Pool Running, Ice Bath, and a Post-Run Snack

Last week I was talked about my crummy run and how that doesn't really matter that much because I am still living, running and enjoying life. And, those sentiments still ring true. This week, well, things weren't fabulous either. But, in this life we must persevere, no? New season starts, today! 

I made a bad move on Saturday night, and although the same could be said for my moves on the dance floor, this one was worse. I fell down hard on my right knee onto a tile floor. I will spare you the details, but suffice to say that I hurt my knee such that it got all swollen and was hard to bend. No Bueno, folks.

I slogged out 5 miles on Sunday, but it HURT. Dammit, it HURT. I told myself that I had better be able to handle pain and unpleasantness if I am going make it through the 50K Trail Run I have planned this summer. It's a mental trick runners use when they're stupid: run through injury in the name of progress. Anyway, the race is called the SOB 50K, which I think is hilarious, because I'm immature like that. I figured my knee would only hurt for a day or something. So, so naïve, and overly optimistic, as usual.

That bugger hurt so terribly that I couldn't do Yoga on Sunday afternoon. Downward dog was tolerable, but Warrior 1, 2 or any other of those slick Yoga moves were not happening. I was able to do my weight training on Monday, but it still was iffy. On Tuesday, it felt better and I was hopeful that it felt Ok enough for me to do Intervals with ORRC Group on Tuesday Night. NOPE. I ran a slow 5 ½ miles, with it hurting more and more. Wednesday, I did my weight training, but zero running.

ICE, COMPRESSION, ELEVATION, REPEAT.  This did give my knee some relief. Don't worry I Googled, and talked to some peeps at work (I work with a bunch of PT's), and I don't have any symptoms of a ligament tear or anything like that. Just swelling that makes it feel like my Patella is being shoved laterally to the back side of my knee. In case you were wondering, Patellas don't like hanging out in the back of anywhere, they enjoy being front and center. They are like the Kim Kardashian of bones.

Today, I decided to go to the gym and try “Pool Running.” One of my lovely coworkers, Andrea, who used to run quite a bit herself, also suggested I try the Elliptical Jogger. I went over to 24-hour fitness, donned my swimsuit, threw my iPod under a baseball cap and ran in slow motion in the pool for 30 minutes. After 10 minutes, I wanted to get out. I think it was the longest 30 minutes of my life. After I couldn't handle anymore pool running I jumped out, changed clothes and made my way to the Elliptical machines.

Ok. I will freely admit, I've only been on one of those like twice, ever. The first one I got on was really easy, so I cranked up the resistance and incline all the way, but it still was exceedingly easy. I decided it was broken. I found a different brand that looked newer. It gave a me a pretty good workout, though not quite as much as running would have. I have to say I know now why they call it an “Elliptical Jogger”---it's hard to get the machine to truly simulate running, even on the highest level. It was a fairly decent workout, not as much as running but way better than nothing.

How was the knee?? I could still feel a little discomfort, but nothing like before. I decided to go for a couple of miles outside after I left the gym. It was definitely tolerable, but I didn't want to push my luck.  How about some food for all that  torturous pool running and elliptical jogging? 

Good Stuff. I hope Matt Fitzgerald would be proud.

I went home and made myself a yummy snack. I needed a reward. Today, I had: Greek yogurt and peanut butter/almond butter mixed together with honey as the base, then I added grapefruit, chia seeds, toasted coconut, small pieces of dark chocolate, and sprinkle of granola. YUM! After reading, Racing Weight: How to get Lean for Peak Performance, by Matt Fitzgerald, I have found it rather easy to feed my body the fuel it needs with unprocessed, unrefined whole foods. Good stuff.

 

 

Pre-ice bath: I already look cold.

Once my belly was full, I decided to ice my entire lower half in an ICE BATH.  My 8 year-old daughter, Maya, was sweet enough to draw my ice bath for me, and even throw in a gallon of ice cubes from our freezer. As I was resting in the tub, I over heard her buddy ask, “Where's your mom?”. Maya replied, “Oh, she's in the tub...in cold water with real ice cubes in it. She needs to do that when she runs.” Poor kid probably thinks I'm crazy. Don't worry, I know I'm crazy, so it's cool. Oh, I wasn't alone in the tub---I always have a warm beverage on hand, today it was HOT Chai Tea, like so hot that it needed a warning label like McDonald's coffee. Oh, and the dog likes to hang out in there too to keep me company. He might love me more than my husband does.


