Back Away for the Ice Cream

So, I don't know what is going on, but I have been eating like it is going out of style. Not only have I been eating, but I really have not been healthy eating. If I can shove it in my mouth I put it in. What you kids want a brownie sundae? Sure, why not? And you know what I am going to have one too? Pizza three times this week? Sure, and maybe I will eat 3 slices too. I can't STOP. My friend thinks that I am depressed from not running so I am eating. Hmmmm....maybe she is right. Or maybe I don't have any self control. Who knows, but back away kids .....Mama is getting the first brownie.

Happy Weekend everyone!

Three Things Thursday ---PT it is

1/ Today was my first PT appointment. She diagnosed me with ?Performis (no idea if that is the spelling), but it has to do with hip muscles and the sciatic nerve. Anyway I was treated to a ultrasound treatment that felt very odd. Kind of like getting a 1000 tatoos at once. It felt better after, but now it is hurting again. I go back on Monday and she said that we can talk about pool running at that time.

2/ When I mentioned training for the National Marathon she definitely had that "funny hahaha" look on her face. She didn't tell me no, but then went on to tell me a pool running story about a guy who was training for Boston. I am hoping that she was telling me the story because she thinks that is how it is going to work for me.

3/ Travis has been away for 6 days now. I will be glad to see him on Sunday. I am trying to stay focused and not feel sorry for myself. I keep thinking about the women and men out there whose spouses' are in the military and are away. Really my 9 days is not a big deal in the grand scheme of things.

Happy Thursday!

Depressing Weekend

Last week G, one of my favorite bloggers, suggested we write about what we are depressed about for the most depressing day of the year, January 22nd. I think there were prizes involved and when I first started thinking about it, I was prepared to write something funny, you know something about the zits on my forehead from my bondi bands, but wouldn't you know it my running has hit hard times. On Friday I was diagnosed with a hip overuse injury and told to break up with my cross training class, take a running break and start physical therapy. I started thinking about my overuse, did I really overuse my hip. I think that I trained the right way, followed my training plan, wore the right shoes and took it slow. Now, I am home with 4 kids for the week while Travis is travelling and I can't get my run on. I am staring at my beautiful birthday treadmill in my room and my new Brooks waiting to get worn and all I can do is wait until Thursday's physical therapy appointment. I keep browsing the Running Skirts web site looking at skirts. ( I already own all of the argyle ones.) I got a new jacket from Brooks in the mail today and couldn't even open the package. I am keeping my fingers crossed that this is for just a week. I am wishing and hoping....and hoping and wishing. I am going to try to embrace the rest as a good break for my body and give me a chance to concentrate on home things, kid things and wife things. Say a little prayer that I make it.

Resting Stinks

Okay, I will admit it, I am not loving the "rest" part of the recovery equation. I am kind of bored. I am by myself with the kids for the week so I am not bored with nothing to do, but everytime I look at my treadmill I get a little twinge. I used Biofreeze on my hip and part of my butt this pm. I was having spasms and it killed, but once I did that and took a couple of Motrin I felt much better. So much better in fact I almost hopped on my treadmill, but I stopped myself. I would rather get better now so that I could have the entire month of February to run. (I might be to optimistic?) Anyway, I am going to hot yoga tomorrow am. I think that some stretching might be good for me and then I might try to swim on Tuesday. I am not a good swimmer, but maybe this is a sign that I need to cross train and do something different. Who knows? I guess everything happens for a reason. Happy Sunday!

It's Overuse

I will start by saying that my kids have another snow day today. That is 4 in the last 2 weeks and we are supposed to have a major storm next Wednesday and Thursday. Travis took the 2 big kids to his office so I have the little kids. I definitely got the easy end. (he would definitely tell you the opposite.)

