Wednesday, November 30, 2011
Knees still hanging in there
I did my normal 4.5 mile loop last night and it felt wonderful. No soreness or looseness while running, and nothing last night or this morning. The plan is to do a 10 miler on Sunday and use it as a diagnostic. If I can do it alright and recover w/o problems, I can do the 1/2. If I have any problems at all, I'm out. I'm ok with that decision, I'd rather skip the race and keep going in my recovery than run the race and not be able to run for most of December.
Looking back, I'm amazed at what a difference in conditioning that training for a 1/2 has made. I used to run short distances really regularly. I *knew* that speed work would make me faster, but when you are used to running 4.5 miles and topping off at a 10K, it's really easy to fall back into normal patterns and not push the speed. I also didn't have an incentive to run long distances, and I was scared of them, so I didn't bother. I'm really impressed at what a difference adding slow, long miles has made in my running conditioning. It seems somewhat counter-intuitive, but the long slow runs really increased my stamina, form, and improved just about every part of my running.
Once I'm recovered from my knees and the race on Dec 11 I'm going to re-evaluate my running plan. I really want to maintain the long runs and I think I've found a similarly-paced trail-running partner to do that with. I also want to add speed play (with Luke) and serious cross training and strength building. Ideally I'll keep running 4 days a week with one long run and one speed run (is that too much? should I alternate long run/speed work every other week?), and do at least 1 day of additional short cardio and strength training.
Looking back, I'm amazed at what a difference in conditioning that training for a 1/2 has made. I used to run short distances really regularly. I *knew* that speed work would make me faster, but when you are used to running 4.5 miles and topping off at a 10K, it's really easy to fall back into normal patterns and not push the speed. I also didn't have an incentive to run long distances, and I was scared of them, so I didn't bother. I'm really impressed at what a difference adding slow, long miles has made in my running conditioning. It seems somewhat counter-intuitive, but the long slow runs really increased my stamina, form, and improved just about every part of my running.
Once I'm recovered from my knees and the race on Dec 11 I'm going to re-evaluate my running plan. I really want to maintain the long runs and I think I've found a similarly-paced trail-running partner to do that with. I also want to add speed play (with Luke) and serious cross training and strength building. Ideally I'll keep running 4 days a week with one long run and one speed run (is that too much? should I alternate long run/speed work every other week?), and do at least 1 day of additional short cardio and strength training.
Monday, November 28, 2011
Jogging again!
I spent most of the last week visiting my brother and sister in law in Montana and used it for a week of knee recovery. The town they live in affords breath taking views of the Montana Landscape. Their house is situated on 200+ acres of land with lots of lovely hiking trails. Fortunately, the wind gave us enough of a break to get one long walk in Big Timber, and a second in Missoula. Other than those two walks, I spent a lot of time icing, taking advil, and just resting.
And I, tentatively, think it's paid off.
Yesterday I did a slow 4 mile loop from my house with short walk breaks at every mile. Rather than do my standard 4.5 mile loop, I decided to run laps around my neighborhood so that I could head home at the lightest sign of discomfort. Fortunately, no knee funniness for the run! I did get some hamstring cramping on the left side near the knee. I'm beginning to think that my IT band, left ham, and left calf are putting stress on the joint. I get fairly consistent cramping and my left calf has been sore and knotted (in comparison to the right). However, no knee issues either before or after the run!
The neighboorhood got in the holiday spirit this weekend and I had a lovely time running through the various holiday lights:
Friday, November 18, 2011
Should have seen this one coming...
Last night's run sucked. S. U. C. K. E. D. First mile, awkward, second mile, great, third mile, pain. stopping, trying not to cry, walking, wanting to run, trying to run, back to trying not to cry, walking, very slow jogging home. I got home feeling sad, desperate, and like I might have to drop out of the the Tucson HM b/c I'm not sure I can do it without causing injury.
I had Dr. Luke (not a "real" doctor but he plays one sometimes at home), take a feel of my knee, my gait, my stride, basically everything. He's take - "your knees are creaking, you can feel the tendons when you bend and straighten, it's probably tendonitis from over use. Take your own advice and start taking advil regularly." Huh, maybe I should listen to my husband every now and again.
We're headed to MT to visit our in-laws, newborn nephew, and a litter of puppies. It's also going to be cold and I've been worrying about getting in mileage while dealing with 20-40 degree temps. In light of everything that's going on, I'm going to take the opportunity to not run for a week. Instead I'll focus on walking when it's warm enough, Jillian Michael's yoga, and maybe the elliptical or rowing machine if I can handle it. But I'm going to stop running for a while, give myself real rest (not the, I'll-just-run-4-times-a-week "rest" I've been doing), and reassess when I return.
Cross your fingers and make a sacrifice for my knees.
I had Dr. Luke (not a "real" doctor but he plays one sometimes at home), take a feel of my knee, my gait, my stride, basically everything. He's take - "your knees are creaking, you can feel the tendons when you bend and straighten, it's probably tendonitis from over use. Take your own advice and start taking advil regularly." Huh, maybe I should listen to my husband every now and again.
We're headed to MT to visit our in-laws, newborn nephew, and a litter of puppies. It's also going to be cold and I've been worrying about getting in mileage while dealing with 20-40 degree temps. In light of everything that's going on, I'm going to take the opportunity to not run for a week. Instead I'll focus on walking when it's warm enough, Jillian Michael's yoga, and maybe the elliptical or rowing machine if I can handle it. But I'm going to stop running for a while, give myself real rest (not the, I'll-just-run-4-times-a-week "rest" I've been doing), and reassess when I return.
