Happy Halloween!

Halloween is typically one of my favorite holidays. And, this year I was especially looking forward to passing out candy to the trick-o-treaters with K. It seemed like a particularly domestic thing to do.

So, I went for a short run immediately after work so that I could get home and shower prior to sunset. I ran the 3.5 mile Congress loop from the house again, this time in an old pair of Mizuno's. It wasn't pain-free, but the pain was only relatively mild this time. The negative thoughts turned out to be the biggest obstacle (coupled with the hills) during today's run. "It's not supposed to be this hard."

The first trick-o-treaters came by while we were eating around 6:30. K said, "We have trick-o-treaters. What do I do?" It was cute. We had an enjoyable evening passing out candy to the kids while trying to also watch television. One particular funny moment occurred when K commented on a young boy's costume and asked him if he had scared any of the young girls yet. As he was walking away, the boy said, "I'm just a little kid dressed up." It was precious. We ran out of candy around 8:30, so had to turn out the porch light then.

It was our 1st Halloween living together in a house.

Doc...

I always find it interesting how others address me at work - some refer to me by my first name, others use my title, and some just say "Hey, Doc" (actually that is also how K greets me when he calls me at work).

I also think it is interesting how this might vary from how they address other professionals - does it vary by gender, by age? As a relatively young female, I think that comes into play when others view me, regardless of my credentials and experience.

Update...

I haven't posted much since Saturday because I've been in a pretty crappy mood for a variety of reasons. I know there is a hormonal element to the moodiness this week, but there are still very real stressors that I am dealing with. And, when my primary support system (K) is on the fritz, then things get even harder for me to deal with.

After the abbreviated painful run on Sunday, I wasn't in the best of moods. But, we went to the Rogue Halloween festivities to meet friends and support a good cause. Apparently they did too good a job transforming the Annex into a Haunted House and traumatized a few children in the process. If I was still in private practice, I could have started handing out business cards to the parents as the kids came out of the Haunted House! :)

We went to dinner at Homeslice with Holly and Chris afterwards. I always enjoy spending time with Holly, so this was one of the highlights of the weekend.

Yesterday was another frustrating and stressful day at work. Coupled with the bad weekend runs, I wasn't in the best mood when I went to the doc for ART yesterday. I started out using the TP equipment as usual while the doc finished up with another patient. While I was doing that, an "assistant" came over to check on me and see how things were going - um, not good. Then, I felt like he started to overstep his bounds by asking me a ton of questions to get the lowdown on my injury and running history, etc. Um, I've been through all this already. I really didn't appreciate him butting in offering advice when (a) I already knew much of what he was telling me, and (b) my doc knows my treatment and what we've been working on. He was trying to get me to do some excercise for my glutes - hello, the problem is my lower legs not my glutes, buddy. I didn't buy into it and refused to do it. I guess you could say I was being a difficult patient yesterday. My doc was eyeing us the whole time that the other guy was talking to me - like what the heck is he doing with my patient? So, when my doc finally came over to rescue me, he was just as disappointed and frustrated as I was about the reemergence of the pain over the weekend. I explained about the shoe issues (new style of neutral shoes on Saturday and old worn-out Mizuno's on Sunday). Same treatment regimen - ART followed by anodyne on both legs. Next session is on Thursday.

Hopeful, I went for a short run when I got home from the doctor yesterday. I ran the 3.5 mile Congress loop from the house. I gave the new Saucony's another shot, but I don't think they are the miracle shoe that I am hoping for. I had to stop and stretch about a mile in - K happened to come running by shortly after I stopped. I continued on and stopped to stretch 1 or 2 more times after that. The pain was mild to moderate, and it seemed to get better toward the end of the run again (similar to Saturday's run). I'm eager for my Wave Creations to come in at BettySport - they will be the new version (VIII), which I haven't run in yet. At some point, I'd rather dance with the devil I know, I guess.

I didn't run tonight. I figured I'd take the day off and try again tomorrow with fresh legs. If it's pain-free, then there is a half-marathon in Dallas that we may go up for this weekend. Stay tuned.

