Last night, I worked on getting a wee more music on the mp3. Husband keeps most of his music at work, but there was a bit on his laptop. I tried to pick specific songs (we have quite different musical tastes), and feared it would clear out what I already had, but it put all of his on, and did indeed leave mine in place. I am clueless. I had to manually delete some stuff, but I left a lot of songs on I otherwise wouldn't have cared about. Should make for some more interesting run music. I do have an Everclear album on it now, which reminds me, I will shortly be in my favorite place on the earth, the City of Angels. I hope I get a chance to run while we're there.
I woke up this morning with a very sore right ankle. I suppose it wouldn't worry me so much if I wasn't up for a 2nd day in a row to run. And, it's a day full of frightful and random weather...again, I don't mind the rain, but I'm not running in a storm...Plus I can't take my newly populated mp3 in the rain! I have become quite dependant on the hour-by-hour forecast on the weather channel website, even though it's dreadfully inaccurate.
Just before I headed out, I glanced down at my right ankle and it seems visibly swollen. After getting moving today, it really only hurt when I touched it. Balls. I could really use a day off. I did notice there was one more set of eyelets in my shoes that I haven't been using, so I laced my right shoe up one more spot, hoping it would add support to my ankle.
I had had lunch and my stomach was a bit upset, so I was very concerned about what was going to happen today. I set out on the loop I've had the most success with, and got a stomach cramp while I was walking. And, now in addition to my ankle, my left knee suddenly isn't interested in bending. This is going to be a massive fail obviously.
Speaking of fail, let's recap where we're at:
Day 29: Walk 5, Run 9, Walk 5: Success
Day 31: Run 6, Walk 5, Run 6, Walk 5: Success
Day 33: Walk 5, Run 10, Walk 5: Fail (Ran 9)
Day 35: Walk 5, Run 11, Walk 5: Epic Fail (Ran slightly over 8)
Day 36: Walk 5, Run 11, Walk 5: Let's see what happens
Off I go, and the first song I get is by The Clash! Hells yes, this is refreshing in absolutely every way. Everything felt pretty good taking off, and I tried to focus today on my breathing since it suffered so much yesterday. I also was running into the wind, so that made it a bit harder to breathe anyway. I can't handle how hot I get, so fast - then when there's a breeze my skin is so cold - isn't this a sign of heat stroke? But it happens like a minute into my run, when the temp is in the 70s?? Can't be...At least that's what I told myself as I trudged along, trying to not only breathe, but breathe into the areas I have pain (crazy yoga hippie that I am, but it worked today).
I was pretty tired at the end of the road, definitely questioning why I do this (to add years to your life!), and I tossed my head back and couldn't believe how much that helped with my breathing. I immediately realized that's how I've seen runners on tv posture, but I thought the way I had been running was upright "enough." I think this new move, however douchey, is going to help a lot, especially when I can't take much more.
When I turned back for home, I had that gradual uphill that sucks so bad, and I decided to slow it waaay down. I knew I was going to need to get through 3 or 4 songs today and I was on #2, an Everclear song! (Granted that Clash song was like 5 minutes long, but I didn't realize that at the time.) OK, my goal is to get to the corner that has been my finish line. That should be close to my finish for today. I didn't think I was going to make it, and of course had to check the time. Less than 2 minutes to go. Well, I've already conquered my last two runs, so if I stop I can be happy with that.
I made it to the corner and checked the time again, still in the 9th minute. Balls. I felt relatively good, and had a bit of a downhill in this block, so I slowed way down (so I wouldn't have to go back uphill). I had been full-on wildly panting for several blocks, but I was confidant I could finish this thing. And I did. 11 minutes. I skipped right on over the 10 minutes goal from 2 runs ago, and made it, finally. Next run (in 2 days) is different: Run 13 mins, Walk 5. Interesting.
As I walked home, I noticed about a block from the house that my ankle was killing me. Uh oh. As I was getting my key out, standing on my steps, it was getting worse. Oh no. I got my water, ice, managed my socks into the hamper, then went back to the bathroom to get an ankle wrap. RICE therapy is definitely going to be needed today. I sat down at the computer without turning the fan on, but opted to be excruciatingly hot than to walk on it again.
So the ankle is iced, compressed, and elevated. It hurts like a paper cut to the eye, so we'll see what happens. (Speaking of an eye, I spent like the first two minutes of my run trying to get an eyelash or hair or something out of my eye. Distractions make the run go so much faster. And, speaking of, any suggestions for things to memorize while running - taking a cue from my fellow runner blogger who used this trick, too?)
Weather: 74, Mostly Sunny, Wind 7 mph, 85% Humidity, Feels like 76
Time: 2:30pm; Walk 5, Run 11, Walk 5
Distance: 2.51K (1.56m)
Elevation: +40.2/-40.2/net 0 ft
5K/10K: 44:13/1:33:27 (Best yet.)
Run Time: 11 minutes
Distance: 1.56K (.97m)
5K/10K: 38:42/1:21:49 (2nd best only to yesterday, where I didn't have an official "just run" time.)
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