I kept going...

Thursday after work we had a soccer game but I hadn't ran much all week so I decided to hit the gym for a 4 miler. It was still nice out...breezy, sun was still up and there wasn't a great deal of humidity. Perfect condition for a run considering the weather we had just the day before.

I had Mr. G (my Garmin, named by my Sweet Annabelle) ready to go, iPod was playing my favorite running tunes and I was sporting my half marathon outfit. The best part was that my attitude was great. I knew I was going to have a fantastic run.

.17 miles in and something in my left leg burned. Bad.
I looked down at Mr. G to see that I was at a sub 10 min/mile so I slowed a bit but kept going. The pain worsened as I went up the hill before me, but going down and onto the flat trail it wasn't as bad.

I decided at that point to go as far as I could and would stop IF the pain got worse but as long as it wasn't worse I would run to 2 miles before heading back.

I dodged lots of mud puddles and duck poop along the trail but every time I looked down at Mr. G to see where I was I saw a sub 10 min/mile pace and just could not bring myself to stop or even slow down despite the nagging pain in my left hamstring.

I kept going. At mile 2 I was just over 20 minutes. I stopped, sent a text to my hubby that I was injured (I knew I was at that point) but told him I was going to keep going even though he offered to come get me. What was I going to do? Sit there for 20 minutes and wait for him to hold my hand as I waddled out? NO, I was going to make it back. I stopped Mr. G for about a minute to walk out a little ways and tried to stretch but when I attempted to put my leg out in front of me to stretch the burning sensation was worse! I cried. But I knew I had to make it back to my car.

I turned around, hit start on Mr. G and made my legs go. I screamed in pain as I came over the first tiny little hill. Why is it the hills hurt so bad even as small as they were? About a half mile later I looked back down at Mr. G to see that I was running at 9:18. Really!?! I said to myself and tried to slow down but something about slowing my pace seemed to be harder on my leg. So since my lungs were good with the sub 10 min pace I just kept going.

I looked down at Mr. G to see where I was 5k in just over 30 minutes. I couldn't believe my eyes or Mr. G because I knew the pain was too bad to produce the numbers. But I was wrong. Mr. G was right.

I finished 4 miles, with a pulled (and bad) hamstring in 39:28. I probably would've been jealous of myself if I hadn't been in so much pain. Does that even make sense?! Lol

The good news of the run is that I had such a great run.
But...

Because I kept going when I should have just turned around and called it a day I have now spent the last 2 days resting (unplanned) and icing my poor hamstring. I had to cancel a 6 mile run I had planned today with my running buddy (Terri) and this bummed me so much because I haven't ran with her in such a long time AND I dropped my hubby off to head for his run. Depression.

The moral of the story (which I have learned the hard way) is to stop, turn around, go back at the first sign of such injuries. It could be SO much worse and I am glad it isn't.

And another funny-
I was telling my hubby last night as we drove by the trail the point where I felt the pull happen. He looked at me and asked why on earth I kept going 4 miles when it had just happened. I told him I was just proud for being so tough. I figured he would be proud to have a tough wife, but apparently I was only being ignorant and igorance and toughness are TWO different things.

I fought the chocolate eggs..

and the chocolate eggs won.
You've got the tune to a song in your head now, huh? "I fought the law and the law won!" ;)
Thank me later.

For now, let's talk about that Easter candy...
the discount stuff that was marked 50% off yesterday at my local Kroger.
It totally got me as soon as I was on that isle. I could kick myself now because I knew better!
I told myself I would only take 2 pieces to work today because that was one sure fire way I could have my chocolate and eat it too...controlled by the portion and no way to go overboard because the rest of the bag was at home.

Crap. I had to come home. And there was that bag of chocolate.
I sat down after dinner and ate 5. I think. I may or may not have lost count.
Oh well. We all have moments of weakness, right!?

I was just telling someone last night how it was ok to indulge once in a while because you could totally burn it off. I mean I know that I will now have to run at least 3 miles to burn off those 5 chocolate eggs. 5 pieces are 220 calories. I can burn 300 calories in a 3 mile run (or 30 minutes), give or take.