Tomorrow...I have plans to run.  The knee feels ready.






Have you ever tried pool running?

Do you like the elliptical, or other gym equipment?

Do you have any special yummy snacks for post-workout?

Ever get into an ice bath?

Spring Forward? Yes, yes, I did. Quite literally.

On Wednesday, I had a bit of crummy morning. It started out normal enough:

Step 1: Get up early.

Step 2: Run 10 miles at recovery pace.



 Brooks Transcend: Hot colors make it even more extravagant.

I was pretty excited to be heading out because I had new gear. I LOVE new gear, since I rarely treat myself. I just picked up the Brooks Transcend, a new pair of Brooks for me, actually they're new for everyone since Brooks just launched them. They were pretty expensive...like more than I usually spend for shoes, but I justified it by buying them ON SALE, and getting another pair that I will also use in my shoe rotation at a steep discount. Scott remarked that he thought the Brooks Transcend purchase was “extravagant.” Hey, with the discounts I actually spent less than had I bought 2 of my normal shoes at regular price. Given how cheap I am with most other parts of my life, I guess I get to be extravagant for once.

 

I got up at 4:30am which I've been told my some people is the middle of the night. Actually, it was still technically “night” out with the sky still the color of dark charcoal, and small twinkling stars reminding me that I wasn't alone. I stepped out of my front door adorned in my brand new, shiny Brooks, and I was trying out a new hand-held water bottle from Ultimate Direction. Pretty slick, right? Not ½ mile from my house, I wiped out BIG TIME. I think the bigger bottom on the Transcends caught the edge of one of the uneven sidewalks that are so pervasive in our part of town. Tree City USA, makes for big trees.

It's simple math, I will break it down for you:

Very big trees=ginormous roots=tons of uneven sidewalks

Period. 

This spot where I took a dive has a HUGE Giant Sequoia.  Roots...sidewalks with attitude...you get the drift. It's a beautiful specimen and I've marveled at it for years, but never had I seen it from the underside that close until that moment.  It's really old, too. I think maybe that tree has been here since dinosaurs walked the earth.  I'm not sure since I didn't have time to take a core sample.

It wasn't just the new shoes that made me fall, though. I was distracted, too. My entire consciousness was stuck on some bad news and I couldn't think about anything else. I can count the times I have fallen during a run and 2/4 were from having my mind on something else. As I was flying through the air with my arms outstretched, my new Ultimate Direction water bottle bolted off my my hand and landed lightly in the needles of the Giant Sequoia, and I landed hard mostly on my elbows and chest. “Huh”, I breathed, as the wind was slightly knocked out of me. It took me a second to pull my thoughts together. “Oh. Crap. I need to stop my Garmin.” Ha! Wouldn't that just be the first thing to come to mind?

Happy bubbles in my water bottle...too bad they don't taste happy.

As I assessed my injuries, which were pretty minor (scraped elbows, scratches from fallen branches on both legs, some bruises), I pulled myself together and started off into the darkness again. I was glad it was nothing serious. Later during the run, I found that I couldn't drink from my new super cool water bottle. WTF? To be fair, I didn't read the directions, I mean really, why should a water bottle be so complicated?? I had to stop at large intersection and that's when I discovered not just one, but two problems. I looked down at my Garmin and noticed that it had stopped working, claiming of all things: “DATABASE FULL.” Oh, right, it told me that a few days ago. Dammit. AND, after opening my water bottle to get a drink, I notice that the water was still soapy from when I had tried to wash it out before the run. FRICK!

Could this run have any more problems?

 

And, that's when it really hit me. This was completely nothing, really small potatoes compared to what someone else I know is going through.

