Of toes, treadmills, and transcribing...

My first subject for today is toes.  As a runner ... or something like that ... I have had many problems with my toes.  I've given up on the idea of ever having nice feet again.  Well, as long as I'm able to run, that is.  When I first started running, I had problems with my big toenail.  I hadn't learned yet that one of the secrets of distance running/walking is that you have to get a shoe that is at least half a size bigger than what your real size is so your toes won't get crunched.  Because, well, after 10 miles or so you feet swell to at least a half a size bigger than normal.  Also the pressure put on your toenails by all that running can be, to say the least, excruciatingly painful at mile 10 or so.  But even with that acquired knowledge I still have problems.  For some reason shoe companies think feet are shaped like an oval...I'm here to tell you my feet are shaped more like a rectangle.  Another problem I have is my second toe is longer than my first.  Why do they taper shoes?  I'm starting to think the only way my feet will be comfortable is if my shoes are custom made.

So, back to the toenails.  My big toe had so much pressure put on it that no only did it hurt, it stunted its growth.  It no longer grows like a normal toenail.  After changing shoes, I solved the problem with my big toenail and had problems with my longer second toe and its toenail.  I had to cut them back to nothing to get them to stop hurting.  Anyway from one shoe change to the next I've had problems with each toenail.  One of these days I'll find the perfect shoe!

My second subject:  TREADMILL.  Or as I like to call it "DREADMILL".  Where 3 miles seems like 10 and 6 miles seems like 20.  No distraction seems to be enough to make the time fly on a treadmill.  Unfortunately, here in Southern California where the weather is so often HOT, running outside is very unhealthy and with the smog can be hazardous.  Looking forward to cooler weather and less dreadmill. 

As far as transcribing....I'm a medical transcriptionist - yes, one of a dying breed.  I find myself quite often planning my long runs while I'm transcribing.  Where shall I run this weekend?  Should I include hills?  Should I stay on the flat?  Should I drive down and start at the bottom of the hill and work up and end down?  It's an interesting habit I have of thinking about these things while I'm working.  But it's a happy healthy distraction. 

Today was an interesting day.  I didn't want to run down the battery on my phone, so I didn't listen to music.  It's funny how even when you're not listening to music, you still have music playing in your head.  I had the usual songs that I would have listened to, along with "Take it Easy", which I haven't heard in ages.  Funny.  I know this blog is supposed to be about running, but running is also about the mental things that go on, so I thought I'd share a few random things that I thought about while I ran...

I also had many strange thoughts floating through my head.  I thought about how my dear uncle had just passed away and how much I regretted not spending more time with him.  I know that he was a precious  man and will be missed so much.  I know I'm an age where I will start losing people and it's scary.  I also thought about my own dad.   He looked a lot like my uncle, except he used to say he was the one with the hair, because he had that comb-over thing going on with a few hairs across the top of his bald head.  He was joker.  They weren't that much alike, except when it came to their faith.  My dad might not have been a preacher, but he had a quiet faith that assured you of what he believed.  I also thought about how he was taken from me too soon.  I could have had 30 more years with him...what a joy that would have been.  It makes me sad and also makes me think how unfair that I lost both my parents before I should have...its not fair.  I really could have used their wisdom in so many moments in my life. 

Anyway, those are some of my random thoughts.   I did a lot of walking today, for some reason I felt self conscious about running.  Some people look good when they run...I'm pretty sure I don't.  I know it's not about how you look, but when you're running along a busy street you feel like you're exposed to the world.  So I did a lot of walking.  I really would prefer running somewhere where people couldn't see me.  But there aren't many places like that in Riverside.  So I'll keep doing what I do...I just need to lose that self consciousness.  Next week will be better, until then my treadmill will save me from the hot, humid Riverside weather.  It has been a very humid summer. 

Humidity and being 50

It was a very humid day today, the kind of day where you sweat before you walk out the door.  It was the kind of humid day where the sweat just stays on your body and doesn't evaporate.   It doesn't make for a very good running day.  But I was out there anyway and managed to do 13 miles.  Now if I could just run the whole way...I wonder what the secret is to being able to run the whole way?  I rationalize that if there weren't so many hills I would be able to do it, but I'm not sure.  I told myself today that it doesn't matter if I'm running, just the fact that I'm out there on this miserable day in hot, hot Riverside is good enough. 

