going to the mountain

"I've been to the motherfuckin mountain top, heard motherfuckers talk, seen 'em drop." - Eminem

I'm done

I did 6 on Sunday and 3.5 on Monday and I'm done. 5 solid days of rest. I'm so excited that its going to be overcast and high 60's!!! Couldn't be more perfect running weather. Don't forget your old long sleeve shirt that you can take off and leave on the road! I decided I'm going to wear my Underarmor ASU t-shirt. It would be cute if we all had our ASU or UA stuff on.

I've got a pile of stuff ready to go, including my long sleeve, my gels and beans, my anti-friction stick, blister band-aids, muscle relaxers, immodium, etc.

Sorry I haven't been more active here, since my laptop broke its been harder since my kids hog the computer.

Well, the preparation is over...

I am off to do my last 2 before the race in a few minutes. I'll have 2 days off and should be well rested by Sunday. I'm thinking a good long swim on Saturday night after the expo sounds really good! I have to remember to get that bathing suit from Laurie because mine doesn't fit.
My suitcase is packed except for a few things. I'm deliriously excited!

2

I'm going out to do 2 in a few minutes. I still had some tightness in my thighs yesterday but today appears to be fine. Man that elliptical really worked out my quads.
I finally got a grip on my food, the bad run on Sunday and the fear of this coming Sunday is enough motivation to keep me on the straight and narrow. I want to fill my body up with good carbs, salt, and good protein so I can be as strong as possible.
Fried twinkies and candy bars just sound so gross to me... I have never even tried them.

Okay....still just me then?

I did two and a quarter yesterday, walking fast for cardio. It was all good. I was waiting to post about it until today to make sure that I was still okay when I woke up this morning, but I am okay, nothing wrong (other than being rather tired from being up with David, who is having an asthma flare up). So, now I'm really looking forward to the trip! I was really quite nervous about working hard walking again after hurting myself...I guess I must have hurt myself more than I gave credence to at the time.

Anyhoodle, I'll get to the gym today and maybe do a good 45 on the bike. Maybe also do upper body weights.

Also, update on surgery for anyone who cares, I am scheduled for another fill on Tuesday. I moved it up. I called the doctor and told him I am not getting enough restriction in the afternoons and evenings, which are my hardest time anyway so we moved up the fill. I'm glad. I mean, it is helping, but I feel like I am doing everything I am supposed to be doing and the band is not holding up its end of the bargain at this point. It is supposed to make me less hungry, which it does in the morning, but it isn't very helpful to me if it isn't working as well in the evening.

Also, just to let everyone know, we went to the fair on Friday night and all that fried crap is not all it is cracked up to be. I had a bite of fried oreo, a bite of fried twinkie and a bite of fried snickers and was all extremely unimpressive. Chris is holding out hope that perhaps that vendor just didn't do it "right" but I doubt it.....I think frying up a twinkie just isn't as gourmet as we have been lead to believe!

So.....are we not doing this anymore?

I did 45 minutes on the bike today....sweated more than I have ever sweated I think. Maybe it was extra warm in that room, I don't know. AND, my therapist assigned me homework of trying one weight machine at least three times, and I did three weight machines! So, yay for me for getting over the intimidation factor. There was nobody else in the room....but still!

Anyhoodle, hope everyone is doing well.

to taper or not to taper

I prefer not to waste time and energy tapering. I prefer to just stop suddenly.

I did 6 miles tonight, and it was a pretty strong 6.

So, I'm gonna do great on May 3. Here are the things working in my favor:

1. The first two miles of my running route are uphill, and there are several other hills. The first 5 miles of the marathon route are downhill and the rest is flat. So, there's some built in momentum there.

2. The marathon is at sea level, which will be easier than Phx altitude even though Phx isn't very high.

3. There will be sea breezes and beautiful scenery and thousands of people to look at.

4. There will be water and gel stops every couple miles.

5. Right now I do most of my runs with a dog bouncing like a rubber ball on a string, so I do expend energy trying to control her for the first couple miles. Its much easier to run without her.

6. I will have the power of the SISTAHOOD propelling me forward, and hopefully I can jump aboard a cloud of oblivion.

7. I will run with the knowledge that I am accomplishing a lifetime goal, and also with the knowledge that I NEVER HAVE TO DO THIS AGAIN.

8. I am one strong motherfucker.

Sigh

I did 7 at the gym yesterday and I will say it was not fun. I am wondering htf I am gonna do this.

45

Went to the gym today, did 45 minutes on the bike, and I feel t-riffic. So, I'm pretty confident that I will be fine for this 5K cardio-wise. I think next week I'll try walking two and a quarter at least twice and then the week after I'll do some three mile walks to make sure I am okay, but I am still trying to take the walking pretty slow, since it would really stink to get hurt now and not be able to recover in time for the big day.

OMG The pressure!!!!

I went to the gym again on Thursday and did half hour on a good resistance. Had to really work on not working too hard, it's really nice to be back at the gym. I've walked two times this week, at an okay pace, so I think I'm all set for a 5K with no time limit.

Good for you getting so fast, Missy! You are going to kick ass!

tapering

More like dropping off a cliff is what I've been doing. Haven't run since Tuesday and didn't go this morning for a couple reasons. Primarily because I got my hair done yesterday and it still looks freakin awesome, so I want to keep it good for hanging with my girls tonight. Secondly because I've spent the morning harassing the friends of the asshole who stole J's phone last weekend and has been using it all week and downloaded $40 of music. They waived all the charges, I'm just pissed at the audacity of a person who would do that thinking they wouldn't get caught.

