Spareribs At one time I used to be a very good runner........I'm working my tail off to get those days back. My goal race is 4 weeks out. Last nights interval session was the 1st "endurance specific" workout and is the longest of 4 total. In two weeks I will do 5 x 1K at 5K pace with 400 m recoveries. My speciality has been the 10k, 20K's and Halfs. This is really the first time I am training specifically for something shorter than a 10k. So this is a learning experience for me as I go. Tonights run will be at recovery effort. I have a ton of spring in my step today so the hardest part of my workout will be keeping it slow. I really value your insight. I'm looking forward to your later post. I matured as a runner in my mid 20's and when I couldn't post times that tickeled past PR's anymore I just stopped training. This was while I was in the Army. Smoking went from something I did to get out of "hey you" detail to a full blown habit. Spent the next 20 years smoking, drinking, playing softball, mountain biking. Then 5 years ago I took a wager to do this 4 mile winter race. Did suprisingly well and continued entering races but never getting to serious. For 4 years I trained and smoked and finished in the top 30% Fast forward.......I'm one full year as a non smoker. I'm having a blast in Tri's and doing quite well in other races. As in the past I tend to drift to the Middle Distance stuff. Olympic Tri's, 10k's etc. Amp'd everything up last year and I have 3 2nd place AG finishes and 2 3rd place AG finishes. Around here the 40 - 44 ag group is tough! One big goal this year is to run a 4k at a 6:05 pace.

SLO, congrats on the one-year non-smoker status! That's great. Tim, good news on the foot, but take care and let those toes heal. I know exactly what you mean about being nervous to get back into it. My first few runs after my 3 weeks off were filled with "what's that?" at any twinge or tweak. Nice intervals, Mariposai! Are you using a track for those? I've always wondered how people do intervals without a track, because there's no place here that's really flat enough for the times to be meaningful. Missing a target could simply be due to a hill or stopping for traffic. But running in Florida sure made me realize what some people, especially Byll, are talking about! That long stretch of paved FLAT sidewalk with minimal road crossings was great. I ran 4.5 miles on the treadmill last night. Legs a little tight and my back is still sore, but I think that's mainly from that long ordeal in the plane(s). Basically, I feel great. I feel better than after my last 20 miler in December. Which always gets me thinking... I've never wanted a "do over" more than after this race. To feel like I basically threw away a chance to get an amazing PR on such a nice flat course (even though the start was incredibly crowded), is just driving me crazy. I feel as peak in condition as I can be.... So frustrating. Wondering if I could hang onto it and fit another race in there before Boston... I might be in Henderson NV the weekend of March 13 (work related). If so.... hmmmm, I'm just thinking.

"I've never wanted a "do over" more than after this race."

