Darcy – December 28

My patella tendon on my right knee is still a little tender from the 18 miles on the ‘mill the other day. Dale’s little sister – the Athletic Trainer – gave me a nice adjustment for Christmas! She discovered what I had already known… my right leg was off by about a half an inch… a tug here, a pop there, some massaging of my knee crunchies, and I’m feeling good to go.

After a week of over-indulgence, a christmas, an anniversary celebration, a weekend with the kids… Sunday arrived in absence of any running since Monday. Upon arriving at home from our “staycation” down the street at Mom’s, Dale said “now is as good a time as any to go for a run”…. off I went in search of my gear.

It was about 55 out, cloudy, windy. The snow of last weekend was washed away in the rains of Christmas Eve. I didn’t have a goal in mind, just that I wanted to get some time in pounding out some of my thoughts. I decided to see where the afternoon took me, in loops around Peter Rd.

I ended up doing 6 laps, half mile repeats with recovery walking in between. The effort felt like it was about 9 minute miles, maybe a little faster. I felt bloated, but happy, energetic, and relieved to be doing my thing after almost a week of doing every one else’s thing! The knees held up good, even though they were a little sore while running, they were NOT sore afterwards. A little ice anyway for good measure, and a day later, I can’t even tell I went running!

I ended my workout with a 10 minute power burn pilates session, which I’m definitely feeling it today.

I discovered this morning (now the 29th) that my bloated lag was due to a lovely monthly visitor… I counted it out…and I won’t be bloated or inconvenienced (hopefully, unless the cycle goes completely awry) on the day of the marathon.

Long range weather shows snow snow and more sleet and freezing rain on tap for the first days of the new year, which means I’ll be turning back to the treadmill for my 21 mile run which is currently slated for this coming Sunday. We have a snow boarding weekend planned for MLK day weekend, with the kids in their first snowy adventures. It will throw a kink into my training plans, but 5 hours of snowboarding is endurance training, right?

I can’t believe how quickly the time is passing and how fast the marathon is coming up on us! I can’t wait to visit Sarah, enjoy a taste of Austin, and rock the 15th!

Darcy – December 22

Thanks to a double dose of snow and sleet, Peter Rd is a skating rink and its about 10 degrees out there! Looks like my postponed Long Long Run will be back indoors on the treadmill.

I had 18 scheduled for today. 18 miles on a treadmill means at least 3 hours of torture.

The first hour passed quickly while I watched ESPNs recap of Sunday football. I did the last 30 minutes at a 1% incline. I paused at 6 miles, and did my potty break, and refill.

I stretched my legs, and signed on for the second hour. Torturous. Insane. Painful. I did the incline at 1.5% for 2 miles. 6 miles and 1 hour later, I paused again for a stretch, potty and refill. This time, I ate half of a kashi chewy bar and washed it down with water.

Upon evaluating my well-being at 12 miles, my legs were tired, but not too sore. My body was chaffing in all the normal spots, but not enough to stop me.

Hour 3 proved to be as slow as molasses on this cold icy day. I watched every second tick off, every .01 mile tick down, every lap go by on the psuedo track of the display. I did 1 mile at a 2% incline.

I made it, relieved… Refueled, stepped into the shower, and reset my brain for Mama-duty!

Darcy – December 14

A short long run… an oxymoron? Perhaps. Its a crazy concept when 2 hours of running is considered “short”. I start out with all intentions of doing “only” 10.

My body was tired – probably still lingering hangover from my many too many Sam Adam’s winter lagers on Friday night.

It was so cold. I’m a fair weather running fan. I think my limit is 38 degrees, without wind. Today it was 39, but gusty out there.

I did my usual “just make it to 2″. I still wanted to stop. Every lap, I wanted to stop, and it was mind over matter when my legs were screaming for reprieve. At 9, I decided that I could squeak three more out of this 33 year old body. 12 miles on the books in 2 hours. I was pleased with myself for pushing out the door and getting it done.

I was frozen for an hour after – my belly, the tops of my thighs and my butt. Frozen. It wasn’t freezing out, but I can only imagine! Even though I was cold for most of the run, I managed to work up quite a slick sweat.

