Back on Track.... Kind of

It's been a while... I've been afraid to post anything because I don't know what's going to happen with my training. Right now I'm about halfway through the training cycle for my half marathon at the end of November, and I feel like I just started. I'm up to 7 miles for the long run last weekend, and have been successful. It's the shorter runs that seem to give me problems.

I'm still battling plantar fasciitis in my left foot. It's not severe, but I can feel it daily, even just sitting around sometimes. I still wear a brace every night. Just today I bought inserts for my shoes to see how that works. I had been wearing my Saucony Triumphs when I first started up again, but every time I put the shoes on, my arches hurt. So, I went to my Kinvaras, which are my favorites. Weird, I know. They have way less support in them so why...? Well that seemed to help my arch pain somewhat, but then my calves started killing me. My right calf hurt the most, off to the outside of the calf. In the short runs during the week, I've had to stop and stretch every half mile or so, then stop completely, or stop and walk. I've DONE the distances, but I have not been able to run the full shorter distances.

It's weird, I know. When the time comes for the longer distances, I've been able to get through them.And running the whole thing. I don't know how, but I have. This week I switched back to my Triumphs so my calves could get a rest. That seemed to help (after mile 2, at least).

So, I'm back on track, kind of.... I'm where I need to be for the long runs, getting through them. The shorter runs are giving me trouble. We'll see how it goes for the next couple of runs, now that I have insoles and have switched back to the Triumphs. Less than 7 weeks to go!

Plantar Fasciitis Stinks!

So you may recall that about three weeks ago I came down with a case of plantar fasciitis in my left foot.Well, it really stinks. I've gotten it to the point that I can barely feel the pain during the day, however I tried to run on Friday and I only made it 2.5 miles before I had to hobble my way through the next .5 mile to get 3 miles in. For the rest of the day and the next morning I suffered a bit and could be seen hobbling around. Today, three days later, I'm barely feeling any pain again. Do I try to run on it again, this time outside and not on a treadmill (I was trying to avoid the 90 degree heat and humidity...)? Do I wait longer? I have missed two weeks of my training plan already and don't want to get too far behind! What should I do?

Training Week 1

This week was the start of my training for the half marathon I'm doing on Thanksgiving weekend. Unfortunately I didn't start that training. Last week I ran on Monday and on Tuesday I was almost unable to walk. I had (and still do) a bad case of plantar fasciitis in my left foot. I could not walk at all on Tuesday. When I woke up, I really wanted a set of crutches to get me through the day. Even putting the slightest bit of weight on that foot made me want to scream.

I sent out a message to all my running buddies and got advice from many of them--one that I didn't want to hear--take time off. I've been rolling it on a frozen water bottle, taking ibuprofen (although not as much as I probably should), and wearing a brace at night. It's certainly much better than it was that first day but it's been two weeks and I can still feel it. I have not run yet, but I'm dying to get out again. My training started and I don't want to get too far behind.

Both my feet and ankles tend to feel tight, achy and a little rusty when I'm not running. I'm constantly stretching them and rolling them because they feel tight. I need to get out running again... how long should I wait???

Easing Back in to Running!

The title says it all! I am back, baby! Last weekend I ran 2 miles on day then too the plunge to the three mile mark on Sunday. My Achille's tendon is still bothering me, but I can work through that. After the first half mile, the pain essentially goes away. The calf on the other foot has been feeling great. I ran Saturday last week, Sunday, then Tuesday, Wednesday and Friday. Friday, I only went two miles because I could start to feel a little pain in the calf, so instead of pushing it I walked another half mile back to my car. However, today, my schedule didn't work out to go out for a run, so while the kids ate breakfast I made my first run on  our treadmill. I felt really good  on the treadmill, but the kids kept calling, so I only got in about 2 miles. I forgot to restart my watch after getting a drink of water, so I don't know for sure (the treadmill pace/distance is not correct).

So I'm feeling pretty good, but still scared to push it. I really want to go out and do a 5k and get a PR, but I think my asthma is going to put a hinder on that one and I don't think my calf is quite ready for that yet. Well, it might be, but I'm afraid to push it.

I'm looking to do a half marathon in the fall and see what happens from there. The one I'm thinking about is Thanksgiving weekend, in beautiful Amish country. It'll be hilly so it won't be a PR, but I think it'll be fun. Hopefully I'll stay injury-free and be able to slowly work my mileage up before my training should begin. Maybe I won't get injured afterwards, like I have been after every long race I've done....  Maybe.

Happy National Running Day!

Today, on National Running Day, I ran! The kids and I volunteered at a water stop at a race today and after it was over, I ran from the water stop, to the start/finish line--1.37 miles! Big deal, right? NO. This is the first time I've run pain-free since my marathon. Didn't want to push it too much, so I stopped there. I wanted to keep going and going but I don't want to injure it again. I took it nice and easy, as I had an 11 year old running with me (random volunteer). I'm very excited! Hopefully this means I'm back!

