OUCH!

Today was my last long run before the marathon.  In one week from now I will have run my first marathon.  I am so excited, I'm not really that apprehensive.  I've trained for this.  I set out a decent training plan and mostly followed it.  As of today I've logged running nearly 350 miles and at a 10 min mile pace that is nearly 60 hours of running.  This does not include my walking or any other cross training.  Is this enough?  To finish respectably, yes.

Training Plan with Notes

The changes I have felt and witnessed in my own body and mind have been amazing on this soon to be 18 week journey culminating in me finishing my first marathon.  Truly a challenge I am thrilled to have taken on and hunger for the next one.  Any suggestions on my next marathon? next challenge? next race?

My pace was slow today, I was feeling a little, honestly, hung over.  Even the pic Hubb snapped of me in my "Never mess with a woman who runs 26.2 miles for fun" tech shirt showed me to be a little "delicate" as one of my British friends calls it.  Although my shirt is really a mauve not a purple so maybe it was the lighting?

Hubb "Should you really be wearing that shirt yet?"

I ran my usual long run route.  Said HI to the ladies stoop sitting sipping coffee and smoking their cigarettes.  The little old man was shuffling across the street to pick up his Sunday paper, no dog, I wonder if the dog just wasn't into going out on this crisp fall a.m. or if he expired.  Kinda the same old same old, not a lot to report on.  One other runner, lots of cars, no bikes.

When I trained for the Providence 1/2 marathon I ran in May, I would post my route as a rorschach test, while not an inkblot sometimes it made interesting figures and people enjoyed pitching in guesses.  My purpose was to talk about Lung Cancer and who I had dedicated my loop in the park to.  I still do that loop and still think about and meditate on someone I know with or has passed from lung cancer or someone who has a loved one with or has passed from lung cancer.  I dedicated this loop to the last name I've added to my list, a new friend had an Uncle who passed from Lung Cancer, quite quickly after diagnosis.  This disease touches so many people in so many ways.

See anything? The loop in the park is just to the left of the green bubble.

This afternoon my massage therapist friend came over to the house to work on me, mostly my legs.  She arrived at 3 to the chaos that is our house with four dogs barking and jumping all over the place.  She is not unaccustomed to dogs and took it all in stride.  The fearsome foursome also joined us for my torture, er massage, session.  There were a couple of screams and yelps that upset the dogs a bit.  These were prompted by Amy releasing my bound together IT band and hamstring.  I was ordered to sit on ice as soon as she left.  GLADLY, that HURT and I could feel the pressure release.   What surprised me most was the fact my toes stopped cramping up.  Holy cow, she worked all that bound up fascia up and down my legs and hips from the PF and the compensation my muscles made as I was recovering from the PF.  Who would have thunk this was the reason my toes were cramping and flipping me off!!

Amy mentioned she reviewed my PF treatment plan with the trainer for the CT Sun Women's Basketball team.  She is their massage therapist.  I run in some pretty impressive circles, eh?  She said the trainer wished his athletes were so diligent with recovery from injury.  If only he could get the women to follow the plans he laid out for them they would see results and here is this pure ammature plugging along and seeing actual results.  I felt pretty smug, wouldn't you?

The dogs did their best to keep an eye on Amy and also win her over with their charms.  Love them!

I've been frothing at the the mouth to run Bluff Point, I think I mentioned it rained all day Friday.  I did take my eldest dog out there.  I've never taken anyone out there, it has always been my place.  Half way through the trail it dawned on me this has always been just my place.  I was happy to share it with Gizmo.  He loved the one one one time although was getting pretty tired by the end of the trail.  We saw some beautiful sights and he seemed to sniff some interesting smells.  Slowly the sun came out making it an even better trip.   I did want to splash through the mud and puddles.  I tried to remain dignified, it was difficult.

View of the swamp just before the first uphill.

View of the LI Sound, sailboat in the distance.

The last downhill

There were a few runners on the trail.  I was so jealous. After the marathon you can trail run again, don't risk injury, don't risk injury!!!

On the last downhill from all the rain the trail was pretty beaten up.  I caught the glimpse of a runner behind me, bright green shirt, nice!  Making sure she can be seen!  Two thumbs up.  I maneuvered Gizmo to the more rutty part of the trail, giving her the best part of the trail for THE best part of the trail.  She passed, we exchanged hellos and thank you's.  I said "This is the best part of the trail, isn't it?" She said "Yes, down hill and near the end."  then we both heard it, CRACK, the tell tale sound of a dead tree falling in the woods. The at least 5 inch in diameter dead tree, fell, she instinctively put her hands over her head, the tree, missing her head by inches, caught her left foot.  She fell.  I rushed up "Are you OK?"  She got up, stopped her GPS, looked around, disgusted at the forming scrape on her left shin, and answered "Yes, I think I am fine.  Do you have a cell phone?"  She was going to call her husband.  They were staying at the Marriott and he ran part of the trail with her and was going back to the hotel.  No luck getting ahold of her hubb.  We walked out to the parking lot.  Chatting about running.  She was one week out from the New Orleans Half Marathon and was wondering if what felt like a broken toe or two were going to cause her to not PR that race.  I told her was training for my first marathon and while wanted to run the trail, didn't for fear of injury.  She said "Totally hear you there."  Ooops sometimes I need to think before I speak!!

