Wife Mother Runner Blog - Wife Mother Runner

Dopey Training Going Well!

October 28, 2014

I had my long run this weekend in preparation for the Dopey challenge, but mainly for the Philadelphia Marathon on November 23. I haven’t really talked about that marathon, because I haven’t really been thinking about it! I have mainly been thinking about the Dopey races in January. I need to do some research about this race to find out what train I need to take to get there and also to get home, which station to get off in Philadelphia, what time the expo closes, and to figure out all the details to prepare for that race! I guess it’s a good thing I don’t feel too nervous about it. I was nervous about the 23 mile run that was on the training plan this past week. I had to do 3, 5, 8 and 23 miles. I did 3, 5, 8 and 22. I did most of the runs on the treadmill because of timing and my job and my husband’s job. But I’m ok with that now.

I started the training at 9:30 a.m. on the treadmill. My husband was working so the kids and I went downstairs and they played while I got started. I had my iPad and ate a bagel with peanut butter prior to the run so I was fueled up and ready to go. I learned that after 99 minutes, the treadmill shuts off. I stayed on it for 12 miles so that I would only have to do 11 miles on the road. I did well. I wasn’t as bored as I thought I would be. I don’t know if I would WANT to do the full 23 miles on the treadmill, but I think if I had to I could.

Around noon I got off the treadmill, mapped out a new route for an 11 mile trip, ates some pretzel fish and then hit the road. I was on the road until 3:00 p.m. I started to feel sluggish around mile 7 so I started to do the marathon math in my head and realized I was approaching mile 18 so I was getting close to a wall. I brought with me some fruit chews and ate some of them to help get some sugar to my brain. I mapped out a new route so that I was doing something different and that helped. When I was feeling tired, I decided to walk a mile and then resume my 30/30 intervals. I was maintaining a pretty consistent 13 minute mile. My legs were doing ok but I was getting tired of running. I had been doing it since 9:30 in the morning and I wanted to get home to my family. I ended up cutting the run short by 1 mile. I don’t like to do that, but I needed to. We had plans for the evening and I needed to get showered and ready to go out.

A beautiful fall day. Not a bad view to have to run by.

I know Jeff Galloway recommends you walk most of your runs prior to your long run, but during the week I ran most of the short runs. I was in a time crunch so to walk 8 miles would have taken me too long so I had to run most of it. I don’t feel too bad for cutting my long run short by a mile because I realized that it was the last run of 4 consecutive runs and considering that I really felt good. It was a beautiful day to be out for a run and I did enjoy the wonderful weather I had to run in.

The downhill I was approaching and it was so difficult to run DOWN that steep hill!

So I am encouraged now to know that I CAN do the Dopey challenge. I WILL do the Dopey challenge and based on how well I felt that night and the following day I am going to be just great when it is all over!

The issue I was having with my left leg has improved greatly since I got my orthotics replaced. I don’t need to use KT tape anymore to help lift my arch. Something I did notice is that I should consider wearing different shoes for every other day. My shoe laces were digging into my foot from my treadmill running on the previous days so by the fourth day, it was quite sore. I also heard that it is best to pack 2 different pairs of shoes for the race in case of weather. You want dry shoes each morning. However, my older shoes have more miles on them, so I will wear them for my shorter runs and save the newer shoes for the long runs.

I Have Rekindled An Old Relationship

October 24, 2014

No, I’m not cheating on my husband. I have reacquainted myself with my treadmill. For several reasons lately, I have had to do all my running indoors. I wasn’t happy about it at first; but after the third day in a row of my Dopey training schedule for this week I have come to terms with it.

I had to do 8 miles today. I had an online training class that starts at 9 and it’s dark out by 6 p.m. so I knew I couldn’t get in 2 hours of running outdoors tonight. So I set my alarm for 5:30 this morning so that I could have my tea and get downstairs to begin the run at 6:00. My daughter woke me up at 4:30 because she was coughing (side effect of fall rainy wet leaves). Once I got her settled back down and into my bed I think I slept for about 15 minutes before my alarm went off. I reluctantly hit snooze and laid there for a few minutes. I knew I couldn’t waste time so I got up, had my tea, got dressed and ventured downstairs with my iPad and headphones.

