Another Notch, Another Run

Ran a full 3m on the treadmill yesterday. "Strongest' 3-miler yet, well since I've been back anyway. I still get really tired but less so each time. I suppose it is all about conditioning. It's been about a month since my surgery so time to kick it in gear.

I am still running the Phila half on 11/20. My goal time is 2:10. We'll see how acheievable that is. SHould be nice weather at the very least. I am running the Staten Island half as my training test run. That is in October. I am also running the 5 miler kickoff in the park on marathon week- should give me some speed testing. Other than that. I need a real plan now that I can run so today, because it's Friday, I made one. I did it in Excel. Spent a lot of time on it. Can't post it here because my pc skills are lacking.

So I'll leave you with a beach pic of myself I love...

HAPPY WKD!


Want to run the Miami RNR marathon/half? Check out this blog:
http://www.runtothefinish.com/2011/08/win-entry-miami-beach-rock-n-roll-half.html?showComment=1313772167546#c5682708189736532317

First TNT run of the season... better late than never!

Tonight was my first TNT run of the season. Delicious.

We ran the NYCM finish line hill repeats. I ran 3. Beginners were to run 3-4. I figured first night back, why push it. I also should have taken my allergy meds before I went but I forgot so c'est la vie.

This year, my three repeats were 2:58, 2:58 and 2:52. I couldve run them a bit faster, but again, first night back.


Here is how it went last year... I was faster for sure. But not so much it's shocking. So, disappointing but OK. I think the workout before I ran 2:56's so I am overall not too disappointed.

We'll see how things go on a go forward basis. I am also heavier this year so clearly that plays into it. I also havent run outside since like, seriously, May? Unclear. Tomorrow we're meant to ride our bikes in the am and then we have my company BBQ in the pm.

I am proud people! Running has been my nemesis. I had a slight headache when I went to practice but am feeling OK! Hooray- maybe the surgery is worth it short term too!

bumble

I didnt run Sunday. It wasnt because of the torrential rain either. I tore up my calves with my new sneakers. Why is it that sneaker companies claim to make the same sneakers when in fact the newer models clearly are different? Or is it now that I'm adjusted to my old pathetic non supportive sneaks? Who knows. Needless to say, there was no workout Sat or Sun. Yesterday I did 20 min on the elliptical and 25 of weights.

Tonight is TNT hills int he park. I will be there with bells on, I will, really! I feel confident I can run because the pollen has all been washed away! HOORAY!

Oh Allergy Shots

Wednesday was meant to be a bar method day. We'll just skip that story. Suffice to say the subway gods were not on my side and it took me 35 min to get to Rock Center from 57 and 6th. Right.

I came home and snuck in about 25 min of yoga before the hubster got home. Yoga ends when he gets home because i do it lightly clothed in the living room.

Thursday was meant to be an early day at work coupled with a a run. I got into the office at 730 and didnt leave until almost 8. I was super lethargic, hungry and over the idea of running. I ended up doing 35 min of yoga and then called it a day and ate a light dinner.

Friday I went for an am allergy shot. You can't workout and then get a shot. You can't get a shot and then work out. They require a minimum of 2 hours or if its a longer/harder workout, 4 hours. I didnt ask them for their definition of a hard workout except I'm pretty positive my idea of an easy workout is their idea of a hard one.  By Friday pm the lethargic nature of being had spread and taken over my being. I was sleepy, ready to get into bed, didnt even want to walk to the subway kinda of tired. Nonetheless I made myself go to Equinox before going home and I managed 3.5m or 3.75m with my walking cooldown. I was really proud of this. A) It's been the easiest its been since surgery B) I made myself run on a Friday night when all I wanted to do was eat wine and cheese (in fact I made this the reward) C) I didnt feel terrible about myself D)I love when I can sneak in some NCIS!

Overall: A- for effort and B- for the workout. I am getting back fitness but still struggling a bit. It's OK. 3-weeks post trauma, I'm OK with a little struggle. Overall my nose is MUCH better. Not perfect, but better. I can move the nose more and more each few days so I am just a slow healer/vs not healing, which clearly is positive.

it's 6:30 am and we're just getting ready to drive down the shore- who knew I'd end up with an earlybird! Sigh I don't know how I'd handle if he weren't!

Up next: Sunday 4-5m. I can do it!

Finally a hill workout

So last week's hill workout was miserable. Last Thursdays run was also miserable. My legs feel like lead and I am exhausted and really out of breathe. So much so, that I skipped this weekends run in order to give myself more resting time.

