Run, then limp...

How not to stay in a high after a long run? After experiencing all sort of feelings from dissapointment, joy, anger, pain, fear, panic, strenght, fullfilment, confidence!!! Being for that time just with myself was perfect, I am my best company.

10 miles GREAT
Started easy. On time, 5:30. I had a banana for snak and have to confess that I combined it with a nutela spoon, mmm not too big. I was just feeling like sweet at 5 am, do you believe it? Ran to the beach and ran there for about 3 miles.

The sunrise happened at about 5:50 and it was just marvelous to be there!

Walked only for taking this pictures. I didn't have to stop for anything. Not even to go to go to the badroom. After 45 minutes took a Gu gel and helped me to continue greatly. I just have to learn to not trying to push too much after taking it.
Over the 8th mile, my left knee was very stiffed for a while. I was scared thinking it could be something really bad, but then just forget about it and desapeared.
Performance? Well not as wish. Funny that on the last mile I push harder, as some techiniques advice, and felt stronger. In fact I was swearing that I was over 9 or something, but it was just a sensation, Garmin said it was just like the rest, over 11. Mentally it was a nice effort achived. Ended feeling very strong.

Headed home and started stretching. The spur started its performance. It will go away.

New Legs

WO: 1 hr bike and Yoga DVD.
I had a bad night after a steak sandwich dinner. I woke up at 3am with a knot in the stomach. Hard to wake up then at 5:50. Still my apetite is controled I am not that hungry during the day. Even lost some pounds, woow!
Only 5 minutes in to the ride, I am completely into it. Good.
Over the minute 30 I felt down. Nothing serious of course. I was going to make a turn when I saw people both sides. Trying to avoid them I tried to turn before and lost control, then, a black close-open eyes and I am standing up. See that I avoided hitting myself with the bike but that in some moment, I landed with my knee... Grrrrr!
The greatest was that people around was smiling. Didn't know it was funny. I tell you people is weird. Always everyone so serious but now, time to smile...
The incident just happened like that and I continued with my ride in a greater form. Is like I am becoming stronger, I can feel it. The knee is just fine, this is just another stage in my life where I can suffer accidents like this and nothing happens, how great!!
This morning fresh air was blowing, very strange for May, but a good foretell for tomorrow's long run! Not THAT long yet, only 10 but still exciting!
As I was complaining, now I have to say I am feeling great! The spur is so controled, that is incredible, I tell you the strategies are just doing perfect. It has improved so much that I am already walking normally again during the day. Happy, happy.

Running economy on the treadmill

I have to confess that I left on the side the book "Lore of running", the first part is about anatomical stuff , but now it's talking about running economy which is pretty interesting.

"...When training for marathon distances my style changes naturally, cutting stride length and eliminating the tendency to lift knees. Through miles and miles of training, I honed my leg action to such a degree that I barely lifted my leg of the ground."
"Learn to run in an easy and serene manner without an atom of wasted energy. Use short strides. The longer your stride, the more you bob up and down. You ought to almostslither your feet over the ground, going as near to touchingit without actually doing it."

Running economy is a subject I was pretty interesting about, now it is a good time to practice this tendency.
In fact about the treadmill, it is also a good place to practice about some running economy. Shock impact is decreased as the HR goes down. I could saw nicely how I could run at and easy pace of 12:00 with only 135 -140HR. It is an improvement since before it was around 150 always, don't mention now outside and hot.

WO: 1.5 mile+weight+abs+1.5mile
You can not imagine the way I was sweating... I win to all of you certainly, it was like rain coming from my hair! And I was IN the gym, just imagine outside....
Felt great running, lots of energy and feeling strong. Ended on the top of it!!!

Heat Factor

Even finding a partner, -which I didn't at least, a real one,- my wonders about running those hills weren't accomplished yet. I depended also with the sun, the report said cloudy... It says that many times but no, not at all. The good news is the treadmill are fixed!!! Just in time.

