Back to the Track

So I did end up going to the track on Tuesday. I ran with no expectations...just jogged around the track and said hi to all of the good peeps there. My hammie didn't blow up and my mood lifted. Running actually felt relaxing and soothing to me. I need to slowly come back.

I run to and from the track. It's almost exactly a mile each way and is a great warmup/cooldown. Running home was wonderfully soothing in the dark. I love to see the glow of lights in houses and think of all the happy people cozy in their houses after work. Everyone attending to their lives. I ran past where one of our small streams plunges under the street and heads out the bay; it was rushing and tumbling like a small river after all of our rains. It was safely after commute time by the time I ran home from the track so I took to the middle of the streets and ran in virtual silence home. I startled one house cat with my headlights (a little clip contraption on my hat). I guess she thought I was a three-eyed monster.

I haven't run since. But I'm not beating myself up about it. We had another storm, and I was busy with the kids and their school functions. Maybe tomorrow I'll run again, or maybe Saturday.
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I did a great yoga dvd this morning. It's an intermediate level Rodney Yee class. I've had the dvd for a while but felt a bit intimidated by the description of it. It has inversions..and I'm fairly nervous about going upside down. I didn't get to a total handstand, partly since I couldn't find a proper bare wall to hoist myself up to, but even just doing the preliminary excercises really had a positive effect on me. I also practiced inversions on a "chair" that I have that is specifically for yoga inversions. It sets you right up on your shoulders with your head hanging freely below. Inversions do seem to help the psyche...and the back! I felt wonderful after my morning session. I didn't get to finish the dvd, I ran out of time. So tomorrow I'll do it again to completion and report when I actually do that full handstand by myself. (I might ask The Mister to spot me on one tonight.)

Motivation = Zero

I have no desire to run. It's all come to a screeching halt. I find it stressful to think of going out for a run when I have so much to do at home. The housework is neverending and shuttling the kids to fro to different activities is tiring and stressful too. I've been getting many aches and pains all over in the last few weeks that just makes the thought of running, well, ugh. Yoga makes me feel better, and calm, so that's what I'm going with right now.

I will force myself out for a jog at the track. No expectations and no speed work since I'm totally off the training wagon. I actually don't want to go at all...but I think I'll feel better if I get out to do it. I'm tossing my 5k goals out of the door...I think that any goals or expectations about my running at the this time are just counterproductive and too stressful for me. Running becomes a job and not an escape. I can't pile another stressor on at this time. So running with no goals and just for fun is for me now.

Chuggin' Along in the Rain

I finally got out for a run today. Nothing fell apart and my leg didn't sieze up. I'm going at this very cautiously. I'll continue the Yoga religiously from now on. I don't think that I can expect to continue to run without it. I'm just so tight and bound up. More than looking forward to running again I'm looking forward to gaining flexibility from Yoga and maybe feeling more like my younger self. From now on caution and balance in all things are the name of the game. So maybe my sub 20 min 5k won't happen this year...or maybe it will. Either way I'm not going to fixate on it or make it a priority in my life. Health and balance will be the priority.

This weekend we're enjoying a big rainstorm that is much needed. Running in it was refreshing and fun actually. It's been steady all day long and is expected to continue all night and into the morning.

I'm Still Here

Had a cold...so running wouldn't have happened anyway. Still doing Yoga. The hip/leg are better but it is still tight. It will probably take months to loosen it up so it's a long term project fo' shore.

It's back to workin' on the house a bit too. I'll report on the hammie when I get out for a run. Probably this weekend peeps.

Cabin Fever Hamstring

I haven't run in over a week. The last time I ran my hamstring tightened up and then gave me a nasty sharp poke. I decided to take the warning seriously and just stop. Totally.

I already feel fat. I know that I'm not, but I mentally just feel the flab gathering....

So I've started doing yoga. Religiously. I got out one of my Rodney Yee DVDs and gone to town with it. I have a number of yoga DVDs from different teachers so they'll keep me busy for a while. And I'll try to get to an actual class at some point, it's just really tough with the kids. I'm ridiculously tight in the hips. Obviously this is why my hamstring revolted. I realize that I'm going to have to keep up the yoga forever now if I ever hope to function the way I want to. It's not such a bad thing really, I DO like yoga, it's just that it was easier to be lazy and not do the stretching and yoga that I need and should do.

Maybe I'll try a very, very easy run on the weekend. We shall see.

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In other news, yet another good friend is moving away from the area. He's headed to Tacoma, Washington for a new job. He was laid off a month or two back and luckily landed a great gig up there. But again, one less friend/relative around here. It's getting lonelier and lonelier and there are fewer people here that we feel comfortable with. It's become very "privileged" in our hood and well, we don't measure up in the earnings department. We're only here because we've always been here. Home has picked up and left when we weren't looking. I'm ready to go look for where it went.

