Running Journey

My secret

Shhh.  Don't tell anyone!  But I'm thinking of picking up a pair of Montrails to try out.  When I start running again my mileage won't be super high right away, so a good time to try a new pair of shoes.  Anyone have any recommendations?  I have pretty normal pronation but high arches so I need arch support.  I was thinking Hardrock but is there something like them for my arches but not quite as tank-like?

Speaking of shoes... I got some cute and cheap ones (for work) at Target over the weekend.  Only problem is I can't wear them yet because the heel is not real conducive to the healing of my foot :)

Other than that I'm still bored.  My foot feels better today and yesterday from how it felt Saturday.  I ordered a pro-tec ankle wrap to use for support when I start walking and running again.  Days like Saturday I get a little down that recovery is taking forever.  days like today I feel confident I'm on the right path to recovery.  Lots of ups and downs!

I added a "bloggers I've met" list on my blog.  I stole the idea from Rob.  Hopefully in the next couple months I'll have a a few more (Nattie & Olga) to aded to that list and if some of you all come out to my trail marathon in February I can grow that list even more.  I love meeting fellow bloggers!

Happy Running  my blogging friends,
Jessica

My Arch Hurts

Today I was going to go for a 1 mile walk on a nearby trail.  I got ready, got everything together and walked around the house a little bit to test out my foot before leaving.  I have pain in my arch.  Shooting pain.  What?  I'm not sure if that's normal since the pain after my sprain was on the outside of my foot?  Either way, I didn't go.  A bit discouraged at pain in this new area.  I hope that doesn't mean I have a worse problem and with my crappy insurance there is really no one else I can go see.  Maybe I'll try again this week to get a referral to a foot specialist.  So... no walking for me right now and more resting my foot it seems.  Ugh. It's been 4 weeks.  Everything I have read about minor ankle sprains says 3-6 weeks for complete healing.  And the idiot docs I have seen so far said it was minor.  Geesh.

I know a lot of you are running races this weekend, probably right now!  Good luck to all you racers.  I look forward to reading your reports!

Happy Running,
Jessica

His Story

As usual, Scott Dunlap doesn't disappoint in his blog.  He has an interview with Brian Morrison.  Brian was the would-be winner at Western States if you don't remember that story.  Apparently Brian's problems were due to OVER hydration.  Very interesting.  Go check out Scott's blog for the entire interview.

I sent in my SB 9 Trails registration today.  I know it's early still but maybe it will be incentive for my foot to heal and me to get back in shape :)  There are always some cool runners at ultra events so I'm looking forward to meeting some new people and hopefully seeing some familiar faces as well.  According to the entrant list  Scott Dunlap is going to be there so hopefully I'll get a chance to meet him.  Maybe as he is whizzing past me going the other direction as I am still working toward the turn-around point. :)

Eh Tu Floyd?

Apparently Floyd Landis failed a drug test that was taken after stage 17 of the tour.  "unusually high levels of testosterone."  I guess the next step is to test the second sample and if that one also fails he will most likely be stripped of his title.  He has also been a no-show at some recent events he was supposed to attend.  Say it ain't so!  That would be really sad...

My Stupidity

Yeah... I set my recovery back a week or two.  I think.    Monday  night my foot was hurting really bad but it didn't occur to me until Tuesday morning what had happened.  Monday during the day I was probably on day 3 or so of no pain in my foot so it was in the back of my mind.  I had to carry a computer out to my car at work.  I had a guy who was going to do it for me when he thought there was two of them. 

A little pause from the story... There are times when I like it when a guy offers to help me with something and there are times when I just want to do it myself and show that I'm not all "that" fragile.  Well... Monday I chose the wrong option.

Anyway... He asked if I'd be okay since there was just one computer.  I picked it up.  Not that heavy.  I'll be fine I told him.  thanks anyway.  Stupid Jess.  My foot was fine out to the car and for the next hour or so before it hit me.  That extra weight was not a good thing!

My original thought after my injury July 1 was to start running again September 2 which was 9 weeks total.  Then it was doing so well I thought I might start running by August 12 (6 weeks).  But there is no way I'm going to start running by the 12th which is 2 weeks from Saturday.  I don't want to push it too much.  Saturday is my 4 week mark though!  Crazy...  I may even skip hiking this weekend since I might have pushed things back a bit.  better to rest it I imagine.  Probably calls for more "pool therapy".

