I remember before my first half marathon years ago, I was out just running to run with my MRTT running group. I wasn’t signed up for anything but just running to run. It was a weekend run and Janna, a badass runner, asked what I was training for as most were training for a Superhero half. I said nothing. She told me I should sign up with the words, “if you can run 10 miles, you can do a half.”
So I did.
Janna paced me through it including how to run away from someone singing Klingon Opera. I kid you not.
One of my fastest half marathon’s too at 2:09:24
After that it was history.
When I started training for the NYC Half, I thought I would try to train for a 2:45 half. That training plan has come and gone.
Now I just want to finish without injury and with feeling good. The event is in less than a month. As I said in my last post, I am doing the no training plan training plan. Lots of biking. Some elliptical. Some cross training. Very little running and really not enough overall training.
We are getting more snow tomorrow. I needed to get out today for my long run. i wanted to go for 10, but would have settled for 8.
No need to settle.
This is the run I needed. I ran not by pace, but just trying to keep it “easy” and ran entirely by feel.
I stretched and hydrated when I got home.
For my Hypopara peeps……. I have not added any calcium to any training including this one since starting Yorvipath. I will say as a precaution though that I always have some with me.
So if I can run 10….. i believe that I can run 13.
In the meantime, I will keep the training up and fine tune it.
Bib pick-up is secured. Van to start is set up. Talking with friend on how we will take the train home. all is set.
Training has been what it has been. The weather in NJ has not been cooperating for running outside. My garage treadmill has been unreachable due to car in garage. Even the gym has been to packed and treadmills are not always available.
This doesn’t mean that I’ve been doing nothing. It just means that I’ve been doing my own thing. I have a training plan loaded in Training Peaks.
Have I been following it?
Nope.
I’ve been looking at it more as a guide and then doing my own thing.
Today, I wanted to run a real run. I had thought about going outside, but there is still so much snow and ice. The roads and sidewalks are really not that clear. So while warm enough to run outside, I took myself to the gym.
At the gym, I ran into a badass running friend. We got to talking about what we are training for right now. I told her how I had the NYC Half in a month, but wasn’t really following a plan but loosely training. She said she was just talking to another person about the No Training Plan Training Plan.
It hit me…. That’s it.
I know the reason too as I said it to her. Running a half doesn’t scare me anymore. Yes, I need to train and run to finish. That being said; I know that even on days where it will be hard, I pretty much know I will get to the finish line.
Now I’m not saying this to sound like I can show up and finish well or have a pretty race. I just know that for the most part, I will finish. Especially when finish time is no the goal.
I had thought going into this training that I would want to do around 2:45 for this half. I no longer think that is where I will be. Who knows though because I still have a month of training.
Today’s training run was to run 60 minutes straight. No stopping. No walking. Just run and see what happened.
So I did.
We shall see……
I will say though that I am signed up for a July event that will scare me enough to train. It’s only a 10K, but it is a Spartan 10K that I am doing with 2 of my boys and others. That will require a different training. As will a September Sprint triathlon.
I’ve been talking a lot about my pre-training for my October Bethlehem Running Festival races. Pre-training will officially turn into training this week.
What does the week look like now that it’s go time.
4 mile run
5 mile run
4 mile run
7 mile long run
Am I ready for this level of training? I guess we will find out. Here is what I do know……
I am down now over 15 pounds thanks to following WeightWatchers!
I am 100% off all supplements and currently my Yorvipath dosage is keeping my calcium stable. I’ve gone for several runs in the heat, with fast paces, and even shortly before my injection was due without issues. Fingers crossed this keeps up.
I will say that I feel once again like me. I will also say that after Natpara getting pulled once I got used tot his feeling that part of me worries that something similar will happen. Although I don’t think this will get pulled, I think my concern is more about insurance suddenly not approving it. It is nice not to constantly deal with effects of low calcium and have a stable level at 9.6!!!
With that being said, I do feel like I am at a good place to begin this training plan. There are no excuses. If I follow the plan it is on me. If I don’t it is on me as well. As long as my Yorvipath continues to work, I need to do my part.
Last week I’ve been dealing with low calcium symptoms. Nothing major, but knowing that I needed to dial it back a bit.