Recouperation and Something Really Gross

So how's that for a title?

I took the baby jogger with little N to go get Maya from school. I'm sorry to report to my East Coast friends that it was about 70 degrees and sunny yesterday here. I made a very careful foray into running and it was a good, but small success. There was some soreness and I did take it VERY easy, you could hardly call it a run. But I was out there and the leg did not seize up and stop me in my tracks. I just have to learn to be careful with my aging self.

During the day I noticed a lot of flies in the house. This did not bode well. I couldn't figure out where they were coming from. I couldn't smell anything bad....

At about 7 in the evening the stench began. Something was dead somewhere and it seemed to be emanating from the fireplace. I made the Hub check it out. There was fur sticking out from above the damper. Some poor squirrel met his untimely demise up there. There was no way that this was waiting until morning because the Creeping Death smell was slowly making it's way to the bedrooms. There was no way I was going to sleep thinking about that thing in there and how hideous the house was going to smell in the morning. So we spent the evening riding ourselves of a stinking carcass....well mostly the Hub did all the work because I did NOT want to get a good look at that thing. So much for our usual Thursday pizza night, at least The Office was a rerun so we didn't miss anything.

I'm just very thankful that there is nothing dead in the house today left for me to deal with.

I'll be heading out in the California sunshine in a few minutes for my run and Maya pickup. Wish me luck with the leg...I'm hoping that things go smoothly.

Happy B-Day to Me

And just to make me feel like I'm 40, last night at track my hammie decided to tighten on the last 400. I'll take full blame for it tho....I couldn't keep myself controlled and I probably pushed it a wittle too much. I'm 40 but I'm still dumb like 16.

It's not TOO bad. I'm being very good to it today, RICE, some heat, ibuprofen - the whole nine yards. But now I will NOT do track for at least three weeks to a month....just to make sure that it's all better. Plus I'll be doing all the stretching and strengthening rehab for it and I'll go see Angelique again. I'm keeping her in biz fo' shore.

So what's up for tonight? A little family B-day with the 'rents and rugrats, some sushi (my fav) and some nice authentic Teutonic cake. Rock on.

Track Tonight...B-Day Tomorrow



Tuesday is a day filled with running around. Maya has a science class in the afternoon and THEN they both have a dance class right afterwards. Then I go to track. Tuesday got overscheduled, unfortunately. But that was the only day that their dance class was offered. I hate running around like this, I don't dig the idea of overscheduling, it's so yuppie.



Here's the workout for tonight - check it out on the blog that I keep for our Tuesday night workout group. I'll be vewwy careful on the hammy and run these a bit slower and smoother.



Playing with the bubble factory.

Back on Track

I took the hamstring out for a spin yesterday...and all systems were go. The rest and the ART did the trick no doubt. Not even a glimmer of the problem. That's not to say that I'm not going to be extra careful (especially at track) for the next week or so. Dr. Angelique suggests continued stretching and strengthening to repair the damage and keep it from happening again.

But I'm oh so happy! The freedom of running is mine again. I was so afraid that this was going to be a nagging problem...but with care and maintanence I'm free to run again. I guess I'm extra worried about it because the big 4 OH birthday is THIS WEEK. I'm really not so worried about being forty, it doesn't really bother me, except the fear of nagging injuries and the old bod not responding to my commands as it used to. Other than that, being forty is just a number.

The Art of ART



So I had an ART treatment today from Angelique at Health Logic. ART is not a nice relaxing massage but it sure works. Halfway through the treatment today I noticed that the golf ball at the back of my leg had dissappeared. Angelique believes that what had happend was that my IT band and my biceps femoris came to some dissaggreement on the curve of my last 200 and the BF solved the situation by siezing up. My IT band was probably a bit tight and there was friction between the biceps femoris and it.

So now we're trying to work things out. There will be lots of stretching, foam rollering and icing.

Maybe a little bit of running on the weekend. And then back to Angelique on Monday. HOPEFULLY, that will do it.

Resting Is Okay Too. I Guess

So it's Tuesday evening and the sky hasn't fallen in and I haven't gone completely insane yet. My hamstring feels relatively normal, although I have done zero testing of it. I'll stick to the the week off plan and NOT do any running (thanks Stuart, I'm taking your advice!).

I have an appointment for an ART treatment tomorrow morning. I'm all about fixing any and all problems when they crop up. I can't just sit around and wait for it to go away. Or hope for it to go away. I have to do something about it.

