New Obstacle: Migraines

So, I've been having some major migraines lately! Back in '92 I was in a car accident where I hit the windshield, and ever since I've had migraines, but I have always been able to control them by not going outside without sunglasses on, or drinking a lot of water, or eating right. If I had a migraine, I could usually attribute it to breaking one of those rules. But lately, I've been having a migraine everyday despite keeping those rules!

So, last Friday, the 29th of Jan, I made an appointment to see the doctor. She gave me a few more common migraine triggers to look out for: Red dye, Aspartame, and Nitrites found in processed meats. I had been consuming all of those, so I immediately cut them all out of my diet. That day I had a migraine. The next day I was exhausted by noon and I had a migraine. I slept till 4pm, got up and was exhausted again by 8pm! (which is REALLY weird for me since usually if I take a nap at all during the day, I'm up all night!) The next day I had a migraine around noon. I was exhausted again by 1pm and slept till 4pm, got up and was exhausted again by 8pm!

Then, the next day I worked. That night I had the WORST migraine EVER in my life come on! It started about 4pm, and it was so VIOLENT that I was forced to throw up all night long! Sleeping usually is the only thing that stops my migraines, but that night not even sleep helped! I woke up the following morning with the migraine still there, and completely exhausted! I stayed home in the dark that day, but still had a migraine that night.

The next day I stayed home in the dark. I left that afternoon to go see the doctor. She said there are so many triggers to migraines that its hard to say what causes them, but the fact that there has been such a change in their intensity and frequency, she scheduled me for an MRI the following day. That was yesterday. I went in for the MRI where they stuck me in a long skinny tube for 30-45 min, (i napped), and they said the results would come in sometime next week.

Until then, I have a newly filled prescription of oxycodone, which is "okay" to take while nursing, so at least I have some kind of pain reliever this time... up till now all I was taking was tylenol which didn't help at all.

So, as you can see it's been over a week that I've been able to work out due to these migraines... I'm not sure what's going on.... but I'm still determined to continue training to run! I just have to take it one day at a time!

Latin Fusion

So, last Tuesday I decided to try the Latin Fusion class with my friends Kara and Alison. WHAT WAS I THINKING?!!!! LOL Dont get me wrong, it was a lot of fun... but as I tried to follow the instructor who was emphatically teaching us to shake our hips and look "So Sexy, Ladies..." I just couldnt get my body to do what she was asking us to do. She looked sexy and flirty as she danced, I only looked silly and ridiculous. As she showed us how to "shake it" I wondered, "well now how do I get it to STOP shaking!" LOL

Honestly, I had a lot of fun, and really didnt care what I looked like, as long as I was burning calories. It was fun way to increase your heart rate without realizing you were actually working out! The only problem I had was my feet. They both hurt so bad... I couldnt keep my shoes on... I think it was the orthodics I was wearing? I dont know... They wern't even the real orthodics... they were the ones the doctor gave me to wear when working out... Half way through the class I just couldnt take it anymore, and took off my shoes, and finished the rest of the class bare foot. (Why not? I already didnt fit in, Might as well complete the look! LOL)

Anyways, that really worries me. If I cant even get through a class on my feet, how am I going to run??? I need to go back to my doctor again.... There goes another $75 co pay! Sheesh!

I've been in Rehab....

So, after badly spraining the same bad ankle 3 times in a 3 weeks span, I decided I need to stop training and work on strengthening my ankles. So, I've been doing these ankle excercises I learned in physical therapy when I broke my ankle in 2007. I'm still walking a mile a day as well. My plan is to start running in the pool once I can afford a swimsuit that fits me.... all I have are stretched out maternity swimsuits... LOL

Anyways, this setback will keep me from running in the Londons Run, but I will be ready to run in the Pat Tillman run in April! That will be 4.2 miles! So, the journey goes on!

Where Have You Been???

That's what ya'll are probably asking me... I know. Things have been crazy.

What started as my whole family getting hit with the Influenza A flu for a couple weeks, and not being able to work out, turned into a whole month of not working out due to my leg.

In 2007 I broke my right leg so badly I needed a plate and screws to fix it. The more I ran, the more my foot began to ache, and the more I realized I really needed to see my foot doctor before I continued with any more training. I didnt want to re-injure myself...because then I really couldnt reach my goal.

So, I decided to stop running until I could see him. Almost a month later I finally got in! (Dont you just love that about doctors offices?) Anyways, he took x rays right then and there, and said I should be fine to train as long as I took it very slowly. He also said that I had developed "Plantar Fasceiatis" (sp?) which I had never heard of, but apparently is very common. Anyways, he said I needed to be casted for some orthodics, and that after slowly breaking my feet in, I would be able to run with those, and supposedly have no more pain. (whoo hoo!)

I finally have my orthodics now, and have been trying to break them in... but they hurt!!! The doctor said I'm only supposed to wear them an hour more each day until I could handle a full 8 hours with them on, and that until then, I shouldn't do any heavy walking or running with them. So, I'm at about 3 hours now. Hopefully my feet will adjust to them.

