A Year in Review - 2009

A this time of year, I like to look back over my year of running and start to look at the next year and set a few running goals.  In looking back over this year, I have had another GREAT year of running.

2009 Running

Ending the year with 1436 miles of running

18 races - 5 PR's

Will end with 388 miles easy walking

Bike 202 casual biking

Yoga classes

Finally started some home yoga

weights/core work

11 lbs lost - then found a few again in Dec. 2009, but plan on getting back to goal weight very soon.

Qualified for Boston

5 PR  (personal record) races this year.

Steam Whistle 12k Jan - 57:29  (around 2:30 pr)

Houston Marathon - 3:59:04 - (16 second pr)

Pensacola Half Marathon - (2:25 pr)

St. George Marathon - goal race of the year - 3:49:17 (10 min pr & BQ'ed)

Stennis Half Marathon - 1:48:15 (1:44 pr)

2010 Goals

On Nov. 15th I fell down, thought I was fine, but now I think that is what started my current hip issues.  I say this because with my current hip issue, I am not sure what my goals will be.   If it is healing and I get an internal green light to train, my goals will be as follows:

Race at Boston and run as fast as I can on a tough course.

Take some time off after Boston and then make some Fall race decisions.

I would also like to focus on the 5k again at some point in 2010 or early 2011.  I have basically neglected my 5k training in 2009 for distance races, and I would like to work on my 5k time at some point, but I am always drawn to the distance races so we will see if I can focus on shorter races.  Hmmmmm!

I will continue with a mix of yoga classes, weights, core work, home yoga, drink my water, as always - focus on my weight, and try to keep it in check. 

If I continue to have the mild hip issues, I will hope that I can go to Boston and jog the race which will be fine with me.  I had always thought if I ever BQ'ed that I would just go and enjoy the race, but late this fall decided I wanted to race it.   So I am ok either way, just hope I can make it to the starting line and finish the race.  Either way, if I am at the Boston Marathon, and can run it or jog it, it will be a great day.

If the hip continues to give me problems, and I can not train at all, I will go to the doctor to get a "happy pill" because I will go insane.  Ha! Ha! 

Happy New Year!

What are your goals for 2010?

I need my run!

What?  No running during the holidays!

It's been a few days since i have checked in so here goes:  I thought the hip was healed, ran a 9.5 mile run with Jennifer last Wed. and was fine on the run, but later that day, while driving around, I could feel some mild pain in my hip.  I ran again on Fri. with no pain while running.  Sporadically, I continued to feel something going on in my hip.  So although I want to continue running, especially at this time of year, I have decided to attempt a 2 week break from running.  I hope this will allow the hip to continue to fully recover.  I am getting nervous about it.  Although the pain is very mild and is not present while running,  I need to try to let it heal,  before my official start of Boston training begins.  Ideally, training would have already started, or at least I would continue working on my base training, but at this point, it will be much smarter to delay the training.

So currently, my next scheduled run will be Jan. 1st, or Jan. 4th.   As stated previously, this is NOT good timing.  The holidays with all the goodies - I need my run.  The cold - my favorite time to run.(I can find no good use for the cold, except to run).   The holidays - let me just say,  I need my run.  Yes, I am walking, but it's not the same - I need my run.  My yearly business "crunch time"(2 more days) - I need my run.   Basically - I just need my run.

For several years I have run a Jan. marathon. ( Disney 2 times, and Houston this year.)  I really like that because it puts my high mileage around the holidays.  Most people hate that, and schedule around this time of year, but for me,  I like to have high mileage during this time of year, for a lot of reasons.

O'well - 2 weeks will be over soon.  I just hope that is enough.

In the mean time, I would like to wish all of my blogger friends a wonderful Christmas and Happy New Year!
Looking forward to good things in 2010.

Christmas party, new gadget, back on track!

 Yesterday, Chad & I went to AL for our annual family Christmas party.  Mom and Linde are so awesome with all of the Christmas cheer.  The house is always decorated from front to back and it's always beautiful.  It's always great to see the family - something we do not do enough of - we all have good intentions, but seem to get lost in our daily routines.  The food - to die for!  In fact, as I had my 2nd piece of chocolate torte today, I said to Chad "I think I died and went to heaven."  Thanks to the girls for another great party.

So, I have blogged a few times about my headphones and how I still use them because I like the radio.  WELL, no one told me that the nano now comes with FM.  I was recently shopping on a site to use some of my "points" which were about to expire.  I came across the Nano and started reading about it.  I have the small shuffle which I prefer for running, but have never purchased any of the larger Ipods.  In fact, for years, I would not purchase the shuffle because I was waiting for Apple to add the FM.  I finally caved-in a couple of years ago and purchase the shuffle and have enjoyed it, but still use my headphones when wanting to hear the FM stations.  Sometimes on training runs I even wear both, headphone and shuffle.  So as I was reading about the Nano 5th generation, I came across the FM radio feature - screaming with excitement - but thought to myself , the FM probably doesn't work that well, but decided to give the new Nano a try.  It came in this week and after my Sat morning run with some friends was canceled due to rain, I had time to upload my tunes and get ready to use the Nano.  I opted for the treadmill.  With the new gadget the 7 mile run went by quickly.  The FM stations worked well inside the house and on the treadmill.  Awesome!  Now I have to go and purchase all the accessories that i will need.  Arm band, Apple Care, a car charger would be nice.  FM and my tunes all on one gadget.  Woo hoo!  2010 is going to be fabulous!

