There's been a lot of hub-bub on how exactly to refer to this year; is it two thousand and ten? twenty-ten? Or does Stephen Colbert have it with oh-ten? I think an even bigger problem that hasn't really been looked at is the lack of a clever rhyme that says 2010 is going to be a good year. In years past we've had some good ones: "2008 is looking great!"; "2009 is looking fine!" But now what? 2010 is looking...ken? fen? hen? den? I'm sure I'm limited by my small vocab and lack of patience so perhaps some of you more intelligent beings out there can come up with something perfect. If you do, let me know so I can finally get some sleep.
Despite the lack of an optimistic phrase, 2010 has kicked off for me exactly as it has in the past with a lengthy list of ambitious resolutions: stop procrastinating, be more productive at work (and not, say, post blogs in the middle of the day... ahem....), lose 30 lbs, be better with money, workout atleast 5 days/week, eat healthier, etc., etc., etc. Surprisingly, I've been fairly good about keeping up with most of my resolutions. However, as has been the fate of past resolutions, I suspect these resolutions will eventually be boxed up and stored away until 2011 when they are dusted off and made a focus once again.
It is possible to keep up at least some of these resolutions; I just have to continue to consciously keep the goal list in focus and not let it fade to the back of my mind when things start to get stressful. This is actually not that hard, especially since this month I have established some new habits that support the change. But, as the laws of entropy state, without work things will tend towards chaos; without active efforts to keep at new habits, I will easily, and readily, head back to old ways.
Fortunately for my running, I think my fitness and health goals are going to be the easiest to keep up. At this point, I feel ready to commit to running again and am definitely ready to slim down. This is in contrast to, say my goal to kick my procrastination habit, a habit that is very comfortable and one of which I'm still very fond, despite it nearly causing me to fail two courses last semester (no joke). Running, exercising, and eating well also make me feel good while doing work and homework just makes me cranky and stressed.
In prep for a successful year of consistent running and healthy eating, I have set up a new line of racing goals. Perhaps it's a bit premature since I've only stuck to the "be consistent with running/exercising" resolution for three weeks but what else am I going to do when I'm at work? Actual work? Nonsense!
I think this year's goals are a little more realistic than last years in that they don't have me trying to scramble to get mileage in to PR in a fall half marathon. This year, I'm hoping to instead PR in a fall 10K. This allows me to take building mileage a bit slower throughout the year which I think is something I need. A slower build also allows for more tweaking in case of injury or illness. I think a PR is definitely doable. Like the half, I've run a road 10K only once and clocked a 50:53 (~8:12/mile). I wouldn't be talking a crazy fast PR but something around 44:00-45:00 would be nice... Ok, so maybe that is "crazy fast" when you consider where I'm at now but I don't think it's impossible. To get even close to being able to run that, I plan to be running 4-5 times a week with weekly totals 25-30 miles/week, which includes one day for a workout, a few easy days, and a long run of 8-9 miles. I'd like to get to this point by Late-September/Early October which is more than doable, barring injury. As evident from my race calendar, I also plan to run a few 5Ks along the way which I'll hopefully be running faster than my fastest time since I returned to NH (22:51 in '08) by the fall.
Also thrown into the mix is the Bourbon Chase Relay in Kentucky, a 200-mile, 12 person relay. After a three-year hiatus from my favorite relay team, I will be returning as one of the 12 runners on the Steamed Muscles squad. Atleast I hope I will; the details are still in the works. These relay races are a ton of fun and even more fun when you do them with such a nerdy runner bunch as the Muscles. Whats a little concerning for me at this point is that there will be quite a bit of mileage to cover in 24 hours; almost 3 times what I'm clocking a week right now. This race isn't until late October though so, if all goes as planned, I should be fine.
Chalk full of fun races and realistic goals, I think 2010 is going to be good year in running for me. Now if only there was a clever way to say it... 2010 is looking... full of oxygen? Well, I tried.
Monday, January 25, 2010
Wednesday, January 20, 2010
Just To Get High
Before recently, I never bought into the "runner's high." I could not understand how running could make someone feel so great. I mean, sure, I felt "good" because I was being healthy and was fast and fit, but running never really made me feel euphoric. Instead, it always made me feel tired and sore, and, as a result, cranky. All those runners who wrote in Runner's World about how great their latest trip was after laying down a few miles were damn dirty liars. There was no high. Just heaviness everywhere; legs, eyes, head... everywhere.
