2013 Running Thread

"IF I finish then I've won" - LOVE that. Back in the 90's I ran the Boston Marathon and was quite pleased w/myself for having finished. My kids were in grade school then.  One of their friends, a young, very competitive boy w/type A parents, came up to me a few days later looking sad and said, "Mrs. C, I'm sorry you lost the marathon."  I had a good little chuckle over that.

Mary, the Diva Dash is a lot of fun.  It is an obstacle 5k for women.  This is not a tough mudder obstacle race.  No mud!  And the obstacles are all very doable - crawling under things, climbing over things, balance beam, carrying something heavy for a short way.  None of the obstacles last year required great upper body strength (like rope climbing a wall, or horizontal ladders).  I think they have added some more obstacles this year - they did add horizontal ladders, but with 2 options - for those that can swing from rung to rung, go for it (not me!), but if you can't, then they have rungs underneath you can step on.  It's not uber competitive either, I saw a lot of women just walking between obstacles, and if you didn't want to do an obstacle you could do jumping jacks instead. And wine at the finish line!

Hi, all!  This past weekend was my running club's annual picnic.  Have I mentioned before how much I love my club?  I was part of several running groups back in Michigan - one I competed for in team races, one offered speedwork and group runs, and one hosted an annual picnic and awards ceremony - but none were as cohesive as this one.  It's really helped me feel like part of a community, which has helped me get excited about running again. 

The highlight of the picnic - well, besides the great food - was a 3-person relay.  Teams were totally random, drawn out of a hat.  Each runner did a loop around the lower part of the park (1.7 miles), then handed the baton (yes, we had real batons!) to the next runnner.  When you weren't running, you hung around and cheered for whoever was coming in.  While hanging around I met another runner who just finished chemo for ovarian cancer (and ran a smoking fast loop, I should add). 

Next race is a super-low key club run tomorrow night (NOT a goal race . . . group speedwork tonight, so legs will be tired tomorrow).  Next goal race is the New York Road Runners team competition in August.  It's a 5-mile loop of Central Park, so you know I'm going to have to start getting ready for those hills.

Happy running, everyone.

Linda

Welcome, Mariasnow!  Really sorry this has been such a long and complicated process for you.  Infections suck - especially when they interfere with running, LOL.

L

Thanks lewing. I ended up deciding to go to my PS this morning on an emergency basis. I can see my implant through a little hole that is forming where I had my radiation boost. Taking action. In the meantime...sticking to my runner's diet so I keep feeling well - although keeping the calories down to manage my weight. Trying to take good steps with what my situation is each day. I looked at some Lululemon running clothes online for inspiration yesterday. I WILL get back there!

Runfree16, tried acupuncture? My PT does it. One needle released my seized up muscle down my front on one side (where the DIEP has resulted in a lot of tightness and stuff crammed into a small space). Just literally seconds and it relaxed. On my shoulders, the knot was a different kind and reason, and she jammed the needle right into the muscle. Holy crap. Hurt every bit as much as you'd think, but just briefly, and then it stayed loose for a couple of weeks.

The needles are tiiiiny - and in most cases just barely under the skin. You feel the tap of the plastic "straw" they are inside, but I just look away. The one that went into my shoulder was something else, briefly, but I can't complain because it worked. 

"Sponsor spew" -- I love it!  The backs of some of my race shirts look like the Yellow Pages.  And congrats, Goldlining, on your daughter's successful treatment.

Ran my running club's 5K tonight - super low-key, part of a series of races held every other week all summer long - and while it wasn't a goal race, I beat my goal time!  I've been wanting to go under 22 minutes for 5K, and tonight, I finally did.  I ran 21:47 by my watch, 21:51 gun time (I started a few rows back).  That's my fastest 5K in more than 5 years, since my dx.  Splits were 7:15 (uphill, dodging other runners), 6:49 (downhill, this mile pretty much runs itself), then home in 7:42 for the last 1.1 (7 minute pace on the nose).  Very, very happy!   I'm lucky in that there's another woman in the club who's just a bit faster than me, and I was able to hang on to her for much of the race. 

Linda

Definitely perfect running weather here in MD today.  No humidity.  It is supposed to be an off day but I am sneaking in 2 miles than walk.  

Mariasnow, that's very interesting!  Cranial sacral therapy for calf stuff?  I wouldn't have thought of that.  My PT didn't have any magic answers. She suggested I look into Pose technique (I haven't yet, but I will), and she thinks in the long run, I need to strengthen my feet and ankles.  I overpronate a LOT on the right and toss my weight onto the left, which is the leg that gets injured.  I do wear pretty substantial custom orthotics, but my gait is still a bit of a mess, I guess.

Does your doc think no exercise will do the job, or is it that you can see how it goes starting 7/4?

Go Piper go!  Fantastic!

My official time was 38:01. Was competing with getting around a stroller. HAHA. TY for all of the encouragement. I will ask to be put on the official calender for Aug 3-St. Barnabas 5K. I have been bitten by the runners bug. Wonder what my time can be with a good nights sleep HAHAHA

Gold- congrats on your daughters remission AWESOME. Loved the overseas running accounts...and all of the runs and helpful hint postings.

I walked yesterday. Will do a little circuit training over the next couple of days and get a run in mid week. I have my niece and nephew with me for a couple of days........YEAH!

XOXOXOXOXO

Piper

I keep checking in here for motivation but it's been quiet, eh? I went out for 3k while the dinner prep was in hold mode yesterday. Hot and humid (compared to usual) here, though nothing compared to elsewhere. My weather app was telling me Phoenix is 48C. (I have Phoenix on it because I have a trip there in October, and am daydreaming ahead.) We have never been 48C here. And obviously lots of places are more humid than here. Everything is relative.

I was reasonably pleased with my pace and enjoyed it, my first run since getting home. I went a direction I normally don't go, to make it a little more like a "strange place" run. Dang, I like running in "different" places so much more.

healing thoughts Maria. Yeah Lovesto! I can only hope to run more than 3 miles, but for now will hang on to what I can do. Honestly I am just mastering the 2-2.5 mile run on a somewaht consistent basis. Making strength training more of a consistent practice and as usuaul I am walking 3-ish miles several times a week.

I am getting my niece today-my bold, crazy fun red-head. Sooooooo excited. I had a nice time with her 2 siblings last weekend but...sssssssssshhhhhhhhhhhh.............The red-head is my mini-me and my favorite!

Happy trails and have a wonderful weekend all.

Gold-where do you live??? and do you travel alot for your job???

XOXOXOXOXOXO

Piper