I thought I would throw up something so everyone would know I'm still alive. I am slowly getting back to the running routine. After 3 runs for 18 miles last week I'll probably be up to 4 runs for just over 20 this week. I'd like to get over 22 so I can keep my "at least 40 miles a month" streak alive. Celebrate the little victories, right?
My leg is holding up well and I haven't had any IT band issues since I resumed my running. The biggest hurdle I have now is the weather. I keep wimping out at 5 am when I know it is going to be under 40 degrees F. I run on the treadmill in the evening instead but just don't have the same satisfaction or euphoria from the experience. I ran a 10 mile run on Saturday and saw a total of 22 deer! That is such a cool feeling to connect with wildlife that way. That's not to say I'm not checking them out for antler size and debating whether or not I could get away with hunting just off the running path...
I keep wondering if I am pushing into another Marathon too quickly. Salt Lake is only 2.5 months away now but I'm confident that I have retained a good amount of my training from the fall. Unless the injury resurfaces, I am confident I can be ready! I am REALLY looking forward to it. Partially for the run but a lot for the chance to see family and friends! FYI - I fly in on the evening of Thursday April 16th and I will fly back out on Monday morning the 20th. I hope to see many of you that weekend and would LOVE to see you running the 5k on the 18th while I'm slogging from UofU out to Holliday and back to Temple Square.
The other trip I am making soon, like just over two weeks from now, is out to Arizona. I am flying in for business and then staying through the weekend to visit family. I fly in on Monday, February 16th, stay in Tucson all week for work, and then drive to Kearny on Friday night before flying home late Sunday afternoon. I hope to see as many of you as time allows. (of course I will have to work you in around some running time too...)
I hope all who read my blog are happy and healthy and enjoying the new year. Hopefully your new years resolutions are still alive if even just on life support... Hope to see many of you soon!
Thursday, January 29, 2009
Tuesday, January 20, 2009
On the Road Again...
I RAN! I know it is not a big deal for most of you (nor was it to me not so long ago) but going over three full weeks and not running was somewhat traumatic for me. I knew I had to do it to nurse my ailing IT Band back to health but extra biking and Wii Fit time just does not cut it.
I was able to run on my treadmill last night. Just 4.1 miles and with a very slow warm-up and a max pace of 10:00 per mile for only 2 of the miles, but I was running. I didn’t have any IT Band pain with this run, we’ll see how it holds out for longer runs. I have been doing some abductor strengthening stretches but frankly they are so odd looking that I wouldn’t do them in public. They look like some kind of demented dance moves but I think I’ll stick to my tried and tested MC Hammer moves for now!
So on with the training for Salt Lake. Lets hope I have retained enough of my fitness from the fall so that 3 months of training will get me to where I need to be for that Marathon. Unfortunately I did gain some weight over the holidays as I mentioned before. I went from 185-186 for my November marathon to actually having one day on the scale saying over 200. That was fleeting however and I am now weighing in at the 192-193 range. Still not all the way back but I think another 2-3 will come off quickly as I resume running and the 180’s is still somewhat amazing to me. The goal is to get back to 185 in time for Salt Lake, April 18th.
Oddly enough I have had some serious leg pain the last three days but not related to my IT Band issues at all. On Saturday I served as a ref for my church young adult basketball league. For three hours I ran up and down the court. The problem was that I ran backwards each time instead of turning to jog or run down with the play. My calves didn’t appreciate the workout and are still SCREAMING at me! Lesson learned I guess...
I was able to run on my treadmill last night. Just 4.1 miles and with a very slow warm-up and a max pace of 10:00 per mile for only 2 of the miles, but I was running. I didn’t have any IT Band pain with this run, we’ll see how it holds out for longer runs. I have been doing some abductor strengthening stretches but frankly they are so odd looking that I wouldn’t do them in public. They look like some kind of demented dance moves but I think I’ll stick to my tried and tested MC Hammer moves for now!
So on with the training for Salt Lake. Lets hope I have retained enough of my fitness from the fall so that 3 months of training will get me to where I need to be for that Marathon. Unfortunately I did gain some weight over the holidays as I mentioned before. I went from 185-186 for my November marathon to actually having one day on the scale saying over 200. That was fleeting however and I am now weighing in at the 192-193 range. Still not all the way back but I think another 2-3 will come off quickly as I resume running and the 180’s is still somewhat amazing to me. The goal is to get back to 185 in time for Salt Lake, April 18th.
Oddly enough I have had some serious leg pain the last three days but not related to my IT Band issues at all. On Saturday I served as a ref for my church young adult basketball league. For three hours I ran up and down the court. The problem was that I ran backwards each time instead of turning to jog or run down with the play. My calves didn’t appreciate the workout and are still SCREAMING at me! Lesson learned I guess...
