The Agony of My Feet!

Have I ever mentioned that nurses are the worst patients?

I don't remotely pretend to have all of the acquired knowledge of a physician - my nursing curriculum was 4 semesters while they attend for 4 years. I am however relatively savvy on researching health issues and common treatments. I don't generally head to a doctor unless I am completely ignorant of what is ailing me OR I know that I need prescription medication. Maybe that makes me a bad patient, but I prefer to think that it makes me an educated healthcare consumer.

Where is this going?

Well my feet hurt - a lot. I've had problems off an on since last October - yes, October 2009! It first manifested after a 10 mile walk/run while training for the Bass Pro half-marathon. I had recently been fitted for new shoes and after being considered a neutral runner prior to pregnancy, I had now developed some overpronation. I was put in some mild motion control shoes and even saw on a nifty video analysis of my running on a treadmill how the new shoes kept me from rolling inward.

I had managed to make most of my training prior to this and had even done a 7 mile and 8 mile long walk/run without any issues. This 10 miler hurt though and it hurt near the balls of both feet. It started first in the left and then the right, best described as a sharp pain that was worse when I was running but still hurt during the walk. I was sore a day or two and decided to be smart and only do a 10K as opposed to the planned half two weeks later.

Over the winter, I didn't do a lot of training for various reasons and as the Little Rock Half-Marathon approached in March, I started to do some training and began as couch to 5K program again. I was still having problems after going about a mile and a half and it was this sharp pain in the ball of my foot. I went back to the running store and was fitted with another pair of motion control shoes but with a little more cushion in the forefoot. I decided to go ahead and walk the half-marathon because I had already paid my registration. Besides, I've been in decent shape, why can't I walk 13 miles??

Well apparently my feet didn't agree. I was in pain by mile 3, it was pretty bad by mile 6 and by mile 10 I was walking faster simply to MAKE IT STOP! My feet were super sore for several days and I hobbled around thinking that I was a stupid stupid person. I took a break for a good month after that experience.

Another trip to another running store and I was given some over the counter orthotics by Sole. These had a much greater arch support and could allegedly cure the ills of many feet. I did a couple of short runs with them and had no problems and thought all was well. I also bought a second pair of insoles to put in my work shoes because I'm on my feet a lot during my 12 hour shifts and surely this would help. All in all, my feet felt better and soon summer came and the temps became RIDICULOUS (seriously, this is the hottest summer Arkansas has ever recorded - it has been MISERABLE!) which means that I am not keen on doing lots of running or walking.

Right around the time I decide that I need to get back at it, I wake up and have horrible HEEL pain. What? Heel pain? My heel has never hurt?? Each step is misery and after a while, it loosens up a bit and gets better. I racked my brain thinking "What the hell did I do???" and hubby reminds me of the walk we took the prior evening with me in only my flip flops. Hmmm guess that was a bad idea? It takes me no time at all to think heel pain = plantar fasciitis. Some quick medical researching and I realize that the plantar fascia extends from the heel to the base of the toes and ends right near the ball of the foot - you know, the area where I previously had stabbing pain. It finally dawned on me that I had probably been dealing with plantar fasciitis since last October, it just hadn't originally presented in the typical fashion.

I'm no expert, but I've known people who've struggled with this and I know it is NOT a good thing. It's not good if you're trying to get back into running and it's definitely not good when you have a job that requires you to be on your feet for extended periods.

Another trip to a specialty shoe store and I score some MBTs for work. They are ridiculously expensive and not very pretty, but I now have cured the everyday excruciating pain. I can't not walk at work and my new job has me on the feet a LOT more than before. Now, if I can just get my mileage back up without hurting. Today I did almost 4 miles and was just a little sore at the end. Let's see how it goes.

G is for GOALS!

I have really slacked at setting goals for myself and as I've learned in the past, I really don't get anywhere if I don't push myself.

Case in point, my weight loss. I did pretty well those first three weeks on Weight Watchers and lost 5 pounds, then I stopped recording my intake, stopped calculating points and just kept with the status quo. Now on the positive side, I haven't gained any of those pounds back, but I'm still well away from my goal and my pre-pregnancy weight. Therefore ...

GOAL #1 - starting today, I will record ALL food that I eat and calculate my Weight Watchers Points! I will endeavor to stay within my points range the rest of the week.

I've also been slacking on the running. I did do a 10K last weekend and that's all good and well, but I do need to actually run on non-race days. I have decided to do the Little Rock HALF marathon as opposed to the full because it is a much more realistic goal with weekly mileage that is very achievable with the Gremlin. The half training plan also has lower mileage during the week which is likely to keep me out of the doctor's office with injuries.

GOAL #2 - I will do all mileage listed for this week on my training plan!!

I didn't run yesterday, but I did feel the great urge to go for a hike so I strapped the Gremlin to my back and hit the Pinnacle Mountain Trail. I refused to give myself grief for not running because for once I felt the pure joy of being outdoors and sweating on the trail. I think I need to do things like this more often and not be so limited by running in my neighborhood. Given how steep the trail is, I'm pretty sure I can count it as a good cross-training workout.

I think I need to be more diligent in taking on tasks in the house and cleaning and organizing areas that have gone long untouched. I really think that being apathetic about the inch of dust on my bedroom dresser does effect my overall outlook on life. I find it so hard to get things done when I'm chasing Gremlin all day, but I think if I broke it up into small manageable tasks, I could feel good about making small strides.

Goal #3 - Do one small thing around the house every day.

Let's see if I can turn Apathetic Jenn around. It may take some coaxing or downright brow-beating ... but it can be done!

Tales from the Back of the Pack

I am officially a bad blogger! I'm like that person who gets a Christmas gift and doesn't send a thank you card til next Thanksgiving. Of course Miss Manners says better late than never - so here goes.

