Foolin' in the Pool

Your comments and condolences on my last half-a$$ post overwhelm me. I was in the middle of typing up the post, then got distracted. I came back to it the next day to see that I had accidentally posted it, mid-sentence! I quickly went back and finished the sentence, and noticed that inspite of leaving my morbid thoughts incomplete (what else can you call laughing at my own injury?), I got sweet, sympathetic responses that floored me. I didn't expect any comments, much less readers, after a month of silence. Goes to show...Blogland rules!

Now that I have nothing to share on running, except my half-baked research on running injuries (I am obviously not getting anywhere with the research, as my repeated injuries prove), I will let you in on some random stuff. Let me start with an explanation of how I find humor in the face of repeated injuries. I am not too sure, but I think it has something to do with a somewhat zen outlook to life I am trying to cultivate. Don't get me wrong. I am still the fervent competitor at heart and my joy will know no bounds the day I can run painlessly again. And though running is ruled out, I subject myself to heavy doses of biking, swimming, strength training and pool running. But after several setbacks, I am developing a more tolerant attitude toward not being able to run. I try to look at the big picture. And let's face it, it is sort of funny that in any given year, I spend as many months running as I do recovering from some injury or the other!

My ultimate goal is to still be able to run when I am ninety years old (if I last that long). This is just a minor setback in the scheme of things. And injury has made me even more eager to get back into running when my body is ready for it.

I have some pool-time pleasantries to share.

* I am the most loquacious person you will find in the pool. When I am fighting fit, I consider time spent in the gym as a necessary inconvenience. I try to work out as quick as I can, then get out. I am in the gym one or two days in a week, tops. But now that I am injured, I spend 5-6 days a week in the gym, most of them upright in the pool, where I am desperate for company, so I am developing some interesting friendships.

- Like Gloria from the Aqua Fitness class, who was initially curious as to why I was rooted to the same spot in the pool for 2 hours, and when she found out, decided she wanted to join me. While pool running, we discuss fitness, family, friends, life in general...boy, are we chatty!

- Cliff, who is amused to see me spending more time in the pool running than swimming.

- And Chris, who gives me swimming tips, then after completing his workout, keeps me company by practising holding his head underwater while I count the seconds.

* I enjoy watching various swimming styles. A few are spectacular, others impressive, many are hilarious. In turn, most people find my jogging-in-place riotous. I am of course, happy to provide free entertainment.

* The deepest part of the pool is right outside the locker rooms, so that is where you will typically find me pool-running. There is a naughty part of me that finds it tremendously comical to watch people walk into the wrong locker room. It happens surprisingly often. I've tried to stop a few, but mostly I just enjoy the confident, endorphin-induced looks on people's faces as they strut into the wrong locker room after a swim, followed by furtive, confused, embarrassed glances as they hastily make for the exit.

Humor aside, I believe pool running is a solid workout. You can chat and fool around during the workout and still end up feeling achy and tired later. That is because your heart rate never gets as high as it does while you are running on land, so even intense running can feel like a walk in the park (until the next morning, when you feel like you were hit by a bus). I am interested to see how this will help my "land-running" when I eventually surmount this injury. If you can tolerate intense boredom, curious glances and smarty-pants comments, you will get a substantial cardiovascular kick out of pool running.

Minimalist running

After Born To Run was mentioned on Running My Own Race, I proceeded to get myself a copy and immerse myself in it. The book paints a fascinating picture of ultrarunning...so much so that we mere marathon/half marathon runners pale in comparison. There is something awfully romantic about testing the limits of your endurance in a breathtaking, but unforgiving and downright dangerous landscape. But what got me really interested is the author's overwhelming endorsement of the minimalist approach to running. The author seeks a remedy to the various injuries that sideline runners constantly...and finds a universal solution - moving away from highly cushioned running shoes.

The message resonates with me because I am on the verge of throwing up my hands in despair. Every time I reach a solid level of running fitness, I slide right back to Square 1, thanks to my weak tendons. Building speed and mileage beyond a point seem like an impossible dream. I have had no luck at running stores. A month ago, I underwent a video gait analysis followed by the purchase of "stability plus" shoes and insoles. This only caused the tendonitis to be replaced by angry arches and a host of other aches and pains in my foot.

I am now cautiously feeling my way back to running. For a gal who hated the dreadmill with all her heart, I have come a long way...just try pool running for over an hour. At least on the 'mill, you know how far you've run...pool running is the ultimate dead end! And what's worse, you have people staring at you like you've lost your mind. It's a good thing I don't embarrass easily. I take that back...I don't embarrass, period! To preserve my sanity, I stopped short of doing long runs in the pool...now that would guarantee me a spot at an insane asylum.

My strength training sessions now incorporate a good amount of hip and lower leg strength building, whereas previously, they focused mainly on the abs.

On every tentative run, I watch my running posture, foot turnover and footstrike, and try to land on my entire foot, not the heel. It is a gradual process. The "stability plus" and the insoles are going back. I still use my old shoes, and I am slowly exploring running without much support. As with anything else, I understand there is a transition phase. I am NOT looking for a bunch of other injuries and blisters. I don't see myself switching to barefoot running entirely...I rather like the soft soles of my somewhat-manly feet. But I am trying other variations of minimalist running...like running in socks on the treadmill and running in water shoes on grass and tarmac (I don't believe in throwing away $70+ with gay abandon on a pair of VFFs, unless I want to continue with this experiment). Hey, why should going tribal cost so much? One of the things that attracted me to running in the first place is that it is the cheapest sport you can find! I have also started walking around the house barefoot or in socks.

