Tag: Running

22/7–Unsteady

I keep telling myself I am going to get back to getting these posts up on Monday so it’s less like I am 2 weeks behinds… But, so far, no luck. Also, do my titles make any sense?

Last week was a blur of stress and tiredness. I remember being tired (seems to be new normal) as well as an evening of gnarly dizzy spells. Work was crazy and a system crash didn’t help. I kind of just wanted to nap all weekend but I am really trying to not do that as well. Plus I wanted to get some miles in as I am still not running during the week.

I admit I ventured out to SLO for some shopping on Saturday and wasn’t sure I was going to have enough energy or time to get in some miles. After eating the best pizza I have had in months, hitting some stores and buying nothing I headed home. It was late and I was taking my parents to dinner but I managed to get out the door for a few miles. Just over 2.5 miles but I felt ok. Hot as it was a freak 80+ degrees that day but and hadn’t cooled yet but still good. Can’t say the same for the dinner with the parents later though. Not going to that restaurant again for a while.

As for Sunday, I had plans for my longest outing since COVID. Hmmm, maybe of the year, actually. I headed out to MDO to hit up a trail. I call it the Jurassic Park trail because something about the first 1/2 mile makes me think of Jurassic Park. Out and back without any of the trail offshoots is just over 5 miles. I was hoping this would feel fairly easy as it is fairly flat, only around 500 ft of elevation gain. And it felt good!! Yay! Plus I love all the sights and changes in vegetation along the trail.

So 7ish miles for the week. Still small but growing. I’m trying not to think about the fact I am registered for 2 half marathons in March at the moment, ha!

22/ Six

Holy crap, week 6 is already gone????

Granted 2 of those were gone in a COVID blur but what about the rest of them? They say times flies when you get older but this is just silly.

Anyways, back to last week. Monday through Friday were mostly spent adjusting back to work and trying not to be so tired. The tiredness sneaks up and hits you when you are least expecting it. Or at least when I am least expecting it, ha!

I was more productive over the weekend though. I managed to get in miles on both Saturday and Sunday. Still walking and not running but that’s so much better than the previous weeks.

On Saturday, I headed for the river path as I am nowhere near ready for my driveway yet. Hell- I wasn’t in driveway shape before I got sick, it’s gonna be a minute or two before I get back to that. I aimed for a few easy miles. Mission accomplished but I did have to avail myself of a lovely bench seat along mile 2.

Sunday, I headed for the lake path. I haven’t been there in months. Figured the nice and flat dirt path would be nice. And it was a good choice. 3 laps for 3.5 miles. Hey, look, I even extended the distance!

6.5 miles for the week. Which let’s be real- not far off from where I was before I got sick.

I’d say how was your week but we’re actually 2 weeks on, so how have your weeks been?

22/ Positive

Otherwise known as weeks 3 and 4 of January.

2 years. I made it 2 years, customer facing 5 days a week with a crew of 10-12 people. 2 years and I went down on Friday, the 14th. I tested positive for COVID the next day.

The following 2 weeks are all kind of a blur. There was a lot of sleeping, a lot of chills, too many silly movies, a lot of apple juice, not enough food, and time spent alternating between my bed or a recliner. Mostly I just remember being exhausted. I got out of quarantine and tried going to the store for a few things since I hadn’t been anywhere in forever and needed things and one little trip knocked me on my ass for another 2 days.

I returned to work 2 weeks to the day. Going back on a Friday was odd but it did feel good to feel human again. I missed people. Didn’t miss the hundreds of emails I had to get through but that’s life.

I ventured out for a 3 mile walk over the weekend and while it was tiring, it also felt good. I seriously doubt my ability to run 2 half marathons in 5-6 weeks. I am not feeling ready to run yet, walk, maybe, run- not so much.

So, yeah, that was January.

22/ One

I am not sure if I am going fully back to weekly recaps but right now it gives me a direction.

Did the first week of January feel like a month to anyone else or was it just me? Someone mentioned something about New Year’s on Thursday and I was so confused. I almost asked why we were talking about a couple of months ago. Then my brain came back to reality and I remembered it was only the 6th. Oops.

I still haven’t figured out post work running- how was is easier when I was commuting an hour each way every day?? I did actually follow through on the weekend. Mostly, that is.

My training plan called for an easy 3 on Saturday. Miles completed but maybe much easier than originally planned. My stomach wasn’t loving what I had for lunch and the new crops that I had just bought were not a marvelous combination. Those 3 miles were 95% walked. So, a reminder to never eat Chipotle before a run and those crops are being shoved in the back of drawer. Maybe they will see another life if I ever cross-train.

Sunday had me in a mood. One of those moods where I wanted to do nothing and was overly emotionally tired like a toddler. It wasn’t long until I knew I was skipping my long run. Long, ha. It was week 2 of training, the long run was 4 miles. I felt less stressed once I made that choice and went about doing all the other things I needed to do. Coming home from Lowes late that afternoon while sipping on a Frappuccino, it occurred to me that a few miles might not be horrible. I changed super fast and was out the door as quick as I could. It was even more of a low key walk than the previous day but it was 3 miles more than I had thought I was going to get in that day. Gonna call it a win.

However, I know it’s not marvelous, which puts me doubtful that the race I am scheduled for in 3 days is a bad idea. Like, can’t walk the next day, bad idea. So, now to decide if I am smart or stupid.

2021… Meh

2021 was…. Yeah.

I don’t think anyone got what they were expecting this year nor the number of curve balls thrown.

So, 2021 in bullets

Started the year with big goals- 50k. 😂😂😂
Broke the big toe on left foot running trails in January. Devil shoes.
Learned that I did not know how to swallow and went to speech therapy for 14ish weeks to relearn.
Went to Yosemite for the first time, when can I go back???

It was determined I do not in fact, have asthma. Who knew? Granted Paradoxical vocal cord dys-yadda yadda is much harder to say. Again, a benefit of speech therapy.
Diagnosed with multiple melanomas. All removed with clean margins but those are some very scary words. Think I’ve have a biopsy or excision every couple of months this year. Boo. Wear your sunblock!
Drove to Idaho/ Washington for first road race since March 2020. Coeur d’Alene is gorgeous. I’m jealous of that running path. Not of Spokane though, ha!

Turned a milestone birthday and still not sure how I feel about it or what I have to show for that many years. 🤨
Ran another live race in Santa Rosa that felt surprisingly great until it didn’t.
Ran one of my favorite trail races again and still smiled even when I wanted to fall down and cry, I was so tired. I’ll be back.

I ran more trails in my area but still have so many more to run. 2 of those pics are above.
Work is good, stressful but good. Not gonna lie, being customer facing 2 years into a pandemic has shown me a new level of stress.
I had a couple more trips planned for the year but well, life.
Broke the 2 little toes on my right foot in the beginning of December. Oops. I live up to my nickname of destructo girl, I really do.
I ran way less miles in 2021 than planned but any miles are good miles, right?

So yeah, 2021 was yeah. I’m not holding 2022 to anything.