Our Crazy Life

Four years ago in January Les took a job working for a company based in Hawaii.  We spent most of 2013 in a rented Waikiki condo.  2014 and 2015 were filled with back and forth travel.  2016 we spent nine months renting part of a house in Hawaii Kai.  We've already made two trips to Oahu this year.  On top of the Hawaii trips, Les visits clients here on the mainland and attends industry conventions.  I'm fortunate enough that I don't have to work a paying job and can tag along often.

Plans for a busy June are starting to firm up.  Les will be in four states/three time zones in the first week and a half of June.  We are also planning to go back to Hawaii some time in June.  Oh, and I have a marathon scheduled on June 10th. As our plans have firmed up, my "racecation" was looking more and more like a solo endeavor or a flyby. I have never been to Utah and really wanted a few days to see at least part of the state.

I checked the race website and saw a "defer" option.  I can defer to 2018 or 2019.  Les will be flying home from a convention that takes place in Orlando.  This particular event takes place each June and moves around the country each year.  In 2018 it will be in Nashville.  Les grew up there so we have tons of friends and family in the area so I definitely want to go on that trip.  In 2019 the convention will be in Phoenix, considerably closer to Utah.  The more I thought about it, the more sense it made to defer to the 2019 race.  There was a $15 change fee, but with so many "nonrefundable, nontransferable" races out there, this seemed like the right decision.  I wasn't going to let my free entry fee go to waste!

In case you're wondering, Les never even suggested that I not race.  He would have flown from Orlando to Salt Lake City (about 50 miles from Provo) just to be there.  This would have meant him being home about 48 hours the entire month of June.  Some things just don't make sense no matter how much you want them to.

I've been a runner for over 20 years.  In that time I've run a total of nine races.  That probably seems strange to some people, but I'm okay with it.  I ran 2600 miles one year and didn't run a single race!   I don't regret the training I've done.  It's gone well, not great, but good enough that I know I could have finished the marathon.  But the expenses to just go there, race, and come back home were adding up to more than I wanted to commit to.  So... Utah Valley Marathon 2019 here I come!

Right now I don't know if I'll try to run a marathon this year.  We tentatively have something really big on the calendar for this Fall so I'll just wait and see.  If we're on Oahu when they are having any of marathon readiness races I might do one of those because they are usually 12-15 miles and the registration fee is pretty small for last minute decisions.

Do you or any of your family members do a lot of business travel?
Ever deferred a race?

Recovery Week, New Phones, and More Rain (Wk 3/52)

After two high mileage weeks my legs really needed a break.  I put in about 40 miles last week from Thursday to Saturday and I don't quite have the endurance for that.

Sunday - Walked 3.01 miles
During church on Sunday we noticed that something was wrong with Les' iPhone.  With our travel schedules that is something we can't live without so Monday turned into a research mission.

Monday - Rode 10.56 miles
Les and I have had iPhones for years.  We don't upgrade often, as long as they worked we were happy.  My iPhone 4 was about 3 1/2 years old.  There was a bit of a sticker shock as we started researching our options.  We visited the Apple store, the Verizon store, Best Buy and finally went to Costco.  A very long story short - we switched from AT&T to Verizon, saving $15 a month for the same plan, and got two Galaxy J3 phones free from a promotion that Costco had going.  We are super happy with the decision and are already enjoying the Android experience.  We're really not anti Apple, but they did not give us a compelling reason to stick with them.  The phones came with 16GB of internal storage but Les was able to get SD cards with an additional 128 GB and install them on our phones himself.  Our biggest challenge is getting our music from iTunes to Google Play.  How about them (non) apples?!

Tuesday - Rested

Wednesday - Walked 5.03 miles
This started out as a run but my knees were cranky.  I think they were just a little worn out.  Every time I started to run they hurt so I opted for a long walk.

Thursday - Rested
It was raining again so I was happy with a second rest day for this week.

Friday - Rode 12.53 miles
It was pouring on Friday so I did another session on the trainer.  I did what is called an FTP test which is a whole post on its own that I need to write.  Our rainfall for Friday was over an inch and we have now received over 11 inches since the beginning of this season (July 1-June 30) and we now have more rain for the season than we have had in any of the past six seasons.

