Briefly Checking In

Once again, I've been incommunicado for a couple weeks. This seems to happen most often when I find myself super busy with other projects- my internet time drastically decreases and my blogging slows from a trickle to a sporadic drip.

I have about two more weeks of busyness (despite my efforts I did not finish all the painting before Christmas), and then I hope to be more regular with my posting.

On the upside, I will have lots of pictures to share from all the painting and remodeling work I've been doing, as well as Christmas photos, GAPS updates, goals accountability and updates, and Disney photos (parks and races).

In the meantime, here's a photo I took while running on a canal towpath Christmas Eve morning. Parts of it were covered with snow and ice, but a lot of it was fairly clear, so while it was colder than I'm used to (I've been doing a lot of treadmill running), I was able to go for a nice four mile run.

I finally found my stride today

don't you wish you were this flexible?

I've been running regularly the last few weeks, doing my standard alternating 5 minutes walking/5 minutes running. I'd be watching the clock on the treadmill, just waiting for the 5 minutes to end so I could walk again.

Today, everything felt good. It felt right. When each 5 minute segment was finished, I wanted to keep running- it felt effortless.

I've been increasing my mileage faster than I should, though, so I decided not to push my luck by running more than 5 minutes at a time.

It's so nice to finally reach the point where running feels good again. It hasn't felt this good in years. I need to make sure I don't get over-zealous and push too hard, too fast, but with my next half marathon just 6 weeks away it is tempting.

 I also like how my workout clothes fit- the 20 pounds I've lost so far really shows. Female-cut technical shirts run a bit small, but now I can wear several race shirts that were too tight in the past. Yay!

Turkey Trot

terrible picture taken just before the race, but it's the only one I have

Thursday I ran the Turkey Trot that we did last year and the year before.

LMS decided not to run the kids' run this year, and I didn't push it. The kids' run is not easy- 1/4 mile down hill followed by 1/4 mile back up the hill to the finish. I'm hoping her energy levels will increase as her intestines heal so she'll feel up to doing more things.

Since Mr M is out of town, I pushed LMS in the jogger as I ran. I've decided this is the last year LMS gets to ride in the jogger :) It's still doable, but it's getting harder. The first two miles I managed about a 9 minute pace, but then I ruined it by taking almost 20 minutes to run the last mile. I had to stop and walk three times because of all the hills. That last mile is brutal! I ended up finishing in 37:58, and had a good strong kick at the end, which I was pleased with.

The weather was perfect for running too. It was about 32 degrees when we arrived, but it warmed up a few degrees while we waited to start. While we were waiting, it was chilly, but once we got going it was great. I never over-heated or got super sweaty, which would have happened in warmer weather since I pushing LMS up all those hills.

I've only been running on the treadmill, but I made sure to include some hill work since I knew the race contained hills. While there are some local races in December, I don't think I'll do any of them. I might do one on New Year's Day, but I haven't decided about that yet. My next race after that is the Disney World Half Marathon in January.

My training will now focus on distance (my mileage is not as high as it should be), with some speed work and hill work thrown in.

Halloween 5k

Saturday we ran the Halloween 5k that I ran last year. During the awards ceremony they gave a bag of Halloween candy to the kids who ran the race and LMS decided then and there that she had to run the race so she could get a bag of candy (yes, we know one of her motivators).

About a month ago I signed us both up and then tried to think of costumes to wear. I couldn't think of anything particular, so we just went the mini-me route and tried to find matching outfits, which isn't as easy as it sounds. I eventually found very similar tech shirts at Target and matching tutu-floofy skirts in the costume aisle at Walmart.

You can't see LMS's skirt in the pic above, but you can see it below. She's covering her face because she didn't want me to take a picture of her smiling.

Last year it was very cold and rained the whole race. This year the weather was perfect: a slight chill, but still warm enough to wear short sleeves, and no wind or rain to contend with.

