Week 8: Day 7

Today B., feeling much better, and I headed to Copper Mountain to use some of our passes before the time to use them runs out (which is quickly approaching!). Anxious to get home to our new little Higginbottom, we decided to do as many runs as we could before 1pm and leave the mountain early. We had a great time and I was reminded that I actually do enjoy being out there on the hills, in the cold, with a board strapped to my feet despite the effort of actually getting to that point. We avoided most traffic, thankfully, as our trip home last weekend took 4.5 hours, but still it took a few hours to drive down the mountain and up to Longmont to pick up the dogs and finally head home. We arrived back in Boulder around 4:30pm - plenty of time to exercise if one so chooses. I chose not to. :) Well, to give a little credit to myself, we have two visiting families this week and I have an exam due Tuesday evening, so the time really wasn't there.

I don't like to count my snowboarding time as exercise - activity yes, exercise no - so you won't see it in my pitiful weekly total. My foot is still hovering in that sort-of-injured-but-not-so-serious injury state.

Total:
Running: 146 minutes

Week 8: Day 6

Staying up in Wildernest this weekend which is situated around 10,000 feet and B. and I were both looking forward to getting in a solid run or two at the high altitude! Well, that only happened for one of us (and being selfish, I'm glad it was me). B. was sick all day Saturday - so sick that he couldn't really move from the bed/chair that he laid/sat in all day.

I, on the other hand, ventured out to a trail that was just a half mile or so from our condo, ignoring B.'s cold and envious stare as I left him behind. The trail is listed here and although it was snow-covered, it was still teeming with life (hikers, skiers and snowshoe-ers, that is!). I haven't run at this altitude since B. and I planned to run the Continental Divide. We weren't able to do so thanks to seven foot snow drifts closing Trail Ridge Road, but we did play around for a few hours in RMNP just below Longs Peak. Anyway, a pretty interesting run! Now, it should be said that I do not do well at altitude when it comes to running: my lips turn purple, I get dizzy and slightly confused. Knowing this, I really have no business exercising up there in the first place. Do you think that would stop me? Nah.

I started off running up a pretty decent incline and my lungs cried out right away! Eventually my body adjusted to the change and I decided I could handle it. The run, though rather short, was a fairly challenging one with steep inclines and declines all along the way. The trail was really busy so a few times I was forced to step off the trail when skiers chose to ski through (whether or not I planned to let them through) and I found myself sinking into knee-to-waist deep snow! "Oh, sorry!" was always echoing my efforts to climb out of the sinkhole.  I did have that dizzy feeling a couple of times during the run and once I even stopped for fear of passing out. My pace was fairly quick as running those rolling hills will keep you from settling into a pace.

The whole run (out and back) took me 44 minutes and I'm betting it wasn't much over 4-4.5 miles. :) I ran out to Lily Lake which had really beautiful views surrounding it. I hoped for a clear night and crossed my fingers that Ben would feel a little better so we could hike out to the lake together. Unfortunately it was cloudy and I didn't feel well in the evening. The run was awesome. My altitude sickness can't stop me! I love the feeling of the trails under my feet and the knowing that most people wouldn't even think of attempting what I accomplish while I'm out there. I'm reminded that I want to plan more high altitude runs in the warmer months. Maybe we can make that Continental Divide run happen this summer.

Total:
Running: 146 minutes

Week 8: Day 5

No run. No time. Heading to the mountains tonight to spend time with B.'s family. Should be fun!

Week 8: Day 4

I woke early today. I was anxious about everything that B. and I need to do before leaving for the mountains and then having family stay over next week: exam, CLEAN, pack, take care of dogs, bake pie, date night, work, run. Tonight is date night - which B. and I haven't been able to take advantage of lately with all of our visitors - but alas the task list was too long and we decided that takeout and cleaning would suffice for the night. So I planned my day out - run this am, get ready and head to work, come home and squeeze in some studying and then clean clean clean my little heart out. Well, I almost made it through the list: run - check, work - check, clean - check. The studying part never happened thanks to a late meeting and then heavy traffic thanks to a dusting of snow. Ah, well, the best intentions...