Cross your fingers and make a sacrifice for my knees.
Wednesday, November 16, 2011
Still Recovering
Despite my personal desires to run,run, run, faster, faster, faster... my body has other plans. It's been about a week and a half since the HM and despite my attempts to convince myself to the contrary, my knees are still recovering. As I said before, I'm not getting pain, but I'm getting that-doesn't-exactly-feel-normal that could turn to pain/injury pretty quickly.
Following advice, I've cut my mileage to about 13-17 slower miles per week with walking, cross training or climbing on my off days. I'm also taking advil, rolling around on my foam roller, and doing leg lifts.
I've been paying a lot of attention to my body and I think I'm having knee problems because of my hip rather than my feet. Both hip flexors are tight and I think they're causing my legs and knees to track in a funny way.
It's frustrating b/c I want to be back out running and getting in miles, but I also want to make it through my next race w/o any injuries and a quicker recovery time. Very annoying when you can push your body faster than you thought you could, but then have to give it a while to recover for the push.
Following advice, I've cut my mileage to about 13-17 slower miles per week with walking, cross training or climbing on my off days. I'm also taking advil, rolling around on my foam roller, and doing leg lifts.
I've been paying a lot of attention to my body and I think I'm having knee problems because of my hip rather than my feet. Both hip flexors are tight and I think they're causing my legs and knees to track in a funny way.
It's frustrating b/c I want to be back out running and getting in miles, but I also want to make it through my next race w/o any injuries and a quicker recovery time. Very annoying when you can push your body faster than you thought you could, but then have to give it a while to recover for the push.
Sunday, November 13, 2011
rain, rain
Well, my long run got rained out. Which is actually probably good b/c I've been experiencing some patellofemeral pain in the left knee post running. I don't get it when I run, but if my knees are bent when I sleep sometimes it'll wake me up. I think it might be the shoe. It also might be the distance. I'm going to add leg lifts to see if I can strengthen the quads, and keep stretching the hams, calves, gluts. Cannot. get. injured. Especially now that I've come to love running this much.
Headed to the climbing gym instead. Likely back out tomorrow.
Headed to the climbing gym instead. Likely back out tomorrow.
Friday, November 11, 2011
Still recovering
Here's been the schedule so far:
1. Monday - rest
2. Tuesday - Rock climbing (2 hours w/ a new running AND climbing buddy!). Some of those movements out of deep flexion? Painful to the quads.
3. Wednesday - run/jog. Great for the first 2.5 miles, then it felt like someone inserted hot pokers in my quads. Clearly still recovering.
4. Thursday - walk
5. Friday - walk
6. Sat - jog. 4.5 miles, average 9:30 pace, felt good! My quads are recovered, although my knees feel a bit... loose. Not sure how to describe it. I'm definitely going to start some mild weight training next week now that my legs are recovered. I really need to build my lower quads to protect the patella tracking.
7. Tomorrow: planned 8 mile run w/ new running buddy and Luke. A bit nervous, but generally looking forward to it.
Finally, this week I learned why you never run a race with new shoes. I picked up a pair of Cascadias at the expo and was psyched to try them out this week. Well, they talked me into 1/2 a size bigger and it was a huge mistake. The're ok to start, but w/in .5 mile I can feel that all the proportions are wrong and my foot was sliding around in the shoe like crazy. Normally my cascadias feel like a second skin on my feet - these? not so much. Pretty soon into the run I started feeling the effects on my knees. Not horrible, but not good. Fortunately, they'll let me exchange them for store credit which I will use to by the 9.5s. It means I didn't get the 20% off, but I need new shoes anyway so it'll be worth it for something that fits.
Does make me wonder how many people experience knee problems from too big shoes.
1. Monday - rest
2. Tuesday - Rock climbing (2 hours w/ a new running AND climbing buddy!). Some of those movements out of deep flexion? Painful to the quads.
3. Wednesday - run/jog. Great for the first 2.5 miles, then it felt like someone inserted hot pokers in my quads. Clearly still recovering.
4. Thursday - walk
5. Friday - walk
6. Sat - jog. 4.5 miles, average 9:30 pace, felt good! My quads are recovered, although my knees feel a bit... loose. Not sure how to describe it. I'm definitely going to start some mild weight training next week now that my legs are recovered. I really need to build my lower quads to protect the patella tracking.
7. Tomorrow: planned 8 mile run w/ new running buddy and Luke. A bit nervous, but generally looking forward to it.
Finally, this week I learned why you never run a race with new shoes. I picked up a pair of Cascadias at the expo and was psyched to try them out this week. Well, they talked me into 1/2 a size bigger and it was a huge mistake. The're ok to start, but w/in .5 mile I can feel that all the proportions are wrong and my foot was sliding around in the shoe like crazy. Normally my cascadias feel like a second skin on my feet - these? not so much. Pretty soon into the run I started feeling the effects on my knees. Not horrible, but not good. Fortunately, they'll let me exchange them for store credit which I will use to by the 9.5s. It means I didn't get the 20% off, but I need new shoes anyway so it'll be worth it for something that fits.
Does make me wonder how many people experience knee problems from too big shoes.
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