Week 32 – Shake it Out

 

Another week has flown by!  Incredible!  Everyone coming back from vacation and kids are going back to school and I’m like “WHAT? I DIDN’T HAVE A SUMMER HOLIDAY YET!!”

Since I want to get this post up while it’s still Monday, you’ll have to forgive me for not doing my weekly stats photo.  I ran, I biked, I walked and I went to the gym.  Pretty much same dealio as the weeks before.

 

Here’s how last week went down:
Plan vs Actual
Monday – Rest
Tuesday – Runiversity (and it will be 36 degrees / 97F – UGH)
Wednesday – Bodypump
Thursday – massage clients
Friday – day off + Runiversity
Saturday – rest
Sunday – 25KM (going to manage it this time!!!)

 

MondayNailed it again! I’m good at these rest days!! Fairly relaxed day at work. Had to bike home at lunchtime to send off a package and return a pair of shorts that I bought the week before. Otherwise It was a rest day for sure.

Sunny Monday
my latest torture device – the travel foam roller (for Ragnar, of course, but I’ll take the ball with me too!)

 

TuesdayRuniversity Training I had a training day (well, morning) at work planned in, so was a really easy day. I had to go to the hospital though in the afternoon; I was able to get a pretty quick appointment with my orthopaedic surgeon – I wanted to talk to him about the pain in my foot. It’s increased again in the last 6 – 8 weeks and I have started to become paranoid that I have a stress fracture. He felt the affected area and was also concerned since it really is right on the bone under the third toe (so the third metatarsal). He sent me immediately to x-ray. Within 5 minutes I had the x-ray done, then another 2 minute wait and the radiologist said there was no break that she could see. Back up to Ortho. Another 10 minutes and I saw the doctor again. He wants me to have another MRI (even though I had one in March) because I have new and different symptoms than last time AND the MRI would show if there is a stress fracture. Only problem is – I can’t get the MRI until the 10th of September (I love socialised medicine, don’t get me wrong, but sometimes things take forever). IF there is no stress fracture then I can *finally* be referred to someone else who possibly knows more than this guy does. I’m so fed up. He did not say stop running. If it is an SF there will be no marathon, but I’m not going to assume and stop training. (It’s probably NOT a stress fracture – then we will be back at square one).

Enough about that though.  I went to training that evening, and there were just two of us and the trainer.  It was a good training, though hot and definitely sweaty! In total I ran 6.35 KM (and biked there and back for 12.6KM).

WednesdayBodyPump. unfortunately we heard back from the insurance company for my bike that the report my bike shop did was not complete and we had to take the bike back. I was not amused, nor was Ron.  So after some vigorous discussions with them, I rushed home so he would be able to then bike over there again to complete the report while I went to Bodypump to work out my frustrations.  In the end it turned out ok, the report was complete and we were able to send it off to the insurance company.  Vincent was on vacation with his wife Wendy and their son, so I went to the gym on my own.

Oh yeah, and weigh-in?  I lost 100 grams.  So, again, maintaining my weight (last week was +100g).

 

BodyPump for the win!

 

Thursday  – Massage Clients last day at work for the week, and was pretty busy.  I have a new colleague on the team so we are all pitching in to show her the ropes.  I The weather finally changed and we got some rain!  I left work in enough time to go home, change and get my rain poncho since I had to bike up to the health center for massage clients. I changed my Friday out for Thursday evening to free up my day off from job #1.   So it was a long day but it felt good when I went home that I would be able to sleep in a bit the next day and not have any commitments!

 

Ready for clients!

 

Friday Runiversity and Day off!!  I DID sleep in a bit but once I was up and at ’em I started going through my athletic wear and other accessories that needed to be put in the right places in my workout room. First I dumped everything out and started sorting out based on category;  hats, safety vests, compression socks, shorts, long pants, capris, cotton tees, running tees, massage towels… you get the picture right?  Once that was done I needed to have enough receptacles to put everything in!   So I headed out to the shopping center to get a few plastic boxes and a large crate for all my foam rollers and free weights.  Everything is nice and organised now!

