Friday, December 7, 2012

Sick and tired

Even though I felt like death a
mere 2 hours after running
this route, it's my best pace to date!

My Thursday post is a day late.  I've been under the weather.  Remember that stomach bug that Julien had a couple of posts back?  Well hubby and I got it yesterday.  It was very strange because although hubby told me from the morning that he wasn't feeling great, I felt fine.   I worked, went to my half marathon clinic, ran my best pace to date, then came home and felt like I was dying.  It was almost as though the minute I walked in the door, I felt like crap!  My stomach started feeling off and by 10 pm, I had the chills and had to go to bed with a bucket beside me.  I didn't end up getting sick, but boy did I feel wiped.

My husband thought I was insane, but I got up to go work today and got dressed, leaving the house by 7:30 am.  I got home by 11amish just to get right back into bed and I slept until 5:30pm. I'm feeling okay right now, just a bit dizzy and slightly off still.  Julien came home from school, got into bed with me and slept for 2 hours. He asked to go back to bed at 7:30.  He's got a cough now, and his eating's been off all week.  I hope my peanut feels better soon.

At yesterdays clinic, Paul came to talk to us again.  He's a chiropractor/foot dude who does talks about bio mechanics and injury prevention.  He's the one who told me way back in April to hold my stomach in while running.  He reiterated once again that running does give the abs a workout and you use 4 abdominal muscles while running.  So I'm not crazy.  The reason why my abs are in pretty decent shape is because of the running.  Here's a comparison from photos taken October 25th to ones taken moments ago.  Although my weight has not really gone down (maybe a few pounds), my skin has gotten a bit wrinkly down the middle over the past six weeks.  But I also went down a clothing size.  Dr.  Pitt said my weight was redistributing and that with on-going exercise, everything should firm up on it's own within a year of being on maintenance.  Not sure if he's just trying to make me feel good, but I'll believe him until it doesn't happen. I'm gullible like that.


October 25, 2012

October 25, 2012

December 7, 2012

December 7, 2012


On Wednesday I did my first ever tempo run with my half marathon clinic.  A tempo run means you run fast enough that you're breathing hard and can't really talk comfortably.  My friend Michael asked why I would do something like that...well, it helps build your speed.  It wasn't a long run, 6k with a 1k warm-up, a 4k tempo and a 1k cool down.  Well I had some abdominal discomfort due to cramps and probably needing to use the bathroom.  I ran at a 6:13 pace for 3k after the 1k warm up.  By the 5th kilometer, Dawn and Eric and I were taking up the rear.  We just stopped. All agreed that a short walk was in order.  We were all hurting.  Dawn also had some cramping going on due to some Christmas party treats earlier in the day, and Eric had taken a month hiatus from running after running a marathon at the beginning of November, and he ate just an hour before.

We were able to complete the run, but even with the burst of speed that we did near the end (because Eric challenged me to a race...which I won), my pace was the worst pace I ever ran with the half marathon clinic. As soon as I got home and used the bathroom, I felt much better.  Turns out, I got my period during the run too.  I'd have to chalk up Wednesday's run as my third worst in the history of my running experience.  It's good to remember the bad runs because it makes all the other runs seem so much better!

My eating's been really off due to the stomach bug.  I only ate two slices of melon (this morning), air-popped pop corn (lunch), and baby carrots with two hard boiled eggs tonight.  I've taken out chicken thighs from my freezer and I'm making home made chicken soup for tomorrow.  Julien's been asking for it and I will deliver. I loved when my mom took care of me when I was sick.  Every time I'm sick, I wish I had someone to make me home made soup and rub my back.  It's times like today where I miss and think about my mother more than ever!