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!

Fired Up 5k- Nov. 2011

Yesterday Matthew and I skipped out on church to run in the Fired Up 5K.  I was worried that I wouldn't be able to run.  Stupid asthma and allergies have been out of control lately.  I don't complain about my asthma when its my fault that its bad (not taking my meds, hanging out in smokey places, playing with animals I shouldn't...)  but this time it was not my fault.  All day Friday and Saturday I was using my nebulizer every 4 hours, taking allergy/sinus medicine every 6 hours, and using my sinus rinse (nedi pot on steroids) every other hour.  Nothing was helping.  I finally decided to bust out the big steroids Saturday night (predinose and the liquid albuterol that I take 1/2 tsp of) and I'm glad I did!  I was actually breathing like a normal person on Sunday morning.

I made the mistake of assuming it would be chilly in the morning, I mean it was November 20.  So I didn't do laundry and all of my shorts were dirty so I wore my capris.  Bad idea.  It was in the low 70's with 90% humidity.  Crazy Texas weather.  I will never get used to Texas weather. 

During the run, the first two miles I ran a 10:07 mile but that last mile was a killer.  It started to sprinkle but the humidity was really bad and I had to walk a minute and ran a lot slower, about an 11:15 min mile.  I finished strong and I was able to sprint on the last leg through the finish line.  I finished in 32 min 20 sec.  I was hoping to finish faster than 31 minutes but the weather plus the asthma didn't help out.    Matthew finished in about 37 minutes.  I'm proud of him.  He really didn't want to join the running club but he did (and he likes it) and he really didn't want to wake up so early Sunday, and he definitely did not want to run in 90% humidity but he did.  He was able to run the entire time.  Way to go Matthew!

We stayed for awards hoping we would win a 5 day trip for four to Hawaii but we didn't win.  The only other awards they were giving out were for the winners for all of the age groups.  We definitely weren't winners.  How in the world can people finish 3.1 miles in less than 20 minutes?  It blows my mind.    There was was 92 year old woman that one for her age division  :)

I want my next class to be a half marathon class but right now all of them start at 5:15am on Tuesday and Thursdays and I would be late to work twice a week and that won't work out.  My next class is just going to focus on more speed work and building up miles.  Hopefully RunOn will get tired of me asking when they'll have an evening half marathon class and decided to get one going soon!