Joint fitness

Lisa and I are on the verge of completing an entire month of 3x/week gym sessions. I still can't run for an hour straight, but I'm going to try again today. Monday I lasted 50 minutes. I always start out too fast, then I can't keep it up, so I'm going to force myself to reduce the pace to 6.5 mph--a bit slower than a 9 minute mile.

Please come to Boston in the springtime

Although I am currently under the effects of narcotics, I will attempt a race report. I feel so grateful for all your support! I feel so grateful to run the Boston marathon. I feel relieved my time was not nearly as bad as last year.
I went in with a hernia, exacerbated geatly by the plane ride...sitting is the worst, walking is next, running the least painful. I figured I need surgery anyway, why not run the marathon. I probably should have pulled out. I have at least one new hernia...the good news is the doctor that checked me out told me I did not manage to strangulate, which would have required immediate hospitalization and surgery.
I am not ashamed about my time, even tho it was much worse than I was shooting for. The location of one of the hernias really impaired my style. At one point an unsuspecting kindly gentleman handed me a ziplock sandwich bag full of ice, which I promptly stuck down the front of my compression shorts, in full view of all spectators and cameras alike.
I had put a topical medicine on and greatly enjoyed my first miles of speed before it wore off, before I widened the hernias...I really hate slow miles, really, really. I would have walked but that was even more painful. There was one more ice in the pants scene about 6 miles later. I really saw that ice as a tender mercy. Although it didn't help my speed, it was so nice!
Again, the little kids with the high fives and orange slices were especially delightful. Oh, and it was so absolutely gorgeous. I don't know. The whole race, even though I was hurting for 2/3 of the time, was a spiritual experience, a gratitude experience. Maybe pain heightens awareness.
I had oversalted my drinks so I was very appreciative of spectator offerings. However, as I grabbed one of the cups I realized, almost too late, it was beer. Pretty funny! I ended up dumping it all over myself and crossing the finish line, unable to walk straight and smelling the part.
I saw a pretty scary sight as one runner was down, eyes looked dead. On the news they said they were able to revive him later, but it really scared me.
I felt your prayers, good vibes, and support. I needed them! I needed this.
Thank you!

Congratulations

Elaine, Cheryl, and Eric,
I watched your progress from a web site provided by Sam with great interest.
Congratulations to all of you for completing and competing in the Boston Marathon!

Has anyone seen my 8:36???

And what about the other 22 miles? Here's what I wrote to Cheryl on Facebook about her worries about Boston:

If you die, I'll come walking along an hour or so later to lie down and die with you. :)
Here's what I wrote on DailyMile:

Sunny gorgeous AZ type day! 6 miles, 4 at MP, except I couldn't find MP....I was too fast, again. It wasn't that I wasn't trying. Many times I would look at my Garmin and it would say 09:00, so I would speed up to get to 8:36. My mile splits were between 8:15 and 8:20 and I was too out of breath, I couldn't have kept it up...but 8:36 just isn't comfortable for me. I can sustain 8:20s steady, but not keep them up for anything close to 26.2. Need pacer for Boston! Badly.

Also, I'm trying to peel the tint off the Infiniti windows so I can see out of them at night. The website makes it look really easy....but that's just to make you feel like a dork when you can't do it!

Bouncing back

OK, I got my gym card back, and Lisa's coming with me to the gym. Three times last week, so far once this week.

Ran 3 miles at just under a nine minute pace. Felt pretty good and jogged out another five minutes for about 3.5 miles. Going for a long run tomorrow--just one hour at a slow pace 'till I can build up my endurance again. Lisa and I are considering fast Friday--10mph for as long as it lasts. Good idea? Crazy? Last week I lasted only about 6.5 minutes. Hoping for 10 this week.

TAPER! (not)

I got out there OUTSIDE, in full Boston attire. I think the shoes will work, though they have NO support, just bounce....really I think they will be better for me. A little too much compression on the bottoms, the top will work great, although it did not reveal great triceps. Oh yeah, I don't have great triceps.
A very hilly windy route, as per usual in Spokane. I did okay but it was harder than it should have been...I always have this funny autoimmune reaction after being out in the sun that really does me in. Ticks me off. No wonder I'm the treadmill queen. I've got to figure it out so I can run this summer. I'm just a basket of woes, huh? Counting down to Boston and I do NOT feel tapered tonight, but tired. Thinking of taking an ice bath, then treadmill tomorrow.

6 instead of 13

top rim of Bryce Canyon, 83++ feet – 6 mi

So, it was very cold and there was no oxygen and apparently I was at the wrong entrance. My idea was to run DOWN into the canyon. The first 3 miles were freezing and uphill and I couldn't find the oxygen. Apparently it is all down THERE in the canyon, which I never found. Finally fellow travelers had mercy and picked my frozen and breathless self up, very early. I was hoping the high altitude would give me a workout without the pounding of the distance...dunno if that worked. I hurt, a lot. Wondering if a hip problem precipitated the hernia? Something is going on, I think even in addition to the hernia. Hopefully the taper, (which I've accidentally started this week), will help in time for Boston