Back On Track

I had a good night's sleep and did my 8 miler this morning. I started out really uncomfortable. It took a good 2 miles to settle in again. Quitting was not an option, so I just kept on going. I was totally prepared to struggle the entire 8 miles. I didn't have to. Although the last mile was no fun.

My dad is still cranky. I don't known if my sister Robin talked to Michelle, read this blog or cold called my dad but I was leaving there just as she called. He did not want to tell her the story of the doctor visit. I doubt she got it out of him. He golfs today so let's have another eagle on his score card - well..... at least a birdie.

I found out last night that Kevin's mother is finally home from the hospital. Had me remember that there is all kinds of eldercare issues.

Heading back to New York tomorrow - I will do a 5 miler before I leave and then I will be running in the daylight and cooler temps!

For The 2nd Time

I got up, stretched, got on my running clothes, filed my FuelBelt, went out the door, jogged around my loop and quit.

Yup, I quit.

That has happened to me once before, years ago.

My left foot has a brand new problem, my right quad needs some more stretching.

I will do the 8 miles that was scheduled for today tomorrow.

I suspect the stress and the tenseness of my 6 1/2 drive back from Jacksonville yesterday was not good for my legs.

I will take care of me and my body and be ready to kick some running ass tomorrow.

The Good, The Bad and The Ugly

That was pretty much today.

Although, I prefer The Awesome, The Horrible and The Uncomfortable. I always like to end with the good stuff, to leave both me and you in a good place.

So...... Here goes:

The Horrible:

My mom, my dad and I traveled from Sun City Center to my sister's home in Jacksonville to be there for the appointment with the neurologist. It was about a 5 hour trip to get there. Michelle took time off from her job to get us into downtown Jax, to be there for the appointment. It took 3 months to get this appointment and it took me hours and hours fighting with and yelling at my dad's old neurologist to get the records required.

We left Michelle's at 10:00AM to get her at 10:15 and she drove. We got to the doctor's office at 10:50AM. I had all of the forms we needed to fill out done already. I went up to the window. My dad, mom and Michelle sat down.

It went something like this:

Me: My dad is here for his appointment, last name Dering. We have the forms filled out already. There is also a written copy of all the medication he takes and he has the pill bottles with him as well.

Receptionist: Who?

M: Dering

R: hmmmm, let me see (She looks through all of the records standing to her right and looks at me again and says) First name?

M: August

R: Okay - he is not here yet.

M: Yes he is, he came in with me. (I point to him)

R: Okay, thank you.

We wait

We wait

We wait

People come and go

At about 11:30, my dad asks me why we are there. I explain.

We wait

We wait

People come and go

At 11:40 my dad says, I am leaving and not coming back.

I get up and go to the receptionist window.

Me: My dad's appointment was for 11:00AM. People have come and gone and come and gone. When will my dad be taken?

R: He is not here yet.

M: Who is not here yet?

R: Your dad.

M: What? He is - we all came together. I told you he was here with me when I arrived.

R: He didn't sign in.

M: No, No, No. I told you he was here.

R: I'll see what I can do.

I tell my dad - he wants to leave right then. I say - lets wait to see what happens.

5 minutes later, someone calls his name. They say they can see him at 12:15.

My dad stands up and says:

Lynn don't argue with them - I'm leaving. I will not come back - I am leaving.

Michelle and mom get up. Michelle tires to reason with dad. He wants nothing to do with it. He will not do business with an 'outfit' that can't keep things straight.

It was awful. I thought Michelle was going to cry. I could do nothing. Michelle drove us back to her work, no one said a word the whole time. She got out and sorta said a goodbye to the car.

It was horrible.

HORRIBLE

The Uncomfortable:

I get in the driver's seat, to drive back to Sun City Center.

My dad has a bug up his butt about needing gas. I know we have at least a 1/4 tank left and he won't let it go.

We stop for gas.

He admits that there was a 1/3 of a tank left - really big of him (that was not sarcastic - that is big of my dad)

We are all hungry, we stop for lunch.

We have lunch.

I drive.

We hit rain.

We hit more and more rain.

We hit pouring down, 40 mph on I 75 rain.

We hit more rain.

We are stopped by an accident.

More pouring down rain.

Another accident.

More rain.

I got home at 6:30.

If I didn't have to run 8 miles tomorrow morning, I would be halfway to drunk by now.

The Awesome:

I ran with Kyle this morning. Kyle is tall. He also has those cool new shoes that are like running barefoot. Kyle has 35 minutes on his training schedule, which he tells me means 4 miles. I think - that is a bit faster than I run.

We start out - my left quad is talking to me and my right achilles is not too happy. Kyle is setting the pace. I am huffing and puffing. We get about 1/2 mile under our belt and I notice that Kyle is taking 2 strides to my 3. I am not settling in. I tell him I can not keep up that pace for the entire run. He slows down.

