by Ali on February 7, 2010
Sleep is a precious commodity on Sundays. To extend my blissful slumber by even a few minutes I happily put some preparation time in the night before. Pack my post run bag, set the coffee maker, strategically position my gloves, shoes and garmin at door. I check the weather and plan the number of layers. Last night the morning temperature was going to be an arctic -22 with 15k/hr winds … lots of layers.
Bra, tank top, long sleeve base layer, long sleeve heavy duty wind shirt, jacket, two pairs of tights.
Totally prepared.
The alarm went off at 6.30am, yuck … snooze … nine minutes later … snooze …. nine minutes later …. coffee I smell coffee!
this is new for me, coffee before a long run. I like it, and I think it helps kick start me.
new breakfast, we are definitely changing things up. I was loving the smoothie pre-run, but after throwing up all over Detroit I am not as keen on them any more! I tried this and it seemed to work perfectly. This is the first banana I’ve had it forever.
While eating breakfast I checked the weather again. Current temp -15 with 5k/hr winds. Time to lose a layer. I decided not to wear the base layer.
Do you love the hair? I call this my Courtney Love inspired bedhead-heroine-chic look.
After brushing the mop
I added my new (thanks N) lululemon hat, with pony tail hole (shear genius)!
Then all I had to do was run 14 miles.
The run was FABULOUS! I don’t know if it was Dr Magic, the balloons in my shoes, the perfect layers for the conditions, the sunshine, my new breakfast combo or what, but I loved todays run. We were fast and strong our last mile was 8.35 min/mile … now that was worth getting out of bed for!
by Ali on February 6, 2010
Visit number one to magic doctor, I had pain in my right hip, IT band and shoulders and neck. When he did the strength tests, I was strong on the right and weak on the left.
After an hour session I felt great.
Then I ran Thursday night and Friday morning I felt like I had run a marathon not 8 miles the night before. Everything ached. No sorry, everything except my hip and IT band ached.
I went and saw magic doctor on Friday. All my aching is good. It means all my muscles are firing when I run. They ache because they haven’t been used, I was favouring certain muscles and used them to run. So my sore quads were in shock having to participate in an 8 miler.
Made total sense once Dr Magic explained it.
Then we checked my strength again, same exercises as Wednesday. Guess what. I was strong on the left, and weak on the right. Complete reversal. I wouldn’t have believed it, except, well I was doing it.
He worked on me for 30 minutes found some damage in my right knee, adjusted my neck and did something to my quad that brought tears to my eyes.
Strength tests again, balanced.
I’m cured I cried ….
not quite yet …
he asked me to put on my running shoes and re-did the strength tests. Do you know what happened?
My strength was gone. I was trying with everything I had and it was gone. It was like a popcorn flavoured jelly bean. It tastes like popcorn, but it’s not. I was strong, I expected to be strong again and suddenly he is pushing my arms down like I am made of rubber … it’s a freakshow!
Solution …
these fancy new inserts
they have removal/replaceable arch supports, it’s a piece of foam.
I put them in my shoes tried to be strong and success.
It’s the magic kingdom in his office!
by Ali on February 5, 2010
Last Thursdays tempo run was 8.5 miles in 1.19 under ridiculously cold, windy and icy conditions. We are talking -20 degrees.
When I showed up for last nights run, with balmy temps around 0, I had high expectation.
We are given a variety of distances to chose from, 10 miles, 8 miles and 7 miles. Most of our group picked 8, until we got to 7 mile turn, then everyone turned off leaving just J and me. Go ahead say it they are wimps!
I thought I was really giving it the whole run. Running faster and stronger than anyone else, ever, in the history of running.
When we finished, my super-inflated-ego was quickly deflated.
- Turns out our 8 miles it was only .2 longer than the 7 mile route!
- I was only 4 seconds per mile faster this week, in near perfect running conditions
- My legs are hurting like I ran a marathon
I am blaming the garmin … stupid gamin. If it wasn’t for stats I would be happily deluded. I like deluded.
Do you ever think your garmin is lying?
