My First Ice Bath

I actually could walk today with minimal pain after my foam rolling experience. I was still sore but I was able to go running this morning. My knees and legs did really pretty well. About mile 4 I started feeling an ache in my knee and thought as the further I went the pain would increase but it never really did until the last 1/4 mile when I decided to start sprinting, then I could feel the pain on the lower outside of my knee. I figure it was my IT band. But all in all not to bad... my physical therapist was not in again today so I stayed home and did all my arm, abs and leg weights. I decided to try the foam roller again today with much apprehention.. I was so sore yesterday that I would be walking along and I would all of a sudden get a burning and pinching sensation in my IT bands where I had rolled on some knots and trigger points. I so did not want to experience the pain again but I thought if it would help my running and knee pain it was worth it. I was actually able to roll today and I even was able to get 3 sets of 10 in on all my muscle groups. I was so amazed.. I still had alot of pain with the IT bands and my lower quads but still manageable with only minor screaming this time.. I really tried to go slow and put alot of pressure on the real sore spots that had lots of knots on them to try and hopefully break them up and get rid of them...

My friend Tall Girl Running suggested after rolling this time to take an ice bath afterwards to help with any inflammation and that it would probably make me less sore tomorrow so I did and to my surprise it was not as bad as I was thinking it was going to be.. I put straight cold water in (our water is not really cold cold more like cool cold) and then hopped in and added my ice bin from the freezer. I was able to spend 20 min in there then took my hot shower.. It actually felt pretty good. As of tonight I am sore I think mainly from the weight lifting and a little sore to the touch as if my IT bands were bruised but not as bad as I was last time so hopefully it helped.. I will see how I feel tomorrow. I was so happy I was at least able to roll this time around so I know the rolling is helping and breaking up all the knots. Thanks Angie and Jen for the idea...

Total miles 6.85 in 72 mins

Oh My Gosh Pain!!!!!!

So after my long run and crazy wokout on friday I took the weekend off to recover. Sat I was a little sore but nothing to crazy. I was just really wiped out.. Sunday I think I was a little more sore but the weird thing was is Monday morning I woke up and my back was hurting on one side and shooting pains down into my glute and leg and it just hurt to do any bending as well as my upper back and neck was tight too.. I dont know if I slept on it wrong or if I had done something from lifting weights on friday. My knee was still hurting as well as my inner calf too so I decided not to run monday..

Today I was still a bit sore in my back but thought I would go running and hopefully it would loosen things up.. Other then my knee aching most of the time I did pretty good.. My calf was pretty tight to start but eventually loosened up. By the last mile my knee started feeling somewhat better although I still had to keep stopping and adjusting the IT strap because of it sliding.. I also had to stop and walk about a block today to give my knee a rest and it seemed to help alot with the pain.. It didnt hurt much after walking it for a couple mins. I was even able to get a 8 min mile in. I did a lighter run today knowing i was going to do all my weights again today. Little did I know the worst was yet to come.

When I got home I noticed my foam roller finally came so I couldnt wait to go in and try it out..I started with my calfs and I did ok I did 3 sets of 10 rolling pretty fast I think the hardest part was how sore my arms were getting from holding me up to roll. My calfs were pretty sore.. I didnt realize theyt were that sore until I began rolling. Then i moved up to my hams.. I was able to do 3- 10s as well those were pretty good. Then I moved to my lower back and I seriously thought I was going to die. I couldnt even roll at all. The pain was so horrible I seriously thought I could pass out from the pain... All I could do was lay against the roller with my weight and hold my breath and grit my teeth. I have never felt so much pain...HOLY CRAP!!!! I would just lay there then roll like 1/4 " then repeat the gritting and breath holding. I then did my quads and did ok I was able to do a few but the slower I went the more painful it was. Next my IT Bands Oh my gosh pain!!!!! It hurt so bad.

