Totally Inspired

My third week of not running is coming to an end and I must say it has been hard. I have really tired to not complain and have even been happy and encouraging to all my friends that have told me about their awesome runs. I have been impressed and in awe of my friends who have run their first ultra, adventure race, and even Boston. All through it I have had the fear that I will never be able to do any of those things because every time I get my pace up or my distance up I get hurt. I have been feeling like I must just be a recreational runner who can only go out and do a couple miles a week and then sit on the couch and watch as everyone else gets to push themselves to see what they can do. Needless to say I have been miserable.

Then the most amazing thing happened. I read this post by one of my favorite bloggers Barefoot Angie Bee. I truly believe that life gives you what you need but sometimes we are just not ready for it, this time it hit me over the head with a brick. I have heard about barefoot running (I mean come on who hasn’t by now right) I even read the book “Born to Run”. When I gave it a shot for a one mile run on the treadmill my shins protested greatly, so I said this is not for me and went on my never ending shoe hunt (to which I still have not found a pair of shoes that does not hurt yet). After reading Angie’s post and chatting with her a little, I truly think that this barefoot thing might just be what I need. When I tried it, I already had bad shin splints so that could be why it hurt so badly. And this time I will be coming off of a 6week break so I am feeling very optimistic about it right now.

Angie suggested that I start walking around barefoot to get my feet use to it since I still have three weeks off. Then I will start off very slowly and increase my barefoot mileage a little at a time. Since I live on a dirt/rocky country road I will drive in to town and run on the track to start (I wonder if I could bring my dog with me on the track, anyone know?) I am feeling very optimistic and excited by the chance that this could be my answer to running. You see I love to run and not running just makes me sad and miserable. Angie I am so thankful to you for your support and advice, you have given me hope.

It’s A Stress Fracture

After my 8mile run Saturday my shins hurt pretty badly. The course I ran this week was pretty hilly and I just thought that was the reason my shins seemed to be getting worse again. On Sunday when the pain was not going away and my right shin hurt with any movement of the leg I took a closer look and saw that there was one very distinct spot where there was pain and swelling. I have come to the realization that I have upgraded my Shin Splint status to a Stress Fracture.


This week I talked to several runners and got some pretty awesome advice, and I have decided not to go to the doctor. I know that the doctor will just tell me not to run and that it will heal on its own. So that is my plan, no running for 6 very loooooooong weeks. Although I am very upset about this, I know that I am the cause of this. Once again I pushed too hard and hurt myself. One day I may learn patience but so far that word has not made it into my mental vocabulary.

I am aware that I will go absolutely insane if I sit around for 6 weeks and do nothing. So came up with a new plan, which is to hit the gym every morning after taking my daughter to daycare and do some upper body weight training and then jump on the bike. I am still too embarrassed to try swimming in front of people; I tent to flop around more like a dyeing fish than an athlete. So I will wait till the weather gets warmer and we can uncover our pool so I can practice before I try it at the gym. Since swimming and biking are my only two options for cross training right now, the bike will just have to do.

On a side note, I got my new Spira shoes this week. What a way to celebrate not running by getting a new pair of running shoes right. Talk about being crushed when the mail man dropped them off. I have such a hard time finding shoes that fit and so am worried that by the time I can actually run again that I will miss the opportunity to return these that I took them for a 1mile run last night while my daughter was in swim lessons. They felt pretty good, but my leg started to hurt so I stopped and got on the bike instead. I know that 1 mile is not enough distance to really try these shoes out and so I wonder if I take them out for a two mile run next week how bad that might be for my leg. The thought has also occurred to me that I am dragging this out so that I can still get some running done. Yes I am addicted and know that not running really sucks and the thought of it, well let’s just say I don’t like to think about not running. So here I am a runner that can’t run. I guess I will have to change the name of the blog to Midwest Biking Mom.

How do you all get through the weeks of no running when you are faced with an injury that requires you give it up for a while?

My Week in Training & Boob Day

After my admission last week about being a total couch potato, and totally falling out of my workout routine. I decided to really get back into things this week. So first thing Monday morning Neal (hubby) and I got up  at 4:30am and started P90X again. Since I am a runner at heart P90X is only the start of my day, somewhere in there 3 times a week I have to get my run in too. I must admit I skipped Monday’s run since it was the first day and I was sore from the 8miles on Sunday I decided that just P90X was enough for then. So here is how my week played out.


Monday – P90X Chest & Back, Ab Ripper

Tuesday – P90X Plyometrics

Wednesday – P90X Back & Biceps, Ab Ripper, 4.5 mile Run

Thursday – P90X Cardio X

Friday – P90X Legs & Back, Ab Ripper, 4 mile Run

(Note: I totally wimped out and did not get up this morning for P90X, so before dinner Neal and I plan to do it and we will)

This weekend I plan to do another 8mile run and feel very confident that it will go MUCH better than last weeks. My two runs this week felt good and I feel so much more like myself after all the working out. Now all I have to do is STOP eating like a total piggy and maybe just maybe I will lose some of the weight I have put on.

On another note. Today is my fellow running mom’s Boob day. For those of you who do not know Kari she is one amazing woman. Early last year she was diagnosed with breast cancer, and that woman fought it with all she had. After a double Mastectomy and months of chemotherapy she won her battle with cancer, hey we all knew it did not stand a chance against Kari. So back to the boob day, well today Kari is getting her new Tata’s. So our running mom group decided to run today in her honor, and since we were running for boobs we were suppose to go out with just our bra tops. Okay, I feel totally bad but I just could not bring myself to do it. After the weight I gained my body image is low, so I did what any woman would do in this situation and I made my dog do it : ) See how pretty she looks! I did wear my running mom shirt and during the whole run I thought of how Amazing a woman Kari is and that if I ever have to fight the battle that she did, that I would have the courage and strength to beat it like she did. You truly are an inspiration Kari and congratulation on your new Tata’s!!!