Time: 47:28
Distance: 4.06 mi.
Pace: 11:42 m/mi
Time of Day: 6:37 a.m.
Weather: 61°F.
After several days of 90° weather it rained last night and cooled off somewhat. But that created lots of fog this morning. It was overcast and cooler, but humid because of the rain.
It was a good run this morning. My ankle is bothering me and I have an appointment with the podiatrist tomorrow morning. It's strange that my ankle doesn't hurt while I run. It is just a bit sore. But now that's it been a couple of hours, I'm beginning to be careful how I put my foot down. I've been putting off going to the doctor because I am concerned she will find something seriously wrong and tell me to not run. But it's time. It hurts enough that it's negatively impacting life in general so it's time to do something.
Showing posts with label Injury. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Injury. Show all posts
Wednesday, April 4, 2012
Tuesday, September 13, 2011
Possessed and Pegasus Wins
Time: 35:07
Distance: 3.1 mi.
Pace: m/mi
Time of Day: 6:23 a.m.
Weather: 65°F. humid. It's going to be hot today.
My iPhone had problems this morning so my time & distance are approximate. I haven't had any trouble running with my iPhone since I upgraded to the iPhone 4. But this makes 2 times in a row I've had problems.
Last Saturday Runmeter didn't track all the miles I ran. I thought it was because part of the trail had tree cover. I just assumed the app couldn't get a good GPS reading. The problem today wasn't like that though. I was down to less than a mile to go on my run and the app "stopped", then the music started playing more than 1 song a time, the voice control app came on, then the music switched to an entirely different playlist, still playing songs really fast and overlapping each other. Seriously, it was like the phone was possessed. The music was weird, the voice control app kept starting and stopping, my Runmeter app kept starting and stopping. Finally, I just took of my headphones so I didn't hear all the weird noises. Once I stopped running I restarted my phone and that seemed to fix things.
Next subject…a couple of months ago when my feet were really hurting all the time, I bought a new pair of running shoes. I thought that maybe that was the cause of the foot pain. It wasn't. Things are better now. That's a different story.
But anyway I went to the running store to buy another pair of Nike Vomero's. That is what I started running in and have just continued to purchase them. They felt great except for the spot that always created a callous on my right foot. I figured it was just something runners had. But this shopping trip the store didn't have any Vomero's in stock. None of their other stores had any either so I bought a Nike Pegasus shoe.
Now, I know nothing about running shoes. I read the reviews but I don't follow the subject. I figure that's what the people in the running store are for. They should know which shoes will fit me and meet my needs. The Coach has worn the same style of Nike shoe for years. She doesn't even try them on anymore. That is what I hoped would develop with me and Vomero's. But it wasn't to be. So I was a bit apprehensive about switching model of shoes. However, I was pleasantly surprised with how the Pegasus felt when I ran.
When I figured out that the running shoes weren't the cause of my foot problems I decided to use the Vomero's for short runs and save the Pegasus shoes for long runs. Each shoe has it's own distinct fit and feeling but, I figured it would extend the life of my running shoes by switching back and forth. That was my thinking until my 10-miler last Saturday. I wore the Pegasus shoes and I noticed after the run that I didn't have the usual tender spot on my foot; no blister was forming. Wow that was awesome!
On today's short 3 miles I switched back to the Vomero's and sure enough, after just 3 miles I have the same red, sore spot. The callous didn't get a blister, but the area is tender. So I am a convert. Pegasus wins.
Distance: 3.1 mi.
Pace: m/mi
Time of Day: 6:23 a.m.
Weather: 65°F. humid. It's going to be hot today.
My iPhone had problems this morning so my time & distance are approximate. I haven't had any trouble running with my iPhone since I upgraded to the iPhone 4. But this makes 2 times in a row I've had problems.
Last Saturday Runmeter didn't track all the miles I ran. I thought it was because part of the trail had tree cover. I just assumed the app couldn't get a good GPS reading. The problem today wasn't like that though. I was down to less than a mile to go on my run and the app "stopped", then the music started playing more than 1 song a time, the voice control app came on, then the music switched to an entirely different playlist, still playing songs really fast and overlapping each other. Seriously, it was like the phone was possessed. The music was weird, the voice control app kept starting and stopping, my Runmeter app kept starting and stopping. Finally, I just took of my headphones so I didn't hear all the weird noises. Once I stopped running I restarted my phone and that seemed to fix things.
Next subject…a couple of months ago when my feet were really hurting all the time, I bought a new pair of running shoes. I thought that maybe that was the cause of the foot pain. It wasn't. Things are better now. That's a different story.
But anyway I went to the running store to buy another pair of Nike Vomero's. That is what I started running in and have just continued to purchase them. They felt great except for the spot that always created a callous on my right foot. I figured it was just something runners had. But this shopping trip the store didn't have any Vomero's in stock. None of their other stores had any either so I bought a Nike Pegasus shoe.
Now, I know nothing about running shoes. I read the reviews but I don't follow the subject. I figure that's what the people in the running store are for. They should know which shoes will fit me and meet my needs. The Coach has worn the same style of Nike shoe for years. She doesn't even try them on anymore. That is what I hoped would develop with me and Vomero's. But it wasn't to be. So I was a bit apprehensive about switching model of shoes. However, I was pleasantly surprised with how the Pegasus felt when I ran.
When I figured out that the running shoes weren't the cause of my foot problems I decided to use the Vomero's for short runs and save the Pegasus shoes for long runs. Each shoe has it's own distinct fit and feeling but, I figured it would extend the life of my running shoes by switching back and forth. That was my thinking until my 10-miler last Saturday. I wore the Pegasus shoes and I noticed after the run that I didn't have the usual tender spot on my foot; no blister was forming. Wow that was awesome!
On today's short 3 miles I switched back to the Vomero's and sure enough, after just 3 miles I have the same red, sore spot. The callous didn't get a blister, but the area is tender. So I am a convert. Pegasus wins.
Tuesday, August 23, 2011
I Got Lost on the Road of Life
Time: 45:07 min.
Distance: 3.76 mi.
