2 Half Marathons and 1 Tough Injury

Oh wow!  The last 6 months have been a ride!  I started school full time.  In an extremely difficult course for me.  Computer Sciences.  But I was doing okay.  I wasn't getting in as many runs as I wanted.  I was averaging 2-3 a week.  1 long run each week, with either 1 or 2 small runs 3.1 miles.  And I built every week.  I did 12 2 weeks before my first 1/2 marathon.  

I hadn't been intending to run this one.  I wanted my first to be my big one.  The ScotiaBank 1/2 marathon in Toronto on Oct 19, 2014.  My friend convinced me to do this other one 3 weeks prior to the Scotia.  And I said yeah why not, get the race nerves out of the way.  I should've looked at the course a bit more.  And my friend that had me sign up for it, well she dang well decided not to run it and drop to the 10km.  But whatever, I'm used to running solo, and this is my friend that just did an Ironman, so she is very forgiven.  

Well anyway.  The Base Borden run was a challenging run.  It was a little hilly.  I big one in the first 5 km and a long slow steep one at the 12 mile mark.  Oh and from 3 miles to about 7 we were on gravel in a winding desert like trail run.  I encountered a snake!!!  I am PETRIFIED of snakes.  I screamed like the girl I am and came to a screeching stop!  Like dust cloud popped up behind me.  It was so embarrassing.  But the weather was gorgeous, it was a sunny 78 degrees.  My favourite, hot and sunny!

Anyway it was during said race when my knee really started bugging me.  I had just gotten new running shoes, but I had worn them on a good 5 runs previously...(I thought they were good).  But I finished with a decent time, but not what I was (secretly) hoping for.  I finished in 2 hours 11 minutes.  

Really struggled with mile 12 on.  Definitely a mental challenge as well as a physical one.

Lola was so cute.  She was at the last 100 years, yelling "Run Mommy!"

My knee was really bugging me.  I felt the swelling right away.  But I could walk and I ran 3 days later, but my knee just got worse and worse.

Next up was my big one.  ScotiaBank!  There were 30,000 participants in all the runs.  I think there were 8-10,000 runners doing the 1/2 marathon.  Well that week before my knee finally said "F You" and decided to start seizing up and just aching all the way up to my hip.  I knew I was in trouble.  I headed to the chiro 2 weeks before to at least try and stretch it out.  I even went 2 days before the run.  The day of I woke up stiff.  Tried to eat, nope.  The weather was AWFUL.  Overcast, really cold, grey and a little wet in the early morning.  I really wanted to throw my over shirt off half way through but my # was pinned to it and I didn't want to stop.  

At mile 1 I knew this was not going to be a good run.  But I had prepared and I started popping the ad.vil right away.  I took 3 every 5 miles.  And a gel right after to try to give my stomach something to digest it with.  I was actually really doing very well at the 1/2 way point.  I was going way faster than I even had.  I finished the 10km in 54 minutes.  I was on target to finish in under 2 hours.  

And then mile 11.  My leg was screaming at me, and I just felt like I had nothing left.  God love the supporters around the race.  They were cheering me on when I would start walking, telling me I could do it.  Unfortunately it was so packed down there and cold that Jordan and the girls couldn't get anywhere near the finish line to see me cross.  But I did it!  I persevered through and crossed with sobs.  I felt like a total loser.  I could barely walk and I'm a blubbering mess with all these awesome runners.  I finished in 2 hours 5 minutes.  Not bad but I was really hoping for under 2 hours.   Still it's an awesome accomplishment.

I did get in one other run this summer.  The Run or Dye.  It was okay.  It wasn't what I needed in my training at the time, but you get the ones in you can, when your race schedule is based on babysitter availability.  

Anyway I blew out my IT band and actually had to take about 8 weeks off.  I'm building up again but it is so slow, especially with school.  But we have signed up for some interesting races this coming summer.  More on that to come!

Off to bed.  Homework done, blogging done, face booking done, kids asleep and husband snoring beside me.  Life is good!

Running Mommy!