But they that wait upon the LORD shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings as eagles; they shall run, and not be weary; and they shall walk, and not faint. - Isaiah 40:31
- ~ Running into the wind is really, really hard to do.
- ~ Running with the wind at your back is actually fun!
- ~ Sunshine makes me happy.
- ~ Flowers make me even happier.
- ~ A good day running makes you forget about a bad one.
Today, for the first time, I finally am able to imagine that I can run longer than three or four minutes at a time. I actually visualized myself running around "the block," which for me is four miles. We live out in the country in northwest Ohio, and thanks to the Northwest Ordinance of 1787, roads are laid out in one-mile square grids.After Saturday's disastrous runs and feeling so discouraged, even to the point of thinking I just couldn't do this thing, today was FABULOUS! I was amazed at how good it felt by the time I finished. I wasn't really that tired and nothing hurt.
It went like this:Run 2:00, Walk :15, Run 1:45Walk 3:00, Run 2:50, Walk :30, Run 1:00Walk 3:00, Run 4:00Walk 3:00, Run 4:00Walk 3:00, Run 8:08.See that? I was feeling so good on that last run that I decided to see just how far I could run before I felt just like I did at the two-minute mark on the first run of today. Yes, the wind was at my back, but still... EIGHT MINUTES and EIGHT SECONDS! Then I got in the car to figure out the distance I had run in that eight minutes. A little over ¾-mile!Life is good. 
120
Today's run was torture, all the way around. My legs were dead, I had no air, and everything hurt. I didn't enjoy one little bit of it. And that's all I have to say about that.
I've got one word for the great way the day ended though: LobsterFest!
At group training tonight, we started by walking/running for about ten minutes. I wore different shoes than I'd been wearing and to everyone's amazement, my running was much quieter! Jamey had been calling me "Kloppy" because I made so much noise with my running, and he could tell a big difference just with my wearing different shoes.The ones I wore tonight were Skechers cycling-style shoes and are really lightweight, but they don't have good support for running. So I think this means that I'll be getting new running shoes. We are to have someone come and talk to us about shoes in the next few weeks, so I'll wait until then to start looking for some.
Also tonight, Jamey set up stations where we would do a certain exercise with equipment for one minute, then we would rotate and go to the next one. It was fun doing this. Except for the push-ups.
We had partners and Sharon was mine. In one minute, I think she did fifteen push-ups and I COULDN'T DO EVEN ONE! I could let myself down to the floor, but absolutely couldn't push myself up again. I knew my upper body strength was lacking, but this is pathetic!
I liked working with the big ball the best. The other ones were okay and I didn't have any trouble with those. These were considered core strengthening exercises, but when we were done, I could really tell that I'd given my arms a workout, too.
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Photos by Jamey Gordon
Do my friends know me or what? LOL!
120.5
This was the best weather day we've had all year. The sun was shining and the temps neared 60°, making for a great day for running. Ashley and I were infected with a little bit of spring fever, which puts a little more energy and enthusiasm into everything you do. So when work was over for the day, we changed our clothes and headed outside to run.
As usual, Ashley could go longer than I could, but I did manage to make it through a four-minute run during the thirty minutes we were out there. Mostly though, I ran as long as I could, which was right around three minutes, then walked 15 seconds and finished out the four minutes running.
After I got home, Romie wanted to run, so I tried to do a couple more 3-4 minute runs with him. I managed a three, but the second one had me running/walking/running/walking.
It's such a good feeling when I've gotten my running out of the way for the day. I feel almost panicky as the day progresses and I know I've got it yet to do. I can't not do it, but that option always exists in the recesses of my mind, and that's when my self has to talk to me. "It's only thirty minutes..."
