Monthly totals:

Miles run: 233.1 miles (that’s 23.7 more miles than February)

Days run: 31 out of 31  (it’s a run streak! Currently 62 days)

Calories burned during run: 30,864 kcal (that’s 8.8 lb if 3500 kcal = 1 lb)

Run time: 46 hr 4 min (90 min per day average)

Monthly averages and superlatives:

Average speed per mile: 11:51 per mile (15 sec per mile slower than February)

Average stride rate: 161 steps per minute (2 fewer strides per minute than February)

Average heart rate during run: 144 beats per minute (8 fewer beats per minute than February)

Longest run: March 7 – 20 miles, 12:42/mile (this was back when I was still training for an April 5^th marathon which is now postponed)

Shortest run: March 11 – 3.1 miles, 11:58/mile

Fastest run: March 24 – 10:29/mile, 7.2 miles

Slowest run (not counting hill runs): March 8, 13:01/mile (Recovery the day after 20 mile run).

Fastest mile: March 30 – Mile 7 at 9:25 of a total 7 miles

Fastest strides: March 30 – strides: 165 per min, 7 miles at 10:48/mile.

Slowest strides (not counting hill runs): March 8 – 156 per minute.

Total ascent: 8,954 ft (up 846 feet from February)

Non-run monthly stats:

Total distance (running + walking): 278.7 miles (up 23.4 miles from February)

Average distance per day: 8.99 miles (up .19 miles from February)

Total steps: 537,960 steps

Average steps per day: 17,353 (up 444 from February) 

Average resting heart rate: 58 bpm (down 5 bpm from February – is Lupron Depot actually working?!)

Lowest resting heart rate: March 28 – 50 bpm (6 bpm lower than lowest in February)

Highest resting heart rate:  March 1 and 7– 66 bpm (3 bpm lower than highest in February)

March monthly thoughts:

I have lots of thoughts this month and some have to do with running.

1.)  After writing way too much about Lupron Depot once again, I decided I would just try to keep this as light as possible, so here are the quick notes:

a.)  I’ve been on Lupron Depot for about 6-7 weeks now, beginning of March was after 2 weeks on the medication.  Lupron Depot is to stop anemia caused by a fibroid and hopefully shrink the fibroid.  It is medication that disrupts estrogen and progesterone production, and can cause serious side effects including menopause-like symptoms.

b.)  Ongoing Lupron Depot symptoms include: slight headaches lasting all day, bloating, “hot flashes” 10-20 times a day, every day.  Slightly dizzy feeling most of the time.  None of these are comparable to being anemic, so I am doing well.

c.)  I think Lupron Depot is working.  I started the month down on iron and losing more (during the estrogen surge period, so no difference in amount of iron lost), I’ve ended the month with my heart rate on runs lower than I have ever seen it at the speeds I’m running (I’ve had a watch with a heart rate monitor since 2016).  This is very good.

2.)  I’m dealing with coronavirus social distancing and restrictions, just like everyone else. 

I’m not stepping foot inside any business unless I need to (which so far has only been the grocery store and my doctor’s office  in the last month).

I’m still allowed to run outside as long as I keep a safe distance from people around me, and that is what I do.

3.)  Speeds are looking slow this month, but I think I am improving.  Not all runs are fast runs, and the 20 mile one was followed by a week of stress for me.

4.)  Distance is looking good.  I don’t follow a training plan and I was planning to run a marathon until the middle of March.  Last year I wanted to (and did) run 50 miles per week for over 2600 miles.  I don’t have any mileage goals for this year, but I like when I run 50-65 miles a week because my body likes that amount of mileage, so I will probably continue to do that unless injury, illness, or forced to take a break to recover from surgery which hopefully will happen in May (spoiler: found out the day that I am posting this that fibroid surgery is considered elective (because it is not to save my “life or limb”)and I need to stay on Lupron Depot longer until we can actually schedule the surgery. Not thrilled, but I will try to handle it the best I can).

5.) Weight – My weight peaked at 162 pounds in the first two weeks of Lupron Depot.  Since then, it has come back mostly to pre-Lupron levels, it is still up a bit, and my weight is significantly up since the beginning of the year. 

 I’ve given up trying to figure out if it is water weight from hormone swings, bloating, muscle inflammation, fat, muscle gain, or electrolyte imbalances because I have no idea.  I’ve also given up on counting calories (at least for the last few weeks) because there is enough going on right now and it was time to take a break.

My weight is fine.  I will still aim for it to be around 150-152 lb, but I am trying to stay as strong and healthy as possible at the moment, and I’m  not sure when I will get it back down there.  I keep running, I keep eating healthy foods, and I’m not going to worry about weight because Lupron Depot is tough enough without trying to figure out why my weight is so high.

Current thyroid medication: 150 mcg levothyroxine (T4) daily, 10 mcg liothyronine (T3) split up into 5 mcg twice a day (started August 16, 2019). 

Current weight:  156.9 lb (that’s 3.4 lb lower than end of February)

Weight January 1, 2020: 151.0 lb

Weight change since Jan 1, 2020: + 5.9 lb

Previous month: February 2020

Next month: April 2020