I am a sound sleeper. I am asleep as soon as my head hits the pillow and I only wake up ...
a) to the sound of my alarm
b) to the sounds of my children over the monitor, whether in the middle of the night or playing in their beds in the morning (on the weekends)
or
c) 10 hours later (or longer!).
The alarm is obviously a critical component because I never get 10 hours of sleep. Thursday morning I had my alarm set for 4:45 AM, figuring I would wake up around 5:00 AM, after snoozing a bit. I have to hit the snooze at least once, so I always build in extra time for that.
Well, I stirred Thursday morning and checked my watch, thinking to myself, I feel like I should have heard my alarm by now. This is usually followed by the panic of knowing that I have overslept because I either a) set the alarm but did not turn it on or b) set the alarm for PM instead of AM. I was confused when the indiglo on my Timex showed that it was exactly 5:00 AM. I checked my alarm and sure enough, I had set is for PM, not AM. I remember thinking to myself how lucky it was that I woke up on my own … and then I was asleep again.
I stirred again and thought, “crap, why didn’t I get up when I realized I had not set my alarm?”, but was relieved to see it was only 5:15 AM. I really just needed my snooze, I guess. This has only happened once before, which is why before every race I set 4 different alarms to make sure that I do not oversleep!
With that, I got up and got ready for my Thursday 10 miler and tempo run.
I run a two mile loop around my neighborhood, so I do all of my splits in 2 mile increments and plan my runs accordingly. I decided on a 2 mile warm up, followed by a 4 mile tempo run and a 4 mile warm down.
I started my warm up lap listening to Freakonomics on my iPod, but less than a mile into my run, my iPod battery died. Ugghh. My initial reaction was to run into the house when I finished the first 2 mile loop to let it charge for 2 miles, so that I could have it for the last 6 miles of my run. Instead, I ended up deciding to suck it up and run without music or audio books because on occasion, it is good race simulation.
I have been doing 6 mile tempo runs (2 mile warm up, 2 mile tempo, 2 mile warm down) off and on for the last month or so, so I was nervous to be extending the tempo portion of the run to 4 miles. My Tuesday 10 mile runs are done at my ‘I can run all day’ conversational pace somewhere between 9:00s and 9:30s, so pushing below 8:00s is definitely outside of my comfort zone.
I made a concerted effort not to push too hard for the first two miles, knowing that I had to do an additional 2 miles. I tried to just keep the pace just below 8:00s. I felt good for the entire 2 miles and while I could not have held a good conversation, I was not suffering. With the first two tempo miles behind me, I took a swig of G2 and gave myself a short pep talk heading into the next 2 miles. I asked myself what I was so afraid of – I mean, what is the worst that could happen, I could bonk and have to slow down during a training run? Not a huge loss, right? So, with that, I was off for the next 2 miles of tempo work. I was shocked at how much easier the second 2 miles felt at an even faster pace. It was like my body just needed some time to warm up and then it knew what to do. I was thrilled with the results and almost considered pushing it to a 6 mile tempo run, but decided to stick to plan.
For miles 7 and 8, I just ran comfortably, not checking my Garmin for pace. I was excited to see my split for those 2 miles, given the low level of exertion. The last 2 miles are what I dub the “Victory Lap” and invariably, I tend to speed up for that lap because I have a horse-to-stables mentality. Again, I was shocked to see I was running low 8:00s so comfortably and so far into my run.
Splits
Miles 1 + 2: 9:01 pace
Miles 3 + 4: 7:53 pace
Miles 5 + 6: 7:39 pace
Miles 7 + 8: 8:25 pace
Miles 9 + 10: 8:12 pace
Avg Run Pace: 8:14 pace
Oh, and I got to watch a beautiful sunrise to boot!
So, what is making me faster?
Maybe it was my pre-run meal the evening before, which included delicious butter flavored birthday cake with chocolate icing (yum!)? Maybe it is my new Saucony shoes? Maybe it was the cooler temps (run fast to stay warm)? Maybe it is my new confidence and previous tempo runs paying off?
All I know, is that it was the best run I have had in as long as I can remember! I just hope I can duplicate that feeling next week.
p.s. don't forget to enter the TriSwim Giveaway . I will do the drawing early next week!
Friday, February 19, 2010
Tuesday, February 16, 2010
TriSwim Giveaway and my Swimming Pet Peeves
Like many triathletes, I was not a swimmer growing up and while my swim stroke and efficiency have improved dramatically over the last 2 years, I am far and away a better cyclist and runner than I am a swimmer. It doesn’t help that I often dread going to the pool, mostly due to my swimming pet peeves …
Pet Peeves
1 – There are many triathlete jokes about chlorine (you might be a triathlete if … you smell like chlorine all the time) and they are all true. You go for a swim and two showers later you can still smell chlorine. I work in an office and regularly have to meet customers and chlorine is not my perfume of choice, but on swim days, it follows me everywhere, plus I hate the texture of my hair on swim days, even after multiple washings.