So this week, I did stick with my plan to run easy 6 milers, well almost.  I did run 7 on Wed. and Sat., but both days were easy running.  This week - Monday - 6 , Wed. - 7 with The Running Artist (follow her as she prepares for the Mardi Gras marathon, her 1st marathon) , Sat.- 7 on the treadmill with Nano5, and this morning a 4 miler in my home town, Wilmer, AL.  On the Sat. and Sun runs, I had the urge to pick up the pace. On Sat., almost had my hand on the button to go faster, and talked myself into taking it easy, finishing the week easy, and sticking with this week's plan.  All runs this week were run with NO pain in the hip.  I am looking forward to adding some intensity back to my running this week.  Two weeks with no quality runs - yikes - feeling like I am losing fitness fast.  Feeling like a slacker, but know it was important to let the hip heal.  Miss the "rush" of the hard runs, but very thankful  I have been able to continue running and did not need to do total rest.  Last week 14.5 miles running, this week 24 miles and feeling fine. 
Currently working out the details to meet the way to boston to walk a few miles this evening.  Need to burn some extra calories this evening after all of the holiday goodies.  So Yummy!  So caloric!

15 marathons and my first "no show"

Tonight I canceled my room in Huntsville.  Very SAD!  Yes, I am bummed.  We had many local runners, bloggers, and tweeters,  running races this past weekend.  After hearing all about the races, it gave me marathon fever.

Ok - enough of the pity party and on to the good news.

I have been taking it easy with my running. 
Last Wed., as already mentioned, I ran 4 miles and felt the hip at 2 miles.
Fri. - 5 miles and felt the hip at 3 miles.
Sat. - 5.5 miles with Audrey, enjoying the snow on the ground.  felt the hip at 4.2 miles
Each time I run, I am getting an extra mile before I feel the hip.
I still wouldn't call it a pain in the hip, just a dull warning sign.
So last week I ended with 15 miles walking and 14.5 miles running

Tonight I ran 6 miles and did not feel the hip pain at all.  Yay!  I also did 20 min of yoga, squats, lunges, and arm work with an 8 lb ball. 

I decided not to run the marathon this past  Sat., when I felt the hip at 4.2 miles.  If I can't finish a 5.5 mile run without feeling the dull pain, what will 26.2 miles of pounding do for it?  I know I would just cause a minor injury to become much worse by pushing the issue.  I am trying to "listen to my body."

I will have many opportunities to run the Rocket City Marathon in Huntsville, but how many times will I have the chance to run in the BOSTON Marathon?

Several people have mentionrd the foam rollers, where can you purchase these?  Do you get them online or at Academy, etc?

In thinking about what caused my hip to become aggravated,  I have several things to consider.
* I first thought it may be my shoes.  I did recently get a new pair of shoes, but it is the same kind that I have been wearing for several years.  Adidas Cushion Response.  It did occur to me that I could have gotten a bad pair of shoes, but I am not sure. Currently, I am rotating 2-3 pairs of shoes.  I haven't run in the new ones since the half marathon.
* I was talking with Linde (my sister) the last week.  She had read my blog and called to asked about my hip.  She asked if it was from my fall.  Hmmmm!  First I had to remember what she was talking about, and now she really has me thinking.  You may remember a few weeks ago (probably not, I even forgot about it) Nov. 15th., I did a perfect "seat drop" in some slippery mud in South Louisiana.  I landed on my bottox and I landed hard.  The next day, I didn't feel anything, but now I am wondering if that may have been the start of my hippy thing.  Then on Nov. 28th, I "ran my butt hip off" at Stennis. 
* I have been running fairly hard all year, but this fall I increased my mileage to a new max.(63 miles) just before St. George.  I did take 2 weeks off of running after St. George, but then started increasing my mileage again.  I had slowly worked back up to 45 miles prior to the Stennis half.

Who knows!  This week my plan is to run a day and then walk a day.  My running days will be 6 miles easy.  The walking days will be whatever I have time for.  I will continue with my 15-20 min of yoga and hope to make it to a yoga class this week.  I am continuing with either ice baths or icing the hip area after my runs.
I do not feel the hip at all while walking, doing yoga, or really anything except the few runs that I mentioned above.  I really think if I can hold it together by not running hard for another week, I will hopefully, "dodge a bullet."  This is my hope.  We will see!  To be continued.....  Thanks for all of the well wishes, ideas, and support.  I will stop pouting as soon as I can run hard again.  (already feel the need for quality running)

The Debate Begins!

So the GREAT news I reported on Monday turned out to be not as GREAT as I thought.   After racing on Sat. I did not run again until Wed.  I went for a 4 mile run.  I did not feel anything in my hip until mile 2.  At that point, I could feel something in my hip.  I wouldn't say it was hurting, but just more like a dull hint of aggravation.  I finished the 4 miles and headed for the ice bath.  Decided to take a break again on Thur.  So Thurs. am I went to yoga, and walked 5 miles with a friend.  No pain at all doing yoga or the walk.  Today, I ran 5 miles.  Today, nothing until around 3 miles and then the dual awareness again. 

So I am 1 week out from the Huntsville marathon and 4+ months away from Boston.  I really want to run Huntsville.  I am sure it would be smart to bow out, and use the extra time to be sure to let the hip recover. 

This is my first injury, or near injury.  I HATE it!  It makes me feel OLD.  It also makes me wonder if this will be the beginning of recurring injuries that so many runners deal with.  I have been so fortunate to run injury free for years.  Bummed in MS, BUT it's snowing in South Mississippi  (a rare occasion).

I will make the final decision around the middle of next week.  I know the smart answer, but we will see if I am smart, or determined to run it.  ????????