The slower I went the worse it was so I knew I really needed to get in there and break those knots up so I started down close to the knee which was wear it was the worse and I just layed there in the spot with my weight and held it there for 10 seconds. I could literally feel the pain radiate all the way through to the other side of my knee. It took everything I had not to scream... Then I would roll it up just a tiny bit then hold it for 10 and eventually made it up my leg to my hips then I tried to start over again.. I was only able to do it twice before I had had enough. I then went and did my calfs over doing the real slow movement again really getting in and kneading the areas.. I really didnt think I was this tight and had that many knots in me but boy was I wrong.. The pain is like this burning stabbing sensation.. At first on my back I thought I was doing it wrong and pinching my skin but then realized I wasn't pinching it, it was the little trigger point knots that I was rolling over and causing immense pain and burning from them.. Geeze louize.... Hopefully as I do these more and more I can get where I can actually roll over them without crying.. I am sure as they break up and loosen the pain in my knees and legs will improve greatly.. As soon as I tried to get up and walk I was so dang sore everywhere.. I hope I can walk by toninght.. I thought I would try and do some more rolling tonight to try and loosen them up again if I can bear the pain.. I dont know if theres too much of doing this or not but I am sure it couldnt hurt..

Total miles 5.92

Dont Reccomend This

Yes...........I think I'm back.... I had a pretty good run today.. I decided to do my long run today since I am leaving early in the morning for the Philadelphia Zoo. Once again got a little bit of a later start then I wanted.. I left about 10:00 and it was pretty warm today but it could have been alot worse.. I think it was around 70 or 75 so not real bad... I tried to run as much as I could in the shady spots.. My oldest daughter came along with me today on her bike.. Even though I dont talk to her because I usually cant talk without getting more winded it was still nice knowing she was there.. She carried a bag with my water in it in case I needed some.. The plan was to go 8.5 miles. My knees felt really pretty good today as well as my legs. Only until about mile 7 did I feel my ITBand start to tighten up and ache.. I kept having problems with my IT band strap. It always starts to slide down my leg as my leg gets sweaty so I have to keep stopping and take it off and try to dry it and put it back on. I swear I wrapped it so tight it was cutting off the blood supply to my leg.. At one point I took it off but then my knee started hurting on the lower inside which was strange because I didnt think the IT band strap had anything to do with the lower and inner part of the knee but as soon as I put it back on the pain eased back up so I just had to deal with stopping evey half mile or so to readjust it.

I think i stopped maybe 4 times to take a drink of water and stretch my legs and knee a little and readjust the strap and that was it. Even with my knee starting to ache just a little towards the last mile or so it was still bearable so I decided to go around the block one more time since I was feeling so good and to my amazement I got in 9..26 Miles today.. I feel like I am finally back to where I was before my leg injury.. Now if I can just get to where these miles are my normal runs and my long ones are more like 12-14 miles.. I just am scared of pushing it to much to fast and getting another injury.. I felt really great afterwards, but then I think I did something not so bright... Ya I know shocker!!! I did my upper and lower weight workouts as well and I think I just about killed myself.. After completing my upper workout I was so shaky and exhausted. I felt sick to my stomach almost.. I thought maybe eating would help and it did some but not alot.. And I knew I had to get in my P.T lower body workout still since I wouldnt be able to go in tomorrow and my week was already thrown off from them not being in the office. I really didnt think I would make it but I did it... Barely!!!

I am just glad I get 2 days of rest so my body can recoop.... Other then all the walking around I will be doing tomorrow at the zoo... I just feel so exhausted and horrible tonight.. Not like real bad but just wiped out I think that was a little more then my body could handle all in one day.. I think you shouldnt do weights on the day of your long run. I definently wouldnt reccomend it.. Other then my left knee feeling a little sore and my legs stiffening up a little I dont feel to bad but I am sure I am really going to feel it tomorrow.... But hey I am still really hiped up about my distance today.. A great run!!!!

