I can't tell it in that order though, so we'll go backward:
THE UGLY: I did the St Patrick's Day Dash in Seattle on March 17th--WITH THE FLU. No kidding. I got sick on the 15th at school, and by that night I had a 101 temp and throwing up. I took the next day off school (and I never stay home sick), but we already had a baby sitter, and the temp seemed to have subsided, so my husband and I fled to Seattle. My rationale: I can be sick in a hotel room just as easily as I can at home. And that's what I did. The night before the race, I ate a salad, and I was upset because my body was so weak, I didn't know if I'd be able to run the 4 miles. When I woke up the next morning, I didn't know if I could WALK the four miles! But we did it. I tried to run but I was to tired. I did walk it, but at the end I was freezing and it began raining, then snowing! We went back to the hotel, where I proceeded to have a temp and chills the rest of the day. Bummer...
Oh well, there's always the 5K in Hoquiam on April 7th, right? So I thought....
THE BAD: I was debating whether or not to do a 5K or 10K at a race in my area. I had finally resigned to the do the 5K, and I was excited. On April 1st, I went out for a 7 mile run. Really, all I did was add 10 minutes to my previous long run. When I got home I got ready for church, and I could feel something pulling in my foot. By that evening, we were out at the beach at a hotel for a few days, and I could barely walk the halls. I was sure I had pulled something in my foot. Not good. And sadly, day after day, it did not get much better. I did the elliptical on Monday, Tuesday, and then Thursday came...
By this time, I decided I would not be doing the Hoquiam run. I was at the Y working out, doing the nautilus machines, and I was doing the one that works your abs. I forgot that I had been skipping that machine for the last week or two, and I put my normal weight on it, and after I finished my third set, when I stood up my legs almost gave out on me, and I felt a pull in my lower back like no other pain I've ever felt. I walked out to the bench, sat down, and thought, "What the hell have I done this time?" Sorry for the swearing...but just being honest--those were the words my brain produced. So I walked, you know the whole "Walk it off" routine...and although it still hurt, I proceeded to do an hour on an elliptical-ish machine (not sure what it is, but I only use it when I'm hurt). Well, let's just say I spent the next two days on the couch or in bed with ice on my back. I took this as a sign that God was going to see to it that I rested my foot.
By Monday, my foot felt great and my back was at about 85%. I was feeling up to trying to run, and I did. I jogged 3 miles and walked 1. OK, that's good, right? Except my foot decided it wasn't done being aggravated...grrrr...
So I won't bore you with the rest of my week, but lets just say I have my theories, and I'm working through it. My foot WILL heal. I haven't hit the weights this week, as I have been letting my back heal and I didn't want to injure it further. I did run on Wed, and Tues/Thurs were elliptical and spinning (see, I just bored you with my workouts, sorry).
I was starting to feel a bit jinxed about races, but I really need to get a race (or more) under my belt before the 1/2 marathon, which is only 2 months away--eek!
THE GOOD: There is a lot of good!
1. I had already signed up for a 5K for Saturday, and I'm going to do it. It's Cure the Kids, and it's for the Seattle Children's Foundation. Seattle Children's Hospital is the same hospital my son Tyson goes to for his cranio-facial team for his cleft lip/palate. I saw this race and just felt I had to do it. I am not working out tomorrow, so I WILL make it to this starting line.
2. I am getting fitted for orthotics on Tuesday. I feel like a wimp admitting that, but I also hope it will help my foot and keep me going for many years to come.
3. I'm still exercising. Yes, me...I'm still doing it. 9 months straight, which is a total record for me. I haven't lost any lbs recently, but my total is -32 lbs (on a good day of course LOL). Maybe it's another plateau, maybe it's muscle, or maybe it's the popcorn I still eat at night. But I am still exercising.
4. I played pickle ball today with my sixth graders in PE. I do that every year, but this year, it just felt different--it felt good! I need to do that more often!
5. And of course, the 1/2 marathon...
I have really been struggling with these injuries. I feel like my training isn't where it needs to be. In fact, I know it's not where it needs to be. And you know what? That is OK! On one hand, I feel like I'm not going to meet my goal of running the entire 13.1 miles. It's looking like I will probably end up walking part of it. But at the same time, I HAVE NOT QUIT! I set a goal, and I'm doing the best I can to make it. Sure, now I have to tweak that goal a bit, but I will run in that 1/2 marathon, and even if I have to walk a little, I will still finish 13.1 miles. Do you hear that? I will get to the starting line, and I will finish!
I won't lie, there are days I don't want to run. Cross Training has been a great way to keep running fun because I don't run 5 days a week. I might run 3 or 4 days a week, then I throw in a day of elliptical, and day of spinning (which is the best 45 minutes of exercise I've ever experienced in my life), and 3 days a week of weights (nothing major, but enough that it is resistance training that is producing positive results). On those days I don't want to run, I think of a child like Almudena, the child that LWB has assigned to me as my inspiration. I wish I could figure out how to post her picture here because you'd fall in love with that cherubic little face. I think of Tyson, and I think of how someone gave him a cleft lip operation, and they did an amazing job! So I keep running. I don't quit, and I won't give up.
Sometimes I think Satan is really just out to get me because he knows how much good is coming from this experience. I am seeing God move in ways I never dreamed. I'm hearing God speak to me. And I know God is going to use this experience to further His will. Satan doesn't like this, and he will lie, cheat, and steal from me to make me give up. But I won't, because I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me. And lastly....
"Being confident of this, that he who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus." Phillippians 1:6
Thanks for reading, and sorry it's so long...I'll try to post more often so the posts will be shorter!
Jolene
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