Tuesday, April 19, 2011

getting there

It's been 2 weeks and 3 days since I broke down and declared myself "injured." Since then I have taken quite a few days off, unintentionally raised my speed by 2min/mile, gone to PT and gone to the chiro (both docs several times).

I am starting to see progress.  Today I ran almost 8 miles and got my pace back down to about a minute above where I would have wanted it.  I am no longer following any plan that goes out further than 1 day b/c I don't know how my hip will feel until I start running.

I have been diagnosed with an injury my PT has seen only once before, in a soccer player.  He asked me if my running routine looked something like a steeplechase course.  Since normally this injury comes from kicking up high and dodging from side to side.  It's a strain of the pectineus muscle

Am I worried about the Country Music Marathon which is in 10 days..?  Absolutely.  I'm worried about finishing now instead of being worried about qualifying for Boston.  It's such a shock to the way I've been thinking for the past few months.  A little over 2 weeks ago I was running a 22.5 mile training run, I was doing long runs at a pace of 8:20, I was doing tempo runs well into the 7s.  Now I am scared to even start a run, because I don't know if I'll be able to do it.  I'm running paces into the 10s or even 11s.  I've missed almost 100 miles in training.  I'm SCARED.

However,  CMM has a 1/2 option.  I figure that I can run the half if need be.  Will I be disappointed?  Absolutely!  Is it really more important that I still raised close to $3000 for the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society?  Absolutely!

My focus, for getting a fast time, will now be Vermont City which is Memorial Day weekend.  My injury may still affect that race.  It really depends on how CM goes.  For now I'm playing a lot of things by ear and trying not to think about the training that I missed.

In the meantime...I have loved reading all the Boston recaps and Tweets!  You guys are all awesome.  Congratulations!

Thursday, April 7, 2011

Proof I'm turning into my students

My latest adventure with an injury has made me realize that I am turning into a middle school student.  (Please note; if you have MS students, teach them, or just love them...many of these reasons are why I love my job so much...some of these reasons are why I need to run)

1. They think they are invinsible; this time last week I had convinced myself I was not injured and was planning a 10 mile race as part of my weekend's 17 miler.

2. They are stubborn; even when I knew I shouldn't run through the pain, I did anyway, until I physically couldn't.

3. They don't usually learn from mistakes; I'm pretty sure I was in this exact position a year ago.

4. They are competitive and like to show off; I think part of the reason I was so stubborn is the contest I started as a fund-raiser for TnT.  I really wanted my mileage to impress all the guessers.

5. They like to stick weird things down their pants: The liner in running shorts make a surprisingly efficient ice pack holder. 

6.  They get embarrassed easily; When the PT asked me if I had shaved recently (because the medicine he was applying to my hip would sting if I had) I turned bright red.

7.  When they want something they don't give up; ditto

8. They can put the phrase "what if" in front of any scenario you can dream of; what if I wake up tomorrow and the pain is gone?, what if nothing hurts after a mile?, what if I try spinning?, what if I foam roll every hour on the hour?, etc. 

9.  (not so running related) They play COD with friends instead of doing homework; I blog instead of writing my "Year End Summary," grading papers, or writing lesson plans...

All that being said, I did go to the PT today and he does not think it is ITBS which is GREAT in my book.  Everything I read on ITBS showed more recovery than I have time for.  The main "tests" my little hip muscle failed were internal and external rotation.  He thinks its just an overused and inflamed muscle.  We're treating it with ice, rest, stretching and a medicine he puts on a electrically charged patch.  So far that's working well.  The patch really seemed to help.  So cross your fingers; so far it's good news. 

Well that's all for now.  I guess I should get back to practicing my fart noises and finding new ways to incorporate words like: chode, blue waffle, and Cleveland Steamer into my day!

Monday, April 4, 2011

An overdue update and a race report

In short running has been happening and I have been neglecting the blog.

Overall I've been getting the mileage in (225 miles for March) and am in my last week before taper.  I had a windy but successful 22.5 miler last Sunday.  

That lead to a painful hip. Which I ignored.  Always a good choice with my history...(didn't I have to DNS at New Jersey last year because of something similar...)?   I continued to get in my mileage for the week.  10 here, 10 there.  Staying in Fairfield where there's tons of hills (again little learning happens in this thick skull). 

My long run for the week was supposed to be 17.  I figured since I had limped home on Friday, I'd see how I felt on Saturday with a warm up 7 miler.  If I felt good I would enter the April Fools 10.5 Miler.  Well I felt extremely tight and slow and sore on my 7 miler.  So I did the smart thing and entered the race. 

April Fools 10.5 Miler Race Report

The first thing Eric asked me when I got home from this race was, "Why 10.5?"  I'm not really sure to tell you the truth, but in actuality the course is 10.6.  I think it has to do with being SUPER hilly and it's resulting lack of PR potential.  This way, it's an automatic PR. 

I should have known this was a treacherous race when: a) the map my run version assigned numbers to the hills; I normally run hills and yet none of my hills are long enough or steep enough to earn numbers, b) I couldn't find a single race comment, c) my normal 10mile pace would have earned me top woman finisher in last year's race, d) not a single person mentioned anything about the course while we were waiting to start. 

I was pretty fearful going into this race because I had been hurting.  I had had no pick up in my legs for the past week and really didn't want to be dead last.  However, once I was running in the race, the pain went away and I felt pretty great. 

Mile 1: 8:05
Mile 2: 8:22

Not my best splits as I should be able to hold under 8s for the 10 miles but like I said...hills.  Mile 3 was where the hills really started.  There was a series of 6 of them.  All steep and pretty long.  The first 3 hills were a full mile up.each.  The 2nd was the steepest. 

Honestly, I rocked the uphills.  I would cruise up feeling great and passing people.  However, when it came time to go back down, the pain came back.  It was shooting all through my lower leg, but it began in the back of my knee.  Then each pound would also kill my hip.  So the race looked like this: pass 3 people on the up, get passed by 3 people on the down, pass 3 people on the up...and so on.  I'm so happy about rocking the uphills though, because I really have been hoping all my hill training was going to pay off.  I've had downhill problems in the past, so this doesn't surprise me, but it sure was frustrating. 

Mile 3: 8:59
Mile 4: 9:09
Mile 5: 8:36
Mile 6: 9:12
Mile 7: 8:38
Mile 8: 9:09
Mile 9: 9:01

The hills start go get smaller at mile 7, but they are always there.  My last mile and a half was practically a limp, but I ended feeling pretty happy considering the week I'd had. 

Mile 10: 8:41
Mile .6: 9:19
Finish: 1:32.33
Overall pace 8:44, 3rd in age group and got a sweet purple trophy.  Go purple!

I decided not to do my 10 miler yesterday, which I think was wise, because walking was more than difficult.   The back of my knee was one tight bulge that Eric worked on for hours despite my  continuous cursing at him to stop and then begging him to start again. 

Today my leg is sore: still in the hip and back of the knee, but it's much better.  I have an appointment with the chiro today and it's my normal day off anyway.  Hopefully I'll be feeling good enough to get back to running tomorrow. 

Saturday is my last 20 miler before taper and I'd be upset to not get this last big week in.  Anyone else ever have issues that seem to start with the hip but also radiate down to behind the knee?  Are these two separate issues?