Last time we met, I was in training for the Bass Pro half-marathon and excited that I had completed a 10 mile training "run." (I seriously feel dirty when I try to classify what I'm doing as running). I was all on track to have an SR (slowest race) as opposed to a PR by a good 20 minutes and I was working on being ok with that. Then we started to have Gremlin troubles during my taper period. Our friendly little dude had suddenly turned into Mr. Separation Anxiety and tended to cry - a lot - when left without his parents. My trip with him to Illinois to visit my family a week and a half before the race sealed my fate. The little dude flipped out any time I left the room, even with Grammy K who is the family member that has babysat for him the most. I realized that it would be cruel and unusual punishment to leave him and his screaming self with my own Grandma in Missouri so that hubby and I could race. Despite her age of 87, she is most capable and would have been happy to help out, but I would have had a hard time concentrating on my race. So the decision was made that I would bow out and instead be mobile course support for Bryan on his quest to complete his first marathon.

To say I was bummed is an understatement. I'm pretty sure the phrase, "stupid baby" was uttered on more than one occasion. I was worried that some might perceive it as an excuse to not race or that I was being weak, but you can ask Bryan - it was a real disappointment. This whole putting your kids before yourself is new to me and there are times when it really blows.

Anyway, I decided that we would make the best of it. I enjoy crewing for races and thought it would be fun to drive all over Springfield, MO trying to catch Bryan along the course. We checked the race map (which was absolutely horrendous) and tried to plan a strategy. I was going to carry extra gels and pretzels for him so that he wouldn't have to be so loaded down with gear from the start. I had the good digital SLR so I also wanted to grab some pics along the way. As a bonus, some other Hot Legs were going to be running the half, so I hoped to cheer for them as well.

The week of the race, I was looking over the race website and suddenly realized Hey!!! They are having a 5/10K race on Saturday!!!
Maybe I can do that instead??
The site indicated that race changes would not be a problem and to handle it at the Expo.
Woo Hoo!! I can still race!!! Sure, it's not what I trained for, but I haven't done a 10K in 2 years so this could be fun!!

On Friday, we arrived at the Bass Pro Headquarters in Springfield, MO. Let me just say that if you are remotely into hunting or the outdoors, you MUST visit this store if you are ever in the area. It is the flagship store and it is HUGE!! They currently are undergoing some renovations, but it is still impressive. The Gremlin loved their giant fish tank, and terrarium with turtles. I loved their huge selection of outdoor clothing from Columbia, North Face and the likes, and both me and the hubby enjoyed the camping, guns and assorted crap that we really don't need. Like the giant overstuffed camouflage massaging recliners ... wouldn't they go with any decor?

Bryan got his packet and I went to registration to grab my packet and explain my dilemma.

Yes, I'm registered for the half-marathon. Can I change to the 10K?
No, I don't want to pay $35 to register for the 10K, I just want to transfer my registration from the half-marathon to the 10k.

There was definite confusion on how to accomplish it, but everyone from the store was very friendly in trying to help me out. I was sent to Customer Service to get a "refund" of my half registration fees. They asked, "do you have a receipt??"
Umm, no but I have this race packet with race bib and tshirt.
I kept explaining that I didn't want a refund of my race fees (which were $50), I just wanted to get into the 10K race and not pay again.
They apologized, "well all we can do is give you a Bass Pro store credit for the $15" (the difference in what I had paid and the current 10K price).
Ummm, sure?
I honestly wasn't expecting any money back, that's unheard of in the racing world. I just wanted to race and not pay a second time. Thanks Bass Pro!!

So off I went to return my cool technical half-marathon shirt, and exchange it for the generic technical shirt they gave out for the 5/10K. Nice New Balance shirts but ridiculously oversized. Luckily I was able to snag a small.

New race bib in hand and I was ready!! Saturday morning was beautiful fall weather with temps around 42 degrees at the start which is prefect running weather in my book. I had originally planned on racing in the awesome running dress that Bryan gave me for my birthday, but it will have to wait. It's not worthy of showcasing in a 10K in my opinion. Instead I went with shorts, my Hot Legs short sleeved shirt, Pearl Izumi arm warmers and cute Skirt Sports vest. The race started in front of the store and there were several hundred participants. I really didn't have a specific strategy other than to do some combo of a 3:2, either run 3 minutes/walk 2 minutes, or walk 3 minutes/run 2 minutes depending on how I felt.

As usual I started out really fast, it's hard to not get caught up in the crowd. After the mile mark, the 5K split off and it was obvious that the vast majority of the participants were going that distance. Very suddenly I was completely on my own which is a common phenomenon when you are a back of the pack kind of gal. I did NOT wear headphones or carry an iPod on since I am opposed to racing with them. It's a safety issue (especially since parts of the course had traffic sneaking onto the roads) and I think you miss out on the race experience. I decided to just enjoy the run and the people I encountered along the way.

Not too long after the split, a runner came up behind and passed me. As he passed he patted me on the shoulder and said, "looking good! Have fun!" Hmmm who was that slightly older runner in camouflage?? Oh, it's Frank Shorter, 1972 Olympic marathon gold medalist and featured speaker at the weekend's events. Thanks Frank!!

For the rest of the race, I was on my own except for the consistent leap-frogging with two gals ahead of me and one older woman behind me. On my run portions I would pass the two girls, then they would pass me once I started walking. The woman behind me was doing a walk/run as well and she would do the same to me during her run portions. Everyone was very friendly and we laughed about how consistent all of our pacing was.

The course left the road just before 2 miles and headed onto the Galloway Trail. I had assumed that the trail would be a nice surface like asphalt but it was concrete - YUCK! Basically the same as running on sidewalks which is not good for my legs. The trail portion was also an out and back so when you're the back of the pack, it gives you a chance to see ALL of the fast people in front of you! The winner (who is from Central AR and seen at our local events) was heading off the trail and to the finish just as I entered it. Of course, once you hit the turnaround, it also lets you see just how few people are still behind you.

Most of the race was uneventful. I switched up between running 3 minutes or 2 minutes based on my heartrate and how I left. In general,I was going faster than my normal 15 minute training pace which felt good!! I had originally planned a 1:30 finish, but knew that I could definitely beat that which made me feel great.

Around mile 4, my feet started to kill me! The same thing had happened at about mile 7 in my 10 mile training run, the balls of my feet just felt almost broken. It wasn't excruciating, but definitely uncomfortable. My shoes were pretty new, so I chalk it up to not enough time on the road in recent months, and likely the extra concrete on this particular course.