The result so far:

-Tight calves and achilles...this is bound to happen when you change your foot strike, I am told (I use DH's drum sticks on my calves after a run, in lieu of a foam roller (Ouch!!! I really need a foam roller!))

-A sore spot on the top of my left foot

-Slight soreness below my right knee

But the soreness is not aggravated by running and the tendons have been behaving thus far.

On the group run at the towpath on Saturday, I noticed that everyone ahead of me neatly landed either on their whole feet or on the ball of their feet, definitely not on the heel. Am I the last one to receive the memo?

We know heels are not the best shock-absorbers, but this video really brought it home to me.

Minimalist running usually attracts strong, diverse opinions from runners. What are your thoughts/experiences? Have you ever tried it/are you considering trying it? If you have tried it, what's the verdict?

New bike...road or hybrid?

My long silence is only partly due to the life's craziness and my laziness. Mostly, it is because I got injured again. If anyone is counting, this is the 3rd time in a row, during marathon training. And this time, it was a lot harder to take, because my training was going so strong. I had run my best 18-miler ever and had two 20 mile long runs to go, before the NJ Marathon. I was in great shape. Until the darn tendonitis struck again. So, for the past 2 weeks, it has been back to swimming, water running and strength training...

...not to mention lots of internet research, video gait analysis, the painful process of trying out different running shoes and insoles, struggling over conflicting information by various people in running stores and forums...and consequently ending up just as confused as when I started out! I did find out that I needed stability shoes (which I already knew) and the ones I was wearing, Asics Phoenix, were performance shoes, so did not have the cushioning and stability I needed (a fact that I probably knew at some level but chose to ignore...I have been loyal to the Phoenix for a very long time despite injury, because it is one of the very few running shoes that fit me like they were made for me).

I also realized that my abs and hips have been getting more attention lately, but my leg muscles have been neglected...the hamstrings and calves particularly. Stronger leg muscles result in stronger tendons. So, leg presses, seated leg curls, prone leg curls, calf raises and hamstring curls have been added to the mix.

To sum up, I spent the first week post-injury in shock followed by denial and the second week in emotional recovery. There were meltdown moments when I allowed myself to think about how well I had trained up to this point, especially when the NJ Marathon was mentioned (I must say, the race organizers are extremely efficient about sending frequent reminders that the race is ONLY 'X' WEEKS AWAY!!!).

But life goes on. I eventually picked myself up and started making plans again. No, no races yet! But I decided a new bike would cheer me up.

DH and I have been planning to buy bikes for a while. I was well aware that the sensible choice for a first bike would be a hybrid (I want to be able to ride on trails as well as roads; it wouldn't hurt to practice riding a regular bike before I graduate to a super fast, super light road bike, if I ever do; and there is also the small issue of price). We started at Sports Authority, where DH almost immediately found a bike he liked, a sturdy mountain bike that could have passed for a hybrid. I wanted to shop further.

A visit to Bike n' Gear in Somerset left me lusting after those sleek, streamlined masterpieces on wheels that could be easily lifted with half a finger. The service manager Tony was very helpful...he, along with a few long-time customers, all passionate triathletes/cyclists, fed me lots of information on bikes, racing and traithlons, the difference between road bikes, triathlon bikes and cyclo-cross bikes...my head was swimming as I left the store, longingly clutching a Road 2010 catalog.

A few minutes in the fresh air and the fog cleared. I don't have a clue about the basics of triathlons. I would love to try one out some day, but my first love is and will be running. Among other things, I love the simplicity in running. Just lace up your shoes and you're ready to go. Biking is way too technical for me. I like biking for fun and may end up loving it, but I am definitely not ready to get myself one of those fancy schmancy road bikes yet.

DH got a kick out of the possibility that I may at some point attempt a triathlon on a hybrid bike...he said he would fit my bike out with a cute little bell, so I could warn other riders I was coming. I said that wouldn't be necessary...I am not going to be passing anyone on a hybrid bike!

So, back to Sports Authority, to pick up Beau...

Though the joy of owning a new bike was slightly diluted by the bevy of magnificient and slightly-pompous looking road bikes staring at me out of the catalog on my coffee table, I am thrilled with Beau. And I am looking forward to taking him out for a spin after this latest downpour clears.

Watchung Reservation Hike

It's been a rather long silence on my part. Apologies are in order, for completely burying myself in the busi(y)ness of life and disappearing from the blogging world. Every time my mind turns to blogging, I feel the pain of nothing running-related to write about.

My tendon is still troubling me (as in no pain while resting or even while running, but tenderness and soreness a day after a run or long walk), so I have not been walking a lot, much less running. I still feel lucky...things could be a lot worse. But occasionally I feel the need to vent...like now (consider yourself warned).

I long to get back to running. I have been able to ward off the longing by slaving away at the elliptical, bike, stairmaster and the rowing machine at the gym. But when I think of blogging, it hurts that I have nothing to report on the running front. I am an outdoor person and part of the appeal in running is to be able to spend time outdoors in all types of weather. Ah...to run again! I don't even want to train for a marathon or do any speed work. Just to be able to run again would be blissful. I miss my running route, watching the sun rise mid-run, trail runs with Glenn (Glenn's been really sweet and offered to walk with me when I feel like it), everything about my normal routine.

