Sigh..Didn't I play this game with the other leg?

[caption id="attachment_343" align="alignleft" width="300" caption="These are especially slippery when wet!"][/caption]

So, I did go for my run.. and it felt AWESOME!!!!!! that is... until around 1.8 miles.  I had been running a nice steady 6.5 mph, enjoying the run - and watching for wet flower petals on the ground (those things are worse than ice as far as slipperiness is concerned!)  Really felt good to be out there - no headphones, just enjoying the sounds of things going on.

Around mile 1.5, my left calf started feeling a little tight. I stopped and walked, using a nearby tree to strech it out, and went to a slow jog.  at 1.8, it got really tight. I decided that discretion was the better part of valor and switched over to a walk.  After I got home, I iced it for 20 minutes before heading out to cubscouts.

[caption id="attachment_342" align="alignright" width="128" caption="I'm VERY proud of my new Bear scout!"][/caption]

After returning from scouts (where my son got his Bear patch!  Webelos here we come!) I used my foam roller to work some of it out. I am not sure it worked anything out - but it hurt... and then hurt less..  After I got up this morning, my good friend the foam roller came out of the closet again.

So, It looks like I am not running for the next few days.  It seems my loft goal of 2 to 3 miles was too lofty.  I remember going through this with my right leg as I got used to my Vibrams.  If I recall from then, my Asics were much easier on

[caption id="attachment_344" align="alignleft" width="300" caption="Get it? Its an injured Calf!"][/caption]

my calves (duh) then my VFFs, so it looks like those are coming out of the closet again.  I'm not to worried about this keeping me from doing the Marine Corps Marathon at this point (164 days to go!), but I am 23 weeks out - and my "program" I plan on following starts at 18 weeks.  So I definitely need to stop this injuring myself crap.

Urge to run!

So it has now been one week since my calf got mad at me for running down a steep, long hill.  I have spent every day apologizing, sent flowers and chocolates and FINALLY it seems that it has forgiven me!  It stood up well to going hiking on Saturday, didn't get mad that it was forced to sleep in a sleeping bag and even maintained a certain level of contentedness with all of the walking I have done recently.

I read up on the results of the first annual Greater Binghamton Bridge Run - and Several of my friends ran and did quite well!  Chris Coleman came in at a very respectable 1:50:22 (I'm sure I could have done a 1:50:21....), Doug Russell came in at 2:30 (not bad at all for no training/preparation!) and Cathy Fairbanks came in a 2:22:01 - not bad for bad knees!  While I do wish I had been able to run it, I am glad I did not. Without my calf strain I would have finished it -but who knows if it would have caused me injury that could have hurt/prevented my Marine Corps Marathon run?

So, I am planning to do two or three miles tonight (probably three, as less than that seems like I am only doing a warm up), but plan on waiting until my wife is home - "Just in Case."

I will let you know how it goes!

Motivation and Frustration

Not being able to run is frustrating..  On the way home, I ran into a friend of mine that was out running, doing a "nice easy three miler" as he prepared to do the half-marathon this weekend.  This is the same gentleman that sent me a Facebook message 1.5 years ago asking if I wanted to go do a 5k, which I went and ran - with no prep, and didn't do near as horribly as I thought I would.  The St. James 5k also had the added benefit of getting me back into running.

Had a great talk with him (and he was nice enough to humor me as I interrupted his run) about looking for more interesting runs, focusing on distance over speed and other running-related things.  I was definitely jealous, both of his running today as well as his doing the half-marathon.  The not being ABLE to run right now is hard.  The good news is that my calf continues to loosen every day.  I probably could run, but since there is still a knot there I am going to do the smart thing and wait (I know, hard to believe.)  Hopefully I will be pounding the pavement again on monday.

So, In an effort to keep motivated and in shape, I need to watch what I eat (as I am burning less calories) and find other ways to exercise - such as my "imitation-total gym.)  I haven't been terribly successful at either.  For some reason, when I am not able to run my dietary habits get REALLY bad.. Probably trying to relax and deal with stress by enjoying things like chocolate instead. And while I like lifting, its not near as enjoyable as running is when I am looking at solitary exercise.

Ah well, today is fruit and healthy stuff - and tonight I will do some lifting.. And keep wishing i could be running.

As for the half marathon this weekend? Good Luck Chris!

Injuries... To see a doctor or not?

It's always interesting to decide how to handle an injury.  There is that question of - should I see a doctor, or wait and see what it does?  As a guy, you would think my standard response would be " 'eh, we will see how it feels tomorrow."  And in general, you would be right.  However, with the Marathon looming in the future, and my realization that a couple of weeks of NOT running could make the difference in being able to do it or not - It's not the case.  So yesterday morning, right as the office opened, I gave my doctor a call.  4 hours later, I get a call back from the nurse.

"Stay off it, take it easy and see how it feels in a week or so."

Learning to run hills again.. and being sidelined.