I guess you know what I will be doing tomorrow, huh!?

Did you fight the Easter candy? What was the outcome?

Speed work

Despite having a stressful week I managed to get in some decent workouts.

My best workout was probably Thursday night's run. I was going to skip running because Thursday evenings are so hectic between hubby's track schedule, Peanut's soccer and trying to get everything ready for the next day (homework, clothes and lunches ready for the next day, etc) but I was feeling relatively stressed and decided I should meet hubby at the gym after soccer anyway.

I started out thinking I would just run 3-4 miles but after about .25 I decided to crank up the pace and do some speedy intervals. Turns out my legs and lungs were completely in tune with my plan because I managed to get 3 miles of speed work done in under 26 minutes!

3 miles 25:19 8:26 min/mile

I was so happy to log this run! Usually I hate intervals/speed work but this one was great. I was determined to get sub 9 min/miles and I did just that. After the first 2 miles when I was in my 10 second recovery I had almost talked myself into running the last mile comfortable and set the treadmill to 6 mph but it felt so slow and almost like I was plopping too heavy on the treadmill. So what did I do??? I cranked that baby right back up to 8 mph and finished strong!

My hammies were screaming later that evening and even more so the next morning when I got out of bed.
I suppose that means it was quite the workout and one that I needed! I have read bits and pieces about how important speed work is. I know it helps. It has helped me increase my regular running pace a lot, but I do admit to not always fitting in speed work into my running schedule.

I will be doing so once a week. I'm not at all looking to ever qualify for Boston or the like but I do have hopes to become a faster runner.

Still here, still running

But some days I wish I could run far, far away.

Life is crazy right now and stressful.
I am surviving AND I am running/workout out which is helping!

I probably have been better at commenting on blogs than I have been at coming up with good juice to blog about. By the time I get home in the evenings all I want to do is NOT think so I play mindless games on Facebook. haha

This week's running has been fantastic. Low miles, but decent running (for me) and that makes me happy.

Monday - 3.5 miles 35:28 (10:08 pace)
Tuesday - Spin class 14 miles in 45 mins
Wednesday - 3.10 miles 31:10 (10:03 pace)

Monday's run was ok for me. It felt great to just run again after a few days off. I was grateful for my time at the gym even though I only ran. Tuesday morning's spin class is my favorite. I don't have Tues evenings to go to the gym with my son's soccer schedule so I am really enjoying the change of routine and like the Tuesday morning spin instructor. Wednesday's run was great. I set my pace and ran the entire 5k without even thinking about the fact that I was running. I didn't watch the clock at all but did change my pace at the last mile. I was averaging 10:30-10:42 pace for mile 1 and 2 but was determined to get the last mile ran in under 9 minutes. Success!

Eating wise has been ok this week.. all healthy choices however my eating has been sporadic and light. Light meaning I have skipped a meal or two or three. Stress, it'll do it!

I am looking forward to Friday off with my family and hopefully a good, relaxing weekend!

Slacker.

I skipped Friday morning BodyPump.
Why? I have no excuse other than I just slept in. I turned the alarm clock off as soon as it started beeping.

Then Friday went to pot fast when I found out I may quickly become unemployed. My fate is still to be determined.
I ended my day without a trip to the gym but dinner out to Chickfila with the family. My first real meal of Friday was a chicken sandwich. You will be happy to know that I skipped eating ice cream later Friday evening when I took my Girl Scout troop to Marble Slab Creamery. Go me!
I never did go to the gym Friday. Slacker.

So, did I get up and run the 5k I had planned with the awesome Kelsey? No. I had to be a responsible adult and forgo paying $$ I don't need to spend just to run. Bummer. I was looking forward to it (with her and my hubby) in celebration of Kelsey's 20th birthday today.

I made cupcakes at home instead. Gah.
Like I needed those after missing 2 days of working out?? Nope.
I only ate one. And still didn't make it to the gym today.
Slacker.

