Discouraged

SO my knee was actually feeling better for a few days. I felt so encouraged the other night because for the first time when I got up off the couch, I didn't feel *any* pain in my knee! I still haven't run except for one time (a sad 1-miler with TWO walk breaks), and figured I would be ready this weekend to go out for a trial 1.5-er. But alas, this morning, I'm getting the kids ready for school and notice my knee is feeling a bit painful...by the time I got to the boys' preschool, I was back to hobbling around like I was the day after my injury! WHY?? It stinks! I want to get out there and run SO badly. I see people running, and I want to cry! I know, things could be MUCH much worse...but I feel so helpless. Since we no longer have a gym membership, I have no other sources of exercise at my fingertips, and I'm just so worried I'm going to lose all the progress I have made. Sigh...

Ugh!

Last Thursday, Amber and I did our long run (it was supposed to be 9 miles, but thanks to my misguided navigation, it was almost 10), and there were a lot of tough hills. Around mile 6 or 7, I noticed my left knee was starting to act up. I really thought it was just my knees being my knees, and that I could keep running. We walked here and there, but it was definitely hurting by the end. I figured after I got home and stretched, I would feel better, and that I just might be a bit sore the next day. Boy was I wrong! I could barely walk the next day, and could not bend my leg. Whatever it is that I did is still there! I haven't had knee pain last this long before--it's been almost a week, and it's still bothering me. I tried to go out for a run yesterday with Amber and Heather, but about a 1/2 mile into it, I knew I wouldn't make it, and had to turn around and go home (thankfully the gals were nice and ran back with me since it was dark!)

This is the first time I feel worried about my knees. I really, REALLY don't want this to be something that keeps me from training. We only have about a month and a half until the 1/2 marathon, and I just can't afford to miss too many runs if I want to do it. I'm taking this week off from running, and am trying to ice when I can and take Ibuprofen. I *hope* it works! I will be so sad if I have to miss next week's runs...I'm feeling a bit discouraged, but I think it's a bit early for that. =)

In other news, I just completed Week 4 of the push-up challenge. Holy cow! I seriously thought I was gonna keel over after my last set. I think I'm going to repeat this week since my form really wasn't what it should have been in my last few sets. I'm also starting the 200 sit-up challenge today. I'm looking forward to it!

If HE can do it...

Ok, this guy is amazing. Running his first 5k at 60 years old, and then at 70 years old, making a goal to run a marathon in each of the 50 states...and at 81, *completing* that goal?! Incredible. If this guy can do it, I sure as heck can, right? I mean, I'm not ready to train for a marathon yet, but when our kids are all in school, and they are a bit more independent, I think this is something I want to tackle. (Only one marathon for me, though...I don't feel a need to do FIFTY.) What an inspiration!!

Not Too Much New on the Running Front...

I'm in Week 2 of my 100 push-up challenge, and so far, so good. It's tough, but surprisingly possible so far. I've been running Tue/Thur/Sat with Amber (on Tue/Thur, Heather comes too). We haven't gone more than 7.5 miles since my race, but that's been ok with me. Yesterday Amber planned a pretty run up in Penryn off of Butler Road. We got to go off-roading for a bit up a trail, and that was kinda cool. I noticed, however, toward the end of the run that my knees were acting up again. I really haven't felt pain in them for probably a few months now. I think it must be associated with the hills we did? The route really wasn't that bad, but there were some definite hills. I didn't even think about them being an issue since it's been so long since I've had problems. Today my knees are still bothering me. I think I'm gonna have to figure out a way to avoid hills when possible...other than that, nothing new...just starting to gear up for the American River Parkway 1/2 on May 2nd!

100 Push-Up Challenge!

I decided to take the 100 Push-Up Challenge! I took the initial test and fell into Rank 2 with 6 push-ups. Oh my goodness, that is so sad. I could have done more, I think, but I don't think I would have been doing them with the right form. So, this'll give me a challenge for the next 6 weeks! I'm thinking the 200 Sit-Up Challenge will be next!

Race Report!

