November 30, 2012

I have enjoyed and VERY MUCH needed my running vacation... This is not to say that I have not ran at all - because I have. The runs I have done have been few and short. I am still having issues with my legs/knees - so I have not wanted to push it to hard. Tomorrow I start a new challenge (I cannot stay away from a challenge!!!) - 100K in December. I don't think I will have too much problems with this challenge... It ends up equated to = 62 miles/4 weeks = 15.5 per week = 2.22 per day.... This is very doable - even if I have to come inside and do the dreaded treadmill. So my plan is to start tomorrow - but no long runs - I want to keep them shorter maybe if my legs heal more then some longer but carefully and then there is the weather factor. It has stayed fairly mild so far but, you never know when the extreme cold and snow could break loose. So this challenge I will play by hear... Some will probably be outside and some inside. But my real concern is the knees and muscles... I really want to be able to do my goals for 2013. These goals are - do the 2013 1000 mile challenge; run the 10 mile Syttendi Mai race 100%; and run a half marathon race. Those are my plans at the moment. Hopefully my body allows me to accomplish these goals. This December 100K challenge, I will take it easier. My times have been slower lately due to the knee aspects and also running in the darkness. Yes, I have a headlamp but still it is difficult to see every divet and bump in the roads. So I think it best till we get more daylight to take it slower. The biggest factor is continuing moving. Last week was Thanksgiving holiday. We did a very unusual thing by going out to dinner. Actually it worked out very well. It was alot less work and afterwards we could go home and relax. For me it was to relax a bit before going out and do my Christmas shopping. This is the first year, that I ever started on Thanksgiving night. But I did it... I was 3rd in line at Shopko. Then continued through all the rest of the stores that I had mapped out. I was done and home in the early afternoon. Then rested, had a nice turkey dinner, and went and saw a WONDERFUL movie at the theater with Brian, my husband. So it was a good day for me. I did not get all my treasures wrapped yet (usually I do that also) but I should have that done this weekend. Then see - I just don't have to deal with anything else. Right now, my concentrations are on my fitness and also working on finishing my quilting projects. Since I am slowing down on the amount of time on running - it gives me more time for my sewing. I really enjoy my sewing plus it is very helpful and theraputic for someone with MS. Another symptom with MS is a lot of muscle stiffness/tightness/cramping/spasms... This is all muscle even the hand muscles - so my sewing helps to keep my hand muscle limber. Plus, quilting you use quite a bit of math/geometry - so this is helpful with the cognitive aspects of MS. So as you see, as I am making a present for someone I am also helping myself and my well being... I am so very HAPPY that my son will be home for Christmas!!! He will also be bringing his new girlfriend with him. That will be so wonderful that we can all be together. I am so happy that Jeremy is moving forward with his life. He has gone through some very difficult situations personally, ect... but he is perservering... See where I get my determination from - or is it the other way around??? Or is it that Irish Catholic thing that is way to imbedded in me and my children??? So I am continuing to ALWAYS MOVE FORWARD!!!!

November 21, 2012

YES, YES, YES --- I COMPLETED THE 1000 MILE CHALLENGE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! When I originally signed on to the challenge, I really never thought I could really do 1000 miles... Come on, that is crazy... let's think about this... I am a 50+ year old women, with Secondary Progressive MS, who just stopped using a cane a year and a half ago.... But I did do it!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I wanted to get it done before the weather really turned and it got horribly cold. Last weekend, we did the Jingle Bell 5K in Rockford. Oh my, there were ALOT of people - that race was HUGE!!!! There were many big time runners. I was having problems with my right leg - the muscle had spasmed on me during a run a couple of days prior and it was bothering me. But I was able to do the run. I just took it easy and paced it out. I actually did an amazing amount of miles that week --- 49 miles!!!! It is good and bad... It got me closer to my goal but on the other hand - I think I over did it. I am still feeling the effects in my knees and calves... So now, that I have finished the challenge - I am going to take a BRIEF vacation from running (at least a few days). Then we will see.... Right now, I am going to enjoy my Thanksgiving holiday... This year, we are going to a resteraunt for Thanksgiving... which is so nice... no work!!!! Then after I am going to break my usual tradition of starting and finishing my Christmas shopping on the day after --- I am actually going to start Thanksgiving Day... So the store I am looking at opens at 9p - I will be in line waiting for it to open - like all the other nuts... But actually I have always enjoyed the Black Friday sales - I am able to stretch my limited Christmas budget - I have always meet very nice people in the lines and chat with them... Plus I have EVERYTHING done in one day -- I have everything very stratigically mapped out with what store opens when - what I want at that store - then I move to the next... That is the way I enjoy it... I enjoy the fun of the "hunt".... I wondering if with all my running - will it help me running through the stores????? LOL... Have a WONDERFUL THANKSGIVING HOLIDAY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Don't eat too much and enjoy and treasure your family and friends!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

