9 miles, Followed by Plantar Fasciitis

Have you missed me?! I know it's been awhile. Life has been so busy lately! Onto the running news, since that's what you are here for! About 2 weeks ago, I ran my longest mileage yet, 9 miles! It was the hardest run to date and was full of hills. I will admit there were moments that I struggled big time! The hills were serious! I felt pretty good immediately following the run, but on my 30 minute drive home, my left knee began to hurt...well, if you've been following my blog, you know I have had my fair share of injuries and issues while training for this half marathon. So, all I kept thinking was "please don't let this be serious, please don't let this be serious!" I got home and was in excruciating pain and my friend suggested taking a soak in my bathtub, so I did that and then iced and elevated my knee off and on for the remainder of the afternoon. Walking up and down the stairs was excruciating, so I began to stress that I had really hurt myself that morning. Before bed, I iced my knee again and took a couple of my trusty friend, Advil and hoped for the best. Well, imagine my surprise when I woke up the next morning and my knee was pretty much pain-free...it was a tad sore...but, it seems the pain had transferred itself to my left foot...think pain so bad that you can barely walk. I mean taking the first step after getting out of bed, brought tears to my eyes! So, of course, I'm thinking "great, another foot issue! just what I need." Well, this was a different sort of pain than I had ever felt and boy was it excruciating. I was basically hopping around all day because putting any pressure on it was excruciating (Have I used that word enough in this blog post yet?! That is the only word to describe the pain!) I began searching the Internet for what this injury could be. I started at www.runnersworld.com and pretty much diagnosed myself with Plantar Fasciitis. Here is a definition of Plantar Fasciitis if you are interested in learning more about it. Apparently it is a pretty common injury. However it is extremely painful and hard to get rid of in my opinion. Stretching and icing is the best thing for it, so you can bet I've been doing all those things like crazy! I tried to do my 6 mile run on Saturday, regardless of my foot pain and actually was able to run with the pain but about 1.5 miles in, my knee started to hurt really badly...same knee as the week before. I tried to run on it a bit more, but decided more running could potentially make this injury worse. I ended being in pretty awful pain the rest of the afternoon and evening, but woke up the next morning with little pain in the knee, but horrible pain in the foot again. Well, I saw a different chiropractor this week since my usual one, Dr. Rob is out of town. He officially diagnosed me with Plantar Fasciitis, though, the guys at the shoe store and my coaches (and myself) had already diagnosed me. I feel like this Dr. made it worse and I have been in even more pain since seeing him, so I am not exactly sure what is going on at this point. I am hoping to get in with Dr. Rob on Monday when he gets back into the office and maybe he can give me a better answer as to what my next step should be. I will admit that it has been a little discouraging dealing with yet another injury during my journey to the half marathon. It has been frustrating, but I know I can do it! We have less than 2 months until race day and I am really excited! I feel like I have been training for ages...although my body seems to think otherwise! I know this is just another bump in my road but it really helps to remind myself of the real reason I am doing this half marathon! I am doing this for all the people affected by blood cancer or any cancer, who can't! I run for LIFE! I am really thrilled with how my fundraising is going! I am at 94% of my 6500.00 goal! I am hoping to raise even more money than that, but I am so pleased with how much I have raised so far! For me, the main goal of training for a marathon with Team In Training is the raise as much money as you can for The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society and I am so happy to be doing this! If you want to help me reach my goal, you can go here to donate! Remember every penny counts and it is tax deduct able! I will be back soon with more news on my poor foot! Until then, happy running to all my running buddies! :)

8 Miles...

Saturday, I ran 8 miles! Good news is, I am still here to tell the tale! I have been pretty nervous all week about this run...I feel nervous each week, we go up 2 miles. For me, it's just important that I am able to accomplish each mile, every week. It is amazing to me that I am just 5.1 miles away from the distance I will be running in the half marathon October 17th! I have such a sense of accomplishment when I think about running. Running has always been something that I dreaded, but now it is something that I look forward to. Don't get me wrong, I'm no speed racer, but I am out there, doing it and that is really all that matters. I have never been stressed about my running times or anything like that. Honestly, the main reason to do Team In Training (TNT) is to raise money for The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society! I am out there running all of these miles for all the people who can't...I typically have to remind myself of that about 5 miles in. It is great motivation to think about everyone I am running for; people sick in the hospital with cancer, going through chemo, as well as people who have lost their battle to any type of cancer. I can actually picture these people as I run. I had first hand experience with watching people get their chemo treatments, since my siblings and I switched off who would take our mom each week. Walking into that "chemo lounge," you see fighters. Each and every person in there! Thinking about these amazing people when I run is a HUGE motivation!