I finally went back to get my BP checked today. Still significantly higher than it was a year ago, but slightly less than when I originally had it checked last month. I'm going to go back in to have it checked again either Thursday or Friday - if it's comparable to today, then I will be able to continue taking the pill. I have mixed feelings about that.

I wanted comfort food for dinner tonight, so we went to Threadgill's. Mac and cheese, yum. I finally broke down and opened the Halloween candy that has been staring at us for weeks now. I'm proud that I held out for this long! It's chocolate after all!

So frustrating...

I set out to run the 7 mile loop on the trail, but had to cut it short at Congress because I was hurting again. I wanted to cry. I still do.

Just another Saturday...

We didn't get up early to run this morning. Sleep just felt too good. And, with the arrival of the cooler weather, it's not as critical to get a run in during the morning anymore since the temps in the afternoon are just as nice (at least that is how I rationalized it this morning).

We did get up about 8:30 though to go to Sadie's birthday breakfast, which it turned out that the birthday girl wasn't even able to go to because she was sick. Happy birthday, Sadie! And, feel better soon. (You were right, the muffins were terrific!). We were able to catch up with some of our runner friends though and hear stories of their recent marathons and training.

After breakfast, we went over to BettySport so that I could exchange my shoes. It turned out to be more difficult than I had hoped. I had 2 salesgirls help me, tried on many different shoes, and left with a neutral Saucony shoe (similar to my Wave Creations). The plan is to run in these for a few days and then go back in to compare them to the new Wave Creations that they ordered for me when they arrive. The service that I received there was exceptional.

The afternoon was pretty uneventful. It is college football Saturday after all...

I finally went for a short run early this evening. I ran the 3.5 mile Congress loop from the house. And, my friend was back...shin splints during the first 2 miles. I had to stop and stretch a couple of times, but the pain seemed to diminish somewhat toward the end of the run. There's so many variables that it is hard to figure out what is going on. I haven't ran since last Sunday. I haven't had ART since Monday. It could be the shoes. I don't know! It's so frustrating though. I think I'm going to try to do a 7 or 10 mile run (in my old Mizuno's) tomorrow morning.

I went to pick up burgers from Hut's for dinner after we ran. YUM.

Ohio State is playing tonight. So, that's our Saturday night entertainment.

Gotta love Saturdays in the fall!

That crazy running thing we do...

I really wasn't kidding when I said I tore up my foot with the new shoes on Sunday. I told K earlier that it looks like a burn - it's now a medium size distinctly red patch on the inside of my left foot. Pus or some kind of fluid has oozed out occasionally, and it seems like there's still a little more fluid in there.

I was really looking forward to doing a short, easy run today in this cooler weather, especially when I found out that Sadie, who has been dealing with her own injury issues over the past couple of months, was up for a run today as well. I met Sadie for the first time when I joined the Performance Project with Mac last fall. I had just ran Chicago and immediately jumped into training for Austin...not the best idea after training intensely for over a year. I was initially intimidated about joining the "fast club" as I call it (with K as president), but Sadie really welcomed me into the group and I have enjoyed getting to know her and run with her since then. So, I was excited about the chance to run with her again today.

But, a run wasn't in the cards for me today. I was able to get my OLD running shoes on, but it hurt too much when I tried to run for a few steps. So, no run today. Hopefully, I can try again in a day or two when it has healed more.

We had the privilege of hearing Dick Beardsley speak tonight, thanks to Team Spiridon and Conley Sports. He shared stories from a couple of his first few marathons, including his 1981 win at Grandma's. It was a unique opportunity to hear one of the best U.S. marathoners speak about running and his life.
As usual, I've been thinking a lot about what's next in terms of my running. The reality of marathon training seems more realistic now that my lower leg pain has been, dare I say, eliminated. With November right around the corner, I feel like it's too late to play catch up with training for Austin in February. I know I can run the half there if I want, but running another half isn't my goal. So, I think we are now looking at running a late Spring marathon, possibly Big Sur in CA at the end of April. It's described as a "moderately difficult" course due to some hills, but I'm not trying to BQ there. It seems like a beautiful course along the Pacific. Rogue training begins on Nov. 10.

