Last run

6:30 am is so early. As I tried to squeeze my eyes open I realized this pearl of wisdom. Another pearl today? My pace leader, Anita said, "Don't push yourself. If you're not healed you'll do more damage and be out for longer." Anita speaks the truth. 

Today was supposed to be my first day of (re)training but I'm realizing this foot issue isn't going away. I thought with a break and only doing water exercise instead and being super careful to support my foot and wear good footwear my foot would feel better by now. I don't know if I waited too long and kept training in February and that damaged my foot beyond easy repair but today the same old pain came back as soon as we got started. 

To be fare I did run/jog down to training today since I took the bus and had about a half mile of run/job to get to the starting place. I didn't really notice my foot too much and I tried to be extra careful because most of the way was down hill on uneven surface with rocks and ditches and run off drains throughout. I only made it about a half mile in to the actual run with my pace group before I had to turn around and walk back to the beginning. 

Totally defeated I've decided there is no way that I'll be able to keep up with training for the half marathon if I don't make all the scheduled trainings. I will most likely switch my entry to doing the 5K or the cumulative marathon and keep working out but not with the 5 days a week of running. I guess part of staying healthy is having a healthy attitude about health and staying healthy and with the constant foot pain, running just really isn't part of keeping myself healthy. Darn foot. 

Why do you run?

On the first day of training everyone was asking each other, "Why are you doing this? Why are you running?" There were a myriad of answers from physical fitness, to personal challenge to "just because". There is no invalid reason for running but until today I have not really been honest about why I am running. The simple truth is I am running to give myself something to do. On Christmas eve last year we had a miscarriage in the second trimester. I had already supplied myself with maternity wear, had almost all the parts together for a new baby and had most of the items checked off my to-do list for "before baby comes". Well, over the holiday that list had to drastically change. Suddenly this event, this person and this new step in our family was gone and I needed some place to focus all that baby prep energy. I turned to google and started searching for upcoming runs. That is how I came to decide to run the San Francisco Marathon. Not because I like to run, not because I particularly want to run but because my time needed to be consumed with something to look forward to and this race seemed like a more positive way to spend my energy than moping about the house or dwelling on loss. 

So here I am the day before my big (re)start of training and this time around I really don't feel all that positive. I feel like I have a lot going on now that wasn't going on in December/January. We have hard hitting family illness to deal with - both my dad and my husband's mom are very ill. We've got school changes coming up soon and a bunch of projects I agreed to take part in thinking I needed to fill my time, only to realize now that I am once again over extended and uninterested in most of them. Maybe getting back into running will give me an outlet for this negative phase. I really hope so because I could really use some way to feel a bit more optimistic and certainly a whole lot more refreshed. 

Starting Again

After weeks away from official training I'm starting back up this weekend. Saturday the training schedule starts for all those runners doing the 18 week program which translates to less miles on the long runs. For me that means getting back into the swing of training and not feeling so left behind. 

During the absence from official training I've been trying to make boot camp, working on swimming more often and taking a water aerobics class at the JCC. I have to say I'm loving going back to water aerobics. Previous to this I hadn't taken a class since after Mimi's birth nearly 4 years ago. The women in the pool are all over 60, if not well into their 70's and 80's. Everyone smiles and is supportive and I think generally amused that I'm taking this "old ladies" class. I was surprised to find the pool pretty packed this go around. When I took the class before there were only a handful of women in the pool. This time however there were over 20 of us, stretched out across the pool water running, doing jumping jacks, making waves and generally looking ridiculous... like I said, I totally love it. 

The teacher is great - making sure that my foot is supported and not baring too much weight while in the pool - moving me to the deeper sections when high impact actions are coming. I ran into another participant only once last class and in a pool full of older women I'm not the slowest all the time like I am at the run training. Not sure this is really a boost to my self esteem but none the less I like not being last sometimes. 

This Saturday we're scheduled for 3 miles in the Presidio. I'm looking forward to seeing my pace group again and getting back into the swing of things with runs. Over the "break" I also finally went to get my shoes checked out. I went to Fleet Feet in the Marina and had great help finding just what was going on - and hopefully getting to the bottom of the foot pain. He took detailed measurements of my feet, watched my ankles as I walked, then jogged, then ran away and then toward him. Mimi was with me and all the store people were very nice to her and not bothered at all that she insisted on running back and forth with me and picking up all the shoes off their racks - "Ooh, these are pink Mama, get the pink ones!"

After measurements, walk, jog and running he put some insoles in my shoes to give my feet some extra support. He then showed me the proper way to tie my shoes - not too snug you need to let your feet get circulation but snug enough that your shoes aren't flopping around while you walk/run. He also went over some foot, leg, hip and back stretches and pointed out some places to make sure I stretch before and after running to minimize pain and injury. 

I've been wearing my new insoles around the house and they're quite comfy though they haven't made it on any runs yet (except those quick sprints after the kids while they're scootering at the park). This Saturday will be the first test - I'm hoping with all the stretches, shoe improvements and general foot rest this issue will be resolved once and for all. 

The last few weeks have proven that life easily gets in the way of training. Work, school, children, family health and upcoming due dates have all worked to make training the least of my concerns on my to-do list. This Saturday I'm taking a new order and re-arranging the items on that list. Here's my reminder of what that list should look like: 

1. Family - time spent, care for and interest in. 

2. Health - which includes training for the marathon. Keeping myself healthy helps keep my family healthy.

3. Projects: - School (Dominic's school fundraiser, Mental Health in Public Schools project)

Volunteer (Transcription for upcoming LGBT play on aging)

Craft (knitting, sewing, birthday present making, playing my new clarinet)

4. Peace and Rest - taking the time needed to let myself and my family rest and have peace as needed. 

With my to-do list in mind I'm looking forward to Saturday morning, 8:00 am at Sports Basement in Presidio. The weather report currently says "partly rainy" but come rain or shine I'll be there ready to take a fresh (re)start to this training process.