We started training for the race this summer, but getting sick derailed our training program and we never quite got back on track. So I wasn't expecting LMS to run the whole 3.1 miles, and she didn't. I had to coax her along after the first mile, but we were able to finish in 46:33 (my slowest 5k ever, but it wasn't about me, it was about LMS).  I think that's a great time for our 6 year old's first 5k. I think I was 13 or 14 the first time I ran a 5k, so I'm super excited that she's starting so young.

During the awards ceremony after the race, kids 8 and under who finished the race were invited to come get a bag of treats. LMS was way more excited than this photo suggests. And it instantly erased the memory of all the complaints she'd had during the race. On the way home, I asked her if she wanted to do the race again next year, and she immediately replied "Sure!" in an excited voice.

crappy indoor photo

LMS's next race will be a lot shorter: the 1/2 mile Turkey Trot fun run on Thanksgiving day. 

And yes, we will be doing some training before then.

How old were you when you ran your first 5k?

Four Mile Race

Saturday I ran the four mile race that I've run the previous two years (2011, 2010).  I was a lot slower this year at 47:19 than in previous years (43:55 and 42:32), but considering I was flat on my back two weeks ago, I'm not complaining. Two weeks ago I barely managed to slowly walk the .4 mile trip to the mail box and back before collapsing on the couch.  Saturday I ran 3.3 miles and walked .7 miles at a good pace. I think I did pretty good :)

In previous years the weather has been quite hot, but this year it wasn't too bad because it rained lightly most of the time. Of course, the rain tapered off (and it got really muggy) just as I hit the uphill portion (miles 2.5 to 3.5ish), but then the rain picked up again a little as I headed down to the finish line. I anticipated the rain and wore a lightweight hat (which I don't usually do), so my glasses stayed mostly dry and the run was quite enjoyable.

And then I went home and fell asleep on the couch because I was so tired.

I may be feeling better, but my energy levels are definitely not what they were before I got sick.

My next 5k is in 8 weeks. I'll be better prepared, but I'm not expecting a PR. This is the race LMS wants to run, so I'll be going her pace and encouraging her. I can't wait to see how her first 5k goes!

First 5k of the year

This past weekend I ran my first 5k of the year. I haven't run any races since the Disney Half Marathon in January, so I was excited to finally run another race. I've been patiently doing my physical therapy since December, and it has paid off. I was able to run the race without my knee hurting (yay!).

I'm a bit out of shape since my training has been limited to minimal treadmill running with no incline, and the course was hillier (hilly-er?) than I expected, so I ended up with sore calves and thighs, but there was no knee pain.

Mr M was at drill so I ended up pushing LMS in the jogger the whole race. I'm going to start her on a 5k training program, but she wasn't ready for this 5k. I was just happy they allowed jogging strollers in the race, since that meant I didn't have to find a babysitter for LMS (such a hassle).

In any case, despite being out of shape and pushing LMS up multiple hills I managed to finish the race in 39 minutes and 23 seconds. The last 5k I ran was the Turkey Trot on Thanksgiving, and I ran that in 32:44. I was almost 7 minutes slower this time, but I'm completely ok with that given my current level of fitness.

There was also a short kids race that LMS participated in. Isn't she so cute?

at the beginning

at the finish

LMS always appreciates a good finisher's medal. The shinier, the better :)

This was the second race I've run while pushing LMS in the jogger, and I've realized a few things. Mainly, some people are just dumb. There were a couple people that came from behind me, and ran so close to the jogger that I had to veer away from them so as not to hit them. Really? They just went around me- they knew I was there- they couldn't have given us some space?

On the other hand, if I come up behind someone, I do need to be aware of how much space we're taking up. However, if you're as short as I am, it can be difficult to see the front tire, and thus not run into someone. Extra vigilance is required :) Though it's really only an issue at the beginning of the race- once everyone spreads out it's not so bad.

I have my eye on a couple races to participate in the next few months, but need to hammer out our schedule before committing to anything. Are you running any races this summer?

