I'm alive, but my butt hurts.

So I haven't posted because I haven't run since 10.18. Just haven't felt like waking up early and at night it is too late. D and I have had some things going on in our lives, so neither of us is really with it at the moment (we are fine...just dealing with life's stresses). So yesterday, he called and said he had his running clothes on so I wouldn't be able to find an excuse when I got home. So after a 75 minute commute (this is longer than my normal 55 minute commute), I got home and put on my running clothes. We decided to go to the gym as it has been getting a bit cold. Mile 1 wasn't terribly exciting. I finished it in 13:11 minutes. Mile 2 wasn't very exciting. I finished it in 12:57 minutes. Whoa! Wait!
My watch must be wrong. I finished it under 13 minutes. That can't be right. Turns out, when I thought I had set the treadmill to 4.6 mph, I had set it to 4.8. So yes, it was right.
Go me! My butt muscles were killing this morning.

In other news, I signed up for the Chomp and Stomp 5K on 11.08. Anne is going to go too.

Time: 26:08 (run)
Mileage: 2 (13:04 min/mile)
Time: 21 (walk)
Mileage: 1.1 (19:05 min/mile)
Calories: 666
Max HR 191
Avg HR 166
In Zone 9:10

Run Like Hell 5K, Drink Like Hell, and then Feel Like Hell!

OK, so Friday night at 11PM our phone rang. D and I were both asleep. The phone was Vic, waiting for us to pick her up from the airport. So off we went and got her. My arm was killing me.

I kept making sure that the left arm is the heart attack arm, because it was my right. But I know why. Friday morning they couldn't find a vein in the top of my hand so they had to put the IV in my arm (elbow bend). So before I was out the electric blood pressure thing was on my other arm going on every minute or so. But it changed somewhere along the way. At 915 I was bitchy and cold and finally got a blanket after waiting a whole 8 minutes. I also noticed my arm hurt every minute or so, sort of like a needle was being driven into my arm. But I had already caused a scene about the blanket that I didn't want to say anything in case they made it worse. So after rolling from side to side a few times for my air passes, the nurse said something was wrong with my blood pressure. She took the blanket off, and the cuff was now below the arm and on my wrist. But anyway...my arm hurt really bad Friday night and there is a nice bruise on it now.

So Vic and I got up and got dressed. It was 55 degrees. I know Anne would be wearing a tank top. I was in a long sleeve shirt as was Vic. We both ended up changing. We left the house at 8 and picked up Anne. She pointed out that the race went by her house, so look for J and C. We got to the cemetery, parked and found registration. After that, V needed coffee, so the people gave her a taste. Literally, she got a Dixie Cup and Anne and I had to look in the cup to see what she had. We put our T-shirts in the car. Then we hung out. D came up to cheer us on. I was very happy to see him and happy he was there. He could have slept another hour before going to work, but he chose to come see us. Yay D!

Vic, Al, and Anne

So the race started. Not a lot of fan fare. We started down MLK. Vic was beside me, talking (she is the most talkative person I know). She passed me, and I tried to keep up before I remembered to run my own pace. We turned on Grant, crossed over Memorial right by the Standard. I thought about a beer. They weren't open. Grant was downhill. We turned on Woodward and then went to Cherokee. It was a bit low hill but nothing much. There was a lady in a green shirt that would pass me. Then she would start walking. Then I would pass her. We crossed over I20 and passed the pizza place. Running down Cherokee...more downhill. I passed the 2 mile marker...I looked at my watch and it said 10 minutes. Obviously I had not gone 2 miles. People started passing me going the other way. Still running my own race, but knowing the course started bugging me...there were some hills I had to deal with...Drawn out hills...do I like steep or drawn out...not sure. Turned onto Bass. That was a steep hill. I got through 2 blocks and then had to walk. I couldn't get air into my lungs. I noticed while I was debating running or walking, no one besides me was running. I walked. We got to the top of the hill and turned. I resumed running. J and C were on their front porch. They waved and said "Go Allison." Everyone was looking around. It felt great to have a cheering section.

Turned again and noticed a line. Water station? Yes, and there was no water. I was fine with that. Back up Cherokee, and up the drawn out hill. I past the 2 mile marker at 27 minutes... I got up to the intersection before the pizza place and felt really tired. And my arm was aching, killing. To the point, I had it tucked in my side. I finally decided to walk again. I didn't lollygag though, and passed 3 people while walking. I got back to the I20 bridge and started running. Back across Memorial and turned onto MLK to head back into the cemetery. That green shirt lady passed me again (this was about the 5th time). I was tired. We were still on a hill. The volunteer told me to turn and run to the belltower. I started running a little harder, and I saw D. He was waiting at the belltower and took a picture.

