It's GO TIME!!!!

WEEK 16

I'm anxious, eager, excited, and nervous. 17 days to go. I have not run in 2 weeks! And, magically, my foot is feeling better. It is so thought provoking that with rest and time, things heal. I consider myself a very patient person when dealing with Alzheimer's patients at work, but when it comes to resting and recovering from an injury, I just plain stink at it. I want to go, go, go!! And, I'm happy to report, that GO TIME will commence this Friday, officially at 8:30 with my friend Danette at the Clemson Track. I have zero expectations! I will just run, free spirited and able bodied! I will be like an animal that has been released back into the wild after years of captivity. I'm sure I will be tentative at first, then am hopeful to feel the ground under my feet like old times and get right back into the groove again. I had roughly 12 hours of training last week with ride and swim workouts combined for my BIG week. Now, I officially start tapering, just volume, not intensity.

2/16 Who is one of the most hardcore determined athletes I know? It has to be Ian Davidson. Ian is a National Mtn Bike Champion and XTERRA WORLD Triathlon Champ! Today, was a spirit booster as Ian joined me for a high cadence spin. This was not your usual spin, we went back and forth from the waste treatment plant to the Clemson Golf course, roughly a .5 mile flat track piece of road for a solid hour at 120rpm's. The foul odor of the treatment plant coupled with the repetitive nature of going back and forth on the same road, did not take away from beautiful lake Hartwell or the companionship during the workout.

Ian was swimming after, so I joined him at the pool, splitting a lane with him. When you swim with a Champion, you just naturally go faster. Even though we split a lane, I would sometimes not notice when he passed me because of such a smooth stroke. This is something that I noticed very quickly because usually when I swim with friends I feel a tidal wave as we pass each other. At one point, I actually thought he had moved to a different lane and picked my head up out of the water to look for him. No, he was still in the same lane, just cruising along.

Ian had my best interest at hand after hearing that I may try to run later on in the day when I most likely should take a couple of more days off before running again. He had a better idea. So, he said "I'm going to do 30min of pool running." Of course, I wanted to join him. So, back and forth we went in the warm water pool, running upright, pumping our arms. It was an odd feeling for sure. The resistance of the water was wonderful! I hardly noticed my foot as it striked the bottom of the pool. Maybe it was because my feet were so on fire from the rough texture of the bottom of the pool, but it didn't matter. I was running upright, working those ever so important running muscles. During the pool run, Ian shared some stories of past. One being of him running 30 miles with no water, no music, and no running buddy!

Today was definitely a day of learning. I can see why Ian Davidson is a champion. He does things that most athletes would never do. He takes it to the next level with his mental discipline. He's also got heart. Thanks Ian!

2/18 Today was my first test run back at the Clemson Track after 2 solid weeks of not running. I was so excited, like a fat kid about to enter a candy shop. I was anxious as my feet stepped onto the red mondo track surface. It felt good to be back. Today's temperatures were predicted to be record setting, hitting mid 70's. I was ready, Ipod on, training partner D. at my side. I had zero expectations. I did not even bother to wear my Garmin watch. I would look deep inside myself and run how I felt.

I started out fast, running in big circles on the very outside of the track, thru grass, thru long jump and triple jump sand pits, letting my feet lead me. My foot ached, not acute stabbing pain, just a simple ache as my left foot hit the ground with each step. The first mile was painfully hard as my foot plodded along and all doubts of uncertainty danced in my head. I tried to shove the doubts out of my head, focusing on the AC/DC rock music blasting in my ears. Eventually, I remembered, this is the warm-up. You always feel like crap in a warm-up as your muscles and bones awaken with the sunrise.

A few miles in, and Danette and I were rolling. The endorphin release helped to bandaid and swaddle my foot as we continued to run in circles, round and round. I'm sure I ran too fast for a first day back, but I didn't care. I was savoring the moment, the very breath of life, the ability to be present that day and have the freedom to move unencumbered and able-bodied.

After 45min. of tempo, I stopped. I walked daintily around the track, trying not to put too much pressure on my foot. I was not scared that it would hurt, but scared that my dream of running a marathon would be over if it did. I walked back to Danette's car and this is where I did something I have never done in 26 years of living. I took drugs. Danette offered me 2 ibuprofen. And, even though I'm a nurse and hand out hundreds of pills almost every day, the thought of taking a NSAID was shameful. I felt like I was not only taking a shortcut, but also putting an artificial poison into my body. My liver would probably shut down I thought, as I popped in the one rust colored tablet and chewed away. No thanks D, I'll just take one for now. I do not know how to swallow pills and the bitterness of the medication stuck to my teeth for some time after. However, this bitterness did not last long and was tempered by the pure sweetness of the run and that I'm back. I will be ready for Albany.

DISTANCE: I don't know and it doesn't matter, approx. 5.5 miles

2/20 LONG RUN @ MARATHON PACE! Today would be the longest run I've completed in almost three weeks. It is so important that I start building confidence in these longer runs because the marathon is approaching quickly. Time is of the essence!! My training partner Danette was not feeling groovy and had to bail, but I was fortunate to have my friend Scott out on the track. Now, Scott tells me he does not enjoy running in circles, but because this is his second time running with me in circles, either he really enjoys my company or he likes making circles. Since I was anti-social and played my Ipod the entire time, I think the latter is true. It's official, Scott likes running in circles even if he won't admit it!

Scott's presence at the track provides me with security. I am not sure why, maybe because of his male presence, maybe because he is a great athlete, or maybe because he is just Scott, no put-ons or fakeness about him. Scott has helped me tremendously with finding a shoe that will work for my feet for 26.2 miles. He has taken time and given time to watch me plod along the track. I still do not have the perfect shoe quite yet, but am hopeful that next week I will have it dialed in. I know that anyone's feet would hurt during/after a marathon, but If I can avoid injury and be somewhat more "comfortable", I'm all for it!

Round and round I went today. I actually am feeling TAPERED. Sure, I could have run 3 more miles today to do what the training plan dictates, but I think 10 miles was enough and I didn't want to dig a hole and not get to Albany healthy.

Thank you Scott for your presence!

DISTANCE: 10 MILES

Avg. HR 156bpm

Avg. PACE 8:06