WE RUN 5K--March 23, 2013-- North Liberty, IA

On March 23rd the weather was cold, but perfect for a great run. The running store that I just LOVE called WE RUN in North Liberty, Iowa, see link here:  http://www.werunllc.com/Home_Page.php
was having it's FIRST birthday and hosting a 5K/1mile run,

Since it had a finishing medal and I was finally able to run again, and since I work at this store occasionally and just love it,  I signed up for the run.  Kris Tharp, the owner of the running store, had over 600 signed up. I ended up doing awesome with the run.  I had a new post injury personal record of 30:58 and I did run the entire race without ankle pain.  In addition to running both Jason and I volunteered at the race.

 Below are some pictures:

Some old shoes were lacquerred and then painted gold, silver or bronze.

Rhoni Jo arrived bright and early so we grabbed a picture together.

Jason helped out in a variety of ways for this race.
He mixed powdered Gatorade in huge coolers, he
helped new runners attach their timing chip
to their shoe that didn't know what they were
doing.  He also worked at one of the corners on the
race route, directing runners where to go and cheering
them on.

Here I am with Sharon passing out timing chips before the race.

Here are two of my students in my Body Sculpt class that I encouraged
to run/walk in a 5K.  This was their FIRST 5K ever.  Left to Right:  Me, Deb and Jill.

Me being silly picking the nose of the statue.

Our cute running legs.  However I forgot to get my running socks on.

My great running friends:  Stephany, Tracy, Rhoni Jo, and Me.

The awesome finishing medal!

Too cool that my number for the race was #4.  Bib numbers were
assigned by what order you signed up for the race.  I don't think I've
ever had such a low number.

A new record

It was hard, but I did it. I swear the elliptical is the hardest thing ever for me to work out on, but I did it. Now had this been a treadmill then I could have done 7 miles in this time, so why it is only at 5 miles in 80 minutes on the elliptical I don't know. Either way I'm glad I stuck with it and hit a new all time time and distance record for me.

Proof that I hit 80 minutes and 13 seconds.  5.01 miles

Running Commandments

Weight Loss

Loosing weight is hard, gaining it is easy.  I'm sure of that.  I love food and have found that I can easily put on 2 pounds a week, but to take 2 pounds off a week is next to impossible.

Last time I remembered weighing in was October and I was 144.  Then on New Year's Day I weighed in because my size 6 jeans wouldn't come up the thighs, and the size 8 jeans weren't fitting and I was feeling like a cow.  Sure enough I had gained a lot of weight in just two months with an injury that prevented me from doing any cardio exercise at all.

I gained (18 pounds) to be exact during my injury.  I weighed in at 162 pounds.  The heaviest I had been in 9 years.  However, finally it is slowly coming off so that is great and I'm feeling better all the time.  I used to linger between 140 and 145 which for me is a great weight.  All the charts say I should be 120 to 130 for my height, but seriously I don't think those take into account muscle mass that I had on me, and I was lifting all the time.  I was a size 6 and felt good most of the time so I was happy with that weight of 140-145.    You may be thinking 18 pounds isn't bad.  Well it was for me. I was sad, mad and worried I'd never see the 140's again.


Well I knew I needed to eat better, for that has always been my hardest thing so I'm eating as clean as possible meaning trying not to eat processed foods.  I have had some, but very little.  Also, eating many fruits and vegetables a day.  Some meals have been all fruits and vegetables and I have to say that I feel so good.  So amazingly good.  AND I've lost 10 pounds in 2 months so that is what I'm really excited about.  My current weight is 152 so I still have more to loose, but hey I'm getting there.

I'm exercising more.  I'm teaching usually 3 Zumba classes a week on average and several Body Sculpt classes, trying to fit in a run once in a while, some time on my elliptical machine and some swimming.  I need to make some time to bike and hoping for good weather soon so I can do that outside.

I did take a before picture that I will not share yet, for I want an awesome AFTER picture to share when I finally show the embarrassing before picture.  When I get back down to 140, which I know in a couple months I will achieve this as I'm working hard to regain my super fit body, but this time eating right.  My after picture will look awesome.  Can't wait to show it.