There's always next year, Erika ... (grin) Bill

{{{Twocat}}} I understand your panic button being pushed on this one. '' Unfortunately, I was in the ER yesterday too. Yesterday I got up, felt not too bad, but tired from restless sleep the past two nights. Combination of a bit of stress, listening to my DH coughing, etc. Had been having some heart palpitations a little more frequently the past two days, but chalked it up to lack of sleep and 2 big glasses of wine the night before. So I went ahead and did 8 x 1/2 mile intervals on the flat gravel trail. It all went beautifully, I kept it slower this time, comfortable and didn't look at the Garmin, so that I'd be sure to finish all 8 and not just 6 like usual. 2 min rest intervals, my HR was coming down nicely inbetween and I felt ready to run again after 90 seconds. 2 mile w/u @ 11:45 8 x 1/2 mile 4:13 4:11 4:05 4:13 4:12 4:10 4:10 3:58 2 mile c/d @ 11:38 Before I started the 7th fast segment, I had some palpitations, but ignored them. Just ran anyway and they must have resolved. I've done this before, once or twice. I really sprinted on the last bit of the last one, and was fine. I was fine during my cooldown. Then I got into my car to drive home and my heart suddenly went berseerk. More than just one or two palpitations. I couldn't get it under control. I started to panic. I decided to drive straight to my PCP, about 5 to 7 min drive away. I thought I was going to pass out and contemplated pulling over to the side and calling 911 right there. Somehow, I made it to the office. I walked in and asked to see someone. A nurse took me to the back and started an EKG, or whatever it is called. I think she thought I was just lightheaded from running and not eating enough breakfast and she was trying to get me to drink juice. I felt terrible, the palipitations, irregular heartbeat was still going on steady and I thought I might pass out. Once the doctor looked at the printout she immediately called 911. She got another doctor to see me and he told me what was probably going on and that I was in no imminent danger. I was also shaking uncontrollably now. Not long after, the firemen arrived. They were awesome.....even though I think I was half exposed, I didn't care at this point. There were about 4 of them in the tiny exam room with the nurse and doctor too. One guy told me that these palpitations are pretty common and described to me what he himself has experienced and he described it so perfectly I thanked him profusely. He said I was having atrial fibrillation and it would resolve on its own or they could give me something in the ER to help it resolve. He said if I wasn't in such good shape I could indeed pass out from this. As he was talking to me, I "converted" which is their term for going back into a normal sinusoidal? heart rhythm. I instantly felt better. They loaded me up and an ambulance took me to the ER where I spent a rather uninteresting 3 hours. I am home taking it easy now and have a 48 hour heart monitor on. Guess I'll be getting a follow up with my reg doc soon and then off to see a cardiologist. I figure I was haivng non-stop, or so it seemed to me, atrial fibrillation for 30 or 40 minutes. Not something I want to experience again if I can help it. Sigh... I tried to be lighthearted (no pun intended) and told the nurse "well I guess I won't be running any more marathons" nurse: you run marathons, wow, how far is that? I said to the ambulance guy "guess I'd better cancel that marathon I was going to do" ambulance guy:, wow, a marathon, how far is that anyway?

Oh Enke - that IS scary! Have you had a history of this? Isn't this the same thing that Stumpy/Kevin is dealing with? {{{hugs}}}

WAY too many things going on here. {{{Enke}}}..... that is so scary. it must have been awful. I hope you don't have a repeat performance. Glad they already gave you a heart monitor. btw/ nice intervals. Twocat, how are you? Tomorrow is your next appt.? Teresa, that is great news about your DH & your insurance. SRL, I vote for the space bed. SR, Meg, thanks so much for the training advice. I was going to get into more specifics but it's so low level & there's so much else happening I think I'll just wait! I do want to ask this, though. Ribs...

then my full stretch/core workout. It is really making a difference doing these exercises

You've mentioned this a couple of times. I already do your stability ball hamstring curls (see me behave) and do think they help. If you have time and are so inclined... what else are you doing? ... One other thing. Thanks for sharing your process of getting over your ham/butt pain. It has really helped, as that's what I've re-irritated lately. I was especially glad to hear you thought it would have been ok to run through it (delicately) while doing the exercises. That's what I've been doing, but with some anxiety. I'd rather skip the anxiety part.

Karin.... it's so good to 'see' you!!!

I am officially on the DL and have been too blue to say much about that. It will all be fine though. My goal is to run for the rest of my life, so some time off is fine. PT, walking, core and swimming for me.

I'm so sorry! You have a wonderful attitude but still it's so hard. This stinks. when you are up to it, vent allll you'd like.

Yikes Enke, that is scary! Thank goodness you did not pass out while driving. My mother suffers from this and has had to have her heart "shocked" back in to normal rhythm. I hope you get some good answers from your doctor and the cardiologist and are able to manage it. Tim, are you teasing me?! Please don't run until those broken toes are healed up. You can hang in there for another week or two. SR, glad to hear the frankenweiner is doing well and hope you figure out that whole sleeping thing. We used to have our mattress on the floor so maybe you can try that for awhile until you find a sufficiently low bed for Tobias. Edited to add - dg, I hope that you make it to Shamrock. It will be fun to meet some of you in person.