I was proud of myself for working through my negative “I don’t wanna run in the cold” thoughts and doing what I wanted to do…

Darcy – December 12

Today I woke up exhausted from the last weeks worth of late nights and bad sleep. My body was aching, so I decided to Arc Trainer my workout instead of running on the treadmill (we were still in the throes of a monsoon around these parts). I got my time in, and zoned out, but it was a boring workout nonetheless. I’ll be gearing up for a shorter long run this weekend. Forecast looks promising – may not have to bore myself to tears with a long run on the ‘Mill. Planning on 10-12 depending on how the body feels.

Darcy – December 10

Since the forecast said rain rain rain wind wind wind, I was originally going to go to the gym. But, when the weather channel showed a brief break in the monsoon, I geared up. It started POURING at mile 3, but I pushed through it… logged 6 miles in an hour. I felt good, though a little tight from Sunday’s endeavors.

The bad news was that Ginger almost got hit by a car! I don’t know if the wind confused her or what… she usually stays right by my side the whole way. She’s voice trained, and obediant (except when it comes to barking). I only carry the leash to appease every one else. (apparently a leashed dog is more safe than an unleashed dog though I can vouch that when an 85 lb mutt wants off, they will find a way) She darted across the road, and I’m so lucky the guy had good breaks. He was NOT happy, and had a few choice words for me. I understand his point, but he could have been a little more eloquent with his tirade. He wasn’t from our neighborhood – everyone that lives on Peter Rd drives slow, and knows that kids and dogs are part of our community. They all wave, and a few stop and give her treats while we’re out and about…

I can’t run while holding the leash, so I’m not sure what the solution will be in the future. Of course, I got paranoid when I saw a police car patrolling the neighborhood… wondering if I got reported for an unleashed dog in a land of leash laws.

Darcy – December 7

The forecast said 1″ of snow in Plymouth for Sunday… I woke up this morning to that inch, and watched it pile up all morning… snow is definitely good for packing baggies full and icing after a workout!

Last night, Dale and I agreed that I’d go to the gym to do a long workout sometime around 10. Due to a shopping trip indecision, I didn’t make it out the door until 11:15.

Mom showed up for part of my workout… It was nice to see her, and have some distraction…

I chose one of those new-fangled treadmills with a TV right on it (which works great since I can’t see the other tv’s withhout my glasses). I found the Harry Potter marathon on the family channel and tuned out for my workout. I had lots to crunch through from the weekend’s events, and spent some time wondering how Sarah made out on her workout.

I ran a 10k in an hour, then recovered while talking to Rebekah Jones. I changed my shirt, my underwear (I was getting chafe from my cotton ones), and took a potty break. I also ate a banana and refilled my waterbottle with gatorade. I ran the second 10K in the same hour, and recovered. I changed my socks because my second toe was getting sore (I think they were too thick) and took a potty break. I ran a 5k in under 30 minutes to top off my workout.

I ran my mile paces at either 9:40 or 9:13 miles, mixed in with a few quarter mile intervals at 8:34. By the last 5k, I was pooped, and my right hip flexor was tight, but I was determined… I watched every second tick off the clock during the last 1.6 miles!

I recovered with a soy, strawberry, and whey protein smoothie. I drank an entire big bottle of gatorade during my workout, and had a banana part way through.

It was boring to run on the treadmill, but I was happy to put in the time. Running on a treadmill is physically much different than running on the road – instead of moving myself along a path, I’m keeping up with the belt. I feel for me its a lot easier to run on a treadmill than on the road. I got a good gauge of my endurance by this workout, and minimized the pounding on my body even though I was still running.

No sports bra chafe… LOVE THAT BRA! I’ve asked Santa for another one.

Darcy – Dec 3 & 5

I was worried about my foot from my long run on Monday, so I made the executive decision to hit the gym.

Wed I did an hour on the arc trainer – cross training aerobics. I pushed HARD – kind of testing my endurance and aerobic capacity… I felt really good. I paid for it on Thursday, my core muscles and arms were screaming!