Romie accompanied me to group training tonight. I think he would love to be a part of the group, but I'm happy that he's being so supportive and is training right with me at home. It definitely helps keep me going.We did more drills tonight - different ones. I like the variety that Jamey's presenting to us, because it's this kind of stuff that has turned me off so much about exercising in the past. Not that I like the running part any better, but doing anything as a part of a group helps a great deal.In fact, I wish we were doing our running together on the days we have group training. I just do better mentally when I know I have to do it. The most difficult thing for me is to stick with it. As we add running time to our workouts, it's becoming more and more difficult to resist just quitting. I know I can't quit and deep down, I don't really want to, but it would be so easy to just give up.
Maybe I'm trying to push ahead too quickly. I'm struggling to finish running the three minute parts and by Wednesday, we're supposed to move ahead to running four minutes, walking two, and repeating that four more times. Unless a major miracle happens, I think I'm going to need to keep working on completing the three-minute runs before I add more time to them.
It was still sunny and nice outside when we got home, although a bit chilly at 39°. I didn't want to run at all, but Romie and I headed out and down the road. He had tried to give me an out, saying we could run tomorrow, but I knew it was supposed to rain then and I don't want to run in the cold rain. We didn't really do the running schedule per se, because I had issues that I won't go into here, but we ran some and walked some and ran some and walked some.
The last time I ran (Saturday) and tonight, I noticed my right foot seemed to be dragging as I neared the end of my running. It's like I don't have the ability to lift it and could be just fatigue and weak muscles.
119.5
I just love group training. It's fun to see and talk with the other runners. We have a common goal and we're experiencing much of the same frustrations and triumphs.
Tonight, we did some more drills - different ones than the ones we did the other night, although we did those, too. After we did the new ones, we tried running using everything we'd worked on. The running felt different - better different. Easier, kind of.
While doing some new core strengthening exercises, I found something I'm good at! I'd not heard of "The Plank" before and it's something I've never done before either. (Remember, prior to this, I didn't do exercise.) You lie down on the floor, on your stomach. Then you prop yourself up on your elbows and forearms. Your feet are in contact with the floor by the toes only. You raise up your entire body until it's in a straight line and hold it that way as long as possible.
I wasn't trying to stay up any longer than anyone else, but that's what I did. Crystal was beside me and she stayed up pretty long, too. Jamey accused me of having a two-by-four holding me up. LOL. I don't know why I found this particular thing to be fairly easy, but I did. Finally! Something I can do well naturally!
My ankle was doing pretty well tonight, but the upper calf muscle on that leg was pretty sore and got more so as we continued. We didn't do our 30-minute run as a group tonight, so I planned to do that once I got home - outside - since it was such a nice day. (51° and sunny when I left to drive home.) Once I got home though, my calf was too sore to run much.
Romie and I walked down to the next mile road and back, which was probably 1.7 miles (based on earlier walks). Romie couldn't keep up with my walking pace, even though he has longer legs. He just couldn't move his legs that fast, so he jogged to catch up every now and then. I did do some running, until my leg started tightening up and hurting. I'll try doing some more running tomorrow to make up for it.
It's Daffodil Days and before we left group training tonight, we were given bouquets of yellow daffodils from the American Cancer Society. To buy these fresh-cut bouquets would cost $10, so I think I'll make a donation. There isn't a single person alive that hasn't either known someone who had/has cancer or that hasn't had it themselves. Romie had his own bout with squamous cell carcinoma last year and my dad had melanoma nearly five years ago (and is still cancer free!).
117.5
Today - a running day - starts the second week of running for me, and now we're to run three minutes, then walk three minutes, rinse and repeat four more times.
At work, Ashley couldn't stay to run tonight, but Kerrie was expecting me to run outside with her at the end of the day. I told her no way. It was 38°. When Jenna and Kara were in their college golf playing days, they knew I was a fair weather golf mom and as long as I have an indoor facility to do my running, you won't find me outside unless it's nice. Kerrie called me a weenie. LOL.
I got home, was sleepy, so I took a nap, knowing full well that it might affect my resolve to do my running on the treadmill. The call of the couch was just too compelling. I awoke at 7:00, went down to the basement, turned on Wheel of Fortune and got my legs moving.
