Hi all,
I have two Fleet Feet coupons that I will not be using. One is for 15% off a sports bra for the ladies (of course) or 15% off apparel for men. The other is 10% off the "hydration system of your choice" which includes Fuel Belt, Ultimate Direction, Nathan, Gatorade Endurance, Ultima and Endurolytes. I will be glad to give these to anyone who can use them, just let me know via email at cvutera@ent.umsmed.edu.
Saturday's run was better than my last few runs. My feet still hurt, the balls of my feet more specifically, but it wasn't as bad as it had been. I did 9 miles and had permission to do up to 15 but since I was hurting I felt I would wait to really push myself until the big one. My Sole Custom Inserts should be arriving today and I have high hopes for them. We'll see.
I am getting extremely excited about Chicago and it's all I can do to stay focused at work. Yall's blogs lately have been making me shed many tears. Who would have thought this whole thing would have been so much more than just running? I love you guys! See you all Saturday for the last group run (boo hoo)!
Christa
Wednesday, September 26, 2007
Wednesday, September 19, 2007
Shoe/feet update
I saw Wayne the Magic Man yesterday and let me tell you that I feel excitement about this whole thing again! It had been gone for over a month at least and honestly, I was pretty much ready to throw in the towel, but I once again have hope that I can get through this! Wayne watched me walk and had me do other exercises and he said that since I don't have an injury and since I am having a different problem on different parts of my feet each time I try new shoes, the problem is not with my feet but with my shoes. I brought in the old Filas that I was going to get a new pair of and the Sauconys that I was going to return. He said he doesn't like Filas because they are made more for tennis than for running. He traced the Filas and the Sauconys and showed me that the Filas were about a centimeter narrower than the Sauconys and that the outside bones were hurting in the Filas because they were too narrow. The balls of my feet were hurting with the Sauconys and he said that could probably be remedied with the Fleet Feet inserts that I had in my Filas. So he put the Fleet Feet inserts in my Sauconys and they felt fine this morning when I ran, but they always do until I get to a longer run. I guess the real test will be Saturday. I ordered the inserts Lisa Davis told me about even though Wayne said they may or may not help. I also talked to Wayne about not having done a 20 or 22 miler and about having walked the last 7 of my 18 and feeling like I haven't done enough long distances and he said he would talk to Mark about me doing a longer run on Saturday, maybe 14, 16 or 18. So, Mark emailed me before Wayne talked to Mark and I told him the whole story and Mark said...
"As far as doing more this Saturday, I'm not sure about that. Yes, you walked the last seven miles. I walked my last 8 miles two years ago and got a medal. The biggest thing is do you think you are mentally tough enough to gut out an extra 8 or 10 miles from you longest run? I'm not sure that the extra miles will do anything more than boost your confidence but might add more fatigue on the back end. If you need the boost go for it. If you can psyche yourself to leave it all on the race course, I would do 10 miles and rest for the race. I've done two marathons with 16 miles being my longest run. It was hard and it was a mental battle but I did it!"
Mark is so incredibly awesome as you all already know!!!!! That is all I needed to hear! So I replied and said...
"Right now, my confidence is in as bad of shape as my feet are. But I know I'll be able to do it mentally on race day, as long as I'm physically prepared for it. If I have 2 good runs each of the next Saturdays, then that will boost my confidence tremendously. If you think that physically I have done enough, then I am fine with that and I will just do the last two Saturday runs as planned and not risk getting over tired. "
So that is my plan. I share all of this with you because I know of MANY of you out there that are in a similar situation as me. If we can maintain our current physical ability and boost our confidence up to where it needs to be, then we can do this. I know that is harder said than done for those of us dealing with "physical issues," but this is it. There is no more time left. It's do or die and this is what we've been shedding our blood, sweat and tears toward for these last eight months. This is the mental battle that will stop us like a brick wall or keep us moving forward. To anyone who is having issues, I say do what you can for the next two weeks and then run like hell come marathon day! I really do think that our "pain" will be different somehow on that day! See you all Saturday you awesome marathoners you!