My run was nice! Byrdie and I took the Shannahan Short Loop. Slick! We made it out unscathed and in 32 minutes.

Total:
Running: 102 minutes

Week 8: Day 3

So today was a day off. Not really because of my foot, although a little unplanned recovery can never hurt the plantar fasciitis, but because I have an exam due at the end of the week and B. and I have visitors again. I took the time to hammer through a chapter and some practice problems. Exciting life, right? Try not to be overcome by jealousy!

Week 8: Day 2

Today I had to take Higgins to the vet, so I left work early and managed to get home with plenty of daylight for a sunny afternoon run. (Sidenote: Higgins is OK, just has dry skin and a little kennel cough which will clear up in time) Byrdie and I ran out to Bluestem again. This is the second day in a row that I've chosen this route. It's a little more stable and there aren't as many climbs, so I think it's a safe run for my foot. We just ran to the gate at the top of the hill and back. I was feeling really good again and wanted to do more, but thought better of it for injury's sake.

Total:
Running: 70 minutes

Week 8: Day 1

I had the morning free since I'm working in the gym this evening. Despite the fact that I just got a new puppy and despite the temptation of staying in bed to snuggle with that sleeping boy, I made it out for my first run after a 6 day recovery period. I took it easy and paid close attention to how my foot felt throughout the run. Really, it didn't bother me all that much. Since this injury seems to be an overuse type of injury, I know this doesn't mean much, just coming off of a long break. I'm hopeful, though!

We had fresh snow this morning and Byrdie loved it!

Recalling:
The snow-laden pine branches hanging low, grabbing at my shoulders as I pass by them by and dropping that fluffy white stuff onto me.

Once again, fresh powder and the cross country skiers greeting me with a wide grin - afterall, this is Boulder and it's not often you can take advantage of powder before the Boulderites tromp through the snow and pack it down.

The feeling a run after total cardiovascular recovery - I didn't often experience this feeling in my racing years!

Total:
Running: 30 minutes

Week 7: Day 7

Well, I sort of fell of the blog bandwagon, but I'm back! Likewise, I fell off the exercise bandwagon, for good reason though. My foot has been giving me a fair amount of trouble despite my attempt to "baby" the injury. I thought about biking for a while instead of running, but realized soon after the thought that I also tend to have foot cramps on the bike (specifically in my injured foot). So without really trying to, I more or less took this week off.

We'll call it a recovery week, although my foot isn't much better. :(

Week 7: Day 1

Today I found some goodies at a small shop near B.'s office. We stopped at Starbucks (alright, it's convenience at it's worst) and he pointed out the store next door. I ended up buying two much needed running tops - one short-sleeved and one long-sleeved. I love walking through small running shops. They bring back so many memories of high school and college. I also love supporting these shops. Sure, they are typically priced a bit higher than a larger store or something you can find online, but if you like the intention behind the business, then why not pay that extra bit to support them? It looks like they have a fairly strong running community program going on in Louisville - totally a fan! I'd love to get involved with something around Boulder like this, but my commuting pretty much takes that option out of the picture. Anyway, back to the shirts... I wore one on my run! Yay!

Byrdie and I ran part of Big Bluestem again today. My arch was tender during the first 15 minutes of the run, and so instead of running the whole Bluestem loop like I planned, I just went out to the second gate (downhill first) and back. After my foot warmed up, I wished I would have continued around the loop, but now that I'm back home I'm glad I didn't push any more. Sore! I'm thinking that I might need to do some biking for a couple of days since my foot hasn't been recovering between runs. Good thing B. got that Cycleops together. :)

Total:
Running: 41 minutes

Week 6: Day 7

This morning I got out for my run relatively early. Considering the hectic pace of the last few days, I decided it was best to get it out of the way before anything could disrupt my routine. We had a light dusting of snow last night which meant for a very pleasant jaunt. Byrdie was lovin' the day. I can't seem to remember her at all on the run, which means she was probably off happily bounding around in the snow keeping her distance but still keeping me in sight so I didn't have to call her back. We only ran to the top of the Bluestem trail and back - about 40 minutes. My legs were sore from yoga and running yesterday, so this was a bit of a shakeout run.

