Go Wild

1/4/09 (Day 9): 10 miles (10min/mi). 4:30pm-6:30pm, listening to a couple of episodes of "Car Talk", which is not the best running show. Slept a solid 10.5 hours last night and then dozed for another hour. The leg definitely was bothersome at the beginning of the run, but gets BETTER as I run on it. It was fine all last night, but a little bothersome this morning when I first got up. I'm losing my voice and have a bit of a cough, but not feeling too poorly.

I'd like to say that I was now going to go watch the Wild game, but I think I am actually going to watch the last episode of Season 2 of "The Wire". I still have season 3 from my brother, but I need to start thinking how I'm going to watch seasons 4-5.

Leg pain

1/2/09 (Day 7): 10 miles (10min/mi x 8, 9min/mi x 2). 5pm-7pm, listening to solid music on the ipod. Slept 5 hours the previous night both keeping RR company during mudding and also watch an episode or 2 of "The Wire". I had planned to get up and run before work (starting about 4am, but the alarm went off and I decided I'd go into work (part time job) late instead, running between jobs. Some continued left calf pain that lingered well into the night while walking around.

1/3/09 (Day 8): 10 miles (10min/mi). 7:30pm-9:30pm. I'd planned on testing out my new ipod tuning gadget that allows me to listen to radio stations through the ipod, so I specifically waited until this evening to run so I could watch the Wild game with sound on the Lifetime t.v.s. Unfortunately the game was not on Fox Sports so not on the LT t.v. I watch Suze Orman instead. The gadget works slick. Slept an interrupted 6 hours or so, dozing between 5a-7a.

Today was the first day where self-preservation almost kept me from running. First of all, the left leg. I'm not sure what's going on with it. I don't think it's JUST muscle soreness, but I don't think it's something serious either--it's just not that quality of pain. It was as bad as it had ever been today, and was noticeable on Wednesday (but almost non-existent during Thurs/Friday runs). And by 6 miles in to the run today, it was essentially gone. It's lower left leg, more in the back, but sometimes feels as if it is wrapping around the inner calf. Stretching doesn't do much. I notice it walking down the stairs--sometimes. Any ideas?

Also, I got a sore throat. At 9:30p last night (see... I'm in tune with my body). I was at work, felt fine, and coughed, realizing that, oh, my throat hurts! And I have a cough!

I got out of the part time job at 3:10am last night and had a voicemail (two actually) from RR saying, "Dr. Diane: Diamond Dave is stuck on Hwy 10 and needs gas. He needs your help." My part time job has no cell phone service at all, so I didn't get the message until I left the building and had no record of when the message was left (although I knew it was after my 11:15p break). I called RR--no answer. I called DD--out of service. I called E-force and Big Scotty to try to attempt to get a current cell# for DD--no answer. But along Hwy 10, 1/2 mile before my exit, I saw RR and DD on the side of the road, so I did a u-turn, helping them get more gas in the truck. Ended up going to bed WAY late and letting DD sleep on my couch.

And MORE snow? Really?!

Voila!

12/29/08: 10 miles (10min/mi). Started at 4am and out of the gym by 6:10a. Listened to 2 episodes of Dave Ramsey podcast and half of "The Story" (about the relationship between a former frat kid and his former frat house cook). Slept 40 minutes last night. Why? Because I haven't been to sleep before 2:30a in a week and half. I knew if I went to bed I'd NEVER get up at 3:30a, so in order to not have to be so tired getting up, I just didn't go to bed. I also was watching a borrowed 2nd season of "The Wire" (good show!). I did sleep between 3:05-3:45a. First 6 miles were so-so, then I had my startling revelation (see below) and my last 4 miles were great.

12/28/08: 10 miles (10min/mi). Started at 7:30a and out the door by 10p. I had been at the tanning booth before running and used some "tingle" lotion that works by bringing all your blood to the skin surface (or something like that). I was a red, overheated mess BEFORE I got to the gym. Listened to 2 episodes of "The Story". I thought the episode entitled "Feeling the Pinch" would be about bank/financial stuff, which I enjoy, but instead it was about the Maine Lobstermen feeling the "pinch" of the economy. Good listen regardless. Slept 7 hours the night before, the least amount in a week.

12/27/08: 10 miles (10min/mi). Started at 1:30p and home by 3:45p. Slept a good 10 hours on my couch the night before (purposefully, as it's not as comfortable as my bed and I didn't want to sleep 12 hours by accident and waste the day). Also went back to the gym at 12:30a that late night with RR and did a upper body workout (bi's, tri's, and chest) and am lucky right now that I'm able to undress.

I couldn't quite figure out why some days at the gym I feel just great on the treadmill, and others are such a struggle. Some days I cruise along at an easy 10min/mi and do 10 miles no problem. Other days I am able to get 10 miles in only by stopping and really NEEDING a break every 2 miles. Those are the days that I am panting, unable to catch my breath, with heavy legs.

Well, I figured it out this morning, and it's very simple. There's a giant fan in the ceiling, and if I'm running on a treadmill underneath it, all is well. The treadmills on the other side of the row, well, I'm suffocating. It must be really poor air circulation under those.

I am thinking my next goal will be to run 10 miles every day. In my mind I find that to be a fairly reasonable goal. 10 miles can be done in under 2 hours, and i could budget 2 hours of time including a shower. And 2 hours a day at the gym is reasonable, right?

(Maybe... but if I'm working 18 hours that day and commuting 1.5hrs, maybe even 2 hours isn't, but I'm not going to think about that right now).

A co-worker, when asked about this potential goal, doesn't like it. Her plan? I should run to Fargo, do the Fargo marathon with her, and then run home. That's dreaming too big for me: I can't afford the time off from work (a week each way, I think).