Sherry Arnold

You may have heard of Sherry Arnold, the runner/school teacher from Billings, Montana, who was abducted and choked to death while out on a run on Saturday, January 7. It gave me chills, as I am sure it did with everyone else who read/heard about it. Every runner who has ever ventured out on an early morning run probably thought, "This could have been me". You mave have participated in the virtual run in Sherry's memory on February 11. I went on a run on February 11. Wondering what went through her mind during her last run, and during those final fatal moments. Thinking of her family and friends, and what a needless waste her death was. And of how carefully we plan every aspect of our lives, while death lurks around the corner. I fervently hope her family finds the peace they need and deserve; that the horror of her death fades; and that her family can eke out some modicum of comfort from cherished memories of her.
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The Iron Strength Workout

Since my visit to Dr. Jordan Metzl on Friday, I have learned what a celebrity he is. The video he emailed me while I was in his office, is this:
http://www.runnersworld.com/article/0,7120,s6-238-263-266-14177-0,00.html.
He is 'Runners' World' famous! Read the comments on his Iron strength workout video...all super-appreciative and congratulatory. I feel like St. Thomas, the Doubter, questioning his method. I remember seeing this video on runnersworld a while ago, thinking that it looked pretty intense. I am more of a Pilates girl myself, and religiously grind out hour-long core-strengthening Pilates workouts twice a week. Aside from a half hour a week on the leg machines at the gym (calf raises, lower back, leg presses, hip adductor and abductor, and hamstring curl). That is my contribution toward muscle strength. I do have reasonably strong abs. Even if I say so myself. But I admit, I could probably use some leg strengthening. What I found out about the Iron strength workout (which I pounded out yesterday after a short, easy run and a longer, intense pool run), was that they make you see stars! I was sweating profusely after a few minutes and could barely complete the minimum recommended plyometric squats, situps and burpees. Don't even ask me about form...I am sure I looked like a staggering drunkard. I kept telling DH between gasps, that he would probably need to drag me out of bed tomorrow.

This morning, I woke up with scratchy throat, heavy head and legs that felt like lead. I was scheduled for a pool run, which I blew off, with no guilty conscience whatsoever. After that workout, I deserved a day off! The killer Iron Strength Workout is targeted at strengthening, but also improving flexibility and elasticity through plyometrics. I have no doubt laboring through this thrice a week will improve my strength. What remains to be seen is if it will also improve my running and keep me from getting injured. Stay tuned!

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.