Running and Garage Sales

So Memorial weekend threw out the back again.. Lifted 4 gallons of milk and bent down to put it under the shopping cart and that movement threw it out.. Just pulled muscles I guess.. Opposite side of the surgery side so thinking it was just weak.. So had to take a week off but got back out monday the 7th had an ok run.. Would run a mile walk a quarter then run again. Did about 3 sets of those.. The weather was absolutly perfect though.. blue skies, sunny 55 when left 62 when I got back.. Very nice... was a little sore for the next couple days then busy so got out again today the 11th.

Today was our famous yearly sub division garage sale so I ran and stopped to hit the garage sales on the way. Kill 2 birds with one stone.. It was kind of fun... Got my 4.25 miles in but with many stops along the way... my kind of running!!

May 24th

I think I tried to kill myself today.. not really but I went running around 11:00 this morning and it was like 76 when I left and 78 when I got back.. Went like 5.2 miles and it was way to hot!! I had to run a mile walk a mile.. I was dying.. But good news I had a good pace. Usually was in the 8-9 min pace but got very nauseated and dizzy.. Not a good idea to go so late in the morning..

May 28th

Todays run better as far as temps go.. 68 when I left 72 when got back. 4.2 miles in but I felt like a brick running in place.. Couldnt get much out of the 10-11 min pace. It was horrible.. I am wondering if it has to do with what I eat for breakfast before I go out.. I wait like 1 1/2 hrs before I go but really made me sluggish today.. There seems to be alot of controvesry on if or what you should eat before running. Think I will try something diffrent next week and see if that helps..

May 18th


Have been resting for the last week due to some achy knees and back.. Feeling better tuesday so decided to run that evening.. Got in 3.70 miles. Felt good most the ma through.. The last half mile I cold feel my knees start to get sore so I walked the last 1/4 mile home. I am not sure if it was because I had a week off or if I just had more energy or what but I was running faster tonight,, I even got down in the 8-9 min mile pace and I didnt even feel like I was working any harder so that was nice. Experiencing a little pain in my hip again.. not sure if it is just a little sore muscle or what so I want to be careful where I had the stress fracture before.. I seen to do pretty good if I keep my mileage under 5 miles so maybe I will have to stay here for a while.. At least its better then nothing...

Mon 10th



Feeling really sluggish today.. I dont know if it's because its monday or all the crap I ate over the weekend but just didnt have it today.. Forced myself to go though cuz I knew I would feel better about myself once I did, but I really struggled today.. I decided to work on distance today.. Walded a half mile then started running.. Felt like I was running in place.. I didnt get much out of the 10 min pace but that was ok since I was just concentrating on distance.. Occasionally I got in the 9 min pace and then sometimes I dropped in the 11 min pace...I kept saying I wll go this far then walk a little but each time I got there I was able to keep running... I pushed myself all the way to the corner of my street so that was good but about a half mile from home I really started feeling my knees hurt and my hip was hurting just a little.. I am not sure if its a little bursitis from back when I fractured it or if it was just strain not sure.. My back has been occasionally twinging on the nerve this weekend too.. not sure whats going on.. It really doesnt bother my back much to run but when I am walking around and I move just right I will feel it rub against the nerve a little.. Not sure if stretching helps or hinders it.. a little of both I think.. Got in 5.47 miles... should have maybe stuck with 5 but didnt really map out my route.. Think I will hold off and do weights tomorrow instead of today and just stick with my P.T exercises. See what the rest of the day brings..

nothing the rest of the week.. Having some minor set backs with back and knee's decided to give them a rest.. Guess the increased mileag was too much for them.. Hope to get back out there soon.

Interval Work

Monday- distance and interval work... I didnt have the energy today and seriously thought about forgoing running today, but I knew I would feel better once I got out there so I did.. I was pretty tired ,but, but my legs seemed to carry me through. I worked on distance the first half of my run. speed walked 1/2 mile then ran for 2 1/2 miles. By then I was already pretty tired.. I stopped and speed walked to slow down my heart a little and catch my breath then decided to do some interval training. My goal was to do 2 min intervals but found out I wasnt ready for 2 mins so I did 5 1min intervals instead.. It actually felt pretty good to run fast for a min.. I got that butterfly in your stomach burn all through my body.. It felt great.. I definenlty was done after a min though there was no way I could have done more.. Maybe next week I can increase.. after the 5 intervals I went back to a slow run home to my corner of the street then walked the rest of the way.. Got in 4.7 Miles.. I even noticed my first 2 miles of running I moved into the 9-1o min pace so I am slowly starting to increase my speed so thats good.. came home and did all my P.T exercises with some light weight lifting.. A good day!!