At some point though I had to stop what I was doing (I was mostly done anyway) and head off to training.  Another good run – this evenings training was 20 x 100m.  My goal (from my trainer) was to do each one around 29 – 31 seconds max.  And except for, I think, 2 rounds, I was right on target!  YEAH!  Total run: 5.2KM (and of course biking there and back for 14KM – can’t remember why Tuesday’s ride was shorter – weird!)

 

is owning approx. 37 hats excessive?
new containers and everything in it’s place
all massage items and first aid/ bandages / tape together!
looking tidy! (that tutu will be used for Ragnar)

 

SaturdaySort of nailed it. no RPM, total rest day for me.  Although, Ron went out for his run in the morning and ran over to pick up his new bike – so I biked over there to meet him and then we biked home (so total biking 11.7KM).  When we got home we then jumped in the car as we have been wanting to buy new mattresses (hopefully this could help me sleep better as well – our mattresses are just well overdue to be replaced).  After spending quite some time at a specialty store we finally decided on what to buy (and added two new pillows to the mix as well), now we just have to wait for them to be delivered (in about 3 weeks).

After that it was really nothing else on the program.  We had our regular Saturday night pasta dinner, watched some telly, had a beer and went to bed early “enough” to be able to get up early for the long run.

 

happy with his new bike
Someone installed apple tv in my sports room!

Sunday –  Long Run 25KM I had a pretty rough sleep and did not manage to get up on time, which means I did not leave on time either.  Sigh.  I wanted to be out by 8:30 and I was finally out at 9:30.  To be honest the run wasn’t so bad in the beginning.  I was feeling good and fueled up properly.  But again, around 8KM my legs started to feel like lead.  I thought to myself that I wasn’t going to bail on this distance again (25KM).  I was going to tough it out and just do it no matter what.  But MAN was it hard.  My foot was also hurting so bad.  At some point, I think around 14KM I stopped in a park , filled up my water reservoir and took off my shoe to massage my foot.  It didn’t really help though.  I pushed through and finally made it home 4 hours later (the run itself was 3hours 15 min).   Awful.

3 KM to go

 

I got home and immediately threw myself onto my yoga mat and started stretching my legs and my feet!  and then I just closed my eyes and fell asleep for about 15 minutes.  Ha!  Ron came back from his run around then and he threw himself on the bed and passed out. OMG.  We are such an exciting couple!

Eventually we both showered and got dressed because it was time to go to Ikea again.  We have *finally* made the decision to buy a new wardrobe for the bedroom.  I have only been complaining about the one we have for pretty much the whole time I’m living here and now I actually will have space to put my clothes, shoes, bags, etc…  So that’s done and that will be delivered in less than a week.

Of course no Sunday would be complete without pizza and ice cream.  I did warn him that when marathon training is over, so is pizza and ice cream Sunday!!

He can even eat it with his eyes closed

 

I think it’s safe to say that I’m letting go of a time goal for Warsaw.  I’m determined to run it, but with my foot, I just don’t want to put pressure on myself (even subconsciously) to have a PR.  I’m looking into some sort of sock or brace that could help – so if y’all know of anything that could help me – specifically for pain on top of and under (the ball) my foot I’m all ears!!

Plan for Week 33

Monday – Rest or RPM
Tuesday – Runiversity Training
Wednesday – SocialMile Birthday Run
Thursday – Bodypump
Friday – Massage clients + Runiversity
Saturday – RPM + massage clients
Sunday – I *think* I have 14km on the plan

I actually start my “vacation”  on Thursday, I’m at least off work until the 6th of September.  I leave on the 24th for Hamburg for the Ragnar Relay!  Then I’m back on the 28th.   I’m not allowed to make any plans from the 30th until the 6th.  I do know I’m not “home”  for my birthday (3 sept) but where I am, I do not know.  I’m trying not to think about it!  Being a bit of a control freak that’s kind of hard!

