Went to the doctor yesterday. She gave me a kind of cursory once-over and determined my hip issue was probably IT band related. I'm not sure that's all it is, but she's a doctor and while she might have been distracted by the swine flu epidemic, I will listen to her because she didn't tell me to stop running.

This morning, I got up early and went to the track for intervals. I thought the hardest part about this would be getting up at 6am, but I was so very wrong. I gazed out at the seemingly endless expanse of composite rubber and said incredulously to myself "I have to run around that things in 2:05? You have got to be flipping kidding me."
The schedule said 8x400 but I could only muster 4x400. It was both excruciating and exhilarating, and if my legs had been in better shape I think I might have enjoyed it. The left hip issue is causing me to favor my right leg, leading to intense shin and calf pain. Ugh. I am definitely booking a sports massage at Boston Bodyworker.
I limped home and did the 15 minute yoga for runners video. It helped.

My shoes feel like they're going to break, and my toes are going to scrape pavement, at any second. They're only six months old and I'm not a high mileage gal, at any time of the year, much less in the dead of winter. This isn't normal, but this is my body, and these are my feet, and my new shoes are on their way via UPS. With some fancy shmancy insoles. I'se gots to take care of me.

At the track, I noticed two different groups who appeared to be doing some sort of early-morning bootcamp thing. I think I need to get involved in some sort of group activity. I can only push myself so hard.

I hate resting.

Today I finally go to the doctor about my hip, after almost two months of pain/annoyance/still running on it even though I know it's a bad idea. My doctor will probably tell me to rest it, ice it, not run on it, and I will ignore her. Ignoring sage advice from a medical professional counts more than ignoring advice from WebMD and all your friends, right?
No, I won't really ignore her. But I'm going to keep my fingers crossed and hope "resting" isn't the only answer to this problem. I don't want to rest. The annoying thing about resting is that when I come back to running, it's like starting all over again. Since this quasi-injury, I haven't been able to consistently maintain a sub-10 minute mile pace for any distance. It's frustrating. My goal this summer is to start consistently running 9-minute miles, but it seems like such an unreachable goal at this point. My legs feel like lead.
On the upside, I shouldn't consider this "the summer" just because it's suddenly 90 degrees outside. That's a fluke. I'm getting ahead of myself.
The Run to Remember is in less than a month. Tomorrow, I am going to get up at 6am and run repeats at the track. Yes, I am. I have never done this before but I am going to give it the old college try.
Unless the doctor tells me to rest. In which case, I'll start resting on Thursday.

I am a terrible blogger...and runner

Monday was the 113th running of the Boston Marathon. Growing up, I always thought it was kinda neat, but now that I've started running and more importantly, started reading running blogs, I realize what I big deal it is. This was the first Marathon Monday I've been able to really enjoy, since I took the day off work to go to the Sox game and then spent the rest of the day out with friends watching runners go by, eating crappy appetizer platters, and then watching both the Bruins and the Celtics electrify the city with their respective wins.
We were situated in SRO on the Fenway roofdeck, which was terrible, vantage-wise, but actually quite good to watch the marathon. We got to see the elite race, though from far away, and I honestly can't even fathom how fast these people are going, even when I'm seeing it with my own eyes.
The Sox routed the O's to the tune of 12-1.
I followed the progress of my roommate, his friend, and several other pals via my friend's iPhone. He finished in under 5 hours, more than an hour more than his time last year, but considering he hardly trained, and that is a freaking MARATHON, good on him.
There was a trash can overflowing with empty cups and a spent pair of Asics. I wish I'd had my camera. That was a perfect representation of how a runner sometimes feels after a race.
Last night, there was a mother in a marathon jacket doing pullups on the T with her kids. I want to be her when I grow up.

I haven't been running. I've still been conditioning with some pretty hardcore cardiostrength, but my hip got so bad I could barely walk so I stopped being stupid and stopped running. After taking it easy, it's much better. I can actually walk with only the slightest of limps! I think it's bursitis, and I'm going to the doc next week. She's a triathlete, so hopefully she'll be able to give me some advice. It just occured to me that I might be feeling unbalanced because I've been carrying around the Chicago Manual of Style all semester. That'll all end soon. Hopefully, I'll heal up soon and be able to get back on the road soon.

Big high fives all around to everyone who ran, finished, and volunteered on Monday. I hope to be there someday.

And on the 8th day...

...God created foam rollers.

Hello, blogosphere. Long time, no write. I know I know. All two of you must have wondered where I was. Anyhoo, here's the deal. I got all hurt and depressed again and did the whole "boo, I'm just not mean to be a runner" thing. This time, it's my left hip. I was all cranky and whiny and about to give up, when my roommate introduced me to the wonder that is the foam roller. Now, whatever is wrong with now the entire left side of my body is probabaly a combination of muscle tightness, ligament wonkyness, and teensy stress fractures. Though I am not a doctor. However, when I was rolling it out, I could feel a ridiculous knot the size of Rhode Island. After rolling over it for awhile, I got up, and no more pain!
It still comes and goes, and is particularly bad after a run, but I think if I just keep rolling and stretching, eventually my body will learn to deal. I hope.
For instance, I missed by 9 miles this week, but did 3 yesterday, and was pretty fast if I do say so myself.
But now the hip hurts like the Dickens.
Sigh.
It's an adventure, that's for sure.
I also think I need to get new shoes. It's been about 6 months, and while I know I haven't run 600 miles on them, I also know I tend to start needing new ones at around 200 or so. And I've been wearing them while weightlifting so that probably added to the wear & tear. I think I'm going to go for some new Nikes, but not the Pegasus. I might try the Moto or the Vomero this time.
Peace out.