Weds.5th
Worked on intervals and distance today. warmed up with a slow run then did 7 intervals of faster running in 1- 1 1/2 mins to 1 min slow running. Had to stop and walk for 3-4 mins to catch breath and slow heart down and then finished the last 2 miles running comfortably and a walk the last half block home. I felt pretty good that I was able to run most the whole way.. Was hoping for a little longer in my intervals but I am sure it will come with time.. Finished with weights and P.T Did same route but got little less on mileage.. 4.65 Miles

Thurs 6th
Rode bike today 9.50 miles. Very windy today. Struggled. felt like I was going so slow. Was surprised that you dont burn as many calories biking as you do running..I would have rather ran but am trying to give my body a rest in between running days.

Fri 7th
Raining and windy outside. Did 30 min on elliptical and 15 min running on treadmill.. I swear the calibrations on the treadmill is off.. I swear as fast as I was running my distance should have been farther and the calories burned more.. Maybe you just dont notice it as much when your outside.. I dont know.. total miles was like 4.16 miles if I remember right..

Sat
slacker today.. raining and windy and didnt want to get on treadmill.

Pushed it Today

Woo Hoo.. Today I got my farthest yet since my comeback.. I got 4.29 miles today with running 3.50 miles of it straight before my cool down speed walk.. Yeah!!! It about killed me though. I was pretty tired... I am just trying to get my lungs and body back into shape so just concentrating on my distance right now... The very last half mile I tried to pick it up a little and I was really pushing it by then because I was getting pretty tired but I did it and it felt pretty good. I could feel the burn along with the exhaustion... I about killed over when I finally stopped to a walk but I was glad to have gone that far running straight with no walking in between.. My back did really well.. My knees hurt when I was speed walking at first for a warm up but went away by the time I started running.. Go figure shouldn't that be the other way around??

Anyways I was able to come home and get the rest of my P.T done and did some weight lifting.. Feels great to be getting back into shape.. Of course it would be better if I could loose some weight..
I havn't done anything else this week because it has been cold and windy so I have procrastinated.. Last week I went running Monday and ran through something and got the worst case of hayfever I have ever had.. Went biking weds or thursday. First time out since surgery and went around 7 or so miles and thought i had done pretty good but by tha night my knees were killing me.. I have never gotten sore knees from biking before,, I must be really out of shape...

I am hoping to go again tomorrow and get better results.. Hope to start working on speed next week maybe do some intervals to help with getting my lung compacity back and distance..

Finally A time to celebrate!!

Yes!!! I am finally back from a very long, tedious, painful vacation. It's been a long time since my last post. So to give a little update.... I had surgery on my lower back after just healing from my hip stress fracture. They went in and shaved off the 2 bulging discs in my back and lifted the nerve root and cleaned up the floating debri around there. The Doctor said this was the biggest and worst bulging discs he had seen in 25 years of being a surgeon.

It has been a very slow process to heal. I seem to take 2 steps forward and 1 step back.. I have finished my Physical Therapy as of last week and have been given the go ahead to start back into my fitness regimen as long as I start slow and take it easy and gradually build back up... Yeah.. I have been waiting for this day for so long... It has been a horribly depressing 8 months but now I am so excited to be back!!!

I started my first 2010 outside running adventure about 2 1/2 weeks ago.. Other then the 10 min elliptical training I have done 3 times a week at P.T I havnt done anything else. So on the 1st of April I went speed walking and did really well. I was able to get in 2.26 miles with very little discomfort. Then on the 5th I tried addidng just a little running in with my speed walking and again did great..got in another 2 miles. then I came down with a sinus infection and couldnt do anything for a week.

On the 14th I got in 3.07 miles with walking and running mix.. I got a bit sore after this one I may have over done it or just maybe stretched wrong or something so I backed off for a few days.. It has been bothering me a little ever since so I was really quite nervous about going out today but the weather was beautiful and it was just calling me so I tried stretching really good before I left and out I went..

I walked the first half mile then ran 3/4 of a mile then walked another quarter mile then was able to run 1 1/2 miles without stopping and then finished with a .44 walk.. I was so proud of myself.. It felt so amzing to run again.. I had that burn all through my body that doesnt hurt it's just a butterfly burn that makes you feel so awesome you feel your whole body working together and burning.. It felt amazing.. I didnt want to stop but I knew I better not press my luck... I average somewhere around 10 min miles right now when I am running. Not too fast but it will come.. I am not in the best of shape after doing absolutly nothing for 8 months and have put on a bit of weight so my lungs have been fighting against me the last few times out but it's getting better each time.. I was able to come back and do my normal P.T and start a few weights. Hope I am not too sore tomorrow but I felt really good the whole time.. Maybe just a little achyness but nothing major... So a total of 3.44 miles today.