Just the night before, I had learned that the brother of a good friend of mine had been diagnosed with cancer. Stage III. He's just a few years younger than me, and he is married with two children very close to the ages of our kids. I couldn't stop thinking about him. My mind was wrapped up with the sad and nearly sickening thoughts of this person, which was the other big reason why I fell down. The thought of what he and his family are going through is just heartbreaking. It can all change so quickly, one second you are living and enjoying life and the next you are told your time is almost up. Just like one second you are quietly running along, and the next you're sprawled out on the sidewalk like a rag doll tossed in the corner by a hurried child. It doesn't take much sometimes to interrupt our lives and remind us how fragile we are.   This quote was on repeat in my head:

As my thoughts rested on this person and his family, I realized that I had so much to be thankful for. So, I'd had a few “issues” during my run. Fell down, Garmin died, and my water bottle refused to work and only offered sudsy water.

 

So what?? A little unpleasantness, a little inconvenience? I realized that I was absolutely blessed to be having these “unpleasant” experiences at all. I was so lucky to be out running, enjoying a beautiful star-filled sky, smelling the first blooming lilacs and hearing the birds starting their early morning songs. Maybe it's a cliché, but I stood in the middle of my kitchen that morning thinking that no matter what happens to us, as long as we are living life, no matter the circumstances, then we are among the fortunate because life is truly a gift.  

I really miss my "good thing"

Have you ever heard of too much of a good thing?

Like, when you eat too much cheesecake and then you don't want to even look at it for months, or maybe even years. Ok, maybe cheesecake is a bad example. I think maybe it's vodka that has that effect.

Well, we can all agree that it is pretty sad when you over-do something that you really like, and then you can't do it at all. Right now, I can't go running. I really shouldn't even jog to my car from the gym where I've been spending nearly everyday taking Cycling or Weight-Lifting classes.

I miss it.

I ran my first Half-Marathon in 2010. That was roughly one year after I started running races again after many years of laying around eating ice cream and watching soap operas. Just kidding. I had 2 kids, which meant many years of doing piles of laundry (and watching a few soap operas during nap time).  What can I say, the plot line of All My Children was pretty addicting back then.

After that first Half-Marathon, I said that I thought my body could only possibly do TWO half-marathons a year (in addition to the 5 or so 10Ks that I run). "JUST SAY 'NO' TO MARATHONS!!" was my motto. Thanks, Nancy Reagan. I didn't think my body could do more without the risk of injury. If I got injured, then I couldn't do what I love. No bueno, right? I think I was supremely wise at that exact moment in time. Hello? LISTEN TO YOUR BODY.

Fast forward 3 years. I love running, so why not run MORE?? No serious injuries in 4 straight years of running. What could go wrong? It turns out that my body could do more running...for a little while, at least. Everyone has a breaking point. I hit mine. The last 12 months have added up to 14 Races: Seven 10Ks, two Half-Marathons, two Marathons, a 25K, and let's not forget that I lost my mind and also ran a 50K. Oh, and a 5K on Thanksgiving, too...gobble. Too much of a good thing spells problems.

A couple of things happened. I gave up the 2-3 times a week of Cycling classes I was doing in order to fit in more running. And, I was only lifting weights 1-2 times a week, instead of 3 times. Cross training is important, friends. Really important.

My wonderful family after my 50K.
Notice that I'm not standing on my left leg.



Yes, good ole tear in the right arch of the foot (similar to Plantar Fascitis, dammit that's hard to spell), and a pretty unforgiving left calf strain, made me realize me how important cross training has been and that running too much without all that can lead to serious injury.

During a long ice bath this summer, I had to decide whether or not to do the 50K, for which I had already been training for 15 weeks. I decided to "JUST DO IT" (thanks Nike) and then stop running.

It's only been 2 weeks.

I miss it.

This Saturday and last Saturday, I spent 2 hours at the gym. First, I took Body Pump (aka lifting weights) for 50 minutes, then I climbed onto a Spin bike for 60 minutes of hard cycling.

During that spin class, I don't think the fan was on, because sweat was coming out of every part of by body. At the time, I thought there might have been some blood, too, but it's so dark in the Cycle Room that I wasn't sure. Don't worry, I checked the floor when I was cleaning my bike after class, and it was just sweat, and maybe a few tears...possibly some snot, but I can neither confirm nor deny that.

