C25K, Myofacial Pain and Anna

I was doing pretty well in my C25K journey up until week 4.  At week 4 things started getting hard.  It seemed like my legs were weaker every day instead of stronger.  This flies in the face of everything I've ever learned about training.  I became discouraged.  And probably a little depressed.

Then I went into week 5.  At this point my legs actually felt bruised.  It hurt to touch them.  That's when I knew it was probably more than just the working out.  You see a few years ago I was diagnosed with something called Myofacial Pain Disorder.  I don't talk about it alot and I'm hesitant to write about it here, but then again, why not?  For the most part I ignore that I have this.  I don't recommend this to anyone.  You should do what your doctor prescribes.  But for me, I just haven't been able to get there.  I haven't taken the medicines, but I do some holistic things and watch what I eat...and drink (boo).  The main thing seems to be getting the right amount of sleep.   Not sleeping makes me feel awful.  And yet I will always try to stay up later and later.

So today after having taken a week off from C25K, I decided to give it another go.  My daughter was sitting on the couch playing on her iPod touch when I remembered a blog post from my friend, Mike, about running with his daughter who is a little bit younger than mine.  He wrote enchantingly of how he didn't really want her to accompany him on the run but then once he said yes, she was a joy.  She out ran him the whole way, even finding the energy to add in twirls and pirouettes.   Even though my gut told me my daughter, who is much more like her Nana than me, wouldn't enjoy the run I decided to ask if she would like to go.  I was genuinely surprised when she said emphatically that she did want to.  Then she appeared downstairs looking for all the world like the 7 year old version of the iPod silouhette campaign.  Pink tank top, jeans with bedazzled lightening bolts on the pockets, Twinkle Toes sneakers and headphones perfectly in place. 

Again I thought...this isn't going to work, but off we went.  My first mistake?  I neglected to check that she was on the same workout week as me.  She wasn't.  Second mistake?  Forgot to make sure her music was low enough that she could hear me telling her to get to the side of the road.  The second mistake I quickly fixed easily enough. 

Meanwhile the application intones for me to run.  I took off.  I felt good.  I easily ran the first set.  It was great.   Then I realized my kid was no where to be seen.  So I stopped.  Finally I saw a tiny little pink figure heading my way, "MOMMY!! WAIT UP!!!"  She finally reached me and we walked together for the next little bit.  Luckily I was on a long walk portion of the workout.  "MOMMY STOP!  MY SHOE'S UNTIED."  We then walked on.  "MOMMY IT'S HOT!  LET'S GO BACK."  "Come on Anna, you can make it.  It's time to run again.  You get on the inside we'll do it together."

We ran for exactly one minute.  "MOMMY THIS IS HARD.  MY LEGS ARE FALLING OFF.  I'M GOING TO VOMIT."  So we stop and I check her heart rate.  I am after all the daughter of a CRNA.  It was fine.  My heart rate was more elevated. 

So I finally gave in, and we walked back, hand in hand, arms swinging.  "WHAT SONG ARE YOU LISTENING TO MOMMY?"  "Rabbit."  "WHO IS THAT?"  "A really cool band you should know about.  I'll put it on your playlist."  "THANKS!"

Even though, I didn't finish my workout (which, man, I totally could have today),  and Anna declared she's never running again, I cannot in the end say that the work out was a total disaster.  Actually it was kind of good.