Its amazing the change in my mood after I have completed a run.. I just feel so much better.. Alot of people have told me I shouldnt go back to running but its hard to explain to them just how good it makes me feel and how much my body craves it. You just feel so much better after a run.... I hope I continue to be smart and listen to my body and gradually ease back into it.. And hopefully (knock on wood) I wont have any injurys this year and my body will cooperate with me... I am going to try and mix it up a little with biking to help give my body a rest from the pounding so hopefully this will help..

Anyways I just wanted to shout out that I am finally back and am loving it... Dr. said I probably shouldnt train for any marathons this year but maybe by fall I can sneak in a 5 or 10k.. Right now I am just running for fun and not worrying about speed or distance (well as much as I can anyways.) I still find myself constantly watching the forerunner for my speed and distance but its a hard habit to break, but I really dont care about the speed right now just as long as I can do it I am happy....

So yeah for me!!!!!

"Back" to catching up.. Surgery

Wow it has been quite a while since I have been on here... Well there hasnt been anything to post about any great runs dang it.. As most of you know who follow this. In August I was training for my first half marathon and ended up stress fracturing my hip and finding out I had 2 herniated discs in my back pinching my sciatic nerve.. Well come November my fracture finally healed. I no longer have any pains or problems with that thank heavens. It took 3 months to finally recover from that but I am still struggeling with my back..

I started back injections and physical therapy for it but unfortunatly it hasnt helped.. we had scheduled an appt. with a second neurosurgeon to get a second opinion, but before I could make the appnt. I had a big set back.. Last week I woke up and as soon as I got out of bed I knew it was going to be a pretty bad day. I walked to the bathroom and lifted the toilet lid and that movement pinched my nerve a good one and put me in horrible pain.. So I hobbled to the kitchen to take 20 mg of lortab and those of you who are familiar with pain med dosage this is an extremely high dose.. This is what the Dr, had prescribed me to take. So I have been taking this amount for a couple weeks.. Anyways I thought maybe a good hot shower would help relieve some of the pain so I got in but was miserable.. I couldnt even pick up my legs to soap them off or bend over or anything.. I just cried. So I got out and again I just slightly bent to grab a piece of T.P to wipe the tears and that movement about killed me.. It squeezed the nerve again and just near put me down.. So now on top of the horrible pain I was already in I was having these waves or spasms of the pinching pain as well traveling all the way down my leg and to my toes. My leg was completely numb from my knee to my toes.. It felt like I was walking on a stump..
I was so much in pain.. I cried out for my mom who was staying with us for the holidays or my hubby to come help me get dressed because I couldnt even move.. They got me dressed and put me into the car to go to the ER..

The ER was a whole nother story in itself.. Suffice to say it was the worse ER experience I have ever had.. the Dr.s forgot about me numerous times then admitted to lying to us on some test results because they had lost the results.. What a nightmare.. They ended up giving me 2 shots through the muscle in my arm of pain med plus a valium to try and quiet the waves or spasms and then ended up giving me an IV of pain medication before they finally sent me home after being there all day.. So as you can imagine with all that pain med on top of what I had already taken at home I was pretty high... As a result I think all the pain med ripped a hole in my guts... LOL I had to go off all pain meds for a while to see if I can get my stomach feeling better so it has been a rough week.. Also at the hospital they called and paged my neurosurgeon and he never bothered to call or come in..

So we called this new Dr. that we had previosly sched an appnt with for the second opinion to see if they could get me in sooner which he did.. And come to find out he was the Dr. that was on call for that day I spent in the ER and he was supposed to have been notified by the ER staff about me but never was. He said had he been called he would have dome surgery on me right then.. Dang I so wish we would have thought to have the ER call him.. We didnt even think about it because of we hadn's really met or seen him yet.. So anyways after meeting with him we have set to have surgery on Weds the 13th and I am so looking forward to it as bad as that sounds just so I can finally get some relief.. It has been such a horrible 5 months of being in pain and not enjoying life because of it.. Dont get me wrong I am very nervous about having back surgery but I am just praying it works and makes me better.. I want to be through with all this and get back to a normal life and hopefully eventually get back out running...

They told me I wont be running for probably 3 months. So I am hoping by May I will be back out there running and feeling the breeze against my face and getting my body back in shape and feeling good about myself again... It's been so long since I have been able to run I have dreams about running and how good it makes me feel and I cant wait until I really get to experience that again. It's crazy to think it will have been 9 months of completely no physical exercise. My body is so in withdrawls.. once I am post op 6 weeks I can start to bike and possibly do an eliptical machine so that is at least something to get me started and get my lungs built back up before I start running but it just doesn't give that high you get and feel when you run.. Owell at least it will be warming up by May so my runs will be nice..

Well here is hoping for a speedy recovery and that it will take care of everything and I will be back out there training for my first half once again....