Don't get me wrong, I like cycling. I'm kind of a big chicken about riding my bike on the road. I have trust issues with cars running me over. It's just a different experience to spend 2 hours being "instructed" in exercise by a 30-something woman saying, "Come-on. Turn up that gear and push it!" I swear these classes always remind me of being in labor, minus the baby coming out and the addition of all the Katy Perry and Maroon 5 songs, of course.

It's just not at all the same for me as running alone for 2 hours with only my thoughts, music or podcasts to keep me company. Cycling and weights are the best cross-training for my body, but they are exactly that, for me:  cross-training. They simply don't do the same thing that running does for my mental, emotional or even spiritual well-being.

I can't wait for the day when I can get back out there and enjoy all that running has been for the last 4, almost 5 years. This time, I know I won't lose sight of what is really important: staying healthy by listening to my body.

Why Running Sucks

The Shirt.

This morning I saw a guy walking the opposite direction I was running. His shirt said, "RUNNING SUCKS." I've heard of people wearing this Nike shirt while running to emphasize the fact that running does indeed suck, sometimes. But this gent wasn't running. He was probably ~50 years old, and at least 100lbs overweight. I'm guessing that for him, at that moment running would suck, big time (no pun intended). I was in awe of him for wearing that shirt---clearly not a runner, but still telling it like it is, perhaps?

That made me wonder...What makes running suck? A couple of things come to mind. The first thing that makes running suck is running while you are in denial.

Denial. It's not just a river in Egypt, folks.



Nice for massaging the bad foot.

Since April, I've been in denial. Big time. I have a clear conscience now that a few weeks ago, I finally came to terms with the fact that I have the dreaded enemy of runners---AN INJURY! Tendonitis is my usual foe, so I could accept the fact that the nagging, yet intermittent right arch, and heel pain was indeed Plantar Fasciitis. It hasn't changed my training plans, too much. I am doing the mileage, but without speedwork. I am actively treating it with ice, foam rolling, massage, and even tried a little tape. We have this little ball that works really well.


You know what doesn't suck, though? SUMMER!!! Now that it's August here in Oregon, Summer has finally arrived. Summertime and living is easy...Bradley's on the microphone with Ras MG.

Oh, sorry. Distracted.

The long summer days are an inviting time for getting lost in a good book. I am planning to do my first Ultra in October (Autumn Leaves 50K), so I have been reading a ton of books about people who run really, really far, and the awesome places where they run. The books have been a mix of stories and narratives, infused with training and nutritional advice. For the most part, the ultra running community is very friendly, not super competitive, as they know they are all going against the course, not each other. I LOVE this mindset! I've been feeling greatly inspired by the stories I've read, but still a little worried, and apprehensive about going the distance.

My hope is that finishing a training program help calm the my internal worry-wart. Yesterday, I set out for 24 mile training run. This was my longest run since the Vernonia Marathon. It was a nice day, cool and comfortable and the route was a mix of back roads, and suburban streets. That brings me to another thing that makes running suck---runners who are looking to compete (with me!) during regular training runs.

Yesterday, at mile 22ish, I met up and ran along with another runner for about a mile. Actually, I passed him, then he passed me before we talked for a little bit. He was wearing a head lamp and a waist hydration belt. I figured from the gear that he must be running at least 20 miles, maybe more. Nope. He was running 12 miles. I think his head almost exploded when I said I was 22 miles into a 24 miler. His response, "And, you're running this pace?! Boy, I've got some work to do." Competitive much?? Really, man, it's best not to compare yourself with other runners. After reading all summer about Ultra Runners, I've embraced the concept we're both running against the course or in this case, the slope on Murray Blvd., NOT each other.

That reminded me of 14 miler I ran a couple of weeks ago. That day, I was running along listening to a podcast, when I noticed a guy running up along a side street that was going to intersect with the street I was running on. A little while later, I stepped into the grass of the parking strip to change my iPod to music since the podcast had ended. When he ran by, the guy said, "I knew I'd pass you, eventually." I suppressed the urge to say something smart-ass back, like-- "Really, Dude? I was stopped when you passed me." Instead, I just thought, "just run like normal." Music always makes me run faster--usually 30 seconds per mile faster. Obviously, I passed him again.

