A Body at Rest

So as I stated in my last post, or at least I think I did...I hurt my back about 2-3 weeks ago at work. Well it really hasn't got any better. I thought I did, but it really hasn't. It has been back and forth, the pain coming and going as it pleases, sometime worse than others. I haven't run since last Friday when I ran a 5k.
I have a 1/2 Marathon coming up in 2 weeks from this Sunday. I have the confidence to know that I can do it, but it still makes me nervous that I cant train for it right now. I made an appointment with a chiropractor for next Wednesday, which is going to make me nervous. It will be my first time, plus there are always good and bad things that you hear about people's experiences with a chiropractor. Luckily my mother has been seeing the same one for many years, so I have confidence in the office she goes to. I really hope it relieves some pain and pressure and I can continue on.

The other tough part is that my sister is moving home from Baltimore this weekend. YIPPEE!! So my parents and one of my cousins and I are flying down on Saturday and helping her to pack it all up in a truck and her car, then drive back to Massachusetts. So I have to be careful when picking up different items, etc. I am not excited for the car ride home or even the flight home, my back tends to hurt more when sitting in the car.

What my mom and I keep reminding myself is that I need to nurse my back in order to be able to do the 1/2 marathon, be able to finish strong and happy! I want to be able to feel good at the end, to end with a smile on my face! So I am trying to stay strong, rest and get myself back to good workings and get back to running.

 

 

 

Both to me can mean two things. One, that you need to work hard and be the best you can, push yourself to get where you want to be. But for my current state, it helps me know that I CAN do the 1/2 marathon, but in order to get the best out of myself, I need to take care of myself first, listen to my body so that I can run the 1/2 marathon instead of sitting and watch as it passes me by because of an injury!

I will rest.

I will get better.

I will be stronger.

I will finish.

I will finish strong.

I will finish with a  smile on my face.

 

-Stephanie



Run for a Beer!

This past week I was ready to get back on track. I ran 8 miles on Wednesday before the Bruins game. The run was long, it wasn't bad, but it wasn't good. It was mediocre, but I did it.

Then Friday I decided to do a somewhat local 5k, the Run for Beer! What better motivation than running and getting a free Beer at the end with a free pint glass!

So it started at 5:45 and I got there at 5:15, just in time to register and be able to go to the bathroom! I wasn't able to get a shirt because they ran out and are ordering more, but I then have to either drive an hour over to get it, or find someone who lives nearby to pick it up for me!

So I got in the back of the group for the race and waited for the start. And we went off, and I felt pretty good. I set my running app to go, and shut off the "alarms" for when I reach certain distances such as every mile, I could have the app tell me my pace and how long I have been running for. The crummy part is, as I was reaching what I was hoping somewhere near 2 miles (they only signs for mile 1 and 3)...and I went to check my running app, and as I looked at my screen it read "congratulations, you have completed your workout!' and I was like, whaaaa???? So what I did was instead of choosing the Free Run option on the app, I hit Distance Run which was set for 1.9 miles. So I just had to keep going, obviously...and obviously I had hit mile 2. Which then  made me wonder. Where is the water? Is there a water stop? I asked and someone said, "I don't think so." How can that be! Its hot, and there are two hills...and NO WATER!??? I was lucky to have remembered a tip my friend Nicole told me, and that was to chew gum during a 5k to keep my mouth salivating and then I wouldn't need to carry water and be able to make it to a water stop.

So that made it more difficult, not having water, two hills and heat. I don't think it was any hotter than 80, but a lot of direct sunlight. But my goal was to finish under 40minutes and I did!

Place:322

Bib #:445

Name: Nartowt

Stephanie

Time: 39:31.9

So now I must continue on with my training for the 1/2 Marathon in July!
On Saturday I also participated in a Boot camp class in the AM, which was really good! It was tough, and I am sore, but I did it! I then spent the rest of the day walking in Boston, in hopes of stretching my muscles, and then watching the Bruins game. It was an overall good and tiring day!

