Small Town Blues

I love living in a small town. I love the traffic, or lack thereof. I love the fields and animals that are so close. I love the small town newspaper. I love the schools (for the most part) and I love that I know so many people. Although I am not naive, I like feeling safe here. However, by choosing to live in a small town, I give up some things. We have about 3 good restaurants in town. Shopping is limited. I have to drive 30-45 minutes for real shopping. And the gym selection sucks. There's just no sugar coating that one. There's not really a good option and the only reason I am at the gym I am at, is because of my friend, Holly who's an instructor there. And none of the gyms in town have a pool. And our city only has an outdoor pool. So if you want to go swimming in the winter, spring or fall you have to work around the swim team, swimming lessons, and swim meets at our high school pool. It really is annoying.

My Saturday was going to be a busy one. I had planned on pool running for a couple of hours before it began, but was sorely disappointed to discover that the swim team was having a meeting and the pool wouldn't be opened until 1:00. That was going to be too late for me. I was already a little ornery about having to be in the pool anyway and the preparation that goes into getting into a swimming suit. This didn't help my mood. I went home and changed and headed to the gym to find that it was locked and I left my key faub at home thinking they would be open. I sat in the car for 10 minutes until they officially opened and then headed up to the bikes. A class was just ending (sigh) and there was a new sign on the door that said that the room would be locked unless a class was going on due to some abuse to the bikes. Seriously? I got on the elliptical and hated every minute of it. My calves were tight and they wouldn't loosen up. I did 60 minutes in pain. I know, smart. Then I went to the weight room and pounded out another 45 minutes getting it all my frustration out.

I guess I should back up and explain why I needed the pool. Ever since my glorious 20 miler my toes that felt tired at the end of the run were now sore. I'd wake up in the morning feeling good, run, and then have them ache for the rest of the day. Then the top of my foot started hurting. I started icing but kept running. Then by Thursday night the whole top of my foot was hurting. It even hurt during spin class Thursday. That's when I decided that I needed to take a break and see if I could get it feeling totally better.

So here it is almost a week later and it's finally almost completely better. I did make it to the pool on Monday night for a good 70 minute run. I've tried the floatation devises before but can't get my heart rate up very well so I just ran in the deep end from one end to the other. It was boring, I did it in 10 minute segments with a drink break in between until the time was over.

My plan is to give it a complete week off, take a test run on Friday and decide from there if I should long run on Saturday or not. I just don't want that pain to come back! I CAN NOT get injured at this point in the game. I also signed up for Utah Valley Marathon 3 weeks after Ogden and signed up for the Top of Utah Half Marathon at the end of August. It was filling up fast and I've run it the last 3 years so I couldn't miss out! If any of you Utah bloggers or anyone else for that matter, are thinking about that one... DO IT!

Monday: 1 mile run barefoot on treadmill, full body weights, yoga

Tuesday: 5 mile run in Evo's outside

Wednesday: 7 mile run barefoot on treadmill (6 hill repeats), upper body weights and abs

Thursday: 5.5 mile run in VFF's outside, 60 minute spin class

Saturday: 60 min elliptical, full body weights