I had my Sports Medicine MD appointment this am. His name is Dr. Couture and I LOVE him. He got it. He understood that I was training for some half and full marathons. (he is a runner). He never once said it was not happening. He asked me what I wanted to do? (hmmmmm.....ummm RUN?) Then he gave me a plan. Long story short I have a right hip rotator strain which is leading to some ITB issues. So first off I need to rest, second I start PT on Thursday (I already have an appointment.) and third I am going to stay POSITIVE. I am going to stay positive. He did not tell me that I couldn't swim, so I am going to try to start swimming on Monday. I don't know how far I will make it, but I needed to start doing some cross training so here goes nothing. I am also going to try to hit hot yoga one to two times per week so that I can stretch out. I definitely need it.

So fingers crossed my running break doesn't last long. With all of these snow days, I might lose my mind.

3 Things Thursday....Stressed Edition

1./ What do you do when you have done something to your hip that you can't explain? You know hip pain that equals pressure in your quad when you walk on it? Well, if you are me you get stressed. What do you do when you are stressed? Hmmmm....you decide to make cupcakes with Izzie and her friend Emma and then eat 2 of them. Yes, that is what I did. And now I am more stressed because I know that I am not running today. Aaaarrrrgggghhhhh.......I did make an appointment with the Sports Medicine MD in the am. Please just let it be a week of rest. Please, please, please.....

2./ Andy is home sick with me today. He had a horrible cough and a low grade fever this am. Believe me, it crossed my mind to send him, but then I looked at him and knew that I couldn't. Don't worry he is feeling better. He just scarfed down a cupcake.

3./ What happens when you realize that your husband is leaving on Saturday and essentially gone for the next 10 days? You start to get really stressed, in fact eating another cupcake crosses your mind, but you stop yourself before you cross the line. You start putting things into perspective and realize that it will be okay. That he does this 6 months out of the year and I always handle myself fine. I think that as the kids' get older, it gets harder. More homework, more activities and then I appreciate my husband more and more. So wish me luck.

Party's Over

My kids' had another snow day today. Siri had two last week and the boys had one. Add on the MLK holiday yesterday and my kids have spent a lot of quality time together in the past week. I think that they have had enough of each other. What started out as a nice day...has slowly turned into "I can't stand you!" "You are a loser!" and door slamming. Travis left 20 minutes ago to get pizza at the local market and is still not back. (it is less than a mile away) I am beginning to think he is not coming back. Would he leave me with these 4 at 5:15 pm at the end of a snow day with no pizza? I am hoping not.

I did get my 9 mile run in today. It felt good. At first I was not so sure, I had pulling in my butt and it seemed to be working on my knee causing my gait to be funny, but once I hit a mile and picked up the pace a bit it worked itself out. (I am feeling it a bit now while I sit on the couch.) In the end though I needed it due to....you guessed it the snow day.

Oh good, Travis is back. I am hoping that he has some great story to tell as to why it took so long, but something tells me that he ran into someone and started talking. That is always what happens.

I Was Sick

So just a quick update...I did have the stomach bug for my big weekend away with Trav. Nothing like spending a romantic evening with the toilet on your first weekend away with your husband in 2 years. I am home now. Our weekend sitter was awesome, maybe to awesome as she did more with the kids in one weekend than we might do with them in a month. So anyway, taking the rest of the day off to watch the Patriots and then will start fresh at 6:30 am tomorrow. Gotta get my run back.

If I may just go off course for a minute I would like to comment on a post/comment that I read on another blogger's board today. Someone had written something quite nasty under anonymous. IT was hurtful and mean spirited and while she says it won't bring her down I can only assume that for a minute, an hour that it did. When you blog you are putting your thoughts, feelings, emotions on "paper" for others to read. If you don't like what someone has to say, then don't write anything. If you feel that they are not your style, then don't follow them. It is really quite easy. But, DO NOT write comments to be mean. It is really not right.

On that note.....GO PATRIOTS!!!!!!!

Am I Sick?

I think that I might be sick. My entire body hurts, my head hurts and I have a bit of a stomach ache. I have decided this in the middle of packing for my weekend away in Maine. Travis surprised me two weeks ago with a trip to Freeport. We have gone to Maine once a year since we have been together. We either stay in Kennebunkport or Freeport. I spent my middle school and high school years in Bath, Maine. (my parents moved when I was in college). I love Maine. It is so easy going, quiet and just all in all beautiful. I always ask Travis if we can move there? (the answer being no because the taxes are to high).

