Yesterday was long run day, 18 miles of a long run! Today I am feeling every bit of 35, almost 36 30 years old! I had to do some stretching of the foot before I got out of bed this morning then I winced as I tried to kind of hobble/limp to the kitchen to make breakfast for an ever insistant toddler (they can be pretty motivational). Thank-you plantar fasciitis! I am happy to say that after that run my muscles are great- the foot, not so much. It usually takes a couple days to work itself out. So I figure I would recap the run for you, just in case any of you are a bit sadistic interested and revel in my pain!
I am a bit of a creatue of habit, so if I find a route I like I tend to run it until I get bored. Right now I love to include a park about 3 miles away from me. It is incredible how many deer just hang out there. It’s right along the river and it is a fairly flat route with a few hills. I felt pretty good for the first 11-14 miles. At mile 14 it got pretty rough. I am that person that smiles and nods, says hello to passerbys. After mile 14 that was out. I was so focused on just getting through the rest of the freaking run I tried to avoid eye contact. Wouldn’t you know it though, yesterday was beautiful so everyone and their cousin was out and flipping friendly! Everyone said hi, nodded, made funny little comments- “whoa, slow down there”, “your moving right along”, “another lap? I must be slow”. God love em’ any other mile before that and I would have chimed right in, but all I could do was give a half hearted painful smile and struggle on!
I did it though! I ran 18 flipping miles! What the heck was I thinking?! This training is not for the faint of heart, literally! There is a science to the whole thing! I have to over hydrate the day before, once I wake up I down a glass of water, drink 1-2 cups of coffee (you runners know what I mean, hint, hint, wink, wink). I have figured out that oatmeal doesn’t mess with my stomach on long runs so I have a bowl so I can at least have some type of nutrients in my system before heading out. Then of course I hit the bathroom once, then maybe another time for good measure (again runners, hint hint, wink, wink). Then off I go. Focus on my form, my pace, the surroundings, what I need from the store, oh crap I have to do laundry today- now I have to go up and down the stairs, what was I thinking- all the important stuff to trudge through my miles. Then I hobble in, immediately stretch and do a mix of rehydrate and get something in me with carbs and protein. Then within an hour I try to eat a full meal. See all that’s involved. There is no “I am just going out for a run” when training is involved.
Then is the dreaded next day! Lately though, my muscles are fine. It’s just my foot that is the crutch of this whole thing. However, since it takes me almost a whole day to finish a post (bits at a time), I found a very cool site after startinging this post. It’s a site for sports injuries and ways to treat and prevent plantar faciitis. I have to say that the taping section alone is AMAZING! I found the site a few hours ago, went grocery shopping, got the tape and taped this bad boy up! PAIN FREE!! It’s amazing, I was hobbling all over the place then I slap some tape on my foot per their directions and I can walk!!! I am going to start the stretches and excercises later!
So today I thought, just for the heck of it, I would throw in a little of what keeps me moving, a little teaser of what’s to come, and a weekly Pinterest try. First, what keeps me moving as well as a teaser. In previous posts I have talked about my weight. So, within the next week I am going to include some before and semi-after pictures. Since January I have been training for this marathon. I thought that was the main reason for my weight loss (15 pounds since January- slow but steady). It wasn’t until yesterday that I realized that January is also the smae time that I want part time. I actually began gaining weight (never to obesity but just some extra) at the same time I began to work full time, right after college. Most of us have/had jobs and careers that require us to sit for much of the day. Now that I am home, I am on the move. I am not one of those “sit around” moms. I am pretty active. I play with the kids, go for walks/runs, clean, go to parks, cook. I am on my feet for most of the day and actually don’t usually sit (except meal time) until after the kids go to bed. I think that is an important observation on my part, if I might say so myself! If you do sit for most of the day, get up and move at least once an hour. Nothing to crazy, just move. You can go to the bathroom and do a few jacks, take the steps over elevator and escalater always, just the little things add up!
Next, why I keep doing what I am doing. You all know part of my reason is just to stay sane and my family. I really do need to run and work out to stay happy, and a happy mama means a happy home! I actually came across this quote that fits my situatou to a T! In my new iphone arm band case no less!!
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Don’t you just LOVE IT!!
I am ADDICTED to Pinterest!! Unlike many others, I acutally try my pins! So my pin try of the week is Peanut Butter Banana Bites! It’s from a cool blog that I found through Pinterest.
If you notice I am not the neat type of cook. You would be correct if you noticed a few finger marks in those piles of chocolate. Don’t worry my fingers are clean and even if they weren’t you wouldn’t be the one eating them anyway! I am the “get food in my teeth when I eat, drop food on my lap, drizzle melted chocolate on the floor” type of gal! Also, unlike the blog, I added sprinkles in hopes of getting my “it’s messy mom!” toddler who doesn’t like certain mixutres of food, to eat it. Here is the result!
Yup, that’s my fancy banana bite smooshed next to the finished yogurt! Well, at least she ate the yogurt!! Thanks for reading!!