The last two miles were off the trail and through a neighborhood, parts of it with gentle uphills. I really didn't think much of it, but Bryan said they looked like mountains when he was 25 miles into his marathon and running the same course at the finish :) My heart rate was starting to get pretty high towards the end, but I was really wanting to push as much as possible. I did a 2 minute run, 2 minute walk the last mile and a half, and tried to walk as fast as possible while avoiding the dreaded side stitch. The best part was that before mile 5, I left my leap-froggers behind and then passed 3 more people before the finish!! It wasn't much of a kick, but it was something!! The race finished inside the store which was an interesting thing to do. I felt really good and though it was a slow 10k, 1 hour 19 minutes , it was much faster than I expected. Yeah me!!

The best part was having my husband and adorable Gremlin right there at the end cheering for me!! As I walked to the refreshment area which was awesomely stocked with muffins, scones, fresh fruit, ice cream bars, fountain soda, coffee and tea, I saw the three folks I had paced with for much of the race come towards the finish. I had gained a couple of minutes on them which was quite surprising.

My feet felt better later that day, so I think I just need to be more consistent in running often during the week. When the official results came out, I was definitely back of the pack, but it was still an accomplishment. I'm getting faster even if it is in a painfully slow fashion, and despite my initial disappointment in cancelling my half, I did get to race and to enjoy the fun of the Bass Pro Outdoor Fitness Festival.

Overall Time = 1:19:08
Pace = 12:46
Age Group Place (Female 35-39)= 11/12
Overall Place = 148/164

Next up, the Little Rock Half-Marathon 3/7/10. I was originally thinking of the full, but I would rather focus on getting back up to speed in the half distance. I'm not expecting to PR, but I'd love to do a 2:45. Can I do it? Never say never!

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Find out about the three weekend Bass Pro Outdoor Fitness Festival here

October! Where have you gone??

Has it really been a month since I posted??
This goes to show that when I am without a laptop and sleep deprived a lot of things go by the wayside.

On the laptop front, my iBook died - or so I thought. With a some help from a work colleague, it was disassembled and the culprit found! A crispy part responsible for charging was ordered and replaced, so I'm now back to mobile computing! I never realized how much I relied on it until it was dead. It's so hard to use the PC in our office for long periods of time because the office is not a Gremlin-friendly zone. It's best for me to sit in the living or dining room in full view of Gremlin and his myriad of activities.

As for sleep deprived, that really isn't anything new. I've been sleep deprived for over a year now so there's no point in bitching about it. I'll just say that my son (to quote my husband) has the sleep needs of an 85 year old woman. Basically he sleeps very little and is up FAAAR too early!

I have had some great personal developments since my last post. I decided to start Weight Watchers again and take it SERIOUSLY this time. I went with the online version because apparently the state of Arkansas was not participating in the do two months get one month free special they were offering for meetings. Ridiculous because if ever there was a state that could use some free Weight Watchers, it most definitely is Arkansas. Luckily, I found a good deal on the online version and I decided that I would get out of it what I put into it. For me, the biggest problem is in recording my food intake. For Weight Watchers (or any diet) to work, it does require a knowledge of what one crams into their gullet. I purchased a handy dandy pocket notebook and committed to "If I bite it, I gotta write it!" When I make it to a computer, I then put it in my points tracker and calculate my points intake. There is also a mobile site that works with my Blackberry, but I find it's less aggravating to just put it in my notebook and use a real computer as soon as possible.

Apparently, it's worked, because so far I've lost FIVE pounds!!!
Woo Hoo!! Yeah Me!!!
(Pause for Applause)

I've certainly had my bad days and moments, but I now know that the system works. I'm still learning how to utilize my daily points allotment and trying to focus on healthier choices as opposed to blowing it all on a few donuts that leave me feeling hungry an hour later. I would LOVE to be at my goal weight by the end of the year, but barring that, definitely by my 2nd Anniversary in March.

In addition to weight loss efforts, I have been continuing to trudge along in my quest to be a runner once more. So far, my biggest obstacle has been Gremlin and I really need to find a way to mitigate that obstacle. Luckily he is happy to take a ride in the jogging stroller, but I just need the energy to do it. With recent sleep challenges, I have really felt worn down. I struggle with motivation to work out when I feel there's no gas in the tank. With the onset of true Fall weather, it really makes me WANT to go run. This is my favorite time of year and I love how crisp it feels outside. I simply need to overcome that urge to sit inside.

I recently did a 10 mile training walk/run which was the furthest I've gone in close to 2 years! My Mom was in town for the weekend which allowed me to go sans jogging stroller. It's so much easier to lose myself along the trail when I don't have to worry about a one year old getting bored, needing his sippie cup, or getting chilled by the wind. I'm still only averaging a 14-15 minute mile, but at least my endurance is coming back. I'm still following my half-marathon training plan for the Bass Pro Shops half-marathon November 1st, and also working on the Little Rock Marathon plan for March 2010. I'm still lacking on my weekday workouts, but have done enough long runs to know that I have it in me to be successful. It's just a matter of making a commitment and not allowing life, work and wee children to get in the way.

But hey, did I tell you that I lost FIVE pounds?!?!??!

Snaps for the Family that trains together

Woo Hoo!! I made my goals this week!

It was by the skin of my teeth, but I did it!! I left it all til the end of the week which isn't ideal for training, but Hey!! I did it!!! I walk/ran on Thursday and Friday, then today I did my 3 mile "long" run. (Which is almost embarrassing to say since 3 hardly qualifies as long in any sense of the word.)

Bryan and I both wanted to ride, so we tried the family workout. We've done it once before and it was quite successful. We take both bikes, the jogging stroller and Gremlin to the River Trail and then take turns - while one person rides, the other runs with the Gremlin. We meet back at the car at a predetermined time and switch. Today I did a 30 minute bike ride first, then pushed the Gremlin for my 3 miles. He was a little fussy when he and I first started, but it was nap time so he eventually gave it up and fell asleep.  It was a beautiful, uncharacteristic August day for Arkansas, temps in the 70s, sunny and not too humid.  I felt pretty good on my run, but I need to get my butt used to being on a bike again. I kept shifting my weight and getting out of the saddle while trying to find a comfy spot to put my butt bones.  One would think that biking would be more comfy with the extra natural padding my pregnancy added .... ummm not so much.  I also totally wimped out on the one hill I encountered and had to get off half-way up and push. I had the bike in the lowest gear and thought I could manage, but when I realized I was practically motionless, I decided to clip out before I fell over.

