Sleepy and Sore

Getting up this morning was hard. This old body was sore from boot camp and my own lifting workout!!! It's nice to be back at it and I know in time the soreness will go away and I will be left with nothing but pure strenght, unless it kills me first!! LOL Once I was up and started to move around, I felt alot better :)

Decided to hit the roads again, thinking it would be better for my knee. Got in 8 miles around the little town of Loudonville!! The first 4 mile were great averaging around 8:30 pace but then the wheels fell off and I struggled to stay at 9:30 pace!! However, the knee felt pretty good, just alittle stiff. BE PATIENT, TERRI!!!!!

Even though I was extremely sore, I did my bicep workout with the weights after my run.

That's all for now folks...............................................

Routine

There is something to be said about being and staying in a routine, especially when you are alittle OCD like me! The past week and a half, I have definitely been out of my routine and it drives me crazy!! Finally, today, I felt like I had some rhyme and reason to my workouts.

All my workouts have been painfully, SLOW!! I know I have to be patient and things will eventually come around. At this point, I have no racing goals, so there is no reason to push things. Normally, I can run an 8:30 pace on the road for training, today I could only manage about 9:30-10:00 pace. I can usually swim a mile in about 32-35 min., today it took me 40 min. and as far as boot camp, I struggled the whole hour, having to stop often and having no drive!! Patience has to be my friend until I can get over this hump!!!!

It was 5am boot camp this morning followed by a 5.2 mile run on the road. It has been a long time since I have been out running on the road. It felt a lot better on my knee, I think because the surface was flat unlike the trails. After my run, I got in the pool and swam 1.25 miles with 150yd kick and 350yd pull. As I sit here this evening typing, my upper body is sore. Maybe I will just do a run tomorrow and give the arms a rest!!!!! However, as the famous saying goes, " There is no rest for the wicked!!!"

Trying To Be Strong In Sport And Life

Went out to the trails at Mohican this morning and got in 8.5 miles. A slow run but it was nice to be out!! Thank goodness it was a warm, fall morning and I missed the rain that came in later in the day! The right knee is still giving me some trouble but at this point, I don't think I'm doing it any harm running. The pain comes from the inside of the knee when I bend it or try to pick it up. I think I could run faster but I'm so afraid of falling or slipping on the trails. I need to be patient and remember that there is no major races coming up. It's time to take it easy and have some running fun!!



I am trying to get back into my lifting routine, again! It has been a while since I lifted other than boot camp so I my upper body has been sore. I have lost alot of my strength since the 100 but I am hoping it will come back quickly!! I know with the lifting we do in boot camp, I really don't need to do any more lifting but I enjoy it!! The plan is to lift on my own no more than three times a week. That may be alittle much but I'll give it a try!!



This weekend, I plan on running two races, although I won't be racing, just running and enjoying myself!! Saturday, Premier Racing is putting on a race here at Mohican and the proceeds will go to Nu Hop Camp. There will be a number of distances you can choose from, 3.5, 8, 13.5 and 31 miles. I will probably only do the 13 miler unless the pain in my knee is completely gone, then I may consider the 31 miler. On Sunday, it's Run with Scissors, marathon and double marathon. This race will be at Cuyahoga Valley National Park in Peninsula, OH. I will be only doing the marathon and once agian just for fun!! I know I'm probably pushing the recovery alittle but I will be running anyway this weekend so why not run with others and enjoy myself!!!

Now on to the subject of my oldest son, Corey, and all the drama going on in his life!! I am so glad that I am not in my twenties these days!! Feelings and emotions must not mean anything to the younger generation!! I have tried to raise my boys to the best of my ablity and I do now one thing, they are considerate of others and are aware of others feelings!! This girl that has broken Corey's heart must not have been raise that way! She doesn't seem to care who she is hurting or why! All she cares about is herself and to hell with everyone else!! I think she wants her cake and eat it too!! She tells Corey she needs "space" but gets mad at him if he goes out with his buddies!! Very mixed up if you ask me!!!! Poor Corey is in such limbo!!! I just told him to move on but I guess it's easier said then done!!! There will be more to talk about on this subject as the days go on, that I am sure of!!!!! Never a dull moment..........................................

