Cannonball Run

I'm glad to have participated in the Cannonball Run but, somehow, it brought back some memories of the Goat Milk Half Marathon of 2 years ago which I will not go in to. The trail running was a surprise and a challenge for me but I'm happy that my new shoes didn't get as muddy as I thought they might when Doc mentioned that there were puddles and muddy areas. I can't wait to get my tshirt from the race--they were out by the time I signed up. But I do love waiting for packages. It was truly neat to see such a sea of MM tshirts--I would have worn mine but a friend picked mine up for me and I haven't gotten it from him yet. And, a really neat thing happend after the race. I got home and was searching for something in the back seat of my car and my neighbor called out to me--she was being dropped off from having run the Cannonball and is doing Marathon Makeover, too!!!!! Since I have not been doing my Saturday runs with you guys for various and sundry reasons, I didn't realize this so it was exciting to know that we might be able to train some together, ride together, and get to know one another better! What a small world.

Carol

Running with a runny nose

I will not blog in Hindi. I have been a bad, absent marathon makeoverer this year. But, if it's not raining too bad, I may try to meet up with you guys tomorrow. I did run in the Crescent City Classic 10K last Saturday in New Orleans despite coming down with a BAD cold the day before. And it was cold and windy during the race and sleeted after the race--and I had worried about running in the heat in NO!!!! But, the blog is about runny noses, right? My nose often runs while I run and annoys me so I try to wear a sweatband for this very purpose. This is when I DON'T have a cold. So, this past weekend, I DID have a cold and put Kleenex in several pockets in my running capris. And had Kleenex in my blue jean pockets, too. Now, I don't know which one of these pants were the culprit but, when I opened my washing machine this morning, I had what looked like large white snowflakes all over my load of dark wash!!!! I had to put my running gear in the drier, which I usually don't do as I did not think that anything else would effectively remove the innumerable pieces of Kleenex distributed everywhere!!! So, back to sweat bands and arms of shirts for problem noses I guess.

I have just entertained myself reading about the bad weather expected for the Boston Marathon coming up on Monday. A Nor'easter, whatever that is, is expected, and all these lightning fast runners who had to have qualifying times faster than I can run a half marathon, now have to run in adverse conditions. Or, they may even have to call this 113 year old race off for the first time ever! So, we can run five miles in the rain, for practice, right????

Finally went to the foot doctor

Well, my many prior foot diagnoses were correct! The stress fracture on the left foot has healed, the clutz fracture of the right baby toe has not healed yet (although it doesn't really hurt me), I do have plantar fasciitis on the right foot, and I have a name for my big fat left great toe joint that hurt me long before I ever joined Marathon Makeover. No new stress fractures were visible, surgery was offered for the hallux rigidus which I declined, stretch thing was bought to help with the plantar fasciitis. She recommended that I consider more crosstraining and maybe doing triathlons which I had already considered. And I interpreted what she said to me to mean that there were not marathons in my future to mean that I was not going to be doing lots more of them but maybe could do one more????? But, she did say that I was not permanently damaging my feet by continuing to run so I feel good about that. So, let's wog on, guys!!!! She also recommended different shoes than what I've been wearing so we shall see.

Another first for me

Most people who know me now would never guess that I actually am painfully shy, not a snob or aloof. I have been a member for almost 25 years of the Courthouse and for YEARS could never get up the courage to go into the weight room. Finally, a friend of mine took me in there and showed me how to use some of the machines and then I adapted what we were shown at MM two years ago and figured out a circuit for myself. I've gotten bored with the same exercises and often have trouble motivating myself to do the weights twice a week, so I decided to hire a personal trainer once a week. Friends of mine have one so I decided it might help me. Almost all days will be covered by meeting someone to exercise now--three days a week are running with buddies, including you guys! Well, I may not be able to run tomorrow because my butt muscles are screaming at me right now! I had to do lunges, holding weights, as I went from one machine to the other this morning. But, I did get a good workout, learned some new machines to use to vary my routine and also to detour around the machines where people are parked either visiting with their friends or hogging the same machine for half an hour. My mother has lived for almost 97 years now and makes the Hunchback of Notre Dame look like his back is straight so I am working on trying to stay upright if I am lucky enough to live as long as she has! And I need to be strong enough to carry my grandchildren around when I get lucky enough to have some!