In any case, I'm glad that I made my goals for the week. I'm thankful for a nice brick workout and say the whole family deserves snaps for working out together!!!

Half Marathon Training Starts...

Today marks the official start of my half-marathon training for the Little Rock Half Marathon on March 15, 2009. I'm following a 14 week training plan in the book Marathoning For Mortals by "The Penguin" John Bingham. He writes an excellent column in Runner's World and has a lot of great advice for those of us who aren't too speedy but aspire to going longer distances. I used his run/walk plan for my last half marathon - the Colorado Colfax in May 2007 - and improved my time over my prior half by about 13 minutes. This time around, I'm doing the walk/run plan which puts more emphasis on the walking. I don't have any delusions that I'll be able to do a lot of running at the beginning of my training so this is the better plan. I need something that is realistic and that I can stick to, but I do have in the back of my head that I can start to add in more running as the weeks go by if my body tells me that I can.

In any case, as always I need a goal to shoot for or I never seem to get myself going. When I have a plan to follow, it holds me accountable and gets me out the door. I always feel great after a run, but just taking those first steps can be rough for me. I actually didn't get to work out today because I have HORRIBLE blisters that are now scabbed over. (I was really stupid and wore low-rise socks) I'm hoping an extra day will make it bearable to put on real shoes because at that moment I'm living in my clogs. I think I'll print out my plan and put it on the 'fridge and mark it off as I go. Maybe give myself a sticker when I successfully complete a week???? Yeah, I am that pathetic and in need of motivation. It's amazing I ever completed as many races as I did!!!

Countdown Begins!!

I'm sure that most of you migrated over at least on a casual basis to my other blog, but for those who did not - I'd like to announce that my son Corrigan was born on 10/12/08 at 2:05 a.m. after a marathon 33 hour labor! He's healthy, I did great, and we're now adapting to a completely altered state of existence.

I have my first post-partum checkup tomorrow which will be exactly one month since the birth, but I have to say that I feel I've recovered quite well from the pregnancy and delivery. I've started walking, mainly putting the "Gremlin" (term of endearment for the baby) in a stroller and heading out in the neighborhood for 30 minutes of exercise. The first couple of times I did this, I had a lot of soreness afterwards, but my last walk I had no residual discomfort. My main obstacle to exercising at this point is dealing with a somewhat cranky baby who likes to scream at inopportune times which leads to some major sleep deprivation. Breastfeeding every 2-3 hours really takes a lot out of me as well - though I'm not complaining since it's the best thing for him!

Regardless of my obstacles, I will officially start training for the Little Rock Half-Marathon on December 8th. I'm going to follow a walk/run plan from my book Marathoning for Mortals that will have a lot more walking than I'm used to. I figure if I feel great I can always throw some more running in, but at this point I just need a reasonable and tangible goal.

I also need to get back into strength training and really focus on my core. This will be a little more difficult since going to the gym now requires a coordinated plan for the spouse to watch the Gremlin, but he is very supportive of my goals so I'm sure we'll find a way. As always, I'll be using this blog to keep me honest and hopefully more accountable!

So here we go!

Running ... what a pain!

Well I guess I'm going to become a walker for the next 5 months. Despite my cool new Garmin and desire to be the hip pregnant chic that runs 5Ks, the body just isn't willing. I've been having a lot of discomfort lately from round ligament pain, and though I've learned the tricks to avoid it at home (don't get up from a seated position or bend over quickly), it's really noticeable when I try to jog. I went out this week and my heart rate was great when I warmed up! I felt awesome and really wanted to just pound the pavement a little, but as soon as I started even a slow jog it was extremely uncomfortable. I wore my tight supportive spandex shorts with a higher waist to support the growing lower belly, but it was no good. I was a little frustrated because I know lots of people run far later into their pregnancies, and I just have the slightest of bellies going on .... it seems silly for it to be so uncomfortable already, but it is what it is.


I was able to walk fairly comfortably (I think the right supportive belly gear will be crucial) and tomorrow I'm going to hit the gym and try the elliptical. I don't mind walking but it doesn't get me as aerobic as I would like and I'm guessing that bending over on a bike trainer may not be the most comfy either. I'm hoping the elliptical is tolerable and once my neighborhood pool is open, I think that swimming laps will be the way to go. I just don't want to end up with a ruined body AND a complete lack of cardiovascular fitness. I want to be running again by Christmas so we'll see how my alternative methods work.

A Garmin of my very own!!!

I think that this is the day that will change the trajectory of my training forevermore .... the day that I received my very own Garmin Forerunner 305 GPS!!! Woo HOO!!!

BJ has one that I have used on occasion and it is the coolest thing ever because you turn it on, put it on your wrist and off you go. If tells you distance, speed, heart rate - you can set it to alarm when you're running too fast or slow or your heart rate is too high or low. When you get home you can download your run and see it on a map and it is incredibly accurate, even showing the spot where you went back into the middle of the street to avoid a particularly nasty looking dog for example.

BJ doesn't mind loaning me his, but the problem is that he runs at work at lot so it's typically with him in his gym bag when I'm in the mood to head out. There's also the problem of when we run or race together .... well to clarify, we may start at the same place at the same time, but he's faster than me so we do our own thing. If we're training, we usually set a time - "OK we're running 45 minutes" and then we each turnaround at our respective half way point or perhaps take our own route. He always has the super cool data .... and I don't :(

I was reading one of my triathlete forums and learned that you can even load routes onto the GPS then run it. This would be super cool if I was planning something new or in an unfamiliar location and put in wayside points so that you don't get lost. You can also do an out and back and pay absolutely no attention and zone out (which can happen if I'm listening to some good tunes or a great NPR podcast) and then use the GPS breadcrumb trail to find your way back.

Seriously, I really think it's going to change my life!!

A shout out to Diane of the Hot Legs for tipping me off on the fabulous sale that REI has going on. BJ had apparently been monitoring the internet for prices trying to find a good deal for a while so that he could surprise me with it. Now if only it had a cute purple covering or something so that it looks truly Jenn!!