My neighbors all screamed, "Go Allison!" I know they run sub-20 minute 5Ks so it made me happy they waited for me. I was pointed to go down a hill and it would be done. I ran and looked to my right, and I seemed to be below another path. I finally turned again, and had another hill. But I got there. And then I saw her...the green shirt lady. She had about 10 yards to go. I had about 15. I BEAT HER!!!!

Me beating the Green Lady

And people with kids, when you cross with a 2 yo, please pick them up so I don't trip over them.

D, Vic and Anne all came and helped me finish my card. I guess the time said 43:25 but I went by my watch which was 43:06. I'm happy with that time. D kissed me bye and left for work. The gals and I went to get water which there was none. D was nice enough to have given me his gatorade so I had that, which was fabulous. We left so we could get water at home.

We dropped Anne off and then we went to the Decatur Beer Fest, and got way too drunk. Becky came with us. Michelle met us afterward. Becky left, and Michelle drove us home. This is where things fall out of my head. I know we watched Sex and the City. I don't remember it ending, and I don't know how I got to bed. I do remember going next door because I had hiccups and I needed peanut butter, and we had none thanks to Guinness's incident.

So 630 came this morning. I tried to get up. I think I was still drunk. D graciously got up and drove Vic to the airport. I love him. I got up 2 hours ago. Becky wanted to do lunch because her purse is at my house. I think Michelle has my sunglasses. I am doing dinner with Becky because food isn't my friend right now.

Congratulations, Al! There's nothing wrong with you...

*warning* a lot of this post is about shit, literally.

I weighed yesterday. I had gained .4 pounds
So yesterday I worked from home. I had to fast for 24 hours and my office is full of popcorn eaters. So I wanted no temptations. Hours 1-4 were miserable, but after that it wasn't bad. I avoided the grocery store by going to CVS to get the lovely Mirolax, Ducolax and Gatorade that I needed for my "cocktail."

So 3PM: Take 2 Ducolax. I drank some water and some Gatorade (I think I had 9-20oz bottles yesterday of Gatorade and 6-20 oz bottles of water).
At this point I weighed myself again. Since the morning (on empty stomach) I had lost .2 pounds.

At 5PM, I mixed the Mirolax and 64 oz of Gatorade. I was supposed to drink 8 oz every 15 minutes. I drank 32 oz at 5. At 6, I drank the other 32 oz. And waited.

At 7, still waiting. At 9 still waiting. Finally everything hit me, and I was pretty much up all night using the facilities.

If you ever have this cocktail, you will also need 409, paper towels, a plunger, and at least 1 new roll of TP.

So at 6AM, I got up and weighed myself. I lost .2 pounds. 0.2 FUCKING POUNDS!!! D took me to the hospital for a colonoscopy. At 8:30, I was ready to go. I have no clue how the procedure went. All I remember is being asked about anethestelogy a million times. At 9:15 I was awake, and told I needed to "pass air." Finally D was there and I told him the next "air pass" was not going to be air. I found the restroom, and I'm glad I know my body. D said the restroom was NOT soundproof.

So the doctor came, and told us that everything looked fine despite my colon wasn't completely cleaned out. WTF?!?!?! An entire bottle of Mirolax and I'm not empty. Anyway, I have no cysts, tumors, polyps or anything else. I get to go see the doctor next week to swallow a camera pill. I am still saying they won't find anything.

So D took me to get a milkshake while he had a bagel (I wasn't allowed one). Then we went to buy Kraft Mac and Cheese. Came home, and found Guinness has thumbs! She took the peanut butter off the coffee table (isn't that where you keep it?) , took off the cap, stuck her snout in the jar and licked it clean. I would blame Po, but guess who has peanut breath. D shook his head, made sure I was comfy, and he left for work.

He gets home tonight, and gets to pick up Vic from the airport at 11PM. He is trying to put on a good face about it. (I'm not allowed to drive until tomorrow). Tomorrow, Anne, Vic and I are running the Run Like Hell 5K. D is going to watch until he has to go to work at 10, so he'll get to see Anne and Vic cross the finish. (D has inventory at his store, so he has crazy hours right now...I'm still shocked they "allowed" him off work to take me to the hospital).

Afterward, Vic and I are going to the Decatur Beer Festival. (Anne didn't want to go).

