Denouement

April 24, 2024

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Location:

Kowloon Tong,Hong Kong

Member Since:

Jul 02, 2007

Gender:

Female

Goal Type:

Olympic Trials Qualifier

Running Accomplishments:

Unaided:

5K - 17:11 (track Pre-kids and at BYU) (1998)

10K - 35:48 (track Pre-kids and at BYU) (1998)

10K - 35:34 (road - Shek Mun 10k 12/12)

1/2 Marathon 1:19:44 (UNICEF HM 11/12)

Marathon 2:47:08 (ING Hartford Connecticut 10/10)

Aided:

St. George Marathon 2:50:40 (10/08)

1/2 marathon - Hobble Creek 1:17:14 (8/08)

10K - Deseret News 10K - 35:02 (7/08)

Short-Term Running Goals:

PR 1/2 marathon AGAIN


Long-Term Running Goals:

Break 2:46 in Boston!

Personal:

I used to run for BYU, but only after trying out three times and finally walking on, so I was never a star. However, it was wonderful to run with great people and under Coach Shane. When you run with fast people, you can't help to improve! I graduated BYU in 1998, and didn't run a race until 2002, after having my second child. My hiatus and other crazy life commitments have made my competitive running suffer, but the last couple of years I have tried to get back into it the best I can. I have been married since 1996, to Paul Lowry, who is a runner himself. I have three boys (my three rascals), ages 12, 10, and 8.

After a great 2008 season, I was injured and eventually diagnosed and cross-diagnosed with Ankylosing Spondylitis, a type of arthritis disease, which precludes running for all but the most stubborn.  So I am on medications, trying to stay healthy, and seeing my PT often.  And running!  Now beating the streets in Hong Kong.

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Miles:This week: 0.00 Month: 0.00 Year: 0.00
NB RC900 Black/yellow Lifetime Miles: 183.31
NB RC1300 Red/Black Lifetime Miles: 195.31
2012 MTR Lifetime Miles: 4035.70
890 Blue Lifetime Miles: 310.55
NB RC 1600 Lifetime Miles: 96.76
RC 1400 Lifetime Miles: 90.60
NB 890 Baby Blue Lifetime Miles: 233.26
NB 890 Electric Blue Lifetime Miles: 319.67
NB 890 Tokyo Turquoise Lifetime Miles: 163.54
Easy MilesMarathon Pace MilesThreshold MilesVO2 Max MilesTrainer 1 MilesTrainer 2 MilesRacer MilesTotal Distance
5.000.008.000.000.000.000.0013.00

Oh, my gosh, I just filled in the top of this workout and my enbrel arrived!!!!  My stomach is all a-flutter.  I have to wait for it to get to room temperature then phase 2 of my training begins.

I think I'll write up this workout backwards.  

9am-- I am driving through the Salem farmlands and it is sunny and blue skies.  I am searching for my hat and gloves and coat which I foolishly discarded in the second mile of my eight mile tempo.  Why couldn't the weather have been like this during the tempo?

8am-- gulping down oatmeal with blueberries.

7:50--in the shower, I am moaning because I am pretty sure I have legs under my waist, but I can't feel them, and I can't feel my toes.

7:48--I made it! but why are my toes a funky blue color?

7:35--I squeal as I enter the ice bath.  I have a goal of 12 minutes this time, its 46F, my slimfast shake isn't cold enough, I used all the ice on the bath, but I figure I don't need my drink cold since my bottom half is freezing.  I chug the drink, read Bleak House, and try to forget about the ice.

6:55 I jump out of the car and hit the bushes, realizing I am not going to make it home without a pitstop. 

6:50 get to my car, done with 13 miles

6:40 done with tempo, relieved I didn't give up during it

I did an 8 mile "steady state" run which I guess is faster than marathon pace, but slower than 1/2 marathon pace.  It is supposed to be 6:26-6:38.  I was gunning for 6:38, since I haven't done longer than a 6 mile tempo (or a 5.6 mile race) in 15 months.  It was brutal.  We started the tempo into the wind and snowing, but thought, that's ok I'll have tailwind eventually.  I suppose I did at some point, but I swear, 80% of the time the snow was in my face.  At 6 miles I thought that there must be some acid in the snow because it was irritating my eyeballs and I couldn't keep my eyes open for long periods, I wished I had my hat.  My watch registered the pace at 6:42 overall, but I tracked one mile on the 1/2 marathon race course and it was 6 seconds faster than my watch.  So I put today's tempo into the course tool, and it said 8.15, in keeping with my lame watch's tendencies.  So if you count it at 8.15 miles, then my pace was 6:34.  I think I like the faster pace better, I'll take that one.  Basically I think I need alot more practice with tempos, so I can get mentally and physically tougher. I am satisfied with this workout, given the weather and my recent SI issues.  

I had tightness in the outside hip bone area the whole time, a 1 when running easy, a 1-2 when running faster.  It feels like it is bruised.   Not as concerning as SI pain or whole glute seizure.