I skipped a couple workouts. I just couldn’t seem to get to where I should push it. Cramping, muscle spasms and such. Didn’t help that I also forgot my pills at work one day . I was a hot mess.
Muscle spams
Nothing major, but it went on for a bit. Here is the thing, you have to listen to your body. My body was saying slow it down. Besides this close to the haf, it wan’t going to make or break me.
Sunday I went out for my long run. I procrastinated and procrastinated until it was time to go…. I just wasn’t feeling it, but thought it was just that pre run don’t want to go.
So off I went.
Around mile 5 I took a 250 mg calcium. Usually on long runs I do this around mile 6. By mile 6 I decided to take another 250 and my calcitriol as I was feeling tingly fingers. I knew at this point I could no longer push it running, but I really wanted to get the miles in.
So I got them in,
Done in is done and that is all that mattered. I am glad that I got it done and glad I didn’t push it. By time I got home I needed to add some more calcium.
I was toast…. But as someone said
10 miles is 10 miles.
Made sure to rest, recover and take my calcium
Two days later, I am back on track on back on my training schedule. Yesterday was rest day.
Just like I say, I need to train for the weather; I also need to train where I’m at. I could have calcium issues on race day and this will also help me to be prepared.
Maybe the secret isn’t being the best of the best.
Maybe the secret isn’t running harder or faster.
Maybe the secret isn’t anything other than…..
Just to keep plugging along. To keep moving. To not give up. To just keep moving.
Down to 6 weeks till Brooklyn.
It’s not exciting or fancy, but I am plugging along.
That is what I’m doing.
It’s not bold or exciting, It’s just getting runs, biking and cross training.
It’s just not giving up.
Just plugging along. Doing my thing. I’ve been “following” a training plan, but I’ve been following my way. Maybe doing a indoor bike run instead of mid week run. Changing up runs, but getting them done.
Sunday, I went for my long run. Normally a long run would be done at a much slower pace, but I had a plan. I would walk the first mile. Then I would do 5 miles at what I might think of doing at the half and then slow for last mile. For the most part, I stuck to the plan.
Mission accomplished.
Here is the thing though, I needed to remind myself to control my pace…. And I did. I ran the paces that I wanted. The only change I made was was the last mile. Instead of walking it, I ran like it was the finish and then walked the last quarter mile.
The best part of this run is that I felt like I could keep going. So there is that.
Some might say that I have been doing this for a long time without reaching some of my goals.
Maybe that’s true.
Maybe it’s not.
My goals have changed along the way. My thoughts of what is necessary has changed. What and where I want to be has changed. I know my body has changed and what it can do too. Always moving forward though. Maybe no longer reaching for that golden ring, but happy with the consolation prize. Bobbing and weaving, even when the finish line keeps moving.
So maybe it’s not about reaching the goal, but continuing to reach for it without giving up.
Tomorrow starts my 16 week training plan for the Brooklyn Half. As of now I do not have a goal for the race other than to run it well. To me that will mean to go into this event trained by following my training plan. To continue with the cross training to hopefully also go into this race injury free.
At the 8 week mark, I will access where I am with my training and adjust training for the goal.
So here we go……
Last time I ran Brooklyn in 2015, I ran it in 2:14:47. That’s not happening or anything even close to that. That being said, my last half was 2:59:18. So, honestly, I am starting my training with 3 hours in mind.
Never giving up…. Never baking down…. Still moving….
With any luck in one week from now I will be exactly where I am tonight. Comfortable sitting on my living room couch. Hopefully just as comfy as I am now. Although I’m pretty certain I won’t be as comfy as I now.
Next week…. Actually this week is the event I’ve been training for. The Bethlehem Running Festival. As a reminder it is 3 days of running totaling 26.2 miles.
Friday a 3.8 mile trail race
Saturday will start off with a 5K followed by a 10K
Sunday will be a half marathon
I’ve run this even in the past. Years ago. Except at that time it was only a two day event. This was pre-hypopara. I’ve done it Hypopara too, but not the whole event. I had thought I could do it but it was the year after becoming hypopara. I only finished the trail. It beat me and I just DNS. This time it is different.