The sun was blinding (but, oh, the sun!) as it reflected off the fresh powder and the trails were frozen which made for much more pleasant conditions than yesterday's run. My arch didn't bother me while I was running, but I can definitely feel it now. Honestly, I've come to believe that there are two reasons for my arch problem: yoga and my new Danskos. I have naturally high arches, but over the years of pounding with less than ideal arch support, they have collapsed a little. Since I've added yoga back into my routine, my body is realigning. The Danskos I've been wearing to work everyday have great arch support. Unfortunatly I don't have the same support in my running shoes. This can be fixed! I'll be more conscious of wearing my orthodics.

Anyway, here's the pathetic total for the week:

Total:
Yoga: 60 minutes
Running: 145 minutes
More rest days than I care to mention (again)

Week 6: Day 6

Yoga in the morning - an absolutely humbling class. I felt close to passing out twice during the standing poses. I actually had to bring myself into child's pose more than once. Maybe I was dehydrated, maybe sleep deprived with a four-month-old baby waking at all hours of the night and morning, maybe I was just having an off day.

I returned home and refueled with fresh squeezed juice and breakfast courtesy of B. I napped and then went for a 35 minute run with Byrdie, Rufus and B. I didn't feel great, but I really didn't feel horrible either.

Total:
Yoga: 60 minutes
Running: 105 minutes

Week 6: Day 4 and 5

Nada.

Thursday: left for work at 6am, worked until 3pm, met B. and family in downtown Boulder for a late lunch, then spent time with them for the rest of the evening.

This is going to be a bad week...

Friday: Drove up to Estes Park, had coffee, then lunch and walked around the shops. Drove into RMNP to hike around a bit and got caught in a snowstorm (and B. drove my car into the ditch... twice).

No exercise.

Week 6: Day 3

More family in town today! Matt, Liz and Baby Amira arrived this afternoon, so I woke early and packed my clothes and drove to campus to work out in the gym before work. Treadmill running is definitely one of my least favorite modes of activity, but it's better than not running at all.

Ran for 40 miserable minutes (while watching ESPN...) and called it good.

Total:
Running: 70 minutes

Week 6: Day 2

Hmm... does a ten minute loop around the house count? Lacked motivation for running in the cold and dark tonight. Then I thought that I would bike indoors instead, but B. didn't have his Cyclops set up and by the time he was home from work I lost motivation for that, too.

Week 6: Day 1

Today I woke early to a wintry morning and, for the first time this season, ran while the snow fell. Big wet snowflakes. If this wasn't a first for the season, then at least it was the most memorable run thus far. I dressed warm - maybe too warm - anticipating the single-digit temperature, pulled B. out of bed and out the door we went, donning our Yaktrax. The sky was bright with light despite the complete cloud cover at sunrise. The trails were bedded with three inches or so of fluffy powder and we made first tracks! I was pleased to be wearing my Yaktrax. Funny thing about those little devils: About halfway through the run I suddenly found myself jerked head over heels to the ground, smashing both knees against rocks, sending mittens (that were in-hand but not on, thanks to my overdressing) across the trail eventually to be found buried in the fresh powder. What a fall! When I straightened myself out I saw that my shoelace was untied. Confused and stunned that a simple untied lace could pull me down with such force I started collecting my things and brushing off my snow-covered clothes. As it turns out, one of my Yaktrax broke and the metal wire stuck straight out from my left shoe and tugged on my right shoelace which was the cause of the fall. Ouch.