But then I had my run on Saturday. Saturday was just a usual walk/run (the more recent 5:00 walk, 10:00 minute version) on the treadmill at 10:00/mile; nothing special, nothing fancy. But WOW did it feel good! I felt awake, loose, comfortable and, true to high symptoms, elated. It was awesome! I felt like I could have kept running for miles and miles. And this wasn't just a one time deal; I got high from my run yesterday too even despite some soreness from the weekend's skiing. I have finally seen what the others have seen. I am now a believer, and worshiper, of the runner's high.
So why now? Why did it it take me 13 years of running to feel the runner's high when it takes some days? My theory lies in my recent training. When I was running competitively in high school and college, I was running at such a high intensity level, that any sort of "high" that might have come out with running was drowned out by shear exhaustion from working so hard all the time. Post-collegiately, until recently, I had been fixated on training at that high level despite not having the fitness that I kept ending up injured and frustrated. What's been different in this latest stretch of running since Christmas from other points in my career is that I have been very careful to not push the pace (10:00/mile has been my clip the entire time) or distance regardless of how I've felt. I've progressed super slow from running 5:00 at a time to 10:00 and have kept all my runs to the flat treadmill. For the past two weeks I have been doing 2 sets of 5 minutes of walking, 10 of running, bringing my total run time up to 20 minutes. It isn't until next week that I will try to run for 20:00 at once. Considering I am now coming from years essentially off from running, such a progression is absolutely vital to my success down the road.
Despite all this feeling good, I don't think I'm totally over my peroneal tendon injury. My shmarmy orthopedic thinks differently considering he gave me the all clear a couple weeks ago at an appointment but some residual tightness and irritation along the outside of my lower leg suggests to me that I need to be careful. In the past few weeks I've been quite good about stretching out my calves on my quasi-newly-purchased wedge which, according to everyone I've seen about this issue, will help. It certainly can't hurt anyway. I've also been icing religiously which has also been helping. I'm just a bit nervous for the day that I begin to add hills and roads back into my routine which is where the problem really presented itself. I guess we'll just cross that bridge when we get there. Til' then, I'll keep on enjoying getting buzzed off my slow trots on the treadmill.
But then I had my run on Saturday. Saturday was just a usual walk/run (the more recent 5:00 walk, 10:00 minute version) on the treadmill at 10:00/mile; nothing special, nothing fancy. But WOW did it feel good! I felt awake, loose, comfortable and, true to high symptoms, elated. It was awesome! I felt like I could have kept running for miles and miles. And this wasn't just a one time deal; I got high from my run yesterday too even despite some soreness from the weekend's skiing. I have finally seen what the others have seen. I am now a believer, and worshiper, of the runner's high.
So why now? Why did it it take me 13 years of running to feel the runner's high when it takes some days? My theory lies in my recent training. When I was running competitively in high school and college, I was running at such a high intensity level, that any sort of "high" that might have come out with running was drowned out by shear exhaustion from working so hard all the time. Post-collegiately, until recently, I had been fixated on training at that high level despite not having the fitness that I kept ending up injured and frustrated. What's been different in this latest stretch of running since Christmas from other points in my career is that I have been very careful to not push the pace (10:00/mile has been my clip the entire time) or distance regardless of how I've felt. I've progressed super slow from running 5:00 at a time to 10:00 and have kept all my runs to the flat treadmill. For the past two weeks I have been doing 2 sets of 5 minutes of walking, 10 of running, bringing my total run time up to 20 minutes. It isn't until next week that I will try to run for 20:00 at once. Considering I am now coming from years essentially off from running, such a progression is absolutely vital to my success down the road.
Despite all this feeling good, I don't think I'm totally over my peroneal tendon injury. My shmarmy orthopedic thinks differently considering he gave me the all clear a couple weeks ago at an appointment but some residual tightness and irritation along the outside of my lower leg suggests to me that I need to be careful. In the past few weeks I've been quite good about stretching out my calves on my quasi-newly-purchased wedge which, according to everyone I've seen about this issue, will help. It certainly can't hurt anyway. I've also been icing religiously which has also been helping. I'm just a bit nervous for the day that I begin to add hills and roads back into my routine which is where the problem really presented itself. I guess we'll just cross that bridge when we get there. Til' then, I'll keep on enjoying getting buzzed off my slow trots on the treadmill.