I did go on an organized hike yesterday with the AMC (Appalachian Mountain Club). I am not a member but was able to join them as a guest. I joined a relaxed pace hike; I didn't want to kill myself and do permanent damage to my tendon. There were 18 of us, including the trip leader.

We hiked 7 miles of the 10-11 mile Sierra Loop Trail in Watchung Reservation, where Glenn and I ran a few weeks ago. It was in the 60's...lovely weather for a hike.

The hike had a little bit of everything...flat trails in the wood...

...short, steep climbs...
...chicken of the woods (would you pick this for supper?)

a well-preserved historical 1840s village,

even a hair-raising experience, induced by this fella (who we later found out was dead) on the path, inches away from our feet.

We had a great time; I am looking up more AMC events this fall.

My tendon was a little sore at the end of it, but is feeling better today, so I did 10 minutes of stationary running (on the carpet).

Hope you all had a wonderful weekend.

Interrupted by injury

Injury strikes again! Just as I was feeling all smug and confident of sailing through training for a fall marathon. This time, it's a tendon on the outside of my foot, that's been hurting since last Thursday. And this time, it's entirely my fault. I should have waited a whole 2 weeks after the NYC Half Marathon before returning to my usual mileage.

At least I know what needs to be done...compression, no running, lots of swimming, ankle stretches (I normally stretch my achilles and feet before running, didn't realize the lateral part of the ankle needed to be stretched too!) Glenn did the research and sent me a few stretches which I am gingerly trying out, now. The pain is a lot better than last week, but I dare not run till the pain is completely gone.

Last week looked like this:

Tuesday: 10 miles, spinning, BodyWorks
Wednesday: 7 miles
Thursday: 8 miles
Saturday: swim 2000 yards
Sunday: swim 1500 yards

There will be a lot more swimming this week. I was hoping to run a marathon in October...the next week will decide if I can pull it off.

It's a bummer, but life's still good, as long as I am able to blow off steam at the pool. Hey Mel, maybe this is a sign that I should switch to the Tri!

Have a good week, everyone!

On Fuel Belts

200th post!!! I want to gush over how much I've enjoyed being part of this community. You guys are the best. You keep me running on those days when I just want to curl up and go to sleep, you make me laugh when life is glum; I enjoy reading every sordid detail of your lives and want to share the same with you. Love you all!

Wish I had planned some cool giveaway, but that sounds like a lot of work.
Instead, I am going to shamelessly announce that I just got my free Wright socks in the mail!!! I am so excited to try them out. Runnerslounge is the best!

I do want to broadcast a 200th post giveaway, courtesy Mel of Tall Mom on the Run! Win cool Pearl Izumi running shorts...who doesn't want those? And as I love you so much, please don't forget to mention that I sent you over!

Also, check out my colorful tofu dish, embellished with onions and peppers...yummy, even if I say so myself.

On to the subject of Fuel belts.

One of the reasons I enjoy running (and I'm sure you'll agree with me) is that feeling of levity...the feeling that I am soaring and everything is alright with my world, as long as I can keep on running. But would you feel that way if you were weighed down by...

...THIS?

I bought this belt when I first started to train for a marathon...more than a year ago. Very functional, as you can see...2 bottles for water and gatorade, and 2 decent sized compartments that can house just about anything you will need on your run. But I've never been a fan of fuel belts. After a couple of half-hearted attempts at wearing it on my runs, I gave up, finding it far more convenient to run several out and back loops around my house, filling up on water, gatorade, fruit and GU at my doorstep fuel station every few miles.

But, as I have started to venture into unknown and uncharted territory, I feel a more compelling need to wear this contraption, to carry the innumerable things I never needed to carry before...water, gatorade, GU, a snack, money, car keys, cell phone and camera...without having to juggle them (I've always thought it would be so cool if humans had more than 2 hands). I also think it's not acceptable (*ahem*...after the first few times), to take a swig out of your running buddy's water bottle or steal a snack from him/her everytime I feel the urge to refuel, no matter how nice he/she is about sharing.

So in anticipation of Sunday's long run (if this weird tendon pain I'd been having since the morning will ease up by then!) when Glenn and I intend to traverse the pretty neighborhoods of Watchung and Gillette, I decided to try out my fuel belt one more time...on my 8-mile practice run last evening.

After tightening the belt (to prevent it from jiggling about and bruising my mid-section) and filling it with all the aforementioned accessories, I strapped it around myself and set off on the 8-mile adventure, feeling a little like a pack mule.

I was a bit self-conscious...people I knew would probably wonder why I was wearing all these bottles, when I was mere blocks away from home. Then I realized the only person who would even think that is me. Everyone else in the neighborhood knows me as the crazy running lady...would a few sloshing bottles and jangling keys make a big difference?

I started out slow...it's my high mileage week, and I didn't want to aggravate the pain in my tendon. The pain is right above the ankle, on the outside of my right leg, and didn't bother me after I started running.

