I know some of you get up at 0400 or 0500 routinely. For me, it is a bit of a struggle. I went to bed at midnight and slept, yes, slept, for four hours, then got up to get ready to go. It always takes me at least an hour to prepare for a long run.
Early morning sun is a special treat for me, not usually being coherent that time of the morning. I took off, taking great care to get my prescribed 09:38 per mile until about mile 9, when I sort of got lost and hiked for awhile. I just went down by the river and wandered around...a little too far as I couldn't get back on the road without a major detour. It was a detour I loved! An incredibly gorgeous, even spiritual, morning. Hiking, or gazing at the river, was not on my running plan, but what I needed today for soul. So good stuff.
But by the time I finally got back on the road and started running again, I was so stiff. My left foot, which has been bothering me for a long time, is not letting up. It feels like it is not getting blood to it, in fact, it feels better when I stick it on the vibrating diabetic foot thing we have. Well, at first it hurts like crazy, then it feels better. At least for a few minutes. Maybe I should have someone check it out because it is really starting to slow me down.
So I was supposed to do tempo of 8:30 per mile when I got to mile 13, but I came up on 13 before I had ran 13 and there were a lot of stop lights and freeway entrances, so I waited until 14 and did a very fast mile and then died. I was tired! And the heat was getting to me. So I jogged, then ran fast till I got to the water stop. All in all I think I only did 3 miles of tempo, not four, and not all together. Very humbling. I'm hoping I can do better when my foot is functioning properly. I still have the heart stuff when I stop and then try to start again (neurocardiogenic syncope related), but the beta blocker does help a lot and it isn't as severe. I don't think the pericarditis is affecting my running much at all, in fact the doctor said the rub was not as obvious last time she checked.
Anyways, so I am going along...I walked for awhile after the water stop, since I had done 17, and hoping to get some energy to run mile 18-19 fast. I did, a total of 19.34 miles, very similar to last week's long run. Will I ever improve?
For me a lot of it is just the art of having diagnoses and learning my body. It takes a lot of listening and persistence. I hope at least I am not going backwards.I did some core work when I got home as that was lacking this week. This is most definitely NOT me:
That's an awesome run, Elaine! I stop on all my tempo-ish runs -- I do! And I am struggling with them every single week; I cannot get my tempo pace where I need it to save my life. You are so hard on yourself yet each and every single day I find what a true inspiration you are to me and I am blessed to have you in my life! What a gorgeous morning run!! Now go and celebrate with a little diabetic foot machine massage and a nice, thick, protein shake (minus the protein, if you wish :) ).
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