Saturday - Ran 7.01 miles
There's nothing better than the morning after rain in So Cal.  It was a cool 40 degrees and the skies were clear blue.  My knees were fine and it was a great way to finish off the week.

Total
Running 7.01
Walking 8.04
Cycling 23.09
Total 38.14

How was your week?
What kind of mobile phone do you carry?  Any apps I might be missing?

2016: A Tale of Two Years

2016 feels like two different years to me.  The first half I was going strong.  Six weeks into the year I did a reality check and I was consistently faster than I had been 12 months earlier.  I was getting Strava PRs like crazy.  We were living mostly in Hawaii, but I seemed to adjust pretty quickly to the heat and humidity.

In March I got my Hawaiian bike, Vita.  She and I spent many miles together.

Things continued going great into the Spring.  I ran the Ford Island Bridge 10k in April and the Bill Beauchamp 10k in May where I got 2nd in my age group.

We spent the last 2 weeks of May in Europe, which included mountain biking Mt. Etna and tons of walking and carbo loading.

Sometime during the summer I felt like someone drained all the energy out of my body.  In August I started training for the Honolulu Marathon.  I never ran more than 10 miles in the approximately 8 weeks that I "trained" for it.  Things were just off.  I had some knee pain, but I think I let it get to me more than it really was.  I limped along and probably could have recovered, but mentally I wasn't there.  I finally decided not to run the marathon and the relief I felt told me it was the right decision.

I had my annual physical this month and all my labs came back normal.  While this is good news, it's a little disheartening knowing the only thing wrong with me is that I am a 52 year old woman (ha!)  I have had some heart palpitations (no pain or dizziness, just extremely fast beating,) but my EKG showed no heart damage or previous heart attack.  My doctor felt this is hormone related (add it to the list.)  I'm doing my best to keep track of when these happen (which include during a bike ride, sitting at dinner, and during church.) 

My total miles for the year are lower than they have been in about a decade.  I am officially closing the book on 2016.  Tomorrow everything resets.  When I wake up I will have zero miles, the same as every January 1st.

Are you ready for a new start?  I sure am!

A Trail Ride that Summed Up 2016

Les and I are back on Oahu for our eighth and final trip of 2016.  We are staying in Waikiki since we moved out of our Hawaii Kai rental at the end of October.  I love being in the heart of this city for a few weeks but I wouldn't want to live here full time.  The Honolulu Marathon is Sunday and I'll have a full post after the marathon once I've processed how I feel about not running it.

We wanted to go for a mountain bike ride on our final morning at home.  We headed out and were on the trail after about a mile.  About a mile up the trail things started to feel a little off.  I could barely get up a short climb.  I told Les to stop for a minute and...

Yep, a flat tire!  Les is great at changing flats so I figured we'd be on our way in no time.  Except the pump that belongs in my bike bag was in Hawaii...

Once we realized that I wouldn't be riding anymore, Les said he would ride home to get the car.  I started walking my bike to the trail head to wait for him.

Les drove up and we loaded my bike in the car.  This is when things went really south.  Our car would not start.  After several minutes, Les decided he would run home to get our other car since I was still in cycling shoes.  When he got back, we tried getting our car to start, still with no luck.  We finally called our insurance for a tow (free up to 25 miles.)  I was ready to drive our drive-able car home when Les tried to get our car to start one more time and it finally did!

Running at Ala Moana park - he kills me on the bike, but I get revenge on the run!

We still have no idea what was wrong with the car.  We drove it again later in the day with no problems.  That's how I've been lately - some days I get up and have a great run, while other days I can't seem to get started.  I'm hoping 2017 will be better.

M5T W5 Recap - Runfession Time

 
My last recap concluded with me cutting my long run short due to nausea.  The trend continued for a couple more days last week.

Sunday - Rest day
Still not feeling good, rested

Monday - 4 miles easy (10:35 pace)
Ran 2.81 miles

Tuesday - Intervals - 8-9 miles
I don't even remember why I didn't run on Tuesday.  I just didn't.

