A Thousand Calories, The Hard Way

Hal Higdon's Novice 1 Marathon Training Schedule: Week 2, Day 6

Days to Chevron Houston Marathon: 112
Planned activity: 7 mile run
70 degrees 7:25 am
8.26 miles     1 hour 35minutes    11:34 min/mile average pace


I didn't plan this run.  I've been out and around in my neighborhood and have a sense of how far it is between landmarks.  I have my Garmin watch to help me make decisions on when to turn around or turn a corner.  It's a nice day although plenty humid.  I ate a Stinger Chocolate Waffle before leaving my place.  160 calories of carbs to see me through.  I took my water bottle and decided to listen to "Snap Judgement" for distraction.  Oh, I'm distracted.  That's for certain.

I ran around the fake lake on the other side of Highway 6. 

I crossed back over and still had another 4 miles to go.  I headed up Sweetwater and made a really bad decision.  You may remember that a couple of months ago I decided to run along a bayou and never, ever came across a bridge to get to the other side.  You'd think I would have remembered that.  I didn't.  Not until I was almost at 5 and a half miles.  At that point I was lost.  If I kept running I had no idea where the path ended.  Would I end up running 10, 12, 15 miles?  I simply didn't have it in me today.

I turned around and the ran way I'd come, back to Sweetwater and a shorter way home.  Dammit.

I'm home.  I'm hungry.  My foot felt pretty good, especially the longer I ran.  I'm on ice now and I'm kind of kicking myself.  But only kind of because any day I learn something is a good day.

Here's why:  I didn't enjoy this run.  I'm preoccupied with life events and running should be a pleasurable escape but I didn't let that happen.  I forced myself to WORK during the second half on mileage calculations.  I was busy calculating/measuring/THINKING!!!  Lesson learned.  Next long run - no winging it, even if it means I only go out and back.

To my son...Happy Birthday, Sweetheart.  Thank you for all of your encouragement and for being one hell of an example to this old lady runner.   Know that you and Age were my first thoughts when I opened my eyes this morning.  I love you.  Mom 













©Michelle Scofield, September 22, 2012 All Rights Reserved

You Can Call Me "D"

Hal Higdon's Novice 1 Marathon Training Schedule: Week 2, Day 4
Days to Chevron Houston Marathon: 114
Planned activity: 3 mile run
61 degrees 5:25am
3.03miles 31:58 10:35 min/mile average pace


Note the glorious temperature.

I saw my second favorite doctor yesterday.   (My daughter will always be my first.)   Dr. Jones wrote me an order for Physical Therapy evaluation and a few sessions to work on my achilles/plantar heel complex.  Nothing major.  Yay! The films showed that I have some wear and tear but no fracture.  No surprise there.  He said I can keep running and let pain be my guide.  I think he was duly impressed by my quasi-begging. 

I'll be taking NSAIDs and using a heelcup in my shoes.  I showed him the shoes I'm running in and he thought they were do-able.  If I get worse, I'll get in to see him sooner than 4 weeks.  If I'm better in 4 weeks, I'm to get on with my life.  Halleloo!!!

I ran with the gel heelcups in place this morning and I was faster.  No connection.  I'm sure.  Ha!  I think it was just a combination of relief and cooler temperature. Tomorrow is a rest day.  I'm icing at this moment and I'll do the same after all my runs for the foreseeable future.  Determination - my new middle name.








©Michelle Scofield, September 20, 2012 All Rights Reserved

Doctor Day

Tuesday, September 18, 2012




Hal Higdon's Novice 1 Marathon Training Schedule: Week 2, Day 3



Days to Chevron Houston Marathon: 115
Planned activity: 3 mile run

71 degrees 5:25am

3.03miles 33:06 11:09min/mile average pace


I'm going to get this heel checked out.  Run went better than yesterday.  Less discomfort, but still there.  I don't want to fool myself into thinking it's going away.  It's not.  January is a long time from now and a lot could happen.  I had a nice phone conversation with my son - the voice of reason.  As he so thoughtfully pointed out:  If I have to take a week off, now is the time to do it.  I'd hate to.  Ugh.

We'll see.

We will see.

Update to follow.



©Michelle Scofield, September 19, 2012 All Rights Reserved

Body Over Mind Over Body Over...

Hal Higdon's Novice 1 Marathon Training Schedule: Week 2, Day 2

Days to Chevron Houston Marathon: 116
Planned activity: 3 mile run
67 degrees    5:20am
3.01 miles   33:38     11:10/mile average pace

Getting to sleep was Mission Impossible last night.  I tried reading.  No go.  I got up and went to a different room and watched a documentary.  Nothing.  I finally took a Benadryl sometime after midnight, knowing that my alarm was going to go off at 5.  I had a 3 mile run planned today, depending on how my heel felt. 

It was sore.  My arm is sore.  (I had my flu shot yesterday.)  Still, I got up and got dressed.

Wow.  My heel was a little more painful than it's been as I got into mile one.  Should I stop?  I didn't want to stop.  I have an appointment with an Orthopedic doc tomorrow. 