Running Update

This has not been the most productive year thus far. I started out with a great enthusiasm to overcome my sloth, started making some minor progress, then was completely sidetracked by getting sick. I honestly haven't run since .... I don't even know. It's been a little more than 4 weeks I guess!?! I was doing a few training runs, going very slow but at least doing it, but that respiratory infection just killed it. Even after I got over the raging fever and inability to get out of bed, the slightest bit of exertion would bring on a horrible coughing fit, as would breathing in cold air. I would say that I'm pretty well cured now, but of course I've been working my tail off trying to make up for the hours I called in sick.

Anyway, the bummer of it all is that this weekend is the Little Rock Marathon. I had switched my entry to the half near the end of the year because I was kidding myself if I thought I was going to be ready for the full mary. After having some rocky starts in my training, I had lowered my expectations and just hoped for a fun run/walk and wasn't going to stress about my time. Now, I'm not even sure how well I could walk the damn thing. The last thing I need is something to show me how much I suck, so I've decided to just forgo the whole thing and take the opportunity to cheer BJ for his first half-mary. I've also signed up to volunteer the Expo and give a little back to the running community.

I'm really excited for BJ! He hasn't completely stuck to his training, but overall he has done well. He ran a 15K race two weeks back which was the farthest he had ever run, and he did it with quite a bit of ease which really surprised him. Instead of feeling like a failure for not taking part, I'm going to be happy that I can have the chance to really support him in his first long distance race, as well as cheer on the other runners.

There's always next year to look forward to because Little Rock really puts on one hell of a race and their medals are second to none!!

Don't you have to GET on the wagon before you fall off it???

I have to admit that I haven't been a good little triathlete in training as of late, and so far I have no accomplished my immediate short term goals. I think I underestimated just how hard it would be to find the motivation to get off my ass, which has been firmly planted since around the time of our move. I'm not going to bad mouth myself, or make excuses, but I'm still gonna keep taking it one step at a time.

I have been running twice a week and did 6 miles Monday. It was one of those really enjoyable runs where the air felt crisp and I felt so invigorated when I was finished. I need to capture that moment and remind myself when I know I should go run and I just can't manage it.

Another thing that's helped (strangely enough) is my new Hot Legs running gear. The running club that belong to, appropriately called the "Hot Legs" ordered team gear months ago. I ended up getting a warm up suit, hat, short sleeved tech tee, and a singlet all emblazoned with our logo. I was so excited - especially about my cool Brooks running jacket - that it made me want to go out and run. Much the same way a cute new running skirt gets me excited!!


Given that the Little Rock half marathon is on the very near horizon, I need to consistently hit my runs. I know I can finish it - I'm not even worried about that, but it'd be nice to not embarrass myself. Also on the racing horizon, a local 15K three weeks before the half mary ... we'll consider it a supported training run with bonus t-shirt. I also just found out that there's a 10K the morning of the wedding in the little town where we're getting hitched. If BJ and I feel adequately recovered from the prior week's half marathon, we're going to do it and consider it an awesome way to start the day.

We found a gym to join, it pales in comparison to the fabulous facilities I had as a staff member of the University of Missouri, but I just gotta suck it up. As for pools, our neighborhood has a 25 yard outdoor pool three blocks away which will be great in summer, but for now I've gotta find something indoors and there aren't a lot of options here. There are two that I know of and one that's on my way home (relatively) from work so I'm thinking that will be the best option. If I'm not too tired, I can hopefully grab some laps in the mornings. There is a 50m pool at the local college, but the lap swim times are pathetic and not conducive to my schedule. So we'll see how much progress I can make in the next few weeks ... don't give up on me yet!

Let's Get Ready to Race!!!

It finally occurred to me that if I'm going to actually DO a triathlon this year, it will require my getting on a bike and jumping in a pool. In the past, I found the best way to motivate myself is to find a goal race, make a plan and then do my best to stick to it (or in general to not deviate so far as to injure myself!!)

I did actually go for a run yesterday .... though I do use the term "run" loosely. Even though I was ridiculously slow, I need to remind myself how quickly I can get back in shape if I just put forth the effort. I really do enjoy running, but nothing has been as fun and challenging for me as triathlon. I also think it keeps me in better shape because it forces me to cross train and get outside of the box.


With that in mind, I was looking at some tentative plans for races. I have already promised my old college roomie Liz that I would do a women's tri in the Chicago area with her this summer. We're thinking either the Danskin Chicagoland (which was the goal race that started my quest way back in 2006) or the Suburu Women's Tri Series in Naperville. Both are large women's only events and based on my experience at Danskin and reading the forums and race reports on Beginner Triathlete, it sounds like the Naperville race is better organized. I have to say I really like doing women's only races, there's just a vibe that makes it so rewarding.


So for 2008, here are some potential things on the tri list ...


Tri Little Rock Super Sprint 6/1
Suburu Women's Tri Naperville, IL June
or
Danskin Chicago 7/13
Iron Girl Texas Sprint Tri, Dallas 7/20
Degray Lake Sprint, Arkadelphia, AR 8/17

As for running events, I'm already committed to the Little Rock half-marathon on
3/2. ... Yes, I had registered for the marathon but there's no way in hell I'll be in shape to safely complete the full. Don't give me grief!!

I'd also like to do a trail race sometime this year - there's a 20K not too far away from here on 3/16, but that time frame may not work with Little Rock, my wedding etc. I'm sure I could find some sort of race - maybe in the fall??

So my goals for this week?

1. Run THREE times
2. Put my bike on the trainer and ride it ONCE (you gotta start somewhere)
3. Visit the two public pools convenient to work and join one
4. Visit a gym and look into joining. I need to STRENGTH train!

I'll update you on my progress on Monday

Jingle Bell Rock!

You might be thinking, "Wow, Jenn hasn't blogged about running lately. I wonder how her training is coming?" Well the short answer is that my training has been supplanted by unpacking, decorating and all other sorts of working around the new house. I'm sure it's not the smartest thing to take two weeks off, but it's just the way it's happened so no point in going on about it.

