THOU SHALT BE A COMEBACK

Ankle still hurts.  Still limping.  Still can't run.  I got on an elliptical machine for 45 minutes today and kept my heart rate around 170-180 for most of it.  It's not the same as running but now I am just desperate to maintain some cardiovascular fitness because I have a feeling it will be at least a few weeks before this ankle lets me run again.  Kinda depressing.  I'm keeping an eye on my diet more closely, and will probably start doing some strength training--anything to ward off weight gain. 

On another note,  Halloween was awesome!  After the church party my husband and I took tinkerbell and the ninjas to our friends bonfire and they all had a plast.  Tinkerbell was standing in the back of a pickup trick proudly handing out ribs and chips to people coming by, and jabbing with one of the ninja's foam swords.  Pretty funny for a 30 inch tall fairy!  My ninjas were doing ninja stuff by the fire.  We stayed out way too late(midnight) but everyone had a great time. 

I went to the doctor today because I still cannot walk right or run. The x-rays did not show anything.  He is able to elicit the pain with palpation and told me I had some tendinitis around my lateral malleolus.  He recommends lots of motrin, and RICE and to let pain be my guide as far as running again.  He said if I am good and stay off it for a week I may be able to run a little bit within a week.  I think as soon as I can walk without limping I will be going for a run!  Anyways I am relieved that it all sounds very  minor.  This week I will rest it as much as I can and keep using the elliptical machine at least 45 minutes a day to "maintain."  That elliptical machine is just evil!  I find it feels much easier to run.  45 minutes on that machine feels much more torturous than a 45 minute "comfortably" hard run.  I tried a stationary bicycle for a few minutes but it hurts my bottom to sit on the seat and it didn't seem to be doing much in the way of getting my heart rate up.

Did 50 minutes last night instead of 45 on the elliptical after work(1:00AM).  It stinks to work out after work--I am already so tired.  I despise the elliptical.  I wish this thing would really heal as fast as the doctor seems to think it will but...I cannot walk right.  Okay enough moping.  I went out and voted today and I encourage everyone else to do so!

On the elliptical trainer at 1AM after work again last night.  I pushed myself for just over an hour--I was able to make myself go longer(that thing really is torture), by pretending I was running, sometimes even racing.  I checked my heart rate a lot out of curiousity--it started out in the 140's, was in the 160's for most of the second half, and spiked at the end around 180 with the final push.  This actually correlates pretty close to my heart rate on runs.  I still can't walk correctly, not so much  because of pain, but because my ankle just doesn't seem to hold my weight right so I end up having to get the other foot back on the floor pretty quick--resulting in a limp I am unable to hide.  It has been one week since running.  I have tried to jog a few steps but my gait is so altered it is pointless.  I am trying to be more diligent about taking motrin to see if it helps.  

Another run on the elliptical in the middle of the night--45 minutes.  I was so tired from work and from this cold I am fighting I did not go longer.  I walked on the treadmill for about 3 minutes afterward without limping, then some sharp pains started and so did the limping, so I stopped.  It was nice though--the first I have been able to walk without limping for a while!  It's improvement--I'll take it.

60 minutes on the elliptical after work.  I was able to walk short distances at work yesterday without limping--it hurt, a sharp tugging, but I could do it without limping!  Yeah!  After a got done with the elliptical I got on the treadmill for a few minutes and walked 3 mph to test out the ankle.  It did pretty good.  Hopefully I am not too terriblY far from being able to RUN!

I walked around all day yesterday without limping and mostly pain free!  I did a long workout last night after tucking everyone into bed--I crept out and drove to the wellness center.  75 minutes on the elliptical and one, brisk, pain-free mile on the treadmill.  Tonight when I put the family to bed and creep out I am going to go for 2 or 3 brisk miles on the treadmill and see how my ankle holds up.  This is great! It's like all of the sudden it is healing!  I can't wait to run--I am making myself be patient, when I can jog pain free I will probably start on the treadmill since it is sort of springy and I think has last impact than the road.

Last night went to the wellness center and did 35 minutes on the elliptical and then 3 miles on the treadmill walking very fast(4mph) with occasional jogging spurts.  Stayed pain-free and limp-free.  I did have a slight tugging sensation at times but no pain.  My other leg felt a little sore--probably from having to compensate for all the limping.  Anyways it felt GREAT to at least jog a little.  No workout tonight!  I am going out to dinner with my hustband to celebrate my birthday instead(it's actually tomorrow but I have to work so we celebrate tonight!).   Oh, and more good news today!  I stepped on the scale this morning for the first time in two weeks to see what the damage was...and I am DOWN two pounds.  Yeah!  That makes a total of 11 pounds since I started this whole running thing in August.  I haven't seen that number in years.

I tried to run a little today outside but the ankle wouldn't let me. I guess that means I'll be back on the elliptical and treadmill tonight. At least I'm not limping!(until I try to run on the dirt road by my house, then it turns into an awkward limp-run). I am hoping maybe one more week and I can run again. I still haven't ruled out the two mile turkey trot on november 22, if I can run it I will and no big expectations on a good time or anything--I could use the t-shirt!