Stir Crazy

After a week of no running, I started to get alittle crazy!! Just ask my family!! I know I needed rest, both physically and mentally but by the end of the week, I was soooo ready to hit the trails!! My right knee was sore and swollen so I don't think I could have ran even if I wanted to :( It was a week of an emotional roller coaster with many highs and lows, not only with the fact that I wasn't running but their was also stress in the family!!

While I was out trying to finish my 100 miler last weekend, my oldest son, Corey was having his heart broken! I found this out after my finish, thank goodness!! His girlfriend decided she needed her "space" and time to have her own fun!! Corey was truely heartbroken!! So, this last week not only was I trying to recover from the 100, but I spent 4-5 very late nights trying to console him. If you are a parent, the worst thing in the world is to see your child hurting, especially when there is really nothing you can do but be there!! As he sobbed in my arms, I tried to take the hurt away but I guess only time can do that at this point!! I'm glad that I could be there for him and try to talk him through the rough times!

Friday night was parents night at the Loudonville staduim. I had the pleasure to be escorted by #14 Keith!! I am so proud of him!! He is turning into a fine young man!! The night ended in a big "W" for the Birds, 70-0, against Northridge!! The boys really had fun for a change!! Keith scored once and had about 10-11 tackles!! He has also taken the roll as the kicker, since the orginal kicker got hurt last weekend. He did a great job on the kick offs, putting 2 kicks into the end zone and made all 10 of the extra points!! What an exciting night!! The boys really deserved the win!!

My workouts for last week -

Mon 9-18-10 Nothing

Tues 9-19-10 Nothing

Wed 9-20-10 1 mile swim with 500yd pull

Thrus 9-21-10 1 mile swim with 450yd pull

Fri 9-22-10 Boot camp and 1 mile swim

Sat 9-23-10 Nothing

Sun 9-24-10 13 miles at Mohican and lifted weights. First run since the 100 so it was very easy. My knee was still bothering me so I had to be very careful not to slip or trip! It was so nice to be out running!!!!

Mon 9-25-10 Boot camp and 1.25 mile swim with 450yd pull

Recovery

I finished Oil Creek 100!!!! It was ugly, but I got it done!! A twisted knee and throwing up all night, sure didn't help but thanks to Mark Carroll, my pacer, I made it through in 29 hrs and 18 min. Not really the race I wanted but I got the buckle!! It sure was a slow, long, cold night!! I will try to write a full race report in a few days but right now there is other things on my plate to deal with!! I would also like to thank everyone who supported me in trying to get this monkey off my back, especially my family.

A big thank you to RD, Tom Jennings for putting on a great race and all the great volunteers who put in countless hours putting the race together!!

Right now. I'm trying to recover, although I may try to run tomorrow. I miss my daily routine and am anxious to get back to boot camp!! No rush, however, I really have nothing on the schedule until November, unless I decide to do Run With Scissors on Oct. 30. Am I happy for the finish, Yes but I need to figure some things out before the next one. I guess with each ultra you do, you learn something new!!!

Nerves

I hate the week leading up to a big race.! I always get so nervous, uptight and thinking way too much!!! This week leading up to Oil Creek 100 hasn't been any different. If anythhing else, It's been worse! All week, I have had an upset stomach, diarrhea, can't eat or sleep and of course the up and down emotions! Boy, makes me wonder why I do this!!! However, I do think I'm ready!! I just have to run smart, be patient, eat, drink, stay mentally tough and most of all believe in myself!! I CAN DO THIS!!!!! I will have a great support system with me, my dear husband Mark, will be crewing and my good friend, Mark Carroll, will be pacing me! Can't ask for much more support than that!! Thanks, guys!! I'll try not to disappoint you and will try to make you proud!!

Friday 10-8-10 8.5 miles on the trails with ab work after. Keith and the Loudonville football team lost once again to Centerburg 24-20. It's been a rough year and is really getting to Keith!! This is the first game, I have actually seen Keith openly show his emotions. Normally he is a pretty tough guy, but when I see tears rolling down his cheeks, I know he is really struggling with all that has been going on amoung the team!! Enough said!!

