Today I am starting from nothing. I have zero fitness, not to mention about eight extra pounds. I have not run consistently in about 14 months. My foot is completely healed, and while I am still in PT for my back, I think if I start slow enough I can begin building up my running again. Not running, or racing, for this long is killing me, so here I am on the first day of the New Year (trite, isn't it?) ready to start from scratch.
This afternoon, the hubs and I took the two boys out to the track across the street. I ran exactly TWO LAPS. That's it. I walked one lap afterwards, stretched a bit, and walked back home. It felt slow, awkward even, and it was really cold and windy. So not exactly ideal for starting back running, but it is a start. I plan to take it really slow. The .50 mile today, maybe another in a day or two, etc. Stay tuned.
Thursday, January 1, 2015
Aaaaaand I'm back (sort of)
So it's been over two years since my last post. A lot can happen in two years. Let me offer the briefest recap I can:
- Two years ago I was living in Colorado and learning to run with my boys while figuring out life in a totally new environment
- In March 2013 I had a mental breakdown and began seeing two therapists, one of which put me on anti-anxiety and anti-depression medication
- In April 2013 I began running more regularly when I found a running partner who also has 2 young boys
- I quasi-trained for the Bolder Boulder 10K, which I completed in May 2013 at just over an hour (abysmal performance). There is a good reason this race is called the "bolder" boulder, it's frickin' hard. Also little did I know this would be my last race for a very long time
- Over the summer of 2013 I ran a lot with my running partner and started to get back into shape - I considered training for a half in the Fall
- At the end of July 2013 my running partner moved away - SAD - but I managed to keep my weekly mileage at about 15 and slowly began to lower my pace. Also, my lingering issues with a late diagnosed diastisis recti were finally getting resolved.
- In August 2013 I started a rigorous, 13 credit hour semester in an attempt to the finish off the prerequisites for a career change/graduate degree - Nutrition and Exercise Physiology at Columbia University (Teachers College). At this time, the hubs and I also had decided to move back East to be near family, particularly since his dad was battling cancer and would be receiving treatments in NYC every two weeks, giving us and our kiddos a chance to see him more (after spending a significant amount of time and money trekking across the country to make visits); we arranged to extend our lease by 6 months to accommodate a Feb 1 move back East.
- In November 2013 I broke my foot (badly, in two places) playing a game of blob tag with our junior high youth group at church. I had surgery to put a plate and 5 screws in my right 5th metatarsal. I was told I would have an 8 week recovery and be back to running shortly into the New Year
- The breaking of my foot and everything in my life that fell apart as a result of it led me into a deep depression - my psychiatrist diagnosed me as "passively suicidal"
- I was in a wheelchair for two weeks and on crutches until mid-January
- On top of everything else, the Christmas season brought the passing of my father-in-law and a lot of other family drama, and my husband's job, the reason we moved to CO, was clearly not working (and had not been for a while)
- In January 2014, my husband resigned from his job (after taking medical leave to take care of me and the boys while I was in a wheel chair) and we prepared to move back to New York City when our lease was up in February 2014.
- On February 1st we moved our family back across the country, in an arctic tundra, back to New York. My foot was technically healed, but I was still wearing the orthopedic boot and in a lot of pain
- Back in the city we found a temporary, one-bedroom apartment on airBnB to live for a couple of months while we looked for a new apartment and while my husband looked for a job - meanwhile I had to find a new orthopedic surgeon because my foot hurt so much I still could not wear regular shoes
- In March 2014 my back went out, after months in the orthopedic boot which caused an altered gait and a general unevenness that resulted in a pretty bad misalignment of my hips as well as a sprain of my sacro-iliac joint (massive lower back pain in other words)
- In April 2014 we moved into another apartment, but it was still a sublease, for one year, so we will have to move again. Also I had food poisoning for the first 8 days we lived here
- In May 2014 I had a second surgery on my foot to remove the hardware that was coming out of the bone and causing a lot of pain. I walked with a cane for about 4 weeks
- In July 2014 I finally was able to wear (most) regular shoes and began PT on my foot. My back continued to hurt and I saw the chiropractor for it regularly
- The Summer of 2014 also brought a new walking partner, still not running but able to walk a few miles to the playground and back
- In September 2014 I began my first semester at Columbia in my new graduate program
- In October 2014 I tried to go on my first run in nearly a year, about 2.5 miles at a 10+ min/mi pace. I paid dearly for this mistake. My back went out so badly I could not walk and my husband had to take a day off from work to care for our kids and take me to the doctor
- In November 2014 I decided I would not try to run anymore this year, resting and re-cooperating my back until the New Year. November 17, the one year anniversary of the initial break, was a hard day for me. I have never gone this long in my life (since I started running) without running, even during and after pregnancy with both kiddos
- In December 2014 I decided to go to a physical therapist for my back, which still consistently bothers me. For three weeks I went twice a week getting adjustments, physical therapy, injections, muscle relaxers and electro-stimulation therapy.