Dum dum dum.... yesterday was scheduled as a hill workout. This week marks 15 weeks until the half. I know it's a lot of time, but I wanted to really work on speedwork and strength and here I am hardly able to run 3 miles at a 12 min pace- HOW did that even happen. I blame the anesthesia. Nothing else changed. The day before surgery I ran 2m at a 10:45 pace PRE hour long trainer workout. That was three weeks ago today. Insane.

So yesterday I did my hill workout which went something like this: 1) Warm up for 10 min (I walked 5 and ran! yes ran! 5 minutes (at 12min pace but still) and then did 5 intervals of hills. Each interval was 2 min at 4.0 incline at 5.0mph pace followed by 1 min of 5.2mph pace (11:30) followed by 3 min of recovery (where I walked- recovery is recovery). Then after the 5 intervals I ran another 5 min and then walked 3. Overall it was a 46ish min workout (the last interval i didnt do the 3 min of walking, I walked 1 and ran 5) so that was really satisfying.

I am def starting to feel better. my stitches in my nose even partially came out! hooray! Almost three weeks later but oh well.

I am hopeful that this Thursday I will be able to run another 3-4m and attempt to run 4-5m this Sunday/Saturday but know that if I run 3m its still the first week I've been able to run 3x so take it for what it is. I know there is plenty of time, but jeez! Meanwhile, our bike race is in 6 weeks and I've only ridden my bike once. WHOOPS.

The pluses and minuses

So I've been MIA, I've been sleeping and working mostly. It's been a much tougher recovery than anticipated. I slept about 14-15 hours yesterday. Uhm yeah. Friday I slept 8 and then took a 2 hour nap on the beach. Right. BUsy days huh?

The pluses:

• I can touch my nose without being in pain
• I can breathe normally again
• I can shower facing the showerhead again
• I am healthy enough to go to the gym

The minuses:

• A wave breaking in my face this weekend almost sent me into a panic
• My stiches are coming partially undone but not completely which leaves me with strings hanging out of my nose that I have to shove back in
• Cutting said strings is excruciating
• The gym is rough, my stomach is still a mess and I'm more sweaty and more out of breathe than usual

I guess it is what it is. I did pick a race though for all of my avid followers- The Philadelphia Half Marathon on November 20th in (duh!) Philly! The good news is that I have tons of time to recoup and run well. I am meant to run 6m this weekend as my long run but that is going to have to be cut to 4m given the current lack of running potential- we'll see.

This week's plan:
today- 35 min weights workout
tomorrow- hills on the treadmill- i'm not ready for humidity yet, I can barely get the run down!
wednesday- off or late night yoga
thursday- run with perhaps abs at the end
friday- yoga
saturday- off
sunday- run

rinse and repeat.

Update

Well  I have been obviously missing since my surgery.

I had septoplasty on 7/21 and boy is it a surgery. It was a Thursday and I did struggle to recover. My surgery was for 8 in the am on Thursday which was ideal because I was home by noon. And yes, I even managed to have a light lunch. It's really hard to do anything when your nose is impacted. You need your nose to do absolutely everything. I was breathing out of my mouth for quite a few days. Overall the surgery was uncomfrotable but not painful.

I did have anethesia, morphine and vicodin- who knew! Thursday/Friday were really tough with a whole lot of doing absolutely nothing. Saturday I finally started to get better and lo and behold, Saturday night came down with a fever. Sunday was awful. My fever spiked up to 102 and I was achey and just miserable. Monday was more of the same. At my post-op doctors appointment my lovely doc (who I do really like) let me know that I had caught a cold or more than likely a virus of some sort. I was on antibiotics and she calimed my nose was healing well so just to push fluids and rest. Monday night I seriously was in tears. So much pain, so much discomfort and a fever that wouldnt break from its 102/103 threshold even with ice packs on my head and under my arm pits. Monday night my fever finally broke and I ended up taking Tuesday off because I was exhausted.

Anyway last week was hell back at work... I consistently felt like I had walked into a shit show. Wednesday I was really quite out of it and Thursday was a 13 hour day. Friday I got home at 7 pm and got into pj's. I didnt get out of bed (for more than an hour) until 7 pm on SATURDAY! So yea, still recovering. I finally worked out yesterday. 25 min weights workout. The positive is that I was using my 18 lb kettlebells which is what I was up to 10 days prior. The bad news is that I was exhausted, sweating like a pig and had an abnormally elevated (for me) heartrate.

I think I am going to attempt our TNT hill workout tonight. I need to just throw myself back into it? right?