Happy Exercising!

CVRA Freeze Fest 2013--Marion, IA--February 23, 2013

It was a cold day in the low 20's, however it was a great day for a race. The sun was out, it wasn't snowing and everyone seemed happy. I am just getting back into running since my injury so I was on a 4 minute walk/1 minute run interval to help me along into easing back into running safely without re-injuring myself or aggravating the ankle.  I have now participated in this race for 3 years and I really like it.  This year we didn't see  Lisa or Kris, but still had fun.  My final time was 42:15 so not bad for a 3.1 mile race.  This beats my all walking 5k a month ago by 11 minutes.  I'm happy with the time as I will just continue to get better and get better times in the future.  Below are pictures of the event.

My running friends! 

All of us. Stephany, Tracy, her husband Steve, Rhoni Jo and me.

Even batman arrived.

I like to take pictures of our racing feet.  This one is Tracy
up top with Steve next to her, then Rhoni Jo, Stephany and me.

Since I was walk/running intervals for this race I brought
along my camera to get pictures of my friends.

Me speed walking with Rhoni Jo.  I still wasn't able to run a full
5k yet, however look how silly I'm dressed.  I didn't even
realize it until this picture was shown to me.

Back of shirt.

Front of shirt

My personal results.  They printed them for you.

My race number and it adds up to 13 which is my lucky number.

2013 Charleston, SC Half Marathon and 5K--January 19th, 2013

Back in October, my friend Julie and I wanted to do a Marathon together.  This would be her first marathon and my 2nd.  However I got injured badly which you can read about if you go back about 5 posts, so doing any running for the next 3-4 months was out for me.  However I had already registered for the race.  Mike (Julie's husband) and my husband Jason decided to do the Half marathon.  On January 17th we all traveled by Southwest Airlines to Charleston, SC.  It was hot and sunny that day we arrived and it was amazing.

I was able by the time this race arrived to be walking again so I had switched my marathon registration to the 5K race and was able to walk that.  So cool that there was a finishing medal so that I could still complete a small part of a large goal I have and that goal is:  To get a finishing medal from every state.  When I made that goal I imagined that every finishing medal would be at least a 10K or above, most likely all half marathons and marathon finishing medals, however not this time.  I'm grateful to be walking.

Pictures below are just a few that I took while in Charleston.  I took at least 100 pictures of houses that I won't post here.  I was able to slow and sometimes fast walk the 5K in a total time of 53:52, my slowest 5K to date, however I can say this, "I'm so grateful to be walking again that the joy I had from finishing this race felt as awesome as my first Half Marathon and almost as great as my first Marathon."  Below are pictures to enjoy:

A fun, cute and yummy restaurant.

Me holding a Stuffed, bacon wrapped massive shrimp that was
so yummy.

Jason and I outside the packet pickup place.

Together touring Charleston, taking a picture of ourselves.

Went on my first carriage ride ever.  Here is our horse named Larry.

My race bib for the 5K

Jason and I the morning of the race.

Jason's Half Marathon racing bib.

Jason running in for a finish.

Our finishing medals.

Jason just finished the race and he was exhausted.

After some food, Mike and Jason posing for a picture.

Here we are from Left to Right:  Jason, Me, Julie and Mike.
All 4 of us completed our goals.  Julie did her first marathon and even though I wanted to be running beside her, my heart was with her the entire time cheering her on.

Santa Snow Shuffle--Dec. 8th, 2012--Cedar Falls, Iowa

This is a Fun Run put on by Trekman Racing.   I was looking forward to it since the Park to Park Half Marathon that he puts on in September.  I love well done races and Trekman Racing really knows how to do everything right.  So I signed up for this race, but never imagined that I'd be in a boot and on crutches by the time the race got there.   The greatest thing about the day, besides being with my favorite running friends, was that I won an AWESOME door prize for a massage that I can't wait to redeem.  Here is their website:  Elements Massage.  This fun run was timed, but not officially, meaning there was a clock there so you could see your time, however no prizes for Top 3 or anything like that.  It was just a fun run to raise money for the Salvation Army.  There were many door prizes and lots of great treats after the race to enjoy.