November 16, 2012

Well, I am REALLY REALLY close to the 1000 mile mark, ONLY 38.37 miles to go... Holy cow!!! Right now, I am really trying to have it 100% completed by Thanksgiving Day!!!! Wouldn't that be something truly AWESOME!!!! When I joined this challenge - I did it mainly for "kicks", and seeing how many miles I actually do would be interesting, and if I got even close to the 1000 miles that would be pretty cool. But NOW to see that I have actually done this blows my little mind!!!! Last Saturday we had a 8K race in Winnebago IL. It was a nice race, the weather was actually warm... Considering this is NOVEMBER - I was wearing SHORTS!!! I got about 1 mile in and all of the sudden a VERY VIOLENT storm broke loose.... There was lightening EVERYWHERE and close - you could feel the little hairs on your arm stand at attention... The thunder was so loud. I just went DAMN... Oh well, maybe this is how I am going to meet my maker by getting hit by lightening... Then I thought, no - I am to low to the ground and just went for the screw it theory and just kept running.... A few people actually quit and that point but not this die hard runner... Let's get real - I was already a mile in, paid my money and damn it if I don't allow the MS to knock me down why should I allow a little rain!!!!!! So yes, I finished and actually recieved 1st place for my age division. The rest of this week, I have been really working on keeping up my miles. I have been doing pretty well. I actually figured out if I really work, I have a GREAT opportunity to have my 1000 miles in by Thanksgiving Day. That is MY goal!!!! I have been doing pretty good with that... I have even gotten in some double runs during the week which is close to 10 miles. So that really helps. But the damn MS is once again doing anything it can to beat me down.... DAMN MS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Last night I was running and about 2 miles in and all the sudden my left (weaker leg) knee felt like it wanted to fold in backwards. I did not let it happen and kept it going forward. But it did ALMOST get me to fall and drop me down like a stone. I did NOT fall and kept totally upright. I slowed down at that point and then felt like it was better and just continued on my 4.77 mile route. I continued and afterwards went to Pilates class. But still my muscles on the outside of my knee felt tight and weird. They seemed to be getting stiffer. I was planning on getting in another 4.77 miles in this morning but, with the knee still feeling stiff I decided to take a day off. Plus, I am even going to take BodyPump off tonight. We do ALOT of squats with very heavy weight. So maybe a day of rest and alternating heat/cold will help that muscle. I really do want to do the 5K race tomorrow. I tried to do it last year but, the day of the race there was a very cold, windy, rainy day. I decided that running in the COLD rain was not worth getting REALLY SICK. Plus for someone like me - getting really sick could cause my MS symptoms to really FIRE UP and take me months to get back to where I am now... So I did not chance it. This weekend - the weather is supposed to be nice -- about 50 degrees and sunny. So hopefully if I baby my knee today I will be OK. It is wierd because it only hurts or feels stiff if I move certain ways. Otherwise it feels fine... So some muscle probably spasmed on me while I was running and I forced it to stretch and strained it. I did not snap the muscle believe me - I know what that feels like and that WILL DROP YOU DOWN JUST LIKE A STONE. Plus - PAIN - OH MY GOD!!!! This year I have been so good with my injuries. They have all be EXTREMELY minor (skinned knees) but NO MAJOR ANYTHING!!!! It really makes me so DAMN mad - here I am acheiving a goal that I never thought in a MILLION YEARS I COULD ACCOMPLISH and then my body decides to mess with me... DAMN MS, DAMN MS, DAMN MS!!!!!!!!! I will NOT LET YOU WIN - NOT NOW OR EVER!!!!!! DAMN MS, DAMN MS!!!!! GO BACK TO THE BOUGHS OF HELL WHERE YOU BELONG - DAMN MS!!!!!!!! So now that I have ONLY 38.37 miles to go... I will finish it, it will happen, and I will have it done before Thanksgiving... I may have to run slower but to bad... I will NOT LET IT WIN!!!!! NEVER NEVER NEVER LET THE MS WIN.... NO MATTER WHAT IT THROWS AT YOU!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

