I Need A Run!

On and off the road, this was a tough week. 

The cold virus that took me down last weekend slowly improved. I was pretty fatigued early in the week and didn't get much movement in. That in itself was a stressor and reminder of how much running and sweating help my anxiety.

By Wednesday, I was feeling pretty good. I was literally walking out the door for a run when my youngest son called me. He was getting ready to leave for work and he realized he forgot his keys. He was locked out of their yard, so he tried to climb over the fence. His pant leg got caught on the top and he fell 6 feet to the concrete below, landing on his face and hurting his wrist. He did not sound good. So instead of driving to the forest preserve for a run, I drove to the city, taking him to the ER to be evaluated. Fortunately, he 'only' had a concussion and a wrist sprain.  If you've been following me for a while, you know this kid has had his share of injuries over the years. I really think I should wrap him in bubble wrap! I'm so glad he is ok.

I also learned that I didn't get a bib for the 2024 Chicago Marathon. I read that over 120,000 runners applied to the lottery. Yes, you read that right. 😳 To put it in perspective, the first time I ran Chicago, in 2011, I just signed up. Not getting in this time hit harder than I expected. Even though I swore off marathons after my diagnosis with RA in 2016, after spectating this year, I wanted to run Chicago once more, to prove to myself that I could. And no, I don't want to pick a different marathon. I'm going to take this as a sign that I need to follow a different path. 

No matter what, I will continue to run. Running is my therapy. I also love the feeling of running. Now that I know I don't have the marathon on my calendar, I can decide what, if anything will be next. You know there will be plenty of trails, though! 

A Week of Breakthroughs

I might have mentioned previously that I'm in the middle of training for the Leadville Silver 15 mile trail race in July. I'm at the point in my training where I'm tired of pushing myself--it's been a while since I've pushed myself this hard--and I'm just ready to be done. I remember feeling like this last spring when I ran those 3 races back to back. I was so happy to be done and to return to running just for fun. In fact, I bailed on a planned fall half marathon last year because I just didn't want to train that hard anymore. 

But then there was Friday's run, which was a reminder of what I am capable of. It's kind of funny when that happens.

In contrast to my running funk, I'm really excited about the progress I'm making in the gym! I continue to have breakthroughs in my training and that is making me so happy. I guess it's good to remind myself that even if I can't get faster as a runner, I can get stronger in the gym. Don't worry, I'm not going all gym rat after my races. I could never give up running, But as I look ahead to fall, I'm not going to sign up for any races, instead doing the Mammoth Challenge again and running just for the enjoyment of it. 

I'm just not sure how much more I want to participate in races. In a sense, this may be a different kind of breakthrough. Can I still be a runner and not race? We'll see how I'm feeling after next Sunday's half marathon. 

Or maybe it's just the pre-race jitters talking!

I Had a Plan

So...remember that 2 weeks ago, I agonized over DNSing a half marathon? I even runfessed about it? Well, I have one more runfession regarding this race. Besides all the excuses I shared, I runfess... that I knew I needed 14 miles to finish the Mammoth Trail Challenge, so I decided to use my training to finish that instead. It's crazy how my priorities have changed. There's no medal for this event, I get a patch. It doesn't even matter. For me, it's all about that feeling of finishing something that means something to me.  

And no more runfessions about that race. I promise.

Just What I Needed

Sometimes you get just what you need and that is what happened this week. A change of weather, a great bootcamp, waterskiing, a beautiful trail run...and a decision made. 

But Can I Run?

This knee injury is so not my fault. 

I blame the tree root that tripped me up a few weeks ago. Unfortunately, the pain is getting worse. On Wednesday (see below), my run was rudely interrupted by searing pain in the base of my left knee, right below the knee cap. As the week went on, the pain lessened but any attempt to run (even to cross a street) made my knee angry again.  

On Friday, I saw a PT, who happens to be a friend of mine and she concurred with what Dr. Skiba told me last week. She noted that my kneecap was out of alignment and taped it for me, using McConnell taping. This is a rigid tape as opposed to the stretchier Kinesio tape we runners like to use. I felt immediately better. She also said I could try to run. I'll probably need to keep taping it for a while until the bruise resolves, but she thinks I'll be able to go back to using my Rock Tape.