Even if I can' t start running utnil like Aug 26 (8 weeks) I should still be in decent shape by the time I run SB.  I need to keep working that bike so I don't have to start over with running like 5 miles, but can jump back up to the teens relatively quickly.   Blah.  4 more weeks of not running though?  I hope not...

Today is better than Tuesday which ws much better than Monday night.  A little "achy" today but no shooting pains or anything.  My foot actualy feels a little stiff which is maybe a normal part of the healing process?  It hurts the worst if I sort of bend my toes forward.  I know... don't bend them if it hurts... But I discovered that while trying to move my foot around and help the circulation in there.  Moving my toes forward must stretch my metatarsals maybe?  Anyone know?  Anyone?  And some hurts are good hurts aren't they?  I know physical therapy doesn't feel great for Tavi when they move her foot around but it's helping the healing process.

Happy Running :)
Jessica

My calculations

Badwater webcast.  wow!  Anyone else been following this?  I'm sure.  Well... it will probably be over by the time most of you read this.  I did some calculations. 

At mile 90, Konya (who is he???) was ahead of Jurek (who started 4 hours later).  Konya's time at this point was 16:17 to Jurek's 17:10.  There is a very significant uphill climb at the end of this race as you run up Whitney Portal.

As of mile 90,  Konya's pace was around 10:51 per mile and Jurek was at  11:26 (off his pace of hitting 24 sub 24 hours (10:40 pace).  Konya finsished in 25:58.  His pace the last 45 miles was 12 minutes per mile.  I don't know who he is, but I'm guessing Jurek is a better mountain and hill runner.  If Jurek can keep his pace around 11:26 he'll finish just under 25 hours.  Looks like he'd have to to really pick things up to hit sub 24.  I supposed it is possible but would have to be around 9:20 pace at the steepest part of the course.  I think at this point he's just racing to win and not break 24 hours.  If he slows down then Konya could win it.

Wow.  It's gripping :)

UPDATE: Scott Jurek won!  He was 53 minutes behind at mile 90 and 15 minutes ahead at mile 122 so he picked up an hour and eight minutes in 32 miles.  That's all pretty much uphill and as I suspected would be a stronger point for him.  He picked up a few more minutes that last 13 brutal uphill miles and finished 17 minutes ahead of Akos Konya. 

My bike ride

I got on the bike tonight.  Just on the trainer. I didn't go anywhere.  I need to start working on some cardio so I don't completely lose my fitness level.  I was feeling a bit discouraged tonight because my foot is actually hurting a fair amount, and it's barely hurt at all over the past few days.  30 minutes on the bike helped my mood a little bit.  Geesh.  It's been SO Long since I've been on a bike!  I might become an addict the next few weeks and bike every day.  It will give me something to keep my mind off my foot - hopefully. 

Unfortunately my time on the bike was cut short tonight because my foot was hurting even on there.  I guess I'm hoping for a pain free week so that I can start the ticker to when I can run again.  My plan is roughly 2-3 weeks of no pain before I run.  I'm probably still 3 weeks out or so...

I got excited today after some email exchanges with Olga. She is running the AC100 in mid-september which is only 70ish miles from my house.  If my recovery goes well I'm hoping I can run miles 60-75 with her and meet up with her again at the finish.  So... just one more reason for my dang foot to get better!

I'm eagerly awaiting the next badwater webcast update.  They are supposed to update in about an hour or so.  I guess I'll hit the shower, relax and bit and check for updates before I go to bed.

Happy Running,
Jessica

My Plan to take over the world

Okay I don't really want to take over the world.  That was just an homage to Pinky and the Brain :)

I'm posting again today.  Partially to bury the post of my embarrassment and partially because I have running on my mind.  Give a girl some time off and she starts coming up with crazy things like a 2-3 year running plan.  Yeah.  Like I'll even stick to this since all kinds of things can happen and change along the way.  And I'm sure there will be lots of other 50K and under races along the way that are not on this list.

So here it goes....

November 2006 - SB 9 Trails (35 miles)
February 2007 - Twin Peaks Trail Marathon in Orange County

rest & recovery February until April.  start running again in April or May?