"As far as doing more this Saturday, I'm not sure about that. Yes, you walked the last seven miles. I walked my last 8 miles two years ago and got a medal. The biggest thing is do you think you are mentally tough enough to gut out an extra 8 or 10 miles from you longest run? I'm not sure that the extra miles will do anything more than boost your confidence but might add more fatigue on the back end. If you need the boost go for it. If you can psyche yourself to leave it all on the race course, I would do 10 miles and rest for the race. I've done two marathons with 16 miles being my longest run. It was hard and it was a mental battle but I did it!"
Mark is so incredibly awesome as you all already know!!!!! That is all I needed to hear! So I replied and said...
"Right now, my confidence is in as bad of shape as my feet are. But I know I'll be able to do it mentally on race day, as long as I'm physically prepared for it. If I have 2 good runs each of the next Saturdays, then that will boost my confidence tremendously. If you think that physically I have done enough, then I am fine with that and I will just do the last two Saturday runs as planned and not risk getting over tired. "
So that is my plan. I share all of this with you because I know of MANY of you out there that are in a similar situation as me. If we can maintain our current physical ability and boost our confidence up to where it needs to be, then we can do this. I know that is harder said than done for those of us dealing with "physical issues," but this is it. There is no more time left. It's do or die and this is what we've been shedding our blood, sweat and tears toward for these last eight months. This is the mental battle that will stop us like a brick wall or keep us moving forward. To anyone who is having issues, I say do what you can for the next two weeks and then run like hell come marathon day! I really do think that our "pain" will be different somehow on that day! See you all Saturday you awesome marathoners you!
Monday, September 17, 2007
I NEED HELP, PLEASE!!!!
I am having serious problems with my feet and shoes and I need advice, please. Let me give you all as brief of a history of my problems as I can:
July 21, 16 miler: The bones of the outside of my left foot felt like they were being crushed starting around mile 15. Limped back to Lakeshore that last mile. Foot sore for a day or two afterward.
August 11, 9 miler: Same problem same place, started at the end of the 10 mile run. Foot sore again for a while.
August 25, 20 miler: Same problem same place, started at about mile 11, walked/limped back to Lakeshore having run only about 11. Went to Fleet Feet and they explained that I was probably wearing the wrong type of shoe. My shoes had too much support in them and they did not allow my feet to move they way they wanted to. They put me in the cushiest pair of Nikes they had that were neutral support.
September 8, 10 miler: New Nikes, only made it about 4 or 5 miles before I got a new pain in a new part of my OTHER foot. Cushy Nikes felt really comfortable until I could see my right foot pronating and felt pain (obviously from the pronating) at mile 4 or 5. Finished 8 miles but foot was VERY sore afterwards. Went to Fleet Feet again and they gave me medium support Sauconys.
September 15, 22 miler: New shoes again, made it about 5 miles before toes and pad of left foot started hurting/cramping badly, then the sore spot on the other foot from the 10 miler the weekend before that was already sore to begin with started hurting much worse. Gave up running shortly after the turn around at Foxbay, walked back to the intersection where Sheila picked me up (THANK YOU Sheila!) .
Okay folks, I'm TOTALLY frustrated and VERY concerned and don't know what to do. The pain doesn't start until mile 5 or 6 so I NEVER have it during the week. I only know on Saturdays what my feet/shoes are going to do. I've changed shoes 3 times and at this point the only thing I know to do is go back to my original shoe (Fila) and try that again because it got me the farthest distance (18 miles) and I'm quickly running out of time here. I wonder if maybe the Fleet Feet inserts I had in my Filas where bothering my left foot 'cause it only hurt in that one spot in those shoes. Lisa Davis (the horn playing turtle), gave me a website that sells really good inserts/soles (Sole Custom Footbeds) that are heat moldable. She said she had bad feet problems her first year and doesn't wear anything but these in her shoes. So right now my plan is to order those inserts and go back to Fleet Feet and get my original Filas and just hope for the best. I haven't seen Wayne or anyone about this because I don't have an injury I just have random pains in my feet. Any advise on my problem would be GREATLY APPRECIATED! Thank you all!