I tried using Sport Beans again yesterday and while I don't get a sudden surge of energy, I was able to go 8 miles, so they must be doing something for me! As I was running on Saturday, a coach from the Central TNT team was running beside me. She was really great to talk to and gave me some great insight for the marathon. She also told me that even though I didn't think the Sport Beans were working, if I tried running without them, it would be much harder. She made a very good point. We ran along the coast on Saturday and through some neighborhoods. Running along the coast is one of my favorite places to run. There is just such a peacefulness about watching the water and surfers while I am running. I always miss this when we run at different places on our Saturday morning Team runs. So, back to the 8 miles. I am still doing 5/1 intervals. Running 5 minutes seems like 1 hour and power walking for 1 minute seems like 5 seconds! This is working for me though, so I am sticking with it. This coach from the other team also told me that doing intervals is a great way to run a marathon. She explained that when she ran the Boston Marathon this past Spring, she always marched through the aid stations and hung out there for a a minute or two and then kept going. She said she always ended up passing the people who would run through the aid stations and skip the aid. It was encouraging to hear that I am doing this all correctly! I had a pretty good run, except the fact that I am still having pain in my feet...it has now turned into both feet. I am honestly thinking that switching to a Stability shoe has caused more damage. At this point, I feel frustrated because everyone is telling me something different. I am on my 2nd pair of shoes. I am not sure what my next step will be. I have had 2 women recommend the same Nike shoe in the past 2 days, so I may end up trying that, because at this point, I feel like it's time to try something else. My feet both started hurting pretty badly at mile 7, but I was determined to finish the full 8 miles and I'm so glad I did. I iced both feet for awhile when I got back to our base. While icing, I spoke with a few different people and got a few more opinions on what to do. I am NOT letting this foot thing get me down! I am doing really well in my training and I am sure I will find the perfect (magic) shoe in no time! We have a back down week this coming weekend, so I will be running 5 or 6 miles. I am headed to Washington state for one of my best friend's wedding, on Wednesday, so I will be running this mileage on a treadmill this week! I am headed to run hills with my Team tonight , pilates on Tuesday and spinning class bright and early at 5:30 on Wednesday morning! Here's to a great week!

With Love,
Ashley

Guess Who's Back...Back Again?!

Me! I ran on Saturday in me new shoes and I did pretty well! I did 6.54 miles...my longest distance to date! My foot started hurting about halfway through the run, but we are thinking this could just be my feet getting used to my new shoes. It was pretty tough but also really exciting at the same time! I am really amazed that I am now a runner. I would have never thought I would ever be a runner. I am really praying that the more I run, the easier it will be on my body. We joke that I have the body of an 80 year old because I always have aches and pains, but the running magnifies my usual issues so much! I had some good running partners this week which really helped. It is so much nicer to run with people than by myself. I tried Sport Beans during my run and I really liked them! Our coaches and mentors have expressed the importance of finding an energy source in gel, block, bean, etc form for aid during our runs and our marathons. We are supposed to try all sorts of brands and see which we like best. I am pretty disgusted by the energy gels. They just make me nauseous even thinking about them! So, I decided to try energy jelly beans. I really liked them, though, I don't think I ate enough to give me a huge surge of energy. I am planning on trying a gel or a shot block this weekend during our 8 mile run. Lord knows I will need energy aid on that run! Right now it is all about trying new things and seeing what works best! I will report back how it goes on Saturday! I am really proud of myself for making it as far as I did on Saturday. It is amazing to me that I am now considered a runner. WOW!

New Kicks...

Well, we just returned home from the Running Center and I got a new pair of shoes! This time (my 5th time going there!), the guy who helped me, videotaped me running in my current running shoes. It was nice to be able to see my over-pronation. It is a very small amount of over-pronating, but either way, it is affecting my feet and ankles, so it was time for a shoe change! The guy that helped me today has been the most helpful so far! As all of the employees there, he is a runner and really knew what he was talking about! I really liked him and learned a lot from him! I have been thinking the issue has been my shoes for awhile now, but everyone seemed to poo poo the idea, telling me that I am a pretty neutral runner, so my shoes were ok. I just knew something was not right with them. I was happy today when he told me we should try a stability shoe. He said that even though my over-pronation was small, it was still big enough to cause issues with my feet and ankles. So, I tried on about 6 different pairs of stability shoes and he videotaped me in each one, so we could see what helped me the most. It was amazing to see how much of a difference the stability shoe makes with me turning my foot/ankle in. It was key to be able to watch on video. I ended up going with a pair of Brooks running shoes. They felt the best, but also looked the best of my feet as I was running. I am really hoping these are the magic shoe! I will be trying them out for the first time on Saturday when we do our 6 mile team run! Hopefully the ankle/foot pain will be long gone in no time!

Also, a funny story about our morning at the Running Center. I had to take my 18 month old with me, like I do every time I go in there. He usually walks around and looks at the clothes, shoes, watches me practice running, etc. Today he was all over the place and had a great time with the guy who helped me and another woman who works there. The guy was so great with him and really helped me with him so I could focus on finding a pair of shoes. At one point, while the guy was watching me run, we both turned around and Teddy was gone...now it's a pretty small store, so I figured he couldn't have gone far, but I did panic inside a little. Turns out, he had gone into the back room and was wandering through the maze of shoe boxes, having a grand old time! It was pretty comical! We had yet another great experience at the Running Center today! I really love that place!