At 2 1/2 miles, I am comfortable. We keep moving. I feel good.

He leaves at 4 miles, I continue on for one more mile.

I had my very own PR (Personal Record) today for 5 miles. Not only that - I kept the same pace even through my last mile alone.

5.02 miles

43:51 minutes

8'44"/minute miles

All the way home, I thought I had a PR - but I looked it up and I had a 4 miler at 8'39" but I really need something great to have happened today - so I am going with the PR story.

I Am Recovered

Amazingly, I feel great this morning. I gotta say, I did not see this in my future yesterday afternoon. I did what I knew to do, I stretched, and then I stretched and then I stretched some more. I ate mostly carbs with protein thrown in and I had two glasses of that fancy schmancy recovering puke.

It wasn't pretty - I did not like how I felt both emotionally and physically. It doesn't matter that I didn't like it. Not liking it made it even worse.

Off to Jacksonville in a bit. I am taking my dad to a neurologist for his legs. This is the appointment I had to threaten that other doctor in order to get my dad's records.

We will get to spend time with my sister, Michelle and her entire family (minus Mel, who is in New York). We get to see the grand-babys (my parent's great grand-babys)and Joel and Stephanie. I get to run tomorrow morning with Kyle, who is training for his second half-marathon.

Onward!

It's Complete

My second 16 miler is complete, done, over and crossed off.

I reminded my dad yesterday afternoon and last evening that my long run was today. Each time I spoke to him about it, I got the sense he was not going to remember. I even told him that and told him I would be okay if he wasn't out there when I arrived.

I now have 7 bottles for my FuelBelt. One of the 8 leaks terribly, so I set that one aside. I filled the extra 3 with Gatorade and set then under my carport. I had 4 on my belt.

I got to my Dad's with about 8 miles done. I had one bottle left. He was not there. I ran around his loop 4 times (about 1 miles worth of running) and he never came out. I carried on and re-figured how to get back to my house to get the 3 bottles before I finished the one I had left.

The run turned to shit after I picked up the 3 bottles. My socks were socking wet and they squished. I didn't want to. I was tired and wet and all alone. I was a whiny mess.

At about the 13 mile mark, I walked. I had not walked on a run since I came back from the time off for my feet. I didn't care. I was pissy.

Then I looked at the time - interesting - I saw that if I could finish the last 2 miles at an easy jogging pace - I actually could finish at somewhere around the time I finished in last week.

I dug deep - I didn't like it and I dug deep.

My ice bath was not wonderful, my legs ache right now and I can't stop yawning.

I didn't die, I finished a long run all by myself and it is over.

That is all good.

16 miles

2:43:21

10'12"/minute miles

How I feel is irrelevant. Maybe tomorrow I can really mean that last part.

How Old is Old?

Eddie Fisher died the other day. He was 82.

My dad is 79.

My dad is talking about what will happen with my mom if he goes to the hospital. I am thinking he means if he dies.

Kevin's mom is 81. She is in the hospital right now with double pneumonia. They also found a mass on one of her lungs. My dad asked an usual amount of questions about it. I couldn't answer all of the questions.

There has to be a point when one gets "This is the beginning of the end." I am wondering if my dad is thinking that for himself.

I am not ready for this to be the beginning of the end.

I suspect I will never be ready for that.

My Dad Is So Happy

Yesterday was Alice's first day with my mom. Alice has cleaned my mom's house for years - we tried to figure it out yesterday and we think it just might be close to 10 years. This 4 hours is different. She is there to help my mom, to be her 'friend' and to make sure she is okay.

My dad golfed 18 holes yesterday for the first time in at least 3 years. He came home exhausted, but a different kind of exhausted. He seemed happy. He said he played awful and he was tired and he seemed really happy. The best news - he got an eagle! That is right, after not playing for so very long, he had an eagle on a par 4! 160 yards out, he hit his shot, it rolled up on to the green and rolled into the hole. It was the 2nd hole and it all turned to crap after that.

He even told me "The first day of anything new is the hardest." I am really optimistic about this addition. He even told my mom when she complained that she can stay alone - that he would not leave her and if Alice doesn't come, he won't golf. I don't even care that he played the guilt card.

On the running front - my watch screwed up today. More accurately, I didn't hit stop when I was done running. Really annoys me as I had a great run. Trying to figure it out based on the graph I get, I am guessing this:

5.5 miles

around 50 minutes

I had a great run and don't have the documentation to point to. My ego is sitting on my face, squishing it all around. That annoys me too. I'll get over it.

New Experience of Difficult

My 8 miler this morning was difficult. I have many ideas about why it was so hard and they are all within my control. The interesting and a bit fulfilling part of that is what I call difficult now and how I respond to difficult now.