So, tell me –
Do you have great short runs/ trainings and then struggle with the long run?
Do you have any tips or tricks to stop the ball of my foot (and the top) from ruining my long run?
Have you run a Ragnar and have a good tip for me for running at night (I’m a little freaked out about it)?
Do you have a collection of hats and compression socks that require their very own storage container?

Comments

  1. Pizza and ice cream sound like a great combination post run! Hope you get that foot thing figured out soon.

    1. Renée says:

      best combination ever!
      thanks Deborah!

  2. I want to do a Ragnar but I haven’t yet. Someday! The top of my foot hurts on long runs but only on the treadmill. I’m not sure why though.

    1. Renée says:

      well I’ll be sharing my experience soon!

      maybe your shoelaces are too tight at the top? odd.

  3. kookyrunner says:

    I don’t think that owning 37 hats is bad…I should probably count all of mine, LOL.

    Another great week for you, especially on your long run. I’m so sorry that you are still dealing with that pain in your foot but you were mentally super strong for your long run and that’s half the battle!

    1. Renée says:

      thanks Kim!! So the consensus is that I do NOT have too many hats :) haha!
      the mental part of the run is Half if not more than half of the battle for sure.

  4. So let me share my experience. We were doing the ragnar trail, and I think all of us had night loops. And there are four guys on an ultra team who thought it would be HI-larious to dress up as four horror movie characters (Freddie Kreuger, Michael Meyers, Jason, etc). So I’m all alone in the dark woods at night, and behind me, I hear the Friday the 13th theme music. Because obviously, you have to run with a wireless speaker, if your’e going to dress up as an insane serial killer. I about wet myself. So really, anything other than that is good :) You’re going to do great!

    37 hats is a lot, but not excessive. Maybe. And pizza and ice cream Sundays should NEVER end.

    1. Renée says:

      oh my God Jenn. I WOULD BE SO PISSED if someone did that to me on the trail night. so not funny!!

      looks like my night loop is around Midnight. trying not to think about it too much…

  5. Coco says:

    Hmm, your foot issue sounds worrisome! I don’t know that the U.S. medical system is any better for getting appointments. I can get an MRI pretty quickly after a Dr. orders one, but it can take a month to get an appointment with a specialist (like an ortho). Anyway, I hope you get it figure out soon. I have pizza and ice cream and am NOT marathon training. ;-)

    1. Renée says:

      since I regularly see my ortho I get in pretty quickly. it’s all the stuff that has to happen though. so annoying.

  6. debolton says:

    Im not sure Im much help to you I am not a runner but I am a Rockstar Rest-er too!! Totally can relate to that. I love how you organized everything.

    1. Renée says:

      resting is the bomb! haha!
      thanks!

  7. Farrah says:

    Seriously, I feel like the bulk of this year has pretty much just flown by. My schedule has been kinda terrible lately but I’m hoping to get it back on track again soon! I hope your foot issue gets figured out soon!

    1. Renée says:

      thanks Farrah!

  8. Darlene says:

    I small storage containers for socks belts hats etc. it is so hard to organize. Luckily the kids moved out and I have taken over all their dressers.

    Lately all distances suck. In a slump.

    Hope your foot is not a stress fracture. Only an MRI will tell.

    Never done a Ragnar. Not even a bucket list item. Running at night. No sleep. No way.

    You ve have another productive. Ice cream and pizza go together, of course.

    1. Renée says:

      extra dressers would be awesome!!! I still can’t locate everything by the way… even though I JUST organised.

      really wondering how the ragnar will go… chalk it up to new challenges, right?

      sorry your running has been in a slump.

  9. Your foot issue has ME irritated as well. I cannot imagine how frustrating it is to still not have any solid answers…and all the pain. I have to laugh, though, at your hubby…my hubby planned a surprise trip for me last year for my birthday, and wouldn’t tell me anything about it until the day or so) prior LOL

    1. Renée says:

      I think most people I know are irritated by my foot issue at this point!

      he almost told me Sunday and I told him to zip it. He wants to surprise me, then I have to deal with not having all the control in my own hands!!

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