10k wrap-up, blisters and the last month
I finished my first 10k which I am quite proud of! Unfortunately I started out at too fast a clip and bonked after 3 miles :( My plan was to run at nice slow 9:50 pace, what actually happened was quite different! I ran out at 8:20 pace with the over-enthusiastic crowd and felt good for a few miles on a massively humid 85 degree evening. I bonked at three miles and walked for about a 12 min pace in the middle mile. Then I felt a bit better, but still defeated by the heat. My body was overheating, I had chills down my back - thank you to my MS... I finished up at around 10:20 for the last two miles for a total of 61:00. I am happy with that, I now have run two races recently and gone out too fast and hit the wall. The heat probably doesn't help.
Now, back to my feet. After a month and a lot of bandages and 2nd skin, they are back to normal. I have adapted my barefoot plan to simply incorporate more minimalist running, stretching and foot massage and exercises to increase foot strength. Foor massage with those spikey little balls rolling under my feet are a miraculous cure for my foot discomfort. Actually reducing the feelings of numbness and tingling.
I purchased a pair of Merrell Barefoot Trail Gloves but they didn't fit right, too big. Returned - but none in my size. I settled on a pair of Vibram FiveFingers Spyridon TLS shoes. They are fun and should increase my barefoot running abilities. There are a full set of exercises I am supposed to do for two weeks before trying any running I will start next week on vacation!
I also bought a new GPS watch - Garmin Forerunner 610 and heart monitor. Still adding to my runs since moving to garminconnect.com instead of nike+ but in the long run I will have a very objective measure of my health based upon course, heart rate and pace. Additionally I am able to increase the effectiveness of my workouts and minimize impact on my legs from running too hard when there is no aerobic benefit. Ie. working in Zone 4 instead of Zone 3 on normal pace runs.
I am in week two of my Hal Higdon half marathon training plan. I had originally subscribed to the iPhone app, but I find I am a lot more comfortable without headphones and my iPhone strapped to my arm - it was mostly the strapped to arm but I disliked.
In any case I am having tons of fun running - and with my new gadgets. Gadgets make the world go round for me, so I've found my motivation and am sticking to it.
Finished three months of Avonex therapy and I can confidently say it is working out better than Rebif so far. The side effects are less noticeable, I'm sure this is due to the smaller weekly dosage. But it is working and no need to change what is working. It is no fun to sit there with a needle and stick it into my quad, but it is short and usually painless - but not always bloodless. I relish the times where the blood boils up out of the puncture because it justifies my hesitation sitting there with the needle poised a few inches above my leg. Then I look at the blood, silently damn it to hell, and wipe it away. Sometimes where there is no pain or blood I am left empty and bitter!
Now, back to my feet. After a month and a lot of bandages and 2nd skin, they are back to normal. I have adapted my barefoot plan to simply incorporate more minimalist running, stretching and foot massage and exercises to increase foot strength. Foor massage with those spikey little balls rolling under my feet are a miraculous cure for my foot discomfort. Actually reducing the feelings of numbness and tingling.
I purchased a pair of Merrell Barefoot Trail Gloves but they didn't fit right, too big. Returned - but none in my size. I settled on a pair of Vibram FiveFingers Spyridon TLS shoes. They are fun and should increase my barefoot running abilities. There are a full set of exercises I am supposed to do for two weeks before trying any running I will start next week on vacation!
I also bought a new GPS watch - Garmin Forerunner 610 and heart monitor. Still adding to my runs since moving to garminconnect.com instead of nike+ but in the long run I will have a very objective measure of my health based upon course, heart rate and pace. Additionally I am able to increase the effectiveness of my workouts and minimize impact on my legs from running too hard when there is no aerobic benefit. Ie. working in Zone 4 instead of Zone 3 on normal pace runs.
I am in week two of my Hal Higdon half marathon training plan. I had originally subscribed to the iPhone app, but I find I am a lot more comfortable without headphones and my iPhone strapped to my arm - it was mostly the strapped to arm but I disliked.
In any case I am having tons of fun running - and with my new gadgets. Gadgets make the world go round for me, so I've found my motivation and am sticking to it.
Finished three months of Avonex therapy and I can confidently say it is working out better than Rebif so far. The side effects are less noticeable, I'm sure this is due to the smaller weekly dosage. But it is working and no need to change what is working. It is no fun to sit there with a needle and stick it into my quad, but it is short and usually painless - but not always bloodless. I relish the times where the blood boils up out of the puncture because it justifies my hesitation sitting there with the needle poised a few inches above my leg. Then I look at the blood, silently damn it to hell, and wipe it away. Sometimes where there is no pain or blood I am left empty and bitter!
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