Now, on my local runs, I refuel once every 5 miles. I know...that's not enough fluid, I risk getting dehydrated, hyponatremic, and all that good stuff...but it's what I'm used to. I take 2-3 generous gulps of water and gatorade and a mouthful of banana every 5 miles and it has done the trick. But when you are burdened by a fuel belt, you tend to take a swig every 1/2 mile. For one thing, the fluid is right there, why not chug it down? Besides, the more you ingest, the less you have to carry.
So after 3 miles of filling up on water and gatorade, I was moving along at a fast clip, hoping to get home and safely into the restroom before my bladder exploded. The contstant rubbing of belt against belly didn't help. Meanwhile, I didn't even notice that my new sunglasses were fogging up and collecting pools of sweat under my eyes.
The last 3 miles were completed sans fuel belt. 5 miles are good enough for my maiden fuel-belt adventure. Hope I last longer the next time!

So, the verdict is, fuel belts are a good investment, if you can build rest stops into your run every half hour or so. They prepare you for heavy lifting, keep your hands free for clicking pretty pictures, and take your concentration away from things like annoying injuries and cheap sunglasses.

Happy weekend, all!

Tennis ball action

Following several gushing comments on DH's roast tandoori chicken,

I have decided to divulge the secret ingredient responsible for the masterpiece:

Yup, tandoori lovers, that's all it is. You can use any tandoori spice mix available in Indian grocery stores. Just preheat the oven to 350-375 degrees, rub the whole chicken (we used 2 cornish hens) with 1-3 spoonfuls of tandoori masala spice mix, chilli powder (if you can tolerate it), lemon juice and salt. Add chopped veggies of your choice and roast for an hour and a half for mouthwatering, tender, juicy roast tandoori chicken.

You guys are the best! I feel a little silly to whine about my oft-occurring, petty injuries, considering there are people suffering from real problems, but you are all such good sports, throwing brilliant suggestions my way...like the footsie roller and the tennis ball thingee...thanks, Amy, Lindsay, Scheri and Felice!

After reading about it a dozen times, most recently in The Happy Runner, and reading your comments on this post, I finally decided to try the tennis ball technique, in preparation for my long run (I switched my long run day from Saturday to Thursday this week...explanations to come in my next post). Easier said than done. I had to find the tennis balls first!

I live in a little 2-bedroom townhome, with hardly any room to lose things. But somehow, it is always a challenge to find anything that I have put away "in a safe place". So, after digging in the basement for 1/2 hour, moving heavy boxes and dredging up long-lost treasures (including a much-needed spare (new) toilet brush, an exercise ball pump, a rolling pin (which DH claimed ecstatically, to exercise away the pain in his shoulder) and a cricket ball (now, we just need to find the bat), I finally unearthed 1/2 dozen tennis balls. If only all foraging missions were as successful.

After all the drama, I feel I need to provide an illustration: here's one of my feet (badly in need of a pedicure, please excuse the ugliness), rolling on a tennis ball.

Ouch! Ouch! Ouch! Ahhh! Sweet relief! I didn't realize how much stress I put on these poor feet.

This morning's 14-miler was almost entirely painless (there is still a tiny pressure spot, which I need to work on). 12 of the 14 miles were run in pelting rain, but I figured if I let rain stop me, I may never run this summer! I couldn't pamper myself with an icebath today (when did the dreaded icebath become 'pampering'?), because work came a-calling. But I'm definitely getting a little more of the tennis ball lovin' later.

QOTD: How often do you switch your long runs to a different day in the week? Have you encountered any problems/injuries while doing that? (I used to switch my long runs often, and sometimes a long run would be only 4 days away from the previous one. I'm trying to stay more consistent now).

Finally: Want free running shoes? Check out Steve's blog!!!

Fires in the Dark

Reading about different cultures and lifestyles in various time periods is fascinating. This book will take you into the lives, customs and traditions of the Romani gypsies, before and during the Second World War. There are tons of books on the holocaust and life and death in labor camps, but this one portrays the terror, despair and the hope that sustained people through those terrible years with such empathy, it almost brings them back to life. It will take you through the world of a proud Romani family and on the journey of its only survivor, who manages to escape from a prison camp, live out the war and scrape together a new life after the war. Very moving!

Last night's dinner: Roast (tandoori) chicken. Mmm...DH has a way with meat!

This week's workouts:

Monday: 7 miles.

Tuesday: 5 miles (3 tempo-ish miles; Average: 9:24 per mile) + BodyWorks + spinning - Whew! A 5-mile run and 2 hours at the gym on the same day can be brutal. As my legs were spinning mechanically, my mind was spinning out glorious visions of the leftover roast chicken in my refrigerator.

Since the long run on Saturday, the sole of my right foot has been bothering me. Not enough to stop me from running, just a nagging ache. I tried icing it and repeated the Monopoly Game several times during the day, using ear plugs and paper clips instead of monopoly pieces (I keep a pair of ear plugs on hand, to protect my ear drums against DH's drumming, and they get reused for foot exercises! I know...I'm disgusting!) I just hope it works.

National Running Day

If potato chips, peach blossoms and hot cross buns can have a day dedicated to them, running definitely deserves a day of its own. I wish I could say I ran a marathon, or even a half marathon to commemorate National Running Day, but I had to settle for 4 slow miles. Painless miles, though. Ken with his wealth of running experience, tirelessly kept pointing out issues that could have triggered my injury till the brain fog cleared and I saw the light. You see, way back when I started running, I diligently followed the videos on runnersworld.com for the foot and core strengthening exercises, which I would repeat 2-3 times a day. As cross training and free weights got added to my routine, I abandoned these exercises in the interest of time. Turns out, it was not a smart decision. On Ken’s suggestion, I’ve started doing these exercises again this week and…ah, the bliss of pain-free running! I owe you one, Ken!!! Sometimes, we overlook the most obvious things. I’ve only run twice this week, so it’s still too early to tell if the pain has completely gone, but the difference is remarkable.