Celiac, vitamin deficiency, and shinsplints

photo courtesy of LMS

Several years ago, before we found out I had celiac, I had a very extensive physical done, and my vitamin D levels were low, as was my calcium. They weren't sure why I was low, but ever since I've taken supplements to correct the deficiency.

I read a post awhile ago that was eye-opening. I originally found Pete's blog pre-celiac diagnosis, when I was looking for info on closed ski resorts in Colorado, which he wrote an interesting book about. Once I went gluten free I started reading his blog, which as a fellow gluten free athlete, though I'm nowhere near his level, is quite helpful and encouraging.

Pete says that the athlete they highlighted had bad shinsplints that were caused by low levels of vitamin D and calcium. He goes on to say that this is a common occurrence in athletes with celiac that hasn't been diagnosed. Once she went gluten free her vitamin levels increased, her bones got stronger, and her shinsplints went away.

Hmmm. Sounds like me. Only I'm not a champion runner :)

Seeing the connection between vitamin deficiency (Ca and D) caused by the untreated celiac and shinsplints and stress fractures was good for me. As I've mentioned before, I've had problems with chronic shinsplints since I was in college. I've seen progress recently, which I attributed to the physical therapy I've been doing, but after reading Pete's post, I think it's a combination of the PT and the vitamin supplementation. Years of intestinal damage and low vitamin levels doesn't get undone overnight, unfortunately.

I'm coming up on my 3 year gluten free anniversary this month, but I'm only a couple months past my 1 year "free of everything my body doesn't like" anniversary (less than that if you count from when I eliminated almonds and coconut). I think I've made more progress this past year than in the previous two. I know LMS has improved more this past year. I sorted her clothes a couple weeks ago, and she's finally outgrowing a lot of her clothes. She didn't grow much the last two years, so it's nice to see evidence that her growth is picking up again.

Yay for progress, and yay for progress validated!

2.5 minutes

 

Last week I got the ok from my physical therapist to slowly start adding in some running to my walking on the treadmill. When I say slowly, I mean I can run 30 seconds every 5 minutes. If I'm on the treadmill for 30 minutes, I run a grand total of 2.5 minutes. It's not much, but it's a good start.

Though it's actually quite difficult to only run 30 seconds at a time. Have you ever tried it?

I've found a 5k to do at the beginning of June. At this point, I don't know if I'll be able to run the whole distance, but just getting out and finishing a race will be very encouraging.

You're never to old to play on a jungle gym

image source

Physical therapy kicked my bum today.

The clinic recently bought a Lifeline Jungle Gym XT, and they had me do some exercises with it.
Two exercises laying on my back with my feet in the cradles and my body in the bridge position, and one exercise with me resting on my elbows in plank position with my feet in the cradles.

All I can say is, WOW.

I used so many different muscles at the same time.

The great thing is that if I do the exercises properly, I will strengthen my core and hips, which will in turn help with the imbalances in my legs. And you can use it for so many different exercises- it's not just for strengthening the lower body.

Even though I'm taking longer than I wanted to get back to running, when I do start running again I should be much stronger physically and better able to avoid injury.

Mr M and I had seen an advertisement a couple years ago for the TRX suspension system, but couldn't quite get past the $200 price tag. The Jungle Gym costs half that, and seems to have a few less quirks (according to reviews I read on Amazon). I think we'll soon be the proud owners of a Jungle Gym!

Have you used either product?

Physical Therapy

I haven't talked about my running lately. That would be because I haven't been running :(

After the half marathon my physical therapist re-evaluated everything: watching my gait, comparing left leg strength to right leg strength, etc.

The verdict? I'm very right-dominant, and that's causing a lot of problems within my body. The inequality in the muscles perpetuates problems in my gait, which leads to injuries, which leads to inequality in the muscles.... It's a never-ending, vicious cycle.