I felt good. I planned on walking all of the 8 miles per Jeff’s training plan. As the first mile was complete, it was almost a 16 minute mile. At that pace it would take over 2 hours to get the run done and I really only had 90 minutes to do it. I decided to throw in a little jogging here and there. It was still a productive run. I caught up on my episodes of Nashville and watched the latest episode of Scandal (LOVED IT!) At about 6:50 my son came into the workout room and scared the heck out of me! He had a bad dream and couldn’t go back to sleep so I brought him back upstairs and set him up with a tv show so I could complete my run.

I was keeping an eye on the clock and knew I had to stop at 7:30 to wake up my daughter and get them their breakfast. At 7:30 I had 5.25 miles completed. I woke her up, made breakfast for both kids and went back downstairs. The kids were so awesome and cooperative. At 8:00 I checked in with them and told them to get dressed and brush their teeth. I made their lunches and went back downstairs. I was at 7 miles a little bit after 8:00. So after making their lunches I had to finish my last mile on the plan and get them out to the bus. By 8:30 – Mission Accomplished!

I was so glad. I got them off to school, took a quick shower, made my chocolate milk and breakfast and got ready for my 9:00 online training class. It’s nice to know that my third workout was done before the day even got going. I am feeling soreness in weird places and I know it’s from running on the treadmill. My right butt muscle feels a little weird and I feel it in my muscles in my back going up along my spine. All good things, not bad soreness, but adjustments

I am considering beginning the first 10 miles of my 23 mile run tomorrow on the treadmill so that I can be home with my kids and have it done while my husband is at work, then when he gets home I’ll finish 13 on the road so that I won’t be out of the house for 5+ hours after he gets home. This way we can spend most of the afternoon together as a family!

I am rekindling my love for my old treadmill. That treadmill has been with me for over 14 years! I began using it religiously in 2002 when I first started to “run”. Then I used it as soon as I could after my son was born and began running again after I was given the OK to run again. I remember watching Prince Harry get married while running on that treadmill! I ran 9 miles for the first time in my life while watching the NYC marathon on TV that my old boss was running in 2002 on that treadmill. It stopped on me while I was running today so it is quirky and it may be time to invest in a new one, but for now I’ll make it suit my needs while I get my mileage in so I can be successful with my Dopey Training.

The Dreadmill

October 22, 2014

Well, I had to do the dirty deed tonight. I had to use my treadmill. I swore off my treadmill for 4 years! But I didn’t have a choice tonight and I didn’t want to miss the first workout of my Dopey cluster of runs this week. I have to do 3, 5, 8 and 23 this week. It was raining on my way home from work. I don’t care about the rain, I would have gone out in it. But my husband was still at work and wasn’t going to be home until almost 7.

It was already dark by 6:10 and I needed to be with the kids, so I had to fire up the dreadmill. I had to put 2x4s underneath the back end of it to raise the back up a little to avoid hurting my back (my chiropractor told me about this several years ago). When I did so, I dropped the back of it on my finger. I wasn’t happy about that.

I got my ipad with my favorite show Scandal all cued up with my headphones, told the kids not to kill each other while I did what I had to do. Yea it wasn’t the greatest, but it wasn’t as bad as I had feared. Funny, how I used to live on that treadmill religiously from 2002 to 2011. But it’s all good. I walked the first mile to get reacquainted with walking on a treadmill, then added a little running in 1-2 minute segments. I don’t know how to manage the intervals just this time. If I do the Galloway method on the treadmill I may break my neck doing the start and stop every 30 seconds, so I will have to work on an alternate interval cycle.

When I did run on it, it felt weird at first, but I did 1-2 minutes and then walked half of a lap. For my 5 mile run I plan on going outdoors to get it done after work tomorrow, but depending on how I feel in the morning, I may want to get dressed and do my 5 miles before the kids wake up and I have to start work. There is some potential to getting it done whatever it takes so I stay on track for my Dopey training.

I hate this time of year. I hate the dark at night. I don’t want to be trapped indoors to work out; but I’m proud that I am sticking to it. Despite my new job and the fact that I can’t run while at work, I’m doing what needs to be done and that’s ok. I’m also catching up on my shows!

Dopey Challenge – It Really Is A Challenge

October 19, 2014

This past month I started a new job. I really enjoy the new job and so far it hasn’t gotten in the way of my training for the Dopey Challenge. The challenge for me is that I was Dopey to sign up for this challenge when I never before even did the Goofy challenge! What have I gotten myself into?

