Running Injury (?)

Well. That didn't end well. Finally my ankle and knee issues have sidelined me. I'm pretty sure I've done something to my MCL, probably when my ankles were bothering me. The MCL seems to be getting worse, but the ankles aren't. I did the 3 minute run today, but after my knee felt completely WRONG at the *walk* after that, I probably have to get it checked STAT. So frustrated.

W3 D2 - Foam Rolling

Well! Again! I can't believe how much this running is POSSIBLE. Even this run when my chest started to get a little tight during the first long (2.5 minute) run, after the walk, it was better, it was fine. I carried on the rest of the run. Actually I was amazed how little willpower I needed to muster to keep going. Not to say it wasn't challenging -- although I do admit in the middle of almost every run, I think to myself, "How on EARTH am I going to do this in excess of thirty minutes at a time? I can just barely get it done in the designated time. And yet, at the same time, a five minute run seemed unthinkable four weeks ago, and now I'm halfway there. In fact, this time next week I should be running five minutes at a time. Whew.

My ankle is still bothering me, although it has not gotten progressively worse, so after much vacillating today, and an ill-thought-out attempt to strengthen it by doing toe raises on the edge of a step (OH so much ow!), I ran on it anyway, because I WOULD really hate to miss a day of c25k. At the end of this week, I will be 1/3 of the way through the program! I've lost 7lbs so far! I want to keep doing this! It wasn't too bad -- I also stretched out my hamstrings for like 10 whole minutes or something before running. I don't even know how long it was, as I was attempting to sync exactly one playlist to my phone, but for some reason it took forever and wanted to do a complete update. Sigh. iTunes has really gone downhill.

I got suggestions for a running playlist from rockmyrun.com . Currently it's:

1. Run (Flo Rida)
2. Thrift Shop (Macklemore)
3. It's Time (Imagine Dragons)
4. I Love It (Icona Pop)
5. Firework (Katy Perry)
6. Roar (Katy Perry)  <-- Because who doesn't love this workout song? It's basically a reference to "Rocky" AND "The Karate Kid" !
7. Never Gonna Give You Up (Rick Astley -- that's right, I Rick-Rolled myself. Hello, 2007.)
8. You Know My Name (Chris Cornell)

That last song used to be my workout music after a particularly bad breakup, when I was mad at everything and also taking Tae Kwon Do. I put it on and kicked the crap out of everything in sight.

I listened to that music and I also had CNN on in the background, just because I wanted to mix it up. I won't be running my goal races to TV or movies, but I will probably have music. I also have to be prepared for the boredom of ... just running. Back when I was running for ROTC, I used to listen to books on tape while running. Perhaps when I get in better shape I can get back to that again.

Another thing I've done is gotten myself a foam roller. They sounded dumb to me, but my runner mentors have SWORN by them. And frankly, between Tuesday's run and today's, I think I can tell a difference. Scratch that, I can definitely tell a huge difference. Tuesday was another day I wasn't sure whether I was just sore or if I had actually hurt something, but I decided to run anyway. A couple seconds into the first running segment, I heard a Bluth-esque "I've made a Huge Mistake". My knees were stiff, my ankles were KILLING me, and everything felt Wrong. I kept going (maybe not a good idea) because I didn't want to fail. When I stopped and after I did my stretch, everything hurt. Everything. Hurt. I sat in the recliner with my feet up and my ankle in an ACE bandage and just whimpered until bedtime. The next day I hobbled around in the bandage. Today after the run, when my ankles were by no means completely healed, I felt those twinges, but after stretching, I also did some foam rolling, using this video:



Plus this one for the muscle around my ankle that's hurting:



And ... I felt measurably better. I am icing the ankle and will put the ACE bandage back on for good measure, but I could walk up and down stairs and all around MUCH more easily than the last time. So much so that I think I must attribute it to the rolling rather than strength or getting used to the exercise.

I think I did pretty well on this run, despite it being another slow one, so I had the post-run smoothie. Yay!

W3 D1 - Might need to take a break

So despite resting (like staying off my feet), stretching, and babying my knees and ankles for two days, I'm still in pain. I may need to take several more days off because of it. What seems to be protesting the most is my peroneal tendon. Or something. Whatever, it hurts here:



No swelling, but it was definitely burn-y stabb-y when I stopped running, which, I think, is not good. We will see how the next couple of days go. The internet suggests some stretches:



Explanation here: http://www.summitmedicalgroup.com/library/adult_health/sma_peroneal_tendon_strain_exercises/

Also, this has lots of good advice and other stretches: Running with Peroneal Tendonitis

I very much hope this isn't an "-itis" issue, just some new inflammation at a new runner, and an overpronator. For which I had even just got new shoes! Which I did have professionally fit. Which is how I know I'm an overpronator, although I remember being told that when I used to ice skate as a kid.

