Sheesh, I haven't run in a couple of days again.  Unlike , a couple of weeks ago however, I really feel like running, so that is good!  Bad is that we are supposed to get ice/snow starting tomorrow again, so will have to do the treadmill  I suspect.  I still am not as motivated as I would like and it worries me..I still have so much I would like to do with my running, but I am feeling inadequate.  I know I sound like a broken record, but the slowness really bothers me.  Just the thought of going out for a 10 mile run and having it take over 2 hours,just pushes down the spirit.  So.....am I just being pessimistic and I can really amp up my time or is age just taking it's toll on me?  I do not want to hurt myself so then I would not be able to run at all, and , I know myself, I don't want to burn out and resent the running.  Just not in the best place right now I guess...hoping, against hope, that it is just the winter that is getting me down.  I have to say, getting up at 4:30 a.m. and facing the dark and the cold is not appealing one bit.  Last week I was doing really well, this week not so much.  Wish I had a running partner who would make me feel accountable.  If I know someone is counting on me I won't let them down.  Same thing with signing up for a race, if I know I have a race to run, I won't let myself down.  I did do that once though, I signed up for the Flying Pig  half marathon in Cincinnati two years ago and I did not train enough to participate.  Again, the race was in May and I had a bad winter!  Make myself mad!  The only solution I see is moving south... LOL.  I think "LOL" is passe now, but I still use it.  I also like to use the excuse of time.  Working full time really does make it difficult.  Seems that I am wanting more and more down time to myself the past few months.  I get home from work and I just want to sit and read or knit, not exercise.  I have found that I do much better with the weight training if I do it in the evening, but again the motivation factor.  I have to go home and immediately change and exercise or I won't do it! Plus, I find myself thinking about how I have to go home after work and exercise and it depresses me, i just want to go home. Period.  Man, I really have to get out of this funk!

I have had a bad toothache since Friday.  It is subsiding a little, but right now it is killing me again.  Went to the dentist yesterday and am on antibiotics, so hopefully this will go soon.  Need lots of dental work, but I knew that I did.  Being an ex-hygienist I am not fearful of the dentist, so I am looking forward to finally getting the work done!

I really have to start getting in some longer miles.  I am doing the Hatfield/Mcoy 1/2 marathon on June 9th for sure and I am still comtemplating the Cleveland Half in May, but I have to get some long runs going.  Just don't have it in me right now.  I so wish the weather would turn for the better, although that is not an excuse. I should not complain because I am slow, but I am going to anyway.  It just takes me so darn long to run 10 miles anymore.  I don't want to run my 1/2 marathon pace for my practice runs, so I slow down even more for them....takes me almost 2 hours to run 10 miles, so it has to be on a weekend.  The weekends go so darn fast.  Plus today I have a killer toothache!  It started bad last night, the whole right side of my face hurts, ibuprofen helps for a little while, but not for long, I am miserable.  Dentist on Monday.  It is my own fault, I have neglected visiting the dentist for a long time and now I am paying the price.  Going to the dentist is expensive, very expensive.  I need so much work I will have to take out a loan, I am sure...darn teeth anyway.  Since we are living so much longer these days, I really think we should get a third set of teeth...you know like when you are a child, you lose all those baby teeth and get new grown up teeth?  That's what should happen in our 50's, get a third set for the rest of our life, cause this set just isn't going to last!

Making homemade bread this afternoon, it is rising right now.  Nothing like fresh bread out of the oven with peanut butter!  Yum!  Soft enough so I think I can have some even with this darn tooth!

Ginny

Not too much to report today.  Still snowing....I should be used to this weather, having grown up in Western NY....major snow country, and now northern Ohio.  I get down in the dumps this time of year and usually fall into a real running slump.  So far, I have not done too badly this winter.  I did slack off for about 2 weeks, but this past week I have done really well.  Also been doing some free weights at home with a DVD.  The DVD is Ripped and Chiseled (both of which, I will never be) by Jari Love.  I really enjoy this DVD, easy to follow, good music, and you can make it as hard or easy as you like.  However, I have found my problem is not poor muscle tone, but loose skin!  Too much information???  LOL!  Age...it is a killer!  Oh well I will keep working out anyway, mentally, the exercise makes me feel much better.

