06/15/11: Hills, Hills, and more Hills

Set out today to run the 6 miles on my training schedule.

(I'm having a hard time calling it a training schedule, when I only really run one or two of the runs each week. Anybody have any great motivational ideas??? I'm in need!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!)

Legs hurt.

They hurt pretty good....or pretty bad....well, you know what I mean. But you know what....my legs always hurt these days.....so I'm going to stop mentioning it.

(hmmmmm)

OK, I'm going to stop mentioning it as much.

(giggle)

My next run will only be 1 mile.

Yep...1 full mile.

5,280 feet.

63,360 inches.

160934.4 centimeters.

So, you're all saying....1 mile. What's the big deal??

I'm going to do it with my custom orthotics in my shoes. I can fit an apple under the arches of these puppies, and the last time I walked in them....WALKED....for 1 mile, I was limping for a week.

But as I ran today, I could literally feel my arches hitting the soles of my shoes. I kept imagining the bones in my foot snapping as they were bent backwards.

Over dramatic?

Well.....yeah. :-)

But whether I know the impossibility of it or not, the thought was in my head while I was running, and it was giving me a case of the willies.

I'm also in need of some advice. The PT I saw last spring got me running. In fact, I didn't have any pain after training all summer for a half marathon. Now that the pain is back, I'm seeing a different PT in the same office. She's great and all....but we've gotten no where. Do I realize that these orthotics might be the golden ticket.....or do I talk to her about seeing the first PT? I don't want her to think I've lost faith.....it's just that someone else has already proven they can help.

Granted, the pain came back....so it wasn't long term help.

But still.....from May to the beginning of 2011....7 months, running without pain.

Ahhhhhhhh.

:-)

And, on a side note.....last year I was an early morning runner. This year, I'm really starting to enjoy running in the evening. I know that running in the evening has it's issues. Issues like things always coming up, and me not being able to get out there. But running through the neighborhoods today, waving at people doing yard work, petting dogs on nightly walks with their humans, not knowing where I was, or how to get home....but not being worried about it.

All of these are good things too. I don't know. I guess I'll see what this year brings me. Variety is the spice of life and all.

Oh, and on another side note...they announced the route for the St. Louis RnR. I haven't seen it yet....but my aunt, who lives there, says it's going to be great!!!!!

Now do you see why I need a good dose of motivation? I'm signed up to run a full marathon in October.

26.2 miles.

13,833 feet.

1,660,032 inches.

4,216,481.28 centimeters.

:-)

Good night folks!!!!!

5.5 miles, 12:16 overall average pace (trying out the "run 1-2 min/mile slower than race pace thing"....we'll see how it goes), 80 degrees (with heat index) when I got home.