Running on...

Man, I am not great at updating this thing. I guess it doesn't really matter, but I think it will be neat to look back on all this, hopefully after completing the marathon...

I think I'm almost starting to figure this hip-thing out. I'm finding some stretches that seem to help. I also think getting some new shoes would help. The ones I bought most recently seem to be way too small. Not sure what I was thinking at the time -- probably that they were cheaper? I don't think they give my feet enough room to properly expand/absorb when they hit the ground. As an experiment, I used my old shoes for my last couple of runs. They are substantially wider underneath the balls of my feet, and I really think this makes a big difference. So, I'm going to spend the money and go back to Asics. Of all the tennis shoes I've worn, I don't think any have seemed as comfortable as Asics. Probably worth the money...

So, that's exciting. I also ran a 5K this past weekend that felt like it was more or less uphill the entire course. I finished with my usual time, though, and was quite pleased to do so, given all the hills. It was very encouraging.

I'm really going to try in the next week or so to get back on schedule with the training. On Monday night, in the gloriously merciful 80-degree weather, I managed 8 miles! Again, very encouraging. Last night, I managed 4 of the 5 I had planned on. This hip thing.... Also, it's hard to rationalize expending that much time on a week night, just to run. It's been good to finally get some miles in, though. Ideally, I'd really like to keep the longer runs to the weekends going forward, and hopefully I can get on track for another, longer run this coming weekend. Shooting for 10...

I've realized on the longer runs that time is such a factor for my mental state; having to remind myself that it's OK to take the time to do the run, or to stop and stretch if needed. With all the miles, I really have to be patient and accept that it's just going to take some time, no matter how fast I run. As much as anything, it really is just a big time commitment.

Whew.

Also, I've been reeeally bad at remembering to update my little mileage thing at the bottom here. I have been keeping track on my handy spreadsheet, though, so I will try to get that updated for the next post, which will hopefully be sooner than later, sometime this weekend.

Bye for now!

Well, this sucks...

Someday, I'll look back on the awfulness of now, and it will only be some very faint memory. A bad dream. Or at best, maybe some sort of testament to my commitment to completing a marathon, however unnecessary or misguided the endeavor was to begin with...

Training is going great. Obviously.

My right leg feels like it's on the wrong body. Like it doesn't fit anymore. Like it's too long. And it's pissing-off my knee, too. It hurts. It's been hurting. It does not appear to be getting better.

It feels like I'm about to get sick again. Maybe it's just allergies? In any case, I can't hear out of my ears. Again. And I can't help but think that maybe there really is something in our house that is slowly killing us. Maybe I too will get to look forward to the joy of sinus surgery.

ONLY TIME WILL TELL.

It's just incredibly frustrating, comparing how well the year started off, versus how things are going right now. Right now, when I actually really need to be training in earnest...

I may go back to a doctor and ask them about this ear thing. Again. Maybe I'll try to chat with a physical therapist, too.

When I imagined the difficulties of training for a marathon, this was NOT what came to mind...

Two steps back...

No sooner than I received my awesome, new tracking spreadsheet, I was plagued by a nasty, nasty summer cold that just won't die. After a demoralizing two-weeks, in which I ran a total of 2 miles (and probably ill-advised miles, at that), I returned to the doctor, and was informed that I likely have a sinus infection. Bad news.

(As a side note, though, I have to say, those 2 miles felt so, so good. I can't even explain. Maybe it was just the  immense joy of being off the couch for a few minutes. Either way, I regret nothing!!)

The good news is that they prescribed me some nifty pills and I think I may finally be on the road to recovery! And not a minute too soon, either. I'm definitely stressing over the time I've lost, as I'm now nowhere near where I thought I'd be or where I'd like to be, training-wise. The only thing I can think is that at least I had those 100+ miles in before all of this went down...

But I guess that's life! And I suppose part of attempting to do anything difficult that requires lengthy planing and training is accepting that things are often, well, difficult, and don't always go according to plan.

Speaking of, just before falling ill, I attempted one of my more ambitious routes to date. The plan was to run from my house all the way over to my parents' on the west end of town. I had anticipated that the "rolling hills" of 15th  Street would make the 5 or so miles "difficult," but wow. Wow. Much respect to those middle-aged ladies out there that morning, running up and down those hills, in to the sun, seemingly unfazed, all along that vast, shade-less awfulness of a street. Hopefully I'll try it again soon with better results.

Here's to feeling better soon!

The Totals:

Running:

• July:  2.0   
• 2014:  126.8

Biking (non-stationary):

• June: 0.0
• 2014: 58.5