Running Free: Getting my groove on.......

Monday, February 15, 2010

Getting my groove on.......

I hope you all had a nice Valentines Day. Mine was really special and Matt and I had a great day.

Running has been going well for me. I started taking Fish oil and suddenly my achy, stiff bones feel bendable again. Not a clue if it is the fish oil, but I am going to continue taking it as I don't want to jinx myself. On Friday, Suz and I ran about 15 miles and I felt great. It was one of those days when it all just feels right. Friday's run was followed by a 33 mile run on Saturday with lots of great friends at Mt. Tam. Again, I felt strong. I think I am starting to get my groove on. :) We all know the feeling when you start to feel that you are getting fit and you suddenly feel lighter on your feet. For a few months after my surgery, I felt like I was running flat footed and I could hear my feet slapping the ground. I didn't feel like I was as efficient as I could be. I think I am running more on my mid foot and the foot slap is gone. Thank God for that, it was embarrassing. I think that may translate to more efficient running.

I am excited for Bighorn in June. I am not a good 100 miler. The truth is that I totally suck at running 100 miles. ( I do have a silver buckle from WS, but I felt driven there.) I want to go into BH totally prepared for lot's of climbing and tough terrain. In other words, I want to do my homework before the big test. I want to continue to incorporate quality runs into my weekly workouts and stay focused on getting strong on my long runs. I read a lot of running blogs and it keeps me motivated. I love reading how everyone trains and it inspires me to train when I am just too tired to haul my sorry arse out the door after work. Thanks everyone for pushing me to get stronger and more fit.

"High expectations are the key to everything." Sam Walton (Walmart founder)

10 comments:

Generation X (Slomohusky) said...: Nothing inspires me more than reading your blog as well. Just still amazed as I break thru post HM distances - someone like yourself goes an knocks down 33 miles in one day. That definitely inspires!; February 15, 2010 at 4:50 PM
HEATHERRUNS said...: Love that 'getting your groove on" feeling. Its like you find a new gear. Keep up the good work.. but really, I should call it the good fun- cu thats what it looks like what you are having- FUN!!; February 15, 2010 at 11:31 PM
Jim said...: "Getting in the groove" is exactly how I felt this past weekend running a 50K. I love reading your blog; February 16, 2010 at 4:59 AM
Olga said...: Kel, glad you're in da groove!! I am taking fish oil caps and extra iron and I think it helps. Now if only we could take something to replace sleep...; February 16, 2010 at 6:41 AM
meredith said...: I am so thrilled to read how great you are feeling! I am a little scared but oh so excited to be able to run with you sometime this spring! Are you running Sonoma? I will be there :) I hope you see you soon, and keep getting stronger...those darn 100s are calling us this summer!; February 16, 2010 at 10:51 AM
Sue said...: Kelly you certainly have some inspiring scenery to motivate you on your runs where you live. I can only dream of scenery like that. Best of luck at Bighorn.; February 17, 2010 at 8:57 AM
Drs. Cynthia and David said...: I knew you'd get back your speed. Now if only the rest of us could do so well!

What kind and dose of fish oil are you taking? I would expect it to help, as would dropping the omega-6rich oils (like soybean oil), so I don't think it's your imagination.

Also, I'd like to hear about how you are dealing with your feet and toes as preventive care these days (for blisters, and other injuries as well). Experienced people like you have a wealth of knowledge that us newbies appreciate!

Keep on groovin'!

Cynthia; February 18, 2010 at 4:57 PM
Jen said...: I am going to have to try me some of that fish oil! I actually did take it for awhile and my hair looked shinier. I am so happy that baby got her groove back! Jen; February 19, 2010 at 4:56 PM
Lupe said...: Kelly, I cannot wait to hear all about Big Horn! I'll try to follow it and see where you place! I'll be praying and wishing you well!
I was hoping you were going to run the WS100 because my family volunteers and runs a food station, last year they were at mile 11 or 13. I would have made you special signs to keep you motivated! :)
Glad to hear about the fish oil working. My mother-in-law is a nurse and swears by it! She tells me that since I have Lupus that taking 2 a day is good to keep the inflammation down. But she really recommends some of the better brands that a place like Whole Foods carries, make sure it says something about low or no mercury.
By the way...that is a great picture. Waterfall in the background, no wonder you love running! You run in beautiful places!
Many blessings!; February 22, 2010 at 9:34 PM
institute of lraqi scholars & academician said...: thank you very much; March 13, 2010 at 11:24 PM

