August 14, 2013

Well, YES I AM ALREADY FINISHED withMY 1000 MILE IN 2013 CHALLENGE!!!!!! YAHOOOOOOO!!!! Now, let's see how many I can finish before the end of 2013? It will be interesting!!??? To date, I have ran 13 days in a row!!!! I know EXACTLY why I have been able to do this --- it is because I don't have that 2 days of "Avonex funk". That is what I called it... The Avonex is a MS drug that is an injectable that I took for years. For almost a year, it would take me at least 1 1/2 days to get over what I termed the "Avonex funk". You don't feel really bad - just very low energy and every muscle in your body weighted about a 1000 lbs... Now, with the new drug, Tecfidera, I don't have ANY of those issues. That is pretty evident with the number of days in a row that I have ran. So with that I could not be more THRILLED!!!!!! Today, I am going to take a rest day from running. Just because last night when I ran I could feel it in my knees and shins a little bit. Plus, tomorrow is still on the cooler side and I want to try to get some big miles in. This Saturday, I do have a little race, a 5K, in Stoughton, WI. It is a fun race with some steep hills. Afterwards, there is a nice little festival. Plus, you can get ALL the coffee you want... It is a coffee tasting festival. Stoughton, because of the Norwegian heritage, is known as the Coffee Drinking Capital... I did this race last year and I enjoyed it. So I decided this is one I wanted to do! I did get REALLY close to the 13.1 miles last weekend... Saturday I ran 12.08 miles. The weather for running has been in my favor. The weather for swimming as not been very good. We actually decided to close the pool for the season. We did this for a few reasons including; the cooler weather and so many family events going on. I ALWAYS HATE closing the pool. It means that nice warm days are numbered. But this year, with SO MANY WONDERFUL things going on --- it is hard not be happy and excited!! A week from this Saturday, we are in Maryland for Jeremy and Anna's wedding... HOW EXCITING!!!!! Then at any time from that point, Kollin will be born - our FIRST GRANDBABY!!!! Then September is the 1/2 marathon in Madison... So as you see - I definitely will not be bored!!!! http://beta.active.com/madison-wi/running/garden-half-marathon-4-mile-run-walk-2013 This is the website to sign up for the 1/2 marathon --- IF ANYONE WOULD LIKE TO JOIN ME!!!!! Afterwards, you get your picture taken with Big Bird and Cookie Monster... That is what sold me!!!!! So as ALWAYS AND FOREVER FORWARD!!!!!!

August 7, 2013

Last week I did get in some nice mileage... I was able to do some fairly longer miles due to the mild weather. Also this week I have STOPPED using my injectable medication and gone to the new oral. The first month you DOUBLE the dosage. My only issue has been some occasional nausea but, not really too terrible. I have found that when my tummy is REALLY empty is when the nausea seems to be more heightened. After I eat something, it seems to settle down. So on the whole -- so far so good!!!!!! Right now, it is still staying fairly mild with low humidity. Great for some long runs!!! Last Sunday, I did get 10.51 miles in one shot with 100% run. It actually was a nice paced run - I could have gone farther but I needed to get some chores done. So last week, I did get 41 miles in. That is the most in quite awhile. It is due to that cooler weather and low humidity. I noticed when we went shopping on Saturday that I had to get a size smaller in pants. So now I am down to a single digit size. I would LOVE to lose about 4 lbs before the wedding. I am REALLY REALLY close. If I can do more longer runs that REALLY HELPS with the weight lost!!!!! Sunday, I was out running and part of one street had just been graveled. I do NOT do well on non-pavement. It is difficult for me to control myself on gravel. I do not have the proper nerve-feelings in my feet nor the ability to change footing fast enough to accommodate the rough terrain. But I just took it nice and easy (still ran it 100%) and I stayed upright 100% of the time!!!!!! That I really liked!!!! Since, I seem to be having a pretty good experience with the Tecfidera so far - I should be able to get in some decent mileage over the next few days!!!! That would be AWESOME!!!! Now that we have officially entered August - we are in count down phase for two HUGE EVENTS in our family!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! #1 Jeremy and Anna's wedding and #2 the birth of Kollin (our 1st grandbaby). I am already known in our small town as that VERY VERY STRANGE OLD WOMEN that runs all over the place ... now I will have the ADDED TITLE of being that VERY VERY STRANGE OLD NANA THAT RUNS ALL OVER!!!!!! It really is a small community - I feel I am doing them a SERVICE by giving them SOMETHING to talk about. One of my running friends told me that whenever her and her daughter go somewhere - her daughter is always looking around to see if she sees me running somewhere in the area. I am the "Where's Pammy of Pecatonica!!!!" Hey - could be (and have been) called MUCH MUCH MUCH worse!!!!!!! Actually, Wednesday is usually my rest day but it looks so nice outside with mild temps that I may have to go for a run this evening... Remember --- ALWAYS FORWARD AND NEVER NEVER NEVER NEVER STOP!!!!