2 – Goggle marks. I have tried a dozen different pair and I have yet to find a pair that don’t leak or fog incessantly or (the absolute worst part) give me nasty goggle marks until after lunch. I am tired enough as it is, and these goggle marks make it look like I have serious bags around my eyes! Not attractive for morning meetings at the office. Right now I swim with Women’s Vanquishers and they don’t leak but the goggle marks are horrendous! I just heard of Sable Goggles and I am thinking about giving them a try, but I am not sure if they are worth the risk for $50. If you use Sable Goggles, I would love to hear from you.
3 – I am usually swimming at 5:30 a.m., plus a 15 minute drive, which means I am up early on swim days. I much prefer rolling out of bed and into my running shoes. Swimming requires too much prep work!
I know, it sounds like a lot of excuses. The good news (for my training at least) is that despite my dread, I drag my sleepy arse to the pool for a good 3 hours a week.
The better news? I am excited to report that I can now cross #1 off of my list of reasons I don’t like the pool! Yes, the chlorine is a w f u l , but I just got to test out SBR’s TriSwim products and I am a beliver! On top of getting rid of the unfavorable chrlorine perfume, I love what the shampoo and conditioner did for my hair! The conditioner smelled incredibly refreshing, the body wash lathered nicely and the lotion soothed my dry winter skin that hates the over-chlorinated pool! I will keep these in my swim bag and in my gym locker from now on!
The best news?
You too can check out these great products by entering into my TriSwim and Foggle giveaway!
Winner will receive the entire TriSwim line in the convenient TriSwim Shot size (great for your swim bag!) and Foggle anti-fog towlettes for your goggles.
How to Enter – each item gives you 1 entry into the contest:
1. Check out the TriSwim Website – it is full of great information and leave me a comment.
2. Follow my blog. If you enter via #1 and already follow my blog, you will automatically get a second entry.
3. Post a link on your blog to this giveaway.
Just let me know in your comment which ways you are entering. Good luck!
Now, if I could just do something about those pesky goggle marks … this photo is from Friday morning an hour after I got out of the pool with make-up on to cover the worst of it! You may have to click on the photo to enlarge it, but you can clearly see my goggle marks – and yes, they were there until at least 2 pm!
Pet Peeves
1 – There are many triathlete jokes about chlorine (you might be a triathlete if … you smell like chlorine all the time) and they are all true. You go for a swim and two showers later you can still smell chlorine. I work in an office and regularly have to meet customers and chlorine is not my perfume of choice, but on swim days, it follows me everywhere, plus I hate the texture of my hair on swim days, even after multiple washings.
2 – Goggle marks. I have tried a dozen different pair and I have yet to find a pair that don’t leak or fog incessantly or (the absolute worst part) give me nasty goggle marks until after lunch. I am tired enough as it is, and these goggle marks make it look like I have serious bags around my eyes! Not attractive for morning meetings at the office. Right now I swim with Women’s Vanquishers and they don’t leak but the goggle marks are horrendous! I just heard of Sable Goggles and I am thinking about giving them a try, but I am not sure if they are worth the risk for $50. If you use Sable Goggles, I would love to hear from you.
3 – I am usually swimming at 5:30 a.m., plus a 15 minute drive, which means I am up early on swim days. I much prefer rolling out of bed and into my running shoes. Swimming requires too much prep work!
I know, it sounds like a lot of excuses. The good news (for my training at least) is that despite my dread, I drag my sleepy arse to the pool for a good 3 hours a week.
The better news? I am excited to report that I can now cross #1 off of my list of reasons I don’t like the pool! Yes, the chlorine is a w f u l , but I just got to test out SBR’s TriSwim products and I am a beliver! On top of getting rid of the unfavorable chrlorine perfume, I love what the shampoo and conditioner did for my hair! The conditioner smelled incredibly refreshing, the body wash lathered nicely and the lotion soothed my dry winter skin that hates the over-chlorinated pool! I will keep these in my swim bag and in my gym locker from now on!
The best news?
You too can check out these great products by entering into my TriSwim and Foggle giveaway!
Winner will receive the entire TriSwim line in the convenient TriSwim Shot size (great for your swim bag!) and Foggle anti-fog towlettes for your goggles.
How to Enter – each item gives you 1 entry into the contest:1. Check out the TriSwim Website – it is full of great information and leave me a comment.
2. Follow my blog. If you enter via #1 and already follow my blog, you will automatically get a second entry.
3. Post a link on your blog to this giveaway.
Just let me know in your comment which ways you are entering. Good luck!
Now, if I could just do something about those pesky goggle marks … this photo is from Friday morning an hour after I got out of the pool with make-up on to cover the worst of it! You may have to click on the photo to enlarge it, but you can clearly see my goggle marks – and yes, they were there until at least 2 pm!
Monday, February 8, 2010
Comfort with Discomfort
Last season I was focused on two things - going long and not getting injured. As Ironman got closer on the calendar I chose to forgo speed work and anything else that I felt may increase the chance of injury.
They (who is they, by the way?) say, if you always run long and slow, you will get good at running long and slow. And guess what else? On race day, you will be slow. You can't expect to be a speed demon on race day if you are always training slow.