I look back at my early 'longish' runs - the ones where I thought I was gonna die and I actually stopped running because if I didn't, I was gonna die. My 'self-talk' has shifted. In the beginning of this training, I heard myself say "You can't keep this pace up - you have to walk." or "Only 1.5 miles left, maybe I can do this." or "Thank God this is almost over."

This morning, I heard things like: "Lynnie, those chips last night were not a good idea." and "Looking like you have more sessions of stretching in your future." and my generic favorite "Some days are good runs and some days are not."

The first run I was afraid of was the 8 miler. I did it with Amy and Lois following me on bikes on the bike trail in Yorktown Heights. I was so proud of myself when I was done. It was a first. That was on August 14.

Today, the 8 miler was a long mid-week run and one that did not have me concerned. While it was difficult - I didn't stop and never thought I would or had to. While it was difficult, I finished while making plans for my day and for the corrections to make to impact my ability to run and have fun.

8.03 miles

1:19:33 duration

9'54" minute miles

Laundry Soap Lesson

I have been reading about laundry soap. You know, the Tide 2X kinda laundry soap. The manufacturers tell us that we use less soap, get more loads per bottle and we are happy paying more for a smaller container. Then, we forget that we have to use less soap and end up using more, so the manufacturers are happy and we are none the wiser - except we always have soap residue in our clothes. "They" say that the soap residue attracts dirt, so our clothes end up being dirtier than they would otherwise be.

So, I have been reading that and sorta rolling my eyes.

Then, I ran 16 miles on Sunday - Did you miss that? I did - I am a ROCK STAR!

So, I am a sweater - really, really, a sweater. When I was done, there was no dry place on any piece of clothing on my body. The sweat was even running down my legs into my socks and sneakers. I could feel that happening.

Once I was done running, it was no longer dark out. I was walking up to my front door and saw some whiteness on my shorts. It was the oddest thing - I look further and it was soap suds. No kidding - soap suds. They had formed on my shorts in the area where my legs meet my pelvis - the place where the 'agitation' happens while running.

I took all of my running gear and ran a load with no soap and double rinsed. Then I did it again. There was no soap yesterday, but that was just 5 miles. I do 8 tomorrow, so I will check again, Friday is only 5. Sunday's 16 again will be the real test.

Looks Like I May Have All the Ducks in a Row!

All things just may be in place so that my dad can start golfing again and my mom will be well cared for while he does that. For many reasons, my dad quit golfing a few years back - he was worried about leaving my mom alone, he wasn't feeling well, some of which I say came from resisting that my mom has Alzheimer's and he was mad about how his life was turning out. He is starting to accept all of what goes along with my mom's condition. He is also starting to buy the fact that he can use some respite and allowing it does not diminish him as a man.

Alice will be spending 4 hours a week with my mom.

I think she just be my newest angel.

On the running front:

Today was the first time I ran where my legs were weird the whole run. Weird like having places that talked to me.

Today was the first day that people really spoke to me - especially before I spoke to them. I got to tell 4 people I was training for the NYC Marathon to raise awareness and money for Alzheimer's research. It was very cool. This one guy drove his golf cart next to me as we chatted about it.

I was scheduled for 5 miles today and I got a little bit too far away from home.

5.52 miles

52:00 minutes

9'24"/mile

Amy Goes Home Today

Makes me sad. Back in 1999, I asked Amy if she would be my friend. I am such a better person because she said yes.

Amy has a different body clock than I do. I am up at 5:00AM most mornings and in bed by 9:00PM. Amy got up way too early yesterday so she could support me in my first 16 mile run. It was above and beyond what almost anyone else would do. When she says she is my full partner in a project, she is.

People who 'see us in action' are often confused. Each of the following has happened:

1. We took a college course in golf. The instructor would call me Amy or call Amy Lynn. We just answered him no matter what name he called. Amy hit him in the nuts with her club one week. The next week he was instructing me and said something like "Don't hit me again." I said "That wasn't me, that was Amy." He said "You are both the same - don't hit me."

2. We do a bit of volunteering for Landmark Education. They make it easy for everyone by having each person wear a name tag. One's first name is large and one's last name is smaller on the name tag. Sara came up to me and gave me a report. She said "This is the report you asked for." I said "I didn't ask for a report." She said "Jackie told me you did." I said "Jackie is mistaken." She said "Jackie told me she promised Amy this report by 10:00AM and could I get it to her by then." I pointed to my name tag and said "I am Lynn, Amy is over there." She looked at my name tag and at my face and said "You two confuse me."

3. After having worked with Jocelyn for an entire weekend, Amy and I were talking about putting something on our calendars and Jocelyn got that look of understanding on her face and asked "Are you two in a relationship?" I said "We are - we just don't sleep together."

She is my sister by another mother.

She is where I can always go to be supported and loved and honored and told when I am full of shit. We can fight and cry and make up. I love her and she loves me. No question.

