Now back to your regularly scheduled blog.
Starting Weight: 174
Current Weight: 156
Starting BMI: 27.7
Current BMI: 24.8
A little weight gain, but to be expected. I'm okay with this.
Last week was bleak, I didn't write exactly how much pain I was in here 1. because I didn't want to worry any of you, and 2. because I didn't want to frighten myself. But, as I've said before, by writing this blog I have an obligation to not dazzle you with glitter and magic and really put the reality out there, so the reality is this. I was in A LOT of pain, Saturday, even more Sunday. So much pain in the morning, or after sitting for long periods that I couldn't move my knee without whimpering (and if I'm being truthful, my knee hurt the entire week leading up to the 12, just less so). After a restless nights sleep, or sitting at my desk for too long, I would grab my thigh with one hand, my shin with the other, and bend my knee manually because that didn't hurt quite as bad as letting my muscles and tendons do the work. I texted Amanda for quite awhile, because honestly I didn't know what to expect from myself this week, and I really wanted her to know that there was a possibility I wouldn't be able to run at all... Just walk... I was hoping for the best, but fearing the worst.
Sunday I went and got a knee sleeve (a full elastic brace of sorts) and could tell immediately after putting it on that it would be a huge help while running (although, during the practice jog I knew I shouldn't be running yet). I took Monday off completely, and Tuesday although I should have been doing 4 miles according to the training I only ran 2, and I did so on the treadmill for the extra bounce. The run felt good, but Wednesday my knee was still bothering me when I woke up (not nearly as much, no manual bending) so instead of running 6 miles I opted for rest and VERY LIGHT STRETCHING (I'm talking a few minutes here and there spread out over the whole day). To my surprise I woke up pain free Thursday, and was PUMPED to try for 3 miles that evening on the treadmill, however, 2 miles in my thigh started to get tired. Although there wasn't any pain, I decided to stop at 2 because tired muscles are not reliable and I didn't want to re-injure myself, I've done that enough times to know better. Saturday I woke up feeling so sick (horrible headache, nauseous), I thought I either came down with the stomach bug that has been going around my office, or that I had partied a little to hearty the night before. About an hour into the pain though I realized that no... I just had slept through the warning signs and was in the midst of one of the worst Migraines I've had in awhile.... Awesome... So no running Saturday.
However this morning, I conquered the 8 mile run I should have done yesterday. I ran it cautiously (since it was my first outside run since last week), and pretty slow for me (an average pace of 13.22, which is MUCH slower than I normally run, and I took longer walk breaks than I normally would, but again, I was forcing myself to be cautious), but each mile after the first 4 got progressively faster and I found myself actually laughing during mile 7 because I was so happy it was going so well (seriously, I must have looked like a crazy person, but I don't care). I feel very confident that I can not only finish the 26.2 miles next Sunday, but that I can do so at a decent pace, and with the adrenaline from the race, and the wonderful and amazing Amanda by my side, I know that it's going to be an awesome experience.
So that's that. There are a total of 9 miles of training left in the plan before Sunday, and as long as my knee holds up I will be running each and every one of them. I'm SOOOOO excited to do this, no longer scared, because after this week (knowing that not only am I strong enough to come back after an injury, but I have enough self control not to over-do it), I've got this.
So here is to a week of healthy eating (I have bars and tomato juice for work), plus some extra carbs late in the week, and the longest run of my life (by 6.2 miles!!!!) at the end of it.
So much for not being able to run. :)
Good luck to you this week! See you at the other side of 26.2!