After 2 days of barely any food (any food of real healthy qualities even), little water, even less sleep and a massive headache I have a feeling I would not have performed well in a race or even running the treadmill at my gym. But none of this is any excuse to have been such a slacker yesterday or today. I have hopes that tomorrow will be better and regardless of the outcome I hope to find time to run or workout.

I do not want pity but if you prayer, remember me and my family.
And of course any motivation to get moving again is greatly appreciated. I do not need to continue being a slacker.

Three Things Thursday

1. I took spin again today. It was just as fun as Tuesday's class even if we did mostly hills. We did a 7 min hill climb, followed by sprints, 5 min hill climb, sprints, 3 min hill climb, sprints, 1 min hill climb, sprints. Fun class. Even with the tender booty I plan to go back to spin on Tuesday. I am really going to work hard on being in bed by 10 so that getting up at 5:20 am isn't so hard. I liked the class enough that I am willing to go to the 6am class instead of the 5:30 pm class. Sounds crazy, I know!

2. I ate bad today. I ate bad yesterday. I hate the monthly friend that visits because I let her/it take over my rational thinking when it comes to food (sometimes, not evey month) and I make poor choices. I undid all the good from spinning and all the walking today by over indulging in guacamole. Hubby says the plus is that avacados are a good fat. Love him! haha I'm pretty sure that even too much of a good fat is a bad thing. Oh well, tomorrow is a new day. :)

3. We are running a 5k Saturday. I get nervous before the little races. Hate that. I would love to get a 5k PR... under 33 minutes would be a race PR but what I would really love is to run it in under 31 minutes. I think for this Saturday that is just a pipe dream seeing as it is only 2 weeks post half marathon and I have hardly done enough speed work to get me there. Plus see my #2, that surely will not help! ha. But this summer hubby and I are running the Peachtree Road Race in ATL. It's a 10k. My goal this summer (and what is left of spring) is to really hit the speed work and get under an hour for the 10k. That too may be a pipe dream but I'm at least going to make that my training goal.

Pad my seat

Tuesday morning my alarm clock went off at 5:16 a.m. The hubby says, "You're going to spin this morning, don't forget." I rolled out of bed to the bathroom. I was still tired, but I dressed and was eagerly out the door by 5:30 to make it across town to the 6am spin class at my gym.

I walked in the gym half asleep, grabbed a couple of towels and headed upstairs. I met a woman on the stairs headed to the class and she told me I would be fine. I got in, set up the bike I chose and she says, "How tall are you?" I figured she thought I had myself set up on the spin bike wrong, but said to her, "I'm not tall. I always tell people I'm short. 5'3." She said I was fine and that the instructor would notice I was new and come talk to me. Great.

Just as the lady told me, Todd, the instructor came right over to me. The convo went something like this.
T- "Is this your first time at spin class?"
Me - Yep.
T - "you'll be fine. You're set up good. Just follow along, the tension knob is here and you'll know when to adjust it. If you feel you can't hang after about 10-20 minutes it is ok to just leave class."
Me - Thanks.

I was irked by the fact that he thought maybe I couldn't hang. Seriously, dude, I just ran a half marathon. I thought to myself ya know just because I ran a half marathon means I'm some sorta super hero workout machine or something. Ha! But seriously, I really did think that IF I am capable of running for 2 + hours surely to goodness I could make it through 45 minutes of spin class that would be based solely on MY OWN EFFORT and what I put into it. Right!? Right.

And I was right.

Oh and the lady beside and Todd the instructor both did inform me of the booty discomfort I would feel. Todd even said, "Guys deal with it too and it's not a huge deal." What? Like guys are special because they have extra junk to deal with? Whatever. I can do this.

And I did. My booty was not hurting at the end of class, but geez Louise we spent more time doing standing sprints (on the bike of course) than we did with our butts on the seat so how could it hurt?

Oh, but let me tell you!! Later in the day, my booty felt every minute it spent on that tiny spin bike seat. Today the bootay is a little better and I even plan to wake up at 5:16 a.m. tomorrow morning and hit spin class again.

And unless my butt develops callouses (like a friend, who also teaches spin at my gym swears she has) then make my seat padded, please!?