I ran for 12 minutes yesterday...pain-free. Big deal, I know. While 12 minutes may not seem all that thrilling to you, it sure is to me at this point.
Not only have I run 4 days of the past 6 but every run makes my leg feel better. My fears are beginning to subside although the wariness continues. I will feel a whole lot better once I get my first workout under my belt.
I realized this week how much I enjoy the strength training aspect of my training-whether it is lifting, yoga, or DST I enjoy the process. I love how strong it makes me feel. I love how it defines my muscles. I love how it aids my running. I even love that shaky feeling I get when I push my body just a little harder than it wants to go.
Sitting in a little cafe in Bozeman, MT right now-the Home Page http://www.homepagecaffe.com/- drinking a delightful cup of coffee and listening to this little toddler holler her head off because "I don't LIKE tomatoes!!" At almost 5,000 feet in elevation Bozeman is home to Montana State University and a great place to train. My friend, Julie, lives and trains here and I am thinking it would be an excellent place to spend a few weeks this summer, training. Who's with me?
Today, I am on the top of my world looking out ahead and liking what I see.
Friday, January 14, 2011
Saturday, January 8, 2011
The count down.
Was definitely premature in thinking that I was back without a hitch. After my second run (8 minutes) my peroneal tendons flared up and it was painful to do anything. I was worried that something was torn and in a rather bad mood fearing the worst.
We flew back from Hawaii on Monday, I put my compression socks to use. Anything to help in any way, I guess. On Tuesday I hit the elliptical (honestly, my least favorite cross-training, ugh) and tried not to panic or believe that running was that far off. On Wednesday I went to see the miracle worker, Mike Devitt, from whom I was expecting bad news but got great news. Peroneal tendons not torn, merely knotted, a few bones in my foot were jammed or "stuck". After some intense, painful massage and some mobilization I felt better than I had going in. I have been religious about the small and tedious exercises I was given and the super news...I will begin running tomorrow!
Mood balance is something I have struggled with since I became injured. I remember 6 years ago when my doctor at the time suggested I use antidepressants for a period of time. For two weeks I felt even keeled-no highs, no lows. And this is what drove me crazy and made me feel foreign to myself. I finally decided I was going to employ other tactics, mainly a high level of physical activity, to keep me balanced. Through my training (running, lifting, yoga) I have been able to "self-medicate" my moodiness which is one reason why NOT having that is so difficult. Over the past weeks aside from cross-training my ass off, I have explored nutrition and it's piece of the puzzle-something I began this spring in terms of performance enhancement effects.
Key findings that may seem obvious to some but a good review:
-Balance. I am talking not only about balancing what you eat but when and how much. The better you know your body and recognize it's signs, the more balanced you will be in your eating habits.
-Density. By this I mean, how densely nutritious is the food you are eating? A turkey, avocado, tomato sandwich packs more punch than does your peanut butter and jelly.
-Whole. Eating naturally, whole foods sounds like a commercial but I have found it is normally easier than the alternative. It is easier to grab an apple and a handful of pecans than it is to make a box of mac n' cheese.
-Adaptable. For me, this is the most important thing for my own sanity. By adaptability I mean being able to make due with what is available. This means eating out is not a big deal because to me, if you do things "right" most of the time, the rest of the time is over ruled.
In a small way, I am grateful for the time off. I have become physically stronger and more aware of my body as well as my motivations. Watch out 2011, I am back in the game.
We flew back from Hawaii on Monday, I put my compression socks to use. Anything to help in any way, I guess. On Tuesday I hit the elliptical (honestly, my least favorite cross-training, ugh) and tried not to panic or believe that running was that far off. On Wednesday I went to see the miracle worker, Mike Devitt, from whom I was expecting bad news but got great news. Peroneal tendons not torn, merely knotted, a few bones in my foot were jammed or "stuck". After some intense, painful massage and some mobilization I felt better than I had going in. I have been religious about the small and tedious exercises I was given and the super news...I will begin running tomorrow!
Mood balance is something I have struggled with since I became injured. I remember 6 years ago when my doctor at the time suggested I use antidepressants for a period of time. For two weeks I felt even keeled-no highs, no lows. And this is what drove me crazy and made me feel foreign to myself. I finally decided I was going to employ other tactics, mainly a high level of physical activity, to keep me balanced. Through my training (running, lifting, yoga) I have been able to "self-medicate" my moodiness which is one reason why NOT having that is so difficult. Over the past weeks aside from cross-training my ass off, I have explored nutrition and it's piece of the puzzle-something I began this spring in terms of performance enhancement effects.