I spent the day carting kids to and fro, doing dishes, cooking, some cleaning (tho definitely not enough). All to the background of the inauguaration. I love this new beginning. I have hope for our collective futures. And I'm ready to get to work. Hamstring or not!

A Glorious Workout...then...Sidelined

So my marvelous track workout was just that. Marvelous! I was 15 seconds faster on my 400 than just a few weeks ago. I felt the old joy of speedy running, of whipping around the track. Then it happened. Some tightness in the back of my left thigh in the final 200. My run home was hobbling.

I've tried to run in fits and starts all week long, thinking that it was getting better. What to do? Hubby suggested a full week's rest. I'm grumpy and pissed off. Why does this have to happen JUST when things start getting smooth?

But I'm also afraid that this is the beginning of bad things. Is this the start of a nagging injury that won't quit? Hubby again says that this will heal and go away. Ugh, I hope so.

Now for a week of ice, ibuprofen, rest and stretching. To be continued....

What Up?

It's 72 degrees outside in my backyard. Fabulous. I'm really, really, really sorry for my midwest/eastern/Canadian friends, I know it's craphola cold where you are. But I have to admit that I'm-a likin' this weather.

I stuck to my 5k training schedule last week even though I was suffering from some wierd exhaustion. I felt better yesterday, but all in all I mostly felt like I was out of gas. I'm adding some more carbs into my diet and I think it's starting to help. I know, I'm the only person who actually has to add carbs into my diet. I'm not a big sweets or bread person. You could throw me a raw steak and I'd be happy. Seriously. I'm wierd like that.

Today is a rest day. Tomorrow will be speed work. My favorite. Short intervals. 600-400-400-200 repeat. I really DO love short intervals, I'm not being catty I love tearing it up fast and furious (or in my dreams fast and furious). I like the short intense pain, and then it's all over with sort of feeling. Plus they really get the endorphins going!

The New Schedule

Ouch. 4 x 800's on Tuesday night (plus warm up and cool down) nearly killed me. A few weeks off of intervals is deadly. Wednesday's easy 4-6 mile run turned out to be a painful, tired, huffy-puffy 3.5 mile. Yikes. it felt like 7 miles, but was ONLY 3.5. I'm just hoping that all of the quality work plus adequate rest will translate (quickly) into some decent speed and fitness.

So tonight will be pace intervals.... 2 x 1200m with maybe a 400 at the end and warm-up and cool down of course. I wish I could've done it this morning but the Hubby had to leave for work early in order to get his cycling in. It's all about teamwork if the two of us are going to keep in shape and get to our fitness goals!

Tomorrow will be another rest day (happy happy, joy joy).

The Plan for 2009

So here's the deal. Training for ultras just takes TOO long for me. It isn't working out with my family commitments. Instead of being a positive, it becomes a negative stress for me. Don't get me wrong, I loved my long runs in the woods. It's just the wrong time in my life for that.

Plus, I hate how slow I've become. It kinda hurts my ego to be so S-L-O-W.

So....here's the new goal for 2009 -

A sub-20 minute 5K.

That's an attainable goal, with plenty of time and wiggle room to accomplish. My all time 5k best is 17:09 - so I am capable of it. And there's all kinds of added benefits, it'll speed me up at all distances. I'm probably better suited physically for the short stuff anyway. Plus it'll be something that's more family friendly all around. I won't be gone long for training and they'll be able to hang out and watch the races without it being too long.

I'll be starting the advanced plan for a fast 5k after the 1st of the year. I'm now doing some get-in-shape for the training cycle runs. I'll shoot for a 5k after the first 8 week training cycle. That one will be a test run to see where I'm at. (If I accomplish my goal then, great! But probably pretty unlikely the first time out that early in the year).

I'm pretty jazzed about this goal. I'll get in great shape, have fun and find my speed again!

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The kids are just going stir crazy with these holidays. Ugh, I can't wait until school starts again and they are back on a schedule (and so am I). They are in each other's hair and just driving me nuts. They are set to start some fun classes after the first of the year so that should keep them busy.
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Yesterday I ran a moderately paced 4.28 miles. My time was 32:00. I threw some fast surges in there (6:09 pace) and some bounding plyometrics and such. I'm letting my stride open up again as I'll be concentrating on speed. I've been constricting my stride (marathon shuffle) and I think that has caused some problems, both physical and performance-wise. I think I just have a naturally longer stride. I'm just going to run "naturally" from now on and not mess around with my style too much.
Today I'll run a little longer, 6-7 miles at a slower pace. Maybe a hilly route. I have some new running clothes to wear that Santa brought to me! :)

Hibernation

I haven't felt much like blogging. The holidays are, well, busy as they are for everyone. And now all the kidlets will be home with me for a while. I'll be cleaning constantly.