I. Don't. Want. To. Stop.

I feel healthier today than I've felt in years.  In my life?  Yeah, I can say that.  My body is in better shape.  My skin looks great.  And other than the fact that I wish with most of my social-wishy-lonely-at-times part that I was in a loving partnership with a great man, I'm pretty damned happy.  (When you've been in the pit of depression, it's not so hard to see happy.  That's MY experience.)

When I'm running, I'm most connected with myself.  Or - better yet - occasionally when I'm running, I get into a groove and I'm DISconnected from myself and all I know is the pavement and the breeze and the sun or the moon.  When I'm running....HEY!  At mile 2, my heel didn't hurt.  I was "aware" of it, but it didn't hurt.  I cruised on through mile 3.

Note to self:  Make a note for the Doctor.  I want to run and I feel better when I do.






©Michelle Scofield, September 18, 2012 All Rights Reserved

By The Numbers

Hal Higdon's Novice 1 Marathon Training Schedule: Week 2, Day 1

Days to Chevron Houston Marathon: 117
Planned activity: Rest




Nonfasting:

Glucose 93
Cholesterol 180
HDL 85
Triglycerides 107
LDL 74
TC/HDL Ratio  2.1

To quote my son:  "Boom!"


©Michelle Scofield, September 17, 2012 All Rights Reserved

Sunday Funday

Hal Higdon's Novice 1 Marathon Training Schedule: Week 1, Day 7



Days to Chevron Houston Marathon: 118

Planned activity: Crosstrain
Time and Temp: 8 am Indoors...78? 

WiiFit Balance Games 30 minutes


It's been a looooooong time since I connected my Wii console to my TV.  The screen lit up and the smartie pants system said something like, "Michelle?  Is that you?"  Yeah, yeah.  It was me.

I'm dedicated to sticking with the schedule that Mr. Higdon has devised for getting me to the finish line in January.  I could have done just about anything today, even taken a walk.  I thought about  using the company gym and a stationary bike but I avoid going by there on my running routes.  There's something about seeing work when I'm not working that harshes my mellow.  So that was out. 

I've use a balance board in Physical Therapy to strengthen the muscles around my ankle and it's billed as core work - although I'm sure planks would have been better. 

It was a good reminder that I have equipment in my place that I don't use often enough.  When my foot is feeling better I'll pull out my jump rope.  I can work some kettle bell routines in there and I have three different elastic bands that I can use for resistance work.

I didn't exactly break a sweat but that's OK.  The point (as I understand it) is to use different muscle groups and change up my routine.  I'm also very hesitant to do anything that can lead to injury at this point.  I'm walking a fine line with my right foot and I need to be as smart as I can. 

Tomorrow is a scheduled rest day.  I'm perfectly fine with that.  Speaking of rest, I slept like a baby last night.  Lovely.




©Michelle Scofield, September 16, 2012 All Rights Reserved

Obstacles and Excuses

Hal Higdon's Novice 1 Marathon Training Schedule: Week 1, Day 6

Days to Chevron Houston Marathon: 119
Planned activity: 6 mile run
Time and Temp:   6am    71 Degrees
6.0 miles      1:10:25     Average pace of 11:44/mile

It's Saturday morning and my alarm was set for 5:45.  On Saturday.  The weekend.  A day I don't have to work.  Here are some of the reasons I came up with to roll over and go back to sleep:

My foot still hurts a little - not as bad - but a little.

I was up during the night with this pesky GI problem.  It's the blood pressure medication, I'm sure of it.  I'm trying to ride it out, thinking I'll develop tachyphylaxis to this particular side effect.  (I'm giving it until Wednesday, then I'm going to have to try something else.  Mama can't hang a whole lot longer.)

I had an appointment for a mammogram at 7:50.  Running 6 miles and then showering was going to make me cut it close.  I wouldn't have time for breakfast until after the squeezing.

Did I mention it's Saturday?

None of those seemed to be sufficient.  I rolled out of bed, dressed, and was out the door.  I was then faced with reasons to cut the run short:

I didn't know my street would have limited traffic access for cars because of a 5K on the square.  Would that delay me getting to my appointment?  Maybe I should only run 3 or 4 miles?

Hmmm...my foot was tender.  Should I run at all?  (It's been tender, it's going to be tender.  It gets better as I move and I have an appointment with a doctor next week.)

The biggest challenge occurred at mile three and again at mile five.  My gut started to rumble.  I was running in my neighborhood.  I could have cut across parking lots and sliced away at my distance and time.  Instead I walked a few paces and let the wave of discomfort pass.  It did and I picked up my speed again.

I love my Garmin Forerunner 110 watch.  It lets me keep track of my pace and it's reassuring to know that I've got "just that much more" to go and I'll be at my goal distance.  As I ran back onto my street, I saw that the final cones had been laid out for the 5K.  I had .2 miles to go to make 6.  I ran to the end of my block and back then hit the STOP button on my watch.  I buzzed myself into my complex, ran up the stairs, let myself into my apartment and showered quickly. 

I was able to get out of our building before the race began and now I've had my yearly mammogram and my breakfast.  

Oh, that's one thing I won't make excuses about.  If any of you are reading this and you're tempted to do so - make excuses and skip your mammograms - please don't.  It's a little uncomfortable but the alternative (an undetected cancer that spreads and is difficult to treat) is no freaking fun run.



©Michelle Scofield, September 15, 2012 All Rights Reserved