I was focused on getting to the Ironman starting line healthy and having the endurance training so that I could cross the finish line. My training made me pretty darn good at going long at a moderate pace, whether swimming, biking or running. Moderate, of course, is relative to ones own strengths and weaknesses, and compared to others, I am sure I could be considered slow.
This season, with a decent endurance base supporting me, I am working on getting faster. I have started adding weekly tempo runs to my routine and while I don't necessarily look forward to these runs, I know that they are both physically and mentally rewarding. Physically, I am confident that running faster will make me faster (and you can substitute swimming and biking for running too). Mentally, running faster in my workouts is showing me both what I am capable of speed wise and giving me confidence that I can handle the discomfort that comes with pushing myself hard. I know that this confidence will come in handy on race day.
On a separate note, this weekend was the Rocky Raccoon 50 mile / 100 mile endurance race. Since I abandoned my training partner for the race, I volunteered to crew for him instead. So, Saturday morning I woke up at 4:30 and drove to his house so that we could make the 1 hour trek to Huntsville for the 7:00 am race start. Rocky allows packet pick-up race morning, so we retrieved his packet and got him to the starting line. The 100 milers started at 6:00 am, so the starting line wasn't too hectic for the 50 mile start.
This race is very casual and family friendly. It was frustrating to be there and not be racing and that feeling only got worse as the day wore on and I was itching to run.
After seeing Mark off, I went back to the car to nap, knowing that I would not see Mark again for about 3 hours. It was pretty chilly out, otherwise, I would have been happy to nap in the shade. Just after 10 am, I saw Mark again, looking great after his first 16.7 mile loop. After a short stop, he was off again. Meanwhile, I was coordinating with our families who were on their way to the race site. I got to spend about an hour with them before Mark re-appeared and I was off to run my pacing loop with him.
I have not done much true trail running so I was not sure what to expect. My "trail" running has been on crushed granite on a flat, circular loop, so I had a steep learning curve on the pine needle, root covered trail. After tripping, but thankfully not falling, a couple of times, my footing got better and the running got easier. I had also forgotten that running on trails also slows down your pace. On the positive side, the trails around the lake were beautiful and the miles passed quickly. I was struck by how friendly and encouraging every single person on the trail was. If I was ever unsure as to whether I wanted to commit to an ultra, all of my doubts were set aside on Saturday. I have to do one now -- and I would seriously consider doing a 100 miler too (after tackling a 50, of course!).
Mark had a great race and it was awesome to run the last lap with him. With several miles to go he started to pick up the pace and with 2 miles to go he was running sub-9 minute miles. I could hardly keep up with him for the last mile and I had only run one-third of the miles that he had! I felt like a total failure but I kept pushing knowing that I could manage through the discomfort. He later told me, quoting Born to Run, that when you feel like running fast, you run fast, and when you feel like running slow, you run slow -- and at that point he felt like running fast. I was glad to be able to give him company on the last lap and to support him as he has been a rock for me through some tough training cycles as well as pacing me to a sub-4 hour finish at the Houston marathon last year.
Sunday Report
Mileage for Week Ending 2/07/2010
Swim: 6400 yards in 300
Bike: 83 miles in 5:15
Run: 32 miles in 6:04
Strength Training/Core: 0:30 (high heart rate)
Total: 14:49
Stretching: 0:00 -- I have been feeling great (knock on wood), so I have been bad about stretching. I can commit to 5 minutes each night this week.
Have a great week!
They (who is they, by the way?) say, if you always run long and slow, you will get good at running long and slow. And guess what else? On race day, you will be slow. You can't expect to be a speed demon on race day if you are always training slow.
I was focused on getting to the Ironman starting line healthy and having the endurance training so that I could cross the finish line. My training made me pretty darn good at going long at a moderate pace, whether swimming, biking or running. Moderate, of course, is relative to ones own strengths and weaknesses, and compared to others, I am sure I could be considered slow.
This season, with a decent endurance base supporting me, I am working on getting faster. I have started adding weekly tempo runs to my routine and while I don't necessarily look forward to these runs, I know that they are both physically and mentally rewarding. Physically, I am confident that running faster will make me faster (and you can substitute swimming and biking for running too). Mentally, running faster in my workouts is showing me both what I am capable of speed wise and giving me confidence that I can handle the discomfort that comes with pushing myself hard. I know that this confidence will come in handy on race day.
On a separate note, this weekend was the Rocky Raccoon 50 mile / 100 mile endurance race. Since I abandoned my training partner for the race, I volunteered to crew for him instead. So, Saturday morning I woke up at 4:30 and drove to his house so that we could make the 1 hour trek to Huntsville for the 7:00 am race start. Rocky allows packet pick-up race morning, so we retrieved his packet and got him to the starting line. The 100 milers started at 6:00 am, so the starting line wasn't too hectic for the 50 mile start.
This race is very casual and family friendly. It was frustrating to be there and not be racing and that feeling only got worse as the day wore on and I was itching to run.
After seeing Mark off, I went back to the car to nap, knowing that I would not see Mark again for about 3 hours. It was pretty chilly out, otherwise, I would have been happy to nap in the shade. Just after 10 am, I saw Mark again, looking great after his first 16.7 mile loop. After a short stop, he was off again. Meanwhile, I was coordinating with our families who were on their way to the race site. I got to spend about an hour with them before Mark re-appeared and I was off to run my pacing loop with him.