Ok.  I gave myself the shot.  So glad I didn't faint because noone's home.  I guess I am not so tough.  I had to tell myself to breathe, then I had to tell myself to not hyperventilate.  A bathroom is a dangerous place to pass out.  It wasn't too bad, just stung a little.  I better go eat something . . . :D 

 

Mizuno Precision (periwinkle) Miles: 13.002010 Mileage Miles: 9.00
Night Sleep Time: 6.75Nap Time: 0.00Total Sleep Time: 6.75Weight: 127.00
Comments
From Robert on Thu, Apr 22, 2010 at 12:39:05 from 65.101.172.182

Wow, great job! I've found that if it hurts on the outside of the leg or hip then it's the stabilizers. They'll come around. The snow has got to be getting old.

From KP on Thu, Apr 22, 2010 at 12:44:44 from 65.208.22.25

question - i have heard that taking a warm/hot shower right after an ice bath completely cancels out the benefits of the ice bath. i would venture to guess that you haven't heard that since you just did it. do you think that the ice bath is still beneficial even with the hot shower? i normally shiver for a good 30 minutes when i get out because i don't want to reverse the ice bath with a shower...

From MichelleL on Thu, Apr 22, 2010 at 12:48:57 from 67.41.226.109

Good question, actually I asked my coach, Greg McMillan, this about a month ago. I felt guilty about the post ice bath shower and definitely did not want to cancel out the good that comes from the misery. He said it doesn't, and that I should take a hot shower because I need to raise my body temperature. He said what we wanted to flush out of the muscles in the ice bath was flushed out (whatever that is, I am assuming it's excess inflammatory stuff), so green light for hot shower.

From LuzyLew on Thu, Apr 22, 2010 at 13:32:59 from 208.187.197.42

Michelle-- I'm glad to hear your medicine arrived. I hope it helps you. Giving yourself a shot is nervewracking. My sister had to give herself injections every day of every one of her pregnancies and she taught me to to it for when I was around. You have to disassociate a bit and imagine your skin as an orange and that you are trying to puncture an orange. I'll bet your immune system is wreaking havoc from the past 2 weeks of stress. Perhaps it will get better soon with the right meds, additional rest, less stress, and continued training.

From Paul on Thu, Apr 22, 2010 at 13:45:47 from 65.103.252.214

Your blog reads like a Kurt Vonnegut novel. Very post-modern.

I had the luxury of doing my first shot at the dr's office, with the nurse watching and guiding. Made it easier. I've found the stomach is less painful than the leg, although other people feel the opposite way. I usual switch each week. Apparently there is a preservative in Enbrel that makes it sting more, and apparently the Sure-Click autoinjectors hurt more than the old-school syringes. But they don't give out the syringes anymore, unless you request it. In either case, the key not to hesitate, just do it.

From marion on Thu, Apr 22, 2010 at 13:50:25 from 71.213.114.98

YOU BRAVE GIRL!!! You should have called me. I would have come over for moral support, aka chocolate ;)

GREAT temop!! Rock star!

From Bonnie on Thu, Apr 22, 2010 at 18:35:25 from 128.196.228.134

Great workout Michelle, these steady state runs are really really good for you. They are comfortably hard, unlike tempos which are uncomfortably hard ;-).

Good girl on getting through your first injection, I am glad you did not faint ... next time, have Marion there with some "salts" (shhh chocolate) just in case!!

From MCKENZIE on Thu, Apr 22, 2010 at 23:12:34 from 75.169.118.96

You did it!!! I was sure that I would hear from you today. You are braver than me :)

From MichelleL on Thu, Apr 22, 2010 at 23:17:10 from 67.41.226.109

Vonnegut--without all the expletives. I was trying to take my mind off the impending shot. I almost did faint, not very brave, I think I'll sit on the side of my bed next time, so if I fall it might not involve stitches.

Bonnie - it didn't feel very comfortable to me. I hope I'll get more used to tempos soon. But it was way more comfortable than the prescribed tempo pace would have been, so I see your point.

From marion on Fri, Apr 23, 2010 at 10:28:16 from 71.213.114.98

Would you change your blog title already!!!?????

xoxoxo

ps- thanks for dinner! It was YUMMY! David LOVED his dinner :) He was SO happy!

From Andy on Fri, Apr 23, 2010 at 17:13:52 from 198.60.114.178

Great job on the tempo run. Long tempo runs are the hardest workouts for me. Your blog entry reminded me of the movie Memento.

From Superfly on Fri, Apr 23, 2010 at 17:35:35 from 208.117.127.110

I had to put my thinking cap on to keep things straight as I read through your entry. Cheekishly clever. Good job on the tempo as well and the ice bath (something I've never mastered).

From Maurine/Miles on Sun, Apr 25, 2010 at 11:39:15 from 97.117.66.119

Sounds like an exciting day. I hope the enbrel works and allows you to get to where you want to be.

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