Yesterday, BJ and I participated in the Jingle Bell Run for Arthritis which is a national series of 5K events. I had signed up for it last year when I was living in Denver, but it was ridiculously cold and I had worked the night before so I skipped it. This time around, it was about 45 degrees and sunny when we left the house and by the end of the race I was wishing I hadn't worn long sleeves it was so warm! Since I hadn't been running lately I didn't approach it as a race. I went no watch, no heart rate monitor and in the end no timing chip (I lost it somewhere between my warm up run and the start of the race ... stupid zip ties!) I just wanted to go for a run, breathe the cool air and enjoy the atmosphere! Since I had no watch I had no clue how fast I was going, and I was actually shocked when I brought it in at just under 34 minutes on the finish clock. To be honest, I was going pretty slow and I didn't feel like running - if BJ hadn't been registered as well I would have stayed home.

I'm glad I went though, it was a pretty fun event with lots of costumes, santa hats and reindeer antlers. It was also one of the few family friendly races that welcomed jogging strollers and dogs. I didn't run in the hat because it's a little too loose, but we did have jingle bells on our shoes and my pony tail holders. So it was 3.1 miles of giddy up jingle horse pick up your feet, jingle around the clock. Mix and a mingle in the jingling feet, that's the jingle bell rock!

The Chile Pepper Festival: Feelin' HOT HOT HOT!

This weekend BJ and I were up in Fayetteville to frolic with the family and the Razorbacks so we decided to participate in the Chile Pepper Cross Country Festival. This unique running event is held on the University of Arkansas cross country course and starts with a 10K run open to the public then a morning and early afternoon of men's and women's cross country races at the collegiate, high school and finally junior high level. Several dozen collegiate teams were there from all across the south and there were masses of youngsters. It was a little chilly when we arrived, but once the sun came out and we started running, it was about as perfect of a fall day as you could ask for.

I've never run cross country so it was a very interesting course. Most of it was on grass with an occasional portion on a gravelly road or path. There were a few little ups and downs but nothing out of the ordinary when you run on Little Rock streets. The hardest part was staying sure footed on the sometimes uneven terrain, nothing outrageous like single track trail, but just required a bit more attention to detail than mindlessly running on pavement.

The course was three loops so the fast ass leaders looped us pretty quickly. Originally BJ and I had talked about running together and making it a pace run for our half marathon, but let's be honest, he's faster than me. It doesn't make me mad, but I also can't stand seeing him get irritated when I'm not keeping up and he wants to pull away. I kept saying, "take off and run, no seriously, just go" and he eventually did. There's no point in me holding him back when he can push harder and besides, I have no problems racing solo - I've been doing it for over a year anyway :)

We both were doing a 4:1 run/walk ratio and once I found my groove, it worked great. I wasn't pushing super hard because I was using this as my weekly long run for my half mary - the schedule was 7 miles but I figured 6.2 was close enough. I was just enjoying the people around me, watching the collegiate men warming up on the course as I was making my third loop, and the cheering of the crowd. In the end I was slightly behind my only other 10K race time and finished in 1:08:19 which is a 11:01 pace per mile. This put me 12/19 for my age group and 434/472 overall (yes, the people running in this race were very fast!) BJ had a 10K PR of 1:04:42 and finished 412/474. After the race, there was the typical post race fare of bananas, water and cookies, as well as tacos and sandwiches catered by a local Mexican restaurant. We didn't feel like staying around and watching the collegiate races (we didn't bring chairs or warm enough clothes) but it was interesting to note in the results how incredibly bunched all the racers are in the collegiate division. Also of interest was how fast the high school and junior high kids run their 5Ks, essentially all of them kick both of our asses which is just sad!! :)

A Couple that Runs Together .... Picks up Schwag Together!!

BJ and I participated in our first race together yesterday, the Tyler Curtis Memorial 5K, and it was also my first 5K in 6 months (did I mention I'm slow and I don't really like 5Ks???). Even though the 5K distance is not my favorite, I do like participating in local communtiy events, especially for a good cause. I also knew it was going to be fun to race with BJ even though I was pretty sure I wouldn't be able to keep up with him the whole way.

The race was in an adorable neighborhood southwest of Little Rock that we actually liked so much we added it to our list of places for our realtor to investigate. The course was run on paved streets and had "rolling" hills which is a very appropriate description. It wasn't horribly hilly, but just enough here and there to really challenge you. We both planned to do a 4:1 run/walk strategy and he was hoping to keep the run sections at 8 min miles, while I thought of staying more at a 9 minute pace. Of course in the heat of the moment and the excitement of the race start, I just ran with him for the first mile and a quarter .... then got a horrible side stitch and had to drop back. He was able to bring it in for yet another PR of 28:45 - an excellent time given that both of his prior 5Ks were on flat as pancake courses. And I was able to put up a respectable (for me) 30:47 which I'm not going to complain about given that my side stitch continued the whole last mile and a half of the race.

I'm pretty sure that had I paced myself better in the beginning, I would have been able to break that elusive 30 minute barrier, but hey - you win some, you lose some, and sometimes you learn to just let your husband-to-be run faster than you.

The best part of the race was the chance to catch up with my Hot Legs running friends and meet some new ones!! My work schedule since moving back to Little Rock has prevented me from joining the group runs, so it was awesome to see everyone who came out to volunteer and run the race.

BJ and I also stuck around for the door prizes and were stoked when he won dinner for two at a fancy restaurant in the Heights and I won two rounds of golf. BJ also ended up with second in his age group, so all in all it was a most productive day of racing!

It's raining men!

OK, not *really* - but it IS raining! This is the first rain we've had since I moved to Arkansas and it's a doozy! It occurred to me that BJ hasn't had to mow the crunchy, former shell of a lawn since we moved here therefore I've been denied the vision of a sweaty, shirtless BJ out in the yard doing man stuff. I mean I'm completely capable of mowing a lawn (though my former neighbors in Columbia might disagree) but if there's someone else stepping up to the plate to do it, then I'm all for that!!

