Spring Running Thread

[rocknrollgirl]

So when I started the winter thread, I was running in shorts and confused by the weather. Now I am starting the spring thread, waiting for snow and confused by the weather!

I did the local trail race yesterday. The options were 5k, 10k, 20k. My original plan was to run the 20k as a lead up to North Face on May 1st. But the hamstring issue caused me to drop down to the 10k . I thought is was smarter since I am recovering well to not push it. The race is small townish, local. Many of my students were volunteering, so they were excited to see us there.

Our plan was to warm up for a few miles, run the 10k and then run a few more miles after as a cool down. Got through the warm up, felt great. Lined up, started the race, felt good. They ran us double track for about 1.5 miles and the we made the turn into 3 miles of hilly single track. On the way out on the double track I ran with a few ladies that I know and chatted a bit, and then when we hit the single track, I took off. I got bogged down behind a few folks that were tip toeing on bridges and try to skirt around mud. This is my local park, so I know every root and rock. So in the first 1/2 mile of single track, I passed 5 people and never looked back. Now I am not fast by any means, but I leaned yesterday that I am better than the average bear on trails, that is where I am comfortable.

Just about the time when we made our turn in, my stomach started to get wonky. I had kept my nutrition the same as every Saturday long run. The only thing I did differently was take all of my morning vitamins and pills ( on a partially empty stomach) when I got up. So the discomfort started to get pretty bad. Not nausea, but a feeling of pressure and heartburn. I was really not wanting to slow down and stop so I just pushed it back and kept running.

So I get done and make it across the finish line, manned by my students. They are collecting the finish times. They are asking me my age group and I look up at them, hold up a finger, and walk over behind a tree and throw up 4 times. Nice. I have NEVER thrown up after a race. Not sure what was going on. I felt better immediately, so I must have needed it. The only down side was that after throwing up and cooling down, I did not feel like going back out for more miles. I was a bit bummed about that. So I only got in a total of 8.5 miles.

So no worse for the wear today. Felt a bit sluggish yesterday post race, stomach was not wanting food, but it seems to have all passed.

Onward we trudge.

[emily_in_nc]

Ugh, sorry about that tummy problem. You may never know what caused it, but at least you finished and had a good run before that.

[OakLeaf]

Ugh, RnR. I don't do well with pills on a less-than-full stomach either. Running, even racing after that? Yikes. Your crossing the finish line though reminded me of the fourth of July five-miler year before last. The finish line volunteer asked me my age twice as I'm trying not to puke, and I finally flashed a full hand twice, for "5-5"

So, update from the ankle adventures: the LMT released some stuff in the tibialis anterior, the chiropractor released some stuff in the big toe flexors. I kept a brace on it to ride to the farmers' market yesterday, did a little yoga and took the rest of the day off. I forgot to ask the chiropractor what kind of taping he'd recommend, and I honestly had a hard time deciding whether it was better to tape to inhibit muscles or to activate them. In the end I taped the tibialis anterior with my foot in hard dorsiflexion and the tape wrapped around the bottom of my foot to the lateral side, with shorter pieces of tape in an "X" pattern directly over the swelling (which there was still a little this morning). I did 12 miles easy pace and bailed when it started feeling a little loose (not painful). If I'd been healthy it would've been my second 20-miler of the cycle - still, in his training plans, Jack Daniels recommends not going over 2-1/2 hours no matter how slow you are, so from that point of view I would've only been doing 15 miles today. Some alternating heat/cold and then some electrical stimulation afterward, and it feels pretty much okay. Fingers crossed.

[Catrin]

Hope things continue to feel better Oakleaf & RnR!

While I am decidedly not in the running world, I'm always interested and amazed to read of your adventures here. Even before my fall and eventual knee surgery running didn't come easy to me - though I was easing my way into trail running. I'm just plain amazed at the very idea of "only" running 15 miles, let alone more!

[rocknrollgirl]

Hey Oak, we all have our fingers crossed for you. I hope your ankle is improving daily.

I am still battling an angry belly. I think it is from my spring allergies. I get this at some point every spring, nausea and upset stomach from post nasal drip. So gross. The upset stomach boarders on being debilitating. It makes for very unpleasant running. Heck it makes for very unpleasant everything. All I want to do is eat crackers and drink tea, Yuk.

[OakLeaf]

I'd known for a while that nausea outside of my workouts is often a sign of not enough sodium leading to dehydration. But I've just recently read that GI distress *during* a workout can more often than not be because of dehydration, and it makes perfect sense - if I'm only marginally hydrated going into a workout, then I'm only going to get more dehydrated as it goes on, especially when it's hotter and/or tougher. Might be an issue for you too with the weather getting warmer. Ever since my bout with dehydration over the winter, I've been careful to slam a full water bottle with an electrolyte tablet before any hard workout, and it's really helped.

So, last week the small college pool where I deep-water run was closed for spring break, but I got in there Monday and Tuesday, did a partial land workout Wednesday and felt pretty much okay. The ankle is still a little puffy but not painful, the other Achilles is worrisome but improving as I really focus on getting my glutes to fire. Haven't decided yet whether to drive back up to the pool again today or try a lap of the bridges. Day by day.

[Catrin]

Good observation Oakleaf!

Sent from my SAMSUNG-SM-G870A using Tapatalk

[Pax]

Oak - absolutely. Playing "by the rules" when the rules are designed to oppress, is a suckers bet.

[ny biker]

Congrats on the race, Oak! Enjoy that dessert.

[OakLeaf]

Next up, RnR. How are you feeling? Which distance did you decide on?

[emily_in_nc]

Congratulations, Oakleaf! I am perpetually in awe of anyone who runs a marathon, considering how difficult even 3-4-mile runs are for me!

I have not run at all since we arrived in NC in mid-March. Sigh. There are just too many strikes against me here: family obligations, RV projects, a tiny campground with only two roads out, both of which have such a steep grade I can barely walk up them, much less run, and not enough time to drive somewhere to run.

However, I did buy new running shoes here and am ready to start up again (slowly!) once we leave this place. We'll soon be heading west in the motorhome, and I am hoping to get back to running at least occasionally. Also planning on many more bike rides and some hikes. I've enjoyed this family time (with my mother and step-dad, plus a brief road trip to Ohio to visit DH's elderly parents in assisted living) but am ready to be on our way!

[Catrin]

Nice run Crankin and hope you feel better Oak! RnRoll it soundslike you had fun!

I'm currently in Denver at a conference and that always plays hell with diet, exercise, and sleep. Trying to make the best of everything and am walking and using the hotel gym as much as I can.

[rocknrollgirl]

The morning after damage report:

The bad hamstring is sore. No surprise there.

My groin ( glad to know I have one) is sore. I had packed my tens unit in the truck so I had stim on it all the way home. It felt good when I got home, but is sore again today.

And my right knee just yelled at me coming down the stairs.

That and I did not sleep well. I would normally take off from school the day after, but my AP kids have projects coming in today and I have a lab scheduled today so I have to drag my tired behind in.

This is what the course looks like so you can get an idea from a footing perspective. No add in a four thousand feet of up and down and well, you get it. The 50 miler had almost 14,000 feet of elevation change. Crazy.


Oak, is something still really hurting you from Boston? Is that why the new PT? And good job to everyone else for getting out there!

[Crankin]

Just looking at those rocks hurts my feet.

[Catrin]

Those rocks!!!! How much of the course looked like that?

Sent from my SAMSUNG-SM-T537A using Tapatalk