run this amazing day

It's day 2 of the running embargo here and spirits are high.  Last night I went to the gym and did every kind of stretching or strengthening exercise I know for my IT bands.  The one-legged squats on the Bosu are my favorite.  For some reason I feel like it just really gets into my problem spots.  Also, foam rolling after a massage is a giant suck sandwich, in case anyone is keeping track.  My IT bands today feel like hot lumpy potatoes.  Yum. This morning I went and did another round of IT-related balance stuff, and then parked it on a stationary bike again.  I'm not a fan of the bike, because I get so bored and my tushie falls asleep. I've basically decided to not run until at least Sunday.  I'm going to see if I can volunteer at the 5K so I won't be tempted to run it.  On Saturday, I might try a 1 mile jog just to see how things feel.  And Sunday morning: what will be, will be.  On the one hand, when I get to Sunday, I'll be on day 7 of rest, so if I do

I love my massage woman.  She kicks butt.  We yap the whole time, and it's only occasionally (okay, very often) interrupted by my "ouches" of pain.  I LOVE IT.  HURT ME HARDER!  She spent most of my hour working on the IT band, and it.was.amazing.  I could tell that there were two knotted spots, and they felt sore and wrung out by the time she was done.  Hopefully this is a good thing.  I'm going back in a week for another round.  She mentioned a 2-hour session (I have some prepaid massages stacked up) and when I commented that it would be dull to work on IT bands for 2 hours, reminded me that I do have other body parts.  Oh, right.  So next week's session will be 2 hours.  Probably an hour on IT bands and an hour on those "other" body parts. I'm going to call it a workout because I sweated for 60 minutes and I make the rules. 2 IT bands destroyed/1:00/avg. destruction 1/2-inch per minute x 4 billion times. Also, I've figured out a way to ro

I spent a lot of yesterday feeling sorry for myself.  I've struggled so much with injury, especially the last two years, and I was so frustrated and upset to be dealing with it again. But you know what?  I know how to deal with this.  This doesn't have to end up in years off and a complete change in my mental state.   This is not the end of the world.   I'm going to try really hard to hang onto THIS mind-set.  Instead of all the negative thoughts that keep popping into my head. So I rolled and stretched and iced and strengthened.  This morning I'm going to get my ass kicked by my amazing massage person.  If I do run tomorrow, I'm going to do one mile.  And if I don't, that's okay.   I'm also trying to figure out where I went wrong.  I took off 10 days post-surgery.  My days back look like this (mileage): 5-2.5-off-2-8-off-3.  What kind of special crack was I smoking?  Sometimes I get overtaken by how much joy there is in running for me and I forget t

I got back in bed for about an hour with some Easter candy and a book and just generally felt sorry for myself. But now I need a plan. Tonight: go to gym.  Lift all the major leg muscles, do all the IT-related stretching and strengthening I know how to do, plus all the balance-related core work I know how to do (balance stuff helped my L IT, don't know why).  Foam roll probably 2 more times, plus a few rounds of icing. Tomorrow: I already have an appointment with my masochistic massage person, so I'm going to have her spend the whole hour on my two IT bands.  This has helped me a lot on the left side, hopefully she can work out the right.  I'm putting a lot of hope on this, because it's worked so well in the past.  Then, gym again, cross-train on the bike, balance and stretching/strengthening.  Ice myself happy. Wednesday: I had 5 on the schedule, but I think I'm going to knock that way down - maybe just do 1 or 2, or maybe don't do anything at all.

Look, you little bastard. I've never had any trouble out of you before.  The left one, yes.  Years and years of trouble, of icing, foam rolling, PT, ART, even surgery.  But you've always been well-behaved.  Until last week.  I know you weren't happy about the 8 miles.  I know you'd rather be on the couch, watching TV.  You let me know, after 6 miles.  I heard you. So I've iced you.  A lot.  I've gone through buckets and buckets of ice.  I sat in the bathtub shivering.  I've stretched you every night.  I've started doing those really obnoxious one-legged squats again.  I've spent hours trying to foam roll without leaning on my shoulder.  And today I'll take you back to the gym. I know you're not happy.  I cut my run this morning short by 2 miles for you.  I cried as I sat and iced.  Tomorrow I'll let my sadistic massage therapist spend an entire hour with you.  In exchange, could you please stop hurting after 1 mile?  Could you pl

The first thing is, hot hot freaking hot.  I've spent the past 3-4 months (like all of us) bundling up to run; I think I've had 2 60* or higher runs.  I forgot how much the heat kicks my ass (spent last summer not running, injured, we forget so quickly...). I think my splits were pretty consistent - I didn't want to try and PR this one because I'm far more concerned about the Cherry Blossom next weekend.  My plan was 31 minutes - even 10:00 splits.  My LTRYW 5K time was 33:something, but there was a big hill and I'm in better - although definitely not faster - shape now.  I planned it to be an easy training run. I hit the first mile at 10:03 - perfect.  I felt like I was running a nice, relaxed pace.  However, right after this mile I started feeling really over-heated - I dumped the water station cup on my head, which helped for about a half mile, but then I was hot again.  Wearing two sports bras wasn't helping.  That plus the tight lung thing (almost gon

I know, it's late.  Hush, you. March Miles Run: 54.1  Long Runs: 3 Speedyish Runs: 4 Runs Mostly Spent Picking A Shorts Wedgie: 2 Days Off Post-Surgery: 10 Days In A Clunky Boot: 8 Races: 1 (4-Courts 4, hills, chasing a leprechaun in the rain) Times I Tried To Spell Leprechaun Before I Gave Up & Google'd: 4 Post-Run Showers By Puppy Tongue: At least 8 Runs Cut Short Because I'm Still Swallowing My Dinner: 1 Runs With Too Tall Boys: 2 Runs Where I Accidentally Spit On Someone: 6 Runs Where I Yell Over My Shoulder, "Yes, I DO have a sweet, sweet ass!": 1 Runs In Indiana: 3 Post-Injury PRs: Distance/8.25 miles, 5K/29:07 (unofficial) April Goals Set a post-injury 5K PR (this post-injury PR thing is THE BEST) Finish the Cherry Blossom 10M ( another  post-injury PR! amazingpants!)  Finish the Cherry Blossom 10M NOT being chased by the tail car Teach the puppy how to shake (he has a mental block about it) Stop spitting on people while running Get back in