I Am A Rock Star!

I am so freakin' proud of myself. I am so amazed at me. I did it!

I know for most people who will be running with me on November 7, finishing a 16 miler is well.... a yawner. It ain't to me.

I am a Rock Star!

I started out at 4:47AM - you gotta love the Nike Sports Watch as it records everything. It seemed really dark. I told my dad I would be to him at around 6:00AM. I really wanted to be halfway done when I got there. I am still not sure about the distances here and I can't really see my watch well. I estimated and when I did get under a street light, I saw that I was on his street too soon.

I was going to go up another street when I saw Amy walking to my folks house. I asked her what time it was and she told me it was 5:51, so I knew I could run up to the end and back and be to him and her at just about 6:00, with about 7.5 miles done.

I had a route mapped out in my head from there on. It was a different route for my dad so I informed him each time I was going to take a street. There is a part of Kings Blvd, right by one of the tee boxes, where the sidewalk disappears and one has to cross the street to pick up the sidewalk. I said "I have to cross the street here." He and Amy were on the street in the golf cart. As I got to the place where I was going to cross in front of them, I got that I was not heard, or not understood. I had to stop or he was going to hit me. That is when Amy got, that she was not a spectator, but my dad's ears.

I felt great the whole way. With about 5 miles left, Amy kept telling me how much further I had left to run. She was assuming I was doing 10 minute miles. I was not sure what my pace was and I thought it was around there some where. Amy was off with her math, so she told me a few times what I had left and I knew she was off. I didn't say anything, I just kept running.

At one point, she figured out she was wrong and corrected herself. I told her "I figured out that I had more than 2 miles left - just tell me I am a Rock Star." A minute later, she told me how many more minutes I had left to go and I said "Just tell me I am a Rock Star."

That is when I really got how proud I am of me. I almost cried about how moved I am by me and how proud I am of me. I also got that when I am moving along, I do not want to know how much further I need to go. I just want to move. Once Amy got that, she just kept telling me I am a Rock Star. The last mile was awesome. I even told a man I passed that I am a Rock Star.

Even walking when I was done with the 16 miles was smooth and fine. My ice bath with 40 pounds of ice was terrific. I have a tiny blister on the bottom of my left foot, right where my orthotic hits. Odd that it would develop now. I will protect that part of my foot from now on.

16.0 miles

2:38:56

9'56" minute miles

Once I get back to New York and start my runs being able to see my watch, I will start monitoring my run/walk thingie so I have something left to finish the marathon.

I AM A ROCK STAR

Busch Gardens

Great day!

Walked too much for my right foot. Will be heating, stretching, icing taking some ibuprofen and going to bed. Plan on getting up around 4:00AM to start my 16 miles well before 5:00, getting to my dad's by 6:00. Amy plans on walking over to my dad's to be with him in the golf cart for the last half of my run.

I am a little excited about running 16 miles for the first time in my life.

This Retirement Community

In order to buy a home in Kings Point, in fact to even rent a home here, one of the principals has to be at least 55 years old. Most people 55 years or older are not ready to retire, so you can just imagine the average age of the residents here. I was told that the average age on my loop is 82. I think that is not too far off.

The great thing is the number of people who are outside walking between 5:00AM and 7:00AM. It is just barely light at 7:00AM here. My descriptions of various people I have encountered:

- The woman with the bad hip who doesn't quit.

- The grunting man with the bat (baseball, not otherwise)

- The bathrobed lady with the two dogs.

- The hand-holding couple.

- The round German looking woman with the walker.

- The old man who really wants to jog who just can't.

- The woman with the I-Pod who is startled all the time.

- The two chatting ladies who are always in the same spot. (I do wonder if they walk at all)

- The man who buys the newspaper.

Today's stats:

4 mile run scheduled

4.23 miles

37:28 minutes

8'51"/mile

Busch Gardens tomorrow! 16 miles on Sunday!

Bob the Boy Wonder

Bob is the massage therapist I am seeing here in Florida for my feet. He is not Heather, it would be sorta like trying to be Baby Boy. He has helped me keep my feet in a state where I am able to continue to train, get my miles in and still walking without a limp.

That certainly makes him a Boy Wonder.

I saw him last night. I asked him not to freak as I showed him the big ass blister on the top of my foot. He was incredulous that I could put a running shoe on and get 7 miles in without popping it. I had.

He is so sweet, he said "You just wanted to make my job harder." 10 minutes into working on my right foot, the blister popped. It popped with such force that the fluid from it ended up on my left ankle. It didn't hurt at all. He was lucky he was on my right side, otherwise he might have gotten a face full.

This morning, the fluid has started to refill and my foot is tender on the bottom, not on the top. No running today, just a mall crawl planned, with Amy and my mom.