Everyone at Casa Coyote currently has a cold. Mama and Papa Coyote are going to be missing the one holiday party that they were going to to go to this year due to said disease. Funny how it hardly seems to phase the pups. They just continue to run around, scream, fight, play and drip snot. We on the other hand drag ourselves around like zombies.

So, no running to speak of. I'm hoping that I'll be well enough to sneak out for an early morning run on Monday before the entire clan wakes up. That would be nice. If not Monday than Tuesday hopefully.

Hope that you all are having a wonderful holiday season.

Try This Workout

My new coach is relentless. As soon as I've achieved a new fast pace she yells at me to run faster. And she doesn't allow stopping for anything. Plus, I have to push her in a baby jogger throughout my whole workout!

Little N is brutal, unforgiving, destined to be a high school PE teacher or the dictator of a banana republic.

She does LOVE the baby jogger and going for runs with me. It's quite motivating to have a happy little cheerleader. And if I'm lucky she nods off for a nap during the run, allowing me to take a break.
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No running today. I'm all knotted up. We'll do some yoga to get the kinks out.

Momma's Got a Brand New Bag

Back home and it's the first week of the new schedule, aka - no preschool/daycare and mommy at home. So far (3 days) so good.

It's settle back in time after a pleasant trip to AZ and Grammy's ranch. The girls have no idea yet how lucky they are to have a Grammy with HORSES. I'm sure it will sink in when their little friends get jealous.

We were welcomed home by the kitties AND a broken water heater. Yay. Just what I wanted for Xmas. So I spent some quality time with my dad and little N installing a new water heater. Of course it turned out to be 10x more difficult than anticipated because we had to jerry-rig earthquake straps, solder a new pipe into place for the pressure valve and the hot water pipes to the kitchen sink became clogged when we used it to bleed air from the water tank thus creating a whole NEW project. I just reassembled the faucet before plunking myself down infront of the 'puter.

The Hub and I got some quality runs in in AZ. We actually ran together once, first time in literally years. Someone always has to be home with the kids ya know.

We checked out some of the properties for sale. Fabulous ranch houses three times the size of our little bungalow for hundreds of thousands of dollars less than what our tiny little place is worth. It was nice to dream of more than one bathroom...and luxury ones at that! I've never seen anything in the Phoenix job listings that would be suitable for The Hub or I.

And then there's summer. I'm not sure how I feel about three months of 115 degree weather.

November is deceiving in AZ - the weather is just about perfect, tricking you into thinking that moving is a distint possibility. I'll have to visit again in July to see if it's really possible.
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Little N and I are going to saddle up the baby jogger and head out on an afternoon run. Hopefully she'll nap too. Tonight is M's winter concert at her school. I hope it's not too long.

A Life Less Feral

It's little N's last day at daycare/preschool. I've told her about it, I think she gets it and it seems like she doesn't care. I hope so. I have fun plans for her so that she should be happy post-preschool.

Me? Well, I certainly haven't been hitting the trails much as of late. I've actually been doing things like baking, which is totally unlike me. I've also been doing some heavy duty home repair like refinishing walls and the deck. Makes me feel all macho and useful. And kind of domesticated...eeek.

But change is good and getting things done is good too. I'll post before and after pics when I'm done. As for the running - the more intense workouts I'll do in the early mornings and on track evenings. During the day I'll bust out the baby jogger for adventure with the N.

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Running today - A little run around the 'hood with some tempo in for good measure.

Pirates?

How can there still be pirates?

You've probably heard about the pirates cruising off the coast of Africa. They've been big news since they took over a Saudi oil tanker.

I love cartoony pirates. Like these guys - and this hunk. I'm sure I wouldn't like these guys at all.

A few years back I spent some time in Kenya. I stayed for a while in a city called Mombasa on the coast. I spent a lot of time throwing rocks at monkeys to keep them off my balcony and out of my food. I encountered the most spider infested public toilet there near the beach and I actually used it because I had no choice.

I remember going down to the beach for the first time when I got there and I encountered...NO ONE. Completely empty. Not a soul on a pristine white sands beach that met the bluest water imaginable. I walked up and down. No sunbathers. No fishing boats. There are lots of open spaces and wild places out there, even close to relatively large city like Mombasa. You could get away with a lot. Pirates are not out of the question.

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Great run around town with some of the trackmates. It was Trackarchy! My pace is improving. Did about 6 miles in the dark hills around town chatting with a few of my running friends. The weather was crisp and cool but I could have worn shorts instead of my tights (wimp).