I can do it!

I had to do 30 minutes of running for my training schedule, so I started out at about a 10:30 minute mile pace, and gradually increased my speed.  I felt pretty good, and found myself running at about 8:25 at the end of the run.  I stopped at exactly 30 minutes, and had covered 3.3 miles.  Then, to thaw out after my run, I did P90X Cardio X.  Everything felt really good until the last 10 minutes, when suddenly my back tweaked, and now I'm having that same irritating muscle spasm in my lower back/piriformis.  I tried to do yoga this evening, but gave up after the first 10 minutes, since any kind of bending over sends shooting pains into my tailbone.  I was feeling so GOOD!  It's extremely frustrating.

I took the day off today. But I DID wear my running stability tights all day, because the support felt SO GOOD on my back!  Does that count?  :D  I'm supposed to run 90 minutes tomorrow, so I went to the gym this evening and tried a little running.  Then I rode the stationary bike for awhile.   I walked for 5 minutes on the treadmill, then ran a mile, and walked another 5 minutes.  It felt all right after the first minute or so, so I'm going to go ahead and get up early for my run.  We shall see what happens...

Ben and I ran with a new group of people today, and had so much fun!  We left at 5:00am, and ran a trail by the river, which was icy cold, but I didn't realize I was frozen until I began to thaw out - OUCH!  The sciatic didn't bother me too much on the run, but all day long afterwards it was a little testy.  I think I'm going to have to take tomorrow off from any and all forms of exercise.  I may even break down and go visit a PT.

I did NOTHING all day!  I just can't stand to see that "new" button on my calendar....

Eight miles this morning with my daughter...super slow. It hardly felt like a workout. Then I spent ALL DAY at a call-back rehearsal for "Miss Saigon," only to be sent home....and then called back to sing AGAIN!  I didn't eat a thing all day, except for the protein shake after my run, until 6:00 PM.....

I'M BACK!!!  Maybe.  I spent almost all of last week flat on my back in bed with that horrible lower back pain - YUCK!  By Friday afternoon, it had finally begun to improve, so that Saturday I was able to get up and out of the house for the first time in seven days.  Today, since I could drive again, I went to the gym with the intention of giving the elliptical a try.  I did my 20 minute HIIT, then thought I'd walk on the treadmill a bit.  After a few minutes, I decided to run - but only a mile.  I started out nice and slow, at 5 MPH, and gradually added speed every tenth of a mile.  That mile turned into two, then a final half mile sprint!  It felt SO GOOD to run again - I almost cried!  Now hopefully I haven't jumped the gun.  I have to go see my doctor at 2:00 to get the results of last week's MRI.  I sure hope we can nail down exactly what is happening here - this is the fourth or fifth "episode" in ten months.  I'm beginning to feel a little hypo-chondriacal.  :D

Yesterday I went in to the doctor to get the results of my MRI.  I guess I'm not a hypochondriac after all, since they found a very large disk extrusion in my lumbar spine.  No wonder I've been so "uncomfortable."  I left his office and had a good, hard-but-short cry on the way home.  I thought about all the goals that I had set that may or may not be possible now.    And then I got over it, because I really don't like being sad - happy is so much more fun!  Now that I've had time to do a little more research, I'm thinking that there may be more I can do for myself than I originally thought.  So bring on the spinal decompression!  I'm ready to go!

I began my day by doing an abbreviated version of my P90X back routine, carefully avoiding those exercises that might strain the back.  I was going to do ab-ripperX, but I ran out of time, and figured it might be too soon.  I still am experiencing some pain, but it's not unbearable.  This evening I went to the gym and did more treadmill work.  I walked 2 tenths of a mile, then started running at 5MPH, gradually increasing to 9 MPH.  I finished it off with a 1/10th mile walk, for a total of 3.1 miles.  It felt great!  I may try the street tomorrow.  I just want to be careful not to let this back/nerve thing flare up again.

I ran with my daughter this morning.  We did five miles in 54:55.  I feel frustrated that I can't do more.

This evening I went to the rec center and did a little something.  I tried to warm up on the elliptical (without arms) but it drove me crazy, so I switched to the treadmill and did the same run as I did on Tuesday.  Then I followed it up with a little more elliptical, some stationary biking, an ab workout, and some stretching.  Ben went running with my Physical Therapist this morning, and he told Ben that he should be very concerned about my "condition," and get some treatment going right away before I kill the nerves and cause serious damage or something.  Hmmmm....I wonder where I'm going to get the money and the time to take care of it.  Mostly the money.  Bad timing.  :(

I tried to do P90X Core Synergistics today, but after some alterations, I only got in about 30 minutes. Hmmm....