November 2, 2012

We survived our second 10K last Sunday in Sycamore IL. It was a really nice race, extremely organized, and there were 1526 racers!!!! I was 53rd out of 64 of the women in my age catagory!!!! The fastest women in my age group was 45:14 - APSOLUTELY AMAZING!!!! My time was 1:12... It could have been better but I fell the first mile in, did NOT get hurt but about 1/2 doz runners helped me up -- VERY VERY nice!!!!! LOVED the start of the race - they shot a cannon (yes real cannon) about 6 times... scared Lisa and I to death!!! We started at the armory in Sycamore. On the whole it was fairly flat, the rough part really was coming into the park toward the end. They had speed bumps in the roadway so I had to be VERY VERY mindful of my stepping. So even with the fall.. I probably could have been down to 1:10 or so... This is better than the last 10K in Monroe but that was some serious steep hills and grades - time was 1:15. Getting closer to finishing the 1000 mile challenge I am currently at 881.85 miles since 2/14/12.... only 118.15 to go!!!!!!! I did have one "down" day this week. It was after the race and then John's class (that ALWAYS kicks my a...). But that is good!! Now I am back and feel great!!! I hope this weekend to be able to get in some fairly long runs. Maybe not a real long one but at least some 5 to 6 milers in... That will get me over the 900 mile mark and well on my way to finishing the goal.... It will be very interesting to see how many miles I can really get in before the end of the year... My next races are a 5K Jingle Bell and a 8K in Winnebago. Both of these are this month. I hope that the weather holds and it is not too horrible cold or rainy or snowy... But time will tell! This time of year is the BEST for me with running. I love that it is not so hot outside that I get SO over-heated and fatigued. Yes, I still get very hot in the cooler weather but it is so much easier on the recovery. I know that I am improving with my overall stamina and that is FANTASTIC!!!! It is difficult to go out early in the morning. It is pitch black outside and cool especially when you have a nice soft,warm bed that very very inviting... So I have been doing more evening runs because the warm bed has me in its clutches. I do like the early morning runs because it gets you all energized for the day. We celebrated Halloween this week. I did not pass out the candy. Brian, my husband, did that. I stayed AWAY from the candy and just worked on my sewing/quilting. So I stayed true to my nutrition and had my salad and a piece of vegan pumpkin pie -- yummy!!!! I have discovered a new nutritional love --- raw oatmeal... It is GREAT!!! I took it with to the race and it was perfect... You take some regular oatmeal and mix with a cup of yogurt and add some fruit pieces and let it set in the frig overnight. It is great protein and calcium. After a long and hard run, I tend to have an upset tummy. So I want to eat but really can't. So this was the PERFECT food... I could just slowly eat it and it was calming to my tummy. Everyone has to find what works for them and their bodies. I know that my nutrition has been a GIANT factor in my progression. Not just losing over 120lbs... but everything - fatigue, cognitive issues, neuropathy, and all the other WONDERFUL MS issues... I have gotten to this point through A LOT of very HARD WORK!!!! I never say never and ALWAYS willing to try... To me, to give in is like giving up... that is ALLOWING the MS to win... to HELL with that!!!!! Not going to happen on my watch --- when MS came to me it did not know what a stubborn, pain-in-the-ass, Irish-gal it was dealing with.... So just go and do it -- whatever it is ... go.....