Running Gag - Week of 2/16-2/22

[OakLeaf]

I'll start. (The thread title is just the first thing that popped into my head, not a commentary on anyone's running! I don't think we've used that one before.)

Today was supposed to be my day off, and I really needed it after a hard 54 mile ride yesterday and a 5K race on Saturday. I hadn't had a day off since before last week's long run.

But. (There's always a but.) I'd promised a friend I'd teach her aerobics class tomorrow, and right after that we're going to visit the in-laws. So if I didn't run today my schedule was going to be all scr*wed up. I whined and moaned and took way too long to get dressed and warmed up, but I finally headed out the door.

I'd waited until awfully close to high tide, so the beach was pretty soft. The wind was fierce, straight up and down the beach - 17 mph steady and gusting to 26. My out lap was @ 13:02, the return trip was @ 9:57, just thanks to the wind - a 14 minute difference over the same distance. Plus it filled my shoes up with sand - not so comfortable.

On last week's long run I'd just brought 16 oz of water, and it really felt like I was out of fuel by the end of it. Plus, we had one packet of powdered Gatorade left from when we had the stomach flu two weeks ago. So I figured it was time to "graduate" to all three 8-oz bottles that came with my hydration belt, and fill two of them with Gatorade for some carbs on the go. It felt pretty heavy starting out, but it must've been the right decision, because I didn't get the same feeling of depletion I had last week.

Nine miles and no problems. Ah, it seems so easy to keep adding mileage... I'm really working on body mechanics with yoga and massage and self-massage and Chi Running, but I'm still half sure I'm going to run into a problem sooner or later. Keeping my fingers crossed and doing whatever I know how to do to prevent that!

So tomorrow I get the easy day... low impact aerobics and the motorcycle ride and that'll be it.

[solobiker]

Good for you Oak, I would love to be able to run on a beach. I went out for a 3 miler, I was planning on doing a little more but my right calf was bothering me. Last summer I strained it big time and could hardly walk for a couple of weeks Gosh, back in 2001 I had no problem going out for a 6-9 mile run. Well, it is my goal to get back up to that this summer. Maybe I should find a race to train for. Have a great week everyone.

[Aggie_Ama]

Ugh rain last night and I don't have a dreadmill. Tonight more rain in the forecast but am heading to my mom's for dinner. She does have the old dreadmill so it may be 30 minutes on it. My training schedule this week is all messed up, I may have to do my long run on Friday.

[jesvetmed]

Oak -- running on the beach sounds so great!

I'm off to PT appointment today to get them to help me with my calf. I'm still unable to walk much, and running has been out of the question. So, I'm hoping they can help! The good news is the PT guy is a huge cyclist and does custom fitting (and bike building if you have the $$$), so he should be quite familiar with athletes (or us athlete-wanna-be's)! Keep your fingers crossed for me!

Looking forward to being able to post my runs here again!

[Urlea]

Got out for a strong 6.5 miler today.

Most of the rain that had turned to ice on the sidewalks last week was gone thanks to warmer temperatures over the weekend. Other then the section at the underpass that was 2" thick solid ice, I must have looked like a staggering drunkard as I tried to navigate through it.

It feels great running with less layering now that the temps. are above zero.

Jes Hope your PT apt. today went well!!

Aggie Rain can be such a downer. (No pun intended) The week before last it rained several days in a row here. I hate the dreadmill & it drove me crazy not being able to run. Here's hoping that it stops falling so you can get back out there!

[limewave]

Sounds like some of you are having some great runs!

Aggie--I HATE it when my training schedule gets messed up. Don't let it get you down though.

I've been doing the occasional run and have felt okay. 3-4 miles is my limit. Tonight I plan on walking on the treadmill while watching the Tour of California coverage. I'm hoping to get in 90 minutes, possibly do some intermittent jogging. Then do 30 minutes of strength and stretching.

I'm over 1/2 way through the pregnancy. Just 3 months to go! Sorry I've been absent the last few months. I've been a little down in the dumps. DH and my salaries were both reduced significantly and I've had to take on a second job. We're trying to come up with a better long-term solution . . .

[Wahine]

Jes - sorry to hear about your calf!! That stinks. Hope your PT goes well.

Lime - things are tough right now for a lot of people. Sorry to hear you're suffering too. Take care and it's good to see you staying active during the pregnancy.

[jesvetmed]

Wahine's back! Long time since I've seen your name here! Good to "see" you again!

The PT went well -- he says I have a decreased amount of flexibility in my ankle on that side (10% less than the left) and we are going to work on that with "aggressive stretching", some massage (wonderful!), and some exercises. He thinks he can get me back to light running in a couple of weeks. I hope he's right! I do love the calf massage -- maybe I can continue that as I heal... "just in case". Also, wants me to get "the stick" -- roller thingy to massage my own calf and work out the knots.

Will keep you posted as we try to get me back on the trail.
Meantime, I'll keep reading everyone else's posts and living vicariously!

Lime: So sorry about the reduction in salaries -- tough when it happens to both of you. Hang in there -- hope you all find a better solution.