New Day of Running in the Hood

Porter

So I got home yesterday, and told Guinness that we were going on a 'hood run. She was either really excited by this or really had to go outside to do her business. Anyway, I leashed her and Porter, changed clothes, and off we went for our warm-up walk, and the "do your business" walk.
12 minutes later, we dropped Po off and were off.

Down the hill and up another one. We waved (well I did) to our neighbor. We went down the hill and to the end of the development before going up another hill. And another. Did our loop (this is point F from previous post). Dying. But I told G-dog we were still on. Passed 2 other neighbors who said, "Go! Go! Go!" That got me to the dog lady's house (Point G). The next block, I heard "You can be anything you want, it doesn't matter what race you are!" from a little girl to an older boy. Another little boy raced me on his bike (he won). Guinness saw a squirrel and we chased that. At Point N, there were 3 guys sitting outside their house. It looked like a scene from Friday (the movie). It made me giggle, which caused me to breathe, which REALLY made me think of Friday. Their house was midway on a hill. So when I came back down the hill, it didn't help that I breathed incorrectly right in front of them, had to stop and hack up a lung. Timing is everything.

The rest of the run was pretty uneventful. I finished 2+ minutes faster than I did on Saturday, which made me happy. I also was dead when I got home, and Porter and I didn't go on a cool-down walk. I did stretched for 10 minutes.

In other news, our Furminator came. Guinness doesn't like it. Porter likes it on her butt. The hair it took off of her in 40 minutes was astounding (I won't share the picture).

Time: 48:43 (run)
Mileage: 3.14 (15:311 min/mile)
Time: 12:00 (walk)
Mileage: .25 (48:40 min/mile)
Calories: 800
Max HR 186
Avg HR 156
In Zone 11:00

Yay me!

So Guinness and I went on a run. I didn't want to go. I've been getting worried about my 5K next week, and besides the hills, I'm fatter, and slower, I don't know why I'm having trouble grasping the 5K.

Anyway, we decided to go running in the neighborhood. We took Porter with us for a warm up .25 mile walk and they both did their business. Then we dropped Po at home. I wanted to stay home too, but Guinness was acting nuts so off for a run.

The first part of the run (A-D and right where the Finish sign is --that's a turn) was rather pleasant and that consists of 2 hard hills. After the turn we went up another hill and it seemed to kill me. What was worse is at F I had to make a loop and then go back up the same hill. We kept going though. G-J was pretty easy. I took a picture at J to show you all the prison.


Obviously this isn't the main building, which is beautiful especially at night (no I'm not being sarcastic; it really is). The stretch from M to S back to G was pretty hard. The hills weren't long, or steep but I didn't want to do them. I don't think it helped that at M I heard a gunshot and at N I heard another one. I tried to play it off in my mind that it was a car backfiring, but police sirens were soon heard. I never saw the police though. Back at F, Guinness and I saw Mecca (the blue house in the background). (This is also the hill that going up twice killed me).


And finally we were home. I took Porter for my post run cooldown of another .75 miles.

My time wasn't fantastic, but I feel good about the run. I have decided the time doesn't matter on the Run Like Hell. Anne and Vic will be there waiting for me at the end. And I'll have finished. I know I can run 3 hilly miles without stopping. So yay me.

Oh the scale moved down, like 1 pound this week. Good things I did...ate less rice, more fruit, less ice cream. Bad things...little journaling, less exercise.

Time: 50:50 (run)
Mileage: 3.14 (16:11 min/mile)
Time: 35:23walk
Mileage: 1 (35:23 min/mile)
Calories: 1052
Max HR 188
Avg HR 160
In Zone 22:18

Mostly about Gus Frerotte

So the doctor called me yesterday. Yes, the doctor, not the office, not the assistant. Scared the bejeesus out of me. Anyway she called to tell me that I don't have appendicitis and now I get to come in for more fun tests. I get to go to the Hospital for the procedure. I forgot to ask if I'll be put out. Doug wanted to know. Last time, I was put out, I woke up and told him that Gus Frerotte was hot. At the time GF was a backup QB on the Dolphins. I've never watched the Dolphins. The last time I watched GF was when he made Pro-Bowl for the 'Skins. So where this came from, who knows. But D made sure to point out to me that he is now the QB for the Vikings. And he makes sure to tell me everytime we turn on the Vikings (we have NFL Ticket).

Gus Frerotte

I talked to Blue Shield today. Not about all of this, but about my eyes. It seems that visiting an MD for your eyes and getting plugs put it your tear ducts only counts as half a medical procedure. The lady at BS couldn't even figure out why half the claim was denied (the new patient was denied, the tear ducts weren't, and the doctor wrote off 2 things). So we'll see.