Yes, I have something to prove. To prove to myself. I feel like I am ready. I feel like I know what I need to do. I need to run smart. I need to follow the plan.
Am I trained?
I think so. I’ve been following the plan with some tweaks, but following it. I ran a have marathon 2 weeks ago. This was a a benchmark for me. This was a run a smart race and see how it felt. It felt good.
I finished in 3:02.
This half was on a fairly flat course. The Bethlehem one is VERY much hills. I know that. I’ve been training hills the best I can. What I need to remember is that my goal is to run smart. It is not to be the fastest I can be, but to run steady. My pace was fairly steady and that is what I need to do. Oh and it rained a lot during the race. So there’s that
After my calcium crash, I’ve reconfigured and thought about my meds. I realized that last year I had been taking .5 Calcitrol twice a day. My doctor had lowered it to the .25 twice a day. This is fine when I was not running/training. So this week leading up to the event, I need to be precise on my meds. She prescribed .25 for up to 3 times a day. I will stick with this protocol this week.
I have still been trying not to add extra calcium while running, but adjust when taking. So when I did the half, I took my morning meds as normal. Then while running at about the half way point I took 250mg of calcium. I took the remaining 250 with my calcitroil and magnesium after race.
The key is to listen to my body. To push, but just the right amount.
When you are a healthy runner, you can still run into issues with your training. You can over train. You can become dehydrated. You do so many things wrong, but usually there is some wiggle room. When you have Hypopara (or any other health issue), you might not have so much wiggle room. Sometimes you forget that too.
Today was a day to remind me of that. A day where I got the not so gentle reminder that there isn’t as much wiggle room as I would like to pretend. It is easy to forget these things. It is easy to pretend that you just take extra calcium and meds just because. Especially when for the most part you are stable. Yes, you sometimes get gentle reminders that you need to take some more meds….. a “dancing” of your leg muscles, a little tingle here or there, but nothing crazy.
Training has been going well. I haven’t necessarily been following the plan perfectly, but enough that I feel comfortable with it. Enough to know that I can run a half in 3 weeks and continue with it to run the Hat Trick in October. I’ve done multiple back to back runs. Some of them have even been a run in the evening followed by run the next morning. All Good.
Yesterday I went for a training run with my friend. We did an easy 6 miles. No issues. Run itself was comfortable and left feeling like I could run more. We did it!
This morning I left for another 5 miles. I was adding some hills, since the Hat Trick has lots of them. I wasn’t going to race. I wasn’t going to be fast. My goal was to try to be steady. Figure out a walk/run plan. I was about half mile out when I realized that I forgot my water. It was hot and humid, but I figured lets just keep going. So I did…..
Like all runners, I monitored the way my body was feeling during the run. Today I was really just focused on completing the miles, watching pace to make sure I wasn’t running too fast, and trying a new walk/run plan (8 to 1). I was trying to run a smart training run.
During the run there were times I felt the tingles that sometimes come when running. I adjusted. I just wanted to push to 5 miles watching my heart rate and pace. I’ve felt these tingles before. These are just little warning bells, but nothing crazy. Once I hit the 5 miles, I walked.
I had 1/2 mile to go and figured a walk would be a good cool down. The tingles became more intense, but again nothing crazy. As soon as I got in the house I made my ice water with electrolyte powder. While sometimes after a hard workout I will take some extra calcium, thankfully today I also took an extra Calcitriol. Minutes later both my hands seized up with tetney or as I call it, the claw hand. I could not open. I could not close. I also having severe tingling and pressure in both arms and lips/face.
I admit it, I got very nervous especially because I was home alone and would be for hours. I wasn’t sure if I was going to pass out. I asked Siri to call the friend I ran with yesterday. She is familiar with my issues and as a bonus she is a PT who understands the body. I tied to be calm, but I think she knew I was freaked out and how I was feeling as I was swearing up a storm. I even gave her my address and unlocked the back door just in case I stopped talking to her. This was no joke. This was the worst crash I’ve ever had…. NO I AM NOT BEING DRAMATIC. Those who have been here understand.