Monday: 5 miles + spinning
Tuesday: Body Works
Wednesday: 4 miles

I'm keeping the mileage low this week and will most probably stick to 4 days of running.
But I am looking forward to the "Train"ing Run on Saturday. This is a much-talked about event hosted by the running club. It is a non-competitive event; people are invited to run as many (or as few) miles as they want to on the Delaware & Raritan Canal Towpath (the entire distance is 34.1 miles), then stay and enjoy a "fabulous picnic with hot and cold food and ice cold drinks" (according to the website). Before I injured myself, I was hoping to do 16 miles. Now, I'll be happy if I can complete the 11.3 miles I have signed up for. Choo-choo!

Running Injuries and Treatment

Every runner can write pages about today's TIaRT topic...Running Injuries and Treatment.

Most of us have been injured at some point. Some of us suffer severe injuries while others are tortured by persistent, nagging pains. Running builds into us a higher pain threshold than normal, so we learn to ignore slight twinges, and sometimes even run through severe pain. Eventually, we all learn to live with injuries, accept them as part of a runner's existence and a small price to pay for the health, well-being and runners' high we get in return.

Since I started increasing my weekly mileage, I have been frequently visited by injuries. Of the minor, nagging kind. It started with achilles tendonitis a year ago. That's when I realized the benefits of cross-training and started adding swimming, biking and core stregthening exercises to my workouts. Recently, I recovered from tendonitis in my left foot, which was soon replaced by tendonitis in the right foot. I am still struggling to find the exact cause of these injuries, but they were most likely the result of more speed or steeper hills than I could manage. I had switched from running 4 days a week to 5 days a week last October, after which both these injuries occured, so I am considering going back to running 4 days a week for a while. I stretch, but I always wonder if I stretch enough. Dealing with injury involves understanding your body better, learning to take things easy and altering goals when necessary. It is a learning process.

I am sure all of us have spent hours on the internet, agonizing and self-diagnosing; visiting the sports doctor, then doubting his/her prognosis/treatment. I have done all this. I have nursed myself back to health each time with RICE, stretching, healthy eating habits, lots of sleep, balanced workouts. This week, as I return to running after my most recent foot injury, I am forcing myself to go slow; and trying to remember that the best possible treatment for injury is good old common sense.

Monday: 4 miles
Tuesday: Spinning, BodyWorks
Thursday: 5 miles + swimming 1000 yards

Long Pond Iron Works State Park

When I was little, vacations often involved overnight train journeys. My mother would cook puli sadham (tamarind rice), mutton fry and coconut thuvaiyal (chutney), boil a few eggs, and wrap them up in aluminium foil. In the train, my brothers and I would fight for window seats, then settle ourselves as the train pulled out of the station, eagerly drinking in the moving landscape. Barely half hour into the journey, we would approach my mother, her face buried in a book, the worries and cares of mundane existence already forgotten. My mother would look up smiling, and know exactly what we were after. We would soon be munching, the tanginess of tamarind rice perfectly complementing the spicy mutton fry and thuvayal, and before long, every morsel would disappear.

This weekend, DH whipped up a perfect puli sadham and delicious mutton fry. I contributed the thuvaiyal. Perfect comfort food, eaten by Greenwood Lake,

after a short hike at Long Pond Ironworks State Park.The water was cool and refreshing. As we ate, we spotted a water snake, that would rise above the water every now and then, then disappear again. Every time it rose, it got a little closer to us. Disturbing. Enough to dissuade us from taking a dip and finish our lunch in a hurry.

On Saturday, my 10-mile run with the group was going really well, when into my sixth mile, a pain started developing on my right foot. A completely new pain, that vanished when I slowed down. I was able to complete the run at a slower pace; but after the run, walking was painful.

We had friends over on Saturday, and we checked out the local Greek Festival. It was more like a food festival and we left several gyros, souvlakis, kabobs and baklavas later, feeling like stuffed grape leaves. It was a scorcher of a day and the chilled mythos was very welcome. Greek beer rocks! No pics, unfortunately.

The week's mileage total is 28.

I awoke this morning with a swollen, painful foot. The pain is a 3-4 on a scale from 1 to 10, bearable but annoying. Oh well, it still could be a lot worse. I was overambitious (euphemism for stupid), trying to tackle a huge hill, just over a week after the half-marathon. And I should be doing my long runs a lot slower. I need to temper my goals and my training. I can do that. I have to remember, one day at a time. It's time to tune up the breast stroke again. And back to core training. The gym will be seeing a lot of me over the next week.

How was your weekend?

Half marathon taper

Do you taper for a half marathon? I had decided on 28 miles this week, then 10 miles next week before the race on Sunday. Nothing scientific about it, this was based on googling and previous taper experiences.

I ran 6 miles on Monday. On Tuesday, I did 4 miles and 1/2 hour on the stationary bike (too lazy to drive to the gym for spinning class). On Wednesday morning, I woke up in the wee hours and went through the rituals of brushing, dressing, stretching, gulping down mouthfuls of water and gatorade; as I was coating my toes in vaseline before donning the socks, the left foot cried out a little. There was a sore area right behind the toes, one of the trouble spots from the tendonitis injury. My first reaction was, Damn! Why couldn't I have felt the pain while I was still in bed, so I could have gone right back to sleep? I considered running with the pain. After all, it wasn't severe, and I could only feel it when I touched it. But I have had this exact pain before and I know it only gets worse with running. So, I abandoned the run.

