My April Recap

In the middle of Couch to 5K Week 7.

Completed my first run with no walk breaks (20 minutes).  And my second.  And my third.

I'm kinda sick of running 3/4 miles loops around my tiny neighborhood.

Put 44 miles on the new Brooks. And I still love them. I even bought a new pair.

I ran 23 miles in April.

Since January, I have lost 7 pounds.

Registered for my first 5K since the injury!

How did your April shape up?

Run for ZB

In January, an online friend tragically lost her young daughter, ZB.  This same friend is training for her first half marathon on May 4.  As a celebration of life and a fundraiser for the family's medical bills, several of us have organized the Love and Light Virtual Race: Blood, Sweat and Tears for ZB to support our friend on the day of her first half marathon.

All proceeds will go to medical bills and to benefit the Colorado Children's Hospital.  Events are planned for every ability and sport, including runs from 3.5K to a half marathon, walking, biking, swimming, spinning, and a crossfit WOD.

I will be participating in the 3.5 mile run.  Go here to check out the events, register, or just donate.

Why I Run

If you're a runner, I'm sure you've been asked the inevitable "Why?!"  I think it's a wonderful thing for those that run for others, for those that can't run, but for me, I run because I CAN.

When I was 10 years old I was diagnosed with scoliosis.  My spine curved like an "S", because the lower vertebrae were separated (spinal bifita).  Scoliosis is hereditary, but because of the spinal bifita, my family and I think it was caused by my dad's exposure as an Air Force mechanic to Agent Orange in what was then Cambodia during the Vietnam War.    I was put in a brace for two years.  The only time I was allowed to take it of was for dance class and swimming.

Mine was like this, but it went around my shoulders instead of my neck.

The doctor thought my spine would stop moving when I stopped growing, but it didn't.  Instead the upper curve began to affect the function of my heart and lungs.  I had corrective surgery.  My husband tells people I have a bionic spine.  I have 2 Herrington rods, screws to correct the bifita, and my lowest left rib was removed and used as a graft to fuse all but the lowest vertebrae together.

This is not me, but it's pretty close.

A great way to start middle school, right?  And back in 1988, there was no physical therapy.  It was "get up and walk, then go home."  I didn't complete an entire school day for the first semester.  P.E. was completely out.  After about 6 months I went back to dance classes, but that was the only exercise I got.  Nobody wanted me to hurt my back.

After college, I started having muscle spasms and realized from PT that I needed to strengthen the muscles in my back.  I'm still working on that.  But I never thought that running, or any other sport, was in the cards for me.   When I discovered it, 24 years after surgery, I realized that it would take longer to progress and be harder than for most people.  After all, I'm still crooked.  My shoulders tilt and my hips are out of alignment.  But I love the accomplishment that I felt completing my first 5K, and every other race since.  So I run because I CAN.  And I'm not willing to give up on that.

Why do you run? 

I got some new shoes on

The very first thing I did when I was released to run was to get fitted for new shoes.  I don't know that my beloved Newtons contributed to the break, but I'm not taking any chances, so I went over to Run-N-Tri and hopped on the treadmill.  It was a close contest between the Brooks PureCadence 3 and the Mizuno Wave Inspire 13, but the winner was:

I loved the Mizunos, but the arch support seemed to hit my arch in a funny place.  I'll still try them if I can find a good closeout deal on them.

I haven't been in a stability shoe since my very first pair of Newtons, so I was a little anxious about that.  And obviously they only had one pair in my size because there's no way I would choose navy blue over bright pink!  But I love the arch support and the cushion of the insoles.

So far I've put about 25 miles on them, and I'm really liking them.  I kinda miss the forefoot lugs on the Newtons, but the cushy ride outweighs that.  My biggest complaint is that they are LOUD, especially on the track.  At first I thought I heard somebody coming up behind me, but no, it was MY OWN SHOES!  They are a little quieter on the road.

I did go to another store and tried on the Brooks Transcend (because I am a shoe whore).  The salesman there told me that the PureCadence are a good lightweight shoe for shorter miles, but not a good workhorse when training for longer races.  I think I'll wear the PureCadences until I start training for my fall half, and switch over to the Trancends then.

Happy April!

I am so glad it's finally April. March weather here in the South was just crazy.  We would go from freezing temperatures to the mid-70's in literally 36 hours, and then back again 2 days later.  Just great for the sinuses, I tell you.

Couch to 5K has been going really well. I'm up to Week 3 and doing ok.  My foot is still weak and I'm dutifully doing my home PT exercises, but running isn't causing any pain, just discomfort after.  I've been running only on the springy track at the high school or on the pretty new pavement in my neighborhood, avoiding cement at all costs.  Eventually I'll have to go back to that because that's all our running paths are where I live.

A couple of weeks ago we drove down and spent a couple of days in Disney World.  We are new Disney Vacation Club members and this was the first time we got to use our points.  We went for the Flower and Garden Festival.  I love seeing EPCOT decorated for spring!

It's also the first trip we've been on since last May that didn't involve a race, so it was really nice to have a little vacation.  One of the advantages to not having children is to be able to be flexible with travel plans, and we usually take at least 1 big vacation a year and a couple of long weekends.


'Til November, Mickey!