Friday's run

Slow Burn

"I'm alright with a slow burn,

Taking my time, let the world turn,

I'm gonna do it my way, it will be alright."... Kacey Musgraves

The heat was on this week! We broke long-standing records for high temperatures. We also had a crazy bad thunderstorm on Monday. The tornado warning sirens went off 4 times. Thankfully not much damage happened and we didn't lose power. It's been a wild weather ride this year, hasn't it?

Wednesday's steamy run

My Injury Bingo Card

Coming home after a fun vacation away is tough, wouldn't you agree? I also had this past week off work, but with the broken leg, there wasn't a whole lot that I could do. I did my best to get some activity in almost every day. Mentally, that helped a lot. On Thursday, I saw the orthopedic surgeon for my follow up.

He was fine with everything that I'm doing and agreed with the strategy to let pain be my limiting factor. He was also pleased with my progress and re-xrayed my foot and ankle. There wasn't much change in the images because it is early in the healing process. 

However, the orthopedic surgeon thinks I may need surgery on my foot.

Surgery was not on my injury bingo card this year. Of course, neither was a broken leg. Actually, I don't remember signing up for injury bingo at all. I must have clicked on one of those phishing emails or something...

The fracture in my foot is displaced and he says it's unlikely that it will heal on its own. If I wasn't so active, he said he would allow more time for it to heal before deciding on surgery. He said healing could take up to 6 months and that doesn't come with a guarantee. Even if I have surgery, it will be a minimum of 3 months before I can think about running again. In the meantime, I can continue to do non-weightbearing exercises.

As you can imagine, I was pretty devastated by this news. After seeing the ortho, I needed some time to process this information. I spent much of the day on the couch, foot on a pillow, and Cocoa by my side. As the day went on, I was feeling better and ready to move forward. I do have my moments of melancholy, though. I sure miss running!

I Can't Have One Without the Other

Running and lifting, running and lifting, go together like birthdays and gifting, this I tell you sister, you can't have one without the other... ~apologies to Frank Sinatra.

After getting my final diagnosis this week of a tear of my flexor carpi radialis tendon--that's at the base of my right thumb--my first thought was, well, at least I can still run. But then it hit me: over the past couple of years, I've become so much more than a runner. As long-time readers of the blog know, I've been strength training and doing CrossFit as a means to supplement running and to prevent injury. Running was always my favorite way to move my body. I identify as a runner, not a CrossFitter. 

Then I hurt my wrist and with that came the realization that while running is still number one, strength training and CrossFit have become essential activities in my fitness regimen. Much like I do with running, with my strength training, I set goals and I train to achieve them. With this injury, I've had to cut back on my training and I miss it. After I got the news this week that confirmed the tendon injury, I felt really sad. That surprised me, because like I said, I can still run. But you know what? Running isn't enough anymore. 

There, I've said it. Now, I know. I promise to behave and let my wrist heal so I can get back to ALL the THINGS. 

The lake is calling...

I'm Languishing ...plus I Tried it! Nathan SaferRun Personal Alarm and Strobe

Disclaimer: I received the Nathan SaferRun Personal Alarm and Strobe in exchange for my honest review. This post contains affiliate links.

Earlier this week, Shiastho messaged me with a link to an article that I had just pulled up on my computer. Turns out great minds do think alike! The New York Times article we both read describes the feeling of not being depressed but not feeling well as languishing, the 'middle child of mental health'. A few months ago, after I received my second dose of the vaccine, I was so hopeful, but that hope faded quickly. Nothing was changing. I felt stuck. 

Apparently, I've been languishing.

Earlier this year, I described my feelings in a post about anxiety. While I've gotten my anxiety under control, that blah feeling remains. I'm not depressed. I'm just meh. That 'meh' feeling is what the NYT article addresses. The article suggests looking for small wins as a way to get past languishing. The author suggests finding 'flow' by immersing yourself in an activity or project. She also suggests setting boundaries, a time when you can't be interrupted. My runs have been that for me, particularly my time in the woods, which gives me a break from all the noise and usually brings me joy.

But then my run ends and it's back to life as it is. 

However, there is hope. The verdict in the George Floyd murder trial gives me hope for healing in our country. And while COVID cases are on the rise, with 50% of adults in this country having gotten at least one vaccine, that increase in cases isn't explosive. The country is slowly opening back up. I ran a live race in Chicago last weekend, a city with one of the strictest lockdown policies in the country. 

