Attempting Sensibility

First off, this is what crack looks like...

Compost cookies. They were my downfall last week. I couldn't stop eating them until they were all gone.

I got cleared to run on Thursday April 12th. Well I worked all day Thursday so that was out. Friday the 13th dawned a BEAUTIFUL day. 70+ degrees. It looked like Spring was finally here. I worked out in the yard all day and cleaned out all my flowerbeds and burned a huge pile of brush. It was quite the workout so no running.

Netflix has a documentary series called Chef's Table. On April 13th they released the latest in their series and it featured Christina Tosi. I worship Christina Tosi. She is the brains behind Momofuku Milkbar. If you haven't heard of her you have to go check her out. She's awesome! She is the creator of the German chocolate cake I hope to make someday...

My Dream Cake!

Anyhoos... I watched the documentary and got all inspired... and I just happen to own her cookbook. So we all know where this is going!

Saturday I was too sore to move, no less run - like my hamstrings were burning from bending over in the yard all day. I made cookies instead. Christina Tosi's Compost Cookies. Cookies with potato chips, pretzels, chocolate chips, ground coffee, butterscotch chips and graham cracker crumbs. They are unbelievably addicting.

I haven't baked in so so long and I missed it so so much! But now I remembered why I had stayed away from baking. I pretty much ate cookies until I was sick. No kidding. It was pathetic. I gorged on them. And, the cookies were a bit flatter and crisper than I wanted. I was stuffing my face with cookies and reworking the recipe in my head at the same time... how to make it better next time.

Sunday was spent visiting my in-laws. I forgot to bring my leftover cookies to the gathering so I ended up eating them again when I got home. Oh, someone STOP me!

Monday morning I crawled out of bed and onto the couch to watch the Boston Marathon. It was raining in Indiana and pouring in Boston. Sarah Sellers who finished second was quoted as saying it was like running in a hurricane the last 5 miles. The race was incredible. The finish was unforgettable. I cried watching Des Linden run the last four miles by herself to win the race. I'm glad I watched it by myself because, really, I sat on the couch with tears streaming down my face, taking in the moment and watching her finish.

Then I made another batch of cookie dough and put it in the refrigerator to chill overnight.

Monday evening I ran for 10 minutes on the treadmill... because it was snowing... on April 16th. Nothing hurt. I felt good. I kept cranking up the speed and ended up averaging 9:23 pace. Then I did all my PT exercises and stretches for the next 40 minutes.

Tuesday I went to the fitness center and ran 3 miles. A mile on the indoor track, a mile at 8:57 pace on the treadmill, then another mile on the indoor track. Did all my PT exercises. Baked the cookies and dropped most of them off to my daughter and her friends at IU, then went to work for the evening.

Wednesday I ran 6 miles on the Monon. I didn't know how it was going to go but when I reached 75th Street I felt good so I crossed the street and kept going all the way to Broadripple for a full 6 mile loop. Did my PT exercises. Then I ate more cookies when I got home.

Thursday I ran another 6 miles on the Monon and faithfully did my PT exercises... and thought about my next race.

I'm registered for the 500 Festival Mini-Marathon on May 5th. This was suppose to be the year I actually ran this race for time. In 2015 it was the weekend after the Derby Marathon and my legs were toast. I didn't bother to run it in 2016 because it was the weekend after the Big Sur Marathon, which I ran 6 days after the Boston Marathon, and I knew my legs would be toast. Last year I plain didn't feel like running until a couple weeks before the race and hadn't run over 10 miles all year so I ran it to see what I could do... and almost PR'd... which got me all inspired again and prompted me to sign up for a bunch of races. It's a viscous cycle, isn't it!!

So, here I am again training for the Mini after not running for the first 15 days of April and not sure if my legs are going to cooperate. But I felt good. So maybe I'll do a 10 miler this weekend... and perhaps I can try for another marathon yet this spring...

Looking at the Runner's World race calendar late into the night I found the Bayshore Marathon in Traverse City, MI on May 26th. I was off work that weekend. 6 weeks. It looked doable. The idea of another BQ attempt started taking root. I resolved to eat better and ordered Jackie's book...

Friday was another beautiful day but the day got away from me.

My other passion lately has been sewing. I've been sewing up a storm. It all started with another fall down the Pinterest rabbit hole. I discovered faux chenille quilts and I HAD to make one, so I made one as a baby gift for a friend of mine.

Then my daughter wanted a patchwork quilt... then I got a custom order for another full size faux chenille quilt... then I got a custom order for another blanket to double as a pet hammock... and I was in heaven. TOTAL HEAVEN!!

Something about sewing these things made me want to pop out of bed every morning at 7 am (I KNOW, I must be ill) and run downstairs to my sewing machine. Friday I couldn't stop sewing. Plus I decided my legs needed a day off. Or maybe I just couldn't stop sewing. In any case, no run.