So, yesterday I had decided to run up to the golf course for the first time this year. The reason this is even worth mentioning is that the Golf course is a 7 mile round-trip run,  that is on the top of a VERY large hill.  I was a little nervous about it - as it was my first big hill run post-surgery, as well as being my first big hill run in my Vibram Five Fingers.  I headed out slowly, as I fully expected to have to walk a couple of times, and to really be wiped out.  I reached the bottom of the hill (that is about 1 and a half miles from my house) and headed on up.

I am a runner.

Last week, I was contemplating WHY I run.  And the very obvious answer to me - was because I am a runner.  while this may sound like circular logic, I don't see it as any different that "I think there for I am."  Only its "I run, therefore I am a runner" or "I am a runner, therefore I run."  It made perfect sense when it occurred to me.  For the large chunk of my life since highschool when I didn't run - inside, I still thought of myself as a runner.  I don't mean it in the sense of Al Bundy as a football star - relieving "past glories."  Just that running has been a part of me since I found it in highschool, even when I wasn't actively a runner.  We would do our 1.5 mile runs in the Navy - and it was something I NEVER worried about - as I was a runner (even though I was only running 2 times a year at my semi-annual physical fitness test.)

Running in the morning.. the cause of today's whining.

So, I was up and at 'em at 5 am this morning.  Have I ever mentioned that I don't like mornings?  My son's choir that he is in - the Parlor City Boy's Chorus - is performing tonight at St. Ambrose Church in Endicott NY (at 6:30 - please notice the subtle plug) so I had to get my run in this morning instead of my usual post-work run.

[caption id="attachment_302" align="aligncenter" width="640" caption="The Parlor City Boy's Chorus at their Winter Concert"][/caption]

My legs just did not want to work at first.

Mileage and days spent running..

A couple of weeks ago I posted that I was feeling guilty not running, even though it was a rest day.  At the time I was really trying to get used to my Vibram Five Fingers - and would do a long run, a shorter run and then a rest day.  It was pointed out to me that - if you are doing mileage correctly, you could run six days in a row before a rest day.  Now, this isn't necessarily true when starting from scratch (or when recovering from surgery), but it seemed like it might be a good thing for me to look at - especially since I was finally able to get my mileage up over 20 miles/week for the first time since last November.

Another post about pain... Though this one concerns CrossTraining!

If you read any running magazines, or decent blogs on running - the importance and benefits of cross training will come up.  How it can strengthen your core, help prevent injuries and even speed up recovery time.  But, the negative aspects of cross training aren't always mentioned. This is where my story comes in.

So, last week, I began to supplement my running with lifting.  What this means, is that I lifted once - and then never got around to it the rest of the week.  But this week is/was going to be different! so on Monday, I did my run - and followed it up with a Chest/Shoulders and Tricep work out.  I didn't kill myself over it but did ensure that all muscle groups got a decent work out.  Then last night, I headed out the door to do 4 miles or so.  About two miles into it, my chest (left side) started to cramp.  For the life of me, I couldn't' figure out why!  My form was good, my breathing was good, and my arms were swinging as they should.  Then it occurred to me.  I had spent the previous day, working my chest to exhaustion.

I continued to run (of course), but made it a point to really concentrate on form.  The cramping did indeed work its way out and the rest of the run wasn't too bad.  The general point here - is to realize that when you start a new exercise routine - it usually causes a new type of pain.  This is also true when you drastically change, or add too - your existing exercise plan.  I hadn't thought about the fact that tired muscles - chest/back/whatever - will affect running, just as my goal of strengthening them will affect running.

Sometimes, Common Sense - doesn't seem so common.

Where you run changes the sites and sounds..

So last night I headed out for my run in the early evening.  As it was looking quite overcast, I decided to go without my headphones to avoid their getting soaked (and presumably never working again) in a heavy down pour.  I also changed up my running route, and headed out to, and then up, Main St.  What makes this note-worthy, is that it was fairly warm and there were many people outside.  My usual route takes me on less-walked and crowded areas containing less traffic of both the foot and car variety.

Beeping and Waving... or not.

[caption id="attachment_283" align="alignleft" width="300" caption="Its nice to wave at the runners you know as you drive by!"][/caption]

So last week, I decided to head out for my second 7.5 mile run of the week (in my FIRST 20 mile week since my surgery!!!)  The interesting thing, was within the first mile I had 3 different cars beep and wave!  Later on in the run - another one did.  The cars were moving faster than I were, albeit - not by much (you believe this right?), but faster none the less - so I was unable to see who it was.  However, as I was running - it was very encouraging and helped perk me up a bit.  To be honest - the intial ones perked me up so well - that I really enjoyed the run and smiled a good portion of the way!

Different things can perk people up or make them feel good about themselves.  I know I love hearing from people - "I saw you out running yesterday!"  But a beep and a wave WHILE I am running - turns out that is even better.  It can take a good run, and make it great.

Ironically.. My wife drove by on her way to work, and did NOT beep and wave... Can you feel the love?

(In her defense, our horn isn't in the middle of the steering wheel.  She said she hit the airbag as she went by...)