Days 12-14: Ran the Dirty Dash!

Friday I had planned to run, but I overslept and my stomach was still not up to 100%.  I took River for her walk and got  shower.  James had a piano competition that Mike and I took him to.  He was very excited, but also very nervous.  He played really well, but for that session we didn't get to find out how he placed.  There were announcing it today.  He cleans up well though.

 

 

Saturday was a rest day and I was at a swim meet all day.  I left very early and got home for dinner.  I was beat by the time I got home.

 

Today was the Dirty Dash.  This race is always one of my favorite races of the summer.  It's my 3rd year running it and every year I love playing in the mud!  I was concerned how I would do since I haven't run in a week.  I took it out nice and easy and just didn't push it.  The first 2k was nice and felt good.  At the first river crossing there was a bottle-neck and things slowed way down.  I knew that was coming and every year it's hard to get my momentum back.  I did the 2nd river crossing and was starting to feel the lack of running all week.  Then the muddy hill caused me to slip, but I still got up it.  The mud pit was deep and thick.  It was so much fun trying to get through it!  I was covered!

 

I did start out nice and clean though.

 

 

 

After crawling through the mud and was still smiling and just a little less clean.

 

 



My time was okay, but I don't do this one for time, I do this one for the mud!  Next weekend I run the Warrior Dash so I'll get all muddy again!

Tomorrow I'm back on my training schedule so after the morning swim practice, I'm stopping by the gym for a 2 mile run on the treadmill and weights.  I'll be getting up early most mornings next week since mom and dad will be here.  I still have to get my runs in!

Days 9-11: Some Ups and Downs

Tuesday and Wednesday were not good days at all.  I still hadn't eaten Tuesday and most of Wednesday.  I just couldn't do any exercise without the calories to sustain me through the workout.  By Wednesday evening, I was feeling better so I tried to eat some dinner.  Success!!!!!!!!!  I felt so much better after eating dinner last night! 

Since I was able to eat, I decided to get back to the gym this morning after I coached the Masters practice.  I ate half of a protein bar for breakfast and had some orange juice.  I wasn't going to push it and since it was a cross training day, I thought I would be a good day to start back.

I did the bike like I always do.  After about 5 minutes it started to feel really good.  I alternated 1 mile really fast and hard and 1 mile easy for 8 miles.  It really did feel good to get some exercise.  I then did upper body weights.  I just felt amazing the whole time!  Such a huge change from even Saturday morning's run.

I did weigh myself at the gym and I've lost almost 8 pounds.  I knew I lost some weight due to being sick, but I didn't think it was that much.  I guess it gave me a jump start towards my ultimate goal.

When I got home I had to walk River.  Since Mike was out of town last night, the dogs had to be put in their playpens/crates when I left at 4:15.  Normally Mike feeds them when I have morning practice, but they had to wait until I got home.  When I got home at 9:30 they were hungry and River was ready for her walk.

It was a beautiful morning!  No humidity and the wind was blowing.  We did just over 5k in about an hour.  She is tired now.  That's good because I have to go back to the University for a meeting and practice so she won't get her lunchtime walk.  I'm hoping that since her morning walk was over 2 hours later that the timing will work out.

Tomorrow morning I'm getting up and doing an easy 5k run.  Just to get back into the swing of things.  Saturday I won't be running as it's my rest day and I'm at a swim meet all day.  Sunday I runt he Dirty Dash so that's my run for the day.  By Monday I should be back on my training schedule with just a few tweaks.

I'm so glad I'm feeling better!

Day 8: No Go

Today I spent recovering from yesterday.  I knew I probably wouldn't get a run in, but I was still hopeful that I would be feeling well enough to sneak in a mile or two.  No such luck.  While I couldn't run, I did get 4 miles of walking in with the River. 

I did eat some dinner tonight so maybe tomorrow I can get a short run in early in the morning.  I'm really hoping to at least get 2 miles in to see how I feel.

I can't decide if this hitting me at the beginning of my training is better than it hitting me at the end or not.  I guess I'll find out.

Day 7: Not what I planned

Today was supposed to be my long run, but my body had other plans.

Around 2:30, I woke up feeling funny.  I went downstairs and drew a warm bath.  I wasn't in long when the vomiting started.  I threw up 3 times and thought that was it.  Nope.  My stomach decided to wage a full on exocirist type war.  I ended up with 5 hours of worshipping the porcelain gods.  I finally called the telehealth nurse so I could go to the ER.

Once there, I threw up again.  They hooked my up to an IV and gave me anti-nausea medicine.  After several hours of getting rehydrated, the doctor said it was probably food poisoning or something along those lines.

I've spent the rest of the day in bed drinking clear liquids and taking Gravol. Right now I'm just achy from being in bed all day.  I am feeling better though, but probably won't run tomorrow.  I don't want to push it.  Tuesday we'll have to play by ear.

I never want to go through that again.

Day 6: Not a Good Run

Ugh...I know I'm going to have runs like this, but I hate it when I do have them.  This morning I woke up at 3:00 with a migraine.  I took some medicine and went back to bed knowing the dogs would get me up around 5:30 for breakfast.  They got me up and my head still hurt, but not as bad.  I waited a bit and then decided that if I was going to run I had better do it.

I took River with me as she gives me the motivation to keep going.  Every step of this run just hurt.  My head pounded, my legs ached, my stomach was revolting against the medicine.  Halfway in to the 4 mile run I decided to call it quits.  It's just not worth it to feel miserable the rest of the day. 

I did get 2 miles in and that's at least something.  I hate when runs feel like this.  It's going to happen, but I still don't have to like it.  Maybe this evening I'll see if I can get another short run in if the humidity drops as the sun goes down.  Right now I'm going to have some breakfast and a cool shower and maybe go back to bed for a bit.

Tomorrow is my long run and I hope it goes better than today.

Day 5: A Day of Rest

I switched my rest day from tomorrow to today since I didn't sleep well last night.  I just tossed and turned all night long.  When my alarm went off, I just couldn't get up.  So I took my rest day today.

I did get River out for her morning walk.  It was raining and very humid.  I am ready for the humidity to be gone, but I don't think that's happening anytime soon.  I was glad to get home and enjoy the AC and a my morning smoothie.

Tomorrow I'll be up for 4 miles before I walk River.  I should get a better night's sleep tonight.

Day 4: Cross Training and Weights

This week just keeps getting busier and busier.  I think I have a handle on it and then I realize that I really don't.

This morning I had to get up at 3:45 to go in to coach a Masters practice.  Thank goodness for coffee!  After coaching until 7:00 I drove back to Kitchener to hit the gym for some cross training and weights.  I enjoy my cross training days as I do the recumbent bike and get to read while I exercise.  Some days I go for 35 minutes and some days 45.  It depends on my weight circuit and time constraints.  Today I only did 35 minutes since I was doing a full body circuit and had to get home to walk River and give Anya her eye medicine.  I still did 8.5 miles at a fairly good pace.  The time really flew by! The reading helps most days.

I haven't really lifted weights since May so I was expecting to see some regression today.  I really didn't see all that much.  I was at the weight I left off on in May on every machine.  I was pretty happy with that session.

When I got home, I had to get River out for her walk.  The poor thing was about 3 hours past when she normally goes out.  She was ready to go, but it was humid.  We only walked about 2 miles as she was the one pulling me towards home.  Right now she's crashed on the on the floor next the AC vent.

While I was walking I was trying to get everything straight in my mind for the next few days.  I thought my schedule was going to lighten up, but it really isn't for at least another week.  I may need a vacation after summer is over! 

Right now I just need to focus on what needs to be done today.  With that, I'm off and running again!