Back- blogging .....

Ok, so it's been a while since my last post.  First, a little explanation of my decreased running. 

I'm not a person who runs every day.  On a normal schedule, I would run twice a week (short, 3-4 miles) from the YMCA at lunch.  And I'd do my long run on Saturday, in which the distance would vary, depending on what I had upcoming...  or I'd be racing on the weekend.

So, since I'm no longer working in Rocky Mount, due to losing my job with RBC Bank, I no longer have my convenient lunchtime runs.  This was effective March 2nd.  For nearly two months now, I've only had my Saturday runs, which isn't working well for me.  I need those shorter runs and I've got to find a way to get them in.  Either early morning, or late evening, or dare I say, on a treadmill.  Now, I commute an hour each way to work, which lengthens the workday to where I just don't care about exercising when I get home.  Either running, or lifting weights or doing a cardio routine indoors.  And my fitness level (and weight) are reflective of this!

Fast- forward a month to the Umstead 100- Mile Endurance Run on March 31st.  This race is comprised of a 12.5 mile loop (4 laps for 50 miles, 8 laps for 100).  With my training nowhere near where it should have been, I had decided to take the 50- mile option.  It would be my first time going that far, so I would have been more than happy with that.  Especially in Umstead...  not easy!

Unfortunately, BAD issues with bursted capillaries and swelling in my feet/ankles halted my running on the 3rd lap.  I had so much swelling, if I tried to run a step, it felt like my feet were going to burst...  literally.  Mid-way through that 3rd lap, my fat little piggies had rubbed against all sides of my shoes and I had blisters everywhere...  sides of my feet, tops of all my toes, inside of my heels...  I was a mess.  I was nearly limping towards the end of that lap...  and barely able to walk, I've never seen a mile pass so slowly.  I was done with only 37.5 miles logged.  So frustrating! 

Though I was undertrained, I could have finished 50 miles, had my feet not failed me...  there is no doubt in my mind.  And maybe even gotten in a 5th lap!  My legs didn't even feel fatigued yet.  But...  it happens...  seems to be happening to me more frequently, especially in the heat and that was a very hot day.  Capallaritis, they call it, induced by exercise or prolonged stress to the lower legs.

So two weeks later on April 14th, with no running in between, I do a fun little 5k at the Gallberry Stampede, in the tiny town of Scotland Neck.  It was a blast and I managed to run a 5k on a cross country- type course with no issues.  Slower time, of course, than a road race...  and my feet were not 100%, but I felt good doing it, which was most important.  After the 5k finish, my good friend Frank Lilley and I decided to run/walk another lap, so I ended up logging 6.2 that day.

A week after that on April 21st, still no running in between, Jon and I head to Chapel Hill for the Tarheel 10- Miler.  This is our third year doing this race.  The course is great, but not easy.  It's hilly!  Guess that's how the town got it's name.  Another hot day...  low 60's at the start and it warmed up FAST!  For some reason, I've started blistering in weird places with my newest pair of Kinvara's.  Not sure what to make of that, when they should be the same shoe I've been running in.  I started feeling the blisters around mile 8, but I finished with little problems otherwise.  Terrible finishing time, compared to last years...  about 16 minutes longer it took me.  But obviously, my conditioning was better last year, and the temps were better, too!  So anyway, the bigger point here is that even though the time was nothing to cheer about, I felt pretty good while running it.

My next run is scheduled for two weekends from now, May 6th.  It's the Flying Pig Marathon in Cincinnatti.  This race holds a special place in my heart, as it was my first marathon back in 2009.  I was looking foward to running it again...  but with my performances here lately and my lack of consistent running, I'm considering dropping to the Half.  Also, the blistering issue...  if I have this problem again at mile 8, it'll be a LONG 18 miles to the finish, and as many know, running on feet that hurt with every step is a miserable, miserable time.  I don't want this race to be that way.

I'm to the point where running isn't fun anymore, because I'm having such a hard time.  So, I really need to get myself back into a routine.  Until then..........