Wednesday  - 3 miles easy (10:35 pace)
Ran 5.5 miles.  Still a little nauseated, but started feeling good and had a few strong miles.

Thursday - 4 miles easy (10:35 pace)
I had planned on bike commuting with Les.  We gave our notice to our Hawaiian landlady and will be clearing out of there at the end of October so I knew my bike was coming home this trip.  We were rained out and I was really bummed about that.  Les will still be working for the company that is based in Hawaii, but he's got a project with a company in Connecticut, so it makes more sense for him to be in California.  We will still go back to Hawaii (like in December for the marathon!) but not for more than a couple of weeks at a time at least for now.

Friday - Rest day
Walked 4 miles
Since I had taken Thursday off, I thought I would do my long run on Friday.  I knew I'd have fresh legs.  Obviously that didn't happen.  What happened was the conclusion of two weeks of not wanting to run.

Friday morning I was feeling really negative about running in general.  "Why am I doing this?  Why did I even sign up for another marathon?  I don't think I want to do it this year..."  I am usually not a negative person, so when this happens it seems to be magnified. As I was walking, I was trying to figure out my next steps when it finally dawned on me what was going on...

Hormones.

Yep, it all boiled down to that.  But it's not as easy as it sounds.  In my 20s and 30s, I recognized PMS for what it was, because it was almost always the same - a few days a month I was irritable, then I was fine.  In my 40s, migraines got added to the repertoire, but it was still predictable.  Now I'm in my 50s and for the past couple of years it feels like anything goes.

If PMS is an emotional roller coaster, perimenopause is the entire amusement park.  I feel like I've had it all - from the Tower of Terror to Mr. Toad's Wild Ride to the Haunted Mansion!  Some days I'm ultra sensitive, other days I'm tired.  I've had anxiety and insomnia.  Last month I had about 3 weeks of multiple hot flashes every single day.

I hate this feeling of being "off."  I've never suffered from depression and I can usually work my way through hard stuff, but this is just so different.  I don't know from one day to the next how I'm going to feel. One of the really frustrating parts about all this is my legs are fine.  I'm currently injury free so running should be great.  Our life in general is great - we're super busy and traveling gets old at times, but we're healthy and happy.

When I got home from my walk last Friday, I had pretty much worked all this out in my mind.  I talked to Les about it (he's SO patient with all this) and came to this conclusion:  "My decision is not to decide."  How many times have I made a decision I regretted based on emotion?  That rarely ends well.  For now, I'll continue training and hope I start feeling more normal soon.

Saturday - LSD 14 miles  (10:35-10:50 pace)
Rode 15.52 miles - my last Hawaiian bike ride (for now!)

Total planned miles 34
Actual
Running 8.31
Walking 4.00
Cycling 15.52
Total  27.83

I must runfess that this is quite the downer of a post!  I don't usually share this much, but I'm hoping by typing it out it will help me sort through all I'm experiencing.  Hopefully the pictures will make up for the text.

Help a friend out - What do you do when your head's not in the running game?  What about when life throws curve balls?

M5T W3 Recap

Saturday sunset

 As I predicted, my week was nothing like my plan.  If I was closer to December 11th, I'd probably be a little more worried, but I've had a fun week!

Sunday - Rest day
Rested

Monday - 3 miles easy (10:35 pace)
Ran 6.1 miles on my favorite trail
I knew this was my chance for a good trail run.  The temps were awesome and I enjoyed every step.  I was glad I got an early start because as I was on my way down the entire Simi High cross country team was coming up.  They are an amazing group of kids - always friendly and share the space.

Tuesday - Intervals - 8 miles
Rested
My legs were sore from the trail run, but we also had a leak under our kitchen sink.  This meant the laundry and cleaning I needed to do before we left for Hawaii had to get done early so Les could turn the water off.  I'm just glad we discovered it while we were there.