Having a name for how I've been feeling gave me that 'aha'! moment, even though it means I'm languishing. Sometimes, it's just nice to know that it isn't just you. We got this.

Wednesday's trail run

Here We Go Again

New year, same old song and dance lol! I really wish that with the flip of the calendar, we'd have a clean slate and things would return to some semblance of normal. Not so much--the COVID rages on--but one thing remains constant: running and fitness. I ended the year with a hard strength session and a big hug (like, she wouldn't let go) from my coach. The new year started with a trail run. In spite of all the turmoil around me, I'm happy to have one thing that is constant: running. 

Running got me through 2020; I'm happy to continue the wave into 2021. 

Here's to hoping for a better year! 

1200 miles for 2020!

This Year, It's All About the Little Things

If I could have the perfect Midwestern winter, I would want the weather we have had since early fall. We've had a nice long stretch of sunny and what local weather legend Tom Skilling calls 'seasonally cool' weather. Sure, there have been a few inclement days, but for the most part, it's been really pleasant. Local peeps, you know what I'm talking about, right? We can get some pretty ugly weather this time of year, so to me, our current conditions are really a gift. It's been a year that has been filled with so much awfulness and I'm grateful for all the sunshine. 

Oh, and I'm just fine with no snow. Sorry, not sorry.

Thanks to the nice weather, I've been getting outside for all my runs and continue to add my mileage bank. I didn't start out the year with a mileage goal, but I'm closing in on 1200 miles for the year! The pandemic may have curtailed a lot of our activities and canceled a lot of our races, but I'm pleasantly surprised with what has been my highest mileage since 2014. That has been a huge gift in a year that hasn't been giving me much to smile about. 

on the IAT

You Make Me Feel Brand New...

What a fabulous week for running, weather-wise. The heat broke and we were treated to some perfect running conditions. Cool mornings, temperate days... I felt like a whole different runner! While I can't actually say I felt brand new--I'm too old for that--my runs felt easier and I didn't have to take as many walk breaks. 

Fall is my favorite season for running. We're not there yet--in fact, the heat is back on as we speak. But it was sure nice to have a taste of the good life!

Ice Age Trail 21k Training Week 8

2020 sure is the year that just keeps on giving, isn't it? This week was another doozy. Covid continues to spread, riots and protests continue, Garmin gets hacked, and the race cancellations continue. We experienced a ridiculously oppressive heat wave which cut our time short at the lake. I'm all about looking for silver linings, but come on man! Can we please get a break?

Ice Age Trail 21k Training Week 7

Maybe you noticed or maybe you didn't, but I didn't post at all this week since my last Weekly Rundown. It wasn't for lack of trying. I just couldn't come up with anything to write. To tell you the truth, I've been feeling pretty uninspired. I'm just so disheartened about current affairs and the overall bad behavior of people in general that motivation was hard to find. I'm tired of the pandemic. I'm tired of the politics. I'm tired of the lies. I'm just tired.

There, I've said it.

There have been some bright spots, though. My job, of all things, has been bringing me much joy. The kids are happy to see me and the parents express so much gratitude. There was, however, that dad on Friday who kept putting his mask below his nose, even after I told him to pull it up. It reminded me of that comic I shared a few months ago that compared putting your mask below your nose to letting your penis hang out above your underwear. Being the immature person that I am, I couldn't stop thinking about that during the entire visit. I'm glad I had my mask to hide my smile, but I had to hold back from rolling my eyes. 

My training also continues to bring me joy, which is no surprise. For many reasons, I'm really glad I dropped down to the half, but especially because we are having such a relentlessly hot summer. With no pressure to complete long runs in the heat, I'm enjoying my training so much more. And isn't having fun what it's all about? Yeah, I get it, running is hard, but in the end, it's all about that sense of accomplishment, of joy, of empowerment!

Ice Age Trail 50k Training Week 3

Training felt real this week as I hit my highest running mileage in years! With the mindset of running for distance instead of time, I don't feel as intimidated with my training plan as I did in past years training for my marathons. I cannot stop marveling at how refreshing it is to just run and to even take walk breaks when I need them. I'm not saying that it's easy but training for a trail ultra is a whole different mindset. 

I'm still feeling tired but for the most part, I'm sleeping better this week. I continue to worry about the unrest in our country and the COVID hotspots but I've really limited my news time and that seems to have helped me a lot. 

