Learning to be patient

So I am trying to be more patient and listen to my body especially when it comes to injuries.  I pulled my calf muscle almost 2 weeks ago and it has not been fun.  I have had to ice it and rest it at least a couple times a day.  This past Wednesday I went to the park and was going to try and attempt to do a very slow run and see how it felt but I only made it about a half of a mile and had to quit.  The pain was still there even though not as bad but enough for me to not push it and take the chance on hurting it worse.

So since the injury my workouts have consisted of still doing weights and I have been doing the elliptical a lot more.  My plan is to keep doing the elliptical and I will go back out to try and do another small run a week from today.  I'm hoping that I can at least run 2 miles slowly and then maybe walk a mile.  We'll see.  

Another thing that I want to try and work on again is the no eating after 7pm.  This always makes me feel better anyways.  I have been really off my eating plan more so lately than ever.  This is not good!! I need to stay focused and maybe even get back to my journaling in my food journal again.  

What I have done since last week:

Sunday 2/19- Elliptical

Monday 2/20- Elliptical and a few weights

Tuesday 2/21- Elliptical and leg extensions before work

Wednesday 2/22- Tried to run that half mile but couldn't so I just did a slow walk for another 1.5miles

Thursday 2/23- Worked out with Jess doing upper body

Friday 2/24- Elliptical before work

Saturday 2/25- Elliptical then did lower body and abs

This week my plan is going to be about the same with doing the elliptical in the mornings before I go to work then try and get outside and do some walks in the evening and definitely hitting the weights.

I'm going to be patient with this injury and I'm going to be okay with it.  

A little frustrated!

Yesterday was a gorgeous day here Ohio.  I usually plan my long runs on Saturday mornings, so I have been pretty excited since the weather forecast for Saturday would be sunny and the high of 46.  Perfect!! 

After I had my coffee I chose to also eat a slice of wheat bread with low fat peanut butter and a carb masters yogurt.  I go to lace up my shoes and drive to the bike/running path and this is what I was greeted with....

Yea!! How perfect is this??  I have only ran outside one other time and it was a walk run with my daughter who is wanting to start running herself.  
I set out with my Garmin and no music....just me and this gorgeous path.  Now, my pace is extra slow just because I'm just getting back from all the stuff my body has been through the past 4 1/2months.  I'm okay with that!  My new outlook on when I go out to do my long runs is not to focus on the speed its to just enjoy it and finish it and to hopefully finish it without stopping or hurting myself.  So I start out and for the first mile my pace is around 13:10...okay, snail pace but your going and you feel good.  I eventually settle into a 12:45 pace and feels really, really good.  I start to notice that my right calf has a little pain in it.  No! No! this is not happening.  It's there but I can keep going.  I get to mile 3.70 and my calf brought me to a complete halt!! It hurt even to walk on it.  But I had to because I was about a mile and a half from my car.  This is crazy!! I have been doing things like I should.  Only 3 runs a week...speed work, tempo then long run.  I have been cross training the other days with either doing weights and abs or even doing some elliptical then doing upper body.  The ONLY thing that sticks out that I did that might have caused this would be the major calf raises I did a little over a week ago.  Tons of calf raises.  So much to the point that they felt like somebody had litterally sucker punched the back of each calf.  Even as of yesterday they still felt a little sensitive when putting my lotion on.  
So what I thought was going to be a perfect 5 miles...didn't.  Total miles though was 5.5 running 3.70 miles of that.  Good miles.  The kind that you felt like you could just run, run, run. And then keep running.  So, I'm just a little on the frustrated side.  I'm just getting back at this and I don't need this.  


My plan for today is to rest it.  Take tomorrow off too except maybe try the elliptical and do some upper body if the pain isn't as bad.  Today its still there but not as bad as yesterday.  I'll have to see about the rest of the week.


What do you guys think?  Do you think it's from the calf raises I did?  Should calf raises be in my workouts or is the running enough for the calves?  
Thoughts please...

My Run for Sherry Arnold

Life has been crazy this past week and a half.  Birthdays, Anniversaries, Valentines...man I haven't' had much time to do anything.  However, I did do my run for Sherry Arnold.  

It was a 4.5 mile run, on the treadmill, by myself.  But it was a great run and even though it was by myself I couldn't help but feel the closeness with all who were running for Sherry.  I did my moment of silence as Beth had asked and then it was just me, the treadmill and zillions of other people running for Sherry.  Usually my runs start out pretty stiff, but not this run.  I felt great and really could have kept going. 

Totally AMAZING how this has brought so much awesomeness and so many great people from all over the world!! Tells me that the good will always out weigh the bad.  

I will continue to keep Sherry and all her family in my thoughts and prayers.

Even in the desolate wilderness, stars can still shine......

- Aol Jiyuu Shiroi Nozomi

Just GORGEOUS!!

Yesterday here in Ohio, in February, felt like a day in Florida.  The weather was just gorgeous!! The sun was out in full force and the temperature was just perfect.  Love love days like this.

So to take advantage of all this gorgeousness my oldest daughter and I decided to go down to the bike path and take a run.  She is just starting out with this journey of running so it was a walk/run for 3 miles.  I felt like I could have just kept running and running.  She did pretty darn awesome considering she truly has only ran a handful of times.  She ran the Turkey Trot at Thanksgiving and now wants to get a little more serious about it.  She has signed up for a 5k at the Air Force marathon weekend and I'm hoping that she signs up for a few more between now and then.  I'm trying to hold back all my enthusiasim and not overwhelm her with my absolute love for running and just ease her into it one step at a time.

A few pics from our run =)