Girl In Motion

What a lovely Memorial Day it is in my neck of the woods, albeit somewhat toasty for running. A sunny 77 degrees had me sweating like a piglet and hoping for a speedy hot weather acclimation this year. Doesn’t feel as difficult as last year, though.

It’s funny looking back at my logs from last year, my first summer running. The first time I felt really hot, like miserably hot, was on a 75 degree day. The log entry goes, “Yay! Second 7 miler. Averaged 10:56 pace. Not bad. Hot as fuck though and I ordered an Amphipod belt as soon as I got home.”

It’s about a year later and my pace today was 8:50, so what took 1:17 to complete now takes 1:01. And I thought I was just hydrating better, lol.

Healthwise, I’ve been running two days on, one day off in an effort to kick my ankle crap out the door and it’s working fabulously. I haven’t used the ankle brace for the last 3 runs and the last two were 7 milers. 7 or 8 tomorrow, then Wednesday we’re off to Las Vegas and the Wild West for twelve days…mileage to be determined.

I’m taking a laptop, so I hope to be blogging while gone, though I’m sad because I got my hair cut and it looks ugly/stupid so I already hate all my vacation photos, even though I haven’t left yet. Oh well.

Speaking of bad hair, my new favorite song in the whole world is “I’m Not Over” by Carolina Liar. Here’s the video so you can hear the whole thing. Greasy two-toned hair isn’t really my thing, but he looks rather yummy in ponytailed closeup.

No matter, the song has such great hooks that I can’t stop playing it…4 times in a row on my run today surpassing last week’s favorite song in the whole world, “Sewn” by The Feeling. Really bad contrived video for that one, but the song is gorgeous.

Remember a few months ago, when I was going on about losing weight for racing season, instigated by the few pounds I lost from the flu? I never did update this, but after 4 days of noting everything I ate along with a meticulous calorie count, I stopped. Stopped weighing myself and stopped worrying about it.

After all, one of the utmost joys of running is being able to eat what you want with just a modicum of moderation. So why take away such a glorious, valuable gift? Let my speed increases come solely from training - I don’t want to deny myself anything yummy again!

Beyond the power of choice, losing weight can be a no-win game for us gals in our 40s. There is a (very true) saying that women my age must sometimes choose between our asses or our faces.

In case that isn’t immediately clear, it’s because as we age, we need fat in our faces, it’s what keeps things from drooping and sagging. So accepting a big butt may be the price you pay for a more youthful face. Now, I don’t want to get fat (been there, done that), but I also think losing weight could backfire on me…so bring on the candy!

I have candy pretty much every night after dinner and have for years. I go on streaks, but I’m always up for jelly beans and their cousins, Mike & Ike, though Jelly Bellies are my fave. The problem with chewy candy, however, is that in its clutches, I become a bottomless pit. It takes a shitload of jelly beans for me to feel “done” - I’ll eventually stop because I know I should, but not because I want to.

So I take occasional breaks from the chew-licious crack and buy chocolate type candies for awhile. My latest favorite is this mix: Reeses Pieces and Mighty Malts (or Whoppers if I must). Behold my delectable bowl of baby poo.

I love these bowls, too. They’re about as big as your fist and perfect as an alternative for sitting there with an open bag on your lap. It’s my one nod towards portion control.

But enough of this sugar, the most sweetest thing just happened and no candy was involved:

Nick’s dad, 91, lives downstairs with his springy 70 year-old wife. She’s been in Germany for 2 weeks and will be returning tomorrow but Nick’s dad is utterly lost without her. Nick just looked in on him and he’s been sitting there today, all dressed up, because he was convinced today is Saturday and she’d be coming home. The sweetie!

What a great run, 5 pain-free miles in the rain. I was over the moon for feeling like my old self (if my old self wore an ankle brace). I’m not afraid of my body parts anymore!

This has been the worst thing about getting injured, I had a vision that I was a toy repaired with Crazy Glue. Like you never know when it’ll break again (jeez, can you imagine if I had a sfx?). Anway, I can’t wait to get my mileage back, though I’ll stay on the conservative side this week.

Yesterday I entered the Pfitzinger 18/55 plan into my Excel running calendar which was both titillating and exciting. I had planned to start with the 18/70 and subtract the extra runs on double days, but it looks like padding the 18/55 will work out better.

I prefer the 70’s long run schedule (5 going up to 22 instead of 3 topping out at 20) so that’s one place for modification. The other is to add some easy miles to the first few weeks since the plan starts with 4 days/week and I run more than that. It’s nice to have the wiggle room, though.

One very interesting and weird realization is that this training plan is easier than what I’ve been doing these past couple months! There’s only one hard workout a week and even that’s not as aggressive as the weekly speedwork & tempos I’d been doing, so…cool! I’m really looking forward to starting this shindig.