 Update:  late last night/early this morning, did 50 minutes on the elliptical and then jogged on the treadmill slowly for 2 miles.  Boy it felt great to be jogging.  Ankle felt like it was tugging but the sensation dissipated after about half a mile.  It was GREAT.  A little running is better than no running!  Things do not seem worse this morning so i didn't hurt it.  I cannot WAIT to do some more treadmill jogging tonight.  Soon enough I will be able to pound the pavement...
 

30 minutes on the elliptical and 3 miles jogging on the treadmill--ankle held up well.  Ankle doesn't seem ready for the road.  I wonder why it hurts to run on the road but not on the treadmilll?  I know the treadmill is a little bouncier and causes less impact but I didn't think it would be that different.  I think the biomechanics of the running motion are different on the treadmilll and for some reason that motion isn't painful...anyways it's GREAT to be running in any form and the treadmill is much butter for my sanity than the elliptical!

30 minutes on the elliptical, 3.1 on the treadmill.  It felt good.  I think I might try going 4 on the treadmill next time and if everything is still pain free, try a short overground jog.

a.m. I felt brave and went for a two mile test run. Two wonderful miles on the roads by my house--no elliptical, no treadmill, just me and the road. It felt a little jerky and strange at first as if I had forgotten how to run but things smoothed out quite a bit by the end of the second mile. I wanted to go further but figured I better not push my luck just yet with the ankle. I will do some time on the treadmill after work tonight.

p.m.  20 minutes on the elliptical and 3.2 on the treadmill.  ankle is still holding up 

Okay, I really just meant for this to be a 3 mile test run, but approaching the turnaround point I was harassed by a dog.  He didn't act like he was going to bite or anything but he was big and stayed with me for quite a ways.  Anyway I got to the turnaround point and really just did not want to run by that dog again so I turned off which commits me to a 5 mile loop.  I know, too far too soon on a barely healed injury but I promise if I had felt even the slightest bit of protest from the ankle I would have stopped and walked.  Anyway, the ankle did not protest at all--but my hamstrings and lungs did!  The southern wind was strong--it felt like I was running with a bungee cord around my waist--all leaned forward and barely moving. Running still feels a bit jerky and awkward, maybe I have gotten used to the non-impact of the elliptical.  I feel as if I have lost some fitness.  That is quite alright I am just glad to be running!  Anyways now I am sitting here with  my leg up and ankle on ice--hope I didn't do any damage!

5.4 at a gentle pace.  A lot of it was into a headwind and I did not push it.  My ankle held up fine--no residual pain from yesterday.  I put it straight on ice again today after the run.  The running still feels jerky, but not as bad as it did yesterday.  I went down and signed up for the 2 mile next Saturday(turkey trot).  I am not expecting any great time, but it will be good to get a taste of that race atmosphere!

6.15 today at a gentle pace.  Time 56:15/9:08 average pace.  I didn't measure it out until afterward.  Drove into town today and ran around so that I would not have to deal with gravel, loose rocks, or dogs.  It was actually very nice!  42 degrees-perfect weather.  I ran up and down a nice one mile stretch 4 times for 4 miles, then ran down to the track, ran around it 3 times, and then back to my car.  I felt like I could fly on that track!  When I'm feeling healed up and gutsy I will probably go to the track for a one mile time trial since it will be more likely to deliver that sub-7 I've been asking for.  Got the ankle on ice but it still feels good!  Hamstrings are tight.

5.4 in 47:39--8:49 pace. Went into town again today to run since it was so nice yesterday not encountering any dogs. Ran about 2.5, got to the track, picked it up but kept it comfortable for one 8:18 mile, and then finished. Left hamstring is still tight. I will try to get it stretched out today.

6 miles today, as easy as I could make myself. The objective was to have a recovery run, and break in the new shoes--I want to wear them for the two mile race on Saturday. 9:15 average pace. I felt sluggish and side-stitchy today, so it was good I was not planning to run hard. I think my sluggishness is partly due to too rich of a diet yesterday--lots of cheese and peanut butter--it just kind of happened. Anyways the shoes felt okay--they are not as cushiony as I had hoped but they don't make anything hurt and they have more room for my toes(which like to spread out when I run). The plan for the rest of the week is easy recovery runs until the race on Saturday. It is a 2-miler-ick, that is too fast of a race for my blood. The plan is to go out hard, stay hard, and hopefully not crash and burn! I have no idea what my pace will be--as hard as I can make these short legs go for 2 miles!

5 nice and easy early in the a.m.   The upside--my legs felt fresh and light and it was a pleasant run.  The downside, it is WINDY and it is supposed to be windy on Saturday.  This translates to anywhere from 1/3 to 1/2 the race into a gusty headwind, which means BLAH for times.  Maybe I will get lucky and find someone to draft off of running at a nice pace.  I enjoyed the "lightness" of my new shoes more today.