Pace: 12:01 m/mi
Time of Day: 6:19 a.m.
Weather: 76°F. humid
I've been running. Honest I have. It's just that a combination of unrelated factors have hindered my blogging here.
First, The Son got engaged and married so I have been caught in the wedding crazies since April. Then, Google did some kind of update-thingy and I couldn't figure out how to access my blog. Anytime I tried to sign on I got a message that said I wasn't "authorized" to "access" this area. Hmmm? But today I was determined and, why, just look at what a little determination will do.
So, back to running…
I'm training for the St. Louis Rock & Roll half-marathon in October. I'm pretty excited. I've made changes in my overall fitness training which are having a huge impact on my running.
First, I am working out at the gym 1 day a week with a personal trainer, Kelly. She's pretty awesome and I love working out with her even when I can't lift my arms the next day. I started with Kelly to improve my appearance for the wedding, but it has been such a positive impact on more than just my fitness level that I'm keeping up with it. It's expensive so it is a sacrifice in other areas, but even The Love thinks it is worthwhile. The biggest area the strength training has impacted is my upper body strength. Even though Kelly works my legs till they quiver, the improvement in my upper body has had a significant impact on my running. I am more upright which helps my breathing, improves my form, and I hunch over less when I get tired. It's awesome! (BTW, I can now do 23 push ups and I just started body weight pull-ups. Oh yeah!)
Also, Kelly has taught me the importance of stretching after I work out. Both with her and on my own and also when I run. That has really helped my recovery after my runs.
Second, I incorporate short sprints in my warm up runs at the gym. I seriously don't understand how 2 30-second sprints 2x a week improves my speed, but it does. My shorter runs are almost 60 sec. faster than last winter. My long runs are still over 13 min/mile, but I am still adding miles at this point and am not worried about the speed.
Third, I went to a podiatrist about all the foot pain I had. My feet reached a point of hurting almost all the time. I bought new running shoes when my old pair had only 250 miles on them because I thought that was the problem. But the aches and pains continued. So I broke down, sucked it up and made an appointment. My last visit to the podiatrist was in 2002. And, you know those whitish-yellow orthotics he gave me back then? Well, who knew they were designed to be temporary, lasting only 6-12 months, not 10 years. The official diagnosis is plantar facsiatis. Oh joy. :-(
So the podiatrist gave me the following instructions:
So all of this sounds old lady-like and ugly-shoe-like and no-more-cute-shoes-like. But it really isn't. I found some cute Crocs to use as my house slippers. Who knew there were like 50-million different styles of Crocs. And, I found a nice pair of Merrell sandals to finish out the summer. And, the absolute most important thing is that my feet don't hurt! At all! Anymore! Oh my gosh-it's a miracle! Well, OK, not really a miracle, but darn close. I love my podiatrist!
So now I am running pain free. My feet dont' hurt and with the stretching I do, my hips feel better. D*** life is good these days!
Distance: 3.76 mi.
Pace: 12:01 m/mi
Time of Day: 6:19 a.m.
Weather: 76°F. humid
I've been running. Honest I have. It's just that a combination of unrelated factors have hindered my blogging here.
First, The Son got engaged and married so I have been caught in the wedding crazies since April. Then, Google did some kind of update-thingy and I couldn't figure out how to access my blog. Anytime I tried to sign on I got a message that said I wasn't "authorized" to "access" this area. Hmmm? But today I was determined and, why, just look at what a little determination will do.
So, back to running…
I'm training for the St. Louis Rock & Roll half-marathon in October. I'm pretty excited. I've made changes in my overall fitness training which are having a huge impact on my running.
First, I am working out at the gym 1 day a week with a personal trainer, Kelly. She's pretty awesome and I love working out with her even when I can't lift my arms the next day. I started with Kelly to improve my appearance for the wedding, but it has been such a positive impact on more than just my fitness level that I'm keeping up with it. It's expensive so it is a sacrifice in other areas, but even The Love thinks it is worthwhile. The biggest area the strength training has impacted is my upper body strength. Even though Kelly works my legs till they quiver, the improvement in my upper body has had a significant impact on my running. I am more upright which helps my breathing, improves my form, and I hunch over less when I get tired. It's awesome! (BTW, I can now do 23 push ups and I just started body weight pull-ups. Oh yeah!)
Also, Kelly has taught me the importance of stretching after I work out. Both with her and on my own and also when I run. That has really helped my recovery after my runs.
Second, I incorporate short sprints in my warm up runs at the gym. I seriously don't understand how 2 30-second sprints 2x a week improves my speed, but it does. My shorter runs are almost 60 sec. faster than last winter. My long runs are still over 13 min/mile, but I am still adding miles at this point and am not worried about the speed.
Third, I went to a podiatrist about all the foot pain I had. My feet reached a point of hurting almost all the time. I bought new running shoes when my old pair had only 250 miles on them because I thought that was the problem. But the aches and pains continued. So I broke down, sucked it up and made an appointment. My last visit to the podiatrist was in 2002. And, you know those whitish-yellow orthotics he gave me back then? Well, who knew they were designed to be temporary, lasting only 6-12 months, not 10 years. The official diagnosis is plantar facsiatis. Oh joy. :-(
So the podiatrist gave me the following instructions:
- No going barefoot at all—not even to the bathroom in the middle of the night.
- Get a pair of Crocs to use as house slippers.
- Give up the floppy flip-flops. (Boo-hoo. I love my flip-flops all summer long!)
- Wear only shoes with an arch in them, or
- Use the "new" temporary orthotic insert until I get permanent inserts, or
- Wear shoes with a 2" heel or higher.
- Do 4 specific stretches before I run.
So all of this sounds old lady-like and ugly-shoe-like and no-more-cute-shoes-like. But it really isn't. I found some cute Crocs to use as my house slippers. Who knew there were like 50-million different styles of Crocs. And, I found a nice pair of Merrell sandals to finish out the summer. And, the absolute most important thing is that my feet don't hurt! At all! Anymore! Oh my gosh-it's a miracle! Well, OK, not really a miracle, but darn close. I love my podiatrist!
