Running Through Slumps

Its the weekbefore Christmas.  I am clamoring to get to the last day before holidays, as the year's demands are noticable.  My short runs have dwindled to 5 ks and my long run is 10 k.  In an attempt to simplify my life, I have given myself slack for the purpose of recapturing my love for this part of my life.  

  Some things have changed this year.  My time is more pressed, I am working over 40 hours a week, going to school and I am spending less time with other people because of all this.  I have stopped wearing my Garmin as well, with more of a need to jsut get out and stop timing myself with pressure to get it done.  I change my running goal mid-run more often too.  Not sure what all these changes mean, but i know that I am sticking to it, and building from here.  

   Since my dismal results at the marathon in October, I think I have seem my limitations and felt some discouragement from this.  i will charge on, but to regain my previous achievments seems daunting.  I know I have gained some weight, not a lot, but this may also factor back in to things.  I could stand to lose 5-7 pound comfortably as well, and my asthma has been noticeably more bothersome in the last year stemming back from being around a dog Christmas 2011! 

Want to say a Merry Christmas to you all, and thanks for stoping by, even though my blogging is less consistent than in past years.

God Bless!

A Month To Heal

My Finish lineat the Marathon in October was a triumph of human will. It was the hardest race I ever ran.  It was also my slowest, as predicted.

I literally hobbled for a few weeks after, having run on an emerging injury.  I found it hard to turn over in bed!  Ibuprofen was my best friend, as well as massage to my trigger points while I healed.  Eventually the pain subsided.  My chiropractor told me my hip flexor on my left was very tight, creating my pained buttock.  I mosied everywhere, trying desperately to cover my pain, as many would comment on how weirdly I was running or exclaim (as my mother did) that running was risky and killing me.  I hate showing the pain of running because I love it so much.

I decided as I crossed the line that I was probably going to rest for a month from running so I could recuperate and recharge my running passion.  I continued to stretch my hip flexor.

Well, I did.  I am now just entering back into the running scene, having started at 5 k, 8 k and then 10 k last week.  My delayed muscle soreness has lasted me a lot longer than expected, so I could have probably backed off the mileage, but one month should be alright for not losing too much fitness.  At least this is my stubborn belief.  I know I have gained a bit of weight, so this will need to be addressed, mostly due to snacking and inactivity, and wine :).

A Harrowing Dehydrated Journey

It went aboutjust about as wrong as a run could go wrong. My hip was sore from my recent speed work and long runs, and I put off  long running for as long as I could in the week changing my plan to a Sunday afternoon rather than the regular.  I have one last long run to squeeze in at 37 k.  

Being the afternoon, I knew t would be warmer.  I was nervous for a couple of reasons.  I went to the chiropractor for an assessment for my hip, he gave me a green light, but I was conscious of it turning into a full blown injury.  Second, it was a hotter day, and I was busy for the morning, so it would have to be after lunch.  I brought gatoraid in my four belt containers.

Right away, I began sweating.  Salty Sweat.  This was something to keep conscious of as losing salt can be bad.  

By km 20, I was running out of my liquids, and about to have a second half of my long run not passing homes.  My lips were feeling dry, a sure sign of dehydration.  I decided to stop and get water from the last house along my path.   Nice lady gave me a bottle of water.  That was gone fairly soon.  My garmin died about this time (km 21 of 37).

This is when I noticed had stopped sweating.  It was dawning on me that I was in trouble.  I took my gel and began thinking about liquids more and more. 

As I thought of the distance left ahead of me and the situation I was in, I concerned myself with where I might find water.  My arms were sweaty again, a good sign that the bottled water was a help.  I was running now along the water channel for the rest of my run.  This channel was a risk to drink from for two reasons: the bank was steep and the water was iffy.

I had to stop running, my legs were finished, nothing left in them to ask and this realization made the run seem so much longer.  This was very different for me as I never stop and walk on long runs.  I tried to pick it up a few times but had to walk every 500 meters or so.  I was realizing how much longer this run would be.

I thought of eating some fo the beautiful apple from the orchards and stopped to see where I may jump over the tall fences.  My mind began obsessing about liquids.  I thought of coke Slurpee constantly for almost 18 k that run.  Finally after I licked the salty sweat  off my arms, I decided to risk it and find a spot to drink from the channel.  I found a spot where campers (pickers who camp near the orchards) wash in.  I stumbled clumsily down, realized how dazed i felt, and drank deeply from the water.  After this, I felt queasy, so I got up and clambered up the bank and kept going. I looked over to where the water I drank came from and realized it was swampy.  Uh oh? 