Saturday I dropped G off in Carmel and hurried home so I could get a run in before leaving for work at 12:30 pm. I had time to get 10 miles in so I took off down the county road by my house. I run two rollers in the first mile. I got to the top of the second hill and felt my hamstring give a little pull.

So that was it. I didn't push it. I turned around and jogged back home to do sensible things.

No more marathons this spring. Rehab the leg. Work on my diet. I should really get back in the pool and make friends with my bike.

My life isn't the runaway train that it used to be. Sometimes I miss feeling manic, if that makes any sense... but I like having some peaceful quiet time and having time to methodically work on projects that I love to do with no hard deadlines. For now, it's sewing blankets. I also have an accent wall I want to paint and photos to scrapbook. I reactivated my Etsy shop today.

I'm walking away from a BQ attempt this spring as that's the sensible thing to do.

Postscript on the Carmel Marathon

Well, it's been almost a week since the race and I finally decided to download my Garmin data and look at my splits. I also broke down and saw a physical therapist today and found out what went wrong.

First though (mainly for my records), an update on the training leading up, from where I left off...

Sunday 2/25 - Zero miles. In Chicago all day.
Monday 2/26 - 10 miles
Tuesday 2/27 - Zero miles. Worked all day.
Wednesday 2/28 - 20 miles. Easy run. 3:30:53, averaged 10:32 pace.
Thursday 3/1 - Zero miles. Drove to Kansas City, MO.
Friday 3/2 - Zero miles.
Saturday 3/3 - 10 miles. Hilly run through the streets of Kansas City.

40 miles total Week of 2/25/18 - 3/3/18

Sunday 3/4 - Zero miles. Drove home.
Monday 3/5 - 7 miles. Easy on roads by my house.
Tuesday 3/6 - 7.5 miles. Run Club workout - 2 mile warm up, 400m x 2 (1:49, 1:47), 800m x 4 (3:53, 3:57, 4:01, 3:41), 200m x 2 (1:49, 1:58), all with 2:00 recovery jogs in between, then a cool down.
Wednesday 3/7 - 5.5 miles. Treadmill at the Y. 9:18 average pace.
Thursday 3/8 - Zero miles. Worked all day.
Friday 3/9 - 20 miles. Easy run on fitness center track.
Saturday 3/10 - Zero miles. Worked all day.

40 miles total Week of 3/4/18 - 3/10/18

Sunday 3/11 - Zero miles. Worked all day.
Monday 3/12 - Zero miles. Worked all day.

Tuesday 3/13 - 7.6 miles. Run Club workout - 2 mile warm up, 4 mile pace run on hills (8:26, 8:49, 8:51, 8:26), 1.6 mile cool down. Goal had been to run marathon pace (8:57) but I freaked out and ran too fast.

Wednesday 3/14 - 6.4 miles. Easy run on the Monon.
Thursday 3/15 - 6 miles. Easy run on the Monon.
Friday 3/16 - 5 miles. Treadmill.
Saturday 3/17 - Zero miles.

25 miles total Week of  3/11/18 - 3/17/18

Sunday 3/18 - 13.5 miles. So here's where it all started to fall apart...

This run was supposed to be my last long run before Carmel. Coach Matt did not feel I needed another 20 miler but rather more "fast miles" on fatigued legs. So, workout was supposed to be 8 miles easy, 6 miles at marathon pace, then 2 miles easy. First 8 miles were fine. Next 3 went by in 8:46, 8:45, and 8:46 - so a bit fast, then, halfway into my fourth pace mile I felt my right hamstring pull, then ball up. I ran a couple hundred more yards but the muscle just got tighter and tighter and, finally, I had to stop. Stretching it didn't help. I told myself not to be stupid and turned around. Ended up walk/jogging 2 miles back to the Y. Ugh!

Monday 3/19 - Zero miles. Worked all day.
Tuesday 3/20 - Zero miles. Worked all day.

Wednesday 3/21 - 6 miles. Fitness Center track. My right hamstring felt tight immediately and made something wrong with my gait to where my right foot was slamming down onto the track like I had foot drop and caused a shin splint. I kept running hoping it would fix itself but it didn't. Pretty much felt awful the whole run.

Thursday 3/22 - Zero miles.

Friday 3/23 - 6 miles. Ran on the road by my house. I could still feel an uncomfortable pull in my hamstring but it didn't feel quite as bad as before and my gait was back to normal.

Saturday 3/24 - 8 miles. One more week til my marathon and I'm a bit stressed about the fitness of my leg. Decided to try some speedwork at the Fitness Center. 2 mile track warm up. 3 miles on the treadmill at 8:57 pace, 1 mile track recovery, 1 mile treadmill at 8:57 pace, 1 mile track cool down. The leg held up for the treadmill miles. Went to work a night shift after that.