I went running with some friends and family this morning.  I stayed with Britnee and Elijah, and we did 9.15 miles in 1:35:36.  Nice and easy.  My PT was there, and we discussed options for my treatment.  He told me that if I wanted to continue running for the rest of my life, I needed to deal with this now, and will have to take 6 weeks off from running and most other forms of exercise.  Such a major bummer!  So I will have to cancel my 1/2 marathon next month, and will be WAY behind on my training goals for the Ogden Marathon in May.  Ah, well.  Such is life.  Better to take it easy today and get to play later than to play now and pay for the rest of my life.  I just might sneak another run or two in before I begin my decompression treatment, though!  Shhhh.....  :D

Ben and I went for a six mile walk today to deliver Christmas cookies...I guess that is worth documenting!  :D

I did my abbreviated version of P90X legs today, and even tacked on some ab-ripper.  I was planning to go water-running at the pool this evening, but had unexpected company and ended up at home instead.  Tomorrow I start my decompression treatment.  :S

Well, technically it wasn't a run...I spent 22 minutes on the "elliptical edge" machine at the gym.  It said I went a mile and burned around 60 calories, but I think it LIES!!!  I was totally out of breath and sweating like a race horse!  But absolutely NO impact or twisting, so it's an approved exercise.  Then I spent another 20 minutes on the stationary bike.  I already miss real running. 

Today was the first of my 20 DRX treatments.  They strapped me into a machine that had a harness around my hips and another one around my ribcage, then it pulled my spine apart for 28 minutes with a force of 55 pounds.  It took me a few minutes when I was finished just to be able to stand and walk again!  'Twas an interesting sensation.  Tomorrow I go back for session two.  Eventually they will increase the weight and the time.  Fun, fun!

After voluntarily submitting to another session of torture on "the rack," my PT tells me it's to be 3 months without running...THREE MONTHS!!! I have a marathon in less than FIVE months! Luckily for me, I have discovered the joy of "water running," and so maybe I'll survive after all... :D

So I began today with an early trip to the gym, where I warmed up on that stupidly hard elliptical machine, then did an upper-body workout (chest, shoulders, back, triceps, and biceps) and then spent a few more minutes on the elliptical before I stretched out.  Later on I visited the Pysical Therapists for decompression, had the hard news delivered, and went home to try to figure out what I was going to do about the running.  Then this evening, I tried out a bit of spin class, which I realized after about 20 minutes was going to be a bad idea for my back.  So I switched to the recumbant bike, did another 20 minutes of high intensity spinning, and wrapped it all up with a another mile on the elliptical from hell.  Then Ben and I went to the pool and, for the first time ever, I tried "water running."  Guess what?  It was really FUN!  I sweat like crazy, and felt like just maybe I might be able to continue training for the marathon!  I did 45 minutes of water running, then finished off with a 20 lengths swim.  All in all, I feel much more positive about my workout tonight than I have since the diagnosis.  Yay!

Merry Christmas Eve all you crazy runners!!!  Well, I had to try  to get something done, so I did another 45 minutes of water running today.  Bring on the Christmas candy!

I did a little bit of P90X Core Synergistics this morning.  As usual, I had to modify it so I didn't hurt my back.  It doesn't feel like I get as good a workout that way, but...so it goes.  Then this evening we took the kids to the pool.  We tried out a new location, and they didn't have aqua jogging belts, so I missed out on my 110 minute "run."  :(  At the last minute, I decided to swim a few lengths, but 40 was all I could get in before the pool closed.

After spending Saturday night and Sunday with a nice case of food poisoning, I took the morning off to regain my strength and attempt to rehydrate. Then this evening we took our family back to the Washington Rec Center where I did 30 minutes on the elliptical (NOT as hard as the St. George Rec Center's version) until my feet fell asleep, then I switched to the stationary bike for 30 minutes. After that, I did some leg work...leg presses and hamstring curls, followed up with 3-way calf raises. Then Ben and I drove all the way across town so I could get in my 40 minutes of water running. All in all, not a bad workout for the evening. :D

I got out of bed at 5:00 am so that I could work out before going to the torture chamber.  I did a mile on the elliptical from h**l, then did another 20 minutes on the recumbant bike before I did my ab work and stretched.  I thought about going back to the gym tonight, but decided to stay at home and eat chocolate and cookies all night instead.  It seemed like a good idea at the time.  I'll probably regret it later.  Unless I just stay off the scales for a few more days.  :)

Britnee and I did an upper body workout this morning...chest, shoulders, back, triceps, and biceps.  This evening I did 40 minutes on the elliptical machine and then another 30 minutes on the recumbant bike.  I ran out of time to do my water running.  I'm feeling a little discouraged because I feel like I just can't do anything to really get my heart rate pumping.  Or maybe I'm just discouraged because I've been eating so much chocolate.  What are the odds?

I went for a one-hour power walk with my daughter...