New Year, New Beginnings

Well, I meant to write a recap of The 3 Country Marathon. I really did. It's just...my feet hurt. And I couldn't run. For a really long time. Writing about running didn't make me feel any better.

I developed Plantar Faciitis while training for the marathon. Or during the half. Or during my run streak. I'm not really sure. I guess it's not typical because most of my pain was (is still) in my arch, not in the heel. I have rested. I have done physical therapy. I have seen a few doctors. It's better, but it's not gone. Thus I have not run much. I was almost a year before I ran again, and that was so that I could give Henri a little extra exercise before I left him for two weeks. It was a mile and a half and my feet were not happy, but I was. I just want to run.

I have run just a handful of times since then. I try to run once a week, but it depends on how loudly my feet are complaining. I am slow and that feels weird. I wasn't exactly fast before, but now I'm SLOW! I know I need to be patient. With my feet. With my body. With myself. Henri has only been on a few of these runs. Sometimes I really want to run and it's raining. I know he hates that, so I go alone.

I also have my loving, supportive husband who slows his long legs down to jog along side of me. He's been taking Henri on runs since we got married and he moved in, which makes me more jealous, but I'm glad Henri gets to run again.

Today was the first run of the year, hopefully of many. I'm up to 5k again, but my feet start hurting somewhere around mile two. I'm trying different inserts, different shoes, just trying to get to where it feels okay. It is much easier with a dog pulling you. I am faster, as long as I can keep him from stopping to pee because getting started again is a challenge. I know he's thinking, "We're not going very fast. I totally have time to stop and pee on this." He's usually right.

*Marathon shoes for luck!

And We're Off

Henri and I head out for a five mile run this morning, the last run before I get on a plane and head out for this marathon thing. 

We were staying with my sister since Henri is going to be staying with her while I'm gone, so we had a new area to explore. We waited until after she left for work, which was a little later and it was warmer again. We started out and while it wasn't too bad because we had some shade, there was a water fountain with a doggie level fountain. Henri stopped to have a drink.

We had a little bit more of a stretch in the sun and as we were getting close to the end, we came across a decorative fountain in someones front yard. Henri really wanted to drink from it, but water kept coming out at his face while he was trying to get a sip and he didn't like that.

A little bit further and we were in a big stretch of sun, but we we're almost done. I saw a water fountain though and while I knew there wasn't a doggie fountain, there was some littered cups and I made Henri a makeshift water bowl.

We only had a quarter of a mile left at that point, but we weren't quite back home. As we walked, we passed a fire station and they keep a large bowl by the sidewalk full of water for dogs. Henri loved this!

Despite the heat, we were able enjoy our run together. We hung out a little longer, played some Chuck-it in the big yard and then it was time for me to get in the road. Hopefully, I wore him out enough that he will need to rest and he will not be too anxious as he deals with me leaving and staying in a new place.

Sleeping In

(Saturday's run)

Today, we didn't head out for our run until 9am and it was incredible! Well, at least the sleeping in and not rushing to beat the heat part. At what point does this taper start to feel good?

I was ready to go, but upon looking out the window, I noticed the sun was also sleeping in, starting all curled up in the clouds. So, I quick changed from a tank to a tee. The temperature was so much cooler and there was a breeze. Without the sun beating down, I felt pretty good about this run. And having Henri by my side for it, especially since I'm leaving him for two weeks, made it all the better.

I've been giving Henri some herbal meds, to help him with his seperation anxiety while I'm gone. I don't know if they're going to work. He seemed pretty anxious on our run. At one point I stopped him and tried to settle him down before starting again. That seemed to help a little. Maybe he was just excited about the cooler air and the fact that we could see everything (squirrel!!!) in the daylight. Once we got up in miles a bit, he started to rely on me for direction, which I love to see in him.

We've got one more run together before I go! Henri doesn't seem impressed.

Almost There

It was another four mile run today. It was nice and chilly, probably much more like the temperature I'll be running in for the marathon, except for it was still dark. A little sunshine would have made a difference, but for today, we went out in the dark and came back in the dark.

This run felt better, not being a recovery run. We were a little faster today, or Henri didn't stop as much to sniff and pee. Either one is possible. There was a point when a group of four was running in front of us and Henri was determined to catch up with them. Then he must have been offended when they said it wasn't fair I had a pacer and decided to blow them off and pass them. Then it was just time to go home and have breakfast, so we didn't slow down until we made it there. Then Henri ran in circles once we got inside because it was so exciting it was so much cooler outside...and that it was time to eat.

I did remember that I was supposed to be breaking in my marathon shoes. They are the same model of shoes that I've been running in, I've just already run half of the miles those shoes should see. These shoes will be broken in enough by marathon day. Now, if I can just remember to change which shoes I'm running in on my Garmin...

Oh, I'm sorry. You didn't actually want to see the shoes did you? Henri's face is so much cuter.

Here Four You

I ran out of time with all of the things going on to write about our run yesterday morning, but since I often forget to post it, even when I write it, I didn't stress about it. So, here you go.

We are in an easy week. Four, four and eight, which is a welcome rest. The weather has cooled off a little bit, but we're still up early in the morning. It hasn't cooled up quite enough to avoid the darkness, and that's what we've got. A lot of darkness, even heading out thirty minutes later.

Despite only a twelve mile run on Saturday, my calves hurt more than any of the twenty mile runs, or almost every run for the past several months of training. Henri didn't take it easy on me though. They actually felt better while I was running. Too bad it was just a four mile run. No. Wait. Pretend I didn't say that.

So, a short run in the dark means little photo opportunity. If you taste this awesome...the photo opp is over anyway. I better make sure he gets his food!

Wings and Paws

This run felt fast. I don't know if it really was or not because I'm not going to look. It just felt fast. I think it was partly the wings on my socks. Otherwise, it was Henri...though I think I was in front of him for a lot of it. He must have thought I was crazy, trying to run that fast in the heat with my feet hurting. Or he was just shocked by the stark difference from Monday to today. Or he was just distracted by him rumbling belly and the fact that we keep running miles instead of going home for breakfast. He really is so good to me.

Taper Down Now

(Post missed from Monday, 9/17 because...sleep.)

We are officially in the taper. Six miles today, after a long and grueling twenty on Saturday (for me, not Henri). Just a few more weeks now. We just have to make it through a few more weeks of Central Illinois heat and humidity. I hope to return to cooler temperatures. I hope we can run in the afternoons and evenings, before the sun goes down, not having to go to bed to rise early to get all the miles in before work. We are almost there!

While it may cool down by this weekend, this week continues to be humid and in the nineties. That means it's in the seventies before the sun even comes up and Henri and I are just over it. Maybe if Henri wasn't scared of the sprinklers, we could run through a few to cool off. I don't blame him though. They sound like vicious snakes about to attack.

I needed Henri to get me through this one. I just wanted it over. I needed Henri to keep me moving and to keep me moving at a quicker pace if I could handle it. It keeps my feet from hurting if I can fly through the miles. If I'm by myself, I go easy on myself. I'll slow down and not that I shouldn't give myself a break after running twenty miles, but I need to keep going and Henri is all for that.