I've been hesitant to announce this publicly because of my failure to follow through with my previous goal of doing the DC (and running the Austin marathon). But, goal-setting is an ongoing process that evolves. I'm not quitting on my goal to run another marathon (or eventually to BQ), but I am also taking a realistic appraisal of where I am right now. And, this is where I am today...

ART, Session 11...

The doctor-patient relationship is an interesting one. It is unique, powerful, and special in so many different ways. In my relationship with my ART doc, I think I am starting to glimpse what my clients may feel like with me sometimes. You come in for the first time hurting...physically, emotionally, or both. You are hopeful that something will make you feel better, but skeptical and perhaps mistrustful initially. You cling to the positive that you are given, but don't always abide by the doctor's orders. But, you persist...you do the work with the doc. You spend time together and get to know each other. And, the tide begins to turn...you see the possibility of change and real improvement. You are grateful.

I had my 1st session of ART a month and a half ago. I've gone twice a week, with a couple of exceptions when I only went once. I am so grateful for the decrease in my symptoms. The doc was excited to hear about my great 13.1 mile run over the weekend. He joked that I'm going to be his testimonial on their website. I would happily do it.

So, today was the usual ART on my lower legs followed by andoyne. He initially said that I could skip the anodyne today (it takes 25 minutes or so), but I said nope. I reminded him that we didn't do it last Monday and then I started hurting again during my runs last week, so I didn't want to take any chances. He laughed.

I told him about my shoe problems on Sunday and showed him the results. He's like K and wanted to touch the area - um, NO, it hurts. Interestingly, the ART hurt much more on my left leg than it has in weeks. Since that is the leg that I was primarily having the foot problems with during the run, he suggested that I was probably trying to compensate by running more on the outside of the foot since the sensitive area was on the inside of the foot. So, he didn't seem too concerned about the re-emergence of the pain there. I gotta get "the right" pair of shoes!

Next session is on Monday.

Frustrated and tired...

People frustrate me. A lot.

I am way too responsible for my own good. I arrived at work at 8:30am this morning. This after getting delayed in Houston for hours last night on our way back from Columbus and not getting into bed until a little before 2am. AND, my "foot issues" from wearing the new shoes at the race on Sunday got progressively worse yesterday. It hurt to put a stocking on over the sore while I was getting dressed this morning and I went through several pairs of shoes to find the one that hurt the least. So, not only am I exhausted, but I am also hobbling around. But, I'm here at work, dammit. Just like a good employee and supervisor. And, I'm having to run around behind everyone to clean up their messes (K knows how much I hate that).

So, I'm not having a good day.

Columbus...

Finally, free internet access. I go a little nutty when I can't check email, update my blog, check on everyone else via email and blogs, and have the internet at my fingertips. I feel calmer now that I am connected. It's been a couple of days since I posted, so this will probably be long...

I'll stick to the Columbus trip so far. We had a 5:40am flight yesterday, so we were up at 4am. It's probably best for our relationship if K and I don't talk to each other until at least 7am. We arrived at the gate as the flight was boarding and headed to Houston for our connecting flight to Columbus. We had a very tight connection, which we barely made. So, we arrived right on time in Columbus around 11am yesterday. Starving, we stopped to grab a quick bite to eat after we left the airport. We met K's parents and sister, who had also just arrived, at the hotel. Then, they dropped me off at the Expo while they headed off to the OSU pre-game festivities. I love a good Expo, so I enjoyed being able to take my time and view all of the booths. I picked up a few goodies for me and K, then headed back to the hotel to settle in for a long afternoon nap. K finally made it back from the game a little after 8 then we went to eat dinner at the hotel restaurant since all of the other local restaurants were busy. I had pasta...K had ribs. I had a hard time falling asleep because of my nap earlier in the day. I also had to finally tell K at 11:30pm to turn off the football.

So, here's all of the things that I did wrong on the day before and day of running a half-marathon:

I did not get much sleep on Friday or Saturday night.
I did not hydrate.
I spent 1+ hours at the Expo.
I walked 3/4 of a mile back to the hotel from the Expo (as well as a lot of walking at the airport).
I did not eat dinner until 9pm.
I wore new shoes on race day.

