Wednesday, March 26, 2008

When Your Coach Says Hills Are Your Friend, Listen

National Half Marathon, 3/29/08, Ele-freakin-vation Map

This should be fun! Right? RIGHT?

To prepare, I ran 3 miles on Monday, swam 1100 yards on Tuesday, ran 3 miles today, and so far? My #@!@# plantar fasciitis hurts when I'm sitting, and I have a new ache in my right quad.

Coach says:
For the race, start out slow (the hills lie ahead, midway through) and pick up your pace after McMillan Reservoir. Running past it is uphill, but once you crest a slight ridge and start down Michigan Avenue, it is rolling hills. From studying the topographical map, there is a two mile downhill stretch a mere half a mile away; once you take a right onto North Capitol Street the slight downhill grade opens up before you. Go for it if you have energy left. There is still a ways to go, but the high climb in the race is behind you.
Damnit, I'm going to have fun and I'm going to do my best if it's the last thing I do.

11 comments:

ItchyBits said...

Stretch the bad foot (Plantar F.) before you get out of bed in the morning with a yoga strap - and do it before you go to sleep too. Sit on the floor or bed--leg stretched out---loop it around the ball of your foot and gently pull your foot towards you. Do it every day. It helps.

Mike Fox said...

Another thing you may want to do for PF (if you are not doing it already) - freeze a water bottle and roll your arch over the frozen bottle for 10-20 minutes. This will help with the inflammation.

Good luck with the National Half!!!

Rainmaker said...

I don't know anything about how to fix your foot. But I will say that you are going to rock the course this weekend! No worries, be happy!

21stCenturyMom said...

Of course you are and of course you will and you will surprise yourself because that's what you do best. Enjoy!

I've heard that rolling a tennis ball under your afflicted foot also helps PF.

a.maria said...

ummmmmmmmm..... not to be a debbie downer, but... don't do anything that's going to injure your foot more severely. typically a "i hurt but i'm going to do it anyway" mindset brings with it a "FUCK. i shoulda sat that one out, now i'm screwed".

like i said, not to be a debbie downer, but i know 3 or 4 people that had PF last year, didn't do anything about it, and ended up having to stay off it for half the year.

don't be like them!

but good luck. :)

Susan said...

Good luck! Take care of the foot.

Anonymous said...

I say run as if they will be passing out the new Billy Bragg CD at the finish. (Chances are this is a pipe dream, but I'll put one in the mail for ya!)

peter said...

Coach must have been hallucinating to say such a thing, as if he hit that high point at 20 miles. Who's got energy after climbing to the top of that mount? But it's true, when N. Capitol Street opens up before you, let 'er rip coming off the high ground. You're going to do fine.

I forgot about the turkey sausage. Nice edit, thanks.

Judi said...

For the PF, roll your foot on a golfball.

monicac2 said...

I'm sure you'll do great (and I certainly hope so, because I'm similarly underprepared for an upcoming hilly half).

Nancy Toby said...

Running fast along North Capitol won't be hard, because you'll want to get the heck out of those neighborhoods fast.

I think the Connecticut-Columbia stretch should be fun (though uphill), ought to bring back lots of memories of my wilder singler days for me!