Weekend Update and Whining

Things have been too hectic to manage to get updates done yet again…getting frustrated by this!

Saturday

OK, long run ended up being 16 miles, had wanted to do 17 but I got going late and was running pathetically slow…I’m so jealous of all those running at faster paces, sigh…and some of them aren’t even planning to run the pace I’m running. It makes me more worried everyday about my upcoming run. Anyway, I did 16 miles starting up a hill and through Burnsville to Lakeville and back, pretty hilly course, some on sidewalk, but thankfully most an asphalt surface alongside the road so I didn’t have to worry about the camphor surface and such that I often deal with on roads. However, by the end of the run, last 3-4 miles, my foot was hurting. I’d had this pain prior to my first marathon but have no idea what caused it then and what might be causing it now. It’s along the lateral part of my foot, along the bottom. It feels like a muscle pull or bruise and isn’t in any way related to the arch or heel. It was painful, and I decided I’d stop at 16 miles, the last few miles were pathetic, a lot of walking, but overall pace of 9:16. Not good. Last mile was only good cause it was down the hill I had started running up. Nothing like a mile downhill to help out your pace.

After the run I went to my sister’s and had my friend Shawn meet us there and then my sister, her boyfriend Brian, Shawn and I all headed to my company picnic at Valleyfair. Weather was nice, which is unusual for this time of year but I was happy that it was the way it was. Learned how rude the youth of today are too. Apparently when people are walking slowly in front of you and you want to get through, the appropriate way in a 10 year old mind isn’t to say excuse me, but to push through and yell move when someone won’t move. I didn’t win any prizes. They didn’t have as good of prizes this year either as there has been a shift in the control of the company and the big boss that was there giving them out last year is no longer here…ah well.

Went out later that night for a couple of drinks and seeing people I hadn’t seen in a while. Nothing too big, but had a few more than I planned cause my friend decided we needed shots…thankfully it wasn’t too bad. She crashed at my place and I woke up early enough for Twin Cities Marathon.

Sunday

Here is a picture of the finish line right here...it is a pretty cool finish...almost all downhill from just after mile 25...not a bad marathon, I may have to run it some year, although why should I chose to run 26.2 miles over a course I could run anytime I want to when I can go other places and run??

Marathon day and the day was perfect for viewing, but not so much for running. Highs were close to if not over 80, but for the elites it was just about perfect. We watched the 10 milers, had a coffee and then got back in time to see the elite finishers come across the finish line. We stayed in that area long enough to see the first woman cross around 2:30 and then headed back to mile 22 area where MNFirefly and UglyToes were so I could meet and say hi to them, chatted a bit, watched the race and then got a quick picture. The four of us watched and cheered till the 5 hour pace group came past but by then Devi and I were hungry so we headed to an area to eat and had really good paninis at a place called Bread and Chocolate…what more do you need?? Afterward I went home and cleaned up in my garage and nixed the run I had contemplated because my foot was still sore so I chose to rest it a while yet. My house was a terrible mess too, so I ended up just trying to clean and relax a bit on Sunday before going to bed early because I was exhausted.

Monday

Skipped the morning run cause I decided I was going to rest the foot yet and would try to squeeze something quick and easy in before meeting a friend for dinner…ended up deciding it was nice and I wanted to run at lunch time, so I started out and had a lot of pain (thought the foot was better cause I was wearing heels so was feeling no pain). Frustration of not getting a run in put me in a bad mood and a crazy Monday had me in even less of a good mood…work is just straining me right now for lots of reasons and really none of them good. I used to feel good about my job and not dread coming in, starting to feel the dreads now. Of course I got home and had a call from my mom that put me in a worse mood cause I was just already in a bad one and didn’t want to deal with things she was asking me…then the friend I was meeting for dinner got there and I feel terrible cause I was a despondent crab most of the night. Not the me he is used to seeing and I knew I probably should’ve cancelled with the way I was feeling and have been feeling. I was company for no one!! In fact after he dropped me off, he got out of there quickly. Dinner was yummy though, we went to my favorite place, and then went to Home Depot and Menards to find a ceiling fan for my spare bedroom for my cousin to install when up here this week (the reason my mom called me). I picked one out and am still debating though as there were two I kind of liked and am now questioning if I should’ve gotten the other one.

Fan A – More modern, not sure it goes with the room, but it has 3 60 watt bulbs in it, only 5 blades, but is 36” (room is small 10 x 11) so should be a good size for the room.

Fan B – Traditional look so should just blend into the room, only one 30 watt bulb, 6 blades for better balance, 32” should still be OK for the room

I really like Fan A, can get it online I found for the same price as Fan B actually, but the price difference didn’t bother me, it’s just whether or not one would overpower the room or not. The room has dark green carpet and lighter colored walls and all woodwork is dark…I also really liked a diferent fan for my own room that would go really well with Fan A, but Fan B pretty much goes with what I have in my room (not that that makes a difference)...decisions decisions.

I did ice my foot when I got home and then went to bed.

Tuesday

I got up and foot was still sore, but I did a quick 3 miles and it didn’t feel too bad, felt less sore running downhill…I’m still not sure what is causing it and what I should do. My plan was 10 Yasso 800s tonight, hoping to inspire confidence in myself for my marathon. Now I’m not sure what to do. This time I was even going to a track to run them. It would be a total of 10 miles. It’s either that or I just try an easy run on a soft path of another 5 or 6 tonight and then do the 800s tomorrow, which would then make doing a tempo run on Thursday out of the question, and if I do it Friday, that will make my long run on Saturday a bit difficult…although tired legs and the long run might be a good idea…I just want to be sure to get the intervals and the long run in this week. Those were my last two key workouts planned for pre-taper week.

Unfortunately I’m still crabby feeling today…I feel bad for my behavior last night though and need to apologize to my friend for being such a crab. Particularly when he insisted on paying for dinner…should’ve been me buying considering my mood!

Oh, and I iced again after my run, before I went to work today.