Christa
July 21, 16 miler: The bones of the outside of my left foot felt like they were being crushed starting around mile 15. Limped back to Lakeshore that last mile. Foot sore for a day or two afterward.
August 11, 9 miler: Same problem same place, started at the end of the 10 mile run. Foot sore again for a while.
August 25, 20 miler: Same problem same place, started at about mile 11, walked/limped back to Lakeshore having run only about 11. Went to Fleet Feet and they explained that I was probably wearing the wrong type of shoe. My shoes had too much support in them and they did not allow my feet to move they way they wanted to. They put me in the cushiest pair of Nikes they had that were neutral support.
September 8, 10 miler: New Nikes, only made it about 4 or 5 miles before I got a new pain in a new part of my OTHER foot. Cushy Nikes felt really comfortable until I could see my right foot pronating and felt pain (obviously from the pronating) at mile 4 or 5. Finished 8 miles but foot was VERY sore afterwards. Went to Fleet Feet again and they gave me medium support Sauconys.
September 15, 22 miler: New shoes again, made it about 5 miles before toes and pad of left foot started hurting/cramping badly, then the sore spot on the other foot from the 10 miler the weekend before that was already sore to begin with started hurting much worse. Gave up running shortly after the turn around at Foxbay, walked back to the intersection where Sheila picked me up (THANK YOU Sheila!) .
Okay folks, I'm TOTALLY frustrated and VERY concerned and don't know what to do. The pain doesn't start until mile 5 or 6 so I NEVER have it during the week. I only know on Saturdays what my feet/shoes are going to do. I've changed shoes 3 times and at this point the only thing I know to do is go back to my original shoe (Fila) and try that again because it got me the farthest distance (18 miles) and I'm quickly running out of time here. I wonder if maybe the Fleet Feet inserts I had in my Filas where bothering my left foot 'cause it only hurt in that one spot in those shoes. Lisa Davis (the horn playing turtle), gave me a website that sells really good inserts/soles (Sole Custom Footbeds) that are heat moldable. She said she had bad feet problems her first year and doesn't wear anything but these in her shoes. So right now my plan is to order those inserts and go back to Fleet Feet and get my original Filas and just hope for the best. I haven't seen Wayne or anyone about this because I don't have an injury I just have random pains in my feet. Any advise on my problem would be GREATLY APPRECIATED! Thank you all!
Christa
Wednesday, September 12, 2007
Feet don't fail me now!
Hi all,
I am so sorry for not having blogged in such a long time and for not showing up for the Saturday run, again. I had great intentions to but my stomach had other plans. I was horribly ill all Friday night and I got up Saturday morning and got dressed but my stomach decided it was not a good idea. After all the fun I had in the woods at Foxbay the last time I just didn't have the guts to chance it. So I went back to bed and felt horrible all day but made it to the meeting and was so glad I went. That really made me excited and nervous, didn't it you guys too? I did 8 miles on Sunday and was planning on doing all 10 but damn it if my feet and/or shoes are not cooperating. I was wearing my brand new super cushy Nikes, and they felt really comfortable except that I could see my right foot pronating and it began to hurt at mile 4 or 5. I toughed it out and finished 8 but my foot was soooooooo sore and I was absolutely frustrated afterwards. I have been having foot problems since the 18 where it felt like I was crushing the outer bones in my foot. After I was only able to do 14 of the 20 I went to Fleet Feet for a shoe change and they gave me these Nikes which were not as structured as the Filas I was wearing, and they felt great and super cushy and did not hurt the one spot on my foot that hurt before, but they are obviously not stable enough to support my other foot that pronates. UGH! I asked the guy if anyone has ever worn 2 different shoes and he laughed at me. So anyway, now I'm in a pair of Sauconys (sp) and I'm anxious to try them out tomorrow. I'm nervous though 'cause I'm running out of time to find the right shoe. This seems crazy that I still have not found the right shoe.
