Ok Ok I know it has been FOREVER since I have posted! I am sorry! Here is a quick update....

Last Friday something very sad and disappointing happened. I was running - going for a 90 minute run and somehow hurt my back really really bad. It feels/felt almost like a pinched nerve. The best way I can describe it is the same feeling when you sleep weird and your neck hurts really bad when you wake up - however the pain is in my lower back. I think it was a combination of things that triggered it.

1) It was Black Friday and I had stayed up late the night before shopping, so my body was really tired.
2) I had slept in the front seat of the car for a while the night before while Sheridan was driving us back from the Outlet malls.
3) It was very very cold outside, and I probably wasn't dressed warm enough for the cold (I had a pair of running pants and a long sleeved dry fit with gloves and a hat, I probably should have been wearing a jacket of some sort).

So, I was about 60 minutes into the run and I sort of tripped on a raised sidewalk. I didn't fall down, but just sort of stumbled. Well, my lower back started to hurt really badly and after about 8-10 minutes it hurt to even walk. I had to stop at a Starbucks and call Sheridan to have him come get me because I was too cold to walk the rest of the way home and it hurt my back to run. The pain is in my lower back/butt area and it hurts especially bad if I am walking/running down hills. I tried to run on Monday but could only get in about 15 minutes without it hurting.

So, long story short, I emailed my coach from college and he said that it sounds like a sciatic nerve issue and that I CAN NOT RUN the marathon unless this gets fixed!! So I immediately scheduled an appointment with a physical therapist – it was today at 11am. The appointment went really well - the physical therapist determined that is is my L5S1 joint in my back that likely got irritated when I tripped. He adjusted my back and it feels so much better!! It is still sore and tender, but not the same sharp pain I was in before. I was given some stretches to do over the next few days and he thinks with some IB profen I should be ok to run.

He did warn me, however, that I need to start mentally preparing myself that if my back starts to hurt really bad during the race I need to be prepared to stop running and not finish the race. He told me that I need to remember and realize that it is not because I didn’t train hard enough or not because I am not tough enough, but just because I injured myself I may have to stop running if the pain in my back is causing my form to fall apart or put me in too much pain.

So, the good news is that I can run!! The bad news is that it may be painful. But, that is ok. I am excited!! I am not allowed to run tomorrow though and only 1 mile on Friday. The other thing that makes me nervous is that I really haven't ran since last Friday (have been doing a little cross training). I do think, however, that I have a strong enough base that I should be ok. Anyways....it is very late and I need to get to bed!! I probably won't post again until after the marathon....wish me luck!!

Recovery!

7:00PM - 40 minutes recovery pace

Rating: 100
Comments: Felt really good today. Took it very nice and easy - about 8:45-9:00 minute miles. Recovering from yesterday's looong run. It was bitterly cold outside, but my body and performance felt good. My hip flexors started getting really sore at work today (I was sitting at my desk and/or sitting in the car for most of the day) but I felt fine during the run.

Great Week of Training!

Sunday, November 16th
3:00PM - 3 HOUR long run!! From my house through Squirrel Hill neighborhoods to CMU (took GU packet at 50 mins), then on Schenley Park Trails, back to CMU, back through Squirrel Hill neighborhoods to my house (took a GU at 2 hours), back to CMU (took GU at 2:30), back to my house. On mapmyrun.com it was 22.93 miles.

Rating: 95
Comments: Felt great today!! The last few long runs I have started to get really tired and tense right around the 2 hour marker, but this is the first run that I didn't get that lactid acid feeling. The run had a lot of hills in it, but that is pretty standard for Pittsburgh. Somehow two of my GU packets had fallen out of my arm ipod holder that I was carrying them in and I didn't realize until 1:30 when I went to take the second packet and it wasn't there! That is why I ended up running back to my house and took the second one kind of later than I would have wanted. The weather was TERRIBLE!! It was snowing the entire time and from 1:50 to 2:25 was hailing and very windy. I maintained a 7:50-8:00 mile pace the entire time though, even in the last half hour. I felt really strong today and this run gave me the confidence I needed for the race in three weeks. I will do another long run next week and then the week before the race just a 80-90 minute long run. I am very tired as I am writing this, my right hip flexor is somewhat sore but not as bad as I would have expected. I drank 3 liters of water between 6pm and 9pm and am still going!