He caught up to me at a traffic light a little while later, and I decided not to trash talk. For what reason? Trash talking works in some sports, like Basketball, Football or even Bowling---think of Walter in the Big Lebowski. In the world of running, it just seems out of place. I never saw him again...but, I think that the proof was most certainly in the pudding. Eventually passing me didn't happen.

So, yes, running can suck. To me, it sucks a whole lot more when people get all competitive. That takes the enjoyment out of it for me. Granted, being injured makes running suck pretty bad, too. I guess I'd rather have no assholes and no owies...Is that too much to ask?

Body Image and Amateur Running



Hagg Lake 10K, 2012.  Can you predict the winner?

Standing at the starting line of a local amateur road race, you really can't tell who is going to finish first. At least, I can't tell. Even at relatively small races, you see people of all ages, sizes and body types.

 

Yesterday, we finished our 3rd (of 7) races for the ORRC 10K Series, the Hagg Lake 10K. Like most the races in this series, it's not flat or what would be considered an "easy" course. It's a mix of rolling hills: you run up, and you run down, then you run up again for a longer hill, then, you guessed it, back down. Yesterday, it was unusually warm for May. At race time (9 am) it was already sunny and 70 degrees. That's hot for racing. I knew going into this race, it wouldn't be a PR day. It wasn't just the heat, I know my body pretty well, and sometimes, you just know. I decided to run my best for the day, and in the end, I felt beat up and ravaged by the course, but having a "tough" race makes you stronger, right? Yep, that's what I tell myself.

During most of the race, I could see the women's winner of the race. I had no crazy ideas about catching her. I was solidly in 3rd place during the majority of the race. Until, about mile 5 when someone cruised on by. I didn't have anything left to try to keep up with her. She swallowed the 2nd place girl, too. Without a doubt, this woman had a GREAT race. At the end, as we stood around gulping water and congratulating each other on running up and down in the heat, I commented on how I was impressed with her last mile. She was very gracious.

Then she remarked, "I hope you don't take this the wrong way, but it was great to run behind you and see another woman with big legs and muscles. People think that women with muscles can't run fast, but that's not true."

I was impressed by what this woman said. Obviously, I know I'm not built like an Olympic runner, and "fast" is relative, always. I know that it's true that I do indeed have an "unconventional" runner's body. So what? In the world of amateur running, having a large frame with big legs won't necessarily keep you from running faster than people with smaller, sleeker bodies. Why is that? I'd venture to say because a huge part of amateur running is mental, and also focuses on the training you put in, not necessarily your figure.

But, let's forget about speculating on what makes one person faster than the next, because there are too many variables, and that's not what really struck me. In the end, I appreciated this woman's honesty in talking about body image. Dammit, we are consumed with it and bombarded with images all day, everyday of what our society calls beauty. Never mind that Photoshop makes complexions perfect and bodies smooth in magazines and beauty ads. It seems like it was only last week when I saw and even engaged in a few online debates about this Dove Commercial. Women are hard on themselves, right? Yes, yes. I won't go into the debate about how scientific Dove's experiment was or wasn't, or even about whether I think they went far enough to dispel the myth that there IS some standard of beauty.

What strikes me is that there seems to be some standard. And, it doesn't stop with faces. At least yesterday, I left with the idea this IS still something women runners think about, maybe even agonize about. For me, I hadn't really given it much thought since I started running races about 4 years ago. You line up at the start with all sorts of body types. And, in the end, most of the time, body type doesn't tell you a thing about who is going to finish first, or even last. You absolutely cannot tell at the beginning of a race how it's going to shake out, especially among the mid-pack.

Maybe, that is one of the reasons why I so love amateur athletics. You can be exactly who you are, and no matter what the shape of your human form, it will still carry you across the finish line. You are only truly running against yourself, and most of us are  not running in order to dispel some myth about what a long distance runner looks like. Right?? Maybe not, eh?

What about you? Do you "size up" the competition at races? Do you feel like you have an "unconventional" runner's body? Do you think running relatively fast with an unconventional runner's body makes a statement?

Sunny Money

It's May Day!! Today, I felt like I ran around a May Pole...of sorts, anyway.