WO: 5 miles, yoga. GOOD
I know many of you don't like the treadmill, but I find practical the way you can sustain speed or in this case inclined. In fact I practiced a Maximal Treadmill Stress Test which I found here. Consisted in reaching a speed of 5-6 m/h with an elevation of 10% in 18 minutes. That supposed to give your MHR. My highest was 175, disappointing, I know. Hope that can improve with training. Until you find out how to do it, you train it!
Still I wonder if better conditions will give me a better rate. The air conditioned was off in the gym. It turns on automatically until 8. Next time I will do it latter to see how it changes. After the test, completed the 5 miles making three more repeats at 8.5% incline at 5 mph. Again my HR climbed nicely to 175.
When I am outside the speed sessions almost give me this HR but I bet an around off 10-15% of it is because of the heat, so now that the treadmill are fixed I will do them there. For sure that will make worked better. Also it will save me some energy that is wasted with the sun instead in to my muscles.

And I knew why

This morning it took me ages to wake up. Alarm was set at 5:40 and made it 'till 6:10 hardly.

WO: 3 miles ONLY. GOOD.
Still I feel proud of that "only". Since I woke up I was wishing to stay in bed. Prepared my gear and when I was out ready to run it was already 6:45!! Too late for a runner in this place, well maybe the weak ones.
Started slowly. Immediately knew this was not going to be a 9 something miles. Took it easy.
The reason? Certainly my long run on Friday with that high heart rate made me feel that tired. Today pace was the fine, under the sun and in between 140-150, those sport beans...
So as I knew why no panic. Canceled the bike and weights and abs... What else? Called me a coward but prefer to save energy and at least I am covering the distance. I keep learning from my experience.

In other notes, tomorrow I should be doing hills session. There is a nice hill around this area. It can' t be well appreciated here but just the think of doing it make me feel excited, It will be some challenge for me. The area has lots of cows and animal farms. Hope they are not dangerous, I'm such a coward! Some of you like Bella, for example, going to places where she would find cougars and me, worried for donkeys.... Inside me still lives a cosmopolitan girl.

The thing is that I can't get there early enough and still going there alone doesn't sound to me very attractive. I need a partner. Any volunteers?
Well I have the rest of the day to figure out how to make it. Wish not to end as always in the poor hill in the hotel. The treadmills are broken...

Thanks for all your good wishes for my recovery with the tooth. It is fine now. (After three sessions in a week) Now my whole teeth are very sensitive and my appetite has decreased, I fell lighter and can choose what to eat. That is good for my weight. You see how everything has a positive side?

Also I want to thank you for following the spur updates. Your good wishes seem to be working, pain has decreased enormously thanks to them and the strategies, specially the arch support. I receive all sort of strange sights thanks to them, but how could people figure out how good they are for me !

Can't always win

After three weeks without a long run, finally today went for one.
Started as early as I could, 5:40 was my best. Set the alarm at 5:00 but couldn't get up until 5:20. It took me 20 minutes to get ready, preparing breakfast for my girls and dressing and well, waking up. Started until 5:40 Another time to improve!
Started as easy as I could, soon I was on the beach, how nice to see the palm trees like this, they seem to be black when the light is behind them. There were many tourist there to see the sunrise, sorry for them, it was cloudy and we saw nothing, but still the landscape was lovely.
As I soon as I put a step on the beach I could see it is a great day to be there to run. It was like the sand was saying, come, run.... Steady, firm and cloudy.

Breathing is the problem. Between my for sure low VO2 and and damped air, well I was sucking. Not so bad to make me feel weak, but the HR was all the time over 165. Another fact to report about this, is that I was eating sport beans and I bet that increased it also. Over the end of the third mile they also made me sick. I didn't even had half of the pack but they are too sweet for me, well I tried them and now know they aren't for me. I'll stick to Gu or Power Gel. I know this wasn't such a long run but still I wanted to try them today. Besides it ended being very helpful. At the end of the third mile I was feeling like I was done. I thought this short runs were going to make me be ready to run long with out problems. Anyway I went on. The last mile I was just crap, but made it.I had to insert some walks, not exactly for feeling tired, but when moving from the beach to the hotel, a phone call to my girls, etc. At least I didn't stop for nothing, I liked that. The good news is that for most of the time I even forgot I am a spur girl!!!Luis tells me, just forget about it... I am not complaining, just want to report. Total time 1:45. It was a bad end. In my mind was saying, this is not nice at all, how can I continue like this? Am I the person running a marathon in a couple months??