So now I am running pain free. My feet dont' hurt and with the stretching I do, my hips feel better. D*** life is good these days!
Thursday, September 16, 2010
Piriformis Syndrome
In layman's terms piriformis syndrome is (a) pain in the butt.
After not running for 4 days and treating my sore "hamstring" with heat and ibuprofen I was feeling better. That is until I ran a whole bunch of errands and spent a lot of time sitting in my car. The all-too-familiar pain returned with a vengeance. I did some online research and I think I have piriformis syndrome. Because I don't have, and have not had, any lower back pain, I don't think it is actually the sciatic nerve that is the problem.
I did some online research and came up with lots of information on how to treat this problem. It is going to require lots of stretching and then strengthening of the hip area. I also found some great info in my book, Running Well.
I am very frustrated right now. First I had the summer heat to deal with and now this. I just want to run!
Friday, May 7, 2010
Almost Caught Up
Wednesday was my regular rest day.
Thursday Stats, 05/06
Distance: 4.27 mi.
Time: 55:38 min.
Pace: 13:02 min/mi.
Time of day: 4:15 p.m.
Temperature: 79°F, sunny and very warm
Back in mid-April The Love and I were in Chicago. The first night we were there The Love's car was hit while parked. The trunk became the back seat. Thank goodness no one was hurt in the accident. So for the last almost-month his car has been in the repair shop in Chicago. We are down to the final days. You know, the days when every afternoon you hear the repair shop lady say, "I'm sorry. We didn't get your car finished today. We hope it will be ready tomorrow." We've heard this every day for the last week.
How does the car story tie into my running? The Love & I thought we would be heading to Chicago on Friday to pick up the car. So I decided to run on Thursday and sacrifice my strength training if need be. As it turned out, of course the car isn't ready. And in true maddening fashion, the car repair lady didn't call until I had already started my run.
So now let me whine about my run. It was awful! It was worse than my first 7-mile run where I performed poorly. That time I was tired and slow. I can deal with tired and slow. Yesterday involved annoying aches and pains. So let's start at the bottom and work up.
My feet hurt with almost every step. I don't think my shoes were tied to tight. I actually checked them as I waited for a green light to cross the street. But something was clearly not right. It wasn't an acute, sharp pain; the darn feet just ached with every step. I did stop running and walked for a short time and that allowed me to push on and finish the course running. I can't help wondering if the weird way my left shoe has worn down has something to do with this.
My ankles and calves were so tight. (I know that isn't proper grammar and/or sentence structure, but it's the best way to describe the issue.) I was at mile 3.5 before my calves relaxed. I could not get into any kind of rhythmic breathing. I panted most of the way. And to top it all off, I forgot to put on my sweatband and salty sweat dripped in my eyes for much of the run. For the last 3/4 mile my mantra became, "one foot in front of the other". I'm telling ya', it was a bad run.
But now that I've captured it here, I'm putting it out of my mind!
Thursday Stats, 05/06
Distance: 4.27 mi.
Time: 55:38 min.
Pace: 13:02 min/mi.
Time of day: 4:15 p.m.
Temperature: 79°F, sunny and very warm
Back in mid-April The Love and I were in Chicago. The first night we were there The Love's car was hit while parked. The trunk became the back seat. Thank goodness no one was hurt in the accident. So for the last almost-month his car has been in the repair shop in Chicago. We are down to the final days. You know, the days when every afternoon you hear the repair shop lady say, "I'm sorry. We didn't get your car finished today. We hope it will be ready tomorrow." We've heard this every day for the last week.
How does the car story tie into my running? The Love & I thought we would be heading to Chicago on Friday to pick up the car. So I decided to run on Thursday and sacrifice my strength training if need be. As it turned out, of course the car isn't ready. And in true maddening fashion, the car repair lady didn't call until I had already started my run.
So now let me whine about my run. It was awful! It was worse than my first 7-mile run where I performed poorly. That time I was tired and slow. I can deal with tired and slow. Yesterday involved annoying aches and pains. So let's start at the bottom and work up.
My feet hurt with almost every step. I don't think my shoes were tied to tight. I actually checked them as I waited for a green light to cross the street. But something was clearly not right. It wasn't an acute, sharp pain; the darn feet just ached with every step. I did stop running and walked for a short time and that allowed me to push on and finish the course running. I can't help wondering if the weird way my left shoe has worn down has something to do with this.
My ankles and calves were so tight. (I know that isn't proper grammar and/or sentence structure, but it's the best way to describe the issue.) I was at mile 3.5 before my calves relaxed. I could not get into any kind of rhythmic breathing. I panted most of the way. And to top it all off, I forgot to put on my sweatband and salty sweat dripped in my eyes for much of the run. For the last 3/4 mile my mantra became, "one foot in front of the other". I'm telling ya', it was a bad run.
But now that I've captured it here, I'm putting it out of my mind!
Saturday, April 3, 2010
Strong Steady Strides
Distance: 6.24 mi.
Time: 1:20:26
Pace: 12:53 min/mi.
Time of day: 9:30 a.m.
Temperature: 51F, cloudy, overcast, rain in the area, windy
Kinda pokey today. Can I claim wind resistance again today? Actually I think one reason I ran a bit slower today was that my iPod switched off around mile 2 and I didn't have any music to help keep my pace up for the rest of my run. I think this is the longest distance I have run without music.
Because I didn't have any music tempo I made up a chant, "Stand straight. Strong steady strides." and repeated it like a million times. I started originally chanting, "Stand straight. Slow and steady." But I realized that the "slow" word was not a good affirmation word, so I changed it to "strong steady strides".
I also reframed the "hills" on my route. I realized that what I used to calls "hills" are not so huge to me anymore. They are actually just the rise and fall of the road. So I now call them "inclines". I know it is a small detail but it makes a difference to me.