As the day progressed, I could still feel the pain. It was annoying, but at least it happened 10 days before the race. I iced and stretched. This morning, 2 days later, I ran 5 miles, pain-free. Was it just a phantom taper-related pain? Or the faster-than-normal long run on Saturday? Or the bike workout? I am always apprehensive about working out on the reclining bike (I prefer spinning class), because, even with the adjustments, my legs and feet seem to be stretched out way too much (I probably need a smaller bike?). Anyhoo, I hope the pain is gone for good. If tomorrow's run goes well, my weekly mileage will be in the low 20's. Oh, well! Hopefully, I will have a pair of fresh race-ready legs.

Another warm & wonderful weekend! Like everyone else, I am looking forward to basking in the sun. Starting with this evening. Inspired by The Happy Runner, I am going trash-picking. I don't have to go far. Parts of my regular running route are strewn with paper, empty beer cans, coffee cups, cigarette butts, even broken glass pieces. Why do people do that?

Check out this cool giveaway on Runner's Rambles: Exercise cards. I think it's a neat idea for a thorough cross training.

Enjoy your weekend!

Adaptive Running...Part I

Run Faster has provided me the motivation I need to get off my wimpy ass and do some speedwork. If you've been reading my blog, you know that my runs are referred to as 'easy', 'slow' or 'very slow'. None of the hills, intervals or LT training that you hardcore runners throw out casually in conversation.

In my defense, I have attempted intervals before. Before I was jerked back to reality by a painful achilles tendonitis.
Lesson 1: Never increase mileage and speed simultaneously.

So, I chugged along peacefully at snail's pace, completed my first marathon and then attempted a very conservative (or so I thought) tempo run while increasing mileage. Tendonitis again...this time, shooting pain all the way from toe to shin.
Lesson 2: Still the same rule: Never ever increase mileage and speed simultaneously.
As you can see, I am a slow learner!

So, since February, after nursing myself back to a pain-free state, I have been working on my mileage again, building my base slowly, following the 10% rule. So far so good.

Now, I am tempted again. But I want to do it wisely this time. Third time's a charm, right?

The author passes on lessons that he has learned in his life as a runner, then a coach. He talks about Adaptive running and training responsively, effective training methods and how to set running goals and plan a customized training cycle.

I am not going to prattle on, parroting the author and reproducing the entire book here. I will be quoting from the book a bit though, so consider yourself warned.

One thing that surprised me is the author's take on cross training. I have been peppering my weekly workouts with liberal doses of cross training, in the form of spinning classes, swimming and BodyFit (aerobics with core workout). I usually limit this to 2 spinning classes a week, one 20-40 minute swimming session, and 2 hours of core exercises (including a 1-hour BodyFit class).

The book says, "These days, I'm seeing more and more runners who seem to cross-train just to cross-train. I believe in a very selective approach to cross-training...
A little core-strength work goes a long way. I recommend doing five or six exercises two or three times each week. The most important muscles to target are those of the upper and lower back, buttocks, hips, lower abdomen, and thighs...
Alternative forms of cardiovascular exercise, such as bicycling, can be useful when running is painful or impossible due to an injury. The best way to approach alternative cardiovascular exercise is to duplicate the planned running workouts you're missing as closely as possible in whichever alternative activity you choose."
Which puts all my vigorous spinning and swimming in question. It makes sense that if you want to become a faster runner, you need to run more. But doesn't alternative cardio help boost your overall fitness and make you a stronger runner?

Another thing that floored me is his philosophy on hill running. It may be commensensical to you advanced runners (or even to beginner runners), but for me, thus far, hills have always equaled injury. When I went to a sports doctor for the achilles tendonitis, the first question he asked me was, "Have you been doing any speedwork or hill running?" Of course, the immediate assumption that hill running brings injury is based on fear, not fact. I have not even progressed to a point in my training where I feel comfortable researching the scientific pros and cons of hill training, let alone incorporating it in my workout.

But, it's interesting to know that the author uses hillwork throughout the training cycle as strength training and...get this...as a way to make a runner less injury-prone. In fact, he says, "Hill running is the only "weightlifting" my runners do. They hoist no barbells or dumbbells. They do some exercises to develop strength in their abdominal muscles and lower back, but that's it. Some other runners lift weights to build strength and prevent injuries (that's me, of course). I believe that short hill sprints achieve the same effect". Hmm...this book is breaking all my myths.

More to come. Have a great weekend!

Swimming is the answer

Thanks so much for your words of encouragement, blog buddies! I owe much to you. You see, in my pre-blog days, if I was injured, I would have just moped around, been a grouch and polished off all the chocolate in a 100 yard radius.

But now, seeing you all so perky and full of life and energy has given me a fresh new perspective. After work, DH & I headed to the gym for a nice hour-long swim. We figured the gym would be crowded from 5-7 pm, so we went at 8...but it was so packed, we had to drive around a bit to find a parking spot. I cannot believe so many people work out at that time! I haven't swam since September, so I felt rusty and slow, but with a couple of breaks, I managed to flap about for an hour. I am sure you'll get a kick out of watching me swim...I am a comical and inefficient swimmer. I've never taken swimming lessons and am a self-taught swimmer (er...not that I call myself a swimmer!). But, I don't care...I love the water and it felt so good to get my cardio...I've missed it so much these past 4 days!