Saturday, November 15th
9:00AM 60 minutes relaxed @ Frick Park

Rating: 80
Comments: Felt pretty good the entire time. There was about 10 minutes of hills at the end that got kind of difficult, as hills are not my strong suit. It was really nice to run with some other people though!! Bad weather today, rained for most of the run and was quite slippery on the Frick Park trails.

Friday, November 14th
OFF

Thursday, November 13th
6:30PM - 90 minute post-secondary run

Rating: 75
Comments: Felt ok today, I didn't get a lot of sleep last night due to a house poker game, so I was pretty tired during today's run. Felt a little sluggish, especially on the hills.

Wednesday, November 12th
6:30PM - 45 minutes recovery/relaxed

Rating: 80
Comments: Felt pretty good, just recovered from yesterday's tempo run. Stayed on Beechwood Blvd, not too hilly.

Tempo Run

6:30pm - 45 minute progressive run from CMU
Rating: 85
Comments: Felt really good today. Probably started off a little too fast and ended a little slower than I should have. I really need to work on controling my pace better and not getting too excited at the beginning. Broke the run into three even 15-minute sections. First 15 min @ 70%, Second 15 @ 80%, third 15 @ 90-95%. Stretch afterwards.

Monday, November 11th
OFF
Took today off to let my legs recover from yesterday's hilly long run.

Long Run

12:00PM - 2 hour 45 minute long run! Incredibly H-I-L-L-Y run!!

Rating: 70
Comments: Ran in South Park today - not a good place for a long run. There was not a single flat stretch in the entire park and most of the hills were steep. I stopped at three different stores while driving out there and not one had any Powerbar Gel or GU packets, so I had to make due with the one packet I already had. I did purchase some of these Starburst Gummy with liquid center packets and ran with them. Starting at one hour I would take a gummy every 10 minutes (1:00, 1:10, 1:20, etc). They didn't provide a huge energy increase, but it was a nice way to break up the time. I took the Powerbar Gel packet at 1:30 with a little bit of water. There were very few other runners or walkers and I didn't have my ipod with me so the time seemed to drag on. I am a little nervous for the marathon because each time I have done a long run, my body has started to shut down right around the 2 hour mark. My legs start to feel heavy and my shoulders get really tight. I really need to focus on my mileage and training the next two weeks to try to break past this.

Update...

Saturday, November 8th
5:00PM - 30 minute easy run on Beechwood Blvd.
Rating: 100
Comments: Felt great today. Kept a nice fast pace. I made a GREAT jumbalay dinner tonight!!!

Friday, November 7th
OFF I forgot that I had a work dinner event to go to tonight, so I took the day off.

Thursday, November 6th
6:30PM - 50 minute progressive run, no weights
Rating: 85
Comments: Actually felt pretty strong today. I did the sections 20 minutes easy, 18 minutes medium, 12 minutes hard (pace). I played poker at night so ended up not lifting. I need to make sure I am getting my lifts in.

Wednesday, November 5th
Sheridan is in DC today, so it is a good day for me to get out of the house and get a good workout in.
6:30PM - 20 minute warmup to Schenly Park, drills 20x200 m - all between :45 and :50 seconds. 200m shag jog recovery. 35 minute cooldown. Stretch
Rating: 75
Comments: Overall, felt ok. Speed isn't one of my natural strengths and I always feel like my form could be a little more fluid. The last four my heartrate was up really high.

Tuesday, November 4th

Election Day!! Woke up early and stood in line for a long time to cast my vote. After I got off work I went for a 40 minute easy recovery run from yesterday's tough long run.
Rating: 80
Comments: Overall, felt pretty good for a recovery run.

Long-er Run

6:15 PM - 1 hour 45 minute run through Squirrel Hill and Shadyside. VERY VERY hilly!!

Rating: 55
Comments: My legs felt very tired, sluggish, and heavy. They were sore and tender all day because of the lower body lift I did on Sunday. I always felt really rigid, and when I finished and was doing my leg swings, my hip flexors felt very tender. Only averaged about 9 minute miles, so I was going kind of slow, but the run also consisted of entirely up and down hills.