My knees also feel kicked, but it's really not bad, not as bad as last run, and nothing compared to the ankle. O_o I went slower than usual, even.

Other than that, the run was okay. My energy stores were already pretty depleted. I received some horrible, horrible news about a friend from college, and spent the evening crying about it, but decided I wanted to run before bed anyway. I shuffled along, despite having Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade on the TV to distract. The 2:30 runs were a little tough, but still I kept have a sense of, I can do this, I'm not dying.

If it hadn't been for the stiffness (and sort of instability-feeling) in my knees and my stupid ankle, and aforementioned lack of energy, it would have been a fine, if slow, run. I didn't feel exhausted after the run, although my chest feels like it did a lot of breathing work, I don't feel as tired as I have after other runs. So either the runs are getting easier for everything except my ankle, or else, again, the slowness helped. (Usually I run at 6-6.2 mpg and walk at no less than 3.5mph; today I ran at 5.8-6mph and waslked at 3mph)

No smoothie. Didn't feel like I deserved or needed it.

By the by, this is a really awkward name for an injury, given that "peroneal" sounds quite similar to "perineal"...

W2 d3 - Pain sets in

Not much problem with the actual running. A little tired at the end of the day (my kids wore me out today), but holy. moses. My knees, ankles, feet, and some muscle that runs from my thigh into my butt ... they are all KILLING me. I am glad for the two days off before the next run, and honestly, it might have to be more. But I don't want to think defeatist yet. I can't think to write anything else yet because oooowwwwwwww...

Eek

Knees and ankles are trying to RISE UP AND KILL ME. I'm trying to tell myself it's because running DESTROYS you so you can be re-built into awesome cybernetic human who can run like a machine. It's the first step to survival in the future robot uprising.

Seriously though, ow. Alternating between Tylenol and Advil when things get too throbby to ignore on their own (which is most of the time... it's just the end of the [rest!] day right now and everything is tired and hurts.) I am going to do my run tomorrow anyway since I will have two days of recovery after. I'm not sure there would be any point in delaying progress. The more I run, the quicker I will adapt. Pain is just weakness leaving the body.

Rest Days, C25k w2 d2

Rest days as part of C25k seem a little annoying. I sort of want to run through any aches or injuries. But so far I'm glad I haven't.

I mentioned that I did something to my ankle. This was extremely annoying to me, because I'm not sure I did anything wrong, other than posture possibly. I didn't fall and I didn't twist it, but it felt like a sprain. I did the usual things for a sprain -- compression bandage and elevation when possible -- and while it was painful to walk on yesterday (rest day), today it seems a little twingey but about 80% better. I think I'm going to run on it tonight. Rest days really do seem important.

[After Run]

Okay, today's run seemed easier, probably for two reasons:
1) I never CAN remember what my usual "run" pace is -- is it 6mph or 6.2mph? I didn't think it would make that much of a difference. It might have. Today I consistently ran at 6mph and it seemed easier.
2) Usually in my very last segment of the run, since it's short (and it's the last run), I sprint -- 7mph. I didn't do that this time in consideration of my ankle, and now (it seems) my stiff knees.

In any case, not bad. Even if it is a little easier, I'm still moving forward, still with the same run/walk ratio (until it increases), while attempting to let my body catch up. I'm told by my husband (who is a natural athlete) that what I'm experiencing in terms of aches and pains (to wit: ankle pain, stiff knees, shins that feel abused) are just natural when one starts running regularly after a period of inactivity. I took an anti-inflammatory to help with some of the symptoms (which aren't horrible, just a little annoying) and will press on.

Weight up a teensy bit from yesterday, but within the margin of error (0.4lbs).

I'm encouraged after this easy-yet-still-status-quo run. Looking at the next couple run goals, I feel like Chekov from the Star Trek reboot, "I can do zat, I can do zat!"



Woot!

Why I Run

I began the first post without actually finishing it. I wanted to include a little blurb about why I run.

I mentioned off-handedly that I'm preparing for the Disney Princess Half-Marathon in 2015. I will also be doing the Marine Corps 10k in October in preparation for the half-marathon.

I am not an exercise junkie, nor a running junkie. I am not running to become a runner, although I am open to the possibility.

What I am is a mom of two, struggling to also be a woman, and someone I like. This takes place on lots of fronts -- spiritually, as well, but that's not the subject of this blog. Physically, I have had some issues with myself. I used to be a skinny, ballroom-dancing waif. All I needed to do to maintain my Spanish figure was eat right, which I liked to do anyway. I weighed 110lbs at my skinniest, and my wedding dress needed no altering (except for length). I could fit into almost anything, and I knew what types of clothes fit me and flattered me.