Now the question is what to do tomorrow... I've been working out on the elliptical at the gym while taking my running hiatus. I really want to get out and run tomorrow and bust out three miles, but I don't want to push it. The weather has been nice, 70 degrees, so I don't want to wait too long. It'll be 90 soon and too hot to run outside. I want to do it outside and not on the treadmill. I think I'll go elliptical tomorrow and run on Friday. Hopefully the weather holds up!

This is so me right now...

Mending

Since my marathon on April 28th, I've run a total of 3 miles. The week after,  I went out and ran 2 miles straight, but for fear of pushing it, I didn't go any further. The next day I injured my calf muscle somehow. I've been working out on the elliptical and the bike ever since. A week and a half went by and I was itching to get back out there so bad, I tried running on the treadmill but made it less than a half mile and felt the pain in my calf so bad that I had to stop. I moved to the elliptical, despite the pain.

Another week went by and I tried it again. This time the plan was to go out and run 1/2 mile, then turn around and come back. Well, I was feeling so good that I kept going. At 3/4 of a mile I turned around and something I did either turning around or twisting my leg or something caused the calf pain again. It wasn't the sharp Charlie horse-like cramp pain (which wasn't a cramp) but it was slowly increasing intensity until it was impossible to run any more. I walked a little bit, then tried to run again. It wasn't happening. When there was a 1/4 mile left, I was able to run the rest of the way home with some pain.

That was a week and a half ago. Ever since then, my calves have been achy. They feel like I need to get out again and run. I've been using the elliptical but that doesn't give me the good workout feeling that running does. Today I tried rolling my calves out on the foam roller, but that just seems to make it worse. They are very restless right now. I don't know what to do. I want to run so bad, and I feel like my legs want to too, but I think I need to rest them a little more. I don't want to, but need to.

Lacing up the Shoes

This morning, I'm lacing up my shoes to try to go for a run. It's been three weeks since my marathon, and I've only run two miles. I was going to rest and let my legs heel, (calf on one leg, Achilles' on the other) but they seem to be worse without running. I've tried the elliptical and biking and afterwards they feel worse than they did while running.

My biggest concern today is not my Achilles', which has bothered me the longest. It's my calf on the other leg. Last time I ran, I got this shooting, cramp-like pain in my calf that almost dropped me to the ground. I've had a little aching in that calf the last couple of days, but I'm hoping that it's my body wanting to get out and run again.

I miss running. I miss how I feel during the run--the calming effect it has on me. The time when I forget everything else that is going on in my life. My time. That sense of peace. Time on the elliptical or the bike does not do the same thing for me. Let's hope that today's run is just the beginning of me getting back into it.

Falling Apart Post Race

So, how do I feel post-race? Like I'm falling apart! Honestly, I ran two miles on Wednesday last week and that's all I've run since the marathon. Monday, the day after, I played basketball with the kids and felt decent. Tuesday was good, Wednesday I ran but didn't want to overdo it. When I got home, I played baseball with the kids and injured my calf muscle. I had hit the ball and was running bases when on my way home I felt a shooting  pain in my left calf and almost dropped to the ground. Mom had to be brave around the kids, so I hobbled over to the porch, sat down and tried to massage it out. It almost felt like a cramp, but I knew it wasn't. Once I got inside I rolled it on the foam roller but still hobbled around all night.

Between that and my Achilles' tendon, I figured I should take some time off from running. It didn't last very long. I tried to go out today since the calf was feeling pretty good. I didn't make it a half mile before I felt that same familiar pain in my calf again. I almost dropped again. I stopped running immediately and hobbled over to the elliptical to finish my workout. Unfortunately that hurt too, but I was able to alter my "gait"  so it didn't hurt quite as bad.

Every long race I've done (half marathon/marathon), I've ended up injured or unable to run for a significant amount of time. I really would like to keep up my mileage and go out and run 10 miles next weekend if I want to, but I think I'm going to have to rest it. I'm going to have to find some other sort of workout that will keep my in shape in the meantime. I guess it's an okay thing, since I don't care to run in the summer heat anyway, but it's just a bummer. 

I really want to pick a 5k and clobber my PR right now but I can't do it. I'm hoping just a few weeks will be enough. We shall see..

Favorite Pictures

This is a sign my sister made for me, but couldn't see until the end. Obviously it came from my blog title.

I love this one. Again, from my sister... my mantra

Hubby's course map with the stops all mapped out and times he was going to be where. He's awesome! Apparently he sent this to my sister a few weeks ago so she could meet them somewhere with my parents.