Much Cooler

Today was so much cooler. I got out an hour earlier and a cold front had moved in last night so it was really nice today. I wish it could have been this cool yesterday.. I still wasnt quite in my element today.. My knee was hurting just a little before my run but seemed to do fine most of the way until the last half mile or so.. I'm not sure I could have done much more distance today so I am glad I was only doing a light short run. I went my normal route today but backwards and I didnt realize how much of a slope was in the roads until I tried to do it backwards and found I was running up steeper inclines.. I cant complain it's still pretty flat but you definently notice it in your legs and knees when your running up steeper inclines.. There was alot of shade today so with the cooler temps it was so nice. I still didnt feel quite like I wanted to, I guess those effortless gliding days are few and far between but it was a pretty good run all in all.. I'm hoping my P.T is in today so I can get my lower body workout done.

Total Miles 5.17 (R) 3.16 (W) 2.01

Dragging

I didnt get out monday like I was planning. I was having some twinges going on in my inner shins so I thought I better not chance it and rest so I could run today.. I am glad I did because today they felt great and I had no pain in my knees either.

Once again I got way to late of a start. I didnt get out until 10:30 and it was pretty hot and humid.. I mapped out a new route today so I was excited to run it. It was part of my old route going backwards then I added a new loop of the park that we usually go ride our bikes around. I'v always wanted to come run the trails but have waited until my distances increased. The only thing I dont like about running the trails is on map my run the park and trails dont show up on there so I try and map it out from memory of the trails hoping I come pretty close, so I am not sure how accurate my miles were today. While waiting for my breakfast to digest I decided to do my upper body weights to help pass the time until I could run... I am not sure if that was a good idea or not. Todays run I seemed to really be dragging my feet and felt worn out.. Finally by mile 4 0r 5 i kinda started getting that tingle of your leg muscles all working together and its kinda that good feeling so my legs were like robotic plugging away but it felt like I was dragging my upper body. I'm not sure if it was just the heat and humidity wiping me out or if it was from lifting weights.

The route I did today didn't provide much shade so I was in full sun and it was tough.... It was a nice change of pace though to run this new route and it even provided a potty break at the park about half way through so that was nice but unfortunatly the drinking fountain was not working which is so dumb and made me mad.. Here this is a sports park and they dont have the drinking fountain working.... So I had to slurp some up out of the bathroom sink faucet.. Hey whatever works i guess. My legs felt like they could have kept going but the rest of me was dead shortly after beginning.. I made it though and I am glad I did and my knees felt great today as well as my legs so all in all it was a good run. Almost perfect if I would have left earlier this morning.. I was planning on doing my leg weights at P.T tonight but I guess they closed today and didnt bother to mention it to me so I guess I will do them tomorrow but it kinda throws my sched off a bit.. Owell I think I will do a light run tomorrow then do my P.T weights.

Total miles I think 6.85 (W) 1.43 (R) 5.42

Out of my Groove

I was kinda dissapointed in what was supposed to be my long run today.. I got a really late start since I went to bed really late or should I say early this morning. I had a pretty big breakfast and I dont think I waited long enough afterwards.... Seems like everything was throwing my groove off today.. I took a water bottle with me thinking that since it was my long run I would need it around mile 5 or 6. I was planning on going around 7 today.. I'm not positive how long your long run should be compared to your normal runs but I thought that would be a good distance but nothing cooperated with me today. It was really throwing me off trying to run with a water bottle plus my cho strap i had above my knee kept sliding down my knee as I would run because of my leg getting sweaty so I had to keep stopping and pulling it up and tightening it. Finally after 2 1/2 mile I decided to swing past my house and drop the water bottle off and the strap and do a quick potty break. I headed back out but soon felt that I was not going to be able to make a long run. I think my body was not happy with my breakfast. I thought I would try and just go my normal distance and then do a long run on tues. so I kept plugging away hoping I would make it without having to turn around and run for home. By mile 5 I was feeling a little better but I still couldnt get my groove on.. My ipod headphones shorted out on one side so I had to stop and attempt to fix it but didnt have any such luck. It's weird but when I run everything has to be working together so when you have something like sound coming out of only 1 side of your headphones or a strap falling down you leg or trying to carry something as you run it just really throws off your groove if you know what I mean.... Shortly after mile 5 My hubby and my youngest caught up with me on their bike and decided to ride along side of me. My youngest is only 4 so she had to keep stopping to take a break.. So I would have to stop and run in place with her cuz she didnt want me to leave and get ahead of her.. I finally convinced her she was tired and asked if she wanted to go home so my hubby took her home and I finished my last mile. My knee was not coopertating with me either despite my stopping every couple of miles to stretch so I knew I better call it quits.. If it had been feeling better I think I could have gotten in 1 more mile to get my long run in. I did get a little more distance in then my normal runs but not what I wanted.. Owell I will shoot for next week sometime.. Maybe thursday because Sat we are going to go to the zoo early in the morning.
All in all not to thrilled with todays run..