On another note, I've met and passed that birthday, the big 5-0.  50 means a whole different thing than it did when my parents were 50.  50 meant slowing down, running around less, thinking about retirement.  Well, I'm not going to be able to do any of those things.  I certainly plan to keep running, marathons, half marathons, 10ks, whatever I can for as long as my legs will carry me...running or not!  As for retirement, well, only if it's forced on me.

I would like to encourage you out there reading this blog (if anybody reads it) to keep moving, keep running, walking, movement of some kind.  Why do we have to slow down when we're 50?  If we're still healthy, why not be active?  Don't sit around, get out there, get moving, do whatever you can!  But maybe on a less humid day.  ;) 

Training Day thoughts

It's amazing what goes through your head as you run.  Good thoughts, bad thoughts, why am I doing this? 

I find parts of my other runs going through my head as I run, bits and pieces of the favorite locations that I have run.  Scenes from the city or the difficulty of a hill I've had to climb. 

People say running is 90% mental.  I know that to be true, especially when I'm feeling tired and my brain is saying, no, you can't do this.  You're too old.  Your feet hurt.  Your knee hurts.  Your back hurts.  But other thoughts, like being in the best shape of your life, or at least striving to get there.

Running is truly a mental game.  Hopefully some of my mental toughness in running will rub off on other areas of my life.

My run today was a little sad.  I did almost 13 miles, but most of them were walking.  I sometimes wonder why I would ever want to go any further.  I have to remember, however, that I haven't done that distance in about three weeks.  Be patient, be kind to your poor running body with your aching feet and back!  I got off to a pretty late start, at about 7.  I usually like to get out before that, but I just kept going back to sleep.

Ok, so if you're not a woman over 40, you don't have to read this next part.  ;) 

So, ladies out there over 40...we have unique challenges to running, you know what I mean?  When I first starting running I found out just how weak my bladder is...can anybody relate to that?  I tried to fight it, but I eventually had to take precautions to deal with it.  Won't go into detail about that.  I have a great admiration for us women over 40 who have had several children and still get out there and run.  We are a special breed.  Ok, enough of that.

Today I wondered how I ever get past 13 miles.  It's definitely a case of mind over matter.  When I'm at home thinking about running and imagining the next run, it is much nicer than reality.  But that's part of what I love about it, discovering just how far I can push myself.  I can't think of anything else in my life where I challenge myself as much as I do when I reach those later miles. 

If you're going to have an addiction, this is the best kind.  :) 

P.S.  I have to add to this, today I felt really slow.  A fellow runner came up behind me and passed me.  I saw her off in the distance, getting further and further away.  I went down my usual route, which is a 2 mile hill.  I saw her coming back up the hill as I was going down, way ahead of me.  But slow is better than no... 

I have been a bad blogger.  I haven't been here in ages.  But I have been busy!  My oldest daughter just got married in San Diego and needless to say that has been a busy time.  I have, however, continued to run.  In fact, we spent a week in SD and I was able to run on the beach.  That was quite an experience. 

I set out to run one marathon before age 50 and have managed to run 3.  The most memorable one, however, would have to be the Diamond Valley Lake marathon in March.  Covered in mud from head to toe, ankles bleeding, cold, and soaking wet - it was the most fun I've had all year!  lol 

I also ran the Rock and Roll Marathon on June 1.  For some reason that was very difficult.  It had a two mile hill at mild 20 that I wasn't sure I was going to finish.  I came across a person who was pushing a running wheelchair with a person in it up that hill and I said, wow, if she can do it, I can do it.  I persevered, but that was my slowest time.

Looking forward to the AFC Half in August.  It's amazing how 13 miles can seem short when you've done a marathon.  Hoping to set a PR of 2:45 .. . hard to believe that some people do marathons in less time that that! 

MISSION ACCOMPLISHED! RAN 26.2 MILES IN THE CARLSBAD MARATHON!

OH HAPPY DAY!  I made it, I actually made it.  What an experience!  Being elbow-to-elbow with some really crazy people - people who get up in the wee hours of the morning to do, of all things, 26.2 miles!  And even though we haven't really had a winter here in So Cal, it was cold!  But mercifully they had a tent where we could go to be warm before the race.  I was accompanied by my cheering section, husband and daughter, and my daughter's future mother-in-law and friend Annette, who is a "Marathon Maniac", going for a marathon in all 50 states...crazy and admirable. 