Key findings that may seem obvious to some but a good review:
-Balance. I am talking not only about balancing what you eat but when and how much. The better you know your body and recognize it's signs, the more balanced you will be in your eating habits.
-Density. By this I mean, how densely nutritious is the food you are eating? A turkey, avocado, tomato sandwich packs more punch than does your peanut butter and jelly.
-Whole. Eating naturally, whole foods sounds like a commercial but I have found it is normally easier than the alternative. It is easier to grab an apple and a handful of pecans than it is to make a box of mac n' cheese.
-Adaptable. For me, this is the most important thing for my own sanity. By adaptability I mean being able to make due with what is available. This means eating out is not a big deal because to me, if you do things "right" most of the time, the rest of the time is over ruled.
In a small way, I am grateful for the time off. I have become physically stronger and more aware of my body as well as my motivations. Watch out 2011, I am back in the game.
Saturday, January 1, 2011
Happy New Year to All
It may be premature but I am all about positive thinking in most cases. Went on my first test run in over 5 1/2 weeks. To be on the safe side Pat only had me run 6 minutes with a 2 minute walk on either side. I preceded the run with an hour of yoga on the beach and followed the run with a DST session.
While I will not lie and say I felt awesome and there was no pain and all that jazz, I take comfort in the fact that it is no worse AFTER running than it was before. At this point it feels like soft tissue stuff from not using it forever. But, time will tell. And I hope it will tell me good things.
Just spent several hours lying on the beach reading and alternately jumping in the ocean for a swim. The sun is finally shining on us in Hawaii and it is about time. A great way to ring in the new year.
This IS the year, just as the other years have been. I have high expectations for myself and my running this year and have no reason why it should not be a season of success. After battling double hernias and this latest stress fracture I have learned a bit about resilience and feel that I am only the better for the injuries I have had. I mean really, what other way is there to look at it.
Cheers to 2011 and all the running there is to be done.
While I will not lie and say I felt awesome and there was no pain and all that jazz, I take comfort in the fact that it is no worse AFTER running than it was before. At this point it feels like soft tissue stuff from not using it forever. But, time will tell. And I hope it will tell me good things.
Just spent several hours lying on the beach reading and alternately jumping in the ocean for a swim. The sun is finally shining on us in Hawaii and it is about time. A great way to ring in the new year.
This IS the year, just as the other years have been. I have high expectations for myself and my running this year and have no reason why it should not be a season of success. After battling double hernias and this latest stress fracture I have learned a bit about resilience and feel that I am only the better for the injuries I have had. I mean really, what other way is there to look at it.
Cheers to 2011 and all the running there is to be done.
Sunday, December 26, 2010
Slacker...
It has been almost 5 weeks since I have run. They have been an interesting and oddly revealing 5 weeks. Interesting because of all the accommodations needed in order to train when you are restricted to the pool or recumbent cycling. This makes for fairly stressful traveling which I have been doing a lot of. I have been in the pool or on the bike everyday, alternating steady day/workout day and lifting or doing some form of strength training 6 x's/week. Oddly, although not running I still feel like I am in good shape. We shall see.
Toward the end of this coming week, Pat has me doing two test runs (6 min & 8 min). That is my goal, to get through them healthy and sound. After being on crutches for two weeks longer than planned, I was feeling a fair amount of despair last week.
We are in Hawaii for the next 9 days. BYU-Hawaii kindly agreed to let me use their facilities-which I am grateful for. It is a mile down the road from the house we are staying in. The beach is a mere 50 meters away where I plan on doing morning yoga once it stops raining. Yes, raining. Though the sun does seem to be peeking out as I write this.
Pictures will follow at some point but for now, since I lost my camera in Minnesota last week, imagine the waves crashing and the air so thick that it hugs you, while making your skin feel velvety and fresh.
Later this week will be a highlight of the year in the form of running moments...
Toward the end of this coming week, Pat has me doing two test runs (6 min & 8 min). That is my goal, to get through them healthy and sound. After being on crutches for two weeks longer than planned, I was feeling a fair amount of despair last week.
We are in Hawaii for the next 9 days. BYU-Hawaii kindly agreed to let me use their facilities-which I am grateful for. It is a mile down the road from the house we are staying in. The beach is a mere 50 meters away where I plan on doing morning yoga once it stops raining. Yes, raining. Though the sun does seem to be peeking out as I write this.
Pictures will follow at some point but for now, since I lost my camera in Minnesota last week, imagine the waves crashing and the air so thick that it hugs you, while making your skin feel velvety and fresh.
Later this week will be a highlight of the year in the form of running moments...
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