[Susan Otcenas]

HI all,

Yesterday I had a slooooow 45 minutes (10 min run, 1 min walk, 4 sets). I'm completely bewildered, but I seem to have strained my lower back. I can't figure out what I did. I just woke up this way Sunday. I pushed Sunday's run to yesterday, and just trotted along veeeeerrrry slooooowly. It loosened up a bit, but I'm really babying it. I swam this morning, which was pain-free for the most part, but I can still feel it there, lurking. I wonder if a massage would help.

Tomorrow I'm supposed to run 20, walk 1, run 20. I'm hoping it feels better and that I can run without pain. I've spent the past 3 months upping my time and mileage and have several event goals this year. I would hate to get injured now!

lime- I'm so impressed that you can juggle two jobs, children, pregnancy, a husband, and still find time to work out. Wow! How do you do it?? It must be stressful.

[rocknrollgirl]

Hi Guys,
I am sorry for the injured calf people. I love the stick by the way. I use it on my quads.

Lime, I did not know you were expecting. Congrats. Sorry about the job situation.

I went out the door at 4:28 this morning to do a hill workout. It was dark and cold, but clear and beautiful. I run fast in the dark when I can't see myself!

[eclectic]

Hi Limewave - congratulations on the pregnancy but I am sure it is stressful given the employment situation. Hearing you say that is the first time the national recession reality has hit me. I haven't "known" anyone who has been affected by all this.

I am living in one of the few states that is not feeling any of the recession at all. In fact we have a lot of jobs unfilled (won't say how much they pay and we have a housing crisis here - not because of being able to sell but because we have none to buy or rent so the prices are still inflated for this area. Why isn't everyone moving here you may ask - Well the saying is "40 below keeps out the riff raff" very few people WANT to live here.

Urlea - how is it at your end of the state?

I totally digress from running but I really do feel for you Lime and wish I knew someway to make it easier for you BUT great job on the running and exercise - your wee one is thanking you!

Re the "stick" what exactly is that? I have heard of it but is that the official name? My calves have been really bothering me even w/ all the stretching I am doing so my swim coach told me to take my rolling pin and use it. That seems to be helping.

My run schedule is totally off too. I have Parent teacher conf 2 nights this week. I am going to try to do my long run tomorrow night on the Dreadmill.

Urlea I can't believe you have had enough thaw to run outside - it is still horrible here. At lunch we were talking about how stupid it is for people to try running outside because our streets are barely wide enough for 2 cars to pass each other,(and in some places 1 car has to wait for the other to go) and the visibility at intersections is terrible because you can't see around the snow piles - also we have no dry streets including the main busy ones. I finally gave up shovelling my sidewalk to the concrete because I can't get to it w/o a chisel. the snow piles on either side of my walk are at least 4.5 feet high. We never get more snow than you do but I think this year we made the exception.

I just have to add this:
"HOW BAD IS IT?" it is soooo bad Super Walmart closed for over a week to get the snow off the roof!

Happy trails to all

[yellow]

I run fast in the dark when I can't see myself!

Me too!

Welp, I did the 25k trail race on Sunday and I will focus on the positive:

• It didn't rain!
• I finished!
• I met all kinds of wonderful people!
• I did not fall or otherwise do anything to draw blood!
• Being "mature" has its advantages! I got first in my age group!

It was super windy (as in gusts up to 40 mph) but thankfully it didn't rain in that part of Cali (like it did on the guys riding the tour). I was most definitely undertrained (too much skiing, not enough running! Imagine that!), although I was only about 5 minutes slower this year than last. I didn't have "it" in me for the last 5 miles like I did last year...I was pretty disappointed with that, but oh well. At least I finished. You can read more about it if you'd like on my blog.

My goal is to be better trained for the next one at the end of March. I don't want to feel like scrambled eggs for the last 5 miles of that one.

Oh! And solo, I know it's a drive for you, but I'm intrigued by the trail runs out of Gateway. They don't have any of the 2009 dates published yet, but they have multiple events with multiple distances. Of course, there's no shortage of nice trail events in CO!

[eclectic]

congrats on the run Yellow!

re the 5 min time difference from last year - what was the wind like last year? 40 mph gusts are brutal.

GREAT JOB on a GREAT FINISH ! ! !

[Urlea]

Way to focus on the positive Yellow ! Sounds like some really difficult conditions, but you toughed it out. Be proud of that!!

Eclectic- The icing here really isn't that bad. Usually I can find a clear indent in the midst of a section of ice and make sure I plant a foot there to avoid falling. It's definitely slick in spots, but after running on glare ice sidewalks/roads in Japan I felt prepared for the conditions today. Sorry to hear that it's still so icy further north!

[kelownagirl]

Hi ladies, nice to see how everyone has been doing! I finally got out for a half decent, fairly pain-free run (with frequent walk breaks). Hoping the worst of my shinsplints are behind me (again...)

Oakleaf - nice on building up the mileage - crossing my fingers you are wrong about a problem cropping up!

Limewave - sorry about the work sitch - seems that's all we hear nowadays.. But wow, I didn't know you were pregnant - congrats! I haven't been around much obviously!

Jesvetmed - calf pain - sux. I am having ongoing shin problems - so I can commiserate...

Yellow - 25k race! And first place! Sounds all good to me!

Wahine - hey you!