Three weeks ago there was snow. One week later we were riding our bikes outside. One week after that, summer arrived with a welcoming string of days at 80 degrees, and I was running in a tank top and shorts, happily sweating my butt off. March Madness indeed!!
Training in the last three weeks since the onset of the knee niggle has been interesting. I'm a bit reluctant to share this today as it seems all I do is complain about my aches and pains. It's truly getting boring, and I imagine it can be tiresome to read about it. But I'm trying to keep this blog honest and this is my reality at the moment. I also know there are at least a few others out there who can relate to what I'm going through.
My IT band seems to have worked itself out thankfully! There is still mild pain, especially during downhill running, but it's definitely improved. The week after my gimpy long run, I was able to run 18 miles with tolerable pain. I continue to stretch and roll it a few times a day and that, along with a couple of weeks of decreased training volume seems to have really helped. Last Saturday I raced the Shamrock Shuffle 10k, along with a few team members. I was more focused on Rachel as she was running her first 5k! I was so excited and SOOOO proud of her as she gutted out a tough race. It was warm, breezy, and the 5k course took her over Observatory Hill TWICE! (10k ers only had to endure that beast once!! :-))
The race went better than expected for me. I have been LOVING this warm weather. The heat helps me to loosen up sooner and my body just seems to respond better. (Too a point....remember the Door County Half IM? 106 degree heat index is even a bit much for me! ;-)) Last Saturday, the temp was perfect for me, (low 70's at the start of the race), and I managed to run my fastest stand alone 10k with a time of 49:40!!! I couldn't believe it. As I rounded the corner and saw the finish line with 2/10 miles to go, I knew if I really pushed I would stay under 50 minutes. That wobbly "kick" at the end was priceless to witness I'm sure! I immediately found Rachel and the family and experienced that amazing rush of complete happiness. The combination of the elation I felt for Rachel and the pain free, solid race I just ran, it's those moments that make all of the hours of hard work and pain more than worth it!! :-D
I will hang onto that feeling, and stay patient as once again I'm faced with a different niggle that occurred half-way through my 12 miler this morning. This time it's my left ankle tendon that has been bothersome since December. This time it came on suddenly and the pain evolved into something that was making me limp by the end. SIGH!!! Sasha, who is my amazing teammate and friend, was the first to talk me off the ledge...(Coach Blake was actually the first to TEXT me off the ledge ;-)), suggests PT. I think I will call on Monday. Too many niggles and only three weeks until Boston. I've got some quick healing to do!! :-)
Enjoy this day!!!
Saturday, March 24, 2012
Monday, March 5, 2012
'I have a niggle!"
As many years as I've been in this sport, I've only just recently heard of that term. It refers to the pains that come and go during training. I call them "tweaks", but in an effort to stay current, I'll just say....I do have a niggle. I'm just hoping it will go away quickly.
True to my plan, I took my recovery week last week very seriously. Everything was feeling great and I was looking forward to the weekend and my staggered long run. Friday's snow storm and the resulting icy roads on Saturday morning forced me to run at the gym on the dreader. I have only been on the treadmill TWICE this winter, and I was really worried about my ability to run 90 minutes at the pace my plan called for. For three years I have dealt with an inability to run for any length of time at a pace that is even remotely faster than VERY easy. There have been no clear answers as to why, but I suspect it has something to do with my instability in my hips and pelvis, and trying to stay balanced on the moving belt. I've just tried to avoid it as much as possible.
Saturdays date with the dreader went GREAT!! For whatever reason, (maybe the TRX classes?), I was able to run at my usual pace and hit the mark on the 2 mile repeats! I was so happy, I literally have not run that long or that well on the treadmill in two years!
When I went to the Speed Cycling a few hours later, I was pretty tired and my right hip and groin were complaining a little. I told Blake about it, and I got through the ride more comfortably by staying mostly out of the aerobars. By the time the ride was done I was feeling much better. So far so good!
On to Sunday. On top of the usual barn chores, I was getting ready for the family gathering that was taking place at noon. I was thankful I only needed to run easy for 90 minutes! I was also really feeling Saturday in my legs and hips. I was a little worried about the run, especially since it had snowed again overnight and the roads were a bit slippery. No way was I going to the gym, so I put on my screw shoes and hit the road.
