Terry's Marathon training thread (Comments welcome)

[geetey]

While I have been posting on the WISH boards for quite a while, I haven't ever ventured over to the Journals. Nice place here!

I am starting this journal because I feel like I need a place to put my thoughts out there, as I train for this half marathon, and I don't want to bog down the marathon training thread.

Let's see... a few things about myself
1. We moved to STL from Nashville in July. While I was *really* motivated to get everything unpacked, I have definitely lost my momentum. I worked my tail off for 3 weeks and the house is 'basically' done - just odd boxes here and there and decorating to do. I hate decorating. Probably because I have no idea what I am doing!
2. Right before our move to STL, I was diagnosed with Multiple Sclerosis. Bleck! What the heck?? Hind sight, which is of course 20-20, shows me that I had my first exacerbation in March 2000. 2nd major flairup occurred as we were closing our lives in TN. Gee - think stress has any affect on our bodies?!? The MS itself I can handle. It is the treatment I am having difficulty with. I get my weekly injection on Sundays. It takes until Thursday to feel completely 100% again. Hopefully I won't be battling these side effects long!
3. Weight. Let's just say that 3000 milligrams of IV steriods over a 3 day period doesn't help a person trying to *lose* weight. A 21 pound weight gain in a week isn't normal but it won't go away now! Shoo, pounds, shoo! Where is that blasted Whoosh Fairy?? Oops. That probably won't get her to come and help me.
4. Weighing most heavily on my mind... THE HALF MARATHON!!!! ACK!! I need to get my tail in gear. I have a training plan I am following, but, boy, oh boy, am I disappointed in my progress! I tried to walk 3 miles outside today and had to stop because I started having an asthma attack. Back to the treadmill for me, despite it being soooooooooooo boring! I hope I'm not expecting too much from myself.

Well, I feel better getting this all out. Happy Friday!

Tomorrow:

• walk 30 minutes per plan
• drink more water!

 

[wilderness01]

Welcome. I hope your asthma settles down. Try and keep the stress down, easier said than done I know since its not good for the MS nor weight loss. Good luck with training.

 

[geetey]

Thanks for the welcome and warm wishes, Wilderness! I appreciate it.

Today I did my 30+ on the treadmill. I need to find something for my calves. I get into a good stride as I am walking but my calves start locking up and making things quite painful! I won't be able to walk 13.2 miles with that constant!

I am happy to report that when I walked today, my hips and legs didn't get numb. I only noticed a little tingling in the hip region after the cooldown, during stretches. That's awesome!! Maybe this MS is going to let me do this half marathon thing!

I need to drink even MORE water. I guess it may be time to look for another pair of walking shoes, as well.

This evening I get my next injection. I am really not looking forward to it. My dh has to give it to me since my sister (nurse) can't make it over. I still have a huge bruise from last week's shot! Hopefully tomorrow won't be as bad as last Monday. DH stayed home from work, the side effects were that bad. Little by little, I am sure I will get accustomed to this. That, or I will start investing in Tylenol and Advil stock.

 

[Princess Michelle]

Hi Terry! Welcome to the journal board.

You sure have been through a lot in the last few months! It sounds like you have a great attitude and have been handling everything really well. I love taking my walks outside and totally agree that the treadmill gets a tad boring after awhile. I'm sorry that your asthma has bothered you and kept you from the great outdoors. Until you are able to go back is it possible to watch tv while on the treadmill? Something to kind of take away from the dullness level? I'd suggest listening to music but even that doesn't help me too much when I'm on the treadmill because my eyes still see the wall in front of me. LOL For your calves you can do raises to help strengthen them. Stand on a step (front step of your house will do) with all but the back of your heels on the step. Slowly raise yourself up onto the balls of your feet, hold five seconds then lower yourself back to the start position. This is a great calve exercise. I hope you get to feeling better soon!

 

[geetey]

Great idea, Michelle! I hadn't thought of trying to strengthen my calves more - quite the opposite. That may be just the ticket, however. I will try some of those this evening!

Our treadmill is buried in a room (post move chaos), so I am happy that I was able to dig out enough space to get to it and plug it in. It will be awhile before I can even move it somewhere to be able to see a tv! I do have the radio in there, but my view is less than stellar. hee hee I see boxes, a twin mattress, window cross hatch inserts, shelving... some fun stuff!