On an unrelated note, I saw a wonderful, sweet, hilarious, totally warped movie the other day that I had to mention to you kids: Lars and the Real Girl. Check out the trailer. It’s on OnDemand if you have that bit of cable extravagance. What a gem.

How cavalier I was when last I left you folks, spouting this little morsel, “Going out for 4 today and will keep it at 4 for the next couple days” After I returned from my run I realized that running 4 days in a row is reckless when you’re repairing yourself, so I took yesterday off. It rained all day anyway, so I wasn’t that tempted.

The UPS guy brought my ankle brace, which I like quite a lot - it’s a lace-up one, so I feel like a boxer in it. It works, too! Started my run today with my usual trepidation of “how bad is this going to feel and for how long?” but the discomfort disappeared sooner than it has for the last few runs, so I did 5 miles at my pre-injured easy pace of 8:49. What a relief.

There’s a huge regatta going on in my stomping ground, so it was a lively run, maneuvering around people, boats, and people carrying boats. I passed by this one girl who was running and reading at the same time, which deserved a double-take because I could have sworn it was a paperback, but I was too shy to turn around and check it out.

It reminded me of my diving days when, on an especially deep dive that requires a long decompression stop (to rid your body of nitrogen so you don’t get the bends), some people bring books to read while they’re hanging there. Clever idea, since holding onto a rope mid-water for an hour or more is the most boring non-activity in the world, though I always imagined the pages floating away so never tried it. That said, I’m not even tempted to read while running.

Anyway, I feel like I’m officially on the mend which means the next order of business will be revisiting my marathon plan starting point, but first…vacation!! We’re going out West in a couple weeks for a 12-day sojourn; doing the Grand Canyon, Yellowstone, Moab, Polygamist Sect National Parks tour.

Our first activity that is already reserved (and I am terrified of) is an all-day mule ride through the Grand Canyon. The mules walk perilously close to the edges of cliffs you wouldn’t dare hike on foot, so eeeeek!! They say they haven’t lost a mule yet, which should be heartening, though how can one not respond with, “there’s always a first time.”

Looking forward to seeing what running holds for me out West. I’ve been told Yellowstone has plenty of bears so it’s not a good idea to run there, but I’m sure every place will be different. Nick is so cute, he’s promised to ride along side me on a rented bike and if that’s not available, by car. Payback will be me on a bike in Moab, the bicyclist’s mecca, with a smile on my face and no comments like, “yeah, biking’s ok, but not half as fun as running”. What we do for love.

OK, so I’m feeling good about the ankle, the taping has made all the difference in the world. I managed 4 miles at 9:00/mile yesterday, so already I’m back in the “normal” ballpark. A little discomfort on and off during the run, but mild and no discomfort when walking at all.

Today was my second appointment with the doc, who said if I wanted to run over the weekend I should come Thursday for re-taping.

So I go this morning and first off they put these odd contraptions on me:

Cynical observation #1:
I ask what it’s for and the girl attaching it says something about stretching the toes, like massage, but I’m here to fix my peroneal tendon on the right foot, so I wonder what long-term good this can possibly have and why both feet? Hmmm.

Cynical observation #2 (and the most important one):
When I saw the doc on Tuesday, he mentioned the peroneal was slipping from it’s groove. I had already read about that, so I knew the term for it (subluxation) which surprised him. After I got home that day, I started questioning his diagnosis though, because a subluxed tendon supposedly feels like it’s popping over the ankle bone and is a very serious thing…50% of people with this need surgery, otherwise, it’s a boot for a few weeks!

So today, when he sits down to give me acupuncture, I ask him about subluxation and my understanding that it’s a serious problem. He says maybe it’s simply a mild case, so I then ask him to tell me the primary symptom of subluxation and he says “you feel a snapping of the tendon”. The problem with this is, I never said I felt this - there’s no snapping or movement at all, so where’d this diagnosis come from?!? Not to mention, he never even picked my foot up to physically see what it was doing in the first place! Subluxation my foot (punny, huh?), it isn’t that and he agreed.

Cynical observation #3:
I mention I ordered a popular type of brace for my ankle and he gives me eyebrows up and asks what I was hoping to accomplish with the brace. I sheepishly reply that the taping seemed to help a lot, so when he’s not available for taping, I’d use the brace. I’m thinking he’s anti-brace (because it means less bi-weekly appointments) but then he tells me the one he sells (aha!) is better and thinner and more comfortable. I reply that if mine doesn’t work, I’ll buy his.

Cynical observation #4:
Everyone in the room is getting the same stuff, same treatments. If I’m there to fix my peroneal tendon, why I am I getting the same thing Bunion Lady is getting? All in all, I’d rather spend 15 minutes with a doctor who directly addresses the problem than over 2 hours for “feel good” treatments.