From Left to Right:  Rhoni Jo, Julie, Mike, Tracy, Me, Lisa, Stephany

The Race Director Dave and his daughter.

Cool costumes I had to get a picture of, they
even dressed their dogs up.

I decided to sit with Santa.

Another awesome costume.

More fabulous costumes.  Wow people are creative.

2012 Return of the Turkey Trott--Nov. 10, 2012--Marion, Iowa

I wanted to do this race really bad, but knew something was really wrong with my foot.  I asked my daughter if she would like to do this race for me and she said Yes.  So off we went to Marion, IA.  I just watched all my friends run and took lots of pictures.  It was best that I wasn't running since I found out later that week that I had a ton more going on with my ankle than one could even imagine.

Alyssa and I in the car getting ready to leave.

A bunch of my running friends, from Left to Right:  Me, Julie, Stephany
Lisa, fake blow up turkey, Rhoni Jo, Tracy and Alyssa.

Right before the race.  Alyssa was ready to run.

Alyssa running in for the finish.  Proud of her for doing
the entire 8K race.

Feeling better finally

I have a few races to post about, so I will do that hopefully this weekend.  I have only either watched these races cheering on other runner friends or walked them since I've been injured, but at least I've been there.  My greatest accomplishment while injured was doing an Indoor Triathlon.  I figured I can swim and I can bike, and for the running part, I just sped walked.   It worked out and I did well.  I wasn't last overall and I wasn't even last in my age group, so for an injured girl I would say I did well.

Update on my injury.  So I had a major bone bruise, which I still have in the left foot, and was told I'll have for another couple months.  I also had a high ankle sprain in 3 places, bone marrow edema and a blod clot in my left calf.  I had to wear a boot for 6 weeks and was on crutches.  The boot and crutches only lasted 4.5 weeks, but hey I tried.

After 3 months of NO running I am finally cleared to run again and that will be so great.

On Wednesday I went in to the Sports Medicine doctor AGAIN for like the hundredth time and he told me to start running.  I told him that I had tried it a couple weeks prior, but it hurt and my right ankle was hurting as well as the left and I was afraid that Maybe I had hurt the right ankle and might be favoring the Left.

He had the Right ankle x-rayed and found that I have a bone spur on the fibula, plus some arthritis and an extra bone in that ankle.  So that explains all the pain I've had in the Right foot.  However even with all this, the doctor told me to get back out there and run.  He said to try a little more each week and increase my distance each week by 10%.

So that night (Wednesday) I tried running again.  I walked 4 minutes, then ran 1 minute, then repeated that 6 more times.  Accomplished 2.09 miles in 32 minutes and even though the running felt extremely funny at first and slightly painful, it wasn't that bad and I DID IT!!!

So it's been two days and I will try and run again today.  I missed it so much.

Since I've been out of running I watched the Turkey Trot 5 mile race on  November 10th in Marion, Iowa, and took pictures of  my daughter and friends running it.  Watched the Santa Snow Shuffle 5K in December and cheered on friends.  I did a 5K in South Carolina, walking the whole thing and have a finishing medal to prove I was there and finished!!! Lastly I did that Indoor Triathlon at North Dodge Athletic Club in Iowa City.

My next race is next week, a Freeze Fest 5k in Cedar Rapids, Iowa.  I have done this race the last couple years and really like it.  I hope to do the 4 minute walk, 1 minute run thing for the entire 5K.  At least I'll be running some of it, maybe only .75 miles of it, but hey, that will be something.  Then I have another 5K on March 23rd and I hope to run the entire thing, but don't want to push it too much.  I do have a Half Marathon on May 4th, so hopefully these next couple of months will be good recovery and training for me so I can accomplish that goal.