After the first few miles I started to feel really good! While I felt slightly sluggish, I thought it was going to feel so much worse. I was really enjoying the easy pace and got into a nice rhythm. Then at mile 8 with just 2 more to go, my whole right IT band from my hip to my foot starting to burn and cramp up. In a blink, it seized up and I had to stop running. I stretched it out, walked for a bit, started running...then OUCH!! Stopped, stretched, jogged...OUCH! Grrrrrrr.....I was MAD!!!! In a blink......and that's how it goes. I managed to gimp home, and immediately stretched, got out the tennis ball to work on the ITB, ice.....and poured myself a coffee with Baily's! ;-) I did not hang onto the anger for very long. I quickly worked my way into the, "It's going to be ok, you've been here before" mode. The family arrived shortly after, and it was perfect timing. We visited, ate an immense amount of food, shared stories and laughs, and marveled at how grown up my nieces and nephews were getting to be. I was reminded that THIS was what was important. This time that we get to spend together, crammed into this tiny little house, tripping over each other, making fun of each other, and loving each other fully, this is what mattered. There will come a day when that will no longer be possible. Gratefully, yesterday was not that day. :-)
Similarly, there will come a day when it will no longer be possible for me to run. As much as I love running, I know this will be hard for me to accept. But it in no way compares to other losses I have yet to endure. Losses that are an inevitable part of life. So I will continue to push on for as long as I can, and be thankful for all of the steps that I have already taken.
Enjoy this day!
True to my plan, I took my recovery week last week very seriously. Everything was feeling great and I was looking forward to the weekend and my staggered long run. Friday's snow storm and the resulting icy roads on Saturday morning forced me to run at the gym on the dreader. I have only been on the treadmill TWICE this winter, and I was really worried about my ability to run 90 minutes at the pace my plan called for. For three years I have dealt with an inability to run for any length of time at a pace that is even remotely faster than VERY easy. There have been no clear answers as to why, but I suspect it has something to do with my instability in my hips and pelvis, and trying to stay balanced on the moving belt. I've just tried to avoid it as much as possible.
Saturdays date with the dreader went GREAT!! For whatever reason, (maybe the TRX classes?), I was able to run at my usual pace and hit the mark on the 2 mile repeats! I was so happy, I literally have not run that long or that well on the treadmill in two years!
When I went to the Speed Cycling a few hours later, I was pretty tired and my right hip and groin were complaining a little. I told Blake about it, and I got through the ride more comfortably by staying mostly out of the aerobars. By the time the ride was done I was feeling much better. So far so good!
On to Sunday. On top of the usual barn chores, I was getting ready for the family gathering that was taking place at noon. I was thankful I only needed to run easy for 90 minutes! I was also really feeling Saturday in my legs and hips. I was a little worried about the run, especially since it had snowed again overnight and the roads were a bit slippery. No way was I going to the gym, so I put on my screw shoes and hit the road.
After the first few miles I started to feel really good! While I felt slightly sluggish, I thought it was going to feel so much worse. I was really enjoying the easy pace and got into a nice rhythm. Then at mile 8 with just 2 more to go, my whole right IT band from my hip to my foot starting to burn and cramp up. In a blink, it seized up and I had to stop running. I stretched it out, walked for a bit, started running...then OUCH!! Stopped, stretched, jogged...OUCH! Grrrrrrr.....I was MAD!!!! In a blink......and that's how it goes. I managed to gimp home, and immediately stretched, got out the tennis ball to work on the ITB, ice.....and poured myself a coffee with Baily's! ;-) I did not hang onto the anger for very long. I quickly worked my way into the, "It's going to be ok, you've been here before" mode. The family arrived shortly after, and it was perfect timing. We visited, ate an immense amount of food, shared stories and laughs, and marveled at how grown up my nieces and nephews were getting to be. I was reminded that THIS was what was important. This time that we get to spend together, crammed into this tiny little house, tripping over each other, making fun of each other, and loving each other fully, this is what mattered. There will come a day when that will no longer be possible. Gratefully, yesterday was not that day. :-)
Similarly, there will come a day when it will no longer be possible for me to run. As much as I love running, I know this will be hard for me to accept. But it in no way compares to other losses I have yet to endure. Losses that are an inevitable part of life. So I will continue to push on for as long as I can, and be thankful for all of the steps that I have already taken.
Enjoy this day!
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