I have not done much true trail running so I was not sure what to expect. My "trail" running has been on crushed granite on a flat, circular loop, so I had a steep learning curve on the pine needle, root covered trail. After tripping, but thankfully not falling, a couple of times, my footing got better and the running got easier. I had also forgotten that running on trails also slows down your pace. On the positive side, the trails around the lake were beautiful and the miles passed quickly. I was struck by how friendly and encouraging every single person on the trail was. If I was ever unsure as to whether I wanted to commit to an ultra, all of my doubts were set aside on Saturday. I have to do one now -- and I would seriously consider doing a 100 miler too (after tackling a 50, of course!).
Mark had a great race and it was awesome to run the last lap with him. With several miles to go he started to pick up the pace and with 2 miles to go he was running sub-9 minute miles. I could hardly keep up with him for the last mile and I had only run one-third of the miles that he had! I felt like a total failure but I kept pushing knowing that I could manage through the discomfort. He later told me, quoting Born to Run, that when you feel like running fast, you run fast, and when you feel like running slow, you run slow -- and at that point he felt like running fast. I was glad to be able to give him company on the last lap and to support him as he has been a rock for me through some tough training cycles as well as pacing me to a sub-4 hour finish at the Houston marathon last year.
Sunday Report
Mileage for Week Ending 2/07/2010
Swim: 6400 yards in 300
Bike: 83 miles in 5:15
Run: 32 miles in 6:04
Strength Training/Core: 0:30 (high heart rate)
Total: 14:49
Stretching: 0:00 -- I have been feeling great (knock on wood), so I have been bad about stretching. I can commit to 5 minutes each night this week.
Have a great week!
Sunday, January 31, 2010
January - Month in Review
I can't believe the first month of the year is behind us already! I am making good progress towards some goals and well, not much progress at all towards others. That is the beauty of these monthly reflections -- they keep me honest and help me redirect as needed in the months to come.
January In Numbers
Bike: 7h 55m - 126.6 Mi
Run: 8h 25m - 55 Mi
Swim: 4h 00m - 8,900 Yd
Other/Strength: 10h 10m
Total Active Time - 30h 30m
Stretching: 3:45
Goal Tracking
1. Reading the Bible cover to cover -- I am a couple of weeks behind schedule. My goal for February is to not fall any more behind schedule and to hopefully catch up a day or two.
2. Photography -- unfortunately, my camera was in the repair shop most of the month after salt water got in the lens after a trip to Sea World. I am looking forward to taking Tyler's 3 year old photos in February.
3. Weekly stretching -- on track, minus this last week
4. Nutrition -- I am still living in a state of dehydration, so if I do nothing else toward my goals in February, my goal is to stay hydrated! I haven't needed a recovery drink yet, but am looking forward to trying it out soon.
5. Strength Training -- great progress here too. I had my first meeting with the personal trainer and the first workout was not ab specific enough for me, although it kicked my arse. I have heard good things about the P90x ab workout, so I may look into that too.
6. Swim Technique -- stay tuned, I was not swimming much in Jan, but am planning a serious come back this month.
7. Fun goals -- I deferred the Ultra, but all other goals are still in place.
January In Numbers
Bike: 7h 55m - 126.6 Mi
Run: 8h 25m - 55 Mi
Swim: 4h 00m - 8,900 Yd
Other/Strength: 10h 10m
Total Active Time - 30h 30m
Stretching: 3:45
Goal Tracking
1. Reading the Bible cover to cover -- I am a couple of weeks behind schedule. My goal for February is to not fall any more behind schedule and to hopefully catch up a day or two.
2. Photography -- unfortunately, my camera was in the repair shop most of the month after salt water got in the lens after a trip to Sea World. I am looking forward to taking Tyler's 3 year old photos in February.
3. Weekly stretching -- on track, minus this last week
4. Nutrition -- I am still living in a state of dehydration, so if I do nothing else toward my goals in February, my goal is to stay hydrated! I haven't needed a recovery drink yet, but am looking forward to trying it out soon.
5. Strength Training -- great progress here too. I had my first meeting with the personal trainer and the first workout was not ab specific enough for me, although it kicked my arse. I have heard good things about the P90x ab workout, so I may look into that too.
6. Swim Technique -- stay tuned, I was not swimming much in Jan, but am planning a serious come back this month.
7. Fun goals -- I deferred the Ultra, but all other goals are still in place.
Farewell Off Season
Well, it is official. I have logged the last of my off season workouts and it is time to get back on the wagon. My first race is 10 weeks away and my first A race of the season is a mere 12 weeks away. It is time to get serious!
I am both nervous and excited to be entering a new season. I am excited because I love having a goal, but nervous because I know the hours and tired afternoons from early morning workouts that are just around the corner.
I have definitely learned a thing or two about respecting the off season and the importance of down time and I will go into my next off season with a sense of purpose instead of flying by the seat of my pants.
