The difference between runners and non-runners....

As I was leaving work today, my manager, a non-runner, stopped me. She gave me a hug and said, "Run like the wind!"

I walked further down the hall, passing my coworker Ben, who had seen this exchange and is runner -- a triathlete, actually. He half-smiled at me with a look that was a bit rueful, and said, "Just survive."

:-) My manager meant well and I love her for it. But Ben? He understands, and I love him for that, too.

Just a tiny bit of foot pain today, and more than a tiny bit of shin pain. But I'm hoping that one more day of rest will make me feel ready. I picked up my packet today and the shirts are sweet!

I've done the math, and I figure to finish within the time limits, I only have to run 8 of the 13 miles. I can do that, and perhaps a bit more. All I want is to cross that finish line.

It'll all be over 36 hours from now. Then I'm on vacation!

I can't wait.

Oh, come ON!!!

Not an eloquent title, I know, but here's what happened today. I'm running along, reflecting on how nice it is that I feel no pain in my shins at all, and saying to myself that although I have occasional pain in my foot it is definitely manageable. Then I run by some baseball diamonds, and THWAP! A softball hits me in the calf.

Really, what else is there to say except, "Oh, come ON!"

I did have to stop and rub it out a little, but thankfully it seems to have left no lingering damage.

Rogue softballs aside, the run did not go like I planned. I struggled to make it to 4 miles, then had to take a walk break. I think the heat had a lot to do with this, as I was dumb enough to not start running until almost 10am. But still, it was a huge shake to my confidence, and as I walked I thought to myself that I just could NOT let my last long run before the race be one that shakes my confidence. If I was going to cross that start line next week, I needed to feel like I was going to cross the finish line, too.

So, I walked a half mile and then started running again. I made it another four miles, then walked another half mile. I was then at the 9-mile mark, where I had planned to stop. But again. I needed to know I could do the race. So I started to run again.

I ran another 2 and half miles, then walked another half, and then ran the last mile to take me to 13.1. (My first 4 miles were really more like 4.1, maybe even 4.25.)

I finished. I had to walk 1.5 of the 13.1, but I finished, and well below the 3.5 hour time limit of the race. Even with the walking, 13.1 miles took me 2:42:49.

It took me a while to recover, but I feel pretty good now. I have no pain at all in my shins or hips. At the moment my foot is aching a little but overall does not seem any worse off than yesterday. It actually feels better now than it did last night, though that may be because I have been off my feet for the better part of the afternoon and evening. Still, it didn't hurt to walk home after that run, and it didn't hurt to walk to the grocery store and back a few hours later. It hurts on occasion when I run, but not consistently, and the pain doesn't crescendo. I have thought hard about this, and I really believe it will be ok for me to run next weekend.

So, that's what I'm going to do. Rest this week, doing only a few baby runs, wear supportive shoes, and go for it. I can do this. The forces of the universe seem to be conspiring against me lately. But it's like my friend Shannon said: "Those forces of the universe don't know who they are dealing with." 8 days til race day. No stopping me now.

I must say that even though the total distance I ran is less than I did last week, and it wasn't even consecutive, I am more proud of what I accomplished today than of any other running feat I have managed. I was really struggling today. But I finished anyway. I did what I had to do to finish. And I did it sensibly and safely. Good for me.

Bring it, universe. I'm ready.

Crossing my fingers (but not my toes....)

Three more shorter runs under my belt. The first two went pretty well. But last night, I started having some pain in my left foot, across the top of my big toe. The pain is worst when I lift my big toe, and I feel it with every step, particularly when I run, though also when I walk. It appears that I have either some tendonitis or a midtarsal fault (bones pinching together because of a collapsing arch).

The pain is actually stronger than anything I have felt in my shins (though not as bad as that first day I injured my hip). However, it's not really bad enough to slow my running or make me limp. At least it wasn't for the 3 miles I ran this morning.

I'm hoping that it will feel better in the morning, and that even if it doesn't, it doesn't start feeling worse as I run my scheduled 9 miles tomorrow.

As you can probably guess, I am incredibly frustrated right now. My shins feel good (relatively speaking, at least), my hip feels fine, and NOW I HAVE FOOT PAIN!

I'm four runs away from the half. Four runs, 9 days. And there's still a chance I might not get to do it.

But I'm choosing to say hopeful.

Please body.... please... just hold out a little while longer....

(I literally have tears in my eyes.)

I want this really bad.

One dozen.

Yesterday morning, I ran twelve miles. Twelve fliggin floggin miles. Can you believe it?

And it went pretty well. I was tired at the end, but I finished without stopping. And my pace was somewhere between a 12:00 and 12:30 mile, depending on exactly how far I went. It was a bit over twelve miles, actually.

My right shin is aching today a bit more than I had hoped. It's far, far from excruciating -- the pain is really quite mild. But it's persistent. And that worries me a little.

Still, I ran 12 miles and walked a lot this weekend, and though I have some pain, I am not limping and my mobility is not inhibited. So unless disaster strikes, I will be giving my long-awaited half marathon a shot, two weeks from today.

C'mon legs. Hold out two more weeks, then I promise you a good long rest....

Update

OK, it's been a long time. Here is a brief play by play of what has happened since I last wrote.

1. I ran 7 miles, and it was fine.

2. I did a 5K on concrete, and it was definitely not fine. I got a sharper pain in my left shin.

3. I went to the doctor. She said it was a muscle thing, not a stress fracture, but I remained unconvinced.

4. I tried to run again the following weekend. It didn't go well. I ran a total of 3 miles, not even consecutively, before I gave up and took the train home. At this point I had written off the half marathon.

5. I spent 2 weeks doing no workouts except free weights and some shin rehab exercises/stretches.

6. After two weeks, I tried running. It went well. I made it 9 miles. I was sore, but the injuries didn't bother me much.

7. I did 3 5Ks during that week. No big problems.

8. I ran 10.5 miles yesterday. Some soreness, some shin pain, but only afterward, not during the run.

9. I might, just might, be able to run the half after all, even if it involves some walking.

Wish me luck!