Wednesday  - 3 miles easy (10:35 pace)

Another rest day, if you call travel resting.  We tried Uber for the first time and loved it!  We live about 40 miles from LAX and have tried just about every mode of transportation.  This was cheaper than a shared shuttle van and the ride was smoother.  We lucked out with a great driver.

Thursday - 4 miles easy (10:35 pace)
Ran 10.11 miles, then walked 1.1 miles for cool down.
Awake at 4:00 a.m. due to jet-lag?  Might as well go for my long run!  I'm really glad I got my long run in on Thursday as the rest of the week got a little crazy.  Still didn't get the planned distance, but close enough.
First night of music workshop - blasted my lungs for about 2 hours.

Friday - Rest day
Rested.
I had planned to bike commute with Les but it was pouring rain when we got up.  Second night of music workshop - blasted my lungs for another 2 hours.

Saturday - LSD 12 miles  (10:35-10:50 pace)
Rode 12.6 miles
I was short on time so cut this ride a little short.  Music workshop at 9:00 a.m. about an hour away.  That was a little tough, but my lungs got another good workout!

Total planned miles 30
Actual
Running  16.21
Walking 1.10
Cycling 12.60
Total  29.91

How was your week?
Ever tried Uber?

Seasons Greetings!

Life has many seasons.  Les is finishing his cycling race season.  His final race is this Sunday - the Dick Evans Memorial Road Race.  This is the biggie.  The race is in memory of Dick Evans, a cyclist who was killed while riding.  "The course is a 112-mile loop around the beautiful island of Oahu, passing through Waikiki, Honolulu and along the famed surf breaks of the North Shore. The Dick Evans Memorial is an event rich in history and competition, routinely contested by Hawaii's best as well as top amateurs and pros from California, Japan and elsewhere. Triathletes also know that this race was once combined with the Honolulu Marathon and Waikiki Roughwater Swim to become the first ever "Ironman" triathlon competition (and now you know why the cycling leg of any Ironman-distance competition is 112 miles!)" (Source: CyclingNews.com)

Tradewind Cycling Team at Feed Zone #2 2014 DEMRR

While Les is riding, I'll be driving to the North Shore and helping at Feed Zone #2.  Cyclists do not stop on this race.  They ride through four feed zones and an army of volunteers is there with filled water bottles.  Les raced the course two years ago and I volunteered.  I was so nervous about handing off to cyclists as they rode, but no one crashed in our feed zone!

After last Sunday's Olomana Road Race - Les was 3rd in his AG

I kinda consider myself a cycling groupie.  I've volunteered at three of the five races Les has done so far this year and I've been at the finish line for the other two.  Last week I was on traffic duty with a Honolulu Police officer trying to keep drivers from running over cyclists.  The cycling community here is very close - they rip each others legs off during races but they are all great friends off the bike.

Text exchange last week.

Next week I will kick off marathon training season #5. Since my 10k race in May, I have definitely had an off season!  I've run without any intensity.  I have no speed or endurance.  My first long run is a week from Saturday - 10 miles.  That is going to hurt!  I'm sure there will be multiple walk breaks.  But I've got to start somewhere.

#RainbowSelfie - that's not a wart on my face, just a large raindrop!

I love the training plan that I use.  I bought it for my first marathon and Training Peaks lets me reapply it.  It has been similar each time, but not exactly the same.  I am definitely going to keep cycling.  Running three days, cycling two days and resting two days seems to be a really combination for me.  I'll be posting my weekly schedule on Sundays and posting a recap on Saturdays.

Marathon PR from last year

I've also been going through a hot season, and I don't mean summer.  My hormones are back on the crazy train.  Two years ago I was on the emotional crazy train, now I'm dealing with hot flashes about 4-6 times a day/night.  They don't last long but they sure are uncomfortable when they hit!  While I keep hoping this season will come to an end soon, I know I'm not the only woman to live through it.

What season are you in?

It Wasn't Pretty, but It's Done. 22 Miles!

