Dev on Running

I’ve been limiting my runs to fewer than 3 miles and going into each workout with set distances I’ll run and walk.

I’ve been afraid to push too hard and possibly reinjure my ankle.

I’ve been too paranoid.

Today, I decided I’d just run when I felt like running and walk when I felt like walking. I didn’t limit my distance.

And I’m extremely happy with the results.

I started the first mile by walking 0.10 mile and running the rest. I ran the entire second mile (unintentionally) at last year’s marathon training pace (!!!). I walked off and on in the third mile due to side aches. I ran most of the rest of the way with only brief stops to walk.

Times I had to walk because my ankle hurt: NONE.

Amount my ankle swelled up after the run: NONE.

How I felt after finishing this run, realizing that I feel completely normal again and just need to work on my stamina: AMAZING.

It’s so nice to post runs to Daily Mile again. I love tracking my workouts as I train for a race! (If we’re not friends yet, add me, yo!)

It’s so ridiculous to look at the last few months of mileage compared to my final months of marathon training late last year.

I’ll get there again. Can’t wait.

Oops… he did it again.

Aaron busted his left shoulder while mountain biking this weekend. The injury is similar to what he did to his right shoulder two months ago, except much, much worse. “Every ligament is completely torn” is not something you want to hear a doctor say!

We’ll know more (whether he needs surgery or not) when Aaron can get in to see an orthopedic doctor. Either way, it’s so bad that he’s had to cancel his mountain biking trip to Iceland; he planned to leave this Friday and spend all next week touring the country. Super-sad times. : (

Meanwhile, I’m taking my dad to a doctor today to see what the deal is with his back. He’s made vast improvements since I last posted, but he still needs to be cleared by a doc to return to work. (What is it with all my loved ones getting hurt lately? Stop that!)

My injury, on the other hand, is becoming less and less significant in my life… so much so that I’ve decided to register for a comeback race!

I figured that if I commit to running a 5K the weekend before Aaron and I leave for Italy, I’ll have nearly two months to train for it and will feel plenty ready to tackle 3.1 miles. As I looked for a 5K that fell on the weekend of September 22-23, guess which one I found?

It was the very first race I ran in 2010 (33:32)…

…and the race I PR’d at in 2011 (25:04)…

…the Fremont Oktoberfest 5K!

I have no crazy hopes of beating or even coming close to my PR; I’ll simply aim to finish the race without walking or walking as little as possible, and hopefully fall somewhere between my two previous times.

And, of course, stop by the Oktoberfest beer garden afterward to celebrate.

Today, for the first time since my accident…

I ran a mile straight through! HAPPY DANCE!!

I was huffing and puffing by the end of it. I really need to rebuild my stamina, but my ankle didn’t hurt at all, not even afterward!

I actually did two miles of 0.25 running/0.10 walking right before doing the full mile, so today’s total was three miles. I’ve been afraid to push myself to run for more than a half-mile at a time, so I’m just thrilled with doing a FULL one without stopping. AHHHH!!

It feels like such a huge step toward actually racking up mileage again and training for a race. The wheels in my head are turning…

ANYWAY. It’s been a tough week over here. I was only back in Seattle on Monday for a hot second before my brother called and told me that my dad collapsed at work and had to ambulance it to the emergency room. He’s having super-painful back issues. He was able to leave the ER after a few hours, and I immediately went out to his house (kind of in the boonies) and, as the Unemployed Child, have been taking care of him ever since.

As I’m sure many of you know, it is so tough to watch a loved one be in pain and feel helpless. I’m just doing my best to be supportive and dole out prescription narcotics as often as I’m legally allowed. : ) Luckily, he’s making great progress and should be OK within the next week or so, I think.

The upside is that I get to spend lots of time with my dad, and he also has a flat neighborhood with nice sidewalks so that I can run while he naps!

Two more updates:

1. Apparently they do not hire based on the cuteness of interviewees’ outfits. I got the rejection email while I was in Hawaii, so it was hard to be too sad, and it said something like they were worried I might become bored with the position. So perhaps I was saved from having a boring job? Hurrah!

2. I put up the first post about my trip to Hawaii with Aaron on Answering Oliver:

Living in the Hawaiian Jungle (Plus, Where I’m Going Next!)

Oh, and one more thing:

3. Aaron and I are now on The Pinterest. It really is as addicting as everyone says. (Don’t read too much into some of our pins.)