Not Even Lupus Can Slow Ridgway

NOT EVEN LUPUS CAN SLOW RIDGWAY Published on June 26, 2004 © 2004- The Press Democrat BYLINE: BRUCE MEADOWS Three years ago when she was diagnosed with lupus, Kelly Ridgway didn't take much time plotting her course. ``I figured I could lay on the couch and be a drug-seeker for pain or I could choose to be as healthy as I can be,'' said Ridgway, 46, an outpatient surgery nurse at Santa Rosa Memorial Hospital. Ridgway, defying the odds, is entered in the Western States 100 Endurance Run, which starts at the base of Squaw Valley at 5 this morning and ends 100 miles away in Auburn. ``I see people at the hospital in horrible shape because of lupus, but I realized I had a choice how to deal with it,'' Ridgway said. Lupus is a chronic auto-immune disease affecting mainly women. The immune system attacks the body's own tissues as a foreign substance, producing antibodies to fight it. The cause of the disease is unknown although research has shown it occurs when a specific set of susceptible genes is exposed to a combination of environmental factors such as infectious agents, certain drugs, excessive ultraviolet light, physical trauma or emotional stress. Ridgway said she has been a ``serious runner'' for 14 years and has also competed in 50- and 100-mile events on horseback. She started running to get in shape after the last of her three children -- Caleb (18), Chelsea (16) and Courtney (14) -- were born. ``I've found I really love ultras,'' said Ridgway, a single mother who graduated from Montgomery High, then earned a nursing degree from Santa Rosa JC. Dr. Lisa Kremer, Ridgway's rheumatologist said, fatigue is the most universal symptom of lupus. ``For somebody to run 100 miles with an auto-immune disease is incredible.'' Ridgway first experienced flu-like symptoms, then fatigue. ``But when I started having problems with cognitive stuff, I knew there was something more to it.'' She was having trouble doing simple math or even finding her way around town. ``I thought of all sorts of things, including a brain tumor,'' said Ridgway. Ridgway has been training with Santa Rosan Karen Hanke, 42, and Suzanna Bon, 39 of Sonoma. This is the second Western States for Hanke, who finished last year in 29 hours, 47 minutes, running the last 70 miles on severely blistered feet. It is the first Western States for Ridgway and Bon. Because of the glut of applicants -- more than 1,000 annually apply for 400 spots -- runners must not only qualify with an acceptable 50-mile run time but also get lucky by having their name drawn by lot. Bon, whose goal is ``just to finish although I'd love to do it in under 24 hours,'' is impressed with Ridgway's effort. ``Kelly is strong and smart about training,'' said Bon. ``We'll run at our own pace this weekend, not together, but we want to do the best we can.'' Ridgway sees herself as a runner who happens to have lupus. ``My case is relatively minor and medication has really helped,'' said Ridgway, who logs 75 miles a week. ``But I don't know anybody with lupus who runs as much as I do.'' She has bouts of fatigue and deals with them. ``There are days I am really tired and need to come home and rest for a while,'' she said. But this weekend there will no place to rest. ``I'm not the type to quit,'' she said. ``I will persevere.'' Kremer said people with lupus react differently to the disease. ``Some have a real tough time with it and others take it as a challenge,'' said the doctor. ``In general, a disease like lupus provokes self-evaluation ... some patients look at it as a way to straighten out their lives, physically and socially.'' Kremer said most lupus patients with a positive outlook exercise to some degree. ``For them, making an effort is a personal victory.'' Ridgway, who left for Squaw Valley Thursday, has been on the Western States course before, having competed in the Tevis Cup horse race and also working the run the past two years as a medical helper. ``It's beautiful ... I fell in love with the trail,'' she said. ``I'm excited but not nervous.'' Ridgway will be tested following the race to determine how running 100 miles affects a lupus patient. ``I know I am capable of doing this.'' She likes to run, even 100 miles, because it makes her feel healthy and alive. ``Maybe in some ways this will speak to people who are trying to make choices,'' she said. ``You can push ahead and take charge of your life.''