The Magic Mile

Tonight marked the start of a new RunOn class. This time I will be in the Fit for Speed class. I'm nervous about this class since I'm not fast at all. However, after doing some research I decided this would be the best class for me to start building up my endurance and mileage.
Tonight all of the runners got together for our magic mile to place us is in our groups. I ran that mile in 9:12. I know that to some that may seem slow but that was a new PR for me! Last time, about 7 weeks ago, I ran it in 10:23. I'll admit that I'm proud of myself. Now I'm looking forward to this speed class and possibly running a 5k in less than 30 minutes.
In other news, I saw my miracle doctor today. He's proud of my running and hot yoga but he's afraid I'm doing too much. In the next few months I'll be seeing another doctor and figure out my bone density and see how my muscles are doing. (a side effect of most of my medicines are a loss of bone density and muscles mass and since I'm already premenopausal, he definitely wants me to get it checked out).
Lastly, Im really bad about this blogging thing. I really want to track
my progress but I don't want to take the time to do it. There's another go for me to work on.

Hot Chocolate 5/15K

Originally I had planned on running the 15K but 1 week into the training class I came down with bronchitis so I decided to run the 5K.  I've been having a lot of problems with my asthma and allergies for the past two months but it didn't keep me from running.  On Thursday, I saw my doctor and he said "I know that I can't tell you to run on Saturday because I know you'll run anyways.  Just don't push it.  Walk if you need to.  If it's too cold, don't even go."  I said, "Um, yeah, ok.  I'll try."  Friday night I washed my clothes, set up my running outfit by the wall and then watched the news.  Holy. Moly.  They were predicting that by race time the weather would be in the 20's and the windchill in the teens.  Now I know there are people all over the country that say "just wear layers; it is winter by the way."  My response is, It has been incredibly warm.  We've been training it 50-60 degree weather and a few times in the 70's!  I definitely was not prepared to run in the cold.  This morning I woke up at 4:30, got dressed, stepped outside and boy was it cold!  I checked my e-mail and there were weather concerns from the medical director.  I decided that running outside would probably kill me or make me super duper sick so we stayed in.  Boo.  I was really looking forward to eating all that chocolate after the race.  Hopefully next year I'll be able to run in the cold.  

The more research I do on the best places to live with allergies, the more excited I get about leaving Texas.  I love Texas but I also love being outside and not taking 8+ medicines a day just to keep me breathing. 

Buffs

I can't run out in the cold without a mask.  Doctor's orders.  The mask I had wasn't working out for me so I bought two buffs!  The wool one is green and the other one is purple.  They're pretty amazing.

We Ran Together!

For the first time ever, Matthew and I did a run together!  Yay!  We did our 30 minute "easy" run but it didn't feel so easy because of the wind.  We tried to plan our route to go with the wind but it was all over the place.  I am still coughing like crazy!!  I'm just going to have to use my nebulizer before I run.  I'll ask Dr. Gross for help on that next time I see him.  This "winter" weather has been a wee bit bi-polar, even for DFW.
2.3 miles, 30 minutes.  Not the best, but it will do.

Tuesday's Run

On Tuesday I went to Running Club.  I wasn't sure how much I would be able to run (a cold front blew in and it was pretty chilly).  I used my nebulizer before running which was a very smart idea. We were supposed to run 9 min, walk 1 min for 25 minutes.  Coach Melanie forgot that we were supposed to walk and we ran the entire time.  Halfway through, I asked if we were ever going to walk, yep, I'm that student.  Melanie realized that she completely forgot about walking, asked how we were doing, and we all decided that we could keep on truckin' along.  We did about 2 1/4 miles in 25 minutes.  I didn't have a single problem breathing or coughing.  I did wear that crazy mask the entire time and I think that's what helped so much.  I realized that the cold really does affect my muscles.  They are sore today and I did a lot of stretching.  I'm blaming the cold and not my lack of stretching.
I'm glad to be back running.  I was supposed to run tonight but I didn't have time.  Looking forward to tomorrow's run!

Not Off To A Great Start

This year has not been off to a great start at all.  On January 3rd, I did the magic mile to figure out what running group I should be with.  It was really cold and windy and it took me 10:30 to finish.  When I was done, I could barely breathe.  Some of the coaches tried to talk me into doing the 15K class, which I really wanted to do, but I have had such a hard time controlling my asthma that I didn't think that would be the best idea.  I am now in the regular 5k program.  I ran on Thursday, the 5th, felt fine but then got sick over the weekend.  I went to the emergency room on Sunday and was diagnosed with bronchitis.  I've stayed indoors for over a week now and I'm really getting a case of cabin fever.  I plan on going to running on Tuesday and I sure hope I can keep up.  I don't know what I'm going to do if I can't run in the cold.  I might have to invest in that machine that Dr. Gross was talking about.  

I guess in the cold weather I have to take it 1 day at a time and realize that there are days that I just should not run outside.  

Oh, Hi There!

Well, I've been just as bad running as I have been blogging.  School has been crazy and I've had a cold that I haven't been able to get rid of.  Also, I was having a hard time breathing while running in the cold.  I asked Dr. Gross about running in the cold and he said he would love for me to be able to run during any weather.  He suggested I buy a mask type thing to wear to warm up the air I breath and keep my neck and chest warm.  He also suggested some apparatus machine thing in which you wear an actual plastic mask and it warms up the air before you breath in.  I'm going to try to not use that.  I did my a mask thing from REI.  It isn't the most comfortable to run with but it will do.
Yesterday Matthew and I signed up for the next running class that starts on Tuesday.  Yikes!!  I decided to go for a run this morning and it turns out I don't like running in 30 degree weather.  I'm going to need to invest in some warmer running clothes.  I started off fine and felt great but it didn't take long for the mucus to take over.  I ran only a little over a mile (at a 9:45 pace) and then I had to walk.  I couldn't get my breath back.  I might try running again tonight and tomorrow but this time I'll take some Mucinex before I go out and see how that works out.  I definitely don't want to keel over on Tuesday night.  That would be embarrassing!