We're all out there chasing our better selves (FredtheDuck chases on)

I'm sorry if I caused more worry. I think in our case it was only 3 weeks cause we were in the middle of getting ready to move. We had movers in and out and were living amongst boxes. I think our puppy saw this and new he wouldn't make the trip and just let us know. It is hard to know what to do, I just kept telling him you let me know when and he did.

On a side note which you may already know is that some dogs have a gene mutation MDR1 that makes them sensitive to different drugs and can cause side affects like seizures. I didn't know this till we adopted a new puppy from the shelter here and it came with paperwork that said she did not have the gene mutation. I often wonder if the dog we lost had the mutation. Thinking back he seemed to start with the seizures when the vet switched his heart worm pills because they no longer carried the other brand and in research the new ones did have a drug in them that would have affect dogs with the MDR1 mutation. May not have been related but you can't help but wonder. Anyway, I just like to mention about the MDR1 it to people just in case.

Wishing you the best, great travels and happy holidays.
 
I'm sorry if I caused more worry. I think in our case it was only 3 weeks cause we were in the middle of getting ready to move. We had movers in and out and were living amongst boxes. I think our puppy saw this and new he wouldn't make the trip and just let us know. It is hard to know what to do, I just kept telling him you let me know when and he did.

On a side note which you may already know is that some dogs have a gene mutation MDR1 that makes them sensitive to different drugs and can cause side affects like seizures. I didn't know this till we adopted a new puppy from the shelter here and it came with paperwork that said she did not have the gene mutation. I often wonder if the dog we lost had the mutation. Thinking back he seemed to start with the seizures when the vet switched his heart worm pills because they no longer carried the other brand and in research the new ones did have a drug in them that would have affect dogs with the MDR1 mutation. May not have been related but you can't help but wonder. Anyway, I just like to mention about the MDR1 it to people just in case.

Wishing you the best, great travels and happy holidays.

Oh no, you didn't cause more worry! The timing and his prognosis were top of mind for me already, and I know the numbers don't stack in his favor.

I hadn't heard of MDR1, but we also didn't introduce/switch medications prior to the seizure, so probably not applicable here. However, we do have two other dogs so I'm really glad to know about this and will ask their vet once things calm down. Thanks for letting me know!

Thanks for the well wishes, I hope the same for you!
 
Monday Training Update (Week 11): Week Ending 12/17

This was the plan for the week:

T - 4.5 miles @ EB
Th - 1 @ WU, 4x1000 @ 10k w/ 45 sec RI, 1 @ CD
F - 4.5 miles @ EB
Sa - 10 miles @ LR

Well, as you saw, my week was derailed, and after consulting with coach DB, significant running modifications were made. They mean that I missed my two hardest workouts of the cycle. You'd think I'd be relieved, but I was actually pretty disappointed to not be doing them. Who am I?

So Tuesday was more angsty dog watching. The headline right now is that he's still here, but we're taking it a day at a time. It looks like some of the worst that we saw was actually a really challenging adjustment to the anti-seizure medication, and he's come through that fairly well. We took him to see the vet on Sunday (yesterday), and the consensus was that he's OK for now, but that we all have to be prepared for either a sudden "event" or a last quality of life decline. Until either of those things happen, we keep him comfortable and enjoy out last bit with him. This is one of they many times I've been glad to have my dad living with us, as he's not traveling for the holidays, which means Rusty doesn't have to be kenneled or with strangers while we are away. We have clear plans and contingencies if something happens while we are away, and my dad is the perfect person to help.

So Thursday it was back to running. Coach DB's advice was that I do my week of 12/18 workouts (so this week) last week, then repeat them again this week. Given that I had missed three runs in a row and was short on time, that was fine. Thursday was just a treadmill, and unfortunately, I didn't even get the full 4.5 in - I simply ran out of time (more to do in the mornings now with the dog).

Friday was converted to an off-day based on the plan changes. Saturday's 10-miler was converted to a 5-miler. But I didn't end up being able to get to this until Sunday. And by Sunday, we all kind of needed a pick-me-up and some time together, so we ended up loading miniMoana into the jogging stroller and doing a fun neighborhood run to look at the Christmas lights. We went to an adjacent neighborhood where I do some of my shorter runs just for a change in scenery, and it was mostly a nice pick-me-up. It didn't end up being 5 miles, and there was stopping to look at lights, but it was worth the modifications to have some spirit of festivity after a long and tiring week.

So this week is slated to be three days (T, Th, Sa). I'm excited that two of those runs will be in CA. The change of pace (pun totally not intended) will be nice.

