Short n’ Sweet

Chapter 47

So the whole ‘baby the knee’ thing is really hard. I did three spin classes this week and will probably keep that up. I definitely enjoy them and evidently my body has no objections.

I’m really beginning to worry about this marathon. I know I have five months, but I was hoping to be much further than I am and I feel like I have been thrown back to square one. My weekly base has sunk to less than 10. Dang that is depressing! I want so much to PR in the RnR September.

So I thought I would try to do several smaller runs averaging only around two miles each. Maybe before work, at lunch, again at night. This is my ‘plan’. We’ll see how well I carry this one out with my schedule.

Anyway, I did head out at lunch today. It was about 86 degrees. I have plans to go over to my dad’s house to hang out with one of my close friends, who just happens to be my step mommy, chat by a fire (she is a fire bug!) and drink vino after work. This was a big push for a lunch run.

So I just did it. Felt a little hotter than 86 and the head wind was strong as usual for the hateful trail. But I kept up my pace, whatever it may have been as I did not want my watch. Starting mile two I walked for one minute then finished up the loop.

Total = 1.75 and the best part of all was my knee did not whine one time. It still feels pretty good even though I can feel it. So maybe this will be the best course of action for me right now to try to build my base back up to 30.

I’m not sure how I should handle scheduled long runs as I must admit, I’m a little scared to try and aggravate my knee more. The elliptical did not work. Maybe if I take a 30 sec walk break after each mile that would help. I’ll definitely do something until my running mojo comes back.

Originally posted on July 15, 2011

Filling up the Weekend

Chapter 46

I waited to add this until today and just lump it all into one. It was a non productive weekend.

Friday: No workout = Harry Potter!!!

Saturday: Went to Y and did one mile on the TM. Walked first two minutes, ran three minutes at 6.0 then each minute up’d it by one at an 1.0 incline. So finished around 6.8 or 8:50. Felt good but felt knee. Then did some upper body weights and 60 minutes of spin.

Sunday: Wanted to attempt four miles with a run/walk method. Met ‘S’ at trail around 6:30am. she began with me but I told her to go ahead after .75 since I was going to take a walk break. So we started right along and when we reached .75 only six minutes had passed. WOW! We were talking and I was not paying attention to my pace. I truly believe I started out too fast. But kept going.

Walked next .25 then started again, slightly slower. Knee started aching a little so thought i’d change it to run 1/4 walk 1/4. Did this for mile two. Turned around to go back at this point. This is where it went downhill. My knee started hurting so badly I could only run 30 seconds at a time and only attempted it three times on the way back. So basically walked two miles back to starting point.

It gave me grief all day yesterday. I iced, stretched, rolled, elevated…. If I walk fast today it screams. I’m really getting concered about not being able to make even the smallest gain in distance since I have the RnR coming Labor Day weekend. I really wanted to PR and I know if my knee would behave I would.

Today I brought a change of clothes but will just take it easy and do nothing. I have spin the next couple of days.

Originally posted on The Loop July 18, 2011

Semi Good News on the Horizon

Chapter 45

So it has been a few days since I’ve added to my blog and much has happened. I’ll just give a short daily update:

Monday: Took day off since did the two speedy (for me) miles and knee not much caring for it on Sunday.

Tuesday: Ran one mile on treadmill to see how things were going at 9:30 pace. Could not breathe to save my life, but knee felt okay. Killer spin class after at GB.

Wednesday: Weights followed by another kicking arse spin class.

Thursday: Got up at 5AM today and logged two miles in my neighborhood. I left my watch on the dresser. I wanted to concentrate more on my breathing, which was so labored on Tuesday, and how my knee was feeling. Went pretty well. Only a minor twinge after which I also felt when I slowed down slightly during.

So all in all, I think the stretching and my new blue foam boyfriend are my saving grace. It felt so good to be out there this morning, not worried about times or calculating distance (neighborhood is measured out very well). I’ve been all smiles since.

Originally posted on The Loop July 14, 2011

Two in the Morn

Chapter 44

I am so happy I can in no way be disappointed in the limited number of miles I ran this morning. I thought yesterday that maybe I’d get in four miles today, which would otherwise be my long day. I arrived at the trail and walked around a little then decided, maybe I’ll set three in my mind and see how it goes. If all seems well, I’ll do the four.

Needless to day, I only did two, but I could not be happier. Why? Let me explain.

I’ve always been around a 10:00 to 9:30 person. I can usually keep that pace up for a couple of hours. I’ve never been able to really do much faster for even a mile or two. So today’s times just shocked and awed me. I went out and said to myself, “self? just let your legs do whatever they want. They will know where they want to be. No pushing!”

Mile one: 8:55 (WHAT? Seriously? – wholly cosmos batman!)

Ran another 100 M and knee started making itself know. At that moment I thought, not going to do it. I’m not going to just keep going for my ego. I’d rather heal than continue. But since I was a mile out, I had to repeat the mile back. So in the same fashion I decided to let my legs do whatever they wanted.

Mile two: 9:27 with a walk break half way. (uhhhhh did I really just do that? is my watch wrong?)

I must note that I was breathing noticably but not too hard. I did not feel like I was ‘working’ but just going with the flow. I could have answered short questions. I never felt like I just had to stop. I went out without a time in mind. Just wanted to run!

So you can see how I would not be at all upset with only getting two miles in. I would love to have done 16, but it will come. And with all of your support over the past few weeks, I am going to make myself take it slow and abide by the great advise given.

I came home and rolled and stretched. I do however believe I may need to give credit for this speedy (at least to me) miles to the spin classes. They must definitely be building up my leg muscles. Who’d thunk it?

