Jaime's Marathon/Fitness Journey

nurselochia · #1 February 15th, 2012, 06:10 AM

I've decided to keep track of my fitness/running here instead of on my old PR because it just makes more sense. So since I don't know how to move it from there to here, I'm just supplying the link and I'll update from here.

Anyway, Ive been picking up the mileage the last couple weeks, not outside but running at this indoor track. The downside is it takes 13 laps to complete a mile, which sucks. I did around 10 miles the other day, and I realized I just can't do that on a small indoor track. Too much stress on the inside leg. So I've got a mile overuse injury in my right leg I'm pretty sure so this week I'm backing off...and running outside. I did an easy pace 5K, just to get out and run. My right knee and down my shin started to bother me with about a half mile left but not too bad. Today I'll do another slow 3 miles, and next week if my leg is feeling normal again, I'll get back to training. But I do have plenty of time before the half marathon in April.

http://www.justmommies.com/forums/f1...cs-11-9-a.html (Jaime's Marathon Journey-updated with pics 11-9)

nurselochia · #2 February 22nd, 2012, 08:31 AM

At the end of last week, I did 4 miles on the elliptical to change things up a bit. Felt pretty good, don't think I've ever used an elliptical before so that was different. Didn't hurt my leg and I got a pretty good core work-out. Sunday was nice outside, so I ran a nice easy 4 miles. My leg was just a tad sore the first few paces, but then it was fine. It is in fact an IT band injury that I'm sporting, but it's much better since I've just done a couple easy runs. The bad thing is it starts bothering me when I start trying to work on speed. I don't have any aspirations to being one of those elite marathon runners, but I would like to do my half marathon in just a little over 2 hours, and a 5hr marathon would be nice, but I have to be able to work on speed a little. I guess I have plenty of time. I'll get my mileage up, I'm almost there already, and maybe I'll very slowly start working on speed.

nurselochia · #3 March 30th, 2012, 06:27 PM

Over the last month, I've had 2 minor overuse injuries. Nothing serious enough to sideline me, but enough that I have been taking it easy. My IT band seems to be fine now with regular stretching, but my left knee started giving me fits. So I talked with my old college roommie, who is a physical therapist, and she said my patella isn't midline on that knee. She did some tests to make sure my tendons and ligaments were ok, and they are, so she told me to just tape it so that it supports the patella and helps keep it midline, and then she asked about how I stretch before running. I had to admit I don't really stretch, so after a good lecture which I deserved lol, Ive been trying to get back into gear. Unfortunately, the half marathon is in less than a month and the farthest I've run since January is 6 miles. I'm in trouble. I'm never going to be ready in time and I had really hoped to beat my time of 2:25, hoping to come in closer to 2:10. Oh well. It's more important that I take care of my joints and be ready for the Chicago Marathon in October. I did run this week, a couple 4+ milers and then a 5K tonight. I really need to try to get a good 10 miler in at the very least before April 28th.

nurselochia · #4 April 10th, 2012, 12:20 PM

Last week was a pretty good training week for me. I intended to go out for an 8 mile run on Tuesday, but that didn't happen. I did get in a good almost 4 miler so even though it wasn't 8, it was something. My knees and IT band just give me fits sometimes, so I was doing some reading up on correct running form and found a ton of information on midfoot/forefoot strike vs heel strike. I am a heel striker runner and after watching a frame by frame video of what happens with the joints, it now makes sense why my legs hurt. What's frustrating is I remember back in HS, I used to run on my forefeet...and my HS track coach told me I was doing it wrong and spent 2 weeks 'correcting' my form. I remember how awkward it was...and about that time my times got slower. So I decided to try working on that. I wasn't thinking clearly about what that would mean for my calves, using those muscles in a different way than I had been running. But I went for an almost 7 mile run, worked on my form and felt fantastic! I ran 6.75 miles in 1:05! Much faster than I ever run and after a bit, I didn't feel like I was prancing so much and it did feel much better on my joints, my knees didn't ache...I was pleased. The next day my calves were kinda sore, but I went out for a 5K run...and realized I probably should have trained my muscles a bit slower because my calves were very tight. By Saturday, I had to walk down the stairs backwards because they were so sore. They're still a bit sore today but better. I will be running my old form until after my half marathon because I don't think I have enough time to train those muscles before running 13.1 miles.

This week I hope to get in a 10 mile run along with a couple shorter distance runs.

nurselochia · #5 April 22nd, 2012, 03:08 PM

Ran my first "official" 10K race this morning after work. Time was 1:02:18. I'm very happy with my time, especially considering it was after a 12hour nightshift.

It was a pretty small race and the course was very odd. It wound all through the college campus and they had the 5K runners going one way, the 10K going another. Then we were supposed to follow the 5K route after we went this other direction. It was not organized at all. They needed more people, more obvious ways to direct people. I had to stop and try to figure out which way I was supposed to go a couple times. It was frustrating but I always managed to choose well. I borrowed my friends garmin (LOVED IT! I must get one lol!) and the route was 10K so I know I did the right distance. Others did not. I was well ahead of 3 groups of people, no one ever passed me and towards the end, these 3 groups that I knew were behind me were suddenly headed toward the finish when we had another loop to run...they completely missed probably a full mile of the route. So I'm sure they saw their time and thought "Dang! I ran fast!" But they didn't run the entire thing. Oh well, it was a small race, I got my appetite for racing back and I'm not quite so worried about my half marathon on Saturday.