So anyway as I am packing and getting more achy. I am wondering if I am anxious? Our favorite overnight sitter is coming. She is one of the few people we trust to give the big kids' their meds and take care of the puppy. She will also do stuff with them that I don't always love doing, you know swimming, Chuck E Cheese, the movies. It will be a break for them too. I guess I am also a little sad that Izzie keeps asking me when Lauren is coming and I am leaving. So silly my behavior. Instead of being excited I am feeling sad. Maybe I have totally lost it.

On another note I did not run today and I think that I might give myself tomorrow off too. My right knee hurts a bit as well as my glute for some reason. I am struggling with not bringing my stuff because what if I want to run, but at the same time I think that my body is asking for some time off. I pushed hard before the New Year to get to a 1000 miles and I am now wondering if I was a little hard on my body.

I am off. Excited for my weekend, of course a bit anxious, but that is who I am. Hopefully it all goes well.

Three Things Thursday

1. Siri is home from school today, but the boys had school. Siri goes to private school in Nashua and all of Nashua is closed. I actually was glad this morning because the idea of driving to Nashua was daunting. The roads aren't great and I just wanted to stay in my pj's. Oh well, she is here and already asking what is for lunch....I told her that in order to get lunch she would have to babysit the puppy while I was on the treadmill. A little work for food.

2. My hip has been bothering me all week. I have a weird right hip. This pain started last year when I took my FIT class that I am taking again and then it went away after I stopped. I am going to give running a whirl today and if I have to quit the FIT class I will. I can do other cross training things instead.

3. It is beautiful here. If I was better with a camera I would photograph it for you, but it is white and crisp and cold. The backyard has not even been touched in some spots and it is sparkly like diamonds. We had 14 inches of snow yesterday. It snowed all day....I am hoping for some melting though. I get over the beauty pretty quickly.

Snow Day/Rest Day

Today was supposed to be my long run day, 13 miles to get on the books, but last night school was cancelled and today we received 16 inches of snow. There is snow every where. Poor Izzie could not even walk in the yard it was so deep. All of the Invisible Fence flags are covered with snow and until 2 pm today I could not even get my car out of the driveway. Travis worked from home (yuk) and turned our bedroom into his home office, taking phone calls, working on his computer and not really letting me on my treadmill. Finally, after 3 full meals, snow clothes in the dryer one to many times and a shower I decided to sit down or rather get in my bed. I couldn't even muster the energy to get on the treadmill and decided to push my run off until tomorrow. I am saying a prayer that they are all in school on time. Please keep your fingers crossed for me...I don't know if I can take everyone home again.

The Tummy Bug

We were hit this weekend. Hit with the tummy bug. Just one (Ben), but it was still in my house. Which leads to this huge amount of stress....I was at a baby shower in MA when I got the e-mail. I could feel the hair raising on my arms and my eyes getting wide. I started to have the OMG thoughts, i.e. where did he throw up? was it on the rug? and the biggest is anyone else throwing up? I immediately thought about my week ahead i.e. my running week ahead. (okay I am beginning to be a bit selfish when it comes to my training plan...) and who was going to be home with me and finally please, please do not let me get it. If I go down, the whole house goes down. I spent yesterday washing sheets and pillowcases, using Clorox wipes and Lysol and hoping/praying that we make it with no one else getting it. Well it is Monday morning and Ben is back to his old self (for good or bad) and everyone is off to school. Now...to worry about the snow day that is coming on Wednesday. GREAT!