So I had to stop running while we focused on strengthening my left leg. I have exercises to do every day and I roll my legs and hips with a foam roller. I'd really like to start running again, but I'm being good. No February race this year, and no March race either, unfortunately. But looking at the big picture makes the frustration worth while. I was foam rolling before the half, and my shins didn't bother me. After 12+ years of shin problems, I'm willing to do just about anything if it means I can run pain free. Being patient and doing my exercises will help me reach that goal.

I've been good and resisted the urge to go running. I have skied twice, but I've been very careful and skied very conservatively so I wouldn't risk an injury. I get to try running for a few minutes when I go in for my PT session this week. Hopefully that will go well and I can gradually increase my mileage.

I finally figured out where to set up my bike trainer- I need to have a place where I can leave it up. I had thought about the basement work room, but since I still need to build our bookshelves, I wouldn't be able to leave it up, which would decrease the likelihood of me actually using it. Then I realized that there's room in the guest room. It'll mean carrying the bike up a flight of stairs, but I won't need to take it down again right away. In any case, I plan on spending some time on my bike soon. If I'm careful about my form, it should help strengthen my leg also.

I can't wait till I can start exercising again in earnest!

Half marathon recap (it's a long post)

Last Saturday I ran my third half marathon. Yay me!

We were up at 3 am in order to catch the 4 am shuttle to the start. It was colder than we were expecting, but the temp was great for running, though not great for walking 20 minutes to the start line and waiting another 30 minutes for my wave to start.

The first half of the race I felt good, strong even. My knees and shins didn't bother me. However, the lone 6 mile long run in my training showed when I hit the second half of the race. I was able to still keep my splits up (even with a potty break at the half way mark), but I had to work harder at it. The balls of my feet were pretty sore- the unfamiliar pounding? my plantar fasciatis not being happy? not sure what exactly the issue is, but I've had problems with it before, so I need to figure out the source of the problem. I'm hoping it was just having my shoes tied too tightly (a possibility, from what I can determine).

I got my knee taped Thursday before we left and I left it on till Tuesday night. There was no pain while the tape was on, but Wednesday my knee wasn't super happy. After the race my knees and thighs and hips were stiff and a bit sore, but I brought my foam roller and did some stretching and that helped a lot.

The course itself is a good one. It's pretty flat with a few moderate hills- not too long, and not too steep. Several marching bands, some djs, Disney music on loudspeakers, various Disney characters, and cheering crowds lined the way. The placement of a drill sergeant-esque toy soldier from Toy Story at the crest of the last hill (the longest one) at mile 11.something was particularly apropo. He was talented too- he managed to keep shouting encouragement at runners while posing for photo-ops. I didn't do any of the available photo-ops along the course because there was always a line and I wasn't about to screw up my pace.

I finally got a Garmin GPS-enabled watch not too long ago, but I've only used it a couple times, and I'm still not totally comfortable using it, so despite my best efforts while crossing the start line I couldn't get it to do what I wanted and it ended up being just a bulky watch. Even so, I was able to keep track of my mile splits fairly accurately, and knew I was keeping a pretty consistent 12 minute per mile pace, which was faster than I expected, given my training pace on the treadmill. When I checked my stats after the race I saw that I actually managed to run a bit faster than 12 minutes per mile.

Miles run ------- Time -----Average Pace

3.1                36:43     11.50 min/mile

6.2             1:12:50     11.44 min/mile

9.3             1:51:33     11.59 min/mile

13.1           2:37:27     12.01 min/mile

I ran the first 6 miles without stopping, then walked about 30-45 seconds of each 12 minute mile after that, except for the last mile. The last mile I did a lot of walking/running/walking/running because I was tired and losing steam fast.

I ate 2 shot blocks every couple of miles, for a total of 8, I think. I chased them with water and powerade from the water stations. They stayed down without any problems. In the past I've eaten a larabar before the race, but they don't sit well once I get running, and I knew I'd end up puking if I ate one that morning, so I ran the race on a banana and 8 shot blocks. Not what I had planned, but it worked.