Thankfully, our hotel was a block or so from the start line, so we got to sleep in this morning. I didn't get out of bed until 7:20am. The race started at 8am. My whole approach to it though was that it was just an easy weekend long run. So, that's how I handled it.

K and I drove the course when we were here back in May because I was planning on running the full marathon at that time, so I was vaguely familiar with the course. Flat, flat, flat (except for the awesome downhill finish)...just the way I like it.

The weather was just about perfect for distance running this morning. It was in the 50's at the start, so I ditched my long-sleeve pullover and gloves at the clothing drop-off as soon as I got to the start area. I only had to wait 5-10 minutes before the gun went off. My game-plan for the day was to run an easy 9:30 pace and to walk the water stops (30 seconds or so). I was not going to be stupid and try to race this...that would have been a recipe for disaster. I knew within the first half-mile that my legs were going to cooperate today, and thankfully, I did not have any pain at all during the run. I didn't even have to stop and stretch during the run! Who would have thought this was even possible just a few short weeks ago when I could barely run 3 miles?!?!?

I stuck to my plan, and I had a fantastic run today. I couldn't have asked for much better (well, actually I had some foot issues with the new shoes). My legs felt great throughout the race, no shin or calf pain, and relatively good cardio. My need to address hydration/nutrition issues was further reinforced today. I alternated water and gatorade at every water stop, and I had a side stitch a little over halfway in. I had to take a bathroom break at mile 8. I took a gel at mile 9. I was a little worried that it was going to upset my stomach, but it didn't. I think it might have even helped with the fluids that I was taking in.

So, I finished in 2:16, which means that I averaged 10 minute miles (9:30 pace running though with the 30 seconds to walk through each water stop) + a 5 minute bathroom break. It's about 30 minutes off my half-marathon PR, but that is not what today was about at all. I am ecstatic (a) that I had a pain-free run!, and (b) that I comfortably ran a distance farther than I have run in months. I'm damn proud of that medal.

K had a relatively good run too, considering our lack of training lately. He placed 31st in his age group. Not bad at all. He was there at the finish to cheer me in. I heard him yell "Go, Mel! You did it!" as I went flying by toward the finish chute. Yes, I did.

After we rested for a little bit back at the hotel, K and I went to lunch with his mom. As usual, I wanted a big, yummy cheeseburger for my post-long run meal. I suggested going somewhere near the OSU campus, so we went to Eddie George's Grille 27. I had no idea it was a sports bar though until we got there. K assumed that I knew who Eddie George was when he suggested it. Um, no. I thought he was a chef or something (he's a former OSU and Tennessee Titans running back)! I was unimpressed with the place though and not happy with my cold cheeseburger that was brought to me without cheese.

After lunch, we walked over to the Wexner Center for the Arts on campus to see William Wegman's exhibit, "Funney/Strange." I loved all of his photos of his Weimaraners. I laughed out loud at some of them. Then, we went to the Topiary Garden to see Seurat's "A Sunday on the Island of La Grande Jatte", in topiary. Very unique and cool.
Now, we're going to dinner in the German Village tonight.

Columbus seems like a pretty cool city.

Still busy...

Things have still been busy at home and work this week. Work has been particularly stressful this week, and I have been on the verge of a meltdown at multiple points. A couple of my staff have been particularly caring and supportive, and I found myself venting today more than I normally do with them. My staff organized a pizza and dessert lunch for me today to celebrate Boss' Day. The sentiment was appreciated.

I ran the 4-mile loop on the trail yesterday evening. It was a better run than Monday night, but still with some mild pain. I got through the run though with only having to stop and stretch twice. Cardio continues to improve. After my run, I stopped for water at the Annex and then ran into the Enforcer. We got to catch up for awhile, and I also got to see some running buddies coming in from their respective workouts. It was just what I needed after the day that I had yesterday.