Saturday 10-9-10 11 miles at Mohican on the horse trails with Mark. Corey and his girlfriend, Lauren were home for the fair. Other than that, a quite Saturday!

Sunday 10-10-10 12 miles on the trails, core work afterwards. Mark, Keith and his girlfriend, Kate went to Cininnati to watch the Bengals, so I slept alot in a quite house.

Monday 10-11-10 TOTAL REST DAY!!!!!!!!!!

Tuesday 10-12-10 7 slow miles at MO. The CB is about done :) Ab work.

Wednseday 10-13-10 1 mile swim Really enjoying the rest and my body is thanking me!!!!!!

The Dreaded Taper

What is it about tapering for a race that us runners hate? Are we out of routine, do we feel like we are slacking, do we wonder if we are getting out of shape, do we have to much time and energy on our hands or is it the meer fact that we just plan miss running?? Whatever it may be, I don't like it!! I'm trying very hard this time around to enjoy myself but it doesn't seem to be working very well :( Thank goodness this is the week of the Loudonville Street Fair so that gives me something to do!! Plus, we would believe how clean and organized the house is becoming :) I have one more week until OC so the house should be in spic-n-span shape!!!

I really needed this taper!! I have beat my body up pretty bad this year, although I don't have much to show for it! I'm feeling the normal sluggish, achy, yucky feeling that comes with the dreaded taper, but I'm trying to welcome it instead of fighting it :) I keep telling myself to enjoy this time of rest because in 8 days I will need every once of being to complete this 100. I would really, really love to end the year with a 100 finish and a buckle in hand!! So, no bones about it, I NEED TO REST!!!!!!!!!

Yesterday was my last day of boot camp until after Oil Creek (see I am taking this taper seriously!) and then I went to the Y for a 1.25 mile swim. No running!! Made it to the Loudonville Fair in the evening for some good old fair food. Isn't junk food part of tapering!! LOL It's always fun to walk the streets of Loudonville seeing all the exhibits and people!!

Today, got up around 7:00am to fix Corey breakfast (he came home for the night to go to the fair), got Keith off to football practice and then it was my turn with two other parents to feed the football team. We fed them lunch since they had an early practice. No school for the rest of the week because of the fair. I'm so proud no working out of any kind today!! Going crazy, but proud!!!!!

Turning 50

Well, This past Saturday, October 2, I turned the big 5-0!! I'm not going to talk on the subject much because there is nothing I can do about it. I think I struggled with it more before the day actually arrived. It's hard for me to believe that I'm 50, I really don't feel like it, which is a good thing. Don't get me wrong, I do have my aches and pains but I can deal. When I was younger, I thought 50 was old, but I am counting my blessings that I am in better shape than most people my age. I look at most people my age and see how out of shape, fat and sick they actually are, some can hardly walk let alone run!! So, I am blessed to be in good health so I'm not going to complain :) As far as my running goes, I can still keep up with the best of them and I will continue to try no matter what my age is!!! I know I have slowed down but I think I have come to terms with it and I will continue to give it my all!!!!I have now entered the grand master group, which is a good thing, I guess :) Just another faze in my life and I welcome it :)

Now it's time to catch up on my training log.

Thrusday 9-30-10 11 miles at Mohican and core work afterwards.

Friday 10-1-10 Boot camp and 1.25 miles swim with a 300yd pull and 150 yd kick. No running. Keith and the Loudonville football team lost to Utica :( Not a good game for anyone :(

Saturday 10-2-10 The Big Birthday!! 11 miles at Mohican, 7 miles with Mark, my husband.

Sunday 10-3-10 Ran with Don B, Mark C, Rob P, Shannon F, Patrick F and Michelle B. It was a good 15 miler with good friends!

Monday 10-4-10 Starting to get cranky with this tapering :) Boot camp and 1.25 mile swim. No running.

Tuesday 10-5-10 8.75 miles on the road with ab work afterwards.