I may hit the gym in a few hours and hop on the elliptical and see how that goes just so I can get a substantial amount of time under my belt.

Originally posted on The Loop July 10, 2011

Dreams of pavement below my feet

Chapter 43

I did my regular saturday morning gym routine accept I lifted a little heavier today. Also got in my 90 minutes of spin. A really good thing happened during the first 30 minutes. The instructor came in and we had a great conversation. We talked about my training and the fact that I am suffering from running injuries. She explained she worked through ITBS also training for a half and how she did it.

Funny thing is, when you talk about running issues, the first question everyone always asks is “Do you have a foam roller?”. Glad I joined the Loop and was introduced to this phenomenom so that I knew it was a “must have”. She also showed me a few band stretches that were shown to her that she said really helped.

She also suggested I work in my ‘long runs’ on the elliptical. This would simulate my running and still allow me to work a couple hours.

Once I got back home this morning I attempted the stretches. Whoa. Have you ever done anything so painful that it made you laugh instead of cry? If so, then you’ll understand the pain when I tell you I was hysterical. But, I believe this will also help me get through this and finally get back to what I love.

I think I’m going to try, again, for a few miles tomorrow morning. I seem to be able to keep a slower pace on the trail than the treadmill. I’m hoping for a semi painless run since even after thursday night my knee regressed but then friday felt much improved.

Originally posted on The Loop July 9, 2011

Gimpy in NC

Chapter 42

So I probably deserve to be limping again. I swear I meant to attempt three easy miles on the treadmill. It just did not work out quite that way.

I started off well enough. Walked first two minutes, had incline on 1.0 but bumped back down to .5 for safe measure. The remainder of the first ten minutes I warmed up at 6.0 (10mm). Next two minutes dropped to 9:30.

This is where my mind got in the way. Everything was feeling good, minus the feeling of being unable to take a deep breath, but geesh, can only concentrate on one issue at a time……

I decided to do 1:1. Each minute run I got faster and faster. I finished my last minute run at 7:50mm. Then walked last six minutes. Oh the pain set in nice and good during the walk. Didn’t think I would finish out the 30 minutes.

So needless to say, I did it, 2.50 miles in 30 minutes (oh how horrible it is to actually admit that!). I feel it may be another week before I attempt it again. So I’ll stick to the spin classes I guess for now.

Originally posted on The Loop July 8, 2011

Spin Spin Sugar

Chapter 41

That title may be lost on a few as I believe the group only had the one CD, but it fits nicely 🙂

Attended another spin class last night after work with running buddy. I am definitely not hating on the local town’s YMCA instructors, but this one just was not the same. The GB location did such a great job. We did not take five minute recovery breaks. As a matter of fact, I’m not sure we actually did any ‘recovery’ unless considered as active recovery. It was great! And yes, arrived early and got in my 90 minutes.

My abs were screaming at me the whole time, but pfeff. Those whimpy muscles will continue to be abused now that I am fully aware that they’ve been neglected.

Tonight I think i’m actually going to try to do 3 miles on the treadmil. My knee is still kinda ify, but I will never know unless I just do it. I would be scheduled for 16 miles this weekend, but not so sure that will get done.

Originally posted on The Loop July 7, 2011

Wheeling N Dealing

Chapter 40

I would so love to hop on here and give details of a great 4th of July run 😦 Unfortunately I’m still wading through the storm of injury but with my head held high and hopes for a short run hopefully this week in my sights.

My knee is still giving me grief, but the foam roller and I are becoming great friends and it seems to be a miracle of simple proportions. If you actually sit and look at this object it is hard to believe it can be a sanity saver to a runner. Something so small and simple. No fancy electronics or gadets to fiddle with. No manual to read. This blue cylinder looking thing. Oh how it is painfully desired.

Anywho, I still got off my butt today to do some sort of training. 90 minutes of spin and then a 30 minutes abs class. I truly believe it will be hard to breathe tomorrow. It was however the fastest 30 minute class I have attended in a long while. It was also the first ab work I’ve done in quite some time, thus the belief taking a breath will require some intense concentration upon waking.

I hope everyone has a great 4th of July.

Originally posted on The Loop July 4, 2011

Crazy with Couch Potato Madness

Chapter 38

I am going crazy! I would love to say that I could even go to the pool and do some pool running, but I cannot move my knee but slight and even then it must be slow or it kind of freezes up on me. I’ve been doing some extensive reading, since research is all I can seem to do, and perhaps my leg muscles are uneven, maybe they are severely weak, perhaps my stride is not optimal, I’m wearing the wrong shoes, etc etc etc. Yeah I thought the same thing, good grief.

I’m thinking more than runner’s knee however and I may actually be suffering from ITBand Syndrome since the pain is strongest on the outside of my knee. I acknowledge that I have been favoring my right leg with the constant pain in that hip and the inability to straighten that leg out in front of me. But even though this seems to be all knee in origin I still feel ITBS may be the cause.

I’m icing/heating regularly but it seems to be in a stalled phase. It might not be so bad if I was able to do anything but this just stinks!

Glad I did not sign up for the July 4th race now. I’d have to sit and watch and that would just be torture!

Originally posted on The Loop July 3, 2011

Completed A Saturday

Chapter 39

Yay! I did my regular Saturday routine. I survived a spin class with my knee in tact. Not saying it did not hurt to walk after, but I just took it slow. I did forgo my Sunday long run as I just cannot see attempting that yet, but going to get up early tomorrow for a 4th July spin class then 30 minutes of abs. At least I know I do not have to just sit on the couch and whine like a baby getting on everyones nerves going stir crazy. I’ll just spin the pain away.

Originally posted on The Loop July 3, 2011