I had Session 10 of ART today. I told the doc about the mild pain that I've had while running this week. He was surprised and I think just as disappointed as I was. He focused pretty intensely on the inside of my lower legs, in "the spot." We joke about the back leg of my frog tattoo being the marker for where the painful area is on my right leg. I think he was applying more pressure to go deeper than he has in awhile tonight because it HURT. Like yelping in pain kind of hurt. I finished off the session with anodyne on the inside of my lower legs. Next session is Tuesday.

K got a $100 gift card from work this week, so I happily took it to get new running shoes tonight. I've heard really great feedback from friends about BettySport, so I decided to give them a try and everything met my expectations! I got fitted in a new shoe, Asics 2120's, to correct my mild pronation. I've only run in Mizuno Wave Creations, so I hope these work! I also got a pair of Hind PE shorts, size Medium. As I checked out with them, the salesgirl commented that they are her favorite shorts. Um, yeah, mine too (except the 10+ pairs sitting in my drawer right now are a size Small). Sigh.

I'm so glad this week is almost over. Tomorrow is jeans day!

Wiped out...

I am absolutely wiped out from my day at work. I have barely had a moment to myself since I left this morning. I had to hit the ground running at 8:05 with a "crisis" that needed to be resolved before I had to be in all-day applicant interviews at 8:30. Just breathe, mel. The day is over now. Except that tomorrow will be more of the same...

I called K at work late this afternoon, knowing that I was emotionally spent and looking for some support. He was distracted and busy with his own job demands, so I got frustrated. Then, he got frustrated with me for getting frustrated with him. I still just need someone to empathize with me and understand. And, a smile or a hug is nice too.

I've got so much to do outside of work this week too before our trip this weekend. Errands, going back to the doc to get my BP checked, getting new running shoes, etc. And, trying to fit in time to run on top of that. I don't think I'm going to be very successful.

Speaking of running, I had my first painful run again last night. I ran about 4-miles on the East side of the trail. I'd say the pain was about 4 or 5 on both legs. Perhaps not coincidentally, I ran immediately after ART (session 9). I happily shared the news of my long run on Saturday with the doc. He decided that I could skip the anodyne treatment and just get ART. Very minimal pain on both legs while he worked on the lower inside of them. Since we skipped the anodyne, I asked him to also take a look at my calves, since he hasn't done that in awhile and I'm worried about them getting super tight again. He found a few spots that need to be worked out, but still nowhere near what it was like when I first came in. I'm going in for another session on Thursday to tune up before the half on Sunday. Oh, after my good run on Saturday morning, I decided to go ahead and run it. More on that later...

What was I thinking?

Silly, silly Mel. K and I are clearly not morning people and probably never will be. I know that. So, what was I thinking last night when I threw out the idea of going for a run before work this morning? Obviously, I was not thinking clearly (and, no, there wasn't any alcohol involved). I have ART after work today, so I probably won't be home until around 6. I figured it would be great to go ahead and get my run in this morning so that I wouldn't be pressed for time this evening when I will probably just be ready to relax and eat dinner. So, I got K to agree to the plan and I set the alarm for 6:00. I snoozed it twice until 6:18. Needless to say, we didn't get out of bed. I re-set the alarm for 7:30 and we promptly went back to sleep. Drool and everything...

Kona...

The Hawaiian Ironman World Championships are today in Kona. I love this quote from Desiree's website: "If it's hurting me, it's killing them." That's awesome.

I hope she does well!

Holy Cow!

Holy cow! Where did that come from? I just had a fantastic 9(ish)-mile run this morning. Seriously.

I woke up a little after 6 and finally decided to get up at 6:30. K was awake in bed too, and I tried to convince him to get up to get his run in, but no such luck. So, I headed off (phone in hand "just in case") and drove to the end of the street to pick up the trail at I-35. I started my run a little before 7 (Sadie, aren't you proud?!) and enjoyed the darkness and brisk weather. I made it to the Rock as the Rogues were coming from the north side of the trail on their long run as well, so I got to see some familiar faces there. Feeling great, I called K to let him know how I was doing (and to annoy him by calling while he was still trying to sleep). I ended up taking a detour from the trail up Congress to the Capitol to see the start of the LiveStrong 5k. I made it up there just in time to see Lance talking about Prop 15 before the race. I love Lance. I watched the start then headed back down Congress with the masses and rejoined the trail to head back. I clearly still need to focus more on planning my hydration needs. I got water at the Rock and then got lucky that Accelerade had put out a table with some of their product on Riverside in front of Joe's Crab Shack. I'm glad I got my run done while it was cooler (K is out running right now). Overall, it was a great run (no run-walking!) and I was just amazed that I felt so good running farther than I have in awhile. I really do feel like a runner again. Thank you ART!!!