Well, I made it! I finished in 2:06:11. I was SO happy with that time. My goal, as I said before, was 2:20. I found out I was 18 out of 41 women in my age group, and 400 out of 682 overall. Not too shabby! At about mile 11, I looked at the time on my phone, and, thinking we had started at 8:00, I thought, "Yay, I'm right on for my 2:20 time." It wasn't until right before the finish that I realized that we hadn't started until 8:10, so I was exceeding my goal! I was so stoked.

The first 9 miles or so weren't too bad. The scenery the first few miles was definitely nothing to get excited about. We were along some railroad tracks and on the outskirts of Davis, and there was literally nothing to look at except for the tracks and some industrial buildings. It was pretty cold, but I was so happy it wasn't raining. I'll take the cold over the rain...at least California cold. I didn't use my MP3 at all...I kind of enjoyed the quietness and watching all the runners. I also had my little notes that everyone had written me, and I figured it would be hard to pray for each person if I was listening to music at the same time.

Chris and Caleb and Joshy met me at miles 6 and 8, which was nice. Around mile 4, I came upon a dad (I think) with his son that didn't look more than 8 years old. The dad kept pushing him saying, "hurry up! We've got to keep under a 9-minute mile! Keep it moving!" I felt really bad for the poor boy. His little legs were jamming, though! The dad at one point told the boy he was going to stop for a minute, and that the boy needed to keep going at the same pace. The dad then stepped off onto the side of the path, and proceeded to take a whiz right there! Yuck. I guess that's the convenience of being a male. I lost them around mile 11 when they took off and I was left in their dust. =)

Once I hit mile 10, I seriously thought I might keel over. My knees were burning and mentally I was struggling. I read through the last 4 notes because I wasn't sure if I would be able to focus at the beginning of each of the last few miles. I just prayed off and on for the rest of the time, not necessarily for the whole mile. I wanted someone to chat with so bad. There was an older guy, who said he was 50 (although he did look quite a bit older) who kept trying to strike up conversations with me, but he kind of annoyed me. He wasn't my dear Amber. I wanted her there!

I don't think I have ever been so happy as I was yesterday to see the numbers 11, 12 and 13. When I saw the 13-mile marker, I actually yelled, "YES!" outloud. I was sooo happy to be nearing the end.

When I came down the road to the finish, I saw Chris and the boys and my aunt and uncle and cousins waiting, and it was awesome! I could barely walk for a few minutes, but after stretching I felt a bit better. Yesterday my knees were pretty tight, but today, I'm just completely sore in my legs. It's wonderful!!! No joint pain, just muscle pain. I can't believe it. I am so happy my body held up, and that I haven't done any permanent damage. =)

I am so happy I did this. I remember back in August when I started training, and I could barely run 3 miles, and I thought that 13.1 miles seemed like an impossible feat. I just can't believe I made it! So now I have the 1/2 marathon on May 2nd to look forward to with Amber, and then after that, I think it's 10k's for me. I'm gonna try to improve my time on those. Maybe one day when the kids are older I'll want to go further with my running, but for now, this is good. =)

Here are some pics...after the professional ones are posted, I'll post them here.

Here's mom and I before the race started.


...And Dick and I...





Here I am at mile 6...still feeling good!


Mile 8...see that guy with no shirt on behind me? That's the 50-year-old that annoyed me. =)


Ok, is that guy behind me eating his lunch?




About to cross the finish line...SO happy!


All done!!

Less than 48 hours!

I can't believe race time is almost here! I am so nervous. Especially since I have so much family coming to cheer me on at the finish line. Yikes. I hope I make it there alive. I feel confident that I can complete it...I'm just hoping I don't have to walk a lot of it. I think it's going to seem incredibly long since I have no one to run it with. Hopefully all the music my brother-in-law downloaded to my MP3 player will keep me moving. And, at least I have a note for the beginning of each mile to read. That'll give me something to look forward to. The race is all flat, so there won't be any torturous hills to deal with. I don't wanna stop to go potty...hopefully my bladder doesn't overreact to all the running. =)

Well, I won't write again until I give my race report. Hopefully I'll have some pictures to post, too. I'm still trying to figure out if I should pin my bib to my outer shirt or under shirt...I hear they don't post your pictures if you don't have a bib on...don't know if that's true or not.