunch I fell asleep for another 3 hours! What is wrong with me? Seriously. Am I sick? I have no clue.

It was a beautiful day (even though I missed a majority of it sleeping) - sunny, high 50's. I ranthe same route I did on Wednesday and beat my time. Ha! I love that! The sunset tonight was marvelous! I wish I was running with someone or had a camera just so I could share it. The sky was a bright-light blue color and these pink whispy clouds were sitting in it just so perfectly with a few chunky pink clouds mixed in. I was twisting my head around just to see it for as long as I could. I wish my words could do it justice.

When I wasn't sleeping I was checking coolrunning.com for Sarah's marathon results. Good news - she met all three goals she set for herself! Congratulations, Sarah!

Total Miles Today: 4-ish.

Chicago Marathon - Hot, Hot, Hot

It seems as though I am the only person not to blog about the 2007 Chicago Marathon. In a nutshell... it was way to hot, course was closed, many DNFs, time goals out the window. Here are some links that I think do a good job of explaining:

• Running Jayhawk's personal account of her experience
• Denver Marathon waives registration for Chicago runners
• News from the Chicago Tribune

Congratulations to Paul, who I trained for Boston with, on finishing the race. Incredible job!

Deepest sympathies for the family of the man who passed during the race. Whether it was a pre-existing condition (which seems to be the news now), the heat, or a combination of both, it is never easy to deal with a lossed loved one. My thoughts are with you.

Fall Moves to Massachusetts

Fall has finally moved in. Temperatures this week have been in the high 50s to low 60s with light drizzle and periods of heavy rain. We really need the rain here in Massachusetts and we've been lucky enough to have the heaviest of it coming at night.

Fall makes for great running weather, but I've been focused on getting a good recovery from the BAA Half Marathon. I didn't have much soreness afterward - a tight right hip and tight left quad - but I wanted to make sure I recovered properly. I took Monday and Tuesday off from everything, which left me a bit stir crazy.

Monday, Sarah and I went to watch the Tufts 10K, which Deena Kastor won. It was an amazing race and she had a commanding lead through it all. We even saw Stephanie, who we ran Boston with, finishing the race! Tuesday, I was back to work (we were off Monday for Columbus Day), which meant I was home around 5:00pm. Now, I go to bed sometimes between 10:00pm and 12:00am depending on what stupid activities I can needless stay awake doing. (Doesn't it ever amaze you how you can be reading posts on Runner's World and all of a sudden it's 11:30pm and you have to wake up in 6 hours? Maybe that's just me.) So Tuesday night I had a lot of time to kill. Understand that I am not domestic and don't like anything associated with it - cooking, cleaning, whatever... - well Tuesday night I cleaned for about 4 hours. My entire apartment top to bottom. I'm happy that it's clean now, but seriously... does it take recovery from a big race for me to clean?

Wednesday I was back to running. It was a really gloomy, misty, 60 degree day, but I put my running gear on and headed out. I did just over 4 miles and it felt so great to be outside and running. The weather was awesome. I did a new route, which is definitely a new favorite.

I am so happy to be back in action after the BAA Half Marathon. Running is my addiction and I'm tapping the vein for some more of it! Now, if the rain will move out and the fall temperatures will stay, I might just be the happiest girl in all the world!

BAA Half Marathon - New PR Set

I ran the BAA Half Marathon in Boston today and managed to set a new PR. The weather was close to perfect. It was 68 degrees and very cloud with a light misty rain. There was a little wind, but only in a few sections of the course.

If I have ever been prepared for any race it was this one. I followed my training plan rather strictly - although not perfectly, missing a couple long runs. I had two goals: (1) PR, (2) finish in 1:45. My race plan was to start with the 8:00 min./mi. pack and settle into that pace. I was to hold that pace through the 6-7 mile mark where I'd assess how I was feeling. I would continue with 8:00 minute miles until 10 and if I was feeling good would kick it up a notch. Then at 12 it was going to be a race to the finish. Needless to say, that's not exactly how it went. In fact, it went better.

I started out in the 8:00 pack, but everyone was flying by me and it seemed that no one was running 8's. So I just stuck to my race plan and managed a 7:47 first mile, but I felt like I was running slow. Even though it felt that way I just kept going at that pace because I knew I had 12.1 more miles to go. I struggled a bit up the long hill as we headed into the Franklin Park Zoo and then mentally broke down a bit while we ran in the zoo. For some reason I just wanted to get out of there. I ran the zoo miles in 7:43 and 8:07. That was my only 8 on the course. After that I was back mentally strong as I left the zoo. Around mile 10 I had a very sharp shooting pain in my hip that was actually so painful I was afraid I might have to drop out. I came in at mile 10 and 11 with a 7:28 and 7:53, respectively. Instead of dropping out I said to myself, "Eh, they have medical personnel at the end so just get there and if I'm still sore they'll fix me up." Granted, that probably wasn't the best thing to say if I was seriously injured, but luckily it never came to that. I kicked it in around mile 12 and just wanted to see that finish line. I could hear the announcer calling people's name as they crossed the finish, but it felt like I was never going to get there. Eventually, I did make it to the finish in a PR 1:42:35.

I was really happy with this race. My splits were really great and pretty consistent with the course topography. My lungs felt great throughout the entire race and my legs only tired (except my hip) around mile 12, which is when I would have expected to get a bit tired.

Now the question is, what do I do next? National Marathon in Washington, DC with my little sister? Boston Marathon in April for charity? For now I think I'll aim for a few more 5K's while I decide what my next big event will be. I hate not having a training schedule. I do much better with one.

Tomorrow, Sarah and I are going to watch the Tufts 10K in Boston. They have an incredible elite field of women - Deena Kastor, Kara Goucher, Katie McGregor, Amy Rudolph - and I can't wait to see them run. They are such an inspiration. In fact to get motivated for this race I watched Kara Goucher beat Paula Radcliffe in the Great North Run on YouTube about a million times (ok so maybe just twice).

Also, before I go... Thank you so much for coming to cheer for me, Sarah! It was so encouraging to see you and you gave me great motivation! You are going to do great next weekend at the Hartford Marathon!