I did it!!! I rode the bike with click in shoes and pedals!

Got my knee and elbow pads and decided to try again yesterday. Had one mildly spectacular fall just out of the driveway with my continued obsession to make sure that I can stop--and I can't when I'm going that slow. Should have put on the wristguards that came with the other pads but no serious injuries. So I started pedaling and managed to get the second foot to clip in and rode around for about thirty minutes, all the while saying to myself, "you have to click out, you have to click out. " Didn't have to stop the whole time until I got back into my driveway. Found I can't do three things at once. Slowed down, clicked out, but forgot to brake with the hand brakes so I was a little wobbly on the stop but did NOT go down again for which I was thankful!!! I do recommend these knee and elbow pads which were very reasonable at Academy Sports. I remember getting skinned up learning to ride my bike as a child and remember my own kids getting skinned up so these are quite helpful, especially for spazmos like me. And, today, I finally remembered to ask about possibly having a trainer once a week at the Courthouse. Had to fill out a big pile of papers but I think maybe I'll get in two weight sessions a week if I have a babysitter for one of them!!!! And, hopefully, she'll teach me some new things to do as I've been doing the same machines now going on the third year. Aren't we glad it's going to be a little warmer the rest of the week????? Although, I hope to remember this cold weather fondly in June, July, and August when I'm whining about how hot I am!

Hard to teach old dog new tricks

Another aha! day. Sally called at 5 am to announce that it was still raining and we would not meet at 6 to run. I was pretty awake but managed to doze back off. Finally got up and had to force myself to go run in my neighborhood by myself. Three miles alone seems more like six! We usually do a little over 4 miles and it doesn't seem to be nearly as much as a mental and physical struggle as I had with myself today. And then . . . . I decided to do a trial run on my bike. Now, I love riding a bike--the wind in your face deal. I have a hybrid bike and someday want to graduate to a road bike but I'm scared of them. So, about a month ago, I bought bike shoes and had the clip-on pedals put on my trusty old bike. I sneaked into the spinning room at the gym and practiced clipping in and out on one of their bikes but the shoes click in much tighter on my bike. But, I decided to try to get started today. Why am I so afraid of this???? I managed to get my right foot clicked in, moved a few feet, and stopped without falling. Braver still, clicked in my left foot, went a few feet and fell down right in my driveway. Look like a third grader with skinned up elbow and knee. Rolled the bike back into the garage and then made myself try again--back out in the driveway. This time I clicked in with one foot and actually rode for a second or two but never got the second foot clicked in. Now, I need to go buy knee and elbow pads, and I'll be in business. And maybe some chain lube to put on the pedals to make it easier to disengage from the pedals. Makes running seem like such a simple sport--just have some shoes and socks and you're in business!!!!

I'm there in spirit if not in body!

I've been absent so far this year but am reading all you guys' blogs and with you in spirit, any way! Got some laughs thinking about poor Mark trying to teach not one but two little girls to drive at the same time--brought back memories for me having to ride in the driver's seat and teach my daughter who had even been afraid of the bumper cars at the fair! Her dad taught the boys but she was stuck with me but has done well ever since, thank goodness. And remembered the age lineup maneuver from two years ago when only one person was in front of me, the nice Preacher Man, but I was proud to be healthy enough to attempt to run any distance much less 26 miles! I did run yesterday--6 miles which was the first time I've gone that far since October 22 in Chicago in the cold drizzle. I felt fine while I did it but exhausted when I finished but am restored to vigor today after a "good" night's sleep. I say "good" because I had to get up five times with my three beloved, adorable, precious doggies. Good thing I love them because I noticed during the night that they had made a BIG mess on my screened in porch with a pretty pot and plant. Then, this morning, I saw one of them on the porch and wondered how in the world she got in there--ahah, she and her partner in crime have torn a sizeable hole in the screen and now have free access to plunder in a new area. Digging holes to China in the back yard has evidently gotten boring for them and all the outdoor pots are now scattered and emptied of their dirt so I should have known they needed a new venue. Dog toys and bones don't seem to hold too much interest for them--sort of like kids preferring pots and pans and boxes and wrapping paper to the "real" gifts and toys we used to abundantly provide for them, huh?