So, I'm anxious for Saturday since I feel like I have not been a very good marathoner for the last couple months. I've not been training during the week well or enough, not blogging and responding to blogs, not eating right, and not hydrating enough which leads to not running very well on Saturdays (duh). Did everyone read Matt's blog? Whoa, that hit home for me. Sometimes I think that I purposefully sabatoge myself. That's insane, I know. I realize though that for whatever reason, I have not done a very good job in my training for Chicago, but it will motivate me to do better next time now that I know what I'm up against and how impossible it is to "just get by." You all need to know though that your encouragement, support and friendship has been the most important and vital part of my training. Really you guys, you all are what has gotten me this far. I PROMISE that I would have dropped out a long time ago if it wasn't for my new MM friends pushing me and encouraging me when times got tough. You all are so dear to me and I can't thank you enough for all that you give. I better stop now before the water in my eyes starts dripping. See you all Saturday!
I am so sorry for not having blogged in such a long time and for not showing up for the Saturday run, again. I had great intentions to but my stomach had other plans. I was horribly ill all Friday night and I got up Saturday morning and got dressed but my stomach decided it was not a good idea. After all the fun I had in the woods at Foxbay the last time I just didn't have the guts to chance it. So I went back to bed and felt horrible all day but made it to the meeting and was so glad I went. That really made me excited and nervous, didn't it you guys too? I did 8 miles on Sunday and was planning on doing all 10 but damn it if my feet and/or shoes are not cooperating. I was wearing my brand new super cushy Nikes, and they felt really comfortable except that I could see my right foot pronating and it began to hurt at mile 4 or 5. I toughed it out and finished 8 but my foot was soooooooo sore and I was absolutely frustrated afterwards. I have been having foot problems since the 18 where it felt like I was crushing the outer bones in my foot. After I was only able to do 14 of the 20 I went to Fleet Feet for a shoe change and they gave me these Nikes which were not as structured as the Filas I was wearing, and they felt great and super cushy and did not hurt the one spot on my foot that hurt before, but they are obviously not stable enough to support my other foot that pronates. UGH! I asked the guy if anyone has ever worn 2 different shoes and he laughed at me. So anyway, now I'm in a pair of Sauconys (sp) and I'm anxious to try them out tomorrow. I'm nervous though 'cause I'm running out of time to find the right shoe. This seems crazy that I still have not found the right shoe.
So, I'm anxious for Saturday since I feel like I have not been a very good marathoner for the last couple months. I've not been training during the week well or enough, not blogging and responding to blogs, not eating right, and not hydrating enough which leads to not running very well on Saturdays (duh). Did everyone read Matt's blog? Whoa, that hit home for me. Sometimes I think that I purposefully sabatoge myself. That's insane, I know. I realize though that for whatever reason, I have not done a very good job in my training for Chicago, but it will motivate me to do better next time now that I know what I'm up against and how impossible it is to "just get by." You all need to know though that your encouragement, support and friendship has been the most important and vital part of my training. Really you guys, you all are what has gotten me this far. I PROMISE that I would have dropped out a long time ago if it wasn't for my new MM friends pushing me and encouraging me when times got tough. You all are so dear to me and I can't thank you enough for all that you give. I better stop now before the water in my eyes starts dripping. See you all Saturday!
Tuesday, September 4, 2007
Took a break!
I'm sorry I was a no-show on Saturday but I decided Friday night that I was just very, very tired and that I needed a break. So I went to bed without setting my alarm and I slept until 9:30. It felt good to sleep in but yes, I felt guilty afterwards. I rested all weekend and am ready to get back into the swing of things. It was nice to take a break but I miss running and I am worried about losing my momentum. Most of all I missed seeing you guys. Really, the Saturday group runs are what gets me through the week. I'm looking forward to this Saturday and to the Chicago meeting. That will make it all the more real! Keep up the great work guys! You all are the best!!!!!
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