I think we are lifting today. If not we'll start next Monday.

I have had 1 ice cream bar since Friday. We have had fruit and Cool Whip for dessert. Oh and D had never had Nutella. This was his new find yesterday because a case of it was sold at his work, but somehow a jar managed to slip away. Anyway, I already know the stuff is evil (190 Cal for 2 TBSP). But it didn't prevent me from dunking my finger in it for a taste. The stuff must get hidden.

Tomorrow I will resume running. It is pouring out.

Quick update

I got to the GI doc at 10:15 for my 10:30 appointment yesterday. At 11:15 they finally took me back. She pressed around my side, I said ouch, and then...

DR- Al, you need a CT scan, because I think it is your appendix.
AL (not comprehending)-ok, when do you want me to come in
DR- um, hold on, the nurse will be in a second with the directions.
AL- Directions? You mean appointment?
DR- No. I hope you have nothing else to do today. I'm going to make sure radiololgy can fit you in.

So luckily all my doctors are at Pill Hill (collection of 3 hospitals and medical buildings galore). So I only had to go across the street (but still had to pay for another place for parking). I got there and immediately had to down a barium milkshake (how many points is that, anyone, anyone).
Then I read Modern Bride, Gourmet, and Better Homes and Gardens. After 2 hours (they told me the milkshake thing would be 2 hours), they called me back to another room, where I got another milkshake and got to watch One Life to Live. How much Botox does Dorian have? She looks younger than the last time I watched 11 years ago! Finally they took me to the CT room, and did the CT. Then I got to get up and go pay. I did ask if I was ok...I mean, are you just going to send someone home if they have appendicitis. So I'm not supposed to know I'm fine, but the tech told me in so many words that I'm fine.

Then I got to pay. The lady asked me how much I wanted to put down. I was figuring she was talking about my copay. So I said $20. She asked if I wanted to put anything else down. So I asked how much my bill was. She said it was over $5000, to which I busted out laughing. I never did get out of her if that was with or without insurance. So I put down a whopping $50. The lady was laughing with me, because she said she would send me the rest of the bill. I told her she would be able to hear me laugh when I got it. (I told her it would be a payment plan thing). Even with insurance it will be over $1K.

So finally at 4PM I got to go home. A little freaked and very tired. Needless to say, I didn't go lift weights (yesterday D and I were going to start that) or run this morning. All the pressing on my side is making it hurt a lot, so I'm going to take a muscle relaxer and go back to bed.

Weekend is done!

Boo to that.

So I did not bike this weekend? Why you ask? I made my goals on Friday without thinking about the fact D was going to be off all weekend. So we took a walk instead. Still 200 calories burned. So I'm fine with my substitution.

OK, so the economy is sucking (I know, where have I been)? We went to Whole Paycheck after our bfast date yesterday. I have for a year told D that the prices in produce rival Kroger's, and we needed mirin, miso and Swiss Chard, so we went (because we KNOW Kroger won't sell any of that).
OMG! Cilantro last year was $0.79 and now it is $1.69. Cauliflower and Broccoli were both $3.99!
We got the Swiss Chard and the Miso, decided to use rice vinegar (or wine) to replace the mirin, and called it a day at Whole Paycheck. We continued our journey to Kroger. Cauliflower and Broccoli were both $1.99 and cilantro was $0.89. They had Swiss Chard, but not mirin or Miso.
D made perverted acts with the carrot, that caused me to call him a pervert and the produce man to shake his head at us.

Kroger has stopped selling garam masala. This was a pissy thing for me because I have not been happy with the place in the past few weeks. I believe they are getting to be more and more like the Kroger. First the meat police chase me around the store and now this. I know they used to sell the gm because that is where I got it. So the rest of the trip was pissy for me.

Doc appointment today. In 2.5 hours. Yay.

Run is done!

Time: 43:53 (run)

Mileage: 3 (14:38 min/mile)

Time: 24:04walk

Mileage: 1 (24:04 min/mile)

Calories: 824

Max HR 188

Avg HR 158

In Zone 15:26

So I have gone running and I have gone to the Georgia Tech/Duke game. Both were decent. Mile 1 of the run really sucked. I was going slowly and my feet were shuffling. But I had no side pain and I could breathe pretty deeply. My side still hurts, but it wasn't hindered by the running. Anyway I finished mile 1 at 15:22. Mile 2 was better. I started running the straits faster. It was fartlek time. Well not really. I was wearing a pair of D's shorts. They had no drawstring, so they either fell from my waist to my hips or rode up and I got chub rub. So the straits took my mind off of it.