So, last night we went to the Rogue happy hour at Union Park. It was great to see some of the old familiar Rogue's who we haven't seen in awhile. But, the face of Rogue has changed...there were sooo many people there who I did not know (mostly folks who are just starting training for Austin, I think). Nevertheless, we had a good time with friends then went to Wahoo's for a quick bite before heading home.

Now, it's Saturday. That means college football ALL day for K, although we have dinner plans tonight so that will limit it somewhat. I have no idea what I'm going to do with myself all day.

But, I do know that I earned my Whataburger post-long run lunch today! Woohoo!

Good Jeans Day...

When I leave for work each morning, K is generally still in bed (at 8:15 or 8:30!). He gives me a kiss goodbye and tells me to have a good day. Today, he told me to have a good jeans day! It's the first casual Friday in months that I have been in jeans, thanks to my new size 8's from our shopping trip last weekend. I even got to wear my heels that I typically only wear with jeans today, too. Wearing jeans to work just makes it seem even more like Friday!

I had another good 4-mile run last night on the I-35 to Lamar loop on the trail. I had some mild (1-3) pain in my lower left leg, but nothing too bad. It's interesting that the right leg seems to hurt more during ART, but the left leg seems to hurt more when I run. I'm not sure what to make of that. I need new shoes badly, but it's going to have to wait until I get paid on Monday. In an effort to get by until then, I put some insoles that I bought earlier this year in my shoes to get some extra cushioning. It seemed to help. My cardio was sooo much better last night than it has been - no walking at all. I stopped to stretch my legs at intersections and 1 water stop. Overall, I gave the run 2 thumbs up when I got home last night!

Is it 5:00 yet?

Really, only Wednesday?

For some reason I've felt like it should be a day ahead all week. Maybe it's because I've been ready for the weekend since Tuesday? We've got a few things going on this weekend that I'm looking forward to...the Rogue social on Friday night and dinner with friends at their new house on Saturday night.

My doctor's appointment got rescheduled from yesterday to today, so I went for a run yesterday after work. I ran the 4-mile loop on the trail from I-35 to Lamar. For the 2nd day in a row, NO PAIN whatsoever while I ran. I did stop to stretch a couple of times this time when I got water and at intersections. My cardio still isn't great...I know it's not going to get better overnight, but a girl can wish!

I had my 8th session of ART today. As promised, I wrote down "0!!" on my pain rating scale for during excercise. I shared the news of the 2 runs without pain with the doc, who was pleased with the progress. He started out by doing ART on my right leg and I still have a small affected area on the inside of my lower right leg. But, then he moved on to my left leg and we proudly declared that leg healed! No pain at all...until he really tried hard to evoke a pain response from me at the end. I finished the session with anodyne therapy on the inside of both lower legs. I'm not going back in until next Monday, so this marks my first week of not going twice a week since I started. Once I am completely pain-free, he plans to taper me down to coming in once every 2 weeks for a few sessions then try once a month. As I rebuild my weekly mileage, I told him I definitely didn't want to stop coming completely because I don't want the injury to redevelop and wind up back where I was when I first came in ("freakishly tight calves," limited range of motion in my ankles, intense generalized shin pain). Wow, how far I've come!

After my doctor's appointment, K and I had dinner at Austin Java on Barton Springs. He expressed his desire to live in that area, which I was somewhat surprised to learn. Then, I posed the question of where he'd like to live if he could live anywhere and also where does he see us going next. Again, I know we're so not looking to leave Austin at this point, but it's interesting to think about.