It was an absolutely beautiful day, just a little cloud cover to make it cool.  The ocean was beautiful and the support was absolutely great - more water than I could really drink at the water stations.  The first 7 miles along the ocean were perfect, felt good and ready to go along Carlsbad Blvd. Then we turned on to Palomar Airport Road and started on our climb...this was the difficult part.  But the support was still there and coming back down was blissful!  Then we did a turnout on to Avenida Encinas and the mental work began - WHAT?  I have 13 more miles to go?  You've got to be kidding!  No,  I don't want any more GU!!   I want my bed, I want to take off these shoes and lay in the sand!  But I kept pushing on, around the turnaround and back on to Carlsbad Blvd.  By this time, the half marathoners were on the road in their journey to 13.1 - I was a little jealous.  This part was difficult...the mental game continued.  On past the turnaround for the half marathoners, away from all the fun and the bands, mostly by myself, as I had been kind of left behind by most of the full marathoners.  That was ok, though, I was going to finish.  By mile 17, I was feeling pretty exhausted and the thought of having 9 miles to go was pretty daunting.  By that time I was feeling pretty lonely.  But I pressed on...had to send a text to my family telling them..."hurting".  By the time I got back to the part where the half marathoners were, most of them were done.  The bands were packing up, the volunteers had picked up all the tossed cups, and the spectators were long gone. 

By mile 20 I was wondering how and why I was doing this.  Why would anybody in their right mind to this to themselves?  By mile 22 I was thinking 4 miles was like going to the moon.  But I plugged on.  At mile 24 I didn't have anything left.  The supporters were still there, cheering me on, thank God!  I kept plugging on.  Mile 25, mile 26....and what?  Oh, there's that 0.2 to worry about!  But fortunately my daughter who had run the half marathon, came out to join me for that last little bit.  And that great announcer, who when he saw me said, here's another person running into history!  She's a marathoner!

I crossed the finish line, 6 hours and 28 minutes, to have my shiny finisher's metal put around my neck and all the glory was mine...I was a marathoner.  Mission accomplished.

Now...what do I name my blog now?  Any suggestions? 

P.S.

If I succeed, I'll have to come up with a new name for my blog...any ideas?

Almost there, tomorrow is the day!

Well, tomorrow is the day, the day of truth.  When all the miles, all the sweat, all the lost toenails will come to fruition.  We're blessed with really great weather - that seems to be all we get in So Cal these days!  Even though I trained in the rain, I don't think I'll need to worry about it. 

So six months ahead of THAT birthday, the big 5-0, I hope to reach my goal.  I know there are no guarantees that I will finish, you never know what can happen, at least I got out there and TRIED.  Try, try again.  As my mom used to say, good, better, best, never let it rest until good is better and better is BEST!  And I'm absolutely sure  I will be giving my absolute best tomorrow at the CARLSBAD MARATHON 2014! 

If anybody out there has been following this obscure blog on the universe of the internet, I thank you for your support and I'll try not to let you down.  FOR 49-YEAR-OLDs EVERYWHERE - THIS RACE IS FOR YOU!  :)

Four more days!

After many months of preparation, the day is almost here.  Four more days until the Carlsbad Full Marathon!  I can't believe I'm actually going to do it.  After a whole lot of miles and a lot of sweat, it's almost here.  I'm a little scared and apprehensive...just hope I'm not that person they're picking up the cones after, but I probably will be.  But that's okay.  This is the hardest thing I've ever done, but I have a feeling it will be the most satisfying, once I get past the pain. 

CARLSBAD, HERE I COME!

Almost time for that marathon!

It's almost here!  Four more days until my FULL marathon!  26.2 miles....wow.  I can't believe I'm actually going to do it.  After months of long, long run/walks on the weekend, it's finally almost here.  After a lot of work and sweat I'm going to do it.  I hope to make it in 6 hours, but I kind of doubt it.  It's a challenging course with rolling hills and one big grade...so, we'll see how it goes. I think it will be the hardest thing I've ever done in my whole life.  I'm expecting a lot of pain and a whole lot of self satisfaction! 

HERE I COME, CARLSBAD!  :D