33.5 miles for Week of 3/18/18 - 3/24/18

So now it's marathon week.

Sunday 3/25 - Zero miles. Slept all day and worked night shift.
Monday 3/26 - Zero miles.

Tuesday 3/27 - 6 miles. Went to the Fitness Center for a 2 mile track warm up, 3 miles on the treadmill at 8:57 pace, 1 mile cool down. Also saw my massage therapist who worked on my hamstring.

Wednesday 3/28 - Zero miles.
Thursday 3/29 - 5 miles. Easy run on the Fitness Center track.
Friday 3/30 - Zero miles.
Saturday 3/31 - 26.2 miles. Carmel Marathon... turned into the run from hell.

The race started out well. I ran with my friend Margo at the back of the 3:55 pace group and pretty much chatted along. 3:55 pace is 8:57 miles.

Mile 1 - 9:05
Mile 2 - 8:50
Mile 3 - 8:48
Mile 4 - 8:52
Mile 5 - 8:50
Mile 6 - 9:03
Mile 7 - 8:57
Mile 8 - 8:52
Mile 9 - 9:03
Mile 10 - 8:57
Mile 11 - 8:49
Mile 12 - 9:27

I always walk through the aid stations to drink my water. Accelerating out of the mile 12 aid station I felt my right hamstring pull and a wave of panic came over me. It didn't ball up quite as bad as it had on 3/18 though and I backed off the pace to prevent it from getting worse.

Mile 13 - 8:56

I passed the start/finish line where the half-marathoners were finishing and considered dropping out. My hamstring though was just annoying me at this point... not SUPER painful but just uncomfortable. I told myself to quit freaking out and relax and that I COULD catch back up to the pace group. Other than my hamstring bothering me, I felt fine.

Mile 14 - 8:54

Not losing any ground but working on catching back up.

Mile 15 - 9:09

Still trying to catch up but stay relaxed.

Mile 16 - 8:31

Oh screw it, I just wanted to catch back up to the group! I figured once I was back with them things would feel easier. I caught back up just before we got to the mile 16 aid station.

So... accelerating out of the aid station at mile 16, my right hamstring totally balled up. Arghh!!!! I backed off the pace again and watched the group I had just caught up with pull away again.

Mile 17 - 10:04

Stay calm. You can catch up again.
But then I started developing carpal-pedal spasm in my toes - where your toes spasm and try to cross - and then I could feel the twinges in my calves, and I knew this was the beginning of the end...

Mile 18 - 11:03
Mile 19 - 9:56
Mile 20 - 11:04

Somewhere around here I started getting the full on Charley horses in my legs where the entire leg becomes frozen in place and I can't move. One of the medical cyclists stopped and asked if I needed salt. No. I knew that wasn't the problem. I was having muscle spasms due to neuromuscular fatigue where rest is the only solution. Problem was, I still had over 6 miles to go.

Somewhere around here, too, I felt something rip open on the ball of my right foot and felt fluid soaking into my sock. Perfect.

Mile 21 - 11:37
Mile 22 - 13:01

The 4:00 pace group passed me and I mentally checked out. The only thing that kept me going was that I HAD to get home in time to get G back to Carmel by 3 pm. Race started at 8 am. Plan had been to be done by noon, then drive an hour home (1pm), have an hour to shower, change, and recover (2 pm), then drive an hour back. Now I HAD to be done by 1 pm at the absolute latest so get my daughter back to Carmel in time.

Mile 23 - 12:49
Mile 24 - 13:27
Mile 25 - 12:55
Mile 26 - 12:52

Official finish time - 4:23:51

Highlight of my day was seeing my friend Araminta at the finish. She had run the half and she waited for me and ran me in.

Once I got home, I was afraid to take my sock off. I was convinced I'd split open a callus and my sock would be stuck to my foot with dried blood. Instead, I found I'd developed a blister the size of a half dollar that covered the entire ball of my foot and had opened up. Grrr.

By Tuesday the blister had healed enough to walk on it so I figured I might try an easy run on Wednesday. However, then I got stung by a mud dauber (we have a flying insect problem at our house) on the bottom of my left foot - like RIGHT smack on the bottom of my instep - and my foot swelled and hurt so bad running was out of the question. Perhaps God didn't want me to run this week...

On Thursday I still couldn't fully straighten out my right leg because the hamstring still hurt. I took my daughter to PT and her therapist told me to come see her. In a fortunate twist in scheduling, she was able to see me today.

So, first thing she says is... have you SEEN your leg? 
No, I didn't ever think to actually LOOK at where I was sore, plus it's on the back of my leg.
Apparently the whole back of my right upper leg is discolored and swollen. I tore part of my hamstring and the muscle bled into the tissue, making it bruised and swollen. Well crap, no wonder it hurts.

So no running for awhile now. Not until she clears me. I suppose the only good thing is that I don't feel like such a weenie now. Sigh.