I must be a bad golf fan. I just discovered that The Tour Championship isn't until next week. I had planned on having a great Sunday watching Baby Boy pull off a miracle. I will have to wait until next weekend.

I Sorta Got Lost

It's a little difficult to get lost in a gated community (that sounds so much more hoity toity than I want it to) and this morning, I had thoughts that I was lost, my body started to have that tightness it gets when in 'danger' and my breathing became unnecessarily fast.

I had 7 miles on the schedule this morning and wanted to change up the route. I looked at a map of Kings Point and saw this large loop called Vilmont Greens Drive and thought I knew where it looped out to. Funny how things look so much different in the dark. I ended up at the back gate and finally knew where I was. As soon as I knew where I was, my whole body returned to normal and my run became fun again.

I have a few blisters on my right foot. They are not from my running shoes or from any friction associated with running. They are because I am stoopid and too tolerant of pain for my own good. I burned my flesh by having the heat pack too hot. Yes I did. S-T-O-O-P-I-D.

Oh - My new FuelBelt arrived with an additional larger case, so I am all set!

7.04 miles

1:05:35

9'19" minute miles

Going to get Amy at the airport!

Woo Hoo!!!!

My dad as caregiver

We had a breakthrough with my dad and his job as caregiver. He has agreed to have someone come in for 4 hours once a week. He has agreed to leave the house for those 4 hours and not take mom with him. He will be 'off'. He has also made efforts to get himself paired in the Thursday Men's League, planning on using his 'off time' to play golf.

This is very good news.

I am in the process of setting all of this up so it can happen.

On the running front - today was scheduled for 4 miles. My right foot is being a bit wonky, but the massage I got yesterday afternoon seemed to help and then the icing I did last night was great. I know I have a right foot, but it didn't stop me.

I just saw how to get my speed per mile on my most recent run. Here is today's:

Mile 1 - 7'41"

Mile 2 - 8'55"

Mile 3 - 8'36"

Mile 4 - 8'11"

Not sure how the math works but it says my 4.07 mile run was at 8'39"/mile. Makes no sense to me. Something seems off.

My Blog Had Disappeared!

No kidding.

I signed on this morning and it said my blog no longer existed!

When I tried to sign in, google tells me that there has been suspicious activity in my account and I had to end my cell phone number to them and they would send me a code.

WHAT?

So, I looked all around and it seemed legit, so I did. I got a code, had to change my password and I was in and my blog was back!

Then I check into my gmail account and someone did hack it and sent e-mails to people in my contacts list.

Sorry about that.

On the running front, I have an appointment with a massage therapist who seemed reluctant to take me as I was interested in myofascial massage on my feet. I got the sense he has never done that on feet and was worried that he would be compared to MAH and fail. I have a 30 minute session today so we can see if what he can/will do will make a difference. When I suggested we do a session and see, he agreed.

My right foot is not so good. My left foot is great. It used to be the other way.

I Did It!

Not only did I not die, I never even thought I was going to die.

Not once.

I got up at 4:12AM. I put some heat on my feet, had a small cup of coffee, 12 ounces of water, a banana and a two scoop drink of that fancy schmancy 'perfect combination of carbs to protein' drink (that tastes like medicine - far worse than Metamusil), a Powerbar and put together my FuelBelt, stretched and off I went.

I left the house at 4:50AM.

My route took me past the golf clubhouse at 5:04 and it said it was 75 degrees. It was not bad out. I felt like I could breathe just fine.

Bobby had suggested that I do a powerwalk/run combo that sounded really good to me. PW 10 minutes then run 2 minutes, PW 10, R 4, PW 10, R 6, PW 10, R 8, PW 10, R 10 and start all over. He suggested 12 minute mile PW and 9 minute mile R. I mapped it out in my head and liked that it would give my mind something to think about. I am a bit anal about stuff, so that when I can use my time to put all of the pieces together, I am a happy camper.

Here is what I didn't take into account. It is dark outside. I can not see my pace on my watch, or the time until the sun comes up. I can catch a glimpse under street lights, but that is about it. There was no way for me to easily moderate all that.

So, I just ran at what felt like a pace I could do for the long haul.

My FuelBelt has 4 8 ounce bottles. I learned early on, if I filled them all the way - they leaked, so you can really just put 5 - 6 ounces in each one. I started with 2 with water and 2 with Gatorade.

My dad asked me if I wanted him to follow me in the golf cart. I said no, but if he could be out when I was at about 7 miles, he could refill my water bottles, so I stayed hydrated. I told him I would map it out so I was at the end of his driveway around 6:00AM.

I drank all of the water and one of the gatorades by the time I got to him at 6:00. I knew I was doing pretty good, time wise, as I was at 7 miles. There was not a dry spot on any of my running gear by the time I got to him. I have not run with wet shorts ever before in my life, totally and utterly wet.

