Weekly Roundup 2.25-3.3

Week 10 of 16

“Don’t call it a comeback…”

The week started out with a lot of ellipticalling.  45 minutes on Monday, 30 on Tuesday and 60 on Wednesday.  It was brutal.

Overall I was feeling better.  Still some awareness of the injured area but no pain.  Early in the week I talked to Kathy about the possibility of running by the weekend.  I was terrified.  I am running out of time to train for Boston and I didn’t want to start back to soon with the fear that I would flare back up and set myself back another few weeks.  I knew if all went well running over the weekend, I still had a few weeks to safely get myself back up to a long run of 16-18 miles before a shortened taper to April 15th.  Joe gave me a push Thursday night saying, “What are you waiting for?  Just go do it.  If it hurts, stop.”  Sounds so easy right?  Well it was enough to make me hop on the treadmill at 7:30pm on Thursday night after I taught both my classes for a slow, easy mile.  Woo woo!

Friday morning I met with Kathy for one more PT session.  The funny thing about my mile run the night before was that I felt no pain in my piriformis but my left IT band was so tight and uncomfortable.  Kathy did some work on it and then more elliptical, a few minutes on the Jacob’s ladder, some lifting and e-stim—this time on both my piriformis and IT band.  I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again.  I’m so lucky to work in an organization with such great people and great resources.  Kathy has been the best going above and beyond.  I’m so thankful for all her help.

I went home Friday and took G for a nice long walk before changing into running clothes for an easy 2 miles outside.  It was so nice to be outside.  It feels so much more natural to me than running on the treadmill.  I kept it easy and had to hold myself back from running more.

“Long Run Saturday” brought me back to the gym for 60 minutes on the elliptical followed by 4 miles on the treadmill and a date with Norma.  

I should have been excited about running 4 miles but I kept thinking about all the miles I missed.  This week I was supposed to run 18 miles and it was supposed to be the beginning of the hardest 4 week block in training.  I know I’ll run Boston.  I know I will do fine.  I’m not worried about time.  I just want to enjoy the day.  I don’t know why I was having such a hard time focusing on the positive this week.

Other highlights:

·      I made an appearance at Run Club this week!  Zero miles for Jen but it was good to get out and see everyone…

Upcoming events:

·      6 weeks until the Boston Marathon!

Monday 2.25.19

45’ elliptical

Burdenko H2O

Tuesday 2.26.19

30’ elliptical

Wednesday 2.27.19

60’ elliptical

Thursday 2.28.19

1 treadmill mile (9:32)

Power Water

Friday 3.1.19

10’ elliptical

38’ walk with G

2 miles (17:34)

Saturday 3.2.19

60’ elliptical

4 treadmill miles (34:20)

Sunday 3.3.19

Burdenko H2O

ICYMI

Week 1 of 16             Week 5 of 16             Week 9 of 16

Week 2 of 16             Week 6 of 16

Week 3 of 16             Week 7 of 16

Week 4 of 16             Week 8 of 16

This week’s mileage: 7 miles

This week’s G mileage: 0 miles

February Totals: 50 miles

March Totals: 6 miles

2019 Totals: 166 miles

Weekly Roundup 2.18-2.24

Week 9 of 16

Another week on the IR but things are looking up!

On Monday I got on the elliptical for the first time and was completely pain free while doing it.  I only did 5 minutes then jumped in the pool for 30 minutes of deep water running.

I had to work the opening shift on Tuesday—which meant I had to be at work at 5:15am.  This gave me major anxiety all week and I barely slept the night before.  I kept waking up every half hour or so jumping up in my head screaming WHAT TIME IS IT?!  I made it to work on time and survived the day.  Kathy came over from Osterville to meet with me after work.  I did 8 minutes on the elliptical then continued with more exercises, e-stim, massage and stretching.  That night I was in bed at 8pm.

Wednesday more deep water running then I attempted 10 minutes on the elliptical.  All good!  Craig let me borrow his portable e-stim unit so I went home and started using it regularly for 30 minutes 2-3x per day.  So far that seems to be the best thing for the nerve pain/tingling I’ve been dealing with in my foot.

I had to work for a few hours Friday morning then met with Kathy again.  I got up to 15 minutes on the elliptical with permission to try 30 minutes over the weekend.  Elliptical feels great.  It’s just SO BORING and I have a hard time getting my heart rate up.