Injured

On October 26th I went to Peoria, Illinois with a friend and we participated in the Screaming Pumpkin quarter marathon race.  See post I wrote about it here with pictures  It was a great time until I got a little crazy.  We were running in a massive cemetery, one of the largest and oldest cemeteries in all of Illinois.  The path was just fine, but I saw an enormous gravestone with my friend's last name of Schmidt on it and had to get a picture of it.  WHY?  I really don't know, but I had to have a picture.  So I proceeded to run towards the gravestone.  I didn't see the ditch, for it had a huge amount of fallen leaves in it, filling it up and making the ground look level.  I ran right into the ditch and to my surprise fell about a foot and while doing that rolled my ankle BADLY.  It was such a shock that I just screamed out in pain and sat there for a little bit to catch my breath of the shock of what just happened.

Dang I thought, I have another marathon in 11 weeks, what was I thinking going off the path into unknown ground, just for a dumb picture.  Well injuries are NEVER smart. 

After a few minutes my friend asked me if I could walk.  I tried to walk and it hurt, but not bad after a few more steps.  Then we tried to run and to my surprise running felt better than walking.  So for the rest of the 5 miles we ran as much as we could to finish the race and receive an awesome finishing medal which to me was better than a lot of Half marathon medals I've received over the last 3 years.

After the race I had the ankle evaluated by a physical therapist at the race, she said she didn't think it was broken, but that was only her opinion.

So after eating some food my friend and I left for home.  I was driving home and it was about a 2.5 hour drive which wasn't too bad, but I should have been icing that ankle.

When I arrived home that night I immediately iced it and then went to bed.  It wasn't swollen however it hurt pretty bad.  At about 5:30a.m. I woke to INTENSE pain.  I had to get an ice pack and wrap that sucker to my ankle and take pain meds just to get back to sleep.

Over the next day the foot and ankle swelled up huge, like an elephant foot.   The pain wasn't so bad, but it looked really bad and the toes were tingly and I thought the foot would explode so I went to the ER to have it x-rayed.  It wasn't broken.  The doctor that checked me out said he was a runner too and if I felt like running on it in a week when the swelling was down to do so.

That was the news I wanted to hear.

So the next Saturday (1 week and 1 day) after the injury I ran on it.  Maybe a short run would have been okay, but I did another half marathon.  That was not smart.  Well maybe it was, the ankle felt fine during the entire run, however my knee started to hurt so bad by mile 7.5 that I couldn't run properly anymore.  What the heck was happening to me?  I was able to finish the half marathon, but shouldn't have because by the time I got to mile 12.5 I could hardly walk and the pain was massive that it brought tears to my eyes.  If you are runner then you probably understand the stubbornness of why I finished after this.  It was because of this, "Why would you quit a race when you only have .5 of a mile left.  Seriously?"  I had come so far and if I was going to quit, it should have been at mile 7.5 or 8, not then.

On Monday after the race I went to the Sports Medicine doctor at the University of Iowa to check out my knee.  He said I had a Parameniscal cyst on my knee.  He said it can be caused by a lot of pounding.  I'm wondering if I have a tear since I've ran much further before and never had this kind of pain.  Everything I have read says the Parameniscal cysts are caused by meniscus tears so I really want to know if I have a tear or not. I'm wanting a 2nd opinion and plan on getting a copy of my MRI that was taken 6 weeks ago after my Baker's Cyst was diagnosed and see if another doctor can tell me more information.  If it means another MRI, I'm all for it.  I need to know what the heck is really going on in there before returning to full out running.  My doctor told me to only do lots of short runs like 4 miles, 6 miles, 4 miles, maybe an 8 miler, but to leave the long runs out and instead do the amount of time it would take me on a long run of 9 or more miles on an elliptical or water running or even biking. 

I wish I really knew what was really going on inside that knee.  It's frustrating to have a diagnosis and not trust it.  I don't trust it because this diagnosis was given without a picture, just a guess and feeling the leg.  The last MRI was taken 6 weeks ago and the results of that was that I had a Baker's Cyst that exploded.  No more information was given.

So I wait and hope that training a different way for this upcoming marathon in January will prepare me enough to complete the marathon and hope that I won't be in intense pain during the marathon. 

Today I biked for 50 intense minutes.  No pain today in the knee, but still pain in the ankle when walking.  I'm sure running 13 miles on it was very stupid.