The only problem with the late workout is an even later dinner. Dinner time is usually anywhere between 6:30 and 8, but today it had to wait till after 9. I've tried eating earlier, but if I do, I end up having 2 meals instead of one!

Somehow, swimming makes me hungrier than running. I was ravenous by 9 pm. Dinner was Top Ramen noodles, cooked with mixed veggies, egg and curry powder, and stir-fried onions and potatoes. It took 20 minutes to prepare and was quite tasty. Of course, by then anything would've tasted delicious!

I am late again for Take It and Run Thursday...but couldn't resist commenting when I saw the theme...Running Dreams & Wishes. Hmm...what would an injured runner wish for?

I wish I could keep on running for as long as humanly possible...with no concern about running style; with no orthotics, arch supports, braces, inserts...damn, I wish I could run with no shoes!!!

Tendonitis flare-up

For the record, my Run very slowly as long as there is no pain strategy does not work...not when the problem is tendonitis; and not when the pain is self-induced by a pig-headed runner who insists on ignoring the doctor's orders to rest.

Here's a pic of my poor foot since last evening...bound securely to restrict mobility. Sigh!

After last Saturday's run, which went very well and was painless, I woke up Sunday morning in pain. The pain was on top of my foot, right behind the middle toe. The swelling above my left foot was still in place. Of course, running on Sunday was ruled out. So was the stationary bike.

But what's frustrating is this injury has its own lazy schedule (every step I take seems to induce pain in a new area and the swelling has not reduced even the tiniest bit). I had hoped to build or maintain my mileage for a few weeks, and start training for the New Jersey Marathon by the end of December. I had built up mileage to 39 mpw, and felt in peak form and spirit, before fate decided I needed a break...and gave me one.

Foot injuries take longer to heal because you are walking regularly on the injured foot. You need to stay off your feet and avoid walking as much as possible. I can't go to my GP again because he'll just shake his head and say, "I told you so". So, I am lying on the couch in mild depression, gorging on chocolates; and I can feel a massive headache building up because of it. I did some ab crunches, but my heart was just not in it.

Sorry I'm not spreading any holiday cheer today.

Running Update - Thanksgiving week

After my tentative 2-miler last Sunday, I ran a few days this week with no pain. There is a slight tenderness in the area above my left foot, so I have reduced my speed to just a little over a crawl. I tell myself there is a risk that the pain will return with a vengeance. According to my GP, I should be resting till the swelling disappears.
But the lump seems to have become a rather permanent fixture on my left foot and shows no sign of vacating the premises, so I have adopted a new rule: Run very slowly as long as there is no pain...and stop the minute you encounter the slightest twinge (My defense: My GP is not a runner. What does he know about running injuries?). Do I sound like an obstinate mule of a runner?

Here's my running and injury update:

Monday - 3 miles - Slow as molasses, but...hey, no pain!

Tuesday - core work & 20 minutes on stationary bike: I am beginning to suspect the bike may have something to do with some of the pain and stiffness, especially the muscle pull in my inner thigh. Hmm!

Wednesday - 4 miles: I realize that in trying to favor my left shin, I have somehow adjusted my running style and am putting more pressure on the base of my toes and knees (don't ask me how). I am now training myself to be conscious of every step. A sports doc once asked me to try the POSE technique. I may try the conditioning exercises associated with this method. Has anyone tried this running style? What are your thoughts?
I read that to run fast you must run slow first to improve technique - you must teach/condition your body to run in this style for as long as possible. If you run too fast/hard then your body will tire and revert to the old ways. Makes sense, doesn't it? (Bear with me if I am repeating what you already know!)

Thursday - 4 miles: It feels great to be out there running on Thanksgiving day. There are very few people about, but surprisingly, a number of dogs. I run slow for the most part, except when I am trying to put more distance between myself and 2 huge dogs, straining at the leash held by a wobbly skateboarder. Running and cooking leave my poor legs feeling stiff for a few hours.

Friday - core work: I steel myself for a marathon Black Friday shopping trip, and finish most of my holiday shopping (what a relief!) but this leaves me feeling exhausted; and after Thursday's stiffness, I am in no mood for a run. I manage to squeeze in some ab crunches and dumbbell action. I am tempted to join the running club tomorrow on their Saturday morning run, but decide not to. In a group, I tend to push the pace; and could end up getting hurt.

Saturday - 5 miles: very slow; I feel rested and relaxed.

Sunday - Body, mind and weather-permitting. Let's see what tomorrow brings.

Tendonitis

I don't usually go crying to the doctor for a running-related injury which can be cured simply by packs of ice and that dreaded prescription no runner can easily digest - REST. And in my case, the diagnosis is clearly overuse or shoes needing replacement (don't mean to self-diagnose, but you read the symptoms and you agree, right?)

What I had overlooked though, is an inflammation above my left foot (where the lower leg meets the foot). It doesn't hurt, but the shin still feels quite tender right above this spot .

I went to my GP to get a referral to the sports doc, because I am on a HMO. Groan! It's worked alright up to now because I rarely go to the doc, but at times like this when I get pushed through the referral process, I wish I had a different health plan.