I had two belt pockets- one with my iphone so Mr M could call and see when I'd be hitting the first viewing point and so we could reconnect at the end, the other with my shotblocks, chapstick, bodyglide, and wipes in case of intestinal problems. I didn't need the wipes or the bodyglide (I lubed up very well before leaving the hotel), but better safe than sorry. Mr M and LMS were waiting to cheer me as I came out of Cinderella's castle, and then again at the finish line. LMS was a real trooper- she got up at 3:30 am and kept going the whole day.

 LMS asking Daddy "when will mommy come by?" Note the less-than-thrilled-to-be-waiting-around frown on her face :)

After running through Cinderella's castle

 Oh yes, and since it was a Disney race, I dressed up. Nothing too fancy, just an understated Rapunzel costume. I used this tutorial for the tank top sleeves, and then sewed my own sparkly skirt. You can buy them, but I decided to make my own, which turned out longer than the ones you can buy, which I liked. However, I don't know that I'll make another one. The sparklies are glued to the fabric and sewing through them causes adhesive to gum up the needle, which then causes the thread to break. I had to keep wiping my needle down with a cleaning solution every couple inches to keep my thread from breaking. I also followed this tutorial for a Rapunzel wig, which turned out very nice, but the reality is that I have a very hard time wearing hats, headbands, and the like because they give me headaches within minutes of putting them on. Just putting it on to see how it fit gave me a headache, so I ditched my plans to wear it in the race and gave it to LMS to wear for dress up, which made her happy. A pity to not be able to use it myself, but that's the way it goes.

I was quite apprehensive about the food issue - I really started to regret the decision to fly and stay in a hotel instead of driving the trailer down, but it worked out for the most part. Thursday I got glutened at lunch by accident, so I wasn't feeling great, but I did my pasta carb loading Thursday night before we left. I hadn't found a source of gluten free pasta that looked reliable, and supposedly it's ok to carb load more than a day in advance. Friday morning we flew to Florida and had lunch at Chipotle after we arrived, where I got glutened again :(  Dinner was at Outback since they're fairly knowledgeable and aware of food allergies and are quite gluten free friendly. No issues there, thank goodness. 

Two days in a row of getting glutened had me very worried about how my intestines and stomach were going to do during the race. The nausea was bad enough that I almost puked while eating a banana for breakfast as I dressed. I managed to keep it down and empty my intestines before we left the hotel, so I counted myself fairly lucky. My intestines were still a bit painful, but not gotta-run-to-the-potty-painful, so it was manageable. I sipped some water before the race, which wasn't the smartest thing since I have a nervous bladder before races. Despite two potty stops on the way to the start line I had to go again by the time my wave started. I knew there would be porta potties along the way, but I didn't actually find some that didn't have long lines till the halfway point. I didn't want to spend time waiting in line since I was doing so good keeping a consistent pace.

 Mr M's brother and me- this was his first half marathon

Me and my cheering section. LMS is wearing the jacket I brought to wear before the race. Since it was so cold we put it on her when I took it off.

 My last half marathon, almost 3.5 years ago, was 2:29:46. It was a fast course, so I'm pretty happy about only being 7:41 minutes slower this time around, especially given my under-training, knee injury, and getting glutened the day before. And 2:37:27 is waaay faster than the 3 hours I was conservatively hoping for :) I'm encouraged to go and sign up for a few more half marathons this year.

The time on the clock is the clock time. Since I didn't start in the first wave, it's not my true finishing time.

 After the race, we spent time at the parks, thanks to discounted tickets for military personnel, and did lots of walking.

Saturday- 6.15 miles walked (after the half marathon!)
Sunday- 6.14 miles walked
Monday- 5.32 miles walked
Tuesday- 7.28 miles walked

Total mileage for the weekend:  24.89 miles walked plus 13.1 miles ran equals 37.99 miles, which is almost a marathon and a half! (that would be 39.3 miles)

My half marathons:

1st- Disneyland Half (Sept 2007)   2:59:18

2nd- Top of Utah Half (Aug 2008)  2:29:46

3rd- Disney World Half (Jan 2012)   2:37:27