Run that ye may Obtain

Phew!  I am finally starting to get really excited about Boston again after a couple of weeks of cross training and therapy.  My left leg and foot is feeling much better and my confidence is back.  People keep telling me their personal stories of cross training before big races and still running great.  Coach D. pointed out that Joan Benoit Samuelson had arthroscopic knee surgery 17 days before the 1984 Olympic Trials and cross trained pretty much her entire last three weeks.  She won the trials AND the Olympic Games a few months later.  I have been keeping my body sharp and fit while trying to stay mentally tough even without a lot of running.  I’ve also been trying to evaluate what may have been the cause of my sudden flare up of problems.  I think the main cause is simply training harder than I ever have while having a break-through season (doesn’t come without its set-backs.)  I also think my new orthotics and changing them three different times this season may have confused my legs and feet a bit too much.  In the coming weeks you can be sure I will be doing everything possible to strengthen my feet and step off the plantar faciitis pain train.  But for the next week I’m just going to keep focusing on rest, recovery and positive thoughts going into Boston

My week in review:

Monday A.M. 40 min. pool run, therapy with Dr. Tim. P.M. 30 min. swim

Tuesday A.M. 70 min. elliptical w/8×3 min. hard pushes, massage with Erin P.M. Weights/core plus 30 min. pool run

Wednesday 60 min. pool run, 2 hour nap

Thursday A.M. 45 min. pool run, massage and kinesio tape with Rob. P.M. 4 mile easy run on Kitt Field; felt pretty good!

Friday 80 min. pool run with intervals at Rally Sport with Katie F., Sarah, Bean, and Cheri.  It was nice to have friends to chat with.  I tried to do a lot of the run without a float belt and by the time I finished, my shoulders were PUMPED.  ART with Richey afterwards.  Sarah says I’m a “therapy whore.”  I say I’m just trying to hit this injury from all angles.  After all, each therapist I saw this week offered a slightly different approach. I figure something’s gotta give.

Saturday 6 mile run with Aaron, 6 strides mixed in plus 40 min. pool run right after.  Bumped into Joanna, Kathy, Colleen, and Coach at FAC.  My spirits were lifted by their optimism, encouragement, and smiling faces.  P.M. Cleaned out the garage and it is now miraculously pleasant to walk through!  Took the kids to see Hop. Cute!

Sunday Day of Rest.  Took a 2 hour nap after Church.

Went to FAC after Bre’s gymnastics class for a nice run on the treadmill.  I prefer to run outside 99.9% of the time, but the overnight 12″+ of snowfall and -5 degree low made the treadmill look quite enticing actually.  And I must admit, it was nice to run in shorts and a tank top because ‘cmon when was the last time I got to do that?…oh wait, just a couple of days ago I raced outside in shorts and a tank top.  Crazy Colorado weather changes.

Did an easy 8 with 7X30 second strides mixed into my run.  Felt GREAT!

After much demonstration and urging by my ART therapist, Richey as well as my husband, Aaron, I have finally gotten into the habit of doing a nice dynamic cool down routine after almost every run.  Its easier to do at FAC since they have this big stretching room with mats and a bar to hold on to while I do my hurdle trail leg moves and leg swings.  And I can leave the kids in child care the extra 10 minutes and get the routine done quickly.  At home it takes more discipline to get the routine in because it seems that whenever I walk in the door from a run I suddenly have three needy kids with urgent requests.  I must say though, dynamic stretching is FABULOUS for recovery and is WELL WORTH the extra investment of time. Here is a video of my friend Sara Vaughn doing the Cannonball Cool down.  GOOD STUFF.  Only problem is that watching this video is making me miss summertime in Boulder.

6.46 miles in 8:18 pace

Hamstring felt a little more tight after my workout yesterday so I just took it really slow today.  Felt good once I warmed up though!  I’m going to see Richey the ART guy to get it worked on again today and probably again on Friday.

I think I’ll go to the gym today at 4:00 and lift weights.  I’ve been trying to do some hip exercises and evidently I have very weak hips because one of the exercises is to write the alphabet with your leg and I couldn’t even get  to O with my left leg.  Hmmm no wonder my right hamstring is over compensating.

10.51 miles in 7:59 pace

WAHOO!!!  After lots of rest, recovery, ART therapy, massage, ice, and patience, I was able to do a workout today!!!  I met my running group at the Fairview High School track in Boulder and we did 800 M. repeats together.  I met Richey, my ART guy a few minutes before workout started and he showed me some good warm-up drills he calls dynamic stretching.  He works with the people who formulated these drills and is a big believer in their injury prevention/healing effects.

After our drills, we did 20 minute warm-up with the group, stretching and strides.

Then 8X800 at 10k pace.  I went with a slower group than I normally go with since I am just coming back and need to take it easy for a while.

Our 800 M. repeats were 3:14, 3:15, 3:17, 3:11, 3:13, 3:04, 3:06, 3:05 with 2:30 jogging in between each

The pace felt GREAT and I was just feeling SO grateful to be out there running fast and getting my heart going again!!!

We then did a 15 minute cool down and I did some more dynamic stretching with Richey.

Watch out, Boston…I’m on my way back!

5 miles in 8:04 pace

While searching for some motivation I found this article written by Ryan Hall that is really cool.  What a great perspective he has.

My hamstring is feeling a little bit better every day.  I’m getting ART done on it again today.