My training has been going well, I will admit that. But I don’t feel as successful as I think I could feel. Maybe I just don’t know how I am supposed to feel. I do know that at times running does feel like work. Mike and Michelle talked about it on their podcast in a recent episode and it hit home with me. I do enjoy running still and I get out for my two short runs during the week and then my assigned run per Jeff Galloway. Typically if it isn’t a long run or race weekend then it is a 4 or 6 mile run. Again, I still enjoy those runs. It’s when I have the long run showing up closer on my calendar that I start to feel anxious.

I knew that next weekend I have a long run on the schedule and I can’t take a day off of work to fit it in. This means I will have to spend a weekend day running for 5 hours. It also means that I have to figure out when and how I will get out there because my husband is starting a new job and has to work on Saturday. I don’t want to spend my Sunday out running for half the day when it is the only day he will be home with the family.

So we discussed the plan over breakfast and since he will only be working 5-9 on Saturday I will head out when he gets home. This is similar to when I would go out for my long run after getting Kevin on the bus and dropping Adrienne off to preschool last year. So if I keep that mentality I will be ok.

However, the difference this time is that I have to do a 3, 5, 8 and 23 mile run in 4 consecutive days – The Dopey part. It’s getting dark out very early and it’s also dark early in the morning. I can’t run in the morning because my husband is starting his new job this week. So I’ll have to plan on doing my 3 miles Wednesday after work, 5 miles Thursday during lunch since I am taking online training at home, and I am not sure yet how I am going to get in my 8 miler on Friday. Here’s where the crazy juggling comes in.

I think what helps me not freak out too much is knowing that I only have 2 more groups of training runs like this in the next two months. One right before the Philadelphia Marathon and then before the WDW weekend the week before Christmas. I guess I’ll worry about how I’ll fit that all in when the time comes. I may have some accrued vacation time to squeeze in the long run on a Friday. I may have to fire up the treadmill in a few weeks and put in the miles indoors early in the morning. I don’t know how to get back into treadmill mode. I swore it off four years ago.

Do you have any advice on how to integrate the treadmill back into my training routine?

A New Beginning Is Coming

September 30, 2014

As I went out for my run this morning, I wanted to start off my week on a good note. I wanted to get my run in early in the day and have a shakeout run from my Dopey training runs that I did last week. I am beginning my new job on Wednesday and I don’t know what my time will look like after work to do any running outdoors. I hate to say it, but I may need to begin using the treadmill indoors in the early morning or in the evening when I get home. I don’t want to use the treadmill. If possible I will try to do a run with lights in the evening, but I am resorting myself to the fact that the treadmill may be my only method of training for some time during the week.

I felt the anticipation setting in during the weekend, but I am not scared of my new job. I realize that it is the place I need to be. What I was mentioning to my husband was that I feel weird that I left a place that seemed safe and comfortable. But he reminded me that they forced out the President of the company, who built the place with his father and ran it for over 30 years. No one is safe there. That eased my mind. I know that I was sought out by my new employer and my skills were very strong and just what they are looking for. I just want to get my hands in the dirt and start doing “real work”. I know that in the beginning sometimes it takes time to do that.

As the day went on today I received an email from my new boss with my agenda for this week and things are going to be fine. I will sit in on a training class my first day and then work with my boss for my schedule for the month and housekeeping issues the following day. Nothing to worry about. I’m looking forward to it.

Lots of change is happening, I had to say goodbye to my old Jeep that I have had for 10 years. I brought my children home from the hospital in that car! It never let me down. But I had to get a new car, mine was 10 years old, and I wasn’t going to be able to use my Honeywell discount anymore, so I needed to take advantage of it now before I lost. it. I am starting my new job, and my husband also just learned that he was chosen for a different position within his company. These are all good things. They are just all happening at once! Then on top of it all, I have to fly out Friday on a 7:30 a.m. flight to Florida for the Tower of Terror Race! I have to admit that what I am feeling most nervous about right now is the early wake up for the flight Friday, the race happening at 10 p.m. Saturday night, and then flying on a 7 a.m. flight back home on Sunday! I have no idea how much sleep I am going to get. I intend to sleep on the plane on both flights. It’s just a little scary doing all this in the first two weeks of a new job. I am making an effort to hydrate myself a lot to prepare for running in the Florida heat and humidity, even at night. I am also working on my hydration because I don’t want to end up with a migraine from flying like I have experience the past 5 other times I have flown. I am looking forward to all my new things, running the Tower of Terror race with my friends, going to the Expo and checking out the merchandise, seeing Jeff Galloway and hopefully bumping into Mike Rahlmann and his BOGP Lizards! Change is good!