Luckily as we stayed on the phone with my friend little by little my hands became my own. I would happily tell her, “my pinky and tall finger are moving!” It slowly released me after quickly grabbing on. She said she knew when I was feeling better when I stopped swearing.
Once my body was my own again, I texted my doctor. She called minutes after getting my text. I love her so:). We talked about what happened. What I needed to do as far as meds. She felt that we would rather go on side of dealing with high calcium than low…. Although the high never came. She gave me instructions on what to do if the tetney came back…. It was go to ER for possible calcium infusion. Thankfully that never came either.
I am ok now. I literally did nothing for the rest of the day. Resting. Eating calcium rich foods as well as following the regime she gave me for meds.
So today was a reminder. Be smarter. Be prepared. Most of all know that even if one day something works, that Hypopara does what it wants when it wants. That being said, I know hope is on the horizon. Hopefully in 6 months to a year I can be on the hormone replacement. Until then, I am thankful this is (for me) a very rare moment.
This past week I feel good about all that I accomplished. Going into this training plan, I recognized that I would not be able to follow it to perfection. that being said, I do want to follow the training days if possible even if I don’t follow the miles. I feel for a variety of reasons that it is not in my best interest to run every run. I plan to substitute biking for running, some elliptical and who knows maybe even swimming. The swimming might be a stretch.
As I’ve said before, this plan is to train to run on tired legs. Ha! Anyway, I only missed one workout this week. I did switch training days, biked instead of ran, and just did what needed to do.
I am trying to go into this training also by not adding any extra calcium to my daily intake. When I first became hypopara, I trained like I had no issues. To be honest, I had not because I was keeping my serum calcium levels up, adding extra calcium for long runs and just going about business as usual. Right up until I took my first 24 hour urine test and it was well over 500. I’ve adjusted, but since being Hypopara the only time my 24 urine test came back normal was when I was on Natpara. As for now, levels while still hi9g are in the mid 300’s. I’ve been lucky so far not to have nay issues with these high levels. Except, of course, for the anxiety it brings.
So with my training, I don’t want to add extra calcium just for the sake of adding it. I’m will add if necessary if I feel like my levels are dropping. You know that whole guessing game since there is no at home calcium test. Anyway, this means I will try to plan my training around when I’m taking my pills. So far so good. I’m sure once I go for longer runs I will need to adjust. Adjust here. Adjust there.
Sunday run. Taking on some hills too.Literally dripping when done
I have been also working on controlling pace. A work n progess
This week coming up, I already know instead of an 8 mile run that I will turn that into a 24 miles on the bike. From what I could find online the ratio is 3 bike miles to 1 running miles. That is what I’m going with.
Felling good. Tired, but a normal tired and that is all I can ask for. I’m falling asleep as I type this, so I think it’s time to say goodnight.
I am following a training plan to run on tired legs. Here’s the thing though…… My legs are always tired, sore and feel like I need to stretch which is why for Christmas I got a leg massager.
Sometimes you feel like your cup is filled.
Sometimes you feel like your cup is half filled.
And sometimes…..
Sometimes you feel like not only is your cup empty, but maybe it has a crack in it and is broken.
Today I had 5 miles on my training plan. I had every intention of running. The weather while rainy had cooled significantly. I was looking forward to it. Then I hit the wall.
As a runner, most of us know that feeling of hitting a wall. Usually this is on mile 20 of a marathon. I’ve done that and it’s not pretty. Sometimes though with Hypopara, you don’t need to be running a marathon to hit the wall.
Today was one of those day. I woke up, went to work as a preschool teacher, and come home with intention of running. I still had some things I needed to do at home and did them. I forgot to take my afternoon calcium which I normally take when I get home. Apparently that was enough to hit the wall.
What does my wall feel like….. It is intense fatigue. I have said to my family that it is not that I want to take a nap, but I NEED to take a nap. Like I can’t go another step. Luckily I don’t hit this as much as I used to, but when I do there is no ignoring it.
So I curled up on the couch and took a short nap. It was enough to get me going. Not to run, but to get other things done that needed to be done
So pushing a run back a day is better than trying to push through on a day like today.
The Accidentally Running Mama 