News

So, I took a couple weeks off from running, spinning, pretty much everything exercise related...except chasing my 18 month old around every day! I decided that everything else we were trying was not working, so why not try some rest?! It has definitely helped and I feel like I am doing a lot better. I ran/walked 5 miles on Saturday with my team and it went pretty well. The hardest thing for me was the fact that after taking 2 weeks off, I felt completely out of shape! Oh, and the fact that it felt like it was 100 degrees at 7:30am last weekend! Regardless, I made it! Afterwards, despite the water I drank, I felt really icky and just plain exhausted, so I tried one of my new electrolyte drinks and within an hour, I was feeling back to myself again! Yay! I am really tryting to be proactive about my fluid intake the day before I run now. It is so important! On Wednesday nights, there is a track workout that is led by our head coach or assistant coach. I have been dying to try this since it began on June 30th, but my injury has kept me away, so last night I tried it for the first time! It was extremely tough, but I have no doubt that it will help me immensely over the course of the next few months! We did some interesting stretching exercises, which made me realize my core is not strong at all. That is something I really need to work on! The main workout was to run 6 intervals of 800 meters! Wow! In hearing that, I was stressed. 800 meters is 2 laps around a track, which is half a mile! 6 of those! I was thinking it may not happen for me since I had been out of commission for so long, but I decided to put the doubt out of my mind and just run. It was probably my toughest run to date. I was the last to finish in my group each time, so I had minimal time to rest in between intervals! After the 5th interval, Coach Kerry, our head coach, asked who was finished and who could do the last interval. A few people decided to be finished at 5 intervals, which was still a huge feat, but I decided to try and do the last 2 laps! It was pretty tough, but I am so glad I did it! I even finished 11 seconds earlier than my prior intervals! I think one of my favorite things about the track workout, (besides the running of course) is how positive and encouraging most people are! It makes it so much nicer when you are dragging yourself down the track, so exhausted and feeling like your legs may give out, to hear "Go Ashley!" "You can do it Ashley!" "You go girl!" and the list goes on and on to what was said to me last night, during each of my intervals! It was so encouraging and I am so thankful for my coaches, mentor and teammates! I left there feeling very positive about my run and about myself! We headed to Mr. Taco for dinner afterwards and it was great to sit and chat with people. Getting to know new people has always been one of my favorite things to do! I was so tired after I got home last night...I slept like a baby, which is pretty rare for me! I had to ice both of my feet/ankles last night...I am just trying to be proactive about them. My left foot was starting to give me some trouble last night, which makes me wonder if my issues are actually coming from my shoes, like I have wondered all along! I am headed to the running store this morning to see what I can figure out...hopefully I will leave there with magic shoes!

With Love,
Ashley

Rockstar Status

Well, I did it! I have met my fundraising goal and then some! My required amount to make was $3,200.00 for Team In Training (TNT), so I decided to make my personal goal $4,000.00. As of now, I have exceeded my personal goal by $1,925.00! Last Saturday, I received my jacket, which all members of Team receive when they complete their required goal! I also received "Rockstar Status," which means, I got a "Rockstar" pin to wear on my jacket, a TNT frame and a cute TNT duffel bag! I am pretty surprised that I have gone so far over my goal, but couldn't be more thrilled. It amazes me how generous people have been with donations! It has been such a blessing and will be an even bigger blessing to The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society (LLS)! My goal all along has been to raise as much money as possible for LLS, so that is what I will continue to do! I have decided to up my personal goal $6500.00 and hopefully I will be able to exceed that as well! As of now I am at 91% of my NEW goal! I hope to make it to 100% in no time!Thank you to everyone who supports me and LLS! It is such a worthy cause and I am so happy to be a part of it!

Scentsy Wickless Candles Fundraiser!

A friend of mine from high school, Paige, contacted me a few weeks ago and wanted to host a Scentsy Wickless Candles party for my fundraising campaign! I was totally amazed and so excited! I am trying to raise as much money as possible for The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society (LLS), although my personal fundraising goal is $4,000. I hope to make way more than that! Paige is hosting a party for me on her website for the next 2 weeks and 20% of anything purchased under "run for life" party will go directly to my fundraising! If you are interested in purchasing some Scentsy Wickless Candle products to help support LLS, please go to http://paigejeanes.scentsy.us/ and on the right hand side under "open parties," please click on "buy from run for life party!" There are so really great products on her website! Even if you don't like candles, you could buy some early Christmas or birthday presents for your friends and family!

If you would like to make a direct donation to my fundraising campaign, please click on "Team In Training Fundraising Page" on the right side of my blog page!

Happy Shopping and thank you in advance for your support!

With Love,
Ashley