In the meantime I'm bound and determined to start my training again!! GO TEAM MAURINE!!!

Because of the missed time, I'm definetly not going to be ready for the 10K by Jan. But I'm planning on running the 5K... or at least I think it was a 5K... I'm going to have to see what other races are offered that day. Regardless, I'm running something... and it's going to happen that day whether they like it or not!

My new plan is to slowly but surely work my way up to a full marathon. I figure I'll run the 5K in Jan, I'll run 4.2 miles in April for the Pat Tillman run, then I'll find some 10K, then a half marathon, and then a full... and whatever else in between!

It's like that song my Miley Cyrus... "It aint about how fast I get there... It aint about what's waiting on the other side... It's the climb!"

Week Three

Elena came home on Friday feeling so sick. We took her to the doctor right away and she tested positive for Influenza A, which is the cousin to the Swine Flu! Because we caught it within the first 48 hours, she was able to take Tamiflu to help her get through it faster. But, Michael caught it from her, and he got really sick. Then I caught it and got really sick. Then Joey, and Evelyn...and Kevin! We were all sick on Sunday and it lasted all week! So this whole week was spent either at the doctors office, or in bed. :(

Thoughts on London's Run

Emails I recieved:

Maurine,
Congratulations on this undertaking. I actually knew London of London's run. Her mom and I swam in highschool together and I was London's brother, Preston's first grade teacher. I have done the run and it's a great low key atmosphere. You will love it. Hang in there. Everyone has a different pace and approach.
Nichol

Hey Maurine!
I hope I"m still considered one of your "good friends" even though I'm not joining you physically on your quest to run that marathon. You know I support you 100% and will be there emotionally, mentally, etc. for you. I saw your blog and noticed you were now doing London's Run. Well, in my last ward in Mesa, the girl I visit taught was London's aunt. She told me all about London and she always does the marathon....of course. Anyway, that's awesome of you to choose that run because of the Sabbath day thing. You are a great example.
love you, Jenn

Week Three

Monday I had planned on hitting the gym hard and sticking with the training schedule I had found online, which called for Walking 2 min, Jogging 5 min 3 times in a row. But things just didnt go right at all that day! Right when I was on my way out the door to the gym, Joey had a blowout in his diaper that required bathing. So, I was late, but still I was going to go. But by the time I got Joey all cleaned up, Mikey was screaming to be fed. So, I fed him. But by the time he was done eating, it was lunch time for Joey. Anyways, the day just went on and on with things that kept me from going to the gym. Instead of accepting defeat, I embraced the change and did two Core workouts that I have on video at home! Take that!

Tuesday the training schedule called for 15 mins of cross training. My plan was to do that 50/50 class for 15 min, but as you can read below I KILLED all 60 mins of it! YEAH! Go Team Maurine! LOL (Sense the sarcasm?)

Wednesday, the training schedule called for walking 2 min, jogging 5 min, 3 times in a row. I have to say I really had to psych myself out for this. I knew from before that running 4 min straight was hard enough, and I wasnt sure if I could do it... BUT I DID! It was really hard, but I did it! I could tell that I had the wind to keep going too, but my SHIN SPLINTS were killer! That's what's hard to get over right now! Every night I ice them and rub them down. I'm told that they just get stronger with time, and I have to just keep pushing through this. We'll see. I was also told that to help strengthen them I should walk on my heels. So, I do that in the gym as well... (I'm sure that's fun to watch: a 200+ pound woman walking around the gym floor on her heels, trying not to fall over! LOL)

Thursday, the training schedule called for extra stretching and strengthening. I stretched really good, and then I hit the weights, working out my legs, back, biceps, triceps, and abs. It was good to not have cardio to do.

Friday, the training schedule called for walking 2 min, jogging 5 min, 3 times in a row again. I, for some reason had such a hard time completing the 5 min! I did it the first time, but the second I couldn't run past 3 min! It was my shins... they were just killing me!

Saturday, the training schedule called for the same thing again: walking 2 min, jogging 5 min, 3 times in a row. I was determined to hit 5 min each time! The first time I hit it, the second time I hit it. The third time I couldn't run past 4 min, but then I kept going and I did it a 4th time and hit the 5 min then! I was proud of myself for pushing myself a little harder. Afterwards, I stretched out and felt really good...like I could still do more.

Since I had a half hour left before I had to pick up Mikey from the child center, I decided to attend the Fitness Yoga class for the first time! I went straight up to the instructor and said, "Hi, I'm Maurine. This is my first time. I'm going to have to leave in half an hour to pick up my baby, but I'm going to do my best to keep up till then." She thanked me for letting her know. I got my mat and took off my shoes, and laid down and followed her directions as best as I could. It was so nice to meditate at the beginning of class and stretch. I was able to do most of the positions, but I could tell I'm really lacking in leg strength. I'd like to do this every Saturday!

Consensus at the end of Week Three: Moe Pain, Moe Gain! (thanks, Beth!)