We stopped at "hey cupcake!" for dessert after dinner. It's such a cute concept that I've been wanting to go by and check it out since I first noticed it a few weeks ago. Where else but South Congress will you find an Airstream on the street corner solely to sell yummy (overpriced) $2.00 cupcakes to a bunch of yuppies and hippies?
My brother called as we were finishing up our cupcake seeking some career counseling from big sis. He doesn't usually interact with me in "doc" mode, so I relished the opportunity to be helpful in that way.

We finished off the night with a trip to the good 'ol HEB to go grocery shopping.

So, if today is Wednesday, then I guess that makes tomorrow Thursday. 2 more days to get through until the weekend!

Relief at last!

I have to fill out a pain rating each time that I go see the doc for ART. A pain rating during daily activities, which is zero. And, a pain rating during excercise. I can't wait to write ZERO for both ratings at my session tomorrow! I just ran the 3.5 mile Congress loop from the house (yes, I ran on the road because it was too dark to run on the trail by the time I started). I passed K coming back uphill while I was comfortably going downhill at the start of my run. I started 20 minutes after he did because I wanted him to be back home "just in case" I needed to call him to come get me if things weren't going well. As I was running (still comfortably) down Congress, all I could think about was that THIS is what it used to feel like when I ran! My legs felt great throughout the run. I didn't even have to stop and stretch once! Now, the one problem that I did have is that I had half a Red Baron pizza about a hour and a half before I ran. Note to self, not the best pre-run meal (or best way to fit back into my running shorts for that matter). I felt the lack of fitness coming back up the hills, but overall it was one of the best runs that I have had in awhile. It was enough to give me back hope...

BP still high...

I had my blood pressure checked while I was at the dentist office for a cleaning this afternoon. It was high again. She referred back to my previous results when I've had it taken and it was indeed abnormally high for me. I don't know that I'm convinced that it is the pill causing this recent increase in BP because I've had my blood pressure taken several times since starting the pill last October and last month was the 1st time that it has been high. I'm wondering if it has more to do with the weight gain and decrease in running over the past couple of months? Not sure. I don't think the doctor is going to want to take a chance though, so if I get high results when I go back in then I think we'll be talking about other birth control options...

Good weekend!

As we were coming home from dinner tonight, K and I reflected on our weekend and decided that it was overall a pretty good one! We went to see "The Kingdom" at Alamo on Friday night. Since the movie opened this weekend, I insisted that we get there super early and I even went to get the tickets right after work to ensure that we would get good seats...and we did. K got up and ran on Saturday morning, while I caught up on some tv shows from the week. Then, we settled in for a full 12 hours of college football, with the highlight of the day being the Ohio State vs. Purdue game last night. Typically, I probably would have gone out to run errands or see another movie during the afternoon, but I ended up staying in all day since my back was hurting. I had hoped to be able to go for a run this morning, but my back was still hurting so that didn't happen. Instead, we went down to the outlets in San Marcos. My main agenda item was to get a pair of jeans, which was moderately stressful. I ended up going with the same style of my other jeans in one size bigger. I also got a great deal on a couple of tank-tops. I got a few things for the house at Crate and Barrel Outlet too...I love that store. I love housewares. When I was a teenager, I wanted to be an interior decorator. Our house is so full as it is that we don't really "need" anything more for the house, but I do love to shop for things for it! We finished off the day with dinner at Trudy's...yum! I tried the strawberry-banana margarita, which I highly recommend. And, I think K will too! :)

Fall Marathon Season...

Fall Marathon season is officially upon us. Several friends ran their respective marathons this weekend. Chad qualified for Boston at St. George yesterday. He worked hard for it and really deserves this. I'm super happy for him. St. George was originally the fall marathon that I was going to train for this year, but I did not get in through the lottery. The course is supposed to be very PR friendly due to the significant elevation drop, so I'll probably try to get in again next year. Other Rogue's qualified there yesterday, too. Congrats to all!