I did the same day-before-race strategy as last time.  Two easy miles with 4 brief surges of anticipated race pace.  Legs feel pretty fresh.  I think I will try for a long warm-up tomorrow-at least 2 miles, to get the legs nice and warm.  Anyways, now I'm off to catch up on housework, cooking, and chasing children.

It is finished.  I have mixed feelings about this race.  It was very cold today but breezy rather than windy--which was nice--no nasty headwind to fight.  I jogged around for 20 minutes before the race mostly just trying to get, and stay, warm.  I don't know the exact temperature but it was below freezing.  Anyways we all lined up, but the start was delayed for 5 minutes, so I was getting pretty cold again.  My first error was in not lining myself up more toward the front.  There was about 600 to 700 people in this race.  When the gun went off, it took a few seconds for my part of the crowd to surge, and then it was just packed and I was having a hard time accelerating to the pace I wanted to run because of the crowd.  I spent the first 3/4 of mile(estimate) zigging, zagging, ducking, and dodging.  I passed at least several hundred people.  Then the course turned off the road and onto a bike path.  I passed a few more people on the bike path and then settled in by myself between two packs.  There was no mile marker or splits called so I don't know how fast the first mile was.  Anyways I could feel myself fading a bit so I focused my thoughts on good form and leg turnover--this has always been a good trick to help myself fight a waning pace.  I caught up to the pack in front of me and eeeked by.  Towards the end one man from that pack passed me but other than that I did not get  passed.  Then I could hear the crowd at the finish line and it was over.  Just like that.  The negative:  I think I could have pushed a bit harder for several reasons.  First, I never entered the "puke zone".  I should have entered it toward the end if I was pushing as hard as I could.  This makes me think I would have "puke zoned" it and maybe squeaked through another mile at that pace.  Second, I felt really good afterward.  Too good. I came home and did a sort of guilty 4 mile recovery run in 34:54.  I have way too much left over.  The positive:  I won first in my age division(I think all the elite speedsters where over in the 10-mile race).  Lastly, I think that sub-7 minute  miles are within reaching distance now.  I can't wait to grab 'em!  Next race, if I can find someone to watch the kids for a few hours, will be the 4-mile in the jingle bell run in two weeks.  This may be a bit ambitious of a goal but I would like to finish it in about 30 minutes.

ten miles in 1:29:55.  I really wish I would have eaten some breakfast first, because this was harder than the last time I did 10 miles.  I felt tired and dead the last 3 miles or so and I think I just needed some fuel.  Breathing was fine, just my legs were dead.  I had water at 5 miles and that was it.

5.4 in a very relaxed 51:18--recovery from yesterday's 10-miler, which left me feeling quite sore in the evening but this morning I felt fine--I made myself run slow and relaxed anyway.  I did have a side stitch in the second mile that got quite painful, and had to stop and walk for a minute and stretch it out.  Now it's off to cleaning and getting ready for work--my sister and brother-in-law will be in town today--I can't wait!  My brother-in-law has never met my daughter!--it has been that long since I've seen him--

5 miles pushing the pace in 41:37--8:19 pace.  I was happy with that, but would really like to get to tempo runs at 8:00 pace.  Came back home and ran one more with Jesse(my 13 year old) in 10:30.  He is interested in running a little bit so we will start out with a mile a day and go from there.  It would be really good for his self-esteem if he really gets into it.  Jesse REALLY  needs a self-esteem boost.  I really really hope he stays interested in running with me.   If he does then I will get him in a race and run with him...that would be GREAT.

Happy Thanksgiving!  I have to work today so our family is celebrating tomorrow, but me and my partner at work are going to pick up our ambulance and then sneak around town to a few places and eat--my partner's parents are cooking up a bunch of food right in our area so we will spend some time over there this afternoon(unless we get a call).  Anyways, today was a GREAT run.  I woke up thinking today was the day, and it was.  I drove into town, warmed up two miles, ditched my gloves and sweatband because I was getting warm, jogged down to the track, and did 1600 meters HARD.  Time--6:52.   So there it is, my first sub-7 minute mile in over 12 years.  I felt in control for the whole mile so that was nice.  Jogged a few more miles, then went home and got Jesse.  Ran a mile with Jesse and talked, and then came home.  There is a 4 mile race next weekend I think I want to do, and there is also a 1 mile at the same event, so I will see if Jesse is interested.  I was thinking I would race the 4 mile and then run the mile race with Jesse(or in his dust, however it works out!)

My feet and ankles feel a little sore today.  Ran 5.4 very easy, then went and got Jesse and did 2000 meters on the track.  Jesse has decided he wants to run the mile in the jingle bell run next weekend, so we are going to go sign up!

I had a running appointment today with Rachelle at 7am.  I got there early and ran 4 miles, and then ran 2.2 with Rachelle.  She is just starting up running after many years and two babies.  She had to stop and walk briefly a few times but she powered on through.  She really pushed herself--I'm proud of her!  We are going to run together again next week.