Looks Like We Have a Runner

Nelly and Izzie
Hmmmmm....I am not a crazy puppy person. Don't get me wrong I love our new puppy. I talk silly talk to her, I let her sleep in our bed and I let her kiss me, but I don't talk about her 24/7. She is cute, cuddly, has puppy breath, you know it is kind of like bringing home a newborn. Let's just say as of today the newness might have worn off, you see I have a runner. The three times that Nelly has gone out with me today she has run to the neighbors house, run down to the mailbox and run up by our pool. She does not listen to NO or STOP and I swear she is smiling at me as she takes off. To get to all of these places you essentially have to go through the woods, yes the woods. Our woods are icy right now and there are branches down and in some spots we have water with ice on top that she can run across, but I of course can't. (hence a soaking wet Ugg slipper on my porch:() Do you want to know what I was thinking when I was chasing her today...IF I HURT MYSELF AND CAN'T RUN TODAY I AM GOING TO SCREAM OR MAYBE MORE THAN SCREAM!!!!!!!! I was not thinking that Nelly might get hurt or run over by a car, I was thinking that I was not going to be able to run and where that would put my training....There is a phrase used by two of my favorite runners out there, Runner first, logical thinker second. I think that I have turned into that runner....and you know what I kind of like it.

It's A Rest Day

I am resting today. I was supposed to run 16 miles, but it will have to wait until tomorrow or Friday. I went to the local running clubs speed work out last night and I was tired after. It was simple, 6 x 800 at 10K pace. These people must run really fast 10K's. Their pace was crazy, we are talking like a 6 minute pace. I usually run about an 8:30 pace and I was running between a 7:00 and a 7:21 to not be at the end. After the hour my legs were like jelly and I was tired. I was glad that I went though, because I feel like this will help my half and full marathons and it is fun to mix it up a bit. Now to start thinking about one day a week of cross training. I would like to try swimming, but I am so bad at it I don't know where to start. I am giving myself until Feb.1 to start.

Well off to get Izzie at school. Today is lunch bunch and I have to admit I have had a great day by myself. As much as I love them, what is that expression, "Absence makes the heart grow fonder."

The Hangover 10K

Today on 1/1/11 (I have been wanting to write that all day) I ran the Hangover 10K in Salisbury, MA. This race is part of the Will Run for Beer Series, 6 races in the seacoast area of NH. (We actually ran into NH today) If you run 5 out of the 6 races you get a jacket, we'll see how the schedule goes. We left the house around 10:15. I was the race driver today. I always leave a little early because I hate being late....we were not late and in fact we were over an hour early. Michele and I grabbed our numbers and Gail registered. T-shirts not so great, off white cotton with some writing on the front. Seems like they could have had tech shirts, but oh well.

We went back to the car for awhile, chatted and laughed and at 1230 we headed over to use the bathroom and get to the start. The race was packed. You were signed up for both the 5K and the 10K, it was your choice as to what to do. We had already decided to do the 10K. Finally, it was time to start. There was no chip or anything so we started our watched when they said go. I could not even tell you where the actual start was. The beginning was so hectic....helllll00000 I have nothing against walkers and jog strollers, I do/use both, but if you are in a race start in the back. There is nothing worse than tripping over a stroller at the beginning. It took us a mile to get into the tempo and then we finally settled into our pace. We ran between 8:15 and 8:30 then we hit mile 4 where about .3 of the race was on the beach. I have to admit I am not a sand runner and found this part kind of distracting. Once we hit the pavement we were back in stride. Around mile 5, Michele felt like she was having an asthma attack and told us to go. I was reluctant to leave, but Gail took off and I followed. Sometimes it is worse if people stay with you and I could tell Michele wanted me to go. I started passing people, even these two guys with great legs who were talking about doing IronMans. Pretty impressive...I thought. We turned the corner and then we were in the chute. No chip meant they were encouraging everyone to stay in order and using the clicker. I kept walking and then realized that the IronMan with the nice legs cut in front of me. I wish that I had more guts because I would have said something. That is just really cheap....aaarrgghhhh....Anyway I finished at 54:10. I would have liked to PR, but it just wasn't happening today. They had beer after, but were out of water and there was no chowder as promised, but oh well we went to Christo's and got a slice of pizza.

All in all a fun New Years spent with friends. Good luck in 2011 everyone, hopefully you meet all of your goals!