Sunday Reports
Mileage for Week Ending 1/31/2010
Swim: 2500 yards in 1:00
Bike: 12 miles in 0:45
Run: 16 miles in 2:22
Strength Training/Core: 1:30 (high heart rate)
Total: 5:37
Stretching: 0:05
Mileage for Week Ending 1/24/2010
Swim: 2200 yards in 0:50
Bike: 44.6 miles in 2:45
Run: 18 miles in 2:45
Strength Training/Core: 0:50 (high heart rate)
Total: 7:10
Stretching: 0:35
I am both nervous and excited to be entering a new season. I am excited because I love having a goal, but nervous because I know the hours and tired afternoons from early morning workouts that are just around the corner.
I have definitely learned a thing or two about respecting the off season and the importance of down time and I will go into my next off season with a sense of purpose instead of flying by the seat of my pants.
Sunday Reports
Mileage for Week Ending 1/31/2010
Swim: 2500 yards in 1:00
Bike: 12 miles in 0:45
Run: 16 miles in 2:22
Strength Training/Core: 1:30 (high heart rate)
Total: 5:37
Stretching: 0:05
Mileage for Week Ending 1/24/2010
Swim: 2200 yards in 0:50
Bike: 44.6 miles in 2:45
Run: 18 miles in 2:45
Strength Training/Core: 0:50 (high heart rate)
Total: 7:10
Stretching: 0:35
Friday, January 22, 2010
Music is a Time Machine
Music is a time machine for me.
When I hear Alanis Morissette's hit, "Isn't It Ironic," I am 16 years old again, driving around in my 1989 Toyota Camry, braces on my teeth, with not a worry in the world. Ok, lots of worries, none of which were really important!
When I hear ABBA's "Dancing Queen," I am taken back to my wedding reception, spinning around in circles in my wedding dress. I have never had so much fun dancing as I did on my wedding day. Twirling in that dress was amazing.
How is this triathlon related?
I mentioned in my Ironman FL Run Race Report that I heard Katy Perry's "Waking Up In Vegas" with about a mile to go on the run playing over speakers in a cheering section on the course. I couldn't help but start to sing along. It made me smile and gave me chills because I had a burst of adrenaline and I knew that I was so close to achieving my dream.
Fast forward to today's run at lunch. 70 degree, sun shining, makes you happy to be alive weather. A mile or so into my run, "Waking Up in Vegas" came across my iPod speakers and I was transported back to Panama City Beach. Chills went down my spine and I could hear the crowd cheering me on. I smiled for the rest of my run.
I love how music can capture a moment in time that way. What songs rev up your time machine?
When I hear Alanis Morissette's hit, "Isn't It Ironic," I am 16 years old again, driving around in my 1989 Toyota Camry, braces on my teeth, with not a worry in the world. Ok, lots of worries, none of which were really important!
When I hear ABBA's "Dancing Queen," I am taken back to my wedding reception, spinning around in circles in my wedding dress. I have never had so much fun dancing as I did on my wedding day. Twirling in that dress was amazing.
How is this triathlon related?
I mentioned in my Ironman FL Run Race Report that I heard Katy Perry's "Waking Up In Vegas" with about a mile to go on the run playing over speakers in a cheering section on the course. I couldn't help but start to sing along. It made me smile and gave me chills because I had a burst of adrenaline and I knew that I was so close to achieving my dream.
Fast forward to today's run at lunch. 70 degree, sun shining, makes you happy to be alive weather. A mile or so into my run, "Waking Up in Vegas" came across my iPod speakers and I was transported back to Panama City Beach. Chills went down my spine and I could hear the crowd cheering me on. I smiled for the rest of my run.
I love how music can capture a moment in time that way. What songs rev up your time machine?
Tuesday, January 19, 2010
Out of Shape
As promised, I am attempting to diversify my workouts during what is left of my "off season" in hopes that I will find time to incorporate some of these other workouts (strength / stability) during the non-peak weeks of the regular season as well.
Monday I took a 50 minute class at my office gym that is dubbed a "conditioning class" -- think lots of walking lunges, squats, core, exercise ball, push-ups, arms, etc. I felt the burn during the class, but overall I was happy with my showing. The only move I really struggled with was the ab move where you come up to a "V" position and pass the exercise ball from your feet to your hands, go down flat, back up again and pass the ball back. That totally kicks my ... core!
I definitely felt like I got a good workout, although I would have been even happier with more core work and less leg work, because legs are my strength (or so I thought) and my abs, well, they could use some work, but I digress ...
I should also note that besides the physical therapy, elliptical during my no-running weeks, one hot yoga class, and the recently added push-ups and stretching, I have done nothing but swim, bike and run since April of 2008.
Ok, so back on topic. I woke up this morning for a 7 mile run to test my Piriformis Syndrome and immediately felt stiff from Monday's class, but I still managed a decent run. I didn't feel any pain specific to my PS, which was good. I listened to Born to Run and was happy to be listening to a portion that described run technique so I was able to play with my stride a bit.
After my run, I took my shower, got dressed for work and drove my boys to school. I wore flip flops because I have found driving in heels aggravates the tendinitis in my left foot. When I got to work I put on my super cute BCBG black peep toe patent leather pumps ... and after taking one step I nearly fell over.