Saturday morning Georgie and I met my parents at the beach for a walk.  

Later I did my 30 minutes on the elliptical then got in the pool to lap swim for the first time in about 2 years.  That’s always humbling.  You think you’re in shape.  You’re marathon training.  Then you can barely make it through 30 minutes of freestyle swimming.  Swimming used to be my life before I started running.  I spent 2-3 hours per day in a pool with the Cape Cod Swim Club.  Lap swimming—as boring as it is—always makes me happy.

Other highlights:

·      Friday was National Margarita Day!  I don’t drink tequila but I couldn’t pass up a trip to Anejo with Run Club friends Jason and Mike.  Raspberry mojito and fried ice cream FTW.

Upcoming events:

·      7 weeks until the Boston Marathon!

Monday 2.18.19

5’ elliptical

30’ deep water running

Burdenko H2O

Tuesday 2.19.19

8’ elliptical

Wednesday 2.20.19

10’ elliptical

30’ deep water running

Thursday 2.21.19

Power Water

Friday 2.22.19

15’ elliptical

30’ walk with G

Saturday 2.23.19

30’ elliptical

30’ lap swim (1,840 yards)

48’ walk with the fam

Sunday 2.24.19

Burdenko H2O

ICYMI

Week 1 of 16             Week 5 of 16

Week 2 of 16             Week 6 of 16

Week 3 of 16             Week 7 of 16

Week 4 of 16             Week 8 of 16

This week’s mileage: 0 miles

This week’s G mileage: 0 miles

February Totals: 49 miles

2019 Totals: 159 miles

Weekly Roundup 2.11-2.17

Week 8 of 16

So Week 8 did not go as planned.  I have been putting off writing this week’s post out of frustration and embarrassment.  After 7 solid weeks of training, I got injured.  And honestly, all my injuries are the same.  I spend the first week doing absolutely nothing except sit around feeling sorry for myself.  That was Week 8.

I’ll backtrack a bit.  The week before I ran long on Saturday.  I taught spin class Sunday morning then about half way through pool class, I bent down to hand out equipment and I felt a sharp pain in my left hip/glute area.  I was able to shake it off, finish class, shower then hop into the NormaTec boots which is part of my normal Sunday routine.  I felt fine.

Now this week.  Monday started out good.  I stayed after to lift.  I could feel a very mild, dull pain in the hip/glute but it wasn’t enough to stop what I was doing or modify any of my exercises.  I got home and took Georgie out for an easy 3 miles in the dark.  We had a great run but as soon as we stopped I knew something wasn’t right.

Tuesday morning I taught spin—it was our Valentine’s Day class!  By the end of class I was in a lot of pain.  I sat on an ice pack for a while hoping the pain would go away.  Sitting hurt.  Driving… the worst.  I was feeling numbness and tingling in my left foot.  That night I had Jodi B took a look.  I was afraid to tell my PT Kathy.  She worked on me a lot about a year and a half ago when I was dealing with hip issues.  This was the same area, different injury.

Craig helped me a ton on Thursday then Friday morning I got a text from Kathy—someone told her!  She had me come in to see her Friday morning for a brief evaluation, ultrasound, e-stim and she taped me.  She gave me some exercises to work on and told me I could try water running in the pool on Saturday.

I did just that.  40 minutes.  So boring!  But I got my heart rate up and was even sweating a little bit.  Kathy met me at the clinic after my pool session and did more of an evaluation.  She called me out for not doing any upper body or core work all week.  She even used the term “lump” to describe me.  That was the kick in the butt I needed.  Enough feeling sorry for myself.  It was time to get to work!

Upcoming events:

·      8 weeks until the Boston Marathon!

Monday 2.11.19

2.90 miles with G (27:38)

Burdenko H2O

Tuesday 2.12.19

Taught spin class

Wednesday 2.13.19

Thursday 2.14.19

Power Water

Friday 2.15.19

Saturday 2.16.19

40’ deep water running

Sunday 2.17.19

Burdenko H2O

ICYMI

Week 1 of 16             Week 5 of 16

Week 2 of 16             Week 6 of 16

Week 3 of 16             Week 7 of 16

Week 4 of 16

This week’s mileage: 3 miles

This week’s G mileage: 3 miles

February Totals: 49 miles

2019 Totals: 159 miles