- Today, I started running again.
The End ... and The Beginning.
- Two years ago I was living in Colorado and learning to run with my boys while figuring out life in a totally new environment
- In March 2013 I had a mental breakdown and began seeing two therapists, one of which put me on anti-anxiety and anti-depression medication
- In April 2013 I began running more regularly when I found a running partner who also has 2 young boys
- I quasi-trained for the Bolder Boulder 10K, which I completed in May 2013 at just over an hour (abysmal performance). There is a good reason this race is called the "bolder" boulder, it's frickin' hard. Also little did I know this would be my last race for a very long time
- Over the summer of 2013 I ran a lot with my running partner and started to get back into shape - I considered training for a half in the Fall
- At the end of July 2013 my running partner moved away - SAD - but I managed to keep my weekly mileage at about 15 and slowly began to lower my pace. Also, my lingering issues with a late diagnosed diastisis recti were finally getting resolved.
- In August 2013 I started a rigorous, 13 credit hour semester in an attempt to the finish off the prerequisites for a career change/graduate degree - Nutrition and Exercise Physiology at Columbia University (Teachers College). At this time, the hubs and I also had decided to move back East to be near family, particularly since his dad was battling cancer and would be receiving treatments in NYC every two weeks, giving us and our kiddos a chance to see him more (after spending a significant amount of time and money trekking across the country to make visits); we arranged to extend our lease by 6 months to accommodate a Feb 1 move back East.
- In November 2013 I broke my foot (badly, in two places) playing a game of blob tag with our junior high youth group at church. I had surgery to put a plate and 5 screws in my right 5th metatarsal. I was told I would have an 8 week recovery and be back to running shortly into the New Year
- The breaking of my foot and everything in my life that fell apart as a result of it led me into a deep depression - my psychiatrist diagnosed me as "passively suicidal"
- I was in a wheelchair for two weeks and on crutches until mid-January
- On top of everything else, the Christmas season brought the passing of my father-in-law and a lot of other family drama, and my husband's job, the reason we moved to CO, was clearly not working (and had not been for a while)
- In January 2014, my husband resigned from his job (after taking medical leave to take care of me and the boys while I was in a wheel chair) and we prepared to move back to New York City when our lease was up in February 2014.
- On February 1st we moved our family back across the country, in an arctic tundra, back to New York. My foot was technically healed, but I was still wearing the orthopedic boot and in a lot of pain
- Back in the city we found a temporary, one-bedroom apartment on airBnB to live for a couple of months while we looked for a new apartment and while my husband looked for a job - meanwhile I had to find a new orthopedic surgeon because my foot hurt so much I still could not wear regular shoes
- In March 2014 my back went out, after months in the orthopedic boot which caused an altered gait and a general unevenness that resulted in a pretty bad misalignment of my hips as well as a sprain of my sacro-iliac joint (massive lower back pain in other words)
- In April 2014 we moved into another apartment, but it was still a sublease, for one year, so we will have to move again. Also I had food poisoning for the first 8 days we lived here
- In May 2014 I had a second surgery on my foot to remove the hardware that was coming out of the bone and causing a lot of pain. I walked with a cane for about 4 weeks
- In July 2014 I finally was able to wear (most) regular shoes and began PT on my foot. My back continued to hurt and I saw the chiropractor for it regularly
- The Summer of 2014 also brought a new walking partner, still not running but able to walk a few miles to the playground and back
- In September 2014 I began my first semester at Columbia in my new graduate program
- In October 2014 I tried to go on my first run in nearly a year, about 2.5 miles at a 10+ min/mi pace. I paid dearly for this mistake. My back went out so badly I could not walk and my husband had to take a day off from work to care for our kids and take me to the doctor
- In November 2014 I decided I would not try to run anymore this year, resting and re-cooperating my back until the New Year. November 17, the one year anniversary of the initial break, was a hard day for me. I have never gone this long in my life (since I started running) without running, even during and after pregnancy with both kiddos
- In December 2014 I decided to go to a physical therapist for my back, which still consistently bothers me. For three weeks I went twice a week getting adjustments, physical therapy, injections, muscle relaxers and electro-stimulation therapy.
