And the grades are in

I finally have my grade for my last class. Yea! A 4.0 through my whole program while raising twins.  I am glad to be done and now that the grade is settled it might start to feel a bit more finalized.

Last week is over and I feel like I can start to run again. That is the good news. The bad news is now Sara is sick with a fever (again).  I am hoping Danyal doesn't get it, but when I dropped him off at preschool today 4 other kids were out sick with fevers.

On a big note, Danyal has been sleeping in his big boy bed for the last few nights.  Well except one when his doorknob feel off and scared the living daylights out of the poor thing.

Now to get back on track for running. I ran yesterday but my hamstring is feeling tight ever since.  To top it off my bad tendon is feeling a bit off.  It could be the snow or it could be the Cipro they have me on. I hate Cipro due to the the affects it can have on tendons.  I found out about this warning long after I had blown my anterior tibial tendon and had been on a long long does of cipro  for a bug I picked up in Thailand. Hence when she wanted to give it to me this time I said no, but the kidney infection won out.  Due to that (well and kidney stone pain) I basically had no mileage last week. Here is to hoping a day off helps.

Now off to listen to Sara cough a bit more.

Half marathon week 3 and the rolling stones

Week 3 was tough. I did my longest run ever to date at 9 miles and wow.  It tells me I am closer to that 13.1 goal.  The hills were better this week and the easy run have become short :( I was starting to really feel all the improvement.

Then the "flu" hit.  I found out it wasn't the flu.  After being in such severe pain the last few days and unable to almost change Dino's diaper I was in so much pain I finally went to the Dr.  When I am only able to lay in the fetal position you know things are not good, and moms don't get sick days.  The prognosis was what I had figured out, Kidney stones, and kidney infection.  Ugh! Now if you are wondering how I could mistake the flu for kidney stones they mimick each other pretty well.  What tipped me off finally was I felt less nausea and the back pain just got worse.  Both issues have can have the same signs and symptoms - nausea, vomiting, fever, sweats, cramping, pain, fever, muscle aches. Sounds like the flu right? Add in the kidney infection and you have a an exact replica of the flu but with way more pain. 

So today after an x-ray and CT scan we opted for the wait it out.  I have had this issue before and had a lithotripsy done. That is almost more painful than a kidney stone.  Luckily, I have a Dr. who gets how painful these are and will actually give you something more than advil.  As 3 days on advil did nothing for pain.  Now, if you ever wonder what a stone feels like just keep this in mind: I would rather give birth again than have another stone or imagine Freddy Krueger running though your veins and bladder with his fingers out.  That is what it feels like.  And now back to try and find comfort and hoping I will be running by mid-week. This will not sidetrack my training it will just give me a boost. I am already ready to be back out running, when I can stand up :)

Dear flu

Dear flu,

I don't want you and somehow haven't had to deal with you all winter until now. Luckily both the kids are healthy and I hope they stay that way.

Now go away!

Me

Leg lesson learned

Never do intervals and hills on back to back days. My legs are screaming. This will be great as today I get to go see my trainer so I will really hurt tomorrow.  Then two more run days this week.  I am getting there, slowly.  Though I have had fun in the snow I really cannot wait for daylight savings and running outside more

With all of the fresh snow the kids have been having a great time making snow forts and being pulled around on their sleds. Sometimes it it really nice to place like a kids again. Put in the boots and snowpants and get down and make the fort with the kids. I see such a huge difference between how the kids were last winter and how they are this winter.  They are just older.  Since being in school they can semi follow directions (they are still 2 1/2), they can verbalize so much more, and they are finally at a better weight and height where I don't have to be concerned about them being to cold all the time.  When Sara was first born she slept in  room that was 75 degrees plus a heavy sleeper as she had an issue regulating her body temp.  Thank heavens we are long past that stage.

Danyal has been up for way to long already this morning singing "the more we get together" in French.  He was so loud I could hear him down the hall.  Luckily he hasn't woken Sara yet.  It is pretty cute to hear your kid singing at 4am in another language.

1/2 marathon Monday

Today starts week 3 of training. I have to say week 2 was good, better than week one. My 8 mile long run felt amazing as did my other two easy runs. The hills are just that, hills. They have to be done or any course will beat you. I am really getting into the speed/interval training. Pushing myself really hard when I know a recovery is coming helps.

Today stinks due to the snow (so over winter, I want to be running in shorts and tanks) but I get to have lunch with my friend Marathon mom. Yea for sushi!! It is long over due. With kids, training, and school for both of us schedules can be a disaster.

I have a 7k race in 2 weeks and the half marathon in a little less than 8 weeks. I have no idea what my goal time will be for the 7k. I am just hoping it isn't snowing. As for the half marathon anything under 2 1/2 hours will be fine with me! I was really hoping to do the sea wheeze 1/2 but it sold out already. Looks like my other half may have to be Big Sur but I have heard the hills are crazy. As for the making changes with the running here is what I am hoping for this month

• Run 90+ miles this month
• Get my weights in 2x/wk
• Get outside running with other people
• Get outside running!!
• PR my 7K race?
• Increase how much protein I eat (I hate protein)
• Log what I eat to see how it affects my running
• No more pop
• Limit Starbucks to once or twice a week ( I can still make my own every day)
• Work on potty training with Sara still
• And work on getting Danyal into a big boy bed (he wants none of it)

We will see how much of this I can do.  The no pop thing seems to be going away pretty easy.

The end

Today is it.  I am sitting here writing this from my last class.  I have finished my M.A. now I just have to wait for the grade.  The thought of not having to spend hours researching and writing is great, but the problem is I really enjoy it.  It was just so hard to do it with 2 infants who turned into toddlers.  As I sit here I feel nostalgia, relief, a bit of sadness (some people have called me the forever student) and total excitement about being able to use my time to run or play the piano again.  I really do enjoy learning and the stimulation of talking with others about different viewpoints.

I actually felt so much excitement driving here I thought *hmm what if I ran a marathon this fall* Did I really just think that???? My goal was by the time I am 40 to run a marathon.  I will have to play this out and see how my first half marathon goes.

1/2 Marathon Monday

So today started week two of half marathon training. My shins and ankles have been off and I realized my shoes were probably needing to be changed out. I thought I had grabbed a pair of new shoes out of a box last week. Nope. They were old shoes! I am hoping to break these in before the big race, and running in them today felt so much better!  

I am actually pretty excited about a race. It was my first race ever last year (Liz Logelin Foundation) and it was a 5K. I just found out they are offering a 10K so I am going to do that this year. Who have I become that longer races excite me?! I think that is what has been missing all winter is a running goal. I haven't done any races all winter and running has felt blah until now. Now I have goals of the 1/2 marathon, Goldy's 10 mile, and the LLF 10K.

I think the only thing that held my running back from being great this morning was that Sara is teething (3 molars) and coughed for 3 hours last night.  She finally went to sleep and Danyal woke up, twice! Both times he wanted a story.  No buddy, sorry it's nigh-night time.

Now off to finish my final powerpoint! School is almost out!