Friday, December 4, 2009
An Overdue Update
New Years resolution: get better at posting more frequently so as to avoid lengthy "catch up" posts, such as this one.
The lack of posting has largely been due to Grad. school's ability to be all consuming. I actually shouldn't really be posting now since I owe 17 pages in a writing, a poster for a conference coming up in a week, and a class project presentation by next Friday but I needed a break and what a better way to take one than to post my running complaints on the interweb?
Not much has changed with my running situation, which is another reason I've been MIA from the blogosphere. I did start running again back in August with a couple walk/run "workouts" ~3 times per week. The walk/run routine consisted of 5:00 of walking and 5:00-10:00 of running, depending on how I was feeling. The walk/runs have largely been on the treadmill and slow (~10:00 pace) which was what I needed. Unfortunately, this is still where I'm at. A healthy combination of work, illness, and injury return has kept me from my goal of getting back up to 3 miles 3-4 times a week by the Turkey Trot, which happened last Thursday. I did end up participating in the Turkey Trot but as a jogger/walker. The finishing time? 37:12. My slowest 5K yet! Surprisingly, I wasn't all that bummed and had maybe the most fun I've had at a 5K. The people in the back of the pack are way more fun then the competitive folks up front!
The biggest problem injury-wise has been the adjustment of my orthotics. Things felt good right after I first got them in August but after I got them adjusted in October, things went south. Trying to correct my excessive eversion, my orthotic guy (what is their proper title anyway?) added extra arch support. This caused me to put all sorts of pressure on the outsides of my foot resulting in a return of pain. I stopped running for a bit but did not see the pain subside. A bout with a nasty virus sidelined me for a little while longer pushing my time from running to 3 weeks. Just recently (literally a couple days ago), I had my orthotics adjusted again this time in the opposite direction; orthotics man added some wedging which corrects the food the other way. This felt good, so I decided to take to the treadmill again for a walk/run (5:00 walk, 5:00 run). So much for improvement. Though the outside of my foot doesn't hurt anymore (plus), the outside of my right leg is more tight and sore than it has been before (minus). And it gets better: no longer is it just my right leg, this week I've notice a similar soreness/tightness on my lower left leg too (double minus). My next orthotics visit is only in a couple weeks so I'm going to ride out the pain and hope that I just need some time to adjust to the changes. I've also returned to the stretching, icing and ibuprofen routine which'll hopefully help keep things from getting out of control.
The new goal is to be able to run the Runnin' O' the Green 4-miler in March 6, 2010. I ran this race last year and had a great time and would like to do it again. A super goal would be to beat last year's time of 33:56, but that'll depend on my consistency over the next couple of months. For all you avid ChelsRuns followers (and general Chelsea stalkers) interested in keeping tabs on my consistency, you welcome to view and comment on my online running log. I started it a couple months back to keep myself accountable. Your feedback is appreciated!
The good thing about this whole peroneal tendon fiasco has been that it's given me a somewhat new perspective on running. I've learned to appreciate just being able to run and to not be disappointed in how slow or short I run. I'm hoping I can keep this perspective, since I think it's key for making running a lifelong hobby.
The lack of posting has largely been due to Grad. school's ability to be all consuming. I actually shouldn't really be posting now since I owe 17 pages in a writing, a poster for a conference coming up in a week, and a class project presentation by next Friday but I needed a break and what a better way to take one than to post my running complaints on the interweb?
Not much has changed with my running situation, which is another reason I've been MIA from the blogosphere. I did start running again back in August with a couple walk/run "workouts" ~3 times per week. The walk/run routine consisted of 5:00 of walking and 5:00-10:00 of running, depending on how I was feeling. The walk/runs have largely been on the treadmill and slow (~10:00 pace) which was what I needed. Unfortunately, this is still where I'm at. A healthy combination of work, illness, and injury return has kept me from my goal of getting back up to 3 miles 3-4 times a week by the Turkey Trot, which happened last Thursday. I did end up participating in the Turkey Trot but as a jogger/walker. The finishing time? 37:12. My slowest 5K yet! Surprisingly, I wasn't all that bummed and had maybe the most fun I've had at a 5K. The people in the back of the pack are way more fun then the competitive folks up front!