Next week is the official last week of this plan. Training for Cleveland starts in January. One thing I'm contemplating is whether it's realistic to keep my LRs on Saturday mornings. I was thinking about maybe setting a time limit of an hour on Saturday and then opening up Sunday for LRs. I'd either move to 5 days of running to accommodate or shift my running days around. I don't want to lose the benefits of cumulative fatigue, though, so that'll be something to pick Coach's brain about ahead of the next cycle. I'm trying to be smart and realistic about my plan so that I get the most benefit from the time I do have!
 
I forgot the cutest part of our family fun run last night. When we got to our block, we let our kiddo out of the jogging stroller. @MoanasPapa would jog a house ahead of her, then she'd run to him, he'd toss her in to the air, put her down, then he'd run ahead and they'd do it all again. They did this for maybe 7 houses, and she kept yelling back to me "Mama! I RUNNIN'!!!!" and my heart melted.

She was so proud to run like her mom and dad do, and it was a great reminder that including her in this hobby can be a win for all of us.
 


Sounds like some smart adjustments to your plan with everything going on. I'm glad to hear your pup is doing better and adjusting to the medication. :hug:
 
I forgot the cutest part of our family fun run last night. When we got to our block, we let our kiddo out of the jogging stroller. @MoanasPapa would jog a house ahead of her, then she'd run to him, he'd toss her in to the air, put her down, then he'd run ahead and they'd do it all again. They did this for maybe 7 houses, and she kept yelling back to me "Mama! I RUNNIN'!!!!" and my heart melted.

She was so proud to run like her mom and dad do, and it was a great reminder that including her in this hobby can be a win for all of us.

This even made MY heart melt and I'm not her mama!
 
I think you're doing a great job of balancing running and real-life. :)

One thing I'm contemplating is whether it's realistic to keep my LRs on Saturday mornings. I was thinking about maybe setting a time limit of an hour on Saturday and then opening up Sunday for LRs.

Last training cycle, I did my long runs during the week and actually really loved it! Definitely worth thinking about a day other than Saturday!

I forgot the cutest part of our family fun run last night.
Ok, totally agree with @ZellyB ...
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Woof. Been a while since I had time to write a real update. I just got back from CA last night, and it was a whirlwind trip. I'm back for two days before I head out of town again for a wedding. It'll be the first time I leave my kiddo overnight (she'll be at home, with family coming in from out of town to watch her).

In terms of December running, I went out of 2018 with a whimper. I got a couple of runs in in LA, include a really challenging 5 mile trail run (hats off to you trail runners, those five miles were some of the hardest I did in 2017!). I didn't run at all in SF, both due to time constraints and because I wasn't really in a great area to run in. So it's been about a week since I've run, and I feel GROSS. Ready to get back on the horse, for sure.

According to Strava, I ran 551 miles in 2017. I ran my first 10k, and my first half. I PR'd the 10k, 5k, and of course the one and only half I did. The most standout thing about running in 2017 for me though is how much I came to love it. I still sometimes have to cajole myself out of bed in the morning, but I do know this: I feel so much better when I run. Both mentally and physically. Being a runner has officially become a part of my identity, and I think that's great.

So what do I hope 2018 brings? Here's a random list of goals:
- I want to run 1,000 miles. Yep, almost double what I did in 2017. But hear me out: I didn't start my first DB plan until late April/early May. And I had some challenges in November/December. I'm hoping an early start and a consistent schedule will get me there.
- I want to PR the Cleveland half in May (@DopeyBadger, I'm aiming for +/- 5 mins from the goal you set in my next training plan. Hoping to be on the under side of the goal this time, instead of the over, and I know that's going to take more endurance/confidence work)
- I want to try again for the sub-30 5k.
- I want to be better about cross training and recovery (foam roll, yoga, swimming, etc.)
- I'd like to buy a running watch and make better use of the data (slash give Billy better data to make use of)
- I'd like to run two half marathons. Since I'm aiming for CLE in May, I'll need to find a good fall one.
- I have a lot of travel the first half of the year. I would like to be smart about making running/sticking to my training plans a priority, even on the road.
- I'd like to run with my daughter (in the jogging stroller) more. I stepped away from that when I was training for my first half because it isn't super conducive to pacing, but I enjoy the time with her and I think it sets a good example. She's still sleeping when I do my weekday runs, so this will be something I incorporate in to weekend long runs.

Thanks to all of you who are following along. May we all have a healthy and happy 2018.
 
I finally got a chance to read through your journal, and I just wanted to say that you're doing awesome! You've worked hard and made some really great improvements!

Also, I love your 2018 goals. They're all things that will probably require work, but when you put in the work, will be very achievable. I'm looking forward to following along and seeing you reach these goals!
 
Thanks to everyone who chimed in about my goals! I know they'll take work, but like many of you said, they're doable if I make the effort, and I will!