When we got near the trailhead, we were about 0.2 miles from the end, there was her husband.  He saw her with me and another woman and our dogs and the blood running down her left leg and said "Oh honey what happened?"  She had kept it together very well until then but really wanted to break down "I nearly got killed by a tree falling." I could hear her voice crack.  He comforted her and eventually realized they had RUN to Bluff Point and shouted, "Hey, can you give us a ride?"  Of course, no problem.  Loaded them and Gizmo up into the car and we chatted about running and injuries and that she would just tape up the toes and run next weekend.  Atta girl, don't let this near death experience get you down.

Her husband asked if she was planning on wearing heels to the wedding they were attending.  Really?

I never asked their names, I do have their phone numbers from her trying to get ahold of him.  Maybe I'll text them and see how she is doing.  Guess I could ask if she wore the flip flops or the heels?

This is why I don't run without my phone.  I had a nasty tumble on the Vin Gormley trail that shook me up bad enough to keep it with me.  Not that anyone would have been able to find me, but at least I could try!!??!

Stats:

Slow but steady

Sincerely,
Beth fully in taper mode

Whiskey, My Friend, My Love

I think I may have been a little drunk when I woke up this morning or just exhausted...  The drinks were a little strong last night, no complaints, and I had a very stiff night cap when I got home at oh 10 p.m. probably could have passed on the night cap.  Oh Jack how you tempt me so....

This is how my Wednesdays go.  A little off from a long day on Tuesday. I wore one of my new dresses so I looked good, as my work husband says "Look good feel good."  Busy day, full of action items from the last meeting on Tuesday and other things I need to get moving on.  I worked from home in the afternoon because hubb was off to The Cape to spend a couple days with his family and the dogs are used to having someone around plus the young ones are crated when we aren't home.  While all they do is sleep in the crate and they don't really seem to care, it bugs me.

Crates and dogs.  I've read that the crate is actually a good thing, it is far less stressful for the dog because they don't have to make any decisions on what they are going to do once the two legged pack members leave the house.  They just go to sleep until the two legged pack members arrive home.  I think there is truth to this.  The elder dogs are a bit stressed because some how something that was on the counter is now on the floor and they then get a tap on the tushie because of it.  Dogs do not understand consequences to their actions.  They do know if there is a dog food tin or a soup tin on the floor they are getting a tap on the tushie but the fact THEY counter surfed and brought down that tin escapes them. Plus they are a good place to keep unruly Father-in-laws.

I finished up what I wanted to accomplish for work, fed the dogs and then went for a run on my favorite trail, yep, Bluff Point.  I love that trail.  Did the short loop 3.6 miles, in 35 minutes, not bad time.  I felt like I finally have my legs back. It was awesome.  I also used the Dirty Girl Gaiters a friend sent me.  

I was a little suspect on how these would work and what sort of looks I would get on the trail.  As for the looks on the trail, so what.   The guys that stare are staring at a hot sweaty chick, and I'll just go with that thought.  I doubt they are looking at my ankles anyhow, they are male.  Loved them, the gaiters, not the looks from the guys (ok yes, I like that too, I'm a girl whaddya expect?).  Back to the gaiters.  First, they kept out the dirt and the rocks and the stones and the other niggly trail bits that always seem to get caught in my shoes.  Second, they totally look super cute with my new trail shoes.  Can you imagine them with a pink running skirt!  Woot!  Third, the sweat wicking fabric seemed to keep my ankles cooler, I only noticed this on my cool down walk and my drive home, hey added bonus!

My run was great.  Really great.  My heel is feeling so much better, between the icing and the spikey ball roller.  Now I have a little shin splint action happening in the left shin.  If it isn't one thing it is another.

My awesome massage therapist is gifting me a special foam roller and a DVD to help with my PF and probably the rest of my muscles.  She is awesome!  I need to find a super special gift for her, hmm, better put my thinking cap on!

Tomorrow is a work at home day and a rest day, so you won't hear much until my race report from the Blessing of the Fleet 10 miler in Narragansett, RI on Friday night.

Thank you for tuning in!