I've been both dreading and looking forward to today's run. 22 miles is a long way to run without a finish line waiting for you! Training Peaks said this about today's run: "Just focus on finishing. Remember, this is your last long run. When you finish, it's tapering time. Many runners mistakenly take advantage of their well earned fitness and run this last long run too fast. DO NOT make that mistake, save that effort for race day. (Pace:10:35-10:50 /mile)"

With that in mind, I planned my route for today's run.  When I leave my house I have two choices - up or down.  I chose to go up,  I knew that would keep me from running too fast.  I also ran with a light for the first 10 miles so I wouldn't fall again.  I was hoping to finish in about 4 hours, that would have been at the upper end of my planned pace.  If you read my weekly recap, you know that didn't happen!

I don't really like to overshare.  (So why am I a blogger, right?)  Anyway, in a nutshell, I am dealing with lots of side affects of peri-menopause, one of the worst being insomnia. Bottom line, I really didn't sleep much all week.  Some nights I'd get about 3 hours, others maybe 6, and those were interrupted.  It was the "stare at the clock and the ceiling" type, not worrying about anything, just not sleeping.  Definitely not enough sleep. It is what it is, other than taking a sleeping pill, there's not much I can do.  Fortunately, this only happens about once every other month so I'm very hopeful that I will be well rested on November 7th.

So, back to my run...

I woke up at 4:00 a.m. and after about 10 minutes of ceiling staring, knew I might as well get going.  I was out the door at 4:45.  My legs felt pretty good, my right knee is a little tender from Thursday's fall, but I can't blame it for slowing me down.

I ran the first 10 miles in 1:54:47, 11:30 pace.  Not great, but not too terrible because this had the biggest hill of the day in it.  I made a pit stop at home and exchanged my light for sunglasses.  I was still feeling pretty good about things at this point.

At the 14 mile mark a made another pit stop at the park.  My GI was a bit off, but I was determined to keep going.  This was my last chance for 20 miles or longer.  Mile 17 was my slowest because I started feeling sick to my stomach again!  I was pretty discouraged and feeling sorry for myself.  I really gave myself a talking to and reminded myself that my Mom went through menopause at the same time she was going through chemo.  That didn't make my stomach feel any better, but it did make me determined to finish!

One last pit stop just before mile 18 and then I was determined to get home.  Luckily I had run a big enough loop that the only way to get home was to finish my 22 miles!  No shortcuts at this point and Les was an hour away on a bike ride.  Mile 20 was my third fastest mile at 10:40. I was happy to see my pace drop to about 9:30 for a little bit during that time.  I hit 22 miles about a quarter of a mile from home but I stopped by watch immediately!  I was done.

I'm starting to wonder if GU is the culprit with my stomach issues.  Until late last year I'd always used Hammer Gel.  I'm going to use Hammer Gel next week and see how I do.  Although I used GU during my 25k and didn't have any problems, so I just don't know what is going on!

I've had several hours to think about this.  While my pace wasn't what I wanted, I'm glad I went the distance.  Surprisingly, my legs aren't feeling too bad.  My plan for the marathon will now include Imodium.

A bunch of data:

22 miles in 4:32:29, 12:23 pace
Ave HR 128
Max HR 151
Calories burned 1,116
1,129 feet ascending
1,207 feet descending
Recovery time 53 hours
Average temperature 76

Hello!

Well it's been two weeks since I posted anything here.  Since then we moved back home and I promptly got sick.  It's been a tenacious cold that just won't give up.  Last night was the first night I slept without having to get up to blow my nose a few times - fun times!

I have been running (some) since we got home.  And yesterday, for the first time since November 1st, I rode my bike!!  I forgot how cold riding downhill can get - 42 degrees left my toes and fingers numb, but it was still fun.

I also got a new pair of trail running shoes.  I took them out for a short test run last week and I think they're going to be great - I liked their stability on the trail.  I'm hoping for a longer trail run tomorrow.

Now that we're home, I want to start doing some speed work 1-2 times a week.  So many activities, so little time!

Where Have I Been?