Tuesday, January 06, 2009
Proof I'm not Superman...
Through all of my weight loss and Marathon Training I suffered very few and minor injuries. I had some heal pain after my first 10 miler. I had some blisters before I invested in some good socks and shoes. But nothing bad enough to really sideline me. Well, gone are the idyllic days of running without injury or consequence! Shortly after my marathon I noticed a nagging pain in my right knee. Nothing that stopped me, but I certainly felt it. It was bothersome enough that on the day of my Half Marathon I took two Acetaminophen so it wouldn't bother me and that worked just fine. As I started back running again in December I noticed the knee pain came back and was slowly working up my outer thigh. It then progressed into a dull ache not just during running but for a day or two after each run. Early in my Christmas vacation I went for a simple enough 10 mile run and by mile 8 I was in a full limp and struggled to use stairs for days. So I finally looked into it...
Turns out I developed a case of Iliotibial Band Syndrome or ITBS. The IT Band runs from the back side of your hip, connected to the glueteus medeus muscles, down the outer edge of your leg, through a small sheath along the outside edge of your knee, and connects to your tibia near the top. It is responsible for helping to bend your knee and also to stabilize your knee during use. Unfortunately, long distance runners are prone to developing a condition where this band becomes inflamed due to overuse and then rubs the sheath it passes through near the knee causing even more inflammation.
The good news is that with rest and anti-inflammatory medication ITBS is easily alleviated. The bad news is that means I CAN'T RUN!!! Just when I am excited about starting my training for Salt Lake, I'm sidelined. I tried to just run slowly, or reduce my overall miles, but the pain quickly comes back. My only hope is to stop running completely for two weeks and then slowly add miles. For the sake of preventing this recurring, lets all pray I have the patience.
One of the most frustrating things has been the timing. To not be able to run during the Christmas break has been painful. I had great plans of kicking off my Salt Lake training with gusto as I had plenty of time off but limped through only 2-3 runs before convincing myself I need to rest it completely. Of course with Christmas and vacation comes snacking, boredom, and EGG NOG! Oh vile dairy confection that enslaves me each year! So you guessed it, I have put on quite a bit of weight over the holidays. Reduced running, increased eating, guess I should have seen that coming. I didn't loose all of 2008's gains, but more than I would care to admit to.
For now I am trying out biking in the morning (if would stop raining!) and spending a little more time on the Wii Fit. I always said I needed more cross training, guess this is someone's way of making sure I get it! They say a good prevention to ITBS is strong abductors as well.
Anyway, hopefully you will see my mile reports come back in a week or three. I am trying to make some lemonade here with these lemons but boy it sure is sour! Hopefully it is just a pit stop, not a derailment...
Turns out I developed a case of Iliotibial Band Syndrome or ITBS. The IT Band runs from the back side of your hip, connected to the glueteus medeus muscles, down the outer edge of your leg, through a small sheath along the outside edge of your knee, and connects to your tibia near the top. It is responsible for helping to bend your knee and also to stabilize your knee during use. Unfortunately, long distance runners are prone to developing a condition where this band becomes inflamed due to overuse and then rubs the sheath it passes through near the knee causing even more inflammation.
The good news is that with rest and anti-inflammatory medication ITBS is easily alleviated. The bad news is that means I CAN'T RUN!!! Just when I am excited about starting my training for Salt Lake, I'm sidelined. I tried to just run slowly, or reduce my overall miles, but the pain quickly comes back. My only hope is to stop running completely for two weeks and then slowly add miles. For the sake of preventing this recurring, lets all pray I have the patience.
One of the most frustrating things has been the timing. To not be able to run during the Christmas break has been painful. I had great plans of kicking off my Salt Lake training with gusto as I had plenty of time off but limped through only 2-3 runs before convincing myself I need to rest it completely. Of course with Christmas and vacation comes snacking, boredom, and EGG NOG! Oh vile dairy confection that enslaves me each year! So you guessed it, I have put on quite a bit of weight over the holidays. Reduced running, increased eating, guess I should have seen that coming. I didn't loose all of 2008's gains, but more than I would care to admit to.
For now I am trying out biking in the morning (if would stop raining!) and spending a little more time on the Wii Fit. I always said I needed more cross training, guess this is someone's way of making sure I get it! They say a good prevention to ITBS is strong abductors as well.
Anyway, hopefully you will see my mile reports come back in a week or three. I am trying to make some lemonade here with these lemons but boy it sure is sour! Hopefully it is just a pit stop, not a derailment...
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