Tomorrow is THE DAY!

Tomorrow is the 5K. I ran 3 times this week. I did 2 practice 5K runs in 49:21 and 50:35. Thursday was my last day to train for the 5K and I took it slow, about 1.75 miles in 28 minutes.

My hips are bugging me, but I don't think it's slowing me down. It's more painful a couple days after I run. I thought about taking prednisone just for the race day because it makes me feel so fantastic, but I think I have talked myself out of it. I know it's only 1 pill but the mood swings, high blood sugars and insomnia don't seem to appealing to have to deal with tomorrow. Plus I want to go all out and eat a big stinking breakfast after the 5K, and I can't eat real syrup while on prednisone because it drives my blood sugar bonkers.

Other than having to get up at the crack of dawn, I think it's actually before dawn cracks, I'm looking forward to the race. I just hope I don't piss people off by getting in their way and running too slow.

Wish me luck!

Countdown to Cowtown T Minus 15 Days

Today I set out to run 3 miles


...and


I did it! The time was not that spectacular, nearly 50 minutes. I think I started out too fast. As I was barely a block away I checked my oxygen saturations and they were 90, on 5 liters of o2. I haven't brought my pulse ox with me in a long time, so that might be a normal dip in the beginning of the run. I slowed it down a bit and the sats plateau'd around 95 and my HR varied between 150 and 165. This is much better than the 175's I was seeing early in my training.

I'm nervous, but I think I'm ready to race! 15 days to go!

Countdown to Cowtown T Minus 19 Days

So as you can see from the title, I've completed my training course of 24 days of running this summer. I started in June I think. Wow, that took a long time! For the next 2 weeks I'll be trying not to catch any nasty cold viruses and keeping up with my training so I'll be ready for the big race day on October 4.

Today I set out to finally run 3.0 miles. And...... *drum roll please* I DID IT!!! Not only did I do it, I blew all my previous times out of the water. I made it 3.0 miles this morning in 47 minutes and 34 seconds. That's approximately a 16 minute mile. I haven't been able to keep that pace for the whole run yet, so I was quite proud of myself.

However, today's run was hard. My legs were ok, but I felt like every time I breathed in I was gasping for air. It wasn't a shortness of breath feeling it was just a small lung feeling. It's the feeling I get when I need to take a deeper breath than I can physically take. I feel like something is stopping short of taking a full breath. So I end up kinda panting the whole way. It's not a fun way to run. I hope it was just a fluke and it'll get easier as these next 2 weeks go on. I figure I have about 6 more trips out to practice my running before the big race. Wish me luck!

Running Day 24 of 24

On Friday the twins have a half day at school which means they go to school for the exact same amount of time, 3 hours and 31 minutes, however they have to start at 8AM. Although I was dreading getting out of bed so early, I took the opportunity to do my run after I dropped them off. I started from the school, so my route was a little messed up. I tried to guess to make it exactly 3 miles and when I got home I tracked it on a map and it was only 2.78 miles. I was so disappointed because it felt really good and relatively easy. I could have easily kept going! I managed to make it home in 50 minutes and 28 seconds. Which is another reason I thought I'd gone the full 3 miles. But instead I was running 18 minute miles. No wonder it was so easy! Ugh.

Running Day 23 of 24

Today, 2 days after my return to running I set out to run 3.0 miles again. I set myself up on a route where I could shorten the distance if need be. I made it to the 1.5 mile mark and started to feel the hip giving me tiny twinges of pain so I decided to take the shorter route home. I ended up being able to run the whole way, 2.1 miles in 32 minutes 54 seconds. Not too shabby! Now if only I could make it all 3 miles!

The run felt really rough though. I think because I ran so much 2 days ago my legs were still tired. It was just so hard to keep going. It was just one step at a time today.

26 days until the Cowtown 5K!

Running Day 22 of 24

I finally got back to running after about a week reprieve on Sunday, September 6. I set out to run 3.0 miles and made it 2.4 miles before the old bursitis kicked in. Turns out I have an inflamed bursa, a fluid filled sac on the outer hip region. I was running in the bike lane, facing traffic for weeks and I think the small incline where my right leg was always on higher ground was taking it's toll.

On Sunday I changed my route to less travelled streets and ran in the middle of the road where it's flat. I got much further than my 1 or 1.5 miles before the old hip gave me problems. I actually made it 2.4 miles on Sunday! I was bummed I didn't make it the whole way, but I had to listen to my body and slow down when it was hurting. I made it home in 50 minutes and 14 seconds.

Running Day 21 of 24

Today I attempted to run 2.5 miles again and failed. I made it 1.5 miles and then had hip pain. It's very sharp, almost like shooting nerve pains. I guess I need some serious hip flexer exercises. I don't really know what a hip flexer is, but it sounds like something I need help with.

I decided to walk until the pain went away. Well it never went away and at some points I could barely hobble! I seriously thought about hitch-hiking home, it was so bad. It took me 22 minutes to limp the last mile home. It was so sad. So I made it home in 47 minutes and 53 seconds. Ugh. I hope next time is better. I'm thinking about running 10 minutes, walking 5, running 10, walking 5 etc all the way to see if that helps next time. My first mile was slow today as well, 15:50 or so. But I felt pretty good until that 1.5 mile mark.