He was sitting at the end of his driveway, in his golf cart. I handed him the three bottles and forgot to tell him to not fill them all of the way up. I ran around his loop and he was back out by the time I got back to him. He asked me if I wanted him to follow me in the golf cart. I said "Sure, If you want to." So off we went. We had 7 miles to finish.

It didn't take long for the water from the three bottles he filled for me to splash out onto my shorts. I got a bit more wet, but by the time they got down to 5 ounces, they stopped sloshing onto me.

At some point, I wanted some GU. It was still dark out and I got the GU out of my pack and I could not find the place to open it. I gave it to my dad and asked him to get it open for me. He must have had a bit of trouble as well, as he stopped the cart under a street light and then caught up with me. Chocolate GU - Love it! I also liked that I could give him my garbage.

At about the 11 mile mark, we were close to my house, where we refueled with more Gatorade and headed back to his house. I left him off with just 1.1 miles left to go and headed back to my house.

I finished up the 14 miles before I was back, but I was not being a hero and stopped running as soon as my watch hit 14.00. It was light out by then, so I could see just fine.

I walked rest of the way home.

The ice bath was awesome! I have no clue why people are afraid of them. They feel so good.

Next time, 40 pounds of ice.

I then had another glass of that fancy schmancy stuff that tastes like medicine and sat down to share my joy and let you all know how very proud I am of me. I am now heading to a nice warm shower.

14.0 miles

2 hours 29 minutes and 7 seconds

10'39"/mile

Time to get a warm shower and start

79 degrees at 6:00AM

I am gonna die!

I am running/jogging/power walking/walking 14 miles tomorrow. How the heck do people do it?

I have my FuelBelt fixed and a new one on the way. I have some fancy schmancy carb/protein drink thingie that the health food store bodybuilder guy told me was the 'perfect combination', I have water, gatorade, power bars, gu and all.

I will do it or I will die.

Plan on seeing my folks today.

Breathe.

Leaving on a Jet Plane

Heading to Florida this afternoon.

I am dreading it.

I think my dread makes me a horrible daughter.

I know that is not true, I am a terrific daughter and I am human.

Knowing that has not yet made a difference in my feeling badly about my dread.

My dad is being cranky and mean and cantankerous and defensive and unloving on the phone. I am dreading dealing with him in person.

Scheduled Weekly Sessions With MAH

When I return from Florida, I will have a weekly Wednesday massage from MAH. Yesterday she did not do the deep massage on my feet, instead she worked to get blood flow moving and my feet still feel great. I am certain that as I add the miles - and they will be added quickly, I will need her help with more than just my feet.

She found 3 names of people who are highly trained and do all of the kinds of massages she thinks I might need in my area in Florida. I had thought I would have to go all the way to Sarasota, but I don't! There are people in Apollo Beach! That is closer for me than getting my mail is here.

I am changing my days for running. I will be seeing Heather on Wednesday afternoons, as I am doing my long runs on Sunday, Monday off, short mid-week run on Tuesday, long mid-week run on Wednesday, Thursday off, short run Friday and Saturday off. I will have to move around the mid-week ones in Florida for doctor appointments with my folks, but I can have it work if I can have the massage therapist there be flexible.

This is working - I am now thinking I just might be able to run the marathon (except for the portions I walk). I will know so much more after this Sunday - 14 miles in Florida! Yikers!

Harlem Valley Rail Trail

When I saw My Angel Heather (from here on to be known as MAH), she asked me where I ran. She is from this area and lives just one town over. She asked about it being hilly. I told her for my long runs, I will be going down to Yorktown to use the Rail Trail there. MAH asked if I ever tried the trail in Amenia. I didn't even know there was one!

So, I asked around and discovered that the Millerton entrance to the Rail Trail is closer to me than the Amenia one is. Kevin said it would take 22 minutes to get there (so funny, 22 minutes - what a guy thing). No one else I asked had ever been on the trail, nor had Kevin but he knew it was there.

It took 25 minutes to get there (23 to get home) - so Kevin was pretty close in his estimation.

The trail was perfect! It reminded me of the East Coast 6 Day Site in Rosendale. The weather this morning was very damp and spitty. It smelled like the forest - just like the 6 Day Site did. I was in heaven.

I saw one guy and his 2 dogs. I was all alone on the trail and never felt nervous and anxious. It is a great place to run. There are mile markers and everything!

I did my 6 miles - actually ended up doing 6.2, as the trail started before the first mile marker. I alternated power walking, jogging and running. I felt and still feel great. My average speed was just over 10 minute miles.

I drove the 23 minutes home and immediately started the cold water in the tub. The ice bath was great!

Off to see MAH this afternoon, off tomorrow, fly to Florida on Friday and have every intention of doing my 14 miles on Saturday!

I am back!

Woo Hoo!!!!!