 It's been over two weeks since I blogged here.  It's been almost that long since I've done any running.  If you don't read my other blog, you probably have no idea what's gone on since February 28th (date of my last post.)  We flew home that night, arriving in LA at 5:30 Friday morning.  By 2:00 p.m. that same day, we were in Fresno.  My Dad was extremely sick, I actually wondered if I would make it home in time to see him.  He passed away on the following Tuesday, March 5th and his funeral was last Monday, March 11th.  It has been a heartbreaking time.  I am really, really going to miss my Dad.  He was a great Dad!

We are now back in Hawaii and settling in for an extended stay.  I'm ready for lots of running and walking.  I've avoided the scale, I know my eating was out of control for a few days and exercise was non-existent.  I had actually started a post the week of February 24th, but never finished it, so I'm gonna get you all caught up!

February 24th-March 1st

Sunday - Walked 4.5 miles
I turned my Strava tracker on as I headed out this morning.  I knew I walked a lot, but was surprised by the total!

Monday - Walked 2 miles in the morning (Don Q's, of course!)
Ran 2.36 miles in 30:00, 12:43 pace.  I did this on the treadmill in the evening while Les was working out on the weight machines in our complex.  It has been YEARS since I was on a treadmill.  I was a sweat drippin' mess!  Average heart rate 149!

Tuesday -Ran 7.75 miles in 1:30:25, 11:40 pace
Got up and ran long and hard this morning.  Saw the full moon and the sunrise, while running in wind and rain!

Wednesday - Rested
I didn't even walk to Don Q's today.  My legs really needed the rest.

Thursday - Ran 8.6 miles in 1:33:53, 10:54 pace
Felt great this day!
Walked 3 miles.

Friday - Rested
Took a red eye flight home and arrived at 5:30 a.m.

Saturday -Stood at my Dad's bedside with my heart breaking in two.

March 3rd-9th
I know I should have gotten out and run during this stressful time, but it didn't happen.  After my Dad passed away, Les and I moved from his house to a hotel - it was really stressful trying to stay there.  I managed one run on the hotel treadmill on Friday afternoon.
2.45 miles in 26:12, 10:43 pace

March 10th-16th
This week was a little better once we got back home to Simi Valley. My energy level has been pretty low, with lots of emotional stuff weighing me down as well.

Tuesday - Ran 4.6 miles in 1:06:01, 14:20 pace
This really can't be called a run.  I remember starting out running, but I think it turned into a walk at some point.  Honestly, I don't remember!

Thursday - Rode 9.32 miles in 1:10:52, 9 mph
Les prodded me out the door and I'm so glad he did.  I probably would have stayed in bed and cried for a couple of hours if he hadn't.

Friday - Back in Oahu!  Walked 3.5 miles, including a trip to Don Q's, of course.

Saturday - Walked 4.58 miles in 1:09:11, 15:06 pace.
I headed out planning to run, but again had no energy.  I had to remind myself that walking is excellent cross training.
Also walked 2.7 miles in 42:35, 15:33 pace
I took a trip to the AMFM (Ala Moana Farmer's Market)  I went early this time and found some great things - corn, tomatoes, Lilikoi bread, and macadamia nut stick buns!

So that's my last three weeks in a nutshell!  I know this slump will end with time, because time is definitely the best healer.

Special Announcement ~ Making My Blogs Private

On January 20th I will be making my two blogs (McMoments and Memories and McMarathon Moments) private.  There is a long story behind this decision and I will explain it all when my blogs are private. 

Since there is no point in having a blog without readers, I want to invite each of you to view my blog.  I will need your email address to send you an invitation.  I promise not to sell it to anyone!  I know not everyone reads my blog daily or even weekly, so I hope this will give all my readers time to see what's up.

How this will work:
1.  Between now and January 20th, anyone who wants to continue reading my blog(s) can either leave a comment or send me an email (kathymmc at yahoo dot com) requesting an invitation.  If you want to read both blogs, please let me know.  I will send you an email confirming your request.  The blogs will still be public at that time.  Please note:  I will not publish comments that contain your email address.  I will use your email address to contact you personally, but I won't make it public on either blog.
2.  On January 20th, my blogs will go private.  Everyone who requested an invitation will receive an email generated by Blogger that looks like this:

The Blogger user Kathy McElhaney has invited you to read the private blog: McMarathon Moments (or McMoments and Memories)

To view this blog, visit:
http://www.blogger.com/i.g?inviteID=  there will be a bunch of numbers here that are unique to you.

