My fist "50-miler"

Okay, okay. I didn't run that far, but this little redhead biked 50 miles today!!! Took just over 3 hours on the indoor bike at Lifetime. I did 2 hours on the upright and 1 hour on the recumbent. Glad Matty let me borrow his padded bike shorts. lol!!!  I've never biked anywhere close to that distance or duration before. Ever. Happy happy.

Take that, Injury!!!!  hahahahaha!!!! 

YES!! 

red's injury woes - update

Just thought I'd throw an injury update up here.

It's been a full week now with no running and my left thigh feels only slightly better. My return to running is nowhere in sight. I've been at the gym nearly every day since I stopped running, mostly on the stationary bike, splitting my time between the upright and the recumbent. If my legs get tired on one, I'm usually able to switch to the other and keep going. That way I can get the same amount of cardio in that I would have had running, at least time-wise. I'm trying desperately to keep my fitness level up so I can at least complete Boston, even if my time goal is now impossible. There's always this fall at Chicago!

Today I even did an interval workout on the upright stationary bike. It was great!  It really got my blood pumping and legs burning. I was a little worried about adding too much resistance to the bike, since the whole point in biking is to keep weight off my left leg, but I didn't feel any pain with the increased resistance, so I went for it. Now I know I can add harder workouts into the mix along with my "easy rides" and "long rides".

I tried doing the elliptical and stairmaster this week too. They were both a no-go. I could feel my injury. I also tried the rower. While my new injury didn't bother me on the rower, my chronically unhappy achilles were stressed, so I crossed that one off my list too. And since I hate swimming.... biking it is!! :-)

"Speedy", my new mountain bike, ordered well over a week ago, has still not arrived. They said it would be in within the week. So much for timing... I wish they had overestimated so I wouldn't have gotten so excited for nothing. Grrr.... I was hoping to be able to ride Speedy on our indoor trainer this Sunday during what would have been my long run. I was hoping to do a 3 hour ride. I could manage on Speedy because I could put in a movie while I ride. Can't do that at the gym! (No, I don't listen to music. Just not interested in music.)

So that's where everything stands after one week. I need more healing vibes sent my way, please. :-)  Thanks!!

Bad News

Bad news.

I hate typing that. But my aching thigh can no longer be ignored. It is gradually getting worse to the point that I'm no longer looking forward to runs, but dreading them. Today I had to stop and walk 2 miles back to my car because I couldn't take the pain anymore. Thank god it was unseasonably warm today (34 degrees) or I would have been in trouble.

The pain is a deep, dull ache that has been around for a few weeks now. No money for doctors or insurance means I'll never really find out what is wrong. My mind jumps to the worst - a stress fracture - which would mean no Boston and probably no North Country 50 Miler since I'd have to start training for that immediately after Boston. I'm going to take several days off and hope I'm wrong. I'll run again when I don't feel any pain at all in my thigh and see how it goes.

I guess I'm getting my new mountain bike at just the right time. I'll need it to cross train. I jumped on the stationary bike at the gym today and I can do that with no pain. Rode for an hour with low resistance. That's better than nothing, I guess. Glad I have the new bike to look forward to or I'd really be depressed.

Maybe I should just quit running since I seem to be so injury prone. This really sucks! I wonder how often mountain bikers get overuse injuries...

red's getting a mountain bike!

I'm getting a mountain bike! Yaaaaaaaaaay!!!!

Here's a pretty picture of the most likely candidate - the Trek 6700 WSD (women specific design):

Drool...

Soon I shall be cross-training like crazy cuz I'm gonna be biking like crazy! Indoors on a trainer until the thaw and then I shall be riding the trails until I can't ride anymore!! :-)

And back to running... Boston training is going pretty well. Don't really have any specific run to comment on. I've done quite a few good runs since last post, a few okay runs and maybe one or two outstanding runs. I'm finding my hip injury is responding very well to ice, so I'm feeling more optimistic about it even though immediately after a run, it is still VERY sore. Thankfully, I don't feel much at all DURING a run. :-) Can't wait until the thaw so I can run the same trails I'll be riding (with my new bike! wooo!). My body's shock absorbers will appreciate the break from asphalt!

Less than 10 weeks to Boston... nerves are starting to set in. I am about halfway through the book 26 miles to Boston, which is a bit dated, but still describes the course pretty well. It also has some interesting historical facts about the race - a pretty good read, all in all. I'll be checking out RW's own Boston guide soon.

Honestly, I'm less worried about the run itself as I am about the logistics of getting to the race (and the expo), on time and ready to go. Boston is such a different universe than the good ole Midwest. I've been to the city many times, and know that driving there is hazardous to one's mental and physical health! Scary! Midwest roads make sense. Boston roads were built where the cows wandered and you can have 5-6 roads coming together in one intersection. GAH!!!

Off to watch the Olympics and enjoy some ice of my own (on my hip).

Two Ughs and a Yay

Wow! I needed that. Today's run was awesome. It sure made up for my last two dismal runs. I've never had two such bad days in a row. Usually if I have a bad day, I can expect the next day to go much better. Not this time. I had two horrible days. In a row. Ugh. Wednesday night I was feeling strong enough, but my injuries were bugging me, specifically my right achilles insertion and my left thigh (yes, the entire thing - it was more of a dull ache). I finished the run, thanking god it was only a 5 miler. The next day was supposed to be an easy 14 miler. It turned into only 12 and those 12 were torturous, even at a very slow pace. The injuries were not bugging me that day, I simply felt supremely fatigued. Ugh again.

I had high hopes for today. Surely the running gods would not let me have 3 bad days in a row, right? They came through for me! And thank goodness too, because today was speedwork day. I did 12 miles total with 6 at half marathon pace (I did 6:53 average). It was just right! I even ended with a 6:39! Way to finish strong, red! I really needed today's confidence booster run. I was getting a little depressed about the whole running thing and injuries mounting and doubting my ability to handle the mileage I'm asking of myself and my ability to run my goal time at Boston (3:08). Bit of a run-on sentence there. Sorry. haha! Anyway, now I'm feeling much better. :-)

Tomorrow is an easy 6 miler, then 20 for Sunday. Here's hoping for temps in the 30s. Bone-chilling long runs are getting old fast.

Oh, and Chicago is official. So is starting Corral B. Hoping that I can move up to Corral A with a strong run in Boston, if Corral A isn't already filled by then. No big deal if it is. Corral B is A-OK with me!