Well I can't win every day. After the run put some ice, took a bath, well the usual, but I still have a smile in my face. After a long run even if it wasn't the best one, there is nothing that could shadow my happiness.

The arch support is here. Look how I have to use it. Under the heel there is a path also to absorb the shock on the spur. I will use them as much as possible, many times I will want to look nice, but doesn't matter in the name of running!

Happy running weekend!!

Inconvenients in a speed session...

Sunday afternoon I had an emergency appointment with the dentist, the pain was so bad... Fortunately they just took the right steps to finish with the problem, well with the pain. The canal treatment they practiced me a month ago, seems to have an infection now. I will have to invest more of my time there at that terrible sofa where you can't do nothing but try to keep your mouth open for hours... I hate it!

Monday morning I was so tired that just decided to move the running session to the afternoon.
The desicion wasn't that bad. What was bad was that:
I had too much protein for a speed session, again, yes, sorry.
Atmosphere was sooooo damped again, believe me, there was no oxigen available to breath!!
My girls joined my with their bycicles and that didn't helped at all, the seven year old one was asking me to stop as she wanted to drink from my camel pack, or just because she wanted me to watch her.
Note to remember, don't do a speed session with all this incovenients, never again!! Be a mother or a runner.

Well again I say, at least the 4 miles were covered and handled to made a 9.35 minutes mile for the first time. Performance was very poor the rest of the session. No speed accomplished yesterday at all: 2.30 minutes intervals for 0.25 miles, well that was what I could do... I don't learn to do the right things to have a good afternoon session.

We had a dinner last night and had 3 glasses of wine. (We went on Monday because the school is closed for three days as the elections process is on at this country) It was a different wine than what I usually have and about 30 minutes after dinner I had a headache. Had it the whole night, mmmm. At six just woke up because I couldn't stay longer in bed like that. At seven decided and remembered days off are Wednesdays and Saturdays not Tuesdays. I didn't wanted to spend the whole day regreting from a weakness in the morning.

WO: 1.5 miles, Weight session, 1.5 miles. GOOD.
It took me about 10 minutes to get in to it, but definitely was the best thing I could do. Time wasn't enough to do the abs session, but I will insert it some other day. Made the session this time at the treadmil to breath, it was already late to try to run outside. Inserted the weights in the middle of the session as reccomended in The complete Book of Running. It was a recovery run.

Running... Away from a tooth pain

From yesterday afternoon I had a terrible bad tooth pain. I had a canal treatment and last Monday the tooth was reduced. Until yesterday it started hurting worst. At night the doctor recommended me a higher doses of ibuprofen, and it worked. Took it again at 3 am and when I woke up at 5:30 the was no pain so I went to train! Now the pain is back, I was very fortunate that pain left me for a while!!

WO: 3 miles, 40 minutes bike.
Sundays are becoming so wonderful to run. There is a reason on this type of training for running 3 miles at the beginning. Is like to learn to run faster in this complete brief period. Despite the damped air I accomplished a great pace, again improved and made a 9:41 mile. It was the third one. The second was at the beach.
Last week I started with the bike, but my legs were very stiff to run after the ride, so today I started again running to take advantage of the accumulated energy after yesterday's rest day.
Headed home and my youngest daughter, Abril, said she wanted to come for the bike ride. It was great to have her for company, in fact she has come with me on Sundays.
She follows the road I tell her and I come and go. I developed great moments, and enjoyed it a lot.
The weights are canceled for today, don't want to get over tired today, first let's see what happens with this tooth.
S report.- As I was sedated with ibuprofen there was no complains or problems at all.
Yesterday Luis found out about a non-runners guy who had a spur operation in the local hospital. He is from Spain and said he recovered so well and his problem is gone. Now I have another option, but won't take it until after the marathon. I don't believe in coincidences. Things happen for a reason. We never knew about anyone with a spur until now. And he wasn't finding out, he just commented it to him. Will see...