I Hit the Road !!!!

Woo Hoo!!!!!

A 4 miler was on the schedule for today. My feet have been feeling great - tender to the touch, which is a brand new thing, but no discomfort at all while walking. I took a leap of faith and set out to power walk and if I still felt good to jog a bit.

I power walked for 4 miles, at a rate of 11'ish minute miles, then ran another .4 miles. My feet never said a word, not even a peep!

My slav friend missed me - he said "You been vacation?" How cool is that?

My feet are in ice right now.

School starts tomorrow, so I am going to avoid the school. I think I will drive over to Millerton and try the rail trail. I am going to do 6 miles, power walking at first and then see how my feet feel.

I am giddy with hope that this foot thing is disappearing. I have another session with Heather tomorrow afternoon, leave for Florida on Friday and will have sessions there. I am thinking about seeing my angel Heather once a week until the marathon. I need my feet and my feet need Heather.

Ice Bath

I have been stockpiling ice. Odd thing to stockpile, I know. Some people won't pay for water (Isn't that right, Alex?), I won't pay for ice. It just takes buying 5 ice cube trays and staying on top of emptying and refilling. Besides, when you live out in the boonies, buying ice is not an easy task.

So, my ice bath took about 18 trays of ice. That's right 18 trays.

I finished up my 2 hours and 12 minutes on the elliptical. I had a blow out of my FuelBelt - which I will be figuring out how to fix over the next few days - I used Chomps and felt so much better once they kicked in. I am beginning to believe that what I call "I am nauseous" could really be "I am hungry." I used 6 hand towels, 2 change of clothes (yes, I stopped in the middle when I had to reprogram the elliptical and changed my clothes), 2 Halo headbands, 30 ounce Gatorade and 16 ounces water and one potty break.

Once I was done, off to the tub I went. I started filling it with all cold water. What with it being summer and all, the cold water really isn't cold. I got the ice from the freezer - 3 1 gallon ZipLock bags filled with ice cubes.

Getting into the bath with just the cold water was not bad. I was shaking a bit, but not shivering. Then I added one bag of ice at a time. I added the ice to the tub at the place right in between my calves. Once all 3 bags were in, I was shivering. I couldn't keep my arms and shoulders still. It is a little amusing. I filled the tub a bit more, so that the water level was up past the pubic line.

I stayed in there for 18 minutes. I had planned on 15 but I lost track of time. I started letting the water out - there was still some ice in the tub. Standing up was something I did not look forward to and it was amazingly easy. I then took a warmish shower.

My legs felt beyond awesome when I was done.

I then put on my sneakers with the new orthotics - I was up to 3 hours yesterday. I did some housework until the 3 hours was up and then did my entire stretching routine, starting with only 5 minutes on the elliptical as a warm-up. I was no where near as tight as I was for days after last week without the ice bath.

I am a HUGE fan of ice baths.

Can you believe that?

When Doreen told me she did them last year, I was like WTF? You will never catch me doing that. Kinda like I told Tribe that running a marathon was insane and that no body (distinct from nobody) should ever do that.

Ha!

$100,000 Baby!

Huge Milestone!

The Run2Remember Team has passed the $100,000 mark in our fundraising! When I checked this morning, our total was $100,605! We still have 2 months before the marathon so we really could meet my own secret goal for us - $300,000.

Today I will be doing a bit over 2 hours on the ellitical. I am scheduled to run 12 miles, which my feet can not do, so I am going to do more time than I would be running if my feet were healthy - as I am not sure if I will ever, ever do 9 or even 10 minute miles again.

Last week, after the 115 minute work-out on the elliptical, my legs talked to me for days. I had never experienced that before, so I am thinking it is time for an ice bath for my lower body. I have done some reading about that and many people recommend that after long runs, so...... today is the day!

Doreen told me how she did the ice bath, thank goodness, as this is not the way I would have done it. I would have done it like I have done my foot ice bath. That is, prepare the water, add the ice, plunge in and squeal. She told me to prepare the water, get in and then add the ice. That seems smarter and easier and might not include squealing. Although squealing can be fun.

Look for my ice bath report tomorrow.

Stormville Flea Market

It's the place to be over the Labor Day Weekend!

I moved my long run (long elliptical) to tomorrow so I could be at the flea market bright and early this morning.

I did my heat/toe stretches/ice before leaving. I walked around the runway (the flea market is on the runway of a closed airstrip)for 3 hours and my feet were pretty good. I came home and did my entire stretching routine and the extra toe stretches and ice. Things are moving in the right direction.

I also got my redesigned orthotics back and have to go back to building up time with the. One hours yesterday, two today and so on until I am full time with them.

What a Roller Coaster!

My feet!

I was concerned this morning. Both my feet were swollen and a bit black and blue. I hoped this was normal and that we are on our way to being fixed.