The only downside of the aforementioned rain is my need to run. I don't know if I've ever fully disclosed on this blog that I am a complete klutz therefore running on wet pavement always makes me a wee bit nervous. I'm determined, however, to train faithfully for my next race. If for no other reason than to have a strong showing against BJ who is shaping up to be quite the runner. And BTW future mother-in-law, no - it's not funny at all that BJ is faster than me. It's a cruel knife in my adult onset athlete side that someone who just started running earlier this summer can already kick my ass. As a matter of fact, my future sister-in-law and brother-and-law are also doing the infamous Couch to 5K program and I'm sure it's only a matter of weeks before they're beating me too. If only I was marrying into a family of really obese and lazy people, THEN I could be the fast one. If only I had thought of that before ....
But does anyone really think I could be that shallow??
[Hint, yes I really could be :) ]

Well I'll just have to content myself with being the better looking runner of this marriage. With my cute running skirts, waterproof mascara, and full makeup - at least I'll be the one looking pretty at the finish line.

Fast Men and New Furniture

Is it wrong for me to admit that though I am very proud of BJ's latest race endeavors, I'm slightly irritated that he is now officially faster than me??? Yes, folks your friendly blog author really IS that shallow.

So yesterday was BJ's second 5K and the absolute gorgeous temps in the high 60s at the start were perfect for a run! I had worked an overnight shift so I was in a slight daze when I arrived. BJ was running with his friend Ken so I was on the lookout for Ken's wife and son - I rightfully assumed that a stroller would be an easy find in the crowd. After meeting up with JJM, we headed towards the finish line to await the arrival of our two favorite runners. The race was the Arkansas Clear Mountain 5K and it was one of the racing series for the Arkansas road runner groups so there were lots of FAST people, for example the winner came in just at 15 minutes. I knew that BJs goal was to beat 30 minutes (a goal I have long held missing twice and at 30:41 and 30:32) so I started looking closely at 27 minutes. I should mention that staying true to my vision of racing, BJ was concerned about what shirt to wear, whether it would good etc. Clearly I have taught him that it's not only about how you race, but how GOOD you look when you race! When I finally saw him, he was sprinting hard to the finish and made it right at 29 minutes!!!! You suck!! ...... err I mean, Good for you!! Great job!! Here's a pic of him and his friend Ken (copyright jjm) - what nice looking runners don't you think??? It's a shame they had both taken off their headbands, it gave them both such a nice retro 80s touch!!

After returning from the race, our new furniture was delivered! It was a shock to see the former bachelor pad living room suddenly turned into a warm, and welcoming living room as befitting the status of two, cool, young professionals. We now have a cream colored couch with sage and rust accents pillows, a kick-ass old fashioned leather club chair, and a fun, red hot swivel chair that we just threw in the mix because it was also on clearance and I loved it! Every time I walk into the room I still grin and the couch is hands down the MOST COMFORTABLE couch I've ever been on. Seriously, it's soft and wide and so roomy that even two people who really didn't like each other could lay down and barely touch. The dog children have sniffed around once or twice and I think we had to tell each of mine at least once to get down.







































And for when we're not watching?? We purchased these evil mats from Dr Fosters and Smith (my favorite dog stuff supplier!) to place on the furniture.I'm guessing that it will only take one time of jumping up and feeling unpleasantness on their paws before they stay away forever. I feel a little mean, but we are determined that this will NOT be dog furniture and given that they all have comfy beds (Cleo just got a new one this week that even matches one of the cushions on the couch) I refuse to feel guilty.

An update on athletic endeavors

Since this was originally *supposed* to be a blog about my running and triathlon pursuits, which later turned into a discourse on my travel nursing, I should really get back to business.

As to the running ... my training for the Chicago Marathon has officially derailed. There's no point in beating myself up about it because it is what it is. I knew when I signed up back in March that training for a marathon was a serious undertaking that requires commitment to putting in the miles. I haven't kept up my end of the bargain, simple as that. Instead of making excuses or beating myself up, I'm going to look forward to what's next. Yes, I'm out the $120 registration fee, but I'd rather not run it, than run it and risk hurting myself.

With that in mind, BJ and I decided to turn our attention to a late year half marathon. It will be my third and hopefully an opportunity to break 2:30, and his first attempt at this distance. We thought about Tulsa, but then looked at the Las Vegas Marathon/Half- Marathon on December 2nd. It has an awesome course that starts and ends on the strip, tons of running Elvi, a run through wedding chapel at mile 5 (it's tempting, let me tell you!) and of course all the excitement that Vegas has to offer. So starting this week, BJ and I will be training for this race. We're going to try to do all of our long runs together so that we can find a good pace that works for both of us. This race will be my immediate goal with the overall plan of debuting as a kick ass marathoner at the Little Rock Marathon in March. Now that I've disappointed myself once - I don't think I'll let it happen again.

In travel nursing news, I started my assignment at Arkansas Children's and I've quickly gotten back into the swing of things. It's a massive unit and I've been surprised at how many people remember me! I've gotten lots of "weren't you here before?" which was a surprise because there are so many nurses there, I just assumed that most wouldn't remember me at all.

Regarding the sibling rivalry, I am happy to announce that all of the dog children are now getting along. There are still occasionally tiffs, just as you would expect amongst stepsiblings, but the days of poor BJ's dog getting a daily ass kicking from my spaniel seem to be over. I'm still not sure what the pecking order is among them, I have a feeling that the small terrier (nicknamed the "Great White Devil" by BJ) is actually in charge of everyone. In any case, they can now be unsupervised which has relieved a great deal of stress on my part.

The last fun thing to report is that BJ and I made our first big purchase together! We were at Dillards doing some pre-wedding registry research when we happened to see a couch that we had previously liked on clearance as a floor model. [Side note: who knew there were so many patterns of crystal and that he and I would each have such strong opinions on the vessel for holding the wine that will hopefully get us drunk for years to come?!?!?] Given how excellent the price was we couldn't' resist, and if we're getting a couch, we might as well get a chair right? So next weekend our new living room furniture will be delivered and we will finally start having "our" stuff as opposed to his and hers. It's an exciting time, let me tell you!! Now if we can just figure out how to keep the dogs off of it ...

Don't Race After Work!! The Iron Girl 5 Miler

NOTE: This race report is ridiculously tardy which is totally in keeping with my personal habit of rarely, if ever being on time.

