Running buddy... to the rescue!

"Get your butt out of bed!" - Is a text I got this morning.... at 6am!
My bed was so comfortable, my pillow was calling me back.
I didn't want to get up. I had every excuse in the book ready for NOT getting up!
- I was tired
- I needed my sleep
- My knee hurt
- I had shin splints
- I felt like I was getting sick yesterday... so I should take it easy today.
Every excuse!
But alas.... the text encouraged me to get up, get dressed, and get going.

I picked up my old high school teammate (who happens to live fairly close to me) and we went to Lake Murray to do the workout coach had scheduled for me: Farleks!
I think the last time I ran farleks with her was about ten years ago!!!! Time flies.... but we run! ;)

*        *        *        *
So last saturday I had to do a 10 mile run, which I reeeeeeaaaalllly really really didnt want to do on my own... so I put a fb post about going running and to see if anyone wanted to join.
Sure enough I get a response from my former teammate who happened to come back in to town from Colorado. I did not know she was here! But any way, out of anyone that could have responded, I was glad she did.... she is a strong runner, who knows her stuff. So I knew she would be able and willing to run the whole 10 miles with me, non-stop and she would push me even more than I could do on my own.

We finished the 10 miles and I felt great. The next day I had to rest. Then on Monday I had to do a 6 mile run, which I did not do 6, it was more like 5miles. But my knee started to bug me.... the all too familiar feeling of "overuse" ( like I mentioned on previous posts).... then my shin too was in pain.... shin splints!!! grrr. I guess I need to be icing, massaging and working out those little muscles.

So on Tuesday, was my track workout, and I had been feeling ok, so I started the workout with my buddy and coach, but by the 5th interval, I was hurting.... and I didn't want to admit that I was hurting.
I wanted to finish my workout strong... or at least finish! But Coach saw me hurting, even as I tried to mask it... and he pulled me from the work out. =(
I guess I am grateful though, that he cares enough to pull me out of the workout for my own good. I still am in shock and amazement at how good this guy is. Waking up early just to help me and get nothing in return!


During the Tuesday workout, Judy, my former teammate had come with me, and she finished the workout. She works so hard and is so good. I was glad she got to have a good hard workout. And glad that she was willing to wake up early to run with me.

So, here's a pic of the two of us at the lake.
Sweaty, tired, but feeling accomplished and happy! =)

Thanks Judy for waking up early with me to run and thanks for encouraging me and pushing me into gear!

Taking a Chill Pill

So, last week I posted a picture of my HUGE blister!
And also wrote about how I had developed shin splints on BOTH my legs.

I decided to find out what was causing my blister, sure enough I inspected my shoes and found that the insole that comes with my shoes was the reason for the blister, the arch on the insole does not match the arch on my foot... so it was rubbing me the wrong way... literally! lol

On Monday I went to a sports store to either buy new insoles or buy new shoes (now that I can afford it! sort of)
I ended up getting new insoles which seem to help. However, because the blister was still healing I did not run on Monday like I should have.
With my new insoles in place and new running clothes I got, I was ready to try to do 8 miles yesterday. But I wanted to check with coach first and see if the 8 miles or 6 miles was better to stay on track (depends on the program).
Sure thing coach called me and told me take a chill pill.... well not those exact words, but pretty much stay off my feet, ice the shin splints and give the blister time to heal.

I felt relieved but at the same time like a loser!!! Blaaaah.... I wanna run!!!!!!!!!!!!
But I guess, he did put it in perspective... if I dont rest now, I might not be able to fulfill my goal later. Rest up and take it slow for a week and hit it hard next week, healed blister and without shin splints!

Rest is not my idea of fun or of moving forward, but I know God knows what's best for me, and I trust also that coach knows what he's taking about.

So I am now on a one week mandatory rest.
Thankfully I have also a lot homework to catch up on, so, great timing for it I guess.

But alas, I will keep up my core workouts.

Rest doesn't mean you've failed, it merely means that you are caring for your body
- I have to remember that....