I took my running shoes back to FleetFeet today to ask about how my left shoe is wearing. The left outside heel is really wearing down. The black tread is all gone and I have only 168 or so miles on these shoes. Jen at FleetFeet said the shoes were o.k. Appararently I just hit the ground harder on that heel than I do the right heel. She said it appears that I am wearing the middle of the shoe (where the ball of my foot) correctly. Jen also told me how to check inside of my shoe for toe indentations to gauge how the cushioning is wearing.
I also asked her about the blister/callous on my right foot. She suggested that my orthotic end right where the irritation starts and that or some reason my orthotic is creating an environment for my shoe and foot to rub. She said not to change anything with the race this close, but that maybe after the race I might want to try a different insert or even running with out an insert.
7 days & counting down!
Time: 1:20:26
Pace: 12:53 min/mi.
Time of day: 9:30 a.m.
Temperature: 51F, cloudy, overcast, rain in the area, windy
Kinda pokey today. Can I claim wind resistance again today? Actually I think one reason I ran a bit slower today was that my iPod switched off around mile 2 and I didn't have any music to help keep my pace up for the rest of my run. I think this is the longest distance I have run without music.
Because I didn't have any music tempo I made up a chant, "Stand straight. Strong steady strides." and repeated it like a million times. I started originally chanting, "Stand straight. Slow and steady." But I realized that the "slow" word was not a good affirmation word, so I changed it to "strong steady strides".
I also reframed the "hills" on my route. I realized that what I used to calls "hills" are not so huge to me anymore. They are actually just the rise and fall of the road. So I now call them "inclines". I know it is a small detail but it makes a difference to me.
I took my running shoes back to FleetFeet today to ask about how my left shoe is wearing. The left outside heel is really wearing down. The black tread is all gone and I have only 168 or so miles on these shoes. Jen at FleetFeet said the shoes were o.k. Appararently I just hit the ground harder on that heel than I do the right heel. She said it appears that I am wearing the middle of the shoe (where the ball of my foot) correctly. Jen also told me how to check inside of my shoe for toe indentations to gauge how the cushioning is wearing.
I also asked her about the blister/callous on my right foot. She suggested that my orthotic end right where the irritation starts and that or some reason my orthotic is creating an environment for my shoe and foot to rub. She said not to change anything with the race this close, but that maybe after the race I might want to try a different insert or even running with out an insert.
7 days & counting down!
The Ankle is O.K.
Friday Stats
Distance: 3.02 mi.
Time: 37:00 min.
Pace: 12:16 min/mi.
Time of Day: 3:40 p.m.
Temperature: 75F, bright sunny, windy
The ankle didn't bother me a bit, thank goodness. But boy was it windy. Not my fastest time, but I wasn't pushing it due to both the ankle and this being a taper week.
Because it was so warm and because I was running on the school track (off the road and away from half the town seeing me) I decided to wear my new running shorts. Yep, I put the chubby thighs in shorts. I thought I was o.k. but they bunched up miserably between the legs. I'm glad I tried them out, but I guess the thighs need to get thinner before shorts work for me.
Because there wasn't any school Friday, there were a bunch of middle-school age kids hanging out around the track and field. They apparantly had been playing a pick up game of soccer, but when I was there they were just hanging out. As I rounded the turn on the track where they were, I had visions of them losing control of the soccer ball, it rolling on to the track, tripping me, breaking my leg and keeping me from running the half maration next weekend. Is this where my beautiful granddaughters get their dramatic personalities? Anyway, thank goodness it didn't happen and I was able to finish my run in good fashion.
Distance: 3.02 mi.
Time: 37:00 min.
Pace: 12:16 min/mi.
Time of Day: 3:40 p.m.
Temperature: 75F, bright sunny, windy
The ankle didn't bother me a bit, thank goodness. But boy was it windy. Not my fastest time, but I wasn't pushing it due to both the ankle and this being a taper week.
Because it was so warm and because I was running on the school track (off the road and away from half the town seeing me) I decided to wear my new running shorts. Yep, I put the chubby thighs in shorts. I thought I was o.k. but they bunched up miserably between the legs. I'm glad I tried them out, but I guess the thighs need to get thinner before shorts work for me.
Because there wasn't any school Friday, there were a bunch of middle-school age kids hanging out around the track and field. They apparantly had been playing a pick up game of soccer, but when I was there they were just hanging out. As I rounded the turn on the track where they were, I had visions of them losing control of the soccer ball, it rolling on to the track, tripping me, breaking my leg and keeping me from running the half maration next weekend. Is this where my beautiful granddaughters get their dramatic personalities? Anyway, thank goodness it didn't happen and I was able to finish my run in good fashion.
Thursday, April 1, 2010
Second Verse, Same as the First
Wednesday's Stats
Distance: 1.68 mi.
Time: 23:28 min.
Pace: 13:57 min/mi
Time of day: 4:45 p.m.
Temperature: 85°F. sunny, warm, breezy, but absolutely beautiful
So there I was running along feeling great, listening to my music, letting my mind wander, reveling in the recent 2 lbs. weight loss and, "Ouch!" Crap, I did it again. I turned my left ankle. Of course, the acute pain stopped me in my tracks, but it went away pretty quickly. But I have a half marathon to run in 10 days so I turned around and limped home.
RICE to the rescue! I fixed myself a bowl of Cheerios for dinner and plopped down in front of the TV with ice and elevation for my ankle. There I stayed for the next 3 hours, not moving even to go the bathroom. When I did get up, I was pleased to find that although a bit tender on the outside of my ankle I could walk without pain or limping.
This morning I got up and, again, there is that sore spot on the outside of my ankle, but I'm walking and feeling o.k. I put on my elastic ankle brace thingy to compress the area and give it support.
No running or exercising today. Tomorrow is a scheduled 3 mile run I will attempt. But there is no way I'm messing around with this minor injury. I will be in top form for the Go! St. Louis race in 4/11.
Distance: 1.68 mi.
Time: 23:28 min.
Pace: 13:57 min/mi
Time of day: 4:45 p.m.
Temperature: 85°F. sunny, warm, breezy, but absolutely beautiful
So there I was running along feeling great, listening to my music, letting my mind wander, reveling in the recent 2 lbs. weight loss and, "Ouch!" Crap, I did it again. I turned my left ankle. Of course, the acute pain stopped me in my tracks, but it went away pretty quickly. But I have a half marathon to run in 10 days so I turned around and limped home.
