The Training of Dom

Whew..been awhile.


Dominic is finishing his first month of half training. I am amazed..he is hitting every workout with a ball bat and as I said before we started…is giving me a run for my money. I will tentatively put this here…I am thinking we will probably beat my half PR in this race…at least it wouldn’t surprise me if we did. And I am also putting this here where I know he won’t see….if he is still strong by mile 11….I’m going to let him go and see what he can do. He ran a 5 miler Tuesday night by himself…his last mile he ran a 9:08….and came home feeling fine. I think he is surprising himself with speed he had no idea was there. Today we have an easy 4 miler and this Saturday we have our next long run of 8 miles…he likes the long ones because he gets to eat..my boy…lol.


On a not so side note….I’ve been off running for the last week. Today will be my first day back after a week of cross training and ultrasound and ice on my left heel. Literally the first night of training…when we got home..I noticed something weird feeling in the pad of my left heel extending into my arch. It didn’t hurt when I ran…but by Friday of last week after a pretty intense speed session Thursday night I could barely walk on it. On Friday I called my newest favorite person *she was my newest favorite person before this too* and asked her to fix me. It didn’t present as planter fasciitis in any clinical tests so we think it was or is just a deep strain or bruise. Either way…we’ve spent the last week with ultrasound, low dose ibuprofen around the clock, icings every day several times a day and NOT running. Just trying to give it a chance to heal. As of right this second…there is only minimal pain if I push on the area pretty hard. We will see what today brings and after my long run on Saturday I should have a pretty good idea of whether or not this race is going to happen for me. And if I have to choose between running this half with Dom…or beating the shit out of Lighthouse as planned…..it will be this race with Dom..hands down.


So that’s all the news to date. Actually…that’s not even close to all the news to date…but it’s all I have time for today. Hope everyone is well and we’ll see if I can take a stab at more regular blogging for a change.

Lighthouse Run 2011...etc.

No race recap..that’s right..no recap whatsoever. I had a wonderful time with Katie…but I don’t feel like typing it all out so there. Here’s a pic of our amazing selves pre-race and that’s it. We have big plans for this race next year Katie and I ….stay tuned. I will however…say that Tate RAWKED her little race although she didn’t win…and loved Katie to pieces…too cute.


Fathers Day
Was good. Saw all the dads in my life. I got my dad a card and copied some text from this here blog into it….but I had to buy it because of what it said on the front…

 
Because her father listened to her, she knew she had something to say.


Because he believed in her, she believed in herself.
Because he said she could do anything, she did.

Sums up our relationship perfectly…and I am reminded yet again how blessed I am to have been raised by a man who instilled in me such self worth…and loved me enough that I never looked elsewhere for HIS love. Thank you Dad…for being awesome…for making me awesome….and in turn making 3 awesome super people…who will go on to make more super people….and on and on it goes.

Tattoo News
I got my marathon tattoo fixed on Monday night. After much post-tattooing running abuse…my tattoo looked like I took an eraser to it. I mean seriously folks….I covered it with a piece of gauze and ran 10 miles on it 3 freaking days after I got it. I should have waited till after Lighthouse to even get it…but since I didn’t…and I’m a dumbass about MANY MANY things…I got it….ruined it with shoes…and had to have it redone…go me. And for those of you that are interested….the second go at a month old tattoo hurts like a CRAZY MOFO.

Barefoot News
The upside of ruining said tattoo…is that I am determined to NOT wreck it this time because that shit hurts. I am now completely barefoot for at least the next several weeks. I have been having wonder peaceful slow runs. I’m running 3 to 4 miles at a stretch and feeling fantastic…I’m a happy nekkid foot running girl.

Yoga News
Loving loving loving yoga. Last week I tried the advanced class with Jessika…awesome. I took it again this Thursday and holy crap. At the beginning of class she said something to the effect of hearing that she took it too easy last week. And boy did she remedy that. It made the first advanced class seem like a brownie meeting. Fantastic! Afterwords I picked up the kids from the library and we went down to North Beach and while they played at the park I knocked out 4 barefoot miles along Lake Michigan. I am LOVING Thursdays!!!

