I am getting discouraged. Last December, my right knee was hurting and popping, so I went to a sports orthopedic dr and he put me on Motrin and it got mostly better. But lately, it has been hurting and popping more and more. Now it feels swollen and really hurts sometimes. And I can't run on it. All the prep for the RACE is draining away as time passes and I can't run. I started on Motrin again, but it isn't helping much. I finally got an appt. to have it injected on April 16th. I am so bummed. I also found out that 4 members of the race team have dropped out, so essentially, we don't have a team anymore. I REALLY want to run the WB. I am going to Oregon later this week, so maybe it will be better there. I don't know why I think this, but maybe something magic will happen and I will be able to run there. Sue

Good week

This had been a pretty good week.  First, Daylight Savings started.  I don't particularly like the time change, but I love having it light later in the evening.  The weather has been pretty good, too.  I rode Cloud a few days ago and it was actually warm.  I have done pretty good with my race prep, too.  I haven't done cross-training on the rest/cross-train days, but I have run on the running days.  And since I discovered Mapmyrun.com, I have really had some fun figuring out how far I ran, etc.  My goal is to run without stopping for a mile consistently, then, to start speeding up my time.  

On Wednesday night, we went to La Cenerentola (Cinderalla) at the Opera.  It was very good and some of the staging was amazing.  There was a scene where everyone was moving in slow motion, but singing really fast.  One of the men even fell off of the table in slow motion!  It was pretty amazing.  Then, I got an email from Susanne earlier this week, inviting me to sing with the Symphony Chorus in April.  They are doing Carmina Burana, which is really a cool chorale piece, with the Symphony.  Rehearsals start next week.  It will be really fun to do.  Enough for now, I need to go running.  Sue

Bad week

Last weekend, Dana and I spent a couple of nights at Zermatt.  We had free meal passes and, boy, did we take advantage of them.  I ate like a carnivore!  I felt yucky, but it was so hard not to eat everything in sight.  That must be what it is like on cruises, when you can eat anytime, night or day.  Anyway, I also was on some medication for my trigger thumb and it really messed up my thinking about food and it raised my blood pressure to 170/100.  But, now I am back to normal, and my bp is normal again, too.  But, I haven't been running since Saturday.  I ran a  1/2 mile from Zermatt to the Wasatch State Park and back, in a driving wind and snow.  But that was the last time I have run and I am having a hard time getting motivated.  I work tomorrow, so I will not be able to run after work because I am singing in a talent show after work, so Saturday will be my next day to run, after today.  So, off I go, to run now.  Sue

Here Comes the Sun

Today looked like a beautiful day.  I say "looked like" because I was indoors, at work.  As I walked outside from the cafeteria to the Women Center, I thought how 25 yrs ago, I would have been "laying out" in the sun on a day like today.  Even if it isn't really warm, as long as you lay flat, you are out of the breeze and you can get warm.  I remember one day, a long time ago, when I went skiing in the morning and laid out in the sun in the afternoon.  You gotta love spring in Utah.  I don't work tomorrow, so I will be out in the sun, running and riding Cloud.  

Today, the worst air in the whole country was along the Wasatch Front.  It's lovely when we make the national news.  :(  I just got back from running at the gym and my feet feel like pancakes and I am tired.  I will be glad when the weather is better so that I can run outside.  Mike is in Calif this week and I am really jealous.  He is in the Bay Area, doing some training for his job.  LUCKY!  

prepping for the race

Last week, I said that I would cross train on the days between running, but then I didn't do it.  This week, so far, I ran on Monday and lifted weights this evening.  I usually start at pretty low weights when I haven't lifted for awhile, but tonight, I kept thinking about how hard it was to do the race last year, so I lifted heavier weights in order to get in shape faster and also to practice doing the really hard task and not shrinking back from it.  

One of the many things that I learned about myself last summer is that I am a determined person.  Once I say I will do something, I don't often back out.  My dad used to tell me that I was the most stubborn person he knew.  The way he said it, I knew it was bad to be stubborn.  But I remember one time that my mom told me that it can be good to be stubborn, if you are being stubborn about something good.  Like, stubbornly refusing to smoke or drink.  That changed a lot for me.  

Last year at the race, I stubbornly vowed to myself that I would finish it, no matter what.  That was the only thing that carried me over the finish line.  This year, my goal is to finish, but to be in better shape along the way.  The team last year was so nice about how much I walked and I really appreciated their kindness.  Last year, when I was prepping for the race all winter and spring, my goal was to finish and my fear of looking ridiculous drove me to get out and run.  This year, it's my fear of my back hurting like it did last year, along with increasing my personal best, that is driving me to get ready for this race.

I don't know why it is so hard to go running, but it is.  Inertia is a powerful force.  I guess it is a universal truth that it's human nature to do the easiest thing, which for me is sitting and watching TV.  So when I set a goal to follow the training schedule and then I actually do it, I feel stronger mentally as well as physically.  That success builds upon itself, so it becomes easier to go the next time.  It also helps me when Tori encourages me and goes with me.  I really appreciate her help that way.  I am sure there are life lessons to be learned by going through this process.  

Well, enough for tonight.  It's time to go to bed.  Thanks for posting comments, those of you who have.  Matt, you creeped me out a little, thinking that people are watching me.  LOL  :)

Hmmmm....., I am still not feeling the love. Either no one is reading, or you all are so shy and retireing that you don't want to say anything.
So, I was going to crosstrain yesterday, but I had such a stressful day and then I had to vote and then go feed the horses, that it was 8:40 by the time I got home and the gym closes at 9:00. I personally think it is a pretty good excuse for why I didn't go and lift weights. Tonight, I have to run on the treadmill after work, no matter what. Either that, or I have to run outside and it's too cold to do that. TTFN