RICE to the rescue! I fixed myself a bowl of Cheerios for dinner and plopped down in front of the TV with ice and elevation for my ankle. There I stayed for the next 3 hours, not moving even to go the bathroom. When I did get up, I was pleased to find that although a bit tender on the outside of my ankle I could walk without pain or limping.
This morning I got up and, again, there is that sore spot on the outside of my ankle, but I'm walking and feeling o.k. I put on my elastic ankle brace thingy to compress the area and give it support.
No running or exercising today. Tomorrow is a scheduled 3 mile run I will attempt. But there is no way I'm messing around with this minor injury. I will be in top form for the Go! St. Louis race in 4/11.
Monday, March 8, 2010
Is That Renewed Enthusiasm I Feel?
Distance: 1.17 mi/
Time: 15:00 min.
Pace: 12:49/mile
Time of day: 6:30 a.m.
Warm up for strength training
I was up and at 'em this morning, heading out to the gym around 6:15 a.m. I wanted to really work with the weights today since I had a couple of easy strength training sessions last week. I didn't push myself on the treadmill, just enough work to warm up the muscles. And I had a great strength training session.
This week is a step back week on the training schedule. And, for the first time I really understand the purpose. I ran a total of 28+ miles last week and I'm ready to take it a little easier this week. The weird place I feel it in my body is my ankles. Those bony knobs that stick out on the ankle--my are really tender. But other than that I feel great! And I'm really looking forward to running this week. Is that enthusiasm I feel?
Time: 15:00 min.
Pace: 12:49/mile
Time of day: 6:30 a.m.
Warm up for strength training
I was up and at 'em this morning, heading out to the gym around 6:15 a.m. I wanted to really work with the weights today since I had a couple of easy strength training sessions last week. I didn't push myself on the treadmill, just enough work to warm up the muscles. And I had a great strength training session.
This week is a step back week on the training schedule. And, for the first time I really understand the purpose. I ran a total of 28+ miles last week and I'm ready to take it a little easier this week. The weird place I feel it in my body is my ankles. Those bony knobs that stick out on the ankle--my are really tender. But other than that I feel great! And I'm really looking forward to running this week. Is that enthusiasm I feel?
Tuesday, February 23, 2010
I Feel So Much Better!
Distance: 4.8 mi.
Time: 1:01:05
Pace: 12:44/mi.
Time of day: 3:30 p.m.
Temp: 39°F, 30°F WC
It was a beautiful day to run! The sun was shining brightly. Only a slight wind. No rain, no snow or ice. Glorious!
I have 2 reasons to feel so much better. First, I am able to run again! I was very happy to be outside running, especially since it was such a beautiful day. I didn't plan to run 4.8 mi. but I misjudged the distance of a new leg on my route. So I feel good that I ran that far. Also, my pace was faster than I have been running. (It would have been even better, but I had to stop & tie my shoe! What's up with that?) I made a concerted effort to run just a bit faster. Not so much that I am exhausted though. I think I tend to get stuck in more of a warm up speed than a run speed. So after I had run for 1/4 mile to warm up I picked up the pace and worked to keep that faster pace. I am pleasantly tired.
My ankle is a little stiff after the run. But I think it is o.k. It isn't painful, just kind of stiff. So I'm happy about that.
Now for the 2nd reason I feel so much better. I discovered that the reason I twisted my ankle is not because I'm a klutz, but because the road has a definite uneven spot where I turned my ankle last week. I ran the same route I started on last Thursday and when I reached the point where I fell, I paid special attention to the road surface. I didn't see anything then but on the return trip over the same spot, I almost fell again due to a marked unevenness of the road surface. Here's the deal. This road was recently resurfaced and the shoulders were topped off with this very fine gravelly stuff. You can't readily see where there might be a dip in actual black top. But now I know! I'll be careful in that spot and run a little closer to the traffic lane when it is safe. I'm so happy I'm not as klutzy as I thought!
So tomorrow is my regularly scheduled rest day. And, Coach Jeni told me not to "run, run, run" when I get back on the road. So I guess I'll take tomorrow off and hit the gym again on Thursday. I'm still thinking about the weight issue. Then Friday I get to run again. Yeah! And on Saturday Coach Jeni (and all my beautiful grandchildren) will be here for the weekend and Jeni & I will get to run together. I'm so excited! Oh yes. I'm also excited because this weekend is the big birthday party for The-Love-Of-My-Life!
Life is good!
Time: 1:01:05
Pace: 12:44/mi.
Time of day: 3:30 p.m.
Temp: 39°F, 30°F WC
It was a beautiful day to run! The sun was shining brightly. Only a slight wind. No rain, no snow or ice. Glorious!
I have 2 reasons to feel so much better. First, I am able to run again! I was very happy to be outside running, especially since it was such a beautiful day. I didn't plan to run 4.8 mi. but I misjudged the distance of a new leg on my route. So I feel good that I ran that far. Also, my pace was faster than I have been running. (It would have been even better, but I had to stop & tie my shoe! What's up with that?) I made a concerted effort to run just a bit faster. Not so much that I am exhausted though. I think I tend to get stuck in more of a warm up speed than a run speed. So after I had run for 1/4 mile to warm up I picked up the pace and worked to keep that faster pace. I am pleasantly tired.
My ankle is a little stiff after the run. But I think it is o.k. It isn't painful, just kind of stiff. So I'm happy about that.
Now for the 2nd reason I feel so much better. I discovered that the reason I twisted my ankle is not because I'm a klutz, but because the road has a definite uneven spot where I turned my ankle last week. I ran the same route I started on last Thursday and when I reached the point where I fell, I paid special attention to the road surface. I didn't see anything then but on the return trip over the same spot, I almost fell again due to a marked unevenness of the road surface. Here's the deal. This road was recently resurfaced and the shoulders were topped off with this very fine gravelly stuff. You can't readily see where there might be a dip in actual black top. But now I know! I'll be careful in that spot and run a little closer to the traffic lane when it is safe. I'm so happy I'm not as klutzy as I thought!