I ran 3 miles today in the beautiful sunshine. The Tulips are colorfully blooming everywhere and the Lilacs and Magnolias smell amazing. It's a great time to be outdoors in Oregon.

Yep, I'm tapering for a race on Saturday (Hagg Lake 10K). I think I had a smile on my face the whole time I was running today. It was a super smooth little run. I felt perfect. My right leg (hello, Piriformis Syndrome) and my right foot (I've diagnosed myself with mild tendonitis) have been nagging since the Vernonia Marathon which was a little over 2 weeks ago. BUT....not today. Everything, felt good. I like that. A LOT.

I got to run today at an absolutely wonderful hour, like 11:30 am, because I got cancelled at work due to "low census." My job consists of working directly with patients. When there aren't any patients, well, then there isn't any work.  It's a direct relationship. Like I tell my kids, "If you eat all the Popsicles, then we won't have any for you to eat later."  Luckily, these times are rare (not at all like being without Popsicles our house). Just like last week, I took full advantage of my forced "time off" from work today and enjoyed seeing the sun during my runs---as opposed to seeing the moon during my typical early morning escapades.

Like a lot of people around us, we've been working on our house...painting, gardening, spring cleaning. Having a day off was nice for that too. It might not be nice when I get my paycheck, but well, Oh well. 

My haul from my 10 miler last weekend.

Besides, I found $2 the other day on one of my Saturday 10 mile runs. I've heard of people finding money during their runs, I've never been that lucky before. My kids were excited at first, "you found a two dollar bill!?!?" Well, no. I did find a single $1 bill, and then about 200 feet later, I found another $1 bill. Not nearly as worthy of the attention, but as close as I will ever get to being paid to run.

That might even beat the time I saw a Snapping Turtle on the Fanno Creek Trail during a run. Well maybe.

It's fun to have a sunny run, but even better to have a run that's pain-free AND finding money is icing for me.

Happy May!

What about you?

Have you ever found or seen anything interesting during a run. What was it?

Are you enjoying getting out in this sunny Spring weather? Well, if it's nice where you are, anyway. :)

Keep Running

I wear race shirts all the time. In fact, almost all of the shirts I wear running are from races, so it didn't feel particularly special to wear a running shirt "for Boston."  Please don't get me wrong; I understand the motivation.  I watched the videos of the bombs going off, the footage of Bill Iffrig being knocked off his feet and the chaos of runners and spectators and police rushing around the scene. My daughter will be eight-years-old next month, the same age as the youngest person killed in the Boston attacks.

We wore our shirts today to show support for those victims.  And in some ways more than that, we wore our shirts to show solidarity with runners around the world.  We wanted to show that we are all part of one community, some of the best of which were running in Boston yesterday. 

So as I laced up my Sauconys to head to the track for tempo intervals, I decided it wasn't really enough to wear the shirt on my run.  I can't wear a race shirt to the office, so I donned one underneath my work shirt.  I decided on my shirt from the Up the Lazy River 10K, which is held on Memorial Day each year.  Maybe no one would see it, but if anyone happened to ask, I'd be happy to talk about it.

Pondering all of this as I jogged out the door, some other reasons for wearing the shirt occurred to me.  Yes, I wanted to feel the camaraderie with the other runners I might see on the road or at the track.  But I was also wearing it for people who aren't part of this community.

Most of the world doesn't get the chance to go to a local track and practice speed.  Most people don't have neighborhood races for which they can train, where they can gather with their running buddies and swap stories or compare new shoes.  Sure, technically anyone can run anywhere, but I kept thinking about those people who are forced to run away from explosions like that--every single day.  And the people, even children, who never make it that far.  Three people were killed in Boston yesterday afternoon, but how many were killed by bombs and guns in the rest of the world?

This is not to discount what happened yesterday in Boston. Not at all. It's just that I realized how privileged we are that we can run for fun.

At least where I live, I can run just about anywhere I want and feel mostly safe.

I can run for my health and I don't have to run away from anything.

I'm wearing my race shirt for those people who aren't as fortunate. I'm wearing it because I wanted to celebrate all day long how fortunate I truly am.  I'm wearing my shirt because I can run.  I can run, so I will.