Friday I tested my foot, in my new shoes. I think on Monday, I probably tied them too tight. Today my workout was run 5k, rest / recover, run 5k, recover, and then 60 minutes on the arc trainer. I ran the first 5k in 27:40, which is a new PR for me post-motherhood. I FELT SO DAMN GOOD! The second 5k I ran slower at a 10 minute mile pace. I bumped my intensity down a notch on the arc trainer and still felt GOOD.

I ran into Rebekah Jones (a fellow Mt. Greylock Class of 94) at the end of my arc trainer workout.. Such a small world that she lives in Plymouth too.

I think my body is trying to adapt to running these long distances at 20 lbs heavier than my max ideal weight. It puts a lot of stress on the structure, so I’m listening to my body and modifying my long run workout. I decided to do a long workout at the gym to simulate running for 3 hours. On my schedule, I had planned to run 14. The workout plan is 10k, recovery, 60 minutes arc trainer, recovery, 10k. We’ll see how that goes! I plan on taking it easy, and processing some things going on in my personal life… (hi michael if you are reading…)

Snow and cold are on the forecast for tomorrow around here anyway, so I’m relieved to be running inside!

Darcy – Monday December 1

well, well well…. Last weekend was … the weekend from hell. Friday night was an all nighter with Ethan as he filled bucket after bucket. Saturday I sanitized, degermified, and antibacterialized my entire house. We thought we were spared, until Sunday night at 930 the rest of us 4 caught the violent tummy bug. Every 20 minutes – Kayla, Dylan and myself between the bathroom, and the buckets. My fever ran as high as 102.5 (which is ridiculously high for me…), and the aches and pains (like the ones on TOP of my feet, and the roots of my hairs) was enough to send me running for advil – if only I could keep it down. By Wed, I was more or less recovered. Any desire to run was killed by the lingering exhaustion, and the beginnings of our Turkey Day preparations.

Unfortunately, we gave our germies to the nanny so I gave her Friday off too, which mean no run for me for over a week! Oy.

Yesterday – Sunday – I went to Dick’s to pick up a new pair of kicks, since I can feel my other ones are totally shot. I also picked up 2 pairs of running pants and a new UnderArmor sports bra, cold weather hats (with a cute little cutout for my ponytail), and 2 new pairs of running socks. I got home, all excited to head out when I was informed that there was ice falling from the sky (gotta love a 4 year old’s take on life…). Sleet. Freezing rain. Rain. and big fat snowflakes. Welcome to New England! At least the weather channel said up to 60 for Monday… of course, if I’d just stop procrastinating and go get my treadmill, I wouldn’t have had to put it off.

This morning, I geared up with all intentions of doing 14. I felt surprisingly good. Prepared mentally, physically not so beat up… I had to take a potty break after 5 when I noticed my arch on my right foot was tired. I think the new shoes are lacking in enough arch support for my lovely tootsies. by 10, the TOP of my foot was sore, and begging to stop. I stopped and stretched in hopes of getting rid of it. I stayed the course for 2 more miles, but decided that instead of risking injury, I would cut it short and find an arch support solution.

I did gatorade – about 2 oz every mile. And at 5, and 10, I took 3 or 4 chunks of a cut up power bar. I didn’t bonk like I anticipated, and would have been able to do the full 14 if I didn’t have my equipment malfunction.

My new sports bra is magnificent! I haven’t showered and seen the full affect of my new boobie-masher (the shower is when the ouchies come out), but the bounce control on it is out of this world. Add to that the fact that its seemless and soft in all the normal chafing spots, and I’m almost sold. I can see that I might end up with chafing around the arms from rubbing as my arms swing, but I’m really really really really really really REALLY hoping that this is the cure to my big-boob woes… at $45 a pop IT BETTER BE!!!

Hopefully the foot ouchie goes away by Wed. If not, I’ll head to the gym to grind out an hour workout on the machines. I’m going to “roll” my arch with that water bottle ice insert thingy – its shaped like a tube and perfect for these types of situations…

Sarah – how’s the shin-digs?