I hobbled and found my stride and as usual, took the door to the parking garage stairs to take the 3 flights down to the ground level and after the first step, I almost fell over again! I literally had to use the hand rail to make it down the stairs. Later in the day, I was crossing my legs at my desk and had to pick up my leg in order to do so. I am still stiff walking, although thankfully walking is much easier in flip flops than in 3 inch heels!
I can't remember the last time I felt this sore ... definitely not after Ironman or any other race in the last 2 years. It just goes to show that you can be in shape in one aspect of your health (endurance) but entirely out of shape in another (everything else!).
The good news is that all of those leg exercises should be strengthening the area around my Piriformis. I have no idea how my run today effected my PS because my legs were so sore from my workout, so I will be anxious to see how it feels after Thursday's run.
Two things are for certain -- one) I am going to feel like a brick tomorrow during my swim (hmmm...maybe I will postpone my swim until Friday??) and two) I better keep this up so I don't feel this sore next time!
Monday I took a 50 minute class at my office gym that is dubbed a "conditioning class" -- think lots of walking lunges, squats, core, exercise ball, push-ups, arms, etc. I felt the burn during the class, but overall I was happy with my showing. The only move I really struggled with was the ab move where you come up to a "V" position and pass the exercise ball from your feet to your hands, go down flat, back up again and pass the ball back. That totally kicks my ... core!
I definitely felt like I got a good workout, although I would have been even happier with more core work and less leg work, because legs are my strength (or so I thought) and my abs, well, they could use some work, but I digress ...
I should also note that besides the physical therapy, elliptical during my no-running weeks, one hot yoga class, and the recently added push-ups and stretching, I have done nothing but swim, bike and run since April of 2008.
Ok, so back on topic. I woke up this morning for a 7 mile run to test my Piriformis Syndrome and immediately felt stiff from Monday's class, but I still managed a decent run. I didn't feel any pain specific to my PS, which was good. I listened to Born to Run and was happy to be listening to a portion that described run technique so I was able to play with my stride a bit.
After my run, I took my shower, got dressed for work and drove my boys to school. I wore flip flops because I have found driving in heels aggravates the tendinitis in my left foot. When I got to work I put on my super cute BCBG black peep toe patent leather pumps ... and after taking one step I nearly fell over.
I hobbled and found my stride and as usual, took the door to the parking garage stairs to take the 3 flights down to the ground level and after the first step, I almost fell over again! I literally had to use the hand rail to make it down the stairs. Later in the day, I was crossing my legs at my desk and had to pick up my leg in order to do so. I am still stiff walking, although thankfully walking is much easier in flip flops than in 3 inch heels!
I can't remember the last time I felt this sore ... definitely not after Ironman or any other race in the last 2 years. It just goes to show that you can be in shape in one aspect of your health (endurance) but entirely out of shape in another (everything else!).
The good news is that all of those leg exercises should be strengthening the area around my Piriformis. I have no idea how my run today effected my PS because my legs were so sore from my workout, so I will be anxious to see how it feels after Thursday's run.
Two things are for certain -- one) I am going to feel like a brick tomorrow during my swim (hmmm...maybe I will postpone my swim until Friday??) and two) I better keep this up so I don't feel this sore next time!
10 Things That Make Me Happy
I was tagged, so here are some personal tidbits about what makes me happy...
1. Tickle fights with my boys and getting greeted at the door with hugs and kisses after a long day’s work or a tough workout
Tyler's Tickle Monsters
2. Cuddling on the couch with Douglas (and Indy, our chocolate lab) watching How I Met Your Mother and Big Bang Theory -- if you don't watch these shows, you are missing out!
8. Capturing great photos of my family – the age of innocence is fleeting and those smiles are so precious!
9. Margaritas with girlfriends – I definitely don’t get to enjoy this one often enough!
10. Blog comments. The encouragement is fantastic, the feedback is helpful and it gives me a sense of community. I am pretty good about leaving comments on people’s blogs who leave comments on mine, wink wink!
Now, I am supposed to tag 10 fellow bloggers - all of these blogs are definitely worth a read, including the blogs of Mark (TriDadofFive) and Kelly (TriMommyLife) who both tagged me!
1. Iron Trish
2. Joel - TriMadness
3. Kristin - The Lazy Marathoner
4. Big Daddy Diesel
5. Jessi Thompson - a super FAST trimommy!
6. Sonja - Go Sonja! - Endurance athlete extraordinare
7. Sally Aston
8. Kathleen
9. Mike Russell
10. Rockstar Tri
1. Tickle fights with my boys and getting greeted at the door with hugs and kisses after a long day’s work or a tough workout
Tyler's Tickle Monsters
2. Cuddling on the couch with Douglas (and Indy, our chocolate lab) watching How I Met Your Mother and Big Bang Theory -- if you don't watch these shows, you are missing out!
3. Finishing the “toughest” workout of the week, usually my long brick and crossing the finish line at a race (elation!)
4. A good meal, particularly (in no specific order) pancakes, spaghetti, sandwiches on fresh bread, ok, really any good meal. I love to eat.