After two kids born within a year of each other, I found myself not only feeling so, so, so very tired all the time, and heavier than I seemed to be able to shake off with healthy eating. I was advised to go to the doctor by a family member and, even though I felt like a whiny idiot ("Doctor! I'm tired!" "Well, get more sleep, you doofus"), I did. My complaints warranted a blood test which found that my thyroid was wildly out of whack. Whereas normal levels of TSH are 0.5 to 5.5, I was told mine was in the hundreds -- I can't recall if it was 140 or like 400. All I remember is "hundreds" and there was a 4 in there somewhere.

I started medication. This helped somewhat. However, I was still having the post-babies wardrobe problem. Literally none of my clothes fit me anymore. None of them. Not only was this expensive as I had to replace more or less my entire wardrobe beyond basic post-partum wear to a year-round "new reality", but it was just awful psychologically. I hated who I saw in the mirror. All I could see was faaaaat fat fat fat. I wanted to change this, but when healthy eating wasn't working for me, not even with new thyroid medication, I would get depressed and would ... eat unhealthily. It made no sense, but it was still an emotional salve, which only made the problem worth.

One day I was on Facebook and I saw a friend of mine had posted about running a half-marathon. She is my age, has three kids, and has decided to take control of her life in this regard. I thought to myself that if she can, why can't I? Besides, if she were going to be crazy and do a half-marathon, I would do it with her. We would have each other's support, and no matter how stupid the idea might turn out to be, we'd be doing it together.

Then I started thinking ... running a half-marathon is INSANE. Who does that? I answered my own question -- healthy, active people do. Those annoying people who are running outside at all hours of the day. Those annoying stupid skinny people. But they're not just skinny, they're healthy. An obnoxious. But ... healthy. Hey, why can't I be one of those obnoxious people? I'm already obnoxious in like six other ways. More, I'm sure. But still. I could be that kind of person with that kind of discipline. I have a whole year to get my act together. Maybe I'll learn to like it on the way, and maybe I'll even get skinny.

MAYbe I'll even be one of those REALLY obnoxious people who run *whole* marathons! You know, they take "running vacations" -- traveling to a place to do something insane and torturous like running a marathon instead of doing what normal people do and relaxing by the beach. In fact, while I have no concrete plans to do so yet, perhaps in a couple years I can train for the marathon on Maui. How decadent would it be to relax on the beach drinking piña coladas *after* having run 26.2 miles? The vacation would be well-earned, in a concrete way. Not just "I'm doing what I have to do anyway, I will reward myself with a break!" but, "I am nuts enough to run for hours on end. Now let's drink."

To achieve my goals, I am doing the Couch25k program (soon to be followed by a 10k program and then a half-marathon program) via the 5k Runner app for iPhone. I am mindfully eating and being aware of what I eat and when, eating healthy foods, and tracking calories via the LiveStrong app and web-based program. I'm weighing myself daily, and even though I've lost a grand total of like 1 lb so far, it's satisfying to see the downward trend on the graph there. Importantly, while I'm not letting myself "cheat" on foods, I also won't let myself hate my eating habits. I will have my wine and cheese, but only a little bit, and not all the time. I WILL like this new regime, and will stick to it, even if I'm not a runner forever.

Then, when I can look in the mirror and like who I am, when I have healthy habits I can be proud to display my kids, and when I have this kind of concrete accomplishment to show for it, I will feel like a better woman, and thus a better mom to my kids and wife to my husband. And hopefully through this physical discipline and quasi-asceticism, I can also refine my spiritual life as well. I think when I'm the kind of person who can run half-marathons and marathons, I will be better.

St. Sebastian, patron saint of runners, pray for me!

Couch 2 5k, Week 2 Day 1 - Experiment in post-run smoothies

Well, today was the first day of upping the running ante, so to speak. A minute and a half of continuous running. That sounds like nothing-- and really, in the scheme of my ultimate half-marathon goal, it is -- but it's new for me, and again new that I have WANTED to run that long. In the past running was a dreaded thing that I did for a greater good. I was madly in love with ROTC and would force myself, out of sheer willpower, to run until I wanted to throw up. And then the next time I would run, I would force myself to run a little bit more than I did last time. I hated that kind of running, it made me want to DIE, just die, on the treadmill or on the pavement. But, whatever, the APFT was 1% of my training. I'd keep up with it to stay in shape (I wasn't terribly worried about my shape back then, I was skinny), but since I was hoping to go into a branch focused more on intellect than brawn, it wasn't going to ruin my life either. Oh the guilt I had to use to push myself to run. I used every Jansinist and gnostic mental exercise I could think of (<--Catholic problems). I tried to distract myself with music. In the end it really WAS sheer willpower. And, oh tragically, since I had been doing all my practicing on a treadmill, I was unprepared to take the ACTUAL APFT in the Texas heat, and with wind resistance. -_- I didn't make a passing time.