- Today, I started running again.
The End ... and The Beginning.
Monday, December 3, 2012
Surprising 4+ Today
Determined to not only get on a regular running schedule but also resolve to use the rec center membership we're paying for and the get the boys and I OUT of the house, I decided to just run to the rec center! It's pretty close, right? So I loaded up the boys and set out, dropped the boys at the childcare upon arrival, ran an easy 2 miles on the treadmill (well it didn't really feel that easy, but it was a 10:30/mi pace so whatev), then picked up the boys and ran home. Wow, I was really tired, I mean I know pushing a 20# stroller with 60+ # of kids in it is hard work but it really was taxing. I didn't realize the rec center was 1 1/4 miles away until I got home and mapped it out, so in total I ran 4.5 miles! Nice.
Sunday, December 2, 2012
Bad Mood Yields Good Run
I was in a foul mood this afternoon for a multitude of reasons, and not wanting to for us all to be miserable for the rest of the afternoon my husband suggested that we get outside. Fine. I'll go. But I am getting something out of it, we're running (still begrudgingly though). So we set off with no particular destination and before we knew it we were in the little downtown area in our neighborhood. We stopped and let the kids look at the Christmas tree and let the 3 year old walk around a bit. It was getting close to dinner time too, so I suggested we run home and try this new little Italian place near our home. Honestly I was not up for the dinner time struggle of getting our three year old to eat his dinner that is a daily occurrence in our house. So off we went to Mici. It was such a pleasant time, I was really surprised. The family owned place had delicious food, reasonable prices, a great atmosphere for kids, and the boys loved the food ad both ate good dinners. Score! It totally turned our day around, and I got about 2.7 miles in!
Tuesday, November 27, 2012
Swim Class
Attempted the whole two birds, one stone thing this morning by running my kids to swim class, one in the jogger one on his bike. It was a DISASTER. I got maybe 2 miles of running/walking/stopping. Never again :(
Sunday, November 25, 2012
Lame Two Miler
The hubs asked if I wanted to go out on a quick run with the boys this evening. Quick indeed, I just was not feeling it. So after 2 miles we called it. Oh well, 2 miles is 2 miles I guess.
Saturday, November 10, 2012
8,400 ... feet that is
Our family went on a church retreat this weekend to Estes Park, a beautiful area here in Colorado. Most of our weekend was filled with meetings and community activities, but the hubs and I were able to steal away one late afternoon and get a run in together. Wow, running at altitude is no joke. I have just acclimated myself to Denver's elevation, just over 5,000 ft, so I thought I would be okay up here in Estes Park (elev. 8,400!). Nope. Dead wrong. It was icy cold, the wind was whipping and I seriously thought I was having a heart attack. I kept asking my husband, who is much more acquainted with the effects of altitude running, if he was sure my chest was supposed to hurt this much. "Really, it feels like a knife is protruding out of my chest while simultaneously I can't breath?". "Yes (chuckle, chuckle)." All righty then.
I was able to complete right at 3 miles. I think I asked the hubs to check his Garmin every few minutes to see if we'd reached 3 miles. Thank goodness for technology, haha. I won't be running at this altitude with any regularity, but I am really glad I did it!
Monday, October 29, 2012
+2.4
Well, I in fact did go back to the rec center this afternoon for an additional 2.4 miles .... 1.8 of that running and the remainder at a fast walking clip. A total of 4.8 miles, with 4.2 of that straight up running. Yea, that's right.
Two Point Four
I thought writing out my (again) weak mileage would make me feel better somehow. It didn't. Running 2.4 miles no matter how you write it down is still only running 2.4 miles. I feel like a broken record, I had to squeeze in another run at the rec center before my 11 month old went down for his morning nap. I shouldn't be complaining, I am running after all. Perhaps I will go back to the rec center this afternoon and do it again (gasp!) for a total of 4-5 miles for the day!
Wednesday, October 24, 2012
2.25
Wow, I upped my run length to a total of 2.25 miles today. Watch out. Again, limited time to squeeze in a run between activities today. Each time I'm running, though, I'm running anywhere from 22-25 minutes. So even though my actual mileage is abysmal, I am achieving a good chunk of cardio time.
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