So tomorrow is my regularly scheduled rest day. And, Coach Jeni told me not to "run, run, run" when I get back on the road. So I guess I'll take tomorrow off and hit the gym again on Thursday. I'm still thinking about the weight issue. Then Friday I get to run again. Yeah! And on Saturday Coach Jeni (and all my beautiful grandchildren) will be here for the weekend and Jeni & I will get to run together. I'm so excited! Oh yes. I'm also excited because this weekend is the big birthday party for The-Love-Of-My-Life!
Life is good!
Monday, February 22, 2010
Training Again
I warmed up on the elliptical trainer for my strength training session today. My ankle didn't hurt a bit so I'm going to try and run tomorrow.
I was pushed for time this morning so I only did 1 set of each exercise using the heaviest weight. I didn't have any trouble which makes me wonder if I should increase my weight all around. Hmm.
I was pushed for time this morning so I only did 1 set of each exercise using the heaviest weight. I didn't have any trouble which makes me wonder if I should increase my weight all around. Hmm.
Sunday, February 21, 2010
Nursing the Ankle
I stayed off my ankle today as much as possible. It doesn't hurt at all when I walk, but I figure the more I rest it the quicker it will heal.
I plan to strength train tomorrow. I can warm up on the elliptical machine instead of running on the treadmill.
I am getting worried about my setback. I'm not sure how I'm going to make up for the week of training I've lost. My gut instinct to is run, run, run when I'm able to run again, but will it be too late to build up my endurance and stamina? What if I wear myself out?
I plan to strength train tomorrow. I can warm up on the elliptical machine instead of running on the treadmill.
I am getting worried about my setback. I'm not sure how I'm going to make up for the week of training I've lost. My gut instinct to is run, run, run when I'm able to run again, but will it be too late to build up my endurance and stamina? What if I wear myself out?
Saturday, February 20, 2010
Not Yet
I tried to run today and got in about .75 mile before I called it quits. The ankle felt much better and I was having on trouble walking or moving it, but running was too much. So I'll rest until Tuesday and try it again then. Monday is strength training day and I think I'll warm up on the elliptical machine before lifting weights.
Friday, February 19, 2010
Forced Rest
Thursday's Stats
3.77 mi. in 48.39 min.
Temp. 39° F. 32° F wind chill
It was a glorious day to run yesterday and I would have made my 5 miles if only I hadn't twisted my ankle. Can you say klutz? I stopped to chat with my mailman as I was walking up the hill. (He's the 4th person to recognize me running along the rode.) Then I headed out. I turned right out of my subdivision on to the main road. (This is opposite of what I usually do. I wanted to find out how far I could continue down the road before I had a hill.) About .1 of mile on the road I was just running along and oops! I rolled my left foot.
The sharp pain really got my attention and I hobbled off the road onto the grass and held on to the utility pole conveniently located right there. Quick thinking took over and I immediately paused my running app. It took a couple of minutes before I could step, but my foot seemed o.k. so I walked a few steps then jogged very slowly a few paces. Everything seemed to be o.k. So off I went. Slowly at first, testing the foot. But honestly, it seemed o.k. Around mile 2 I decided maybe I should head home so I turned around.
If only I hadn't taken my shoe off life would be fine, right? But I did take my shoe off and that is when I realized that maybe, just maybe I really shouldn't have run on the ankle. I hobbled upstairs for a shower, then wrapped my ankle, sat down, elevated and iced it.
It is much better this morning, but I probably won't be running tomorrow. Bummer. But as Coach Jeni told me this morning, better to rest it completely than run on a strained, sore ankle.
So I'm moving on to heat on the ankle this afternoon. I didn't make it to the gym this morning so I'll try and get some shoulder work in later today.
3.77 mi. in 48.39 min.
Temp. 39° F. 32° F wind chill
It was a glorious day to run yesterday and I would have made my 5 miles if only I hadn't twisted my ankle. Can you say klutz? I stopped to chat with my mailman as I was walking up the hill. (He's the 4th person to recognize me running along the rode.) Then I headed out. I turned right out of my subdivision on to the main road. (This is opposite of what I usually do. I wanted to find out how far I could continue down the road before I had a hill.) About .1 of mile on the road I was just running along and oops! I rolled my left foot.
The sharp pain really got my attention and I hobbled off the road onto the grass and held on to the utility pole conveniently located right there. Quick thinking took over and I immediately paused my running app. It took a couple of minutes before I could step, but my foot seemed o.k. so I walked a few steps then jogged very slowly a few paces. Everything seemed to be o.k. So off I went. Slowly at first, testing the foot. But honestly, it seemed o.k. Around mile 2 I decided maybe I should head home so I turned around.
If only I hadn't taken my shoe off life would be fine, right? But I did take my shoe off and that is when I realized that maybe, just maybe I really shouldn't have run on the ankle. I hobbled upstairs for a shower, then wrapped my ankle, sat down, elevated and iced it.
It is much better this morning, but I probably won't be running tomorrow. Bummer. But as Coach Jeni told me this morning, better to rest it completely than run on a strained, sore ankle.
So I'm moving on to heat on the ankle this afternoon. I didn't make it to the gym this morning so I'll try and get some shoulder work in later today.
Tuesday, February 9, 2010
Running in Place
5.0 mi. in 1:05:44, 0% incline, 4.6 mph top speed
Temp: 15°F, WC -2°F with 6" of snow on the ground
Time of day: 11:30 a.m.
It snowed over night and turned much colder. I know this because I shoveled our driveway and my neighbor-across-the-street's driveway. Which is probably why I am worn out after running 5 miles on the treadmill today.
I'm sure at some point an hour on the treadmill will be no big deal, but right now it's a long time. I feel like I've bonded with gerbils the world over--running, yet going nowhere. I loaded a movie onto my iPhone and watched it while running. It helped pass the time, but it was still significant time on a treadmill. In fact, I learned today that 60 minutes is the "club limit" on the treadmill. Since there were 3 or 4 empty treadmills and no one waiting for me to get off, I just started it up again and ran the last half 1/2 mile to finish up the 5 miles scheduled for today.
