Soe tore and other oddities: a return to running

Mad conversation with self this morning:

Oh man am I tired.  Why the heck was I going to run again??  I am sure I should wait until tomorrow, I walked 7 miles yesterday, for crying out loud.

Oh for heavens sakes, quit whining.  You have that 5K run next weekend and you need to get a little running in so Sarah Jane doesn't have to carry you across the finish line.

Fine.

I suppose the horse needs to be fed first- alright, let's do that - then head out.

OW!  Hey my soe is tore.

WHAT did you just say???  Really?  Your soe is TORE???? THAT is something you say out loud wrong, you don't THINK that in your brain before it comes out of your mouth!!!!  Good lord, if you hadn't been just whining like a baby, you'd be going back to bed.

Oh shut up and let's get this over with.  I can't help it my soe, er, uh, my toe is sore.

Now you know!  Lol.  Seriously, who makes that sort of mixup in their brain before even saying it out loud.   

This morning I had to get a run in- in anticipation of the 5K and obstacle course thing I am doing next Saturday.  As some of you know and some may or may not know, I had a little knee issue recently.  MUCH to my dismay.  So I eased way off of everything involving knees in anticipation of the canoe trip and of course the resulting loss of fitness for running was highly discouraging.  I ran part of the Evergreen Road Run last weekend, then did one more run this past week.  a SLLLLOOOOOWWWW one, but still.  And so I wanted to get an interval session in today and then I will do one more interval session before Wednesday so I can rest the knee before the race on Saturday.  

MY BRAIN is ready to regroup and return to running.  My cardio fitness is getting there, thanks to a lot of walking this week.  My legs are not quite as confident as my brain wants them to be.  

On the road with Debi

What I found disturbing was how quickly I lost my cardio fitness!!  My heartbeat was way faster this past week when I was running than just a month ago when I had to lay off for a while.  UGH.  That is rotten!  All the work I did to get to that point.  But I am finding it is coming back pretty quickly, so that is good.

I was also distressed with how quickly my quad muscles lost strength!  I avoided most quad work whilst babying my knee, and I can feel it.  At least I am starting to regain some of the mass now.  A little of the definition is beginning to show again.  

Yikes!

Of course I felt pretty wiped after the whole thing, but it was a good feeling.  No soreness in my knee.  I iced it for good measure, so it will not decide to act up on me.  I can feel my edge returning, and I am going to attempt to go slow when adding mileage.  No more adding over a mile onto my runs once a week!  I do not want to go through that again.  Game face is on people!!!

Idk if you can see it, or if you want to, but there is a big ole blister on my middle (s)toe.  And that sucker hurts!  At least my pedi still looks good!

MAD-MARATHONER FRIEND!!!

On a more positive note, and just a bit on the random side, but why should this be different than any other day, I have a new playlist to run with!  THANK you to my good friend Samara, the mad-marathon buddy!!! She is my hero and role model!!

Seems like nap is a good idea, now, don't you think??

Until next time, be a joy giver and find some inner peace!  No arguing meow! ;)

Rare rainbow run

It is Tuesday!  It is a day I need to run.

  I want to train for a 10 K later in the summer (don't know where yet) and so I have decided to run shorter routes on Tuesday and Thursday and then a longer run on either Saturday or Sunday.  I amazingly enough can already run 5 K, (shut the front door!!) and so this seems like a logical step. 

I had been diddling around at home after a faculty meeting and  technology session, having decided to do my back workout on Wednesday instead of Tuesday, ( So much decision making to this workout stuff!) and wanted to run outside.  So I was looking at the sky and since it was looking decidedly lighter to the west and north, I assumed I would be good for a trek up the road.

Off I went, juggling a little water and my phone- texting while running is nearly impossible- and finally hit my rhythm.  I did a lot of running, a little walking and I went a little farther than the Outhouse bar, turned around and came back towards home.  It had been so potentially sunny looking to the west!  And then I faced the east.  I was seeing some darkish clouds that were drifting in from the north east for heavens sakes, I was watching it with definite interest.   Not much I could do, regardless.  And sure enough, just a little way from Omaha road, there is a magical  rainbow appearing!!  Isn't that cool??

Which is about the time I started to feel the raindrops.....  So I hastily stuck my phone, which is in my Spibelt, under my shirt, and eventually had to tuck it into the waistband of my tights for extra protection. 

 You can't see it, as I took only a couple pictures, but there is a double rainbow here.

Eventually, as the COLD rain fell from the sky ever harder and harder, the rainbow got bigger and eventually became a full double.  Running in the rain, with the sun shining and a double rainbow??  It must have been my lucky night.  Except for the fact I got pretty dang wet!

Smiley faces-


I need to know this - cause I notice when you're smilin'
Out in the sun havin' fun and you're feelin' free
And I can tell you know how hard this life can be
But you keep on smilin' for me

What went right? What went wrong?
Was it the story - or was it the song?
Was it overnight - or did it take you long?
Was knowing your weakness what made you strong?

Or all the above - oh how I love to see you smilin'
And oh yeah - take a little pain just in case
You need something warm to embrace
To help you put on a smilin' face
Hey, put on a smilin' face

And I found a smile and some joy at the end of the rainbow!!!

Not a runner........

I'm not a runner.

I never enjoyed running.  I run to the telephone. I run to the grocery store- in a car. I laugh at the thought of running a long distance.  I remember thinking in high school that people running cross-country were nuts!  WHO can run 3 miles?  Crazy.


And yet...........

Yesterday, I ran a mile without stopping.  Epic.  Tear inducing.  Milestone.

TURN OFF THAT VOICE that tells you you can't.  Listen to the voice that says you can make it to the top of that hill, that is a mile away!

Maybe I am a runner......  Oh hell yeah!

Thank you to the two people I texted while gasping for air at the top of that hill....  you know who you are!