First Day of Training

I haven't updated in forever since I hadn't been running at all in hopes that my knee would magically heal itself. Unfortunately, I'm no magician, and my knee is just one in a long line of many of my current ailments.

So I took a week off after my last entry which was fine since I was in and out of town for three weeks straight for various functions and I really didn't have a lot of time to dedicate to running anyway. I did manage one run on a Wednesday evening that was amazing. My knee was feeling better so I decided to give it a shot. With the humidity levels a bit lower and after a week of rest, I ran great. I ran a 3.22 mile loop in 31:07 with no stops and felt like a rock star. Until immediately afterwards when my knee started hurting again.

So I rested one more week and tried it again, but after about three minutes I could feel the pain in my knee coming back so I stopped and decided to just take the next week and a half off from running so that I would be ready for training when it started. The only problem is, things are getting worse.

I have always had problems with the joints in my wrists and knees, but this week things just went crazy. My elbows hurt, my knees are stiff, and my right foot is swollen on the Achilles tendon and my left foot is swollen on the front of the ankle and top of the foot. Both feet are in extreme pain like the muscles around them that feels like I may have injured them while exercising. Except, I HADN'T been exercising. When I wake up in the morning, my ankles are so stiff I can barely walk. And for the past two days, I have had a slight fever. It's insane. Anyway, I am definitely making a doctor's appointment next week, something is just not right, obviously.

Anyway, the first day of the half-marathon training began this morning and I wasn't going to let a little bit of swelling, pain and fever, get me down! I know it sounds bad, but actually after I dragged myself out of bed at 5:15am and got on my running clothes and shoes, I actually did feel a lot better. And my knee didn't hurt at all.

Anyway, Mercy showed up and we met up with everyone else at the hospital. There are about 300 people signed up for this half group. I couldn't believe how many people were there. Mercy and I joined the 11 minute/mile group with a 5:1 walk ratio. We were kind of bummed that there wasn't a 10:1 group but once we got running, we felt like it was a perfect fit. We ran a nice easy three mile run which felt great. I wasn't even tired when we were done and it seemed to fly on by. And best of all, my swollen ankles weren't hurting at all. My knee however, is a different story. It hurts again so it's definitely something I need to get checked out. I'm just hoping it doesn't end up being something crazy like rheumatoid arthritis, but it really sounds like it could be. Whatever, I'm not diagnosing myself till I see a doctor. I'm just kind of bummed that I finally begin something I was so excited about doing trying to improve my health and I'm already injured. And worst yet, what if they tell me not to run? Damn.

It's Always Something - Part II

Now it's my knee.

It hurts. And bad at that. My knees have always bothered me. After 10 years of bartending and overextending my knees over the speed rails to grab heavy glass racks, my knees have never been the same. Sitting with them bent for over an hour at work causes them to fill with pain and forget about riding on a plane, it's torture. After a six mile run on Saturday my left knee hurt so bad I could barely walk, then after 2 days off it felt better. Then tonight after another 6 miler the pain is back. It hurts when I touch my foot to the ground, it hurts when I apply any pressure, it hurts when I bend it out and in again.

I read up about it and it sounds exactly like runner's knee except for the 40 miles per week of running that people usually do before experiencing it. Ha. That's kind of a joke. How about 12-17 miles?!!? But I have recently doubled my mileage and it's gotten way worse so who knows. My husband says I have more aches and pains than anyone he has ever met.

Did I mention that I also turned 31 yesterday?
Oh how I love getting old(er).

Here's some birthday pics.

Work lunch on Friday with my birthday pineapple.


Driving to Sarasota, another Florida sunset.


Birthday dinner with J.


Mmmm...cake.


Good times.

Anyway, had a good run with Jeremy on Saturday, We left on a 6 mile loop around 9am on a bright and sunny day (hot). It was actually a pretty nice run and it was fun to run with him. He ran at my pace without making me feel like he was being held back and in return, he inadvertently made me run faster. We finished the 6.02 mile run in under an hour (59:24) and that was with one minute walk breaks every 10 minutes. YAY! Of course, the last mile was brutal as we ran home around 10am facing the afternoon sun and 90 degree temperatures. But I did it and it was kind of nice to get in the sun for a change.

I took Sunday and Monday off and ran tonight in my favorite running conditions. Soggy and humid. The humidity doesn't bother me as long as there is a light rain involved and after a morning shower turned into an all-day event (an unusual circumstance for Miami) I knew I had to take advantage.

I ran two loops around campus with an extra street to make a nice 6.11 mile run. I also did it all by myself, which is the longest run I have done to date alone. I felt great. I did minute walk breaks at every mile, but still ran a decent speed. I finished in 1:03:14 and felt like I had only run my usual 3. I was on cloud nine until I started walking and felt my knee. Now Jeremy says I need to rest it and not run for a few weeks so it doesn't get injured before I start my real training in October. Sigh. Just when I was starting to get warmed up.

Favorite running song of the day: "Days Go By" Dirty Vegas