5. My weekly catch up calls with Allie (she lives in CA and I only get to see her once a year or so, but it is so nice to decompress with a girlfriend!) and family fun dates with the Browns, Englands and McGowans
6. A good bargain – I love finding *things I need / want* on sale!
7. Listening to a good audio book on a long run – it is a multi-tasker’s dream come true!
8. Capturing great photos of my family – the age of innocence is fleeting and those smiles are so precious!
9. Margaritas with girlfriends – I definitely don’t get to enjoy this one often enough!
10. Blog comments. The encouragement is fantastic, the feedback is helpful and it gives me a sense of community. I am pretty good about leaving comments on people’s blogs who leave comments on mine, wink wink!Now, I am supposed to tag 10 fellow bloggers - all of these blogs are definitely worth a read, including the blogs of Mark (TriDadofFive) and Kelly (TriMommyLife) who both tagged me!
1. Iron Trish
2. Joel - TriMadness
3. Kristin - The Lazy Marathoner
4. Big Daddy Diesel
5. Jessi Thompson - a super FAST trimommy!
6. Sonja - Go Sonja! - Endurance athlete extraordinare
7. Sally Aston
8. Kathleen
9. Mike Russell
10. Rockstar Tri
Monday, January 18, 2010
Orthotics
As expected, the podiatrist I saw today recommended custom orthotics. I have heard great things about him and his orthotics, as he goes to great lengths to create a well fitting, functional orthotic (thanks, Kathleen!). The way it was described to me is that the orthotic would engage my foot in a way that would lessen the use (and thus impact) to the tendons / muscles that are currently inappropriately overworking and it will further engage the muscles that are currently inappropriately not fully engaged.
I am waiting to hear how much my insurance will cover and in the mean time, how my runs feel this week without orthotics. I am somewhat torn on how to proceed – my feet are a mess and always have been thanks to bunions, so I think the orthotic could be helpful, but there also seems to be a lot of science saying that less is more. I am leaning towards giving them a shot to see if they help. You have to cross one bridge at a time, right? If you wear orthotics, I am definitely interested in hearing about your experiences.
Thank you all for your recommendations last week. I am definitely going to keep asking questions. I did have the PT check my SI joint (again) and he said that I was generally in-line. He also had me do several exercises to see if they caused pain that would be typical of the SI joint and I did not experience any pain, so for now I am still focused on piriformis syndrome. I was happy to hear (and to read) that spending time in flip flops and barefoot is good for strengthening your foot because I live in flip flops 9 months of the year here (except at work, unfortunately) and I am always barefoot at home.
Here is the weekly wrap up – I am really looking forward to running again this week (and listening to Born to Run!)!
Mileage for Week Ending 1/17/2010
Swim: 2000 yards in 1:00
Bike: 50 miles in 3:10
Run: 17 miles in 2:41
Total: 6:51
Stretching / Foam Roller / Push Ups / Core: 1:50
I am waiting to hear how much my insurance will cover and in the mean time, how my runs feel this week without orthotics. I am somewhat torn on how to proceed – my feet are a mess and always have been thanks to bunions, so I think the orthotic could be helpful, but there also seems to be a lot of science saying that less is more. I am leaning towards giving them a shot to see if they help. You have to cross one bridge at a time, right? If you wear orthotics, I am definitely interested in hearing about your experiences.
Thank you all for your recommendations last week. I am definitely going to keep asking questions. I did have the PT check my SI joint (again) and he said that I was generally in-line. He also had me do several exercises to see if they caused pain that would be typical of the SI joint and I did not experience any pain, so for now I am still focused on piriformis syndrome. I was happy to hear (and to read) that spending time in flip flops and barefoot is good for strengthening your foot because I live in flip flops 9 months of the year here (except at work, unfortunately) and I am always barefoot at home.
Here is the weekly wrap up – I am really looking forward to running again this week (and listening to Born to Run!)!
Mileage for Week Ending 1/17/2010
Swim: 2000 yards in 1:00
Bike: 50 miles in 3:10
Run: 17 miles in 2:41
Total: 6:51
Stretching / Foam Roller / Push Ups / Core: 1:50
Thursday, January 14, 2010
Born to Run
I am currently listening to Born to Run on audio and I am really enjoying the stories of these ultra runners. Like others, it has reminded me how much I love to run. I think now more than ever, after a forced hiatus from running, I realize how much I enjoy running.
Like the author of Born to Run, I am frustrated by an injury and even more frustrated by the conflicting advice that is currently saturating the running community. Newtons and the Barefoot phenomenon vs more supportive shoes is just one example.
I have not finished the book but my husband and others have, so I know generally how the author feels about stretching, cushioned running shoes, podiatrist, orthotics, etc -- and spoiler alert -- he thinks they are crap.
I am currently running in a light weight fairly neutral shoe. I have been wearing this exact shoe and style for over a year, but in that time, I have gone through 3 pairs and until mid-November I was totally injury free. In fact, I have run for exercise for as long as I can remember and have never had a running injury.
I know a lot of people who swear by stretching and orthotics and others who think they cause more harm than good.