What I got at the end of my appointment (besides the $26 parking ticket because I was there for 2.5 hours) was for him to look at my x-ray from Monday, which (joy, oh joy) looks fine and dandy with nothing suspect, so it’s probably just an irritated tendon and I should be right as rain in a couple weeks of keeping it taped/braced.

If however, I start feeling more discomfort, I’ll travel up to Matt’s podiatrist, who won the Philly Marathon years back, so the guy knows running. But hopefully, everything is on the mend.

So that’s my doctor adventure, from “what fun is this!” to “um…are you sure?”

Going out for 4 today and will keep it at 4 for the next couple days, I guess. Just happy to get out there. I guess this means I’m a real runner.

When I got to the podiatrist, I was worried - not for the outcome of my foot, but because my first sight is a woman sitting there with acupuncture needles in her leg, then another woman with some weird machine attached to her foot, then another with a torturous-looking splint device attached to her foot.

I’m about the farthest from Eastern philosophies and ching-ching stuff as a person’s allowed to be, so I was doing secret eye-rolling when no one was looking.

My first task was to stand and walk on a pad that reads pressure and heat, so when the doc analyzed me, he noticed I distribute uneven weight between legs, my poor right leg does a lot more work than the left, and that the way my foot rolls is kinda wacky. Hmmm, makes sense since any twinges I get are always on the right leg.

Additionally, it appears I’m paying karma points for making fun of those Lincoln Center ballerinas when I was in acting school, with their constant fifth-position waddle…turns out that’s kind of how I walk these days. Serves me right.

Anyway, he told me my peroneal tendon was getting out of it’s groove. My reply was “When can I run??” When he responded, “Today, after I wrap your foot up”, I didn’t care if they hung an effigy of Buddha on my butt and lit my ass on fire, I’d do whatever he said.

So I got the full treatment starting with electro-stim where they put paddles on my ankle and sent an electric current through my foot (this increases blood flow). Then I went into another room where a nice woman showed me exercises to strengthen my ankles. Next, I got acupuncture and lastly, the doc wrapped my feet up and told me to come back on Thursday for re-wrapping and whatever else they come up with. Fine by me! My insurance is paying for it after all (or at least the first few visits), so I’ll be your human voodoo doll any day.

My lesson for next time is to get to a doctor sooner rather than later - I could have saved weeks of worry and several days of depression. Enough boo-hooing though, time to don some shorts, a top and take my feet where they’ve been itching to go for a week; outside into the big world. Later, kids!! (and smooches for the well-wishes during this most boring whining time of mine, you guys/gals are the best!)

Apres Run Addition: Well, that hurt like a son of a bitch…for the first half anyway. I ran a blistering 10min pace for 3.2 miles. Was thinking the doc was a quack for a while (not that it made me turn around and go home), but the ankle loosened up the longer I was out there. Saw my construction worker boyfriend who’s been cheering me about Broad St. for the last 3 months, we exchanged race results and I was really happy for him, he was expecting 10min miles and ran 1:32. Good times, good times…

Saw the nurse practitioner today who sent me off for an x-ray and gave me a referral to a podiatrist.

As I’m walking the couple blocks to the x-ray place, I’m simultaneously making an appointment with the podiatrist, but because I have the bare minimum HMO, the earliest appt. I can get is May 21st. Huge stinkin’ bummer.

I get the x-rays done and the doctor doesn’t see anything of note, though she does point out a little bony bit on top of my heel that I think could be one of the culprits (I suspect there may be two separate things going on) because that would make sense for my self-diagnosis of nerve impingement. I know, I’m no Marcus Welby M.D., but too much time on my hands has led me to investigate every form of lateral foot/ankle pain known to mankind in these past few weeks and very little fits the bill.

I get home, thrilled that there’s no stress fracture (because at my age, that’s always in the back of my mind, even if the symptom is an itchy ear) but unhappy because I have to wait over a week for Step Two. So I call my local running store and get a name of a sports doc/podiatrist who, happily, will see me tomorrow morning at 8:30.

And that, my friends, is Step One in what I should have started a week ago. I’m such a dick that way, but I’ve always hated doctors and apt. making, so whatever…better late than never.

I’ll let you know what’s up when I get home tomorrow. Cross fingers and toes for me, please.

I won’t call them exactly dark, though I’ve had some bleak moments these last couple days. Besides family drama over my Mom’s website (this is going to be a long road, I think) my ankle/foot problem hasn’t left the building yet. Last Friday I finally made a doctor apt. for Monday morning, though I’m only seeing a nurse practitioner since my doc isn’t available. Here’s hoping he/she gives me the referral I seek.