The biggest problem injury-wise has been the adjustment of my orthotics. Things felt good right after I first got them in August but after I got them adjusted in October, things went south. Trying to correct my excessive eversion, my orthotic guy (what is their proper title anyway?) added extra arch support. This caused me to put all sorts of pressure on the outsides of my foot resulting in a return of pain. I stopped running for a bit but did not see the pain subside. A bout with a nasty virus sidelined me for a little while longer pushing my time from running to 3 weeks. Just recently (literally a couple days ago), I had my orthotics adjusted again this time in the opposite direction; orthotics man added some wedging which corrects the food the other way. This felt good, so I decided to take to the treadmill again for a walk/run (5:00 walk, 5:00 run). So much for improvement. Though the outside of my foot doesn't hurt anymore (plus), the outside of my right leg is more tight and sore than it has been before (minus). And it gets better: no longer is it just my right leg, this week I've notice a similar soreness/tightness on my lower left leg too (double minus). My next orthotics visit is only in a couple weeks so I'm going to ride out the pain and hope that I just need some time to adjust to the changes. I've also returned to the stretching, icing and ibuprofen routine which'll hopefully help keep things from getting out of control.
The new goal is to be able to run the Runnin' O' the Green 4-miler in March 6, 2010. I ran this race last year and had a great time and would like to do it again. A super goal would be to beat last year's time of 33:56, but that'll depend on my consistency over the next couple of months. For all you avid ChelsRuns followers (and general Chelsea stalkers) interested in keeping tabs on my consistency, you welcome to view and comment on my online running log. I started it a couple months back to keep myself accountable. Your feedback is appreciated!
The good thing about this whole peroneal tendon fiasco has been that it's given me a somewhat new perspective on running. I've learned to appreciate just being able to run and to not be disappointed in how slow or short I run. I'm hoping I can keep this perspective, since I think it's key for making running a lifelong hobby.
Friday, August 14, 2009
Updated Race Calendar
With the orthotics in place and feeling good (for the most part), I'm going to take my first running steps this weekend. It'll be slow and short; the plan is to do three sets of five minutes of walking, five of running back to back. I'm nervous to start back given that every other time I've started up, I've had to stop again. But with a solid two months of no running under my belt and a plan to get back reeeeeally slowly, this time will hopefully be different.
The ultimate goal is to get back for a few fall 5Ks, the first of which falls on the first weekend in October. I don't plan to run any PRs this fall but do hope to get to a point where running is comfortable and painless again; where races aren't disappointing but fun. Hopefully by getting back into it slowly, I'll set myself up for a solid race season in 2010.
The ultimate goal is to get back for a few fall 5Ks, the first of which falls on the first weekend in October. I don't plan to run any PRs this fall but do hope to get to a point where running is comfortable and painless again; where races aren't disappointing but fun. Hopefully by getting back into it slowly, I'll set myself up for a solid race season in 2010.
Saturday, August 1, 2009
The Saga Continues... An Update
Well, I still haven't run. This, I'm pretty sure, marks the longest break from running since I broke my foot my Sophomore year of college.
At the beginning of July, I saw an orthopedist about my foot. He diagnosed me with "peroneal tendon dysfunction" AKA "I-have-no-idea-whats-wrong-with-you-but-know-the-problem-has-something-to-do-with-that-tendon". I was prescribed PT, orthotics, and Ibproufen; no surprise.
I have since finished PT where I got rid of some scar tissue. My foot feels better, but whether or not that's as a result of PT or just a prolonged absence from running I think is still undecided.
I have been fit for orthotics and will pick them up a week from Monday. I'm hoping they help but am weary. The onset of this whole issue was seemingly sudden leading me to believe that there's an element to the problem that's more than just a biomechanical issue that has built up over time.
Both the guy who's making my orthotics and the physical therapist noted that my calves were unnaturally tight and that this may be the root of the whole problem. I would have to agree, which is super frustrating because that is EXACTLY what the guy I saw back in March said. I thought I was stretching enough but the flexibility tests suggest otherwise. This is where the orthotics will come in; by adjusting the way I run, it is hoped that the pressure will be taken off my lower legs.
As expected, this whole fiasco has altered my running plan. Things aren't looking good for the Seacoast half because I just don't think I have the time to get my mileage up. I already missed one race I paid for, the York Days 5K on July 26th, and will likely have to miss another, the Fox Point 5-miler in September, for the same mileage-build-up concerns that I have for the half. This is a bummer because I was really looking forward to this races. Racing's kind of why I want to keep running and it just sucks to have the taken away for who knows how long.
The plan for now is to start running again a week-ish after getting my orthotics