My ankle felt a little tender, but as long as I concentrated on relaxing my calves and ankles, I was amazed at how far I could go. Three minutes. YEAH! And another three minutes. YEAH! And one more time. YEAH!
The fourth time, I got winded and my ankle was starting to hurt more, so I stopped at 1:45 and walked for :15, then ran for the remaining 1:00. On the final three minute run, I was struggling about halfway through and then the tread on the treadmill slipped and I nearly fell off. That was enough for me to call it a day. But I really felt good that I was even able to run at all. More icing on the ankle tonight and we'll see how it goes tomorrow!
Last night was a study in contrasts. Sure, my ankle got hurt, but there's something else I'll remember about the night. We had a very special person come and speak to us.
Brett Freiburger is a young man who's a runner. A very good runner. Seeing him run across the gym was like seeing poetry in motion. I'd love to run like he does.
He's worked very hard at it, harder than most. When Brett was a senior in high school, he was injured in a hunting accident. After all efforts to save his injured leg failed, they amputated his left leg below the knee.
A soccer player in high school, Brett was a competitive athlete before his accident. As the mother of a child that was an outstanding athlete in high school who went on to compete in college sports, I understood all too well what he was talking about when he described his personality to us. Determination and dedication are ingrained in people like that. Throw an obstacle in front of them, and they don't whine about it - they just work harder and work around it. 
Brett had to learn how to walk with his prosthesis, then how to run. That cannot have been easy by any stretch of the imagination. I know many of us feel like this half-marathon is a tall and steep mountain to climb, but if I remember only one thing Brett told us, it will be this:
"If you think in your mind that you can't do something, you'll never do it. You have to think positively and know that you can." (paraphrased)
He knows what we're going through, big time. I'm sure he had setbacks, but he didn't let them keep him from accomplishing his goals. Brett runs for St. Francis University, where he attends college. He's on the U.S. Paralympic Team and will be competing in Beijing in September.
Wow. Not much room for whining now, is there?
Last night, at group training, things didn't go so well for me. Well, okay, they were fine for awhile. I enjoyed talking with Jane and Monique, and we found that we had some of the very same experiences as we trained on our own at home. Must mean we're normal! (Whatever that is.)
We started out walking for five minutes, then Jamey led us in some drills. Prancing and kicking our butts was fun. Then came the scissory thingies. You know...the kind the basketball players do sometimes. Cross your right leg in front of your left as you move to the left, then the left leg goes left. Then place your right leg behind your left as you continue moving to the left. Repeat. We walked halfway across the gym like that. No problem.
Then Jamey wanted to speed it up. I don't know exactly when it happened, but when I got to the middle of the gym, my right ankle was in pain. Crystal turned to me and said, "I don't think you should keep doing these." I went one more time, and I think Crystal was right.
Next was a two-laps-around-the-gym run and I was in pain just walking. I tried to run and just couldn't. So I sat down and was bummed. I just didn't want this to happen. Not this early. Not ever, really.
Jamey checked it out after the session ended and told me to ice it and stay off of it last night. I did that, took some ibuprofen, and stayed off of it most of today, too. Iced it again this evening. I can pretty well walk straight ahead without pain, but let me turn a corner and ouch.I did my strength training exercises and stretches this evening and didn't have too much of a problem doing them. Thankfully, it wasn't a running day, but I don't think I would have tried that anyway, even if it had been. I'm thinking as long as I don't do any sideways motion like what caused the strain in the first place, I might be okay in pretty short order.
I don't know why this surprises me. I sprained that ankle a couple of times when I was younger and I never could ice skate because my ankles couldn't hold me up in the skates. Jenna said to ask Jamey about exercises to strengthen my ankles.Anyway, it's better tonight and while it will probably be a little stiff tomorrow morning, like it was this morning, I'm thinking it will be good enough for me to try running. Tomorrow is a running day and I'm going to wait until evening, just to give my ankle a little more time to calm down.
It's all part of the "experience"!