As for recent running, I'm off-plan right now, and don't want to bug Billy to get started on the new training program until he's had a chance to really celebrate his Dopey performance (which is a feat well worth the celebration, for sure). I am looking forward to getting started later this month, although my goal for Cleveland is pretty vague (+/- 5 minutes from whatever Billy predicts I can do... my first HM was a definite underperformance and now that I know I can finish, I want to push).

I was on vacation (again, I know) last week. This time, I was in Belize for my best friend's wedding. It was a total cluster getting down there and we almost missed the wedding thanks to mechanical issues on not one, but two legs of our trip... one of which resulted in an overnight delay in Miami. We literally set foot on the caye the wedding was on 10 minutes before the ceremony... and I was the Maid of Honor. This was our first ever time spending a night away from our daughter. Her grandparents stayed with her at our house and they had a blast, although my SF-dwelling mom did not appreciate the sub-zero temps.

We missed our kiddo tons, but with the flight drama getting down there, we were glad she was at home and we were traveling light. That said, if you're reading this and wondering if Belize is a good place to take a kid, I think it is! If I ever go back, I'll totally take her. Just remember, it's a lot of travel to get there. We took a plane (then got stuck in Miami), then a different plane, then a third (small Cessna), then a taxi, then a boat. It wasn't all bad though. Here's the view from the Cessna... unfiltered:

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Here's us celebrating on the beach. We changed in to these outfits in the airplane lav (seriously) so that we could spring right in to wedding mode:

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We did get a run in. There are not paved roads there, so the "road" was tough to run on, and we didn't make it far. But here we are back at our resort at the end of the run:

upload_2018-1-9_9-25-49.png

We were going to run the second full day we were there, too, but we went outside to the back patio of our room to have coffee and it was already pretty hot and humid. We decided to save our energy for snorkeling, pool time, etc. Here's the back patio coffee drinking view.

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Rough life, I know.

Anywho... I'm back now. There was ice on the ground last night and it's 30 degrees outside. How rude.

Treadmill, here I come.
 

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Arriving 10 minutes before the wedding ... well that's stressful. Glad you made it there (and I love your dress)!

Belize looks nice. Coming home to ice and cold must have sucked (although coming home to the kiddo probably made it a little better).

Enjoy the treadmill ... hopefully the weather will be a little better for outdoors soon!
 
Wow! Sounds like quite the trip- I would have been a nervous wreck! So glad you made it- you 2 look great!
Your ocean pictures are beautiful! We are headed on a beach vacation in a couple months and these pictures made me really excited!
 
What an awesome set of goals! I have total faith if you put your mind to it, you can achieve these.

I still need to set my next running goal. I was waiting for that whole marathon weekend thing but now that's over and I have no excuses.

I'm kind of an odd duck that loves running while traveling. As long as it's a safe area, it's a great way to explore. Otherwise, at least a few treadmill miles help me feel better about any junk food I've been eating.
 
What an awesome set of goals! I have total faith if you put your mind to it, you can achieve these.

I still need to set my next running goal. I was waiting for that whole marathon weekend thing but now that's over and I have no excuses.

I'm kind of an odd duck that loves running while traveling. As long as it's a safe area, it's a great way to explore. Otherwise, at least a few treadmill miles help me feel better about any junk food I've been eating.

Thank you for the vote of confidence!

Also, FWIW, I think you've earned a bit of time to not think about running post-marathon weekend! Work on those goals once the haze of what you've achieved starts to settle : )

Count me as an odd duck, too, then. I'm still newer to running (and certainly running while traveling), but it was really important to me to get a run in when I was in Belize. Both for fitness and because I totally agree, it's a great way to explore!
 
Not a ton to report this week since I'm still just maintaining while I wait to see what @DopeyBadger has in store for me on my next plan. I got a few miles in on the treadmill Thursday morning. Sunday, we decided to take our kiddo to the park and, in order to squeeze a run in, too, decided we'd run up with her in the jogging stroller, then take turns running while the other played with her at the park. The two major issues with the plan? It was 26*, so while our kiddo was the one that wanted to go to the park to begin with, it was a short-lived trip. Second, I'm still really having a lot of trouble with my lungs when I'm running in sub-freezing temperatures. This time, I took my inhaler before I left, and we ran at a fairly easy pace, but my lungs were still really tight by the time we got the 3/4 of a mile up to the park. Between the tight lungs and the tight time horizon, it ended up that I only got a couple of miles in. Better than nothing, I guess.

My goal for this week is to get back to running four days a week in preparation for my plan to begin. I turned my AM run alarms back on yesterday. While I can't say I'm looking forward to the early wakeup calls, I am looking forward to getting back to running and all of the good things that come with it.
 

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