14 in 2:04

Not as easy as last week, it was harder to keep up the pace today, not sure why. But I'm still ahead of training. I was supposed to do 14 in 9:47 per mile. I'm trying to stay ahead of the game because I know from experience that when it comes to ramp up time I can't ramp up as fast as the schedule wants me to and I end up falling short on race day. Also law school will be in my way...bottom line I want to train as hard but as carefully as I can now so as to be ahead of the game for fitness but not injured. My hips hurt but they always hurt after 10 miles. It rained on me but the temperature is perfect.

Big congrats to my brother Mark and nephew Brian, who killed the UVM today in 3:41 and 3:19. Great job. I could have done the first 14....I actually called for a pick up after that because my hips are hurting and, as per strict orders from Mark, I will not get injured this time around.

sunshine on me shouldeh

my house to Liberty Lake via Saltese, back via Barker/Saltese 15.43 mi 02:24 09:19 pace

New Garmin 110, it works, unlike the other two 305s I had. First 10 in 1:28, gorgeous, perfect weather. I hit 14 at 2:06, the rest was walking or jogging. Training plan called for 12 at 09:40 so I'm on track to keep up even given my age and tendency toward lack of improvement and injuries. I am so happy to be outside! My hips have the usual stiffness and soreness--it must be arthritis. I intend to train easy from here on out, increase miles and speed as gradually as possible for StG Oct 1. Do you know any shorter races I can run between now and then?

I ran

in the sun, no gun. It was fun. 3.1. Then I was done. And that aint no pun

Just sayin'

11.4 on the treadmill Wednesday, 9.94 OUTSIDE today. Perfect running weather, overcast 55ish degrees. It wasn't hard to do this many miles today; I just ran to the church to help clean it and then ran part way back...and my foot does not hurt. My hips still threaten to scream at me but I think the orthotics help. And my abs are sore from the crunches on the ab lounge; hopefully this means I am not neglecting core work?

Someone forgot to tell the angels.

I am a nectarine fiend. I just got some "new crop" nectarines. I kept checking to see if my hand would go through the wall, if I could feel things. I have died and gone to heaven. Somehow they didn't get the message about all my sins. Oh, and I ran 10 miles on the treadmill. I WILL get in my 20 this week.

Windermere marathon as a volunteer

First off I want to say an E-ism. I'm calling it that because I can't quit thinking it. I can't quit thinking it because it is what I need to hear. It is this. We are here, not to find comfort, but primarily to grow. And growth is rarely comfortable. Why must I sleep? Why must I be awake? Maybe I should go a few nights without sleep and a few days without caffeine (gasp). But. That. Is. Uncomfortable.

Speaking of discomfort, my left hip still hurts in the same way. All the fancy schmancy stuff they are doing has not impressed my hip. It still has the same pain, in the same way, and is still preventing me from getting in a mere 20 miles this week.

Now for the good news. I'm going to the laundromat to do laundry! It's so exciting for me to sit and read and read, uninterrupted, while several loads of laundry are being done at once.

And I volunteered at the marathon this morning. No one I knew broke four hours. (I did not realize how good I used to be, ha. The older I get, the better I used to be.) Unbelievably, the little tourist train went through the finish line with runners trying to get around it. When I looked at the driver, a sweet man at least 90 years old, I softened. After all, he came through about 4:30 and most of the marathoners could brag they beat the train into the station. Or that they didn't just FEEL like they were hit by a train; they almost were.

Here's a pic of my amazing Tim by the Falls. Hopefully someday I will get to enjoy them as an actual Windermere marathon participant.

Dark Gray Bowl, One Tiny Chip

I was driving my son home from the chiropractor in Post Falls and the sky was...dramatic. It was so dark gray it seemed the end of the world, or a hurricane, or something. In the rear view mirror you could still see blue sky, but ahead just gray. Then it all switched. It was suddenly all gray and pelting buckets of rain at us, amazing even for Washington state. It was so gloomy it was funny. Then, directly ahead, a chip in the dark bowl of gray appeared, a chip of sunlight, a literal ray of hope, directly in front of us and only in front of us, just one small semicircle of light. But meanwhile we were still being dumped on. If I take that as some heavenly metaphor for my life, I'm doing pretty well. Truly the dumping lasted about five minutes and then it stopped, the sky cleared up, even the Washington sky, and soon we were home.

Foot still being weird, (right now its doing this shooting burning thing, sporadically, flakily), but core exercises in the pool for physical therapy and at the trainer are going well. And I actually ran OUTSIDE this week once and will do it again tomorrow. Why I ever ran on the treadmill I have no idea; it obviously did not keep me from injury.

Oh. And I got in law school. I even got a scholarship, which seems suspect. I'm sure they will call on Monday and say, "woops". Something about my stellar GPA and LSAT scores. (Um, not). I only applied to Gonzaga. I had all but decided not to go, that I am not interested, and I was getting started with the process of renewing my nursing license and maybe being a nurse anesthetist, nurse practitioner, something like that. And I don't want to be gone all the time as Mitchell and Collin are still home...

Well, sort of. They are home but they are perfect children and very independent. I frankly need them much more than they need me. However, these next weeks are going to be spent with me trying to prepare for all the huge changes that will be coming in my life in the next few months.

But stuck I am not. I am definitely in the storm, but in a fast car (I got a new slate blue Infiniti G37, thank you very much), and moving, hopefully towards sunshine.

Running Gait Analysis

I rationalized my five mile run this morning since they would need to see any problems in my gait, more typical during the middle or end of a marathon. The run hurt, in all the same places as it did 8 weeks ago, but not nearly as much. Still depressing. Apparently I don't heal. BUT also very, very gratifying--I truly needed a run this morning. Five miles wasn't that easy after 8 weeks off, but it happened and I am still alive.