 

[geetey]

Checking in.... my injection hurt really badly last night. DH thinks he might have gone too low on my leg so there wasn't enough muscle. IM's stink! Side effects are manageable today. I think I have slept through the worst of them. DH even woke me up during the night to take more advil. Poor guy - so worried, but so thoughtful.

Today is a schedule day of rest, so I am taking it. I like these days! Tomorrow it is back to training!

 

[geetey]

Finished my training for the day. Woo hoo! I tried something new (after reading more of Marathoning for Mortals) and strapped on the heart rate monitor. John is right! As a newbie, I was training too hard. I slowly my pace and worked at the 70% max heart rate. Hopefully I am training my body for endurance and to use my fat stores as energy (as the book states) so I can go the distance in January!

Gotta drink more water. Ugh - definitely my downfall lately. I feel the need for caffeine so I opt for Dt Coke instead.

 

[DoeWDW]

Terry, welcome to the WISH Journal board!! You're right - we're a very friendly and supportive bunch!! Glad to have you join us!

I've just recommitted to my half marathon training. Yesterday was 2 miles and today is a rest day. I walk 2 miles Wed., 2 miles Thurs. and 3 miles on Saturday. Are you doing something similar?

Best wishes for your training. I know I'll be taking my albuterol inhaler BEFORE I walk outside soon. One of my asthma triggers is cold air! Taking it prior to exercise can prevent an attack for me. Don't know if that would work for you.

Might be time to spruce up that treadmill space! I know you've got lots of "stuff" in that room, but you can usually pick up a nice poster or 2 for next to nothing at KMart, Spencer's, etc. I prefer a nice beach scene with palm trees, sand and very blue water, but there are lots of choices out there. If you're going to spend time there, you may as well invest $5-$10 to make it more interesting!

Hope you have a fabulous Tuesday!!

 

[geetey]

Hello Hello and Happy Thursday!

It is a glorious day because I walked *four* miles at the park today AND the Cardinals are playing in game 7 of the playoffs! WOO HOO!! GO CARDS!!! So, today was the long distance endurance part of my training schedule. While I had a lot of tightness in my calves, things definitely got looser as we walked. Whew! Michelle & I shared a Clif Bar - Black Cherry Almond @ the 2.5 mile mark. Not too bad. I definitely think the bar helped. I continued on at a good pace with no fatigue. Go ME! :jumping4:

Doreen, you are right. I *definitely* need to get that treadmill room cleared out. My dh needs to move those empty electronic boxes away and to their final resting place (he always saves the boxes ). That will make a big difference for those rainy days. I am following a training schedule similiar to the one Amanda posted. In fact, I added my schedule to her thread, just in case someone wanted one with more cross training. My schedule comes from John Bingham in his book, Marathoning for Mortals. The book is excellent! He was 45 and overweight when he did his first marathon and he is passing on all of the tricks to the readers. I am confident his plan will work.

We found a great path to walk/train on. Supposedly the complete trail is over 13 miles but it isn't all marked yet. As long as it isn't pouring, I think this will be my training spot until the marathon.

I wonder if it is a good idea to take an advil 'just in case' for those aches and pains that are sure to arrive? Tomorrow is a rest day. The kids don't have school. WOO HOO! We are sleeping in!!!!!!!

GO CARDS!!!

 

[Strings]

Terry,

I just wanted to welcome you to the Wish journals. I have to say I am impressed with your training routine. Do you do adequate stretching. It may help with the cramping. Since you are training for the marathon, maybe a poster of WDW would work for inspiration?
Keep up the great work.

Beth

 

[geetey]

Hi Beth! Thanks for stopping by! Wow - this Journal board is very friendly! Can I offer you a beverage?

I have been stretching after each training session. I think I might need to focus some additional time on my legs, especially my calves. They are fine today - after I took an advil this morning. Of course, the extra pounds I am carrying through all of this training certainly isn't helping my legs!

It was a day of rest today. Well, at least rest from training! I feel good and ready to do my walking tomorrow, so I take that as a good sign. I feel very dedicated to this marathon training - perhaps I should take the time to focus on my weight as well. I started this process thinking I would let my weight take care of itself throughout the training (thought process being that I would lose some weight if I continued to eat well, but trained more) but my weight is up! ACK! It sounds like it is time to start counting my food points again.