-Stephanie

Back Pain = No exercise

So this morning, some of the students I work with participated in Yoga. Every Wednesday a small group of students with staff do yoga, nothing extensive. It really is just a box of cards with different poses on it, and the students each take turns leading each other in trying to pull of each position. it can be quite hilarious at times!
We have one student who is in a wheel chair that likes to stand in order to participate, which means a staff needs to stand and hold him up. He does stand on his legs, so the staff is really support so he doesn't fall over. Well today I was holding on to the student, and he bent over for a position, and then as he came back up, I bent up with him and pulled something! It was not very pleasant, and not his fault, I just wasn't being very careful!
It was pretty sore all morning, I took some ibuprofen at lunch and it didn't help. So when I got home, around 3:20, I took a muscle relaxer that my doctor prescribed last year for back spasms, etc. Well that has worked either. I ended up just taking a nap. It was nice, but when I woke up, then sat up...oh boy. It hurt to walk! Which is not good.
I ended up laying on my back on the floor, with my legs in the air to help. The pain is still there and now I am trying to ice on and off. I really hope it goes away by tomorrow. If not, I will fill out an incident report at work just because, even though it was no ones fault but my own!

So of course that meant not going to the gym today, like I had planned.

Bah! I don't like it, it is very uncomfortable!

-Stephanie

Watch your step!

So in accordance with my "training schedule" I should have ran 7 miles this past Saturday, the 8th and 5 miles today. Well, like I said in my disclaimer, that I knew that I wouldn't be able to follow my schedule to a T, but I was going to give it a try.

On Saturday I had a whole day planned, and then it all got cancelled due to "rain" that never showed. One of the girls from work invited me and another girl to some cross-fit type session on Saturday morning, then following that I had a craft fair that I was participating in. Both events were being held outdoors. So Monday, the 3rd I got an email from the Craft Fair Event people that there was a possibility that it would be cancelled because it was suppose to rain. They updated again saying it was still on, but to keep checking our emails in case. Then on Thursday they emailed to confirm that it was cancelled. Whether or not it would rain on Saturday, they were nervous that the rain on Friday would make the ground to wet and soft and make it difficult for set up and possibly ruin vendors items. So that was kind of a let down....

Then the cross fit session was still on, and I woke up Saturday and turned on my cell phone waiting to hear from my friend if she had heard anything. I texted her to confirm time and location and about 30minutes later she responded that it had been cancelled. Which I took as a good thing, because I had been pretty tired and could use the time to sleep.
But, my Saturday was still not empty! Rich and I had some friends that were moving and had asked if we could help move the week before, so we said we would! Or at least Rich would go help if I was still busy with all my plans, and well since I wasn't, I went along. It was hot and a lot of work. I didn't feel like I did to much, but definitely enough to tire me out! We were both pooped!
So needless to say, I didn't get my 7miles in that day.

Sunday I was busy all day with a cookout at church, then a day in Boston with my friend Shavonne! But I did get a lot of walking in that day, which I thought was great!

Monday I thought would be a great day to catch up and run my 7 miles, then the rain came! Bummer! I should have gone to the gym, but I went to the grocery store instead then home. Plus my Mother was being honored among a few others at the Town School Meeting for retiring this year. It was nice!

So after my long winded story, I come to today.
It had rained on and off all day, but by the end of the day of work, it had stopped, but still cloudy. I came home and thought I would take a risk....and boy did I! Not because of any rain...but the things I saw on the road!

I ran two laps around my block, and in passing ran by a dead baby bird. It was sad, but it was a quick view and then it was behind me. Then after mile 3, as I ran down one of the main streets on my town I ran by this huge dead black rat. EEEWWWW!!! It had to have been like 6 inches long, heebee geebees!!
Then not to long after I saw the rat, some guy thought it would be a GREAT idea to yell "Hey" out of his window really loud as he passed me! I was definitely startled by that!

I know many people run with music, as do I. I always am sure to have it loud enough that I can hear it, but soft enough I can hear cars passing, etc. But why do people think it is a good idea to yell really loud out the window to those who might not know what is going on. I have had it happen before, but it wasn't so loud that I was startled.

Ok so that was a rant and a long winded story, all in all, watch your step when running, you never know what you will see!

I have to work Thursday, so I think I will do a short run on the treadmill tomorrow while at the gym.
done!

-Stephanie

Back to Training

With another 1/2 marathon in my sights, approximately 38 days...I knew I needed to kick myself into high gear and prepare myself!

I decided to put together a little training calendar in order to keep on track and as a way to force myself to go, to motivate no matter what!

As you can see I have today's date and mileage highlighted! Day one down! Now I know I will not be able to keep to every day written as is because of my part time job. I don't know until midweek what my following weeks schedule will be, so I will have to adjust from there.

Tomorrow is National Running Day! I do intend to run, but since I am trying to get myself back to the gym, I will probably only do a mile, more if I am feeling up for it!

-Stephanie