"To every thing there is a season, and a time to every purpose under the heaven.... a time to heal; a time to break down, and a time to build up..." Ecclesiastes 3: 1 and 3
I have a calf muscle that started with a dull ache last week (have done a lot of reading about this, turns out extreme cold below 20 or so degrees lends itself to calf muscle pulls! I was only wearing one layer of UA cold gear tights on my legs, should have had two more layers on). I don't think I am someone who can run when it is much below 25 degrees without consequence, I have definitely learned my limits this season.
Anyway, today is day three of no running while I use the tried and true principles of RICE: Rest, Ice, Compression, Elevation (it feels almost normal today, yay!), and I realized something... I needed the rest body, mind and spirit. It especially occurred to me this morning, when instead of meeting my running group for a 7 AM run, I slept until 9:30, then laid in bed drinking the Starbucks my lovely hubby brought me. Probably because I stayed up late watching movies with my family, instead of going to bed early due to a 6 AM Saturday alarm clock. That, after going out for Mexican food last night with my family...something I would NEVER do the night before a Saturday morning long run.
I've decided that my achy calf was just relaying a message for my whole body. Missing a run or two isn't a big deal (especially since this was my cutback week, I obviously needed it)...but failing to miss a run or two when my body needs to could very quickly become disastrous to my marathon training, on more than one level.
Saturday, February 18, 2012
Sunday, February 12, 2012
Virtual Run for Sherry Arnold
Do not let your hearts be troubled. Trust in God; trust also in me. In
my Father's house are many rooms; if it were not so, I would have told
you. I am going there to prepare a place for you. And if I go and
prepare a place for you, I will come back and take you to be with me
that you also may be where I am. You know the way to the place where I
am going. John 14:1-4
On Saturday morning, February 11, a virtual run was held in memory of Sherry Arnold, the Montana wife, mom, and teacher who in January was abducted and killed just a short distance from her home on an early morning run. Though her killer has been caught and has confessed, her body has yet to be located. Women runners around the country feel so acutely the pain and anguish of her family, and the outrage that a woman is not safe to go outside and revel in God's creation on a morning run.
My running group participated, as we all put on the memorial bibs and headed out at 7:25 AM on an arctic cold 10 degree, snowy morning...thankful to have a group to run with and stay safe.
It was one of those beautiful Colorado mornings with a blanket of snow, and air so cold it forms glittery crystals. But it was COLD. Once again I ran with a frozen water bottle!
I was blessed to run with two women who run a very similar pace to mine, and also have a little more marathon experience than I do. I was planning a 15 mile run, but the ice and cold slowed our pace enough that I ended up running just shy of 17 miles. We ran about 5 miles to Cherry Creek State Park, then ran through the snow covered park. A highlight was the small herd of deer running across our path, looking so graceful compared to how our cold and cramping legs felt!
During the last 4 or so miles we realized it was warming up, enough so we took our gloves off as we continued on. The sun had broken through, and the biting wind calmed. After arriving back to our cars I had to laugh when my thermometer read a balmy 19 degrees at that point...what a warm up!
It was grueling and wonderful all at the same time, in a way that only long distance runners can understand.
And still, I am not quite sure how my mountainous high altitude arctic training will relate to my sunny sea level San Diego Marathon on June 3, but runs like yesterday assure me I can do it.
On Saturday morning, February 11, a virtual run was held in memory of Sherry Arnold, the Montana wife, mom, and teacher who in January was abducted and killed just a short distance from her home on an early morning run. Though her killer has been caught and has confessed, her body has yet to be located. Women runners around the country feel so acutely the pain and anguish of her family, and the outrage that a woman is not safe to go outside and revel in God's creation on a morning run.
My running group participated, as we all put on the memorial bibs and headed out at 7:25 AM on an arctic cold 10 degree, snowy morning...thankful to have a group to run with and stay safe.
It was one of those beautiful Colorado mornings with a blanket of snow, and air so cold it forms glittery crystals. But it was COLD. Once again I ran with a frozen water bottle!
I was blessed to run with two women who run a very similar pace to mine, and also have a little more marathon experience than I do. I was planning a 15 mile run, but the ice and cold slowed our pace enough that I ended up running just shy of 17 miles. We ran about 5 miles to Cherry Creek State Park, then ran through the snow covered park. A highlight was the small herd of deer running across our path, looking so graceful compared to how our cold and cramping legs felt!
During the last 4 or so miles we realized it was warming up, enough so we took our gloves off as we continued on. The sun had broken through, and the biting wind calmed. After arriving back to our cars I had to laugh when my thermometer read a balmy 19 degrees at that point...what a warm up!
It was grueling and wonderful all at the same time, in a way that only long distance runners can understand.
And still, I am not quite sure how my mountainous high altitude arctic training will relate to my sunny sea level San Diego Marathon on June 3, but runs like yesterday assure me I can do it.
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