Off Week.....week 2

 My first week of 2012 was great....I hit all my work outs and everything went really well. As with everything in life it is not always as we want it. My second week wasn't as fantastic. I completely blew off my easy workout on Monday, 30 minute spin on my bike and a 30 minute core workout and I missed the group run on Tuesday. I love the Tuesday night group run but I just didn't have the energy or desire to go.  

I am not sure what was going on with me, was it that the darkness is getting to me more than I want to admit, did I not sleep well enough, or eat well enough…..or did I just want to blow off my workouts and take a bath and hang with my dogs.  I don’t think it really matters what happened, I missed a couple of workouts and enjoyed my little break, taking a bath and hanging with the dogs.  I have learned to not beat myself up when this happens.  I try to figure what might have gone wrong and move on, look at today and glimpse at tomorrow.  

Maddie sleeping after a great run

On Wednesday I went on an easy 4 mile run with Craig and crazy Maddie dog at green lake.  It is so nice to have Craig join me for some of my workouts.  Thursday was yoga, the class was really small, intimate and just what I needed.  On Saturday I ran the Nookachamps 10k in the town of Mt Vernon (1 hour north of Seattle).  The weather was not boring, cold rain/snow and wind.  Nothing makes you feel more alive than running in nearly frozen rain.  I did my 1 mile warm-up with a fellow runner and raced my race.  I did not worry about anyone in front, behind or around me…..I ran my own pace and race.  The best part of the Nookachamps run is going to get lunch and a beer at the Skagit Brewery.   

My toughest and best workout of the week was today, a 1 ½ hour ride on a computrainer with Lesley; we rode the Coeur d’Alene Ironman course…..not the entire course, thank goodness.   I really enjoy pushing myself and the computrainer gives you feedback on how you are doing. It will be fun to see the improvement as I can continue train.  I believe I get to stay on the computrainer for 2 hours next Sunday, lucky meJ.
Currently I have an irritating pain in my left heel (plantar fasciitis), I am certain the plantar fasciitis is caused from not stretching out my calf muscles.  I found a video on the IMC Facebook page from a sports PT of some sort in Canada talking about plantar fasciitis and how to treat it…..it was extremely timely and helpful.  I also bought a new pair of running shoes.  I am hoping that if I rotate my shoes it will help alleviate my current irritating pain and prevent other running injuries and pain.  It will get better and some other little nagging pain might appear as soon as I get rid of the plantar fasciitis, it is all part of training. 

Oliver gazing out the window

The things I am most thankful or grateful for this week are my coach, Lesley; she called me just when I needed her to this week and I would have struggled riding my computrainer for 1 ½ hours in my basement by myself if Lesley didn’t invite me to ride with her.  I have a privileged and very blessed life.
This week my focus will be on nutrition and hitting all my workouts.