Today I told someone about my MS. It is the mother of my dd's classmate. They have had a couple of playdates and are on the same volleyball time. I like this lady. She is very nice and welcoming. It is definitely difficult to join a school in the middle grades and fit in. The kids seem to be doing great -- just not a lot of social opportunities for myself. Anyway, the mom is a cardiac nurse, so I figured she wouldn't freak so I told her. She didn't freak. I guess because MS is still new to my life, I don't mind talking about it. Answering the questions helps me see things more clearly. She was very cool about the whole thing, and now understands while I look like crap when I pickup on the kids on Mondays! LOL! MS isn't a dirty secret and I don't feel like treating it like one. Maybe that's why I feel like 'getting it out there'.

Here's to a great weekend and another win by the Cardinals Saturday night!!!!

 

[Strings]

Hi Terry,

MS is definately not a dirty secret. I think it is great that you shared the info with someone. Obviously, she was a good choice. BTW, I'm a cardiac nurse. I hope this leads to you becoming good friends with her.

You are doing great with your training. Please remember that you are gaining muscle. Have you takien measurements? You should try to do that every 2 weeks or monthly. It has kept me motivated when the scale won't budge.

Take care,
Beth

 

[geetey]

BACK!

I missed a couple of days posting on the DIS. I guess I got too caught up in the World Series. Gotta love my Cardinals -- I just wish they had made a better showing in their past 4 games. I am still proud of them for making it to the Series though!

I have been keeping up with my training. I did my walking (40 mins total with warmup & cool-down) and cross-training for 30 mins. Today I did my 5 miles - whew - averaged a 20 minute mile but, oh man, am I sore already! OUCH! I have stretched twice but I can still feel it. I guess I forgot the "slow" part of the walk today.

I went to see my MS doctor Wednesday morning. She says I am doing FA-Boo! Too funny. I don't think I am doing anything out of the ordinary - but I guess she sees all aspects of this disease. She gave the final okay for the half marathon (although she thinks I am crazy! LOL! ) and I have strict instructions to bring pics to the next appointment. She also gave me a prescription for Naproxen 550 mg. Dr Parks says this should help significantly with my headaches after my shots. I hope she is right because I feel a little uncomfortable with a 2x a day pill to pain relief.

Beth, thanks for your support. I *really* appreciate it! You are right - MS is not a dirty secret. Thanks for that affirmation. Cardiac nurse, huh? That is one ROUGH job! God bless you and yours for doing what you do. Nurses are probably one of the most underappreciated jobs around. I love love love my nurse in TN. We all miss Karen, but she has a Nurse Minnie pin to remember us by.

THREE CHEERS for all of the nurses in the world!!

 

[Strings]

Hi Terry,

Great job getting those 5 miles in. I am so glad you doubled checked with your MD about the 1/2 marathon. That is very smart. I have to say that I am VERY impressed with your dedication to exercise. Many people use a chronic disease as an excuse not to exercise. You are a very cool woman.

Keep up the great work,
Beth

 

[geetey]

Is Halloween over yet?!?!

I love this holiday but I *need* to get this candy out the door! Hurry, hurry, hurry!!! Tomorrow shall be the beginning of a sugar purge.

No training today yet. Dr Parks asked me to wait until after my shot to see if exercising helps relief symptoms. My fault, since I told her about trying that last week. I didn't mind trying it last week because I know my advil and tylenol can keep things in check. This week I have to try a new pain med - Napoxen 550 mg. I am very nervous because it is a once every 12 hours pill. 12 hours will be a long time to go, if this new stuff isn't effective. I understand Dr Parks' reasoning. My liver is being stressed by the Avonex and my Pravachol, so it makes sense to keep other stress away, if possible. My numbers were fine before starting the Avonex. Next week, I get it checked again - post Avonex.

V E R Y slow training yesterday. Slow strolling because my legs are SO sore. I have some pain on the back of my left knee and rest is the cure. I went slow slow slow and didn't even track the distance. Tonight will be light as well. I may just do Pilates since that doesn't put any pressure on my legs and it is cross training today.