Total miles 6.78 (W).99 (R)5.79

Sore Toes

Oh my piggys hurt so bad... On tuesdays run my baby toe on my left foot rubbed the whole time on my shoe making it bruise and swell up a little and it was so sore and on my right foot my middle toe got the biggest of all big blisters on it and so I tried lubing them up today with some glide stick and wearing some extra thick socks which seemed to help some but my blister was still really big today and my pinky toe was still really sore.. I hope they are feeling better by Saturdays long run.. My distance now is just about doing them in.. I remember when I was running these distances before I had some mild blistering and bruising but not quite this bad.. I dont know what the diffrence is.. Maybe its my shoes I dont know..... All I know is oweeeeee right now.. Its so funny because I lost my pinky and my middle toenails so I had to polish my skin where the nails used to be so it didnt look to dumb.. And now the nails are starting to grow back but they are coming in thicker then the rest of my toes so it looks funny and it bugs me cuz it feels like i have 2 inch thick nails growing and i have to cut some of it off to look normal.. Makes me wonder if i will ever have normal toenails again on those toes....

Anyways had another good run today. Knee pain was very minimal so I cant complain. My only complaint would be I got out to late today and it was pretty hot and humid with the storm coming in so it seemed to take alot more effort today and I was really tired and hot.. Oh did I mention it was really HOT!!!!!! I got in about the same distance today as last time.. Walked .45 for warm up, .38 for cool down and ran 5.09 in 71 mins... My son came with the first 2 miles so I spent alot of time running in place or really slow.. He complained again of knee pain so I told him he better stick with running around the block or waiting until he can run without knee pain..
I also did my weight workout today and P.T lifting and then came home and did a few more.. Seems like I was doing exercising a good half of the day by the time I get everything done... My upper body was still pretty sore from tuesdays weights so it was really hard to do them today.. I'm hoping I wont be as sore tomorrow...

All in all a very good workout day..

Shocked!!

Today was a great day.. I had taken monday off because it was raining all morning and then by the time the sun finally came out I had already gotten ready for the day and didnt feel much like running.. Today was a beautiful day. A little on the warm side when I finally got out but still a good day. I had some leg pain in my right leg down in the inner shin which scared me a little but after a few mins it went away.. That was a relief. I stopped and stretched after mile 2 which is 1 1/2 running since I walked the first half mile and decided to just see how long it would take to run the next mile to kinda see where I was. I figured I was right around 10 min miles since i was trying to take it easy but to my surprise I ran it in 8 mins 5 secs I couldn't believe it.. I wasnt even trying to be speedy.. What a shock.....Of course the next mile was closer to 10 so i slowed down a bit.. I stopped and streched again after mile 4 because i started feeling some pain in my knee just a little and it was amazing because the stopping and stretching every couple miles really helped with my knee today. I was able to run another 8 min mile with no pain at all. Of course this time I was paying a little more attention to my speed so I think I ran faster but still it wasn't like I felt like I was pushing myself for speed. I slowed my pace a bit though the last mile and I was feeling so good today not having any knee pain that I went farther then I had planned but I figured as long as I felt good why not??? As I am sure you have all found out I am not the brightest when it has come to running... I matched my running distance of what I had done for my long run on Sat... My knee only started hurting the last block so maybe I should have stopped a little sooner when I wasnt having any pain but you dont know until you feel it how far you can actually go..