So I hope everyone had a good week. I’m still looking for my perfect first barefoot race. I know there’s a evening 4 miler in Waterford that Lori does in the beginning of August. Happy Weekend All!!

Mangos, Mizunos and Mad Gnomes

If I had to count all of the mangos I have eaten since it became mango ~season~ in Wisconsin I imagine it would be over 50…I’ve started keeping the stickers on my food log see?

So when Skip is out of town and I am left to my own devices I do things. Things that I wouldn’t do if he was around to stop me…..like run in my Mizuno Wave Riders 14’s that I bought and hated right from the get go. Why do I hate them? Dunno…I LOVE the 13’s..have had 3 pairs of them….but I can’t run in these to save my life. So after 3 agonizing miles..he told me not to even bring them home and if I did…they better be gone before he got home. So…they have 40 miles on them, size 9 which in non-Mizuno talk is a size 8.5 running shoe. First email takes em and I’ll even pay the shipping.

Onwards. Lighthouse is this weekend….and although I had finally decided that I was running the 4 mile race barefoot..... I have instead laced up and am running the 10 with Katie. Because there are always other races to do barefoot….but I can’t think of anything I’d rather do then run this race with Katie. This was my first race of any distance 3 years ago…and although I have a score to settle with Lighthouse…..that will have to wait for another time because my only plan this weekend is to run whatever pace Katie wants…she’s training for her 3rd half marathon…and enjoying her company. Awesome!

This guy is Skip and my 'compromise' on a yard gnome...he wanted one soo bad but I told him hell no....so he got this guy instead.  His eyes light up at night...Lori says I have a demon on my front stoop.

And who knew they sold gummie tarantulas....or that they liked mangos too?

Happy Tuesday!

May Mileage and Memorial Pics

103.36 Not bad except that 26.2 of those happened on the same day….HA!


After my 6 mile run yesterday…I think I reached a decision about Lighthouse…and that is to do the 4 mile race and do it barefoot. And maybe…just maybe…I’ll have an enjoyable race.  Here are a couple of pics from my early morning Memorial Day run...I really need to get back into morning running....soo peaceful.

First 4 miles on these.

Pike River Path greening up for summer.

Last two miles in these.

My 7 dollar Walmart water shoes...not bad at all for running.

Gorgeous right?  I think I want to buy the place.

So Dom and I ran 2 miles down by the lake tonight. I got a text from him at work today asking me if we could run together tonight. How could I pass that up? My boys are both coming to the point where spending time with their parents is a requirement…not something they WANT to do. So needless to say I jumped at the chance.   It was hot but he held up like a trooper and we both ran without shoes.  Brian also came with us and I think his tongue was hanging almost to the ground.

In yoga news…I have my second class tomorrow night. Skip and I are ditching date night for golf and yoga respectively. If I like this class, they do offer it on Monday night and that’s when I’ll take it. I’m going to bring my new purple mat…love that thing.

What's your favorite time of day to run?  Do you mind the heat?

In Regards to Lighthouse

Today…I don’t even want to do it. I still haven’t signed up…..I wanted to wait and see how yesterdays 10 mile run turned out but instead of lacing up and doing that 10….I went out and ran 3.6 barefoot instead.


This morning I lay in bed trying to find any excuse NOT to get my lazy ass out of bed and do this run. And if I had to do it….I wanted it to be a good one. Long story short…it wasn’t. I called Skip at 3.5 miles to come get me…I don’t do that. But if he’d answered….I would have totally had him come. My shins were cramping and I was just tired. I wore my Mizunos….I haven’t even had them on since my marathon. I hated this run. I was on pace for 3 miles…and then dropped by over a minute a mile. No juice.

So where does this leave me? Lighthouse has a 10 mile run and a 4 mile. I know I could be ready to do the 4 mile run barefoot by then…I have several weeks. I want that 10 mile run bad….especially after last years bonk…but I’m wondering if it’s not too close to my marathon to be able to pull a decent time. And lord knows I don’t want a repeat of last year.