HAPPY RUNNER'S MOTHER'S DAY!!

Beach, sun

...And HOT!! In fact it is been a strange season. It hasn't been that hot until now, that's why you haven't read about complaining about that... :) Last week we had cloudy days but warm. Even I take advantage of this and haven't started that early to run. I started today at 6:30 and was too late, won't happen again, I should not risk my runs and will have to start as early as possible specially on Fridays when, since next week I will run long again!!

WO: plyometrics and 5 miles. FAIR.
Went to bed last night more tired than usual, don't think it was the bike at all, but just tired from some new errands done. The S pain was present but ignore it. After a half mile I made the plyometrics and then headed to the beach to run for a couple miles there. It was hot and the sand was soft, that made it harder. Had some brief good moments but still not good enough... At least I covered the distance and with a not so bad pace for me.

The spur used to hurts me "only" during the day, I mean not while running! Since last week session with the physio, it hurts while running and is much better during the day. It is just like a small stepback today, hope it recovers.
Thanks Thomas, you give me much more hope, I needed it!!

Resting days are long

There will be plenty of long runs just in a brief time, be patient... At the moment

WO: 1 hr bike- 10 miles, yoga session (dvd)
This was some nice morning for a bike ride, enjoyed it a lot. I think I will start finding out more about it....
Yoga left me with a great energy sensation. This is definitely the best time of the day!

About weight lost issues, I am lost, but not the weight, just me. At this point is not vanity, at all. But as much as I don't do something about it, I will find myself in point of no return! But I am such a gluttony that I try to convince myself of not eating that much and repeat it to my self, but then when I realize, I already had a bunch of something...
Writing this comes to my mind the idea of writing a list of options to do instead of eating, like drinking water, and... Well what else can I do to defeat hunger...

"S" is doing incredible better I am very happy and positive, the recommendations are working fine!!

The strategies

Yesterday found a great site... heelspur.com, can you believe it? Now I am into that great...
Reading the recommendations there, has made a great difference in just a few time! I believe this could be the beginning of the end of this problem, well following the right steps.

*losing weight, it will be the hardest...
*Using an arch support and heel pads all the time.
*Massage on the heel as first thing before standing up in the morning, as is the time when it hurts more.
*Using a frozen can as ice treatment three times a day and after exercise for 5 minutes. It recommends a can saying metal transmits cold better than plastic.
*Taping the foot. I still have to get that kind of tape

From yesterday to today the main difference is the left hamstring which is the real potential injury on sight. It has been very comfortable. It hasn't been too bad, only like stiff, but not today, great!!
I don't want to continue with the spur's biography, so for now is enough and will talk about it unless it is giving me terrible trouble, which certainly won't happen... I wish! I don't want to make you tired reading about it, but still I want to tell everybody that having a spur is not a good enough reason to stop running, in case you know someone who has this problem... Wish no!

WO: Plyometrics, weight training, abs, yoga posses.
I forgot to do the plyometrics yesterday so moved them to today. Energy was wonderful. Later I am going for a 3 miles recovery run... I am just wondering when will I do a long run again, well I will have plenty of them in just a few weeks!

Running is about enlightenment!!

About happiness, overcoming... Great ideas!!! Pity it just last so short as 45 minutes about today....
Yes !! I had a great run and is with you who I want to share this, the ones who understand how wonderful it can be!!! My family "know" when I have great runs, but understand it? No way...

WO: 4 miles hill repeats.
There is always before and after running. This time, before I was very sad. The spur is now giving problems to my left hamstring and facing the future of this problem didn't leave during the night. In the morning it wasn't that different but still that strength that comes from nowhere made me stay ready to go for a run. The beginning was easy, with my great new pace. The spur was some discomfort but I just remembered how many of you still have problems with running and despite of it you still go on. That inspired me to continue no matter what.
Ideas started coming to my mind and finally put them all together while running. What I need to do it to take care of the heel not only while running but the whole day I have to use the gel insoles on the heel, no matter if I have to use them pasted with glue since most of my daily shoes are sandals....Still I already have heel supports which will work perfectly. Also I am getting arch support bands which I will always use.(I'll post some photos of my feet so you see how funny I look!!
My mind needed this idea for some relief, as a possible help to be able to go on.
Elevation is not great but still the work feels harder, the best is the pace was steady and felt very strong. Is there a better time during the day as this?? Not for me. Ended completely happy!