My GP is a friendly, smiling man. He doesn't waste much time and doesn't stand around waiting for questions. You have to have them ready to shoot out the minute he stops talking. I was not sure I really needed a referral...I just wanted someone to tell me the bump was harmless, unrelated to the shooting pain I had in my shin yesterday; and that I could go back to running miles and miles a week. Silly naive me! He pressed the bump with his thumb and when I said it felt tender, he declared without any hesitation, that it was tendonitis. Just rest and take motrin to bring down the swelling, he said. The tendon could take a while to properly heal, so take it slow...no running or fast walking for at least 3 weeks. 3 WEEKS! Does he even know what that will do to me??? Then he was gone, before I could decide whether I needed a referral or not. Oh well, I don't think I need a specialist to tell me the same thing.

At least I have my box of Belgian chocolates to chow on...no chocolate a day nonsense anymore...a girl needs all the consolation she can get at a time like this!

Shin in pain

I woke up yesterday with no pain at all, so decided to run a slow 6 miles. Ignoring the temptation to look at my HR watch every so often, I just focused on the run. I felt stiff from the waist down at first, but a mile into the run, felt well enough to stretch the run to 8 miles.

This morning, I bravely undertook a 14-mile long run in 30 degree temperature. There was a layer of frost on every surface and a few miles into the run, I took a rest room break and discovered that my hair and headband were covered with frost as well.

For most of my life, I have lived in places where you tend to sweat profusely, year-round. I think my body has done a pretty good job so far, of adjusting to the cold NJ winter temperatures. The only problem is my freezing hands. By Mile 6, I had to exchange my running gloves for ski gloves. Even with the ski gloves, my fingers felt like tree-stumps when I took out my cell phone to call DH. DH had to open the gatorade and water bottles for me...my fingers felt numb and lifeless.

I was feeling really good...at my usual pace, about 10:30 a mile. I was well into the 12th mile when my shin started hurting. The pain was on the shin bone, right above the ankle. Darn! I was able to alter my running style to minimize the pain and completed the run at a much slower pace. But, the prospect of shin splits worries me. I have heard horror stories on how painful they can be. I wonder if these little injuries are signs of my body screaming overuse. I don't understand...I have been taking care to follow the 10% rule (increasing mileage by not more than 10% per week). When I was training for the marathon, my regular mileage was 30-40 mpw...and the maximum weekly mileage I have done these last few weeks without succumbing to injury has been 39 miles.

The pain stopped a few minutes after the run. I will try to RICE and hope for the best!

On the chocolate fix front: I promised myself a piece of Belgian chocolate before bed if I was a good girl all day yesterday. I did well...I did not touch any, though I had been eyeing little Ramses all day (he was a praline...caramelised sugar and roasted, ground hazelnuts/ almonds, ummm...this is torture!)...well, last night, he became history.

Injured thigh...and ego

I am sure you will agree with me that one of the most frustrating things as a runner is to get injured when you are at your physical and mental peak.

I was looking forward to 2 beautiful, slow and easy runs to cap off a wonderful week. The 5K race last week left me feeling there was hidden potential in me, just waiting to be unleashed by a few crisp, focused training weeks.
My long run pace got me excited...if I could complete a 16-mile training run comfortably at a 10:15-10:30 minute per mile pace before my marathon training has even started, a sub-4 hour marathon in May 2009 should be a piece of cake.

And then disaster struck. I was planning to join the local running club on their Saturday morning run, when on Friday evening, after a low-intensity workout on the stationary bike, I pulled a muscle. I felt no pain when resting, but while walking or jogging, I was bothered by a mild, but shooting pain in my inner thigh, right above my knee (the adductor hiatus?), which got progressively worse, the longer I walked. On thinking back, I realized my thigh muscles had felt rather tight during the week inspite of stretching and warming up before runs; 20 minutes on the bike was just the last straw. I iced the spot, rested with my legs elevated for an hour or so, stretched and massaged the spot very gently and tried walking again, but it was obvious I needed rest. I was disappointed, but I firmly believe the earlier you pay attention to an injury, the sooner you will recover. I have only myself to blame: despite all my resolutions, I broke the cardinal rule - no speed work (or increasing pace) while building the base!

It happens every time but it doesn't stop people from trying...every time you try to fly too high, you come crashing to the earth!

I will try again on Monday, but at my old pace. Down the drain it goes...my 42-mile week!

The slump

I feel like I am in a slump this week. The temperature dropped to the 30's and it rained the past 2 days, making it difficult to find the motivation for a run. And since I started a 5-day running week 3 weeks ago, my legs (knees, expecially) have been feeling the strain more than usual.

As we are are planning to do the 5K this Saturday, I thought this was the best time for a low mileage week (20-25 miles). But my body decided to chill out even more. After my sluggish 4 miles on Monday, I have not been able to get in the groove. Yesterday after work, I was exhausted again, and took an impromptu nap for about an hour before dinner. I did 30 minutes on the exercise bike at the end of which the inner part of my knees felt like they were on fire. It went away after some stretching. I have been feeling a tenderness and slight burning pain in the same spot after running for a couple of weeks, which disappears after stretching and rest. My self-diagnosis is Pes anserinus bursitis...but need more symptoms to take myself off to the sports doc.
http://www.usgyms.net/bursitis.htm

After an attempted run ended in failure this morning (no pain, I just had to stop after a mile and a half), I have decided to give it a rest and just focus on cross-training, strength and core work till the 5K on Saturday.