Thanks for your encouraging words, Beth! You are a real sweetie. I agree with you. It does seem like a lot of people use chronic disease to stop exercising. I don't want to be like that. I would rather someone see me and say, "She has MS? Really???" I think regular exercise is one way to make that happen!

 

[geetey]

Today is a day of rest for me. Whew. I did the 3 mile WATP last night after my injection. Ouch. I can always feel pain near the injection site if I exercise afterwards, but the doc wants to see if it helps minimize some of the side effects.

I have taken my second dose of Naproxen. No body aches anywhere. Still battling a headache but it isn't terrible. I would take 2 tylenol or advil, if I could, but I can't. Perhaps some caffeine will help. I guess I better hurry up and get some water in me then! Gotta finish at least 1 water bottle before a soda.

The 3 mile WATP was tougher than I remember. I guess that what I get for going so long without it! It is time to kick one of the cross training session up to 40 minutes, so 3 mile WATP it shall be for a while.

Anyone know of a candy shelter where they take strays? We have some candy that definitely needs a better home!

Candy Candy
go away
Find someone else's body parts
for a stay.

It was fun
We had a blast
But in this house,
you will not last.

From my stomach
you will not budge,
so go become
someone else's pudge!

 

[Strings]

I had to send tha candy with DH. I won't eat any that is currently in the house. I'm safe this year.

Great job with the 3 mile WATP. I see it in my future too.

Have a good day and stay away from the candy.
Beth

 

[geetey]

CANDY CANDY CANDY! I want some candy!! ACK! I am having some major cravings! This is day two of my sugar purge and OH MAN is it hard! I want some CANDY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Okay, I thought typing that would help me feel better. Not yet. I did my walking today - 40 minutes in the blustery wind. Brrr.... luckily I had a lightweight zippered hoodie on over my shirt. I had on a ball cap as well, but definitely needed the hoodie to keep me warm. It was just right for today's weather. The walk was hard. I tried a new path today and OUCH! The walkway itself was tilted so I was walking on an angle. My left ankle was hurting 20 minutes in, then my right knee started, then my left calf! Sheesh! I guess my leg muscles aren't strong enough to walk at a good pace AND walk on a slant. Last time at that park for quite a while! I AM proud of myself for finishing though! I even went a tad over 40 minutes.

DH came home in a foul mood last night. Work is overwhelming him and he wanted to know I would feel about him quitting, getting a lower job so he could be home more, moving to a different house and cutting back on our lifestyle.



I have always supported my DH - that's why we keep moving around, but really! I mean we *just* moved into this house in July! The thought of having to pack all of this stuff up again makes me feel ill. The thought of all of the rooms we painted here - the work done - telling the kids -



I am not 'about' the house. Or a job title. Or the kind of car a person drives. The clothes. Any of that. I didn't want to move here to begin with! I didn't like this house! I just can't imagine trying to 'undo' all of this. Hmm.... maybe I have just found the reason I want that candy so badly!

We shall see what tonight brings. I really hate for him to be under such stress and working such hours, but part of me feels like... it's his own fault! Corporate America Sucks! Don't let your children go into Accounting!

I believe I shall go try and kill this sugar craving with a Dt Coke! Until later!

 

[toystoryduo]

Terry,

Hi there! Thank you for posting in my journal. It's always nice to hear from new WISH friends.

Way to go with your exercise today! That's great!!

You know.... I understand where you are coming from. My DH absolutely hated his last job. He was so miserable and it showed on his face everyday. His boss used to fax him his jobs each morning at 8:30 a.m. and when our phone rang, you could just see the tension mounting on his face.

I will say some prayers for you and your hubby. If your husband is looking for a part time job where he can make his own hours and get paid daily, let me know. My DH has a part time job in sales and he loves it.

Take good care of you Terry and keep up the good work!

Tracy

 

[Princess Michelle]

Terry, you are doing so great! I love your candy poem! My mom bought me some Dove chocolates (my favorite) today and I ate like 10 of them before I even realized it, they just kept popping into my mouth! Evil, evil stuff! I'm not even a big candy person but she is so she buys my favorite "for me" so she can somehow justify eating it herself. I think I will send her your candy poem.

I hope that everything works out alright for your family and that your husband will make the right decision, I will be praying for you.