It is 1:30pm I've been using the gel insole and the improvement is remarkable. This is not an injury, is now a condition that I have to learn to deal with, there should be many ways to help it, but I still have to find out about them. Now I am in the search and will find them!!

Computer problems

What a week without using my computer. Between the technical problems and my ignorance I've lost a week blogging, which definitely is a great part of my moho!
The good part is that anything can stop but the training. Today I start the 16th week of training and completed the sixth week of steady training. That of course makes me happy, but that definitely is not only because of knowing but because I can feel the difference, as I said before this slow down at the beginning of the training is working like a taper, like to start over and I am watching improvements!

Details to remember from last week:
*The speed work was running 400m instead of 800 and that aloud me to increase and concentrate the energy. I could reach a better pace despite the shorter periods but I will try to make them to last longer with time.
*I had a session with a physiotherapist looking for some relief and help to prevent injuries spur-related. The session was painful. But the worst was that as I told him all about my running plans, he didn't stop telling me to avoid running and try some walking, that health is about balance and this problem produces this imbalance that stresses my body, bla bla bla. He said like having fun that I was going to remember him the day after if I try to run which I definitely made. My legs were completely new as he say, but new because I couldn't recognize them as they were so damaged from the shiautsu massage!!
I don't need that at all. I am not coming back.

Week 16
WO: 30 minutes bike, 30 minutes run, weight training, abs session, stretching.
Riding before than running made my legs gave me this new sensation while running, it was fine.
My energy levels are great and my average pace is increasing with no effort. My before easy pace of 11:15 has moved to 10:30!!!

Well, enough for today , I want to know about you, I go to the blogshpere now!

We took some holidays!

We went to Santo Domingo to make our residential papers, we are Mexican and have to be residents in the Dominican Republic! We've been in this country for almost four years and until now we had time... Well we are not good to take steps to obtain documents....

Still making those papers wasn't that long, but as Luis finally was able to take free days from Thursday to Sunday, we stayed there to enjoy the city and rest from jungle and beach!! The truth is that I took with me my laptop but I wasn't inspired to even turn it on. That was fine to enjoy quality time with Luis and my girls.

Of course training can't be stop. On Thursday I went to the gym's hotel and went to the stationary bike for 30 minutes. Then on Friday I made 10km = 6 miles on a treadmill, well, I guess better than nothing. Still it was fine to rest from regular road stress on my heel. The spur is being calling.

We came back on Saturday night and felt some disappointed of being here again. I am such an ungrateful with this place that has this marvelous surroundings that had made me spend the best times of my life running. Still what we need is to move to a better apartment, still there is not much available and we enjoy many things by staying "in" the hotel....

Oh yes, about running! Sunday morning ran 3 miles, surprised me as I could run easily with out rising my HR higher than 150 and accomplish again a great pace. It was early, cloudy and fresh. I am thinking this should be also about the slower weeks at this time and this new way of training three days in a row and then almost isolated the long run. Also made 30 minutes bike, and weight training.

Yesterday we had a Mexican lunch with other Mexican families. It was the a celebration for the children's day in Mexico. It included a delicious Mexican dish called "Cochinita Pibil".With tacos. It was sooo delicious that only by naming it again, I am feeling hungry! I better not say how it is... Then believe it or not I had for dinner, here at home, beef burritos. I say all this because today's workout was awful but I could recognize it was about this low quality fuel from yesterday, too much protein. So, I didn't make the planned intervals today, but I will make them tomorrow in the afternoon. I am not worry for today's bad run, I know the reason of it.No wonder why I keep putting on ponds and kilos and tons... I am starting to post my total calories intake here, let's see if shame works!

Calories 2095, so far, still 9:40!

Note: I've been trying to publish this post from about an hour ago, yes, it is blogger failing again!