But I LOVED the gait analysis with the podiatrist. He is an avid runner and made the statement, "I see runners as runners first, patients second". This is so refreshing because so many practitioners I go to make some comment along the lines of, "Well, we are getting older, you know. You might want to consider a different sport" or, "this shouldn't affect normal day-to-day activities".  He found all sorts of stuff wrong with my gait, which to me is GREAT news since it means if I fixed even a few, I could go faster, further, with less energy, better looks, etc.

Apparently, in spite of my Amazing Arches, I am an overpronator, one leg is functionally longer than the other, I am wearing all the wrong shoes, I have bad posture, I need orthotics, my stride is too long, my legs are too good-looking, I have lost too much weight, and my million dollar check is in the mail. He also recommended lots of shoes, as in, specific brand names and models. This guy knows his shoes! I am pretty excited. I am going to get better.

Do-it-Yourself PMA at 0 Degrees

1) As is often the case, the sun is shining, brightly. And it's gorgeous!
2) Although the streets are snow-packed, the snow is more squeaky than slippery
3) Everyone understands if I "stay in" for a day
4) My boys will finally wear their long-sleeved shirts I bought them for Christmas
5) On February 25, it's almost surely true that things will be warmer from here on out
6) It's easier to get the family to gather for movies and hot chocolate
And, last but not least,
THE SUN IS SHINING! (yes I know I already said that)

"stress reaction"

It turns out the PA who called my foot problem "Frieberg's infarction/avascular necrosis" misread the MRI report. What I have is a "stress reaction", which should have healed with my SEVEN weeks off, but hasn't. So six more weeks for me. Woe is me. Methinketh my feet are reflecting the rest of me. "Stress reaction", my foot!

So here are some pictures. I just got back from Arizona. My back was hurting on one side, then the other, then my neck was hurting, badly.

Again. Here are some pictures; we had some good food especially good sushi and good Brazilian food. Meat in general tastes mediocre after Fogo de Chao. My oldest went to Brazil on his two year mission but has yet to experience the restaurant he recommended. On the other hand, we have been three times.

Tim, happy at sushi place

my new rocker bottom sandals

The four men in my life minus one in Scottsdale mall. (We didn't buy anything)

Collin at Fogo de Chao with buffet in background

Meat roasting at Fogo De Chao

Dawn

Shots from the plane, coming back from New Orleans at dawn. For me, it was a good dawn today. Have you ever had one of those days when you wake up and everything seems clearer? I was in the shower and decided to reapply to Gonzaga law school, today. I can still use my LSAT score from last year. (Last year they informed me I applied too late, so I tried earlier this year). It's the only place I applied.

Oh. And I got on the treadmill today, for the first time in six weeks. I walked two miles in normal shoes, not my rocker bottom foot thingers, at a 3% incline in 36 minutes. My foot does not hurt. This is big news.

Yesterday's workout was in the pool with physical therapy. It was sweet! It was the first time I've ever done core work where I didn't feel all twisted and wrong, got a workout without pain, and felt so balanced for hours afterwords. I think I've gone from hydrophobia to hydophilia.

Early morning delirium

I took him to the airport at 4:30 am, then came home, made banana bread, homemade hash browns, and eggs for da boys, who were sleepy but grateful. (I think they were grateful? They ate it, and said thanks--when pressured). Then I did a few deep housework items, then on to the computer. And no, I am not a morning person!

And what is wrong with my left ankle? My feet are literally falling apart... It feels and acts broken and yet nothing happened. Nothing. I swear I am being good. For example, right now, I am laying on the couch catching up this blog. I take calcium, magnesium, phosphorous, trace minerals, and everything else. Hmmm, maybe it's the "everything else". 

AJ Michalka - It's who you are (Full Music Video)

Jumping

is not a good idea when you have Frieberg's infarction, aka avascular necrosis. But it was definitely the theme of my dreams last night.

In the first one I jumped off the bad part of my foot for the purpose of flying down the stairs. I had only just gone to sleep; my injured foot jerked upward so hard there was a shooting pain. In the second dream I decided to jump off a cliff. I landed, splat, but no shooting blood or anything gory. I ended up on the couch. My sister, or someone who was my sister but unrecognizable to me, said the top of my body looked a little off. I looked down at my legs and they looked mottled, red looking. But I could get up and walk to the mirror to see what my sister was talking about. My left shoulder, the one that bothers me, was grotesquely shifted up and pointed forward, badly broken. I don't remember any pain. I told my sister I thought we should go to the emergency room but she didn't feel like it. In my third dream I was trying to get to Meals on Wheels for my 11:00 time slot (I am actually doing that today). My husband was putting on a slide show meeting at our house for 50 of his closest colleagues. I asked him where the car was and he said he had given it to a friend. I told him I needed to make my commitment but he said he didn't have time. I spent the next 45 minutes trying to figure out how to get there, without success. I was also injured and having a hard time getting around.

So those were my dreams. That's all I'm going to say about my personal life, ha. Let's look at the bright side. I'm awake now.

On a lighter note, I am not nearly so angry and upset about my injury as I was last week when it was diagnosed. I think my body needs a break from running. It has been injured a lot lately! And I've even done a few push-ups and things to get my abs sore and gone bike riding twice.

Arizona was amazing. The sun is so beautiful after being in the northwest it took my breath away and grabbed my full attention many times. As the plane lifted off out of the GRAY northwest skies I looked anxiously out the window for a long time. It had been so cold in so many ways; I really wanted to see the sun. When I finally did I relaxed and stayed that way for a week in Arizona. I got my son to ASU in his new dorm; now I am home in the cold. And ready to jump, apparently. I've got a lot to do!