This morning, it does seem better, but yesterday felt like I’d gone back in time, it hurt when I walked. While in my last entry I professed my OK-ness with taking one week off, the idea that this will be stretching beyond that is now becoming a teary situation for me. I feel like a zombie, wondering what the fuck is going on at the bottom of my leg and what to do before I lose fitness.

Nick would love nothing better than for me to pick up a bike, since that’s his sport of choice, but I’m really not drawn to it. I used to swim, but that sounds so mind-numbing after running’s ever-changing sights and sounds. I think what I’ll end up doing, if I have to, is join a gym so at least I can people watch while I do brain-dead machines. I always liked the rowing machine, maybe that’ll be my aerobic relief of choice.

Or maybe this is just a tendon issue that needs a few more days, but the weird heel-pinching I feel when I point my foot indicates otherwise.

So it’s Sunday, the day I was going to run again, instead I’m sitting here feeling the weight of the world despite the lovely temperature and all the birds singing outside the window. Or maybe because of it.

Sigh.

In taking care of my ankle, I’ve been off from running since Sunday’s race and don’t plan to run again till this Sunday. You’d think I’d be freaking out but I’m doing great with the time off. Bottom line is, I know that if I don’t fix myself, I could be screwed for the big picture (Steamtown) and that would be tragic.

My initial worry in taking a week off was my memory of getting the flu last Feb. and being off for 11 days. That one knocked me for a loop, took me probably an entire month to get back to fighting shape. But I realized recently that there’s gotta be a difference in taking off to be sick lung-wise, then injured limb-wise. I might be creaky when starting again, but it won’t be weeks of trying to recapture my old self.

Meanwhile, I’ve been keeping myself busy. Very good week for voiceovers, had a lot of jobs between last week and this, so…cha-ching!

Lastly, and probably most importantly, a huge weight has been lifted off my shoulders. I finally, FINALLY, made my mother’s website and put it online yesterday. I’ve felt this job haunting me since January 2007, but couldn’t deal with actually sitting down and doing it. Thanks to the comment from Mr. Novie on the “Why I Started Running” page and subsequent emails with him, it was the exact kick in the pants I needed. The site requires a bit of editing and additional content (waiting for family input), but if any of you guys are interested, check out www.eleanorkarp.com.

What an eye-opening season it’s been for marathons. After following several marathoners’ stories from training to completion, I’m relaxing my marathon goal.

It was humbling to hear from runners you knew had it in the bag - doing their 3rd, 5th or 6th marathon - reporting races peppered with unexpected physical issues, pacing woes or nutritional troubles that killed their expected goal. The newbie stories are just as compelling, though less surprising as far as goals not coming to fruition, but it’s the seasoned marathoner let-downs that scare you.

What I’ve Learned: no matter how well you follow your plan or how beautifully your tune-up races point you to that BQ and beyond, you just never know what can happen race day.

So, here’s the dirt. I need a 4:00 to BQ. Honest Injun, I don’t even care so much to run Boston, it’s the point of being fast enough to qualify for something - that’s the draw. Anyway, barring injury or unforseen ailments and considering I have 5 months to train, not to mention I already run faster than 9:09 for my easy/longs runs, this would be a conservative goal.

My original goal for October was 3:40 - far from conservative, even over the edge especially considering it’s my first marathon (though keeping in mind, Steamtown’s a famously fast course). I’m letting this one go.

I could split the difference and shoot for 3:50, which makes for a comfortable goal since 8:45 is often my easy/long pace anyway. But where’s the challenge in that? I know I can run long(ish), I did a 19 and 18 last October just for fun. I want to get faster for the Fall, not just go longer.

So my revised plan is this: 3:45. If I’m improving in leaps and bounds, I might glimpse that 3:40 on the radar again, but 3:45 is realistic with some work. I’ll be following a Pfitz 18/60 plan by removing the double recoveries on the the 18/70. I don’t feel I need to get up to 70 just yet - I don’t want to burn out and also, at 46 years old, I don’t need to push it to destruction the first time.

Conversely, since I’ve run several successful weeks at low to mid 50s and my usual mileage is right under that, it doesn’t make sense to do the 18/55 which starts in the low 30s. Yet perversely, considering I’m sitting here with a bum ankle and will be out of town for two weeks prior to plan start, 30s might be my weekly mileage at that point. If so, I’ll embrace the 18/55, no problem! Playin’ it by ear.

My general attitude keeps improving concerning speed gains vs. the calendar. I’m still hungry as ever for crazy cool race times in all the distances but am no longer driven by a timetable. Last Fall, I was “Since I’m doing X, that means in 3 months I’ll be at Y, then 3 months later I’ll be at Z,” I’m coming around to the idea that I don’t need to push it out like a hard dump, all things come in good time.

And with that lovely visual, I bid you adieu for the day. Because I’m tasteful like that.