Up & Down, Up & Down, Up & Up!!!!

What a long Holiday weekend it was! 

Two funny things before I begin. 

1.  To my friend and fellow runner Lori Loos, I had my first runners spit tonite!!!  LOL  (She told me that runners do alot of spitting.  Tonite was my first spit!)  :) 

2.  Lori also told me at the beginning of the class that I would want to buy running shorts with built in underwear in them.  I thought....what?  Why?  Now...I know why.  I was over a mile into my run tonite when my underwear started slipping down below my butt cheeks.  I like to think that it was because I was losing so much weight during my run.....OR, my husband was undressing me with his eyes as he walked the trail and I ran ahead.  
The reality is, I was sweating like a pig and my underwear was drenched and gravity was taking over. 
I'm sure I looked lovely reaching in my shorts to pull up my underwear on the Mopac Trail....3 different times.  :-D   The visual is so scary ain't it?  lmao

We went camping last weekend at Branched Oak Lake.  The running schedule they gave us at the beginning of class suggests running on Mon, Wed, Fri. and Sat.  I try to adhere to that schedule as much as possible but I modified it for the Holiday.  No time to run Friday while we were getting out to the lake and setting up.

Saturday, July 2 I ran/walked for 1 mile in about 16 minutes or so.  It felt good,  no pain or problems.  My plan was to walk on Sunday, skip Monday and then run Tuesday with Casey, my 18 year old daughter.    

Sunday, July 3rd, I mapped out a 1.53 mile run/walk.  Within minutes of my run, I felt my left leg cramping up, so I walked and stretched it out and tried running again.  Again that left leg was cramping in the shin, calf and into the hip.  UGH!  I ended up walking most of the 1.53 miles instead of running.  I was very disappointed. 

Tuesday, July 5th, I ran/walked the same 1.53 mile course I attempted on Sunday.  My daughter Casey ran with me.  It was a really good run.  I wanted to cut it short twice, but I decided to do the whole thing instead.  Yay for me!!!  I was rather surprised while talking with Casey to find that she isn't surprised in the least that I'm running.  She said that she knows I'll stick with it.  She told me, "You wanted to cut it short but you went ahead and finished the whole thing."  I think I'm more surprised at my running than my kids are. 

Needless to say that all that running on the asphalt this weekend at the lake was killing my knees and feet.  I continue to believe that I'm much younger than I am. 

This week, I am listening to my body and I knew there is no way I could run with the class on Wednesday.  I can't pound that pavement so soon.  I had another plan. 

So the whole weekend was Up & Down, Up & Down until tonite. 

I went to the class to hear the speaker.  Chris and I planned to run on the Mopac Trail after the class.  That way I'm running on dirt and fine gravel and I thought it might be easier on my joints. 

The class speaker tonite was a Physical Therapist and talked about lower leg pain and foot pain.  (This is right up my alley!  Maybe I will learn something.) 

He talked about orthotics in the shoes and about how the bones in the feet and leg work, pronation and supination and why we have leg pain.  Now....I'm a thinkin'....(scary huh?)  lol  When I bought my running shoes at The Lincoln Running Co. for this class, the young man helping me told me that my left foot is one full size smaller than my right.  I can often feel the slip of my left foot in that shoe, even though he laced it different to tighten it.  So I'm thinking that if I buy a Dr. Scholl's orthotic and put it in the left shoe, maybe it will fit better and I won't have all this left leg pain.  Mmm....stay tuned to see how that works. 

So....at the end of each class, they draw for clothing and a free pair of running shoes.  As she was getting ready to draw for the shoes, I could hear her say over the microphone....."Let me dig down to the bottom."  I thought to myself....shit!  (Yes I actually said "shit" in my mind.)  If she's digging to the bottom, I have a surefire shot at these shoes.  After all.....it's been Up & Down for me since the class started and the last run I had left me down. 

YEP!  Sure as shit....she drew my name!  HOLY BUCKETS!  I couldn't believe it.  Once again....I was up!  And then.....

I ran/walked tonite for 2.24 miles!!!!  My farthest distance yet, and it felt great!  This was the first run where I wasn't exhausted and ready for a nap afterward.  The change in terrain was just what I needed.  I feel like a million bucks right now and I have tons of energy!!!  I'm thinkin' that the 5K doesn't sound like such a reach right about now! 

P.S.  A huge thanks to my hubby for going with me tonight.  I know it's a shorter distance than he would usually hike on that trail but I was especially glad to have him close by keeping me safe from the creepers out there.  And yes....there were a few of them.