Good to be at 10!

Running ten miles on Saturday went pretty good. Thank God for that! It was a little warmer than normal and I it was a nice day to be outside. I think my theory holds true of how it helped to run to the trail and have to only run 8 miles there as opposed to running all 10 there. It is easing me back into where I want to be distance wise on the trail. I think its hard to run to mile marker 7 and then one day go all the way to mile marker 8.5. It helps me to have it happen gradually and this is what I did this wknd. I did get pretty tired toward the end of it all. At mile 9 I saw Matt and I stopped and talked to him for a little bit. Then I finished out the last mile pretty strong. My legs havent hurt too bad but I am a little worried about a pain in my knee that seems to come and go. I am just glad I saw what ten looked like and remembered that I could actually do it.

legs and stuff

I have noticed recently that my legs have felt and looked rather strong. It is a new thing and quite enjoyable. And thats where it ends. My arms are incredibly weak and after babysitting 5 mos old Ari and 2 year old Benjamin for one night my arms hurt just from holding them. The rest of me isnt anywhere on par with my legs. This affects my running I think in a negative way. I think if I was overally fit then my running would improve. This is another issue that I had wanted to overcome before my 2nd half marathon. And yet now, 23 days, I am not going to be able to change anything now. Last night's 4 miles went rather well, but it was only 4 miles. It was less than 1/3 of the race. This wknd is bringing upon a 10 miler. I need to do well to prove to myself I can even finish the half marathon!!

Today is also Annette's 50th birthday. Big day for her as shes been preparing for months so hope all goes well!

not so good 9

I was reading what I wrote for the last time I ran 9 miles for the Vegas Half Marathon. It was a lot better than this run went. The weather wasnt the greatest, but it was cool which I think always helps. Mike said he'd run with me for the first half of it. So we were supposed to go to mile 8 on the trail and then turn around. Well the first 4 miles were okay and then I just crashed. My legs and arms and lips felt tingly and I just couldnt go any further. I turned around before reaching the mike 8 sign. I ate all the energy jelly beans I had and then attempted to run. It was more a of a run/walk method from there until the end. Not good and not a good way to motivate me as the miles go up in nature. I felt horrible and tired and couldnt wait to just sit down. My blood sugar was 78 at the end which probably means it was even lower when I started to not feel that well. I am going to attempt to run 10 on Saturday. I dont know what the issue is. I just thought Id be a pro at this being the second time around and thats just not the case. Hopefully this improves soon so I can feel confident going into the race!

8 and then nothing

Mike and I ran on the track at Ohio State on Sun. I didnt know how it would go as we hadnt ran at all during the week for the most part. Plus with the wedding events and the drinking I was still skeptical. But we got out there and both did rather well. The track is a one mile loop and I ran the whole 8 miles w/out having to stop at all. Everything felt great too, except for the end when I had to go the bathroom really bad. Which is odd b/c that rarely happens and yet it happened last year when we ran on that same track. Anyway I was happy about how it went.

Then today. I was supposed to run 4-5 miles. And it didnt happen. It is cold here now and my muscles are sore and I am just always tired. I just couldnt go. Plus I hate running in the dark and at 645AM it was still pitch black out there. All these reasons caused me not to go and yet there are all stupid excuses which never bothered me last year. It sucks to do so well one day and then fail the next. We'll see how the rest of the weeks go.

7 on C&O

Running has been going a lot better lately. Mike "re-designed" my training plan and it has made a world of difference. On Saturday we ran on the C&O Canal Trail which was gorgeous. A lot more bugs, I saw a creep gray snake, and it was humid, but there was a lot to look at. There were turtles everywhere and the views were very pretty. Next time we'll bring a camera. The beginning was a little rocky but it picked up and the last 5 miles went rather well. I have finally ran more than half way for the 13.1 mile race in Nov! If this keeps up I can continue to feel optimistic. This week will have us running in Columbus so hopefully we can stick to our plan and not get too distracted by everything else we have going on there this wknd!

Not going well

This pictures sorta sums it all up. I just am not doing well with running lately. I dont get how someone can run a half marathon, a ten miler, a 6 miler, and a 5K and still not be able to do it. I was supposed to run 4 miles on Thus and made it probably a half mile down the road and had to turn back due to low blood sugar issues. Then I was to run 7 miles on Sunday and made it about 1 and then quit on Mike. Its just not going well. I am getting cramps I havent had before and I feel worn out all the time. I just really dont feel like I can do it, or even halfway do it. We'll see what happens. Mike is going to re-do my training plan and make some changes. I am just worried that I cant get back to the running regime I was once accustomed to. I feel that I have failed myself and Mike and am just not meant to do this running stuff. Hopefully this is just a setback and it will pick up again soon and the Richmond race will go well. I am just not feeling confident about this lately.

30 Things About My Invisible Illness You May Not Know

This survey has been going around the diabetes blogs I read lately so I thought Id fill one out.

1. The illness I live with is: type 1 diabetes
2. I was diagnosed with it in the year: January 1985. I thought I was three but with this date it appears that I was 2. My father informed me of this when I was like 25 years old.
3. But I had symptoms since: Not too long before.
4. The biggest adjustment I've had to make is: Constantly carrying a glucose monitor with me and wearing an insulin pump.
5. Most people assume: that I have not had diabetes as long as I have.
6. The hardest part about mornings are: Never really knowing what my blood sugar is going to be b/c you never know what could happen during the night.
7. My favorite medical TV show is: House!
8. A gadget I couldn't live without is: my glucose meter and pump.
9. The hardest part about nights are: having to wake up to check my blood sugar on nights where I eat foods that I dont know how it will affect it.
10. Each day I take some pills & vitamins: I take one for blood pressure, iron pills every other day and a vitamin D pill twice a month.
11. Regarding alternative treatments: Insulin is all I want to try as it works!
12. If I had to choose between an invisible illness or visible I would choose: No illnesses!
13. Regarding working and career: Everyone at work knows I have diabetes and since I work in a hospital I feel rather safe most of the time!
14. People would be surprised to know: That this is a constant 24/7 disease where I am always thinking and counting and examining and planning on how to manage it next.
15. The hardest thing to accept about my new reality has been: that I have no memory of what life is like without this disease.
16. Something I never thought I could do with my illness that I did was: run a half marathon.
17. The commercials about my illness: Are always about type 2 which may have the same name but is a completely different illness.
18. Something I really miss doing since I was diagnosed is: Dont know! too little to remember!
19. It was really hard to have to give up: Eating as much pizza as I once did, but not eating that much has helped my A1C level improve!
20. A new hobby I have taken up since my diagnosis is: Reading diabetic blogs.
21. If I could have one day of feeling normal again I would: wow. I cant think of that b/c to me it still seems like a miracle to make happen.
22. My illness has taught me: To always be thinking.
23. One thing people say that gets under my skin is: When they know people who have had complications and assume itll happen to me.
24. But I love it when people: Ask questions that are appropriate and want to see the insulin pump.
25. My favorite motto, scripture, quote that gets me through tough times is: Probably my Dad's attitude when something would go wrong diabetes wise and how he always said it was going to be okay and not to overreact.
26. When someone is diagnosed I'd like to tell them: They can have a normal life.
27. Something that has surprised me about living with an illness is: It is manageable to still be healthy if you do the right things!
28. The nicest thing someone did for me when I wasn't feeling well was: Rub my head.
29. I'm involved with Invisible Illness Week because: We need to raise more awareness to make this disease go away.
30. The fact that you read this list makes me feel: that you wanted to learn more.