I had told D that I was going to run 2.5 miles, but in lap 6, I questioned this. WTF? I have a 5K in 2 weeks, and perhaps I should be able to run 3 miles. So when he passed me again in lap 7, I told him I was doing 12. He said ok. He wasn't happy to be out there as his iPod was dead. I have no clue where mine is so I've been running without mine for a few months. I came in at mile 2 at 29:21 (13:59).
Mile 3 I continued my fartleks. I thought about the game and if A was going to bring carrots. I decided she probably wouldn't since no one told her to. I was right. I heard D coming behind me on lap 10, so I sprinted. I shuffled/sprinted the last 2 laps. I came in at 43:53 (14:32). Then D and I did our post walk.

Got home and showered and got ready for the game. Ran to the ATM and to get beer. Met up with Dave at the rib shack and got ribs and a pitcher. Sat there until 10:45 and then walked over to the fraternity and ate our ribs. Then A and J came and we all went to the stadium and watched a rather boring game. Tech seemed lethargic first half. Second half they took control of the game, but it took long enough. Anyway it was a shutout (27-0). After the game, we didn't hang around. I realize why we usually do...traffic. So that took a few minutes, and D and I got home at 4. We've been watching football since.

Tomorrow...bike!

Goals of the weekend

So yesterday after feeling sorry for myself...the GI doc called and said she could see me on Monday. So of course, I've been feeling better since then. It couldn't be the muscle relaxers or anything.

I got home last night and decided I wanted Kung Pao, so D said ok. So we called DAWA and they delivered. They know my voice...Minnie Mouse on helium. I called and got, "Oh hi 123 Main Street. How are puppies?" D calls and he doesn't get that. So they delivered and we ate. I decided I would run today (Friday) but it isn't happening. I'm redlining prints, and falling asleep.

So somewhere between now and Sunday night I will ride my bike, go to the Georgia Tech/Duke game , and run.

Guinness and I did play with the police horses today. They for some reason were strolling the 'hood. They are zone 3 horses and we are zone 6, so I don't know why they were in the hood, but Guinness loved it. She barked, peed, tripped over herself, and generally acted like a fool. And before I came outside, I could tell from her bark, that teeth were showing.

The cops said she was a good guard dog. Little do they know, you pat her head, and she becomes your best friend.

So GO JACKETS! STING 'EM! BZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZ!

Grrr!!!!

So once again I'm up in weight. Gained back what I lost last week.
I'm ready to sue WeWa for something... just not sure what.
Let's see...I increased the water, the fruit, the milk. I got rid of bagels and went to oatmeal.
2 more weeks and I'll say fuck it.

So D and I went to the Thrashers game last night, pre-season. It was free thanks to bossman. All day, I didn't want to go, because my side was hurting. It hurts to breathe in, pee or have a BM. But I went. Last night when we got home, I was in a lot of pain. So much I almost went to the ER, but decided I didn't want to be surrounded with gunshot victims and criminals who have to have a physical before going to jail.

So I woke up every time I moved. I went to my doc this morning. He said I have a spastic colon. Tell me something I don't know. I already know I have IBS...I mean who has 5 freaking BMs a day, normally, besides me? So there was no change there. I peed in a cup. My kidneys are fine. He recommended an Ultrasound, and a call to my GI doctor. I go see her every 2 years for this exact thing and it always takes 4 weeks to get in, and by then the pain is gone. But I call the office only to find out she works for KP, which means I can't see her. So I left a message to see someone else. 6 weeks from now, if I still have the pain, I will go see the doctor. In the meantime, I get to go to an US that I know will prove fruitless (this will be my 9th one in 16 years), they'll determine I don't have Chrohn's or Colitis, and that I still have IBS.
I may not go (it'll be out of pocket if I do go).

Oh, because my side hurt to breathe deeply, I didn't go run. The doctor couldn't explain why I can walk faster than I run. He also couldn't explain why I can't lose weight, except maybe the Prozac that I have been on for 21 years (I got every imaginable test last year for the weight thing).

And the icing on the cake...mmm cake... the medicine that I take is having production issues, so the only medicine they can prescribe is one that causes drowsiness.

I might say f-it this afternoon, suck it up and run. I would go get a beer, but from experience, that will hurt quite a lot.

I'm thinking I might start Slim Fast. At least then, my bitchiness can be attributed to something, like starving to death.
-----------------------------

OK for real, what am I going to do. But FF Coolwhip and fruit. That will serve as my dessert instead of an ice cream bar. That is what I will give up this week.