So what gives? Is there a right answer? My guess is that it depends on the person, so I need to figure out what I need. Has something changed in how I run and what is the best way to be entirely injury free again? I am working on getting these questions answered.
After 3 weeks of rest from running and 6 weeks of PT, I have had three runs back. My first run, a 4 miler, went off without a hitch and I had no pain during or after. My PT encouraged me to increase my distance to see how I felt, so on Tuesday I ran 7 miles with no pain during the run, but I felt the Piriformis Syndrome for the rest of the day. It is not extremely painful, but, it is literally, a pain in the butt! It also makes my leg tingle. I had no pain on Wednesday though, so I tried again this morning and I will see how I feel the rest of the day. I had no acute pain during today's run.
I have an appointment on Monday with a new podiatrist that treats a lot of local triathletes and runners. I will be interested in what he has to say. I still have some pain in my left foot in the anterior tibial tendon, so I will ask him about that too.
So, the bottom line for me is that neither of my injuries bothered me while I was not running, but came back, at least to some degree, when I started running again. I know there is a formula to get back to the point where I could run forever without any pain, during or after, and I just need to figure out what it is.
The good news is that the fire pain I felt in my calves on my two runs immediately before I took my 3 week break has not returned. That was the main driver on taking the time off. At the time the PT thought I may have been overcompensating from the Piriformis Syndrome, but I think it likely had more to do with the hills and speed work I did the weekend prior. The PS in my right hip and the tendonitis in my left foot don't hurt (much) while I am running, so I am confident that I can simultaneously work on correcting these issues while keeping my April races on track. A bike focused program is usually beneficial to triathletes, right?
So, for now, I am gathering opinions on the best course forward. My last PT appointment is tomorrow so I will see what they have to say. Then there is the podiatrist appointment, and I am also looking for someone to look at my running form. I would love to hear what you all think.
Do I hang up my running shoes for a while longer? Note: I don't think this is the answer :)
Do I try custom orthotics?
Do I work on my running form?
Do I do nothing and see if I leave it alone - no PT to aggravate it, whether it gets better on its own?
Recommendations on who to visit for a second / third / fourth opinion?
Something else?
I do agree with the author on one thing for certain -- we are born to run and running should be generally pain free. I WILL find a way to get there again!
Like the author of Born to Run, I am frustrated by an injury and even more frustrated by the conflicting advice that is currently saturating the running community. Newtons and the Barefoot phenomenon vs more supportive shoes is just one example.
I have not finished the book but my husband and others have, so I know generally how the author feels about stretching, cushioned running shoes, podiatrist, orthotics, etc -- and spoiler alert -- he thinks they are crap.
I am currently running in a light weight fairly neutral shoe. I have been wearing this exact shoe and style for over a year, but in that time, I have gone through 3 pairs and until mid-November I was totally injury free. In fact, I have run for exercise for as long as I can remember and have never had a running injury.
I know a lot of people who swear by stretching and orthotics and others who think they cause more harm than good.
So what gives? Is there a right answer? My guess is that it depends on the person, so I need to figure out what I need. Has something changed in how I run and what is the best way to be entirely injury free again? I am working on getting these questions answered.
After 3 weeks of rest from running and 6 weeks of PT, I have had three runs back. My first run, a 4 miler, went off without a hitch and I had no pain during or after. My PT encouraged me to increase my distance to see how I felt, so on Tuesday I ran 7 miles with no pain during the run, but I felt the Piriformis Syndrome for the rest of the day. It is not extremely painful, but, it is literally, a pain in the butt! It also makes my leg tingle. I had no pain on Wednesday though, so I tried again this morning and I will see how I feel the rest of the day. I had no acute pain during today's run.
I have an appointment on Monday with a new podiatrist that treats a lot of local triathletes and runners. I will be interested in what he has to say. I still have some pain in my left foot in the anterior tibial tendon, so I will ask him about that too.
So, the bottom line for me is that neither of my injuries bothered me while I was not running, but came back, at least to some degree, when I started running again. I know there is a formula to get back to the point where I could run forever without any pain, during or after, and I just need to figure out what it is.
The good news is that the fire pain I felt in my calves on my two runs immediately before I took my 3 week break has not returned. That was the main driver on taking the time off. At the time the PT thought I may have been overcompensating from the Piriformis Syndrome, but I think it likely had more to do with the hills and speed work I did the weekend prior. The PS in my right hip and the tendonitis in my left foot don't hurt (much) while I am running, so I am confident that I can simultaneously work on correcting these issues while keeping my April races on track. A bike focused program is usually beneficial to triathletes, right?
So, for now, I am gathering opinions on the best course forward. My last PT appointment is tomorrow so I will see what they have to say. Then there is the podiatrist appointment, and I am also looking for someone to look at my running form. I would love to hear what you all think.
Do I hang up my running shoes for a while longer? Note: I don't think this is the answer :)
Do I try custom orthotics?
Do I work on my running form?
Do I do nothing and see if I leave it alone - no PT to aggravate it, whether it gets better on its own?
Recommendations on who to visit for a second / third / fourth opinion?
Something else?
I do agree with the author on one thing for certain -- we are born to run and running should be generally pain free. I WILL find a way to get there again!
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