All in all I think it was a great run.. It wasn't effortless today like I have had before but I will take a day of no pain running over an effortless run anyday... I did all my strength training today and went to P.T to do my weights and I have noticed that I have gotten alot stronger in my legs and was able to increase the weight on most all my exercises so that is good... I am excited.... I will probably be stiff and sore tomorrow but for now I feel great.. I dont think it will take me long at all to get back up to where I was before my leg injury if I can keep having days like today... as long as I dont increase to fast I should be ok.. I think that is what may have caused my leg injury, going up in miles a little to fast and often... So we will see... I'm not sure what they say about how frequently you can increase your mileage without causing problems. I will have to go back to my book and research unless anyone out there can let me know.. Anyways an awesome run today......

Total miles 5.9 (R) 5.20 (W).70 65 mins with stretches

Long Run

I went down to the track at the highschool this morning and did my long run.. Well as long as I could for trying to come back slow... I was a little scared that my legs would hurt because i felt some twinges in them before I left. But everything was good. I had no pain with running other then my knee but even that didnt start until mile 2 so that was better then it has been, I was able to run 5 miles with a 1/2 mile warm up and 1/2 mile cool down giving me 6 total in 70 min and that was with stopping and doing some stretching after running a mile. So not bad for my first long run coming back..I think it was a mile more then what I ran on thursday so that was good.. I was a little worried because I was still really sore from doing weights on thursday. I am glad friday was not a run day.. After running I thought I would go run the bleachers since I was there. I started out pretty strong for as tired as I felt but I pooped out quickly.. I was only able to do 5 sets of 1/1... I am pretty surprised that tonight I dont feel more sore in my legs.. It's been a long time since I have ran bleachers... It kicked me....... It was still really hard to get my miles in on the track.. Its just so boring and hotter then running through the neighborhoods, but I'm sure my knees and legs appreciated it..

I had a friend call me today from our ward that told me about some races that she has done.. I'm kinda excited.. There is a half marathon in delaware called the trail dogs. which is kinda hilly and one in Baltimore that is a trail run which actually has you running through a river twice.. She said it's was really great and beautiful. You get to run around a lake and she said it was so diffrent then running on flat pavement. Its one of those that you just run to run it and dont worry about time and how you are doing.. I might have to look more into them. I think one is in october and one is in march... We will have to see.

Best Run in 12 Weeks

I have really slacked lately with my running.. I was still having some small pain with my leg and knee plus I'v been so busy I havnt ran for a week.. Today I finally got out and went running. My son accompanied me the first 2 1/2 miles. We only ran about 1 1/4 miles of it and walked or I ran in place as he walked the rest of the way. He said his knees was hurting him.. I wonder if he had done something yeaterday in karate because he has never complained of his knees before.. Maybe he will suffer from our family predisposition of arthritis in the knees.. i hope not.. So anyways I dropped him off home and took a potty break and decided to head out again. I ran an additional 2.79 miles giving me a total of running 4.04 miles and walking 1.54 miles. I think that has been my farthest dinstance in a while and the best part about it was I had no pain what so ever in my leg so I think that my stress fracture or deep shin splint has FINALLY after almost 12 weeks healed...This was the first time running that I didnt feel at least a little twinge or ache or had some pain 6 hrs later, but tonight the leg is feeling wonderful.. HOORAY!!! My knees however are not so hot... My knee that has had the surgeries started hurting as soon as I started running and kept it up the whole time but it was at least manageable and I was able to run with it.. I did my P.T exercises and weights today as well so its a bit sore tonight. I'v iced it 3 times today hoping it would help..

I'm really hoping now I can get back on track and get to where I had left off before the injury. If I can just get my knees to cooperate things will be bliss... I think it has alot to do with keeping my muscles loose and stretched. I havnt been doing so good on that lately so I think thats why my knee has been hurting as much as it has. I could feel my IT band was tight today. So anyways I am really excited now and am anxiously waiting to get things going again.. Now if I can just keep it up with no more injurys.

The plan is to bike tomorrow and then run on Sat. I think Jen's idea to run and lift on the same day and then rest or cross train on the day in between is a better plan. Thanks Jen.....

Totoal Miles 5.58 70 mins