First Dopey Consecutive Training Runs

September 25, 2014

This week Jeff Galloway had a 4 day consecutive training run on my schedule. I had to do a 3 mile, 4 mile, 6 mile and 20 mile run. Thankfully for me, I am off of work (between jobs) this week, so I had the time to get in these runs. I am also fortunate that my husband is home so I could do these runs early in the morning. I chose to do them early in the morning because I always feel better when I begin my day with a run. It makes me feel more energetic and I also don’t have to worry about trying to fit it in later in the day. I went out each day at around 6:40 a.m. The sun rises late now so I wait till after 6:30 to head out. The weather this week was so comfortable for running early in the day. The scenery was so beautiful as well! Here are a few pictures from my second run day (the 4 mile day).

My doggie friend who sometimes joins me for a little bit of the run. He wasn’t in the mood to run with me. He ran away instead.

The fog was slowly melting away as the sun was rising and warming the air.

I have been battling a problem with my shin due to my orthotics being 4 years old. When I first started running I thought I had severe shin splints. I stopped running for several weeks, tried calf sleeves and finally gave in and used my custom orthotics. Come to find out that was the answer to my problem. But recently that pain was coming back, so I went to my chiropractor and we decided it was time for a new pair to be made. I put a lot of miles on mine and I am hoping this will solve my problem. I also ordered new sneakers, so I am hoping I can make it all correct again. So during the week I have been careful to ice my leg often during the day. Tylenol made a big difference after my run and I wore KT tape and calf sleeves during my run. After taking Tylenol the pain was gone for several hours. I was told by my coach, Jeff Galloway, to walk all of my runs for this training assignment. I started my runs by walking to warm my body up and I would see how I felt and make my determination on whether or not I could handle the runs. Thankfully after I warmed up I was ok to run. I actually felt better the longer into my run and also when I ran longer intervals. Each day I started the run the same way, a long warm up walk and then gently ease into running. I used 30/30 intervals. After the first 3 miles the pain was pretty much gone. Seems like once the muscles warmed up the pain would go away. As the week went on I was looking forward to my morning shorter runs, but the 20 mile run was on my mind. I was beginning to dread it. I saw on the Mickey Milers page that people were talking about the latest episode from MIke and Michelle about running feeling like a job. I was looking forward to listening to that episode. I loaded it to my podcast and it was the first thing I listened to as I started my run today. I was feeling the exact same way as Michelle. I enjoy running, but preparing for Dopey was difficult for me. I could handle the short runs. I was nervous about the long run. I was mostly nervous because of my shin/arch problem. I gained confidence that I could do 4 consecutive runs with the last run being the marathon, but I am feeling scared about the Goofy portion of the Dopey Challenge. I did the 6 mile with the 20 mile run the following day and ran all 4 days. My body held up for it. So I know I can do it. During January the races will be with friends in Disney with photo ops and I won’t be running the races for time. I’ll be running them to finish and to enjoy myself. So this gives me confidence. I just need to get my leg back to normal and keep healthy for the rest of my training. For the 20 mile run I walked the first 2 miles to warm up. Then I began to add some running with 15/30 intervals. I did well for the next 8 miles. By mile 10 I didn’t feel anything with my left leg. I was also relieved that I only had 10 miles left. It was supposed to be a very rainy day (Nor’easter storm forecasted), but the rain held off for the first 7 miles into my run. When it did begin to rain it wasn’t bad. It was a gentle rain that was very peaceful. I continued with my 15/30 intervals through mile 13, then I started to walk some more. I decided to change part of my route so that my husband could meet up with me with water and pretzels. I met him at mile 15 and took a 10 minute break to have some water. I didn’t need a lot of water and fuel on this run. It wasn’t hot so I didn’t go through my fluid quickly. I also didn’t use Nuun on this run. I just used water, gummy bears and pretzels. By mile 17 I was walking a lot. Then at mile 18 I was able to put in some more running until I got to my street. I had to burn the last mile by running in my driveway and up my street a little bit so I could earn that last mile. I didn’t want to cut my run short. I am happy that I got it done. I had no expectations on the finish time that I wanted, and am feeling good. Just a little tired from being so busy all week and running 4 days in a row with a long run. In my mind I am accepting that I can do the Dopey challenge. It may not be pretty but I know that I can get it done. The key will be RESTING each day after the race and taking naps. Here are some pictures from my 6 mile run. It was another beautiful fall morning. I stopped to savor the peaceful morning and to embrace the alone time I had. How can you beat views like this to begin your day?!