And, then there was Chicago today. The weather conditions were brutal for marathon running there today, and I am soooooo glad that I wasn't there to run. I would have died a slow, horrible death in that heat and humidity, I'm sure. I applaud those who ran and finished, even though it was not within the goal time that most were shooting for. I also have tremendous respect for those who bowed out at the halfway point knowing that it was not their day in order to save their legs for another upcoming marathon instead. This is just one of the things that is so hard about the marathon...6 months of training and hard work all comes down to one day where anything can happen. I ran Chicago last year (in completely opposite weather conditions, thankfully), and I had been training at a BQ pace all summer. I knew it would be difficult and everything would have to go absolutely perfect that day for me to qualify, but I had a chance...until I got sick a few days before the marathon. I had an emotional meltdown at packet-pickup at the Expo the day before the marathon because this was not happening the way that I had planned it. I probably shouldn't have ran at all, but I just couldn't imagine letting it all go to waste. In retrospect, the smart thing to do would have been to refocus on Dallas in December, which is what K actually suggested as I was sitting in the hot tub after the marathon. It all comes down to persistence and hard work...and, a little bit of good luck.

Continental #240 and #5620...

Those are our flights to Columbus, Ohio on October 20th.

Yes, you read right. We're going to Columbus after all.

This after I canceled the hotel reservation that I made several months ago on Tuesday.

Once I decided that I wanted to do the Distance Challenge last month, I thought the Columbus trip was off the table because it conflicted with the 1st race of the series, IBM 10K. Hence the reason that I finally canceled the hotel reservation earlier this week. Then, I got a call from K at work yesterday afternoon...his brother had called with news that he had been able to get 4 tickets to the Ohio State vs. Michigan State game that weekend after all. This had been part of my initial incentive to get K to run the marathon with me when I was trying to convince him to train at the beginning of the summer. K seemed excited about the possibility of going when he called yesterday. So, I asked how important it was to him on a scale of 1 to 10. A 6 or 7, he replied. Okay then. He talked to his parents last night about it to see if his dad was available (and interested) in going to Columbus that weekend for the game. I know how much it would mean to K to see a game at "The Horseshoe" with his dad, so I was supportive, even if it meant that I would miss IBM that weekend. In addition, he could run the half-marathon on Sunday and have his family there to support him. So, it was an easy decision for me.

So, the flights are booked. Now, we've got to find a hotel. Fortunately, there are still hotels available, even though it is the weekend of the marathon and Homecoming for Ohio State.

K had a good 9-mile run this morning. It's so unfair that he can still run a 1:25 (or better) at the half in 2 weeks without even training. If I can miraculously somehow run 10 miles before then, then I will consider running the half too - just for the experience of running the half there and for fun, even if it is at a run-walker pace. I had hoped to go for a run this morning, but I've been having some minor back problems over the past few days that seemed to get a lot worse overnight. I'll re-evaluate tomorrow.

I had my 7th session of ART on Thursday. The doc was pleased that I had taken his original advice and taken a few days off from running (I haven't ran since Silicon Labs last Sunday). It was AMAZING how much less pain I experienced when he did the ART. I couldn't believe it. I really am hopeful now that we've got this under control. I can't wait to see how it feels when I run now....

Good Will Hunting...

Good Will Hunting is my absolute favorite movie for so many reasons.

So, on Monday, one of my staff said that I remind her of Matt Damon's character and how everyday she comes in and hopes that today will be the day that I decide that I'm too smart and move on and am suddenly not here anymore.

It made me laugh.

Today, she said, "So, Matt, you're still here." She genuinely seemed disappointed for me.

ART, Session 6...

I had my 6th session of ART yesterday. ART on the front of my lower legs, followed by anodyne therapy on the inside of my lower legs. Again, the doc commented on how much more localized the sensitive area (pain) is now compared to when I first came in. It really does seem to be narrowed down to just one spot in essentially the same place on both legs. He started at the top of my calves and worked his way down. It really didn't hurt until he hit "the spot" toward the bottom, so I even asked him if he was using as much pressure as he normally does because I couldn't believe the difference - the writhing and grimacing in pain was really limited to that spot. I didn't ask whether or not it is okay for me to run though, and I actually didn't last night. Session 7 is on Thursday...