When looking at my race calendar for the summer, I realized that I had nothing scheduled until my marathon in October. Originally I had hoped to do two women's triathlons here in Denver, but after looking at the layer of dust on my unused bike and realizing that I hadn't swam since August of 2006 ... I wisely decided against competing in either of those races.

When flipping through my Colorado Runner magazine (can you imagine? A running community so large here that they have a monthly magazine) I fixated on the Iron Girl Denver event on July 1st. They had a 5K and a 5 mile distance and I thought a 5 miler would be fun. I looked at my schedule and saw that I was working on Saturday during the day and off the Sunday of the race so it would be perfect!! I registered online and after reading some reviews on my BT website, started to look forward to the event. It wasn't until a week prior that I realized that I was in fact working Saturday NIGHT!! This means I go into work at 7 p.m. on Saturday and get off at 7:30 a.m. on Sunday morning. And my 5 mile race?? Yeah, that starts downtown at 8 a.m.!! Yet another example of poor planning on my part because I always run like crap after I've worked all night. Having put down my $35 and really wanting to do it anyway, I just accept that I'm not going to be particularly speedy and that I will be scrambling to make the start of the race on time.

I packed my race bag and took it to work with me that night, gave a speedy report to the oncoming shift (thanks to the day nurse for showing up a little early so I could get out quicker), changed in the locker room and was in my car headed downtown by 7:30. I made it to the start with 10 minutes to spare!! For my race outfit, I was debuting my pink camouflage marathon girl skirt, and given that the company who makes the skirt is based in Boulder I saw TONS of racers in skirts and quite a few in the pink camo one. Interestingly enough, I even saw another racer named Jennifer (our names were on the bibs) wearing essentially my same racing outfit! This was definitely the first time I had seen so many fashionable racers, usually I'm one of the few in a skirt so I really stand out whereas in this case I was just part of the crowd.

The start and finish was right in front of the Capitol and the approximately 800 racers for both events were starting together. It wasn't terribly hot yet (it's been RIDICULOUSLY HOT for Denver as of late) but the sun was full out and super bright. As usual I didn't warm up and I had peed twice in the portapotties. Immediately after the start is a huge climb for about two blocks - bascially my heart rate jumped into race mode about 500 feet into the race and I was already panting which didn't bode well for the rest of the race. I had decided on a 4 minute run, 1 minute walk strategy and though I didn't have any firm goals - I was hoping to break an hour. The first mile was tough, not only because of the hill, but because it always takes me about a mile to settle into my run. Unlike a lot of other races I've been in, the field spread out pretty quickly so I was mostly on my own. I didn't have an iPod, so it was mainly just the sound of my own feet on the pavement. Truth be told, I got a little lonely and I missed the occasional chatter with fellow racers.The course went east and then circled around Cheeseman Park, there was the occasional slight hill but all in all it was pretty flat. I stuck with my walk/run ratio but I was having some difficulty keeping my heart rate under control and it was really feeling like I was putting out a lot of effort. Basically it was the same type of crappy running feeling that I expect after a long night at work. As I was going into the last mile, I realized that I was going to break an hour so I decided to kick my running pace up a notch and really push it. I still took my walking breaks but was doing about a 9- 9:30 pace during my runs (which is fast for me). I still had enough left to sprint it out to the finish, then I grabbed some Gatorade and walked a bit until the dizziness left.

The best part of the race was the awesome breakfast spread! There were tables set up in the park outside the Capitol with white tableclothes and floral centerpieces, and the breakfast buffet was amazing!! Everything from fresh fruit and cereal to french toast and croissant sandwiches. I completely stuffed my face, waited around for the door prize drawings (came up empty handed as usual) then headed home for a much deserved nap.

My official time was 58:29 which is a pace of 11:42. I had an overall placement of 292/353 (seriously, runners in Colorado are FAST!) and was 65/76 in my age group. Though it's certainly not my quickest short distance race, given the circumstances I was quite pleased and I got a pretty medal, a technical tee, as well as a great breakfast out of it!!!

Oh, and my cute skirt?? I felt like I was flashing my butt cheeks the first half of the race. The bikini briefs beneath aren't *quite* as modest as I would like so I don't know that I'll be racing in it again. I have similar racing skirts in a another brand that cover my butt a little better, and then I have several with compression shorts beneath as opposed to the bikini. This was the only race where I've been constantly worried about my ass, and I'm just thankful it was an all women's event or I would probably have been mortified!!

Marathon Training or Marathon Train Wreck??

As most of my loyal readers know, I'm planning my first marathon in October - the Chicago Marathon to be exact. I have a cool little countdown timer on the bottom of my blog that sometimes doesn't work to constantly remind me of how close it's getting!!

I started out using a training plan from Hal Higdon, the same guy who got me through my first half-marathon. It includes three runs during the week and a "long" run on the weekend that increases incrementally from 6 to 20 miles. So far, I've been able to make my long runs on the weekend, but the weekday runs have been killing me! My biggest problem is a constantly flip-flopping schedule from days to nights. When I'm on days, it's practically dark when I get home at 8 p.m. and as for mornings??? Do you honestly think I'm going to get up at 4:30 a.m. to run before I go to work????? And when I'm on nights, I have the issue of my "morning" being around 4 p.m. which is traditionally the hottest time of day which leads to ridiculously slow and frustrating runs. Basically for the first four weeks I was constantly missing my runs for one reason or another and feeling terribly guilty about it.

Once I decided to straighten up and get to it, I realized that I was so far behind on my total weekly mileage that I was likely to aggravate my IT band or cause some other injury were I to suddenly start following the plan. As a result, I bagged Hal's plans (sorry Hal) and turned to my new running guru, John "The Penguin" Bingham and his Marathoning for Mortals plan. I'm actually going with a run/walk plan because let's face it, at this point I simply want to complete it in one piece before the course closes. This plan still has the all important long run on the weekend ,but during the week, it's two days of running for 40 - 45 minutes (totally doable) and a day of cross-training (hello, remember when I *used* to want to be a triathlete??). So we're currently on week 7 and I'm keeping my fingers crossed. Tomorrow is a 9 miler and I'm still

chugging along.

Reporting from the path to marathon completion ...