I tried running a bit and stopped, ran a bit more, and stopped again.  I started thinking about worse case scenario, I would have to go to a nearby orchard house and ask for a ride. I have read enough about dehydration to know I was in trouble, but in my foggy reasoning I thought, "there is only 12 k to go, and I could make it".  

I was frustrated by my limitations, my body was saying no.  I started to HATE running.  I kept thinking "why do I do this to myself?"  My heart sank into dark thoughts of never running again, quitting altogether.  I seriously thought of not doing the marathon.  I was scared and angry, angry at myself and the situation.  Also, I was determined to make it home.  WIth no garmin, I was guesstimating distances, making it seem longer.   I ran/walked slowly home.  This added a good 40 minutes to my normal time in the 37 k.  I was getting desperate to be home, but determined I would keep on going, it would take less time that way.  My body wanted to sit down.  I said no.  I could see the familiar land marks of home stretch, but like a surreal horror movie, the last bit stretched out to the longest 7 k I had ever run. 

I got 2 km out and really began getting emotional.  I knew home and water and coke slurpee were so close.  I found the fountain in the park 1 km away and drank, but knew that it was almost moot, that I was needing to get home.  I jog-walked the last click celebrating and commissurating this the last of my long runs before an event i no longer wanted to do.

I walked through the door and collapsed in an emotional heap, drinking and drinking.  And vomited and vomited.  I felt so awful.  Queasy tired and stupid and exhausted.

It took all of a few days to piece together all that went wrong.  I underestimated that salts I needed, the water I  needed, and the heat of the day (over 30 C). 

I got my coke slurpee.  It was divine.
To be sure, this experience traumatized me.  I was unsure of my limitations for the race psychologically and physically.   I knew I would have no way of re-establish my confidence, only the memory of this experience to haunt me.  Also, not having run that last half fully, my body would most likely not recognize the distance.  

I now knew what it felt like to reach my limits, to push - foolishly Ill add- beyond them.  

I look back and knew I was at least 5 % dehydrated.  10 % brings on dire risks.  I was experiencing mental confusion, led feet, numbness of the hands, lack of sweat.

The race itself later on I dreaded.  That happened yesterday, and survived.   What oes not kill me makes me stronger?  This was not true here.  I was foolish.  I was stubborn.  I was also smart and tactical.  I saw the best in me and the worst in a crisis.  It was a personal battle.  I would not want to ever experience that again and I have learned something about myself.  

I think I would need a road ID bracelet, and for long runs, perhaps a phone, although I dont know how I would carry it.  More to come on the race, but this sets up the story for my next entry.  Sorry for the lenght, but for me this was an important blog to write out.

Remaining Injury Free/ Last long run snag

Its been a whileSince I last blogged here, life has gotten a hold of my energy and time, but I wanted to update people here! I am training for the marathon on our Canadian thanksgiving weekend (October 6) in Kelowna BC.

Runs have gotten to a length of 34 km last week, and I have had to squish my training because I got out to a late start in training.  So I have been adding 3 or 4 km each week for the last 3 weeks.  This may now being nipping me in the butt.  Literally.  Today I was due for my 37 km run, my last long run of the training.  all week however, my hip has been tight and a tad, a titch sore.  Stretching, foam rolling and my cruel but effective baseball rolling have all been part of the game.  Now however I sit typing when i was scheduled to go out this perfect Saturday and run my heart out.  But something doesn't feel right.  Experience has taught me not to push this too hard or I will pay.  BIGTIME!  Now I am left with a conundrum.  When to actually do my longest run?When to actually run at all again?  I have also learned that this can be feeling fine but not dealt with properly.  So I will sit and stew about it, frustrated and worried, but determined to figure something out before taper time.  I will roll and stretch and take care of my body, knowing that I will get there somehow, perhaps not the way I wanted but in one piece, hopefully not hobbling, and hopefully with a medal around my neck on the 6th.

Signed Up For A Marathon?

I have committedagain to the regiments of training for a marathon.  This will be the third for me.  It wil be Kelowna's BMO Okanagan Marathon.  This week I pushed my times to see if I could get back to my old ones and am taking a few days to rest my poor butt.  Literally!  Stretching my hip flexors and massaging will keep the injuries that come to me with speeding up away!

Its been a humid summer for running which is a hinderance to speed for me as well, but I am seeing good gains.  My goal was to amp up the mileage to over 40 km per week and keep raising it. 

Have you signed up for a fall marathon?  The serious training starts soon depending on your plan.  One rule I try to stick to is to not increase more than 10% per week in mileage for the long run and over all, as I pay for it in injury, feeling it in my glutes.  Stretching and masaging helps stave off long bouts of recovery.  Happy training everyone!