I put heat on them for 20 minutes, did a warm up of 10 minutes on the elliptical (today is a day off) and then did my usual 40 minutes of stretching. I added two stretches that isolate the part of my foot that is in trouble. It was more of a discomfort than any time I ever stretched my achilles when it was in trouble.

I finished up with 20 minutes of ice, then I showered and headed out to get my altered orthotics. I did not know the doctor was not going to be there, so I could ask him nothing.

I had errands to run and all and then went to the grocery store. As I was leaving the grocery store, pushing my cart through the parking lot, I realized I had no experience that I had feet. That was amazing! No discomfort as I pushed off. None!

I have since done more heat, more stretches and more icing.

I do now know I have feet.

I am encouraged!

My Angel, Heather

I had my one hour session with my angel this morning. It was uncomfortable, bordering on painful. She did a combination of deep tissue/myofascial/sports massage.

What I have to say about it, in no particular order:

- I like her, I trust her and I connected with her

- She said I could start back on the road in a few days. She suggested I walk first and then maybe jog a mile or so.

- After doing the first portion of her work on my right foot, she had me get up and walk around. I had very little discomfort. That was an unexpected surprise. She did more work on the right then started on the left. I walked around several times and the level of discomfort decreased each time.

- I will see her again on Wednesday, leave for Florida on Friday. She will have several names for me of people to continue this work while there.

- I now have bruises on the tops of both feet and I am a bit swollen. She warned me that my feet could feel 'beat up'.

- I will be applying heat and then ice at least 3 times a day. My goal is 5 times a day.

- I can't see how I could hit the road this weekend and I am open to that Heather might be right and I could do that.

- I am buoyed just by taking action.

- I am on the horse.

I Am Back on the Horse

Yesterday I cried. Way back, I had a winter I cried (long story and you just mighta cried all winter too). I cried yesterday totally out of fear. I was afraid that I would never have feet that would let me train for and complete a marathon.

Then I got his from Jeff, one of the mentors from the Run2Remember Team:


Thanks for your message. Very sorry to hear about your injury; if there's anything I or the coaches can do to help, please let us know!

No worries at all on time or fitting into a group! I will be in contact with all of you regularly to make sure everything is going okay.

Be sure not to rush too much into running until you feel good about your injury ... remember that it's better to get the marathon starting line healthy vs. adding on an extra week of fitness and then injuring yourself beyond repair so you don't even get a chance to run at all!

I'm very excited that you are a part of the team! Have a great trip
to Florida and I'll talk to you soon.

After reading this, I sighed a huge sigh of relief and I had hope.

Then I got this from Bobby:

Many years ago, I was asked to support two friends who were running the JFK 50 Miler (a 50 Mile Ultramarathon). Mostly, this involved staying along side them as they ran (I was on a bike) during the race and carrying whatever supplies they needed, and making sure that they stayed on pace. Well before the race, we had worked out when they would run and at what pace, when they would take walking breaks, and how long they could stay at the numerous aid stations along
the way. It was my job to keep everything organized so that all they had to
think about was the race itself.

Early in the race, I noticed that another competitor who was walking was keeping
pace with us. We would be ahead of him but every time we stopped at an aid
station, he would pass us and we wouldn't catch-up to him until some point
between aid stations. This point got further and further as the race progressed
because while my friends were taking slightly longer breaks, and slowing down as
the day progressed (by design) the walker never broke stride. We finally passed
him for good between the last aid station and the finish, but not by much and he
was able to finish the race in about 11 hours, or about 4.5 mph.

So, I know that a reasonably fit person who is properly motivated should be able
to walk 4 miles per hour while keeping their heart rate in the 60-75% range. At
that pace, this person might eventually get muscle weary, but should never get
out of breath. Which means that a properly trained and properly motivated
person should be able to walk the 26.2 miles in the New York Marathon in about
6.5 hours, which coincidentally, is the exact amount of time that the organizers
allow before they start closing the streets (the race doesn't officially end
until 8 hours after the start and the last 3 miles or so are in Central Park, so
really, the street closings shouldn't be an issue).

So, if running is causing problems, and finishing the race is the goal, walking
should be a viable alternative.


After reading that, I knew I could do it.

I got motivated and got my ass in gear. I started investigating what help I could get and where I could find it. I just might have found an angel named Heather. She is a massage therapist at Hands On Massage and Wellness in Poughkeepsie. I could walk to her office from my old house!

I spoke with her at length and we are not sure if she will be using the sports massage or the CORE Myofascial Therapy. I have no idea which will help me and I am putting myself in my angels hands. She will also work to find someone I can go to while in Florida so my recovery will continue while I am there.

Thank you Bobby and thank you Jeff. Your words made such a difference that I could easily cry a different kind of cry.

I am motivated and have a killer cardiovascular system. I will start and complete that sucker!