Wednesday, December 3, 2008

Friends and Enemies

Not to worry, my subject is not nearly as ominous as the title sounds. I was thinking yesterday that there are so many things that make me happy in running and then other things that are driving me crazy.
Friend: Disney! Can't wait, we are very excited and not just for the marathon but for all the super fun things that we are going to do. My children talk about it every day...if we don't see Lightening McQueen or Nemo..there will be trouble :)
Enemy: INJURIES! Most know of my nagging foot injury that put up roadblocks for several weeks during my training. I will not say that there is no pain but lots of massage, physio, orthotics and proper coaching really made a great difference. Sunday I did 35k and the pain was no more than the rest of my body! There is nothing more frustrating than having an injury after you are doing something so great for your body, mind and overall health.
Friend: My new Asics running shoes!
With all my research on how to alleviate my foot pain, it was suggested that I give the Cumulus or Nimbus models a try. LOVE THEM. For the first time, I am really having no foot or heel pain while I run. From a dedicated Nike girl - I am converted.
Enemy: Darkness. This time of year, it is dark - a lot. If I run in the early am it is dark. If I want to run in the evening, I have to go by 4:00 if I still want to be in daylight. Sometimes I don't mind the darkness but I can sometimes get talked into slowing down or walking for safety reasons or because it just seems so late and I am tired (even though it might only be 5:00). Here's to the planet speeding up the rotation process.
Friend: I have discovered a great benefit to running that some people talk about more than others (I am thinking men vrs women). Great Jeans. And no, not the genetic kind.
It is fair to say that I am not walking down any catwalks anytime soon but I enjoy that some of the more jiggly bits are little tighter and firmer. No woman out there can honestly say great jeans don't matter - just admit it. Let's not get crazy though, lots of parts are still a little too big and a lot more jiggly...perhaps I should do another marathon after this to keep working on it?
Enemy: Icy Roads.

For many of you this is not a problem. Here in Canada we have winter so ice can be a nightmare. As long as people clear their walkways and driveways, ice on running routes are not always a problem. However, quite often there are patches and sometimes they sneak up on you. I do hate treadmills but sometimes they are a necessary evil so I don't break my neck.

Friend: Support. This blog and my blogging friends, family members and non running friends who pep me up when I am tired, offer to babysit when Daddy is away. Friends that run really far distances with me when they don't have a race they are training for (thanks Moe/Marci). A great husband who makes sure I get the time I need and gives the green light on YET ANOTHER pair of shoes and kids who drive by with Daddy to cheer me on. Support is vital to success and I could not ask for more.

So there it is. My thoughts for today!

20 comments:

Felice Devine said...

Oh, yes: Icy roads and darkness are enemies here in upstate NY, too.

That's great that you are pain free -- I hope that continues for you!

Mel-2nd Chances said...

Great post and well done having it end with a "friend" rather than an "enemy". I went out for a run at 4:45 last night, a rare darkness run for me, and you're so right -- makes it feel like it's so late, when it's really not. Glad to hear the foot is feeling better

Sonia said...

So happy to read that your foot is doing better. Nagging injuries are really unfair!! Keep it up =)

Kim said...

Shoes can be the sole reason for aches, pains and injury. If you're not in the right shoe, that could be the whole reason.

I LOVE LOVE LOVE my Nimbus. They are a bit more cushiony than the Cumulus. I've had both and know I need the cushion.

Disney is going to be great!

Marlene said...

Great post! I definitely agree on the jeans. ;)

tfh said...

Wonderful post. Although it's hard to believe I have running enemies, it's true that my running life would be better without injury, darkness, and ice. Thanks also for the Asics tip from someone else who has had foot problems but has never owned a pair of Asics-- I'll try on a pair next time I'm buying new running shoes.

Prairie Girl said...

what a fantastic post!! I hear you about the dark and icy roads...and hello jeans :) Hope your training continues to go well.

I do have an e-mail address: lace-c@live.com

Would love to correspond about Disney.

Cheers,

Lacey

Aron said...

i LOVE my asics too! i have kayanos though :)

i am not a fan of the darkness either :(

Janice {Run Far} said...

I am not keen on the idea of running in the dark. I tend to run on the treadmill before i go out for a run in the dark... AM or PM. I do run alone and that makes it scary.

Runner Leana said...

Loved your post! I used to be a die hard Nike girl, but now I love my Asics. And yes, love good jeans too. Although, even though I've lost weight I almost wanted to cry when I went jean shopping at Below the Belt the other weekend. Everything was either not the right size or way low cut...

Disney is approaching soon - I can't believe it!

Marci said...

Great post. I am glad that you are feeling OK after your long run Sunday!

Laura said...

I like your blog. I hope you don't mind if I start stopping by.

joyRuN said...

Yeay! Glad your foot's on the mend. Proper shoes ROCK.

Alexandra said...

What a fun post! It's nice to know most runners won't be done in by those enemies but find a way to conquer them!

Great news on running injury free!

RunnerMom said...

Here's hoping your FRIENDS overcome your ENEMIES! I'm so inspired by your training despite all those obstacles.

35K is--- Wow!! (I'm trying to figure it out in miles...21?) That was a big jump from your last long run. I'm glad it turned out ok.

What jeans were pictured? Too cute! I'm an Asics girl, too. NO foot pain (but I don't run your mileage).

Gotta Run..... said...

yeah on the "no foot pain"!!!

Love the post. Ice is never good to run near. be careful. New running shoes ROCK.

Stacey said...

Great post! I love my Asics! Love those jeans too!

Unknown said...

I'm with you on Disney! I'm not a mommy but both of my sisters and sis-in-law have children who adore anything disney. My neice just named her new "elf on a shelf" Disney. Now if I could just figure out how to get a portion of all the cash Disney is bringing in!!

M*J*C said...

Great post! New shoes that don't hurt your feet are TOTALLY your BEST FRIEND!!!

Neese said...

i'm with ya on the jeans!