You'll need to sign in with a Google Account to confirm the invitation. If you don't have a Google Account yet, we'll show you how to get one in minutes, or you can view the blog as a guest for up to 30 days.

Kathy McElhaney's blog was created using Blogger, a free service for easily communicating and sharing ideas on the web. To learn more about Blogger and starting your own free blog visit http://www.blogger.com.

3.  Do I have to have a Google account?  Yes, but that does not mean you will have to change your email - I still use Yahoo for my email, none of that had to change.  If you have a blog of your own hosted by Blogger, you already have a Google account.   

I really hope you'll all stick with me.  I think God has some amazing things in store this year and I hope to continue sharing them with you!

Write It In Pencil

Hammer Nutrition lists the Top 10 - The biggest mistakes endurance athletes make.  Most are related to fueling and hydration, but number 8 is "Sticking with your game plan even when it's not working."  What to do about it:

It's a good practice to have a game plan that includes a fueling protocol that you have refined during training, but you need to be flexible. Evaluate and adjust accordingly as race pace and weather dictate. Have a game plan, but write it in pencil, not in ink.

My plan for today and tomorrow was 5 miles easy today and 15 miles tomorrow.  Unfortunately, my Dad's health has taken a turn for the worse and I'll be driving to Fresno later today, then on to San Francisco tomorrow.  That meant if I was going to run 15 miles, it needed to happen today.  I didn't sleep much, I'm pretty worried about my Dad right now.  I finally gave up tossing and turning and got up at 4:30.

Remember I mentioned it was windy yesterday?  Gusts of about 15 mph.  Here's what this morning looked like:

When I got home ~ in case you can't read it, winds were gusting up to 35 mph.

My game plan changed about 4 or 5 times while I was out.  First I was going to run 15 miles.  Then I thought I'd go for 13.  Then I thought I'd run a minimum of 2 1/2 hours.  I finally downgraded to 2 hours.  It just wasn't working.  Every corner I turned the wind seemed to get worse.  At one point I was pelted by sand and leaves.  Another time I was whacked in the leg by a branch! 

Really, who else was running in this stuff today?  Not.One.Other.Person.  That's right, I didn't see anyone else running while I was out!  I had leaves in my clothes when I got home and this is what my socks looked like.  I ran on sidewalks the entire time, not a trail!

All in all, it wasn't my worst effort, but it certainly wasn't my best.  I just didn't have the emotional strength either, I felt like I was carrying an extra 50 pounds on my shoulders.  50 pounds called "Worry."

9.02 miles in 2:03:11, 13:39 pace.
Ave HR 133
Max HR 154
Calories burned 798

Life

TrainingPeaks on Wednesday of this week has this tip:

If you get no sleep the night before a hard workout, try to rejigger your schedule and run easy instead. It's best to do the hard workout when you're well rested. If you try to run hard when you're tired, the workout will seem tougher than it should. You'll have to use more energy to perform at the same intensity, and that can be discouraging.

I got word late Saturday that my Dad was in the hospital.  He lives about 200 miles away.  At 1:00 Sunday morning, he was transferred to San Francisco, another 200 miles away.  He had back surgery about four years ago and they think he might have an infection where the screws are.  If that is the case, he will have to have surgery.  We're currently waiting for more tests and trying to coordinate a trip up there.

That would be me getting no sleep.

My plan for this morning was 3 miles easy with 3 strides.  After a very restless night, compounded by a painful IT band, I got up hoping for a good run.  For the first half mile, every step was painful. To complicate matters a little more, I hadn't eaten anything since lunch yesterday and I had no energy.    I tried running a couple of times, and quickly downgraded by plan to walking.

Walking.  Praying.  Worrying.  Praying.  Making contingency plans.  Lather, rinse, repeat.  I know I can't solve anything by worrying, but this morning was tough.  

And that's life sometimes.