Maybe I can’t be a hybrid runner…because it seems like the only time I enjoy running is when it’s with nothing on my feet. And who the hell says I HAVE to do the 10 mile at Lighthouse? Why am I killing myself with these 10 mile runs when they’re not FUN right now? Is someone holding a gun to my head? No one but myself. Am I elite runner who has sponsors that will string me up if I don’t perform up to snuff…..ha ha ha ….hell no.

Enough with this bullshit…I decide to decide another day. That 10 mile run is done…my only job now is to enjoy my weekend. I hope you are as well.

Lazy Days

So my parents have been married 40 years today..can you imagine? Some days I don’t want to see Skip for the next 40 minutes..let alone 40 years. In a little bit I am heading out to pick up the cake and then down to the church for their party. It’s funny….I had a 30th anniversary party for them…mom wanted to have one because she didn’t think Dad would live to see a 40th….and here it is…10 years later. Go Dad!



On the running front..there hasn’t been a whole lot of it going on. I’m reverse tapering I like to think…HA! I ran on Tuesday..and then again on Thursday….and not a step since. I’ve got another week or so till I have to settle down and start thinking about Lighthouse. I have been cross training plenty…getting back to Tae-Bo and still with the yoga. I am becoming a yogawhore. I freaking LOVE it!! I think for my birthday…which is like next week I think..I’m going to actually ask for something and have Skip get me a package at the yoga studio thingy downtown. Now here’s the secret…for all the years I’ve worked out….going on 14 years now…I have NEVER took an actual class. I have DVD’s up the wazoo and all the yoga I do is off the T.V…..but never an actual class…with actual people. I’ve just never really felt the need…and as I’m not overly fond of people…I figured it would just irritate me. Why the change? Who knows…I am constantly changing…maybe at 35 I will finally grow up.


On the barefoot front. Of the two times I did run…one was completely barefoot and the other was 3 miles barefoot and two in the Free’s. I don’t think I even want to go back to the Mizunos…I think now is the perfect time to truly transition. This may mean that I am screwed at Lighthouse…and I may change my mind next week…but for now…that is the plan.

And the questions of the day....are you a joiner?  Do you take classes of any sort?  Why?  Why not?

Marathon Recovery

The good thing about doing five 20plus mile runs is that a marathon doesn’t feel like that big of a deal. My ankle that tweeked on me during the race was sore for the next day…but other than that…it was kinda business as usual. I did yoga and walked on Sunday….I did yoga and walked on Monday…and now Tuesday….3 days post marathon…I got off of work early and went over to Lake Andrea and ran 2.6 beautiful barefoot miles…and came home and did yoga….and feel fantastic. It’s wonderful to find the joy and peace in running instead of worrying about time and distance. I will ease myself back into a routine over the next couple weeks but now that the marathon is over…I can work on my barefoot running for the most part. Lighthouse is my last big race I have on my schedule and although I had hoped to be up to doing at least the 4 mile race barefoot I don’t think that will be the case. And that’s ok I suppose. I have a score to settle with Lighthouse after last year and I suppose that will have to be shod. I want to try to get myself back to doing all runs except my long one barefoot…but I don’t want to set anything in stone…just kind of see what the summer brings me.

I have read plenty about getting kind of depressed after your marathon and I keep waiting for it to come but it hasn’t. I just feel relieved that it’s over. Am I happy with how it happened and my time? No….but I’m not going after it again any time soon. It served it’s purpose…I did what I wanted to do with my dad. I have other fish to fry right now…the marathon rematch can wait.


Tomorrow is a rest day…I still plan to keep my 6 day a week schedule…I’m too obsessed with yoga right now to do otherwise. I’ll lay off the long run till next week when I will probably start with my weekly 10 mile maintenance long run. Lighthouse is mid-June…and I need to do the dishes.


So how long is your weekly long run when you’re not training for anything specific?