B. had been running ahead of me before the fall and didn't realize I had tripped. It took a minute or two to gather myself and rig up my Yaktrax to make sure I wouldn't trip again. He waited at the turn off wondering what became of me and I caught up after a few minutes and pouted for a bit. Really, I was happy that I wasn't injured and glad for the few inches of snow to cushion my fall. We finished the run cursing the snow-covered ice (quite cheerfully I might add) and slip-sliding downhill on one-leg or the other.

All in all, a good run. No injuries, an OK-feeling arch afterward and a happy Byrd dog.

Total:
Running: 30 minutes

Week 5: Day 7

Well, a very productive day at the homefront... but no time left for running. Boo.

See yesterday's post for my total. I took more days off than I care to admit. Visitors always throw my training out of whack, but since we have one just about every other weekend this Spring, I best get used to it!

New shoes arrived. Only hiked in them but I love 'em already.

Week 5: Day 6

Yoga class at 9:30 as usual - good class, yet again.

Hike on Mt. Sanitas with Meagan and LB... ended up getting lost in the dark on the trails and hiking down a steep trail through a ravine before making it back to the main trail. Pretty creepy with only two headlamps and the three of us uncertain of our whereabouts. Luckily, it was Sanitas and you can see the lights of Boulder the entire hike. :) We also saw a mysterious black animal prowling after some nearby deer. I suspect that Ben's idea about Jack is right, and he's leading a pack of coyote's around Boulder. The hike took us 2.5 hours.

Total:
Yoga: 60 minutes
Hiking 150 minutes
Running: 136 minutes

Week 5: Day 5

Off - sister in town!

Week 5: Day 4

Today I ran with V on the Boulder Creek trail. We hopped on near her house (Arapahoe and 9th) and ran to the top and back down. We talked about everything under the sun, and a little about pace. I'm happy with my 8:20 pace at this point - there's no reason to grind - but I think her pace is just a touch faster than mine. This is good, we decided, as we need to push each other ever so often. The uphill was slightly challenging (felt sluggish) and of course the downhill was a breeze. There was some ice which slowed us down some.

Ran just shy of 50 minutes. My arch felt OK today and I think running on concrete and crushed gravel rather than the rocky trails is helping. New shoes ordered and due to arrive soon! There will be no running tomorrow. My sissy is coming to town and we're heading out straight from work. I'd rather sneak something in, but I guess I'm not so willing that I will get up at 5am to run in the dark. :)

Total:
Running: 136 minutes

Week 5: Day 2

Ran in the dark again - 33 minutes today. My arch was tender before the run, but not really hurting. It kinda kills me to run on it when I know it's sore but what choice do I have right now? No cardio available to me outside of running or walking. *sigh*

New shoes... I'll order 'em tonight!

Total:
Running: 86 minutes

Week 5: Day 2

Today I had a great run! Home by 5:30pm I headed out the door for a run in the neighborhood and this was OK since my foot has been bothering me and I want to avoid rocky trails as much as possible. I ran the loop I've been frequenting as of late (Lehigh --> Greenbriar) and I couldn't help but hop on the track once again.

Before the track, I ran for 26 minutes - easy pace. Ran one mile around the track just to get a sense for my pace again: 8:20. I'm OK with that. Then decided I'd pick up my pace and do a couple laps without checking my watch. Two laps turned into four! I was fairly comfortable - trying to back off a little when I found my breath becoming ragged and uncontrolled - and here's the result:

Lap 1:  1:45
Lap 2:  1:42
Lap 3:  1: 43
Lap 4:  1:46

A total of 6:56 pace. Not 6:30-40 pace like I thought, but still OK with me for now. I think I'll continue to do these mile pickups and watch my progress.

I did a "cooldown" back home for 12 minutes for a total of 53 minutes today. Not too shabby! Oh, and my foot didn't bother me at all, although just to be safe I think I will buy new running shoes.

Total:
Run: 53 minutes

Week 5: Day 1

None. No excuse here... except maybe that my arch is still bothering me... but really that is one lame ass excuse for no exercise. :)