August 2007 - Wild West Relay (6x6 ultra team)  Who wants to join me for this?

December 2007 - 50 mile race (Orange County?)  Yes I'm contemplating organizing a 50-mile run in Orange County on the heals of the trail marathon. :)

February 2008 - Twin Peaks Trail Marathon (2nd annual)

Spring 2008 - 50 mile race somewhere - no idea where at this point - Can I qualify for WS?

September 2008 - Superior Trail (130 miles in 5 days) 25ish miles per day over 5 days.  yeehaw! Johnny and Angie said they are going to do this.  Though the date is only an estimate and anyone is welcome to join in on the fun! :)

July 2009 - Western States?  can I get here in 3 years and be able to finish?

Alright.  Now I need to get better and start running soon before I start doing more crazy stuff like mapping out my cycles for the next 5 years or planning my dietary intake on a day by day basis until 2010.

My Lack of Grace (and balance)

So... I think I've been holding back on this story until my face wasn't red anymore.  Thursday night I took Tavi up to LAX for her trip up to Seattle.  We left early and planned to stop in Manhattan Beach for dinner.  We parked pretty easily (thank God for her Handicap thingy!)  We didn't know where to go so Tavi went into a store and asked them - they said Rock Fish.  That was good because we wanted Seafood. 

It was a cute little bar/restaurant.  We were seated at a high top table right next to the bar.  Sometime even before we got our salads these two guys right next to us at the bar starting talking to us.  They were good company so were obliged to participate ;)  One of them is a retired Tennis Pro and the other is in Commercial Real Estate.  I don't think either of them really "work" all that much.  Who knows...

Anyway.. Things were going along good.  They it got even more obvious how interested they were - the guy next to me actually asked if I were single and I said yes - he said "what a coincidence so am I".  Yikes.  Wasn't quite expecting that!  Well... then while I was eating my salad I dropped my napkin on the floor.  For some stupid reason I thought I could reach it and as I was bending over to get it I fell off my chair!!  Hmm.. I was only 1/2 glass wine in at that point.  Wow was that embarrassing.  I figured that was the end of that conversation :) 

After getting through that...  We talked the whole dinner and had a good time.  They bought us "Navy Grog's" toward the end.  Never had one but it was actually pretty good.  They also asked for our numbers before we left.   Tavi drove to the airport which was about 5 minutes away.  After dropping her off I went to go look for a Starbucks to hang out at a bit before I headed home.  She called me 5 minutes later to tell me her flight was delayed an hour and a half.  So I turned around, picked her up and we went to go find some coffee.  Right after I picked her up the guy had called me already.  wanted to know if I wanted to come over to his friends house where he was.  Um.. no I had to pass on that one... I don't normally go over to some guys house who I just met at a bar :)

Tavi and I hung out at the coffee shop place for a bit then I dropped her back off and went home.  The guy she had been talking to was flying to NY out of Long Beach and tried to change his flight to LAX so he could go hang out with her for a bit.  Wow! 

We had an awesome night despite that fact that  fell off my chair.  I thought trail running was supposed to improve my balance??

Happy Running,
Jessica

My Alternative

The "modern" medical organizations have by and large always been pretty anti-alternaticve medicine.  Apparently now they have the courts on their side as well.  At least one court.  I find it pretty ridiculous that parents and their child can't decide on their own form of medical treatment and instead have to be court ordered to take the "traditional" route.  Geesh.

I went for a walk this morning.  I tried out new Nike+ system and was pretty pleased with it.  I walked on the trails until it told me I was at .62 miles.  Then I turned around and went back and it again measured .62 miles.  Not bad for not even having calibrated it yet.  The data told me 1.24 miles in 22:11 for a pace of 17:51 per mile and 136 calories burned.  My foot also felt pretty good.  I can sure tell it is not ready for running yet, but it's getting better.  Next weekend I'll see if I can't do 1.5 or 1.75 miles walking.  It felt so get just to be on the trails for the first time in 3 weeks.

I just got back from doing some "pool therapy" which consists of me laying out at the pool and periodically going in the water to cool off and move my foot around a bit.  Tonight or tomorrow I'm going to see if I can get Tavi's bike set up on the trainer and start getting my heart going again...

Happy Running,
Jessica