Doing okay

Well, the bike did not hurt me, so that is very good. I walked a bit yesterday and will again today since I'm not sure I'm going to have time to make it to the gym.

Tallahassee Time

Greetings from the Florida panhandle. I did 5.5 miles before my flight this morning. Yay me. I have to say on the whole I've been remarkably dedicated to this thing despite the fact that I haven't gotten the long runs in I had hoped to. I would so kick ass if I were doing the half. Actually if I were doing the half I wouldn't have been nearly as dedicated.

My plan is to go when I get home tomorrow night but we'll see how I do after getting up at 4am AZ time, working all day and then flying for 5 hours. Seems daunting.

Ok nevermind. I just checked my itinerary and I don't even get home until 11pm. Oh well.

Trying This Again

Well, I went to the gym today and did 20 minutes on the bike at a lower resistance than I was doing before all this. So far it is fine, but the last time I walked for cardio and hurt myself, I felt fine that day, it didn't hurt until the next day. So, we'll see how I feel tomorrow for the real test.

It was good to go back to the gym. I got a little teary during my twenty minutes. I really miss doing those really good 45 minute cardio workouts. I miss arguing with myself about how many minutes to do and how high to set the resistance level. *sniff*

Redneck Runnin'

So energized was I by my reaffirmation into redneck society today that I ran 8 miles tonight. Well, I only ran about 7 of it but still that's good since I only planned on doing 6.

Yesterday I did 6 but it was quite pathetic in that I only ran about 2 of it. I started off with the dog on my left hand and a bottle of water in my right in case I decided to go more than 6. And it was just too freakin much. I felt annoyed and tied down. And as I listened to my body I heard it saying, "WTF?? Seriously. You can't expect me to perform under these conditions. Especially after you went out drinking last night!!" And I had to agree with myself.

I think I'm gonna do 15 on Weds and make that my last real long run. We'll see.

Ow

Well I did 10 tonight. I felt pretty decent and ran clear up to 9. And then I was just done and kindof pissed that I was still a mile from home. I bought a special water bottle with a handle and a variety of gels/beans/chewy things. I had two servings of these chewy nuggets called Clif shots and they were great in that it was helpful to have little bites throughout, but after awhile I felt like a cow chewing cud. I think I'll stick with the gel shots, choke 'em down and done.

I talked to my work friend who does marathons today and he was really helpful in mapping out my schedule for the next 3 weeks. He also suggested I get a really cool new running outfit that I feel good in so I can wear it on race day, which I hadn't even thought of but what an awesome idea!! He seemed to feel pretty good about what I've done so far when I showed him my chart (yes I've been charting my progress, it keeps me motivated). He also said I shouldn't do 20 again because I don't want to get that "deep exhaustion" (as opposed to the regular kind I suppose). He did say I should do 15 again this weekend and also that I should GET UP EARLY ON SATURDAY to do it. That's a tall order. I mean, Saturday and all. But he said I need to get my body used to running in the mornings.

The hats are pink. Not a great color I know, but the point is to make it easy to find each other and there weren't other good options. They say "Sistahood of the Traveling Blisters." I hope that's cool. I thought it was really funny and witty when I ordered them but I've been having second thoughts. They're lightweight adjustable running hats with a sweat band inside and a folding visor so you can put it in your pocket. I should have them this week.

"This is war, this is death, this is real, you better bet on the winning side." - Airborne Toxic Event

Well, I definitely hurt myself

I went a mile and a half yesterday, sort of pushing it, because the doc had said I could do some aerobic activity after two weeks. Well, now I have some pain today, so I know I likely over-did it. I should have gone slower. So, now I am having all sorts of doubts about this whole thing, which really makes me upset, because I really want to wear the hat!!

I am going to not do anything today or tomorrow and try again after that.

homestretch

I can't believe less than 4 weeks to d-day!!! I did 9.5 last night. I really crashed at the end because I hadn't had anything to eat or drink (I went out only planning to do 6 but felt good and decided to stretch it to 10, so I hadn't brought any water or gel). My feet hurt a LOT last night for some reason, and I'm pretty tight today.

I got us all matching running hats to wear on the big day so it will be easy for us to find each other.

"how long will I be picking up pieces?" - Blue October

Sigh

Well, I did 3 on Saturday. On the treadmill in Las Vegas I might add. So, all things considered, not bad. Then I did 3.5 when I got home at 8 last night. Again, all things considered, not too bad. This was the 4th weekend trip I've had since I started training for this thing! But, as my sister once said to me, excuses aren't going to carry me across the finish line now are they? No. So I've recovered from the 20 last weekend and must get back at it this week.

We're in the home stretch ladies!!

"Hammer down, here we go, runnin for the finish rope
all you're gonna see is asses and elbows."

Back in the Saddle

Just walked a mile and a half. It was totally fine, the last part was slow, but that's okay. Mostly it just felt good. Although I did get the tinglies in my butt and thighs which I always think of as my muscle's way of saying "well, we haven't done THIS in a while, now have we?" My muscles speak with an English accent, sort of like that judge Carrie on the Food Network Challenge shows or that dog trainer, Victoria Stillwell.

I am doing very well and everything is fine. I'm eating pureed foods but can progress to soft foods next week. The week after that I can start adding in normal foods. I'm scheduled for my first fill on April 21st

Yeah

I didn't do anything last night. So.

3.5

again last night. Feeling fine but a little fatigued. Fell asleep at 9:30 and got up at 7!! Gonna try for 6 or 8 tonight. Gotta keep the momentum!