Back to reality

The much-anticipated Jamaica trip zoomed by so quickly, and now I'm back to the regular grind. All-inclusive is the best thing since Guinness and cupcakes, and I spent a beautiful, sunny, relaxing five days sitting by the cliffs and soaking up the sun's rays through a thick coat of SPF 45. I stumbled back into Boston and right into visiting friends, sightseeing, and then a rather debaucherous St. Patrick's Day weekend in Southie (it's everything you'd imagine and more).
Needless to say, I didn't get much (if any) training and exercise in until yesterday, when I hit the gym with a vengeance. Half-marathon training is back on full force, and I couldn't be happier. Yesterday and did a 25 minute kettlebell circuit, and then when I got home after my evening stint at the Ronald McD House, I decided it would be the perfect bad-decision cherry on top of a bad-decision sundae to run around Southie in the dark. I'm alive, and well, and that four miles put me on top of the world.
Tonight is my first track speed workout! Hopefully I'll be able to get access to the local track. I'm looking forward to it.

TiaRT : The sins of the runner...

This week's TiaRT theme is "Common mistakes and cardinal sins of running", and boy do I sometimes feel like I spend every LongRunDay in the running confessional booth.
Whenever I do, it's always because I have broken one of these Running Commandments. Some of these I think are universal, and some are definitely specific to me, but whenever I think I can ignore them, that's when I end up in trouble. I have broken every single one of these bad boys and paid the price.


The Ten Commandments of Running

Thou Shalt Stretch Properly So many of us forget this crucial, important step, yet it makes all the difference in the world if done properly and regularly. For instance, I broke this one yesterday because I wanted to get out of the gym and to dinner, and now my poor hammies are paying for my sins.

Thou Shalt Have A Plan Especially if training for a race, especially if a beginner. Yes, some folks can get out there and just run, but the rest of us need some words and numbers on some paper to tell us what to do, how to do it, and why we are doing it, in order to reach our goals smart and safe. And heck, it's fun to track your goals and progress.

Thou Shalt Not Get Ahead Of Thyself Even with a plan, it's tempting to try to push yourself. You feel good! You're all chock full o' endorphins! Think you can tack on a couple extra miles to your Long Run? Don't. Bet you can run it at your tempo pace, maybe throw in a couple sprints? Don't. Just because you can, doesn't mean you should. When you end up sleeping for 12 hours straight and eating an entire box of Cheez-It snack crackers in one sitting, you'll know what I mean. And that's the best case scenario.

Thou Shalt Respect The Sanctity Of Thy Days Of Rest Especially if you are training for a long distance race, you must take your days of rest as rest days. Not cross training days, not easy run days (unless prescribed) but rest days. Unless you like stress fractures and exhaustion.

Thou Shalt Wear Proper Footwear If you have not yet done so, get thee to a reputable running store staffed with knowledgable and infinitely patient employees and get fitted for your perfect running shoes. Don't scrimp on your sneaks. Replace them when necessary. Learn to listen to your tootsies - the prescribed shoe-replacement suggestions are all well and good, but your feet being sore and tingly an hour after a run is a better indicator.

Thou Shalt Properly Hydrate And Fuel Water is good. Drink it. If you don't, you'll get dehydrated and bad things will happen. If you run long, salt or electrolyte tabs are probably good. During races, carry Gu or Gel or whatever floats your boat. Be smart about pre-run food, depending on your likes and dislikes and the distance you plan to run. Nothing spicy (incidentally, did you know gazpacho tastes the same coming up as it does going down?)

Thou Shalt Listen To Thy Body Be smart. There is a difference between running through a side stitch or fatigue and trying to run through a shooting pain in your leg "hoping it'll go away." I think you know what that difference is. No amount of teeth-gritting or mental toughness can will away a stress fracture or ITBS or a torn ligament. It can only make it worse.

Thou Shalt Respect Weather Conditions Okay, many of you are total badasses. You strap on your YakTraks and run 10 miles in the snow. You run in the rain. You run in thunderstorms. You run in 90 degree heat and humidity. We all have our limits. I personally don't run on ice, and I always have to remind myself not to run my favorite route (around Pleasure Bay in Southie) when it's cold and windy, because the wind has literally picked me up and hurled me against the fence when I get over the open water. If you are going to be all awesome like that, dress appropriately for both heat & cold, and HYDRATE in the heat.

Thou Shalt Cross Train Best thing I ever did, cross training. There are many many running purists, so this is just a personal preference, but cross training, especially weight training, has improved my running and general fitness 1000%.

Thou Shalt Enjoy Thyself Running isn't always fun, and it certainly isn't easy (what sadistic person came up with the term "easy run" anyway?), but it is infinitely enjoyable in all its aches and pains and hardships. Always remember to enjoy yourself, celebrate your accomplishments and those of your fellow runners, and pat yourself on the back every once in awhile for a job well done.

If a speedwork session is done on the treadmill and noone is around to hear it...

First speedwork session EVAR today. 2 mile jog and then 4x400 @ 8:34mi. Not too bad. I have to say, I think I kinda like it. I certainly felt great when it was over.
But does it count if it's on a treadmill? Team Legs 'n' Lungs say YES.
When it gets warmer, my bum will be at the track.

Also at the gym I ran into
-my boss, right after I told him I was trying to get out a few minutes early
-one of my work study employees, in the locker room
-one of my grad assistants, also in the lockers room.
Awwwwwwksmo.

Today's workout (see above)
2 miles @ 10/mile
4x400 @ 8:34/mile
2min jog/walk breaks between intervals
Total 40 min running
3.6 miles or so