This type of running is not bad, and I dearly wish I had known about it back in the day. But at least I'm taking advantage of this now. I even did a run on an incline, and did an *extra* run outside, on hills. Another plus is now that we have a treadmill in-house, I can run on it and put the TV up loud enough to hear it. Sometimes I do a New Year's countdown to running or walking in my head (makes the change much more exciting!), sometimes I just focus on whatever is on TV. When I'm not obsessing over distance or time, it makes it completely fine. In fact, I am looking forward to a time when I can watch an entire movie during my entire run. :D

Fine -- that's the word I kept thinking in shock after my first run. I feel fine! I mean I feel tired, but fine. I don't want to die. I DON'T want to die! WHY do I feel fine!? What sorcery is this!? I think this is the way one is supposed to feel after working out. Even after this second run, I can tell it was a little harder -- and that I was a little dehydrated as I was dizzy after the run -- but still, fine.

I've been rewarding myself after runs with a hot shower, and today I decided to try to do one of those post-workout smoothies. I'm not sure of how it fits into my daily caloric intake, so I'm resolved to do it only once a week, after the first run of the week. Today's smoothie comes from here, the Banana mocha smoothie, with just a few modifications on my part:

Smoothie Recipe: Banana Mocha
"Replenishes glycogen stores and increases endurance" (says the website; I tend to take that with a grain of salt)

1 cup almond milk
½ cup coffee (cooled)
¼ cup plain Greek yogurt
1 tablespoon peanut butter
2 teaspoons cocoa powder
¼ teaspoon cinnamon
1 frozen banana

calories: 288

Cinnamon, chocolate, banana, peanut butter (which you can't really taste, which is good, because I don't care for peanut butter in non-candy form)... an excuse to eat this in healthy-form. I'll take it!

Today, motivation came in the form of finding a t-shirt I used to wear in college, one of those tight babydoll tees I used to wear when I would practice ballroom, and wearing it to (of course) find it looked terrible on me now. I decided to wear it anyway because one day I will wear it again and it will look ... well, at least not as bad as it does now. Another reason to work out alone -- no one can hear you scream, fat. O_o

Lastly, I think my form must be off. I found that as I started running, I developed pain on the top of my ankle when it was fully flexed and my weight was over it. It only hurt when starting to run, and after whenever it was in that particular position. It must be wrong. Perhaps it comes from learning forward after I hit the button to run on the treadmill, in anticipation of picking up speed. I'll figure it out later. Uhm, I hope. Good thing tomorrow is a day off.

An intro, and Couch to 5k

I started blogging before it was cool, just for fun, and now I've stopped because it's dumb, just a way to monetize or advertise. No one actually uses blogging for its original purpose -- they've switched to Twitter of Facebook. I'm on Facebook (I don't care for Twitter). However, I need a place to record some thoughts. If someone finds this and likes it, fine. If not, I mostly realize nobody cares about this kind of endeavor. These thoughts are simply the scribblings of just one more among many doing quite the same. I'm no special snowflake.

So, the reason for this blog is that I've started running. I hate running. I have started the Couch to 5k program, and somehow I don't hate it (fair warning: this may be more or less the subject of every post). I hope to do the Disney Princess marathon in February. Yes, literally the only thing that is motivating me to run is running in costume in a place like Disney. If only there were a Doctor Who half-marathon or something... that might be the only OTHER thing.

When I decided that this was going to be a good idea, we immediately bought a good but used and therefore very cheap '90s treadmill off craigslist. Managed to decide this, read a million reviews, find one within budget, buy it, install and run on it all in one day.

I like the C25k runs. When I used to run for ROTC, I would just run and run and run and run and force myself to run more until I couldn't run. Even if I kept an easy pace, this always felt like a death march that it took sheer will to conquer. This training program begins with a minute of running and a minute and a half of running, alternating until one has been running/walking for 20 minutes. With 5 minutes of a brisk walk for warm up and another for cool-down, that's 30 minutes of a workout. It seems to be a good recovery time. Running for a minute straight isn't bad, and knowing that I only have to run that 8 times isn't a crushing mental strain. It's hard, but it's easy. I've been doing these runs on the treadmill, except tonight I did an extra run outside, on several hills. It's still not at all terrible, and I am looking forward to moving on to the next week's 1.5 minute run and 2 minute walk, alternated four times, and then a 1/1 run/walk twice.

More later.