I also have my first blister. I guess I shouldn't be happy about that, but I figured if I run almost every day, the day would come when a blister appears. It doesn't hurt, isn't very big and I think I will survive. Coach Jeni told me how to treat it and I'm sure I'll be fine for the race on Saturday.
Thursday Scott and I are going to pick up our race packets. I'm pretty excited.
Temp: 15°F, WC -2°F with 6" of snow on the ground
Time of day: 11:30 a.m.
It snowed over night and turned much colder. I know this because I shoveled our driveway and my neighbor-across-the-street's driveway. Which is probably why I am worn out after running 5 miles on the treadmill today.
I'm sure at some point an hour on the treadmill will be no big deal, but right now it's a long time. I feel like I've bonded with gerbils the world over--running, yet going nowhere. I loaded a movie onto my iPhone and watched it while running. It helped pass the time, but it was still significant time on a treadmill. In fact, I learned today that 60 minutes is the "club limit" on the treadmill. Since there were 3 or 4 empty treadmills and no one waiting for me to get off, I just started it up again and ran the last half 1/2 mile to finish up the 5 miles scheduled for today.
I also have my first blister. I guess I shouldn't be happy about that, but I figured if I run almost every day, the day would come when a blister appears. It doesn't hurt, isn't very big and I think I will survive. Coach Jeni told me how to treat it and I'm sure I'll be fine for the race on Saturday.
Thursday Scott and I are going to pick up our race packets. I'm pretty excited.
Tuesday, February 2, 2010
Icy Hot
4.0 mi. in 52:45 min. 33°F, no WC
Time of day: 7 a.m.
I successfully ran my 4 miles today even with a sore hamstring. After discussing the situation with Coach Jeni yesterday we came to the following conclusion. Running Saturday at a 3.5% incline irritated my hamstring, then Sunday running a hilly route on snow and ice further inflamed and irritated it. Treatment was ice yesterday afternoon and evening, 10 min. on/30 min. off, and ibuprofen.
We also discussed stretching and whether to stretch my hamstrings before running. I am in the camp that stretching cold muscles is more harmful than not, so I always stretch at the end of my runs. However, this morning I did do some mild stretching before heading out.
My leg didn't hurt when during the run, but I felt it. I have had heat on my leg most of today and it's feeling pretty good. Tomorrow is a rest day and Thursday is strength training again. So the hamstring should have time to do some healing.
On Sunday my son was telling me about the running app he downloaded to his iPhone. It was basically like my Runmeter app, but he had voice updates on how far we'd run, the pace, the time, etc. It was pretty cool. So I checked out my Runmeter app and discovered it did the same thing. I set it up this morning and every 1/4 mile this voice came on and updated my progress. Very cool! Thanks, Scott!
Also this morning I tried a different energy source. I took along a bag of energy "jelly beans". I liked these a lot better than the GU but the package is difficult to tear open while running and then they have a zip lock that you have to pry open. I will buy these again but put them in a different kind of bag to carry with me.
And one last thing. I ordered an arm band for my iPhone from Overstock.com. Soon I won't have to hold my iPhone any more.
Time of day: 7 a.m.
I successfully ran my 4 miles today even with a sore hamstring. After discussing the situation with Coach Jeni yesterday we came to the following conclusion. Running Saturday at a 3.5% incline irritated my hamstring, then Sunday running a hilly route on snow and ice further inflamed and irritated it. Treatment was ice yesterday afternoon and evening, 10 min. on/30 min. off, and ibuprofen.
We also discussed stretching and whether to stretch my hamstrings before running. I am in the camp that stretching cold muscles is more harmful than not, so I always stretch at the end of my runs. However, this morning I did do some mild stretching before heading out.
My leg didn't hurt when during the run, but I felt it. I have had heat on my leg most of today and it's feeling pretty good. Tomorrow is a rest day and Thursday is strength training again. So the hamstring should have time to do some healing.
On Sunday my son was telling me about the running app he downloaded to his iPhone. It was basically like my Runmeter app, but he had voice updates on how far we'd run, the pace, the time, etc. It was pretty cool. So I checked out my Runmeter app and discovered it did the same thing. I set it up this morning and every 1/4 mile this voice came on and updated my progress. Very cool! Thanks, Scott!
Also this morning I tried a different energy source. I took along a bag of energy "jelly beans". I liked these a lot better than the GU but the package is difficult to tear open while running and then they have a zip lock that you have to pry open. I will buy these again but put them in a different kind of bag to carry with me.
And one last thing. I ordered an arm band for my iPhone from Overstock.com. Soon I won't have to hold my iPhone any more.
Monday, February 1, 2010
A Pain in the Butt
.5 mi. in 7:07 minutes, no incline (warm up for strength training)
Time of day: 6 a.m.
Uh oh. Oops. I think I did a no-no. I have a pain at the top of my left hamstring radiating into my backside. I didn't even notice anything was wrong until I hit the treadmill. I almost rolled off the back the pain surprised me so much. I slowed way down to 4.2 mph thinking it was stiff and would work out. Nope. I was able to limp to half a mile and then I got off. I was able to walk o.k. and I completed my entire strength training routine. I think this warrants a call to The Coach.
Time of day: 6 a.m.
Uh oh. Oops. I think I did a no-no. I have a pain at the top of my left hamstring radiating into my backside. I didn't even notice anything was wrong until I hit the treadmill. I almost rolled off the back the pain surprised me so much. I slowed way down to 4.2 mph thinking it was stiff and would work out. Nope. I was able to limp to half a mile and then I got off. I was able to walk o.k. and I completed my entire strength training routine. I think this warrants a call to The Coach.
Thursday, January 21, 2010
I'm Such a Lightweight!
1.0 mi. in 13:34 min., 0% incline as warm up for strength training.