So looking forward to getting outside more to run and complaining about the heat and humidity!  Oh well, we have to be thankful for the little bits of sunshine that we do get this time of year and keep on keeping on.

Let me tell you how I started this running experience.  I was about 25 years old (this was the mid 70's)  Remember how the health spas were springing up all over the country?  We lived outside Kansas City at the time and a co-worker and I decided to join one of these spas.  All went well for a few months, took aerobic classes, think Olivia Newton-John.....  One morning we go to the spa and there is a note pinned to the door....went out of business!  Out of luck, lost the money etc.etc...  this was also happening to these spas all over the country.  Anyway, my co-worker was a runner, so she suggested I take it up too.  I decided to give it a try, put on my regular old reboks and off I went....yeah, right, I made it about 2 blocks and thought I was going to die!   Never one to give up, I kept going out day after day until one day I ran 2 miles and I was ecstatic!!!  Entered a 10K with same friend only about a month or so later and thought I was going to die again.  Remember, I was not training, I was wearing regular tennis shoes and have never run over 2 miles, BUT  I finished in under an hour, so felt quite proud of myself.  I Had 2 young children at the time, ages 6 and 3, both could ride bikes, so I would take them with me on my runs.

Throughout the years we have lived in Kansas, Denver Co, Louisville KY, and my home now in Ohio.  I never did long distances and I never worried about my speed or competing.  Just in the past 4 years I have started doing longer distances .  My first half marathon was in Cleveland Ohio, my second was Detroit, which by the way, is my favorite.  I have run the Detroit marathon once and the half 3 times I think...love it!  I believe I have done 16 halfs now, doing usually 3 or 4 a season, but last year I ran 5.

I have never had a major injury and the only time I have stopped running was because of my third pregnancy, due to health issues I had to quit for a few months.  That baby is now 25!  I attribute my lack of injuries to the fact that I run slowly and over all those years I did not run an excessive amount of miles.  Although I do like the longer distances, I am still not into intervals, or speed work, I just run.  Sometimes lately, I do get discouraged reading about PR's and great speed and unbelievable times (at least to me), but Ijust have to keep thinking how fortunate I am to still be running, and running these distance at the age of 63!  Heck I am starting to place in races now, simply because there aren't many of us out there, I love it!   Won, my first, first place ribbon in a  local 5 k this summer!  How exciting! 

Snowing again!

Was planning on running outside this morning, but with chill factors in the single digits and snow, I opted for the treadmill, which I hate.  Did 4 miles, but it wasn't pretty.  I have not had a good run in weeks.  Feel sluggish, my legs feel like lead.  Hoping that it is just the weather and that I will perk up when the weather does.

On a positive note I am still running in my 60's.  That's a good thing!

Anyone struggle with Morton's Neuroma?  I have it in my left foot.  Not really much pain, more of an annoying numbness and the feeling that my socks are bunched up under my toes.  Makes buying new running shoes, which I am due for, a little difficult.  I have a narrow foot, but need a wide toe box because of the neuroma.  Was wearing New Balance, but wasn't real happy with them this time, may switch back to Ascics.

Ginny

Hi!!

As an avid runner of over 30 years, I am now in my 60's and have lots of questions about what to do, how much to run, what kind of aches and pains to expect, etc etc.

I have found very little on the subject of woman runners over the age of 60 and am hoping I will find others out there so that we can commiserate!

A little about myself....I am the mother of 3 grown children and 8 grandchildren, with twin grandchildren on the way!  I started running in my mid 20's, mainly for weight control and have not stopped since.  Never did long distances until the past 4 years, but now have run about 16 half marathons and one marathon, am currently training for another half in May in Cleveland.

I have never been a fast runner, my best was probably 9 minutes miles, but then, I really didn't work at speed, I just ran.  I have slowed considerably and now am lucky if I can do a 12 minutes mile over a half marathon.  I do get discouraged and would love to talk to other runners who are a bit older and maybe slower like I am!.

I also love to knit and cook, so I may throw some knitting and recipes in with the mix!

Hope to hear from someone soon.

Ginny