Saturday's trail 10

Ice Age Trail 50k Training Week 1

This post contains an affiliate link.

With all the race cancellations happening, I optimistically embarked this week on my training plan for the Ice Age Trail 50k, rescheduled for September 26. Will it actually take place? Only about 250 runners did the 50k last year, so as a smaller race, hopefully it won't be canceled. The race takes place completely on the trails of the Southern Kettle Moraine Forest in Wisconsin. Reading about other trail races and how they are adapting to the challenges of the pandemic makes me think that with some changes--think staggered start times and hands-free aid stations--this could actually work.

We'll see. For now, I'm sticking to the plan that Marcia has made for me. I've got this.

All You Need is ___________

Disclaimer: As an ambassador for All Community Events, I received a free entry to the Great Run Across Illinois Virtual Challenge. This post contains affiliate links.

Fill in the blank.

It's been a really challenging year so far for many of us. This is a running blog and while I like to keep the focus on running, today I have to comment on some of the issues facing us off the road. As if climate change and corornavirus weren't bad enough, another story hit the news this week that affected many of us--both as runners and as decent people. You'd have to be living under a rock to not have heard about Ahmaud Arbery, the 25 year old black man who was shot in February while running. The killers were a white father and former police officer, and his son. The story remained under the radar until this week, when a video of the event was released.

Guys, this isn't a political blog and there's so much I want to say about this incident. I can't sit back and not acknowledge the pervasive undercurrent of racism in America. As a white woman, I can't begin to imagine what it must be like to live with that kind of fear. As a caring human being, this story hurt my heart so much. Lacing up my shoes and heading out for a run is a freedom I take for granted.

So on Friday morning, after a sleepless night, I got up early and headed out with the sunrise to run 2.23 miles for Maud, on his birthday. Throughout the day, millions of runners and walkers did the same thing. My heart was full as I saw my social media feed filled with #irunwithmaud posts. While this horrific incident raised our awareness, it's important not to forget Ahmaud, how he died, and the poor manner in which this case was handled. Everyone matters.

#irunwithmaud

PRs and My First Powerlifting Meet

Followers of the blog know I've been working on getting stronger for a long time. I started strength training back in 2013 after a long stretch of running-related injuries. Long story short, I was evaluated by a corrective exercise specialist and was told that I had weak hips and my glutes weren't firing. Hey now! After working on getting stronger, I learned the valuable lesson that runners cannot live on miles alone. That coach, Becky, trained me for my PR Chicago marathon.

She had me at deadlifts.

When Becky moved to Las Vegas in 2017, I found a new coach, Sammy Jo, at the same CrossFit box. We have been working together for almost 3 years but it really wasn't until last fall that I really found my strong. Sammy Jo and I decided that for this strength cycle, I was going to go for some really heavy lifting. My prolonged RA flare from earlier in the year had finally resolved and I was ready to kick RA to the curb.

Over the past 4-5 months, Sammy Jo has pushed me harder than I've ever been pushed, outside of running. It was a new kind of uncomfortable and there were times when I felt overwhelmed and maybe even a little scared. She was right by my side and promised me I'd not get hurt lifting the heavy weights. I didn't.

When the CrossFit box announced a powerlifting meet, Sammy Jo wanted me to enter. My strength cycle was wrapping up and she thought it was the perfect time for me to push for some PRs. I was reluctant. Me, in a powerlifting meet? The new owners of the box also encouraged me to sign up. So I did.

Staying on Track

As busy as it gets this time of year, I stuck to my workout schedule. I completely understand those folks who opt-out during the holidays. I mean, something's got to give, right? Since my workouts are what keeps me sane, I choose to let go of having the 'perfect' holiday. Yes, the tree is up and the gifts were wrapped. I even baked cookies. But while I picked up the clutter, I didn't do any major cleaning before the guests came over. That might bother some people, but we all have our priorities and having a perfect house is not one of mine. The only person who noticed anything was my dad, who pointed out how dusty my dining room chandelier is.

There's always that one person. I did offer to him that he could come over and clean it. He hasn't taken me up on that.

It was nice, letting go of a few things and I found that I really enjoyed the holidays this year! Plus, with the spectacular weather we've been having, who wants to stay inside and clean?

Saturday's run