I feel really silly when I am in the free weight area at the gym. There are all these muscular guys who have been working out daily for as long as I've been a member. Then there is me. Middle-aged and really out of shape. I lift my 5 lb. & 10 lb. dumbbells next to the guy who is grunting his way through bicep curls with a 50 lb. dumbbell. Quite a scene to the outside observer.
I don't want to get stiff and sore. I don't want to injure myself. And I'm not interested in having a muscular body. I just want to develop strength in my upper torso so I can run better. So I will continue to lift light weights as I develop my muscles gradually. Hopefully those triceps that are beginning to flap in the wind will slowly tighten up and go away.
I feel really silly when I am in the free weight area at the gym. There are all these muscular guys who have been working out daily for as long as I've been a member. Then there is me. Middle-aged and really out of shape. I lift my 5 lb. & 10 lb. dumbbells next to the guy who is grunting his way through bicep curls with a 50 lb. dumbbell. Quite a scene to the outside observer.
I don't want to get stiff and sore. I don't want to injure myself. And I'm not interested in having a muscular body. I just want to develop strength in my upper torso so I can run better. So I will continue to lift light weights as I develop my muscles gradually. Hopefully those triceps that are beginning to flap in the wind will slowly tighten up and go away.
Monday, January 4, 2010
It's Official!
Day 1 Training
1 mi. warm up run @ 4.4 mph for 13:54 min. 0% incline
Strength training exercises
Today is the first day I am officially in training for my half-marathon. So how did I celebrate? By dropping my hair dryer on the middle toe of my right foot and cutting a deep gash in it. I am ignoring the throbbing in my foot right now. It will be fine by tomorrow morning and my 3 mi. run.
Today's workout was easier than I was anticipating. I don't know why but I spent most of yesterday evening worrying about crossing over to the free weight area of the gym. In the past when I have worked out with weights I used the Cybex machines available. I have only ventured over to the free weight area a few times. Maybe it is those gigantic 100 lb. dumbbells that intimidate me, who knows. But I did just fine. I started out with light weights, 7.5-10 lb. held in each hand. Thursday will definitely see weight added to all but 1 or 2 individual exercises.
It is dangerously cold here so I will be running indoors all week.
1 mi. warm up run @ 4.4 mph for 13:54 min. 0% incline
Strength training exercises
Today is the first day I am officially in training for my half-marathon. So how did I celebrate? By dropping my hair dryer on the middle toe of my right foot and cutting a deep gash in it. I am ignoring the throbbing in my foot right now. It will be fine by tomorrow morning and my 3 mi. run.
Today's workout was easier than I was anticipating. I don't know why but I spent most of yesterday evening worrying about crossing over to the free weight area of the gym. In the past when I have worked out with weights I used the Cybex machines available. I have only ventured over to the free weight area a few times. Maybe it is those gigantic 100 lb. dumbbells that intimidate me, who knows. But I did just fine. I started out with light weights, 7.5-10 lb. held in each hand. Thursday will definitely see weight added to all but 1 or 2 individual exercises.
It is dangerously cold here so I will be running indoors all week.
Wednesday, December 16, 2009
Back At It
2.5 mi. in 42 min. 1% incline
It was very cold this morning and I have several meetings scheduled today so I ran on the treadmill at the gym this morning. Unfortunately I accidentally hit the reset button about halfway through my run so my distance & time is an estimate—albeit very close.
So after a really wiped out yesterday I woke up feeling so much better this morning. I am proud of myself that I got up and ran this morning. In my old workout days I would have used the excuse of still "resting" and taken the remainder of the week off. Then come Monday I would have said, "oh well" and given up. But I was eager to run this morning. I have to say that the 2 apps I am using, Running Log and Runmeter, really help in the motivation area. "Seeing" my run on the graphs in Runmeter and my totals in Running Log are so cool!
I finally received the book I ordered way back in November, Beginning Runner's Handbook - The Proven 13-week Walk/Run Program. It is very basic. If I hadn't had DD1 to help me get started, this book would have been ideal. It follows the same basic philosophy she uses of walking and adding run time a little at a time until you can run 30 minutes continuously. The book has you run 3 days a week, but I like running 5 or 6 days and then taking a day off. I need the daily routine.
It was ironic that I received the book on Tuesday, the same day I did too much. The second chapter of the book is about how your body adapts s-l-o-w-l-y to running. And, how you may feel o.k. aerobically but your muscles and bones are still adapting to the exercise. I think that is exactly what occurred with me Tuesday. I didn't necessarily feel winded while I was running, but I definitely think my muscles and bones were not ready for that intense of a workout.
I'm obviously still reading the book and look forward to discussing it more.
It was very cold this morning and I have several meetings scheduled today so I ran on the treadmill at the gym this morning. Unfortunately I accidentally hit the reset button about halfway through my run so my distance & time is an estimate—albeit very close.
So after a really wiped out yesterday I woke up feeling so much better this morning. I am proud of myself that I got up and ran this morning. In my old workout days I would have used the excuse of still "resting" and taken the remainder of the week off. Then come Monday I would have said, "oh well" and given up. But I was eager to run this morning. I have to say that the 2 apps I am using, Running Log and Runmeter, really help in the motivation area. "Seeing" my run on the graphs in Runmeter and my totals in Running Log are so cool!
I finally received the book I ordered way back in November, Beginning Runner's Handbook - The Proven 13-week Walk/Run Program. It is very basic. If I hadn't had DD1 to help me get started, this book would have been ideal. It follows the same basic philosophy she uses of walking and adding run time a little at a time until you can run 30 minutes continuously. The book has you run 3 days a week, but I like running 5 or 6 days and then taking a day off. I need the daily routine.
It was ironic that I received the book on Tuesday, the same day I did too much. The second chapter of the book is about how your body adapts s-l-o-w-l-y to running. And, how you may feel o.k. aerobically but your muscles and bones are still adapting to the exercise. I think that is exactly what occurred with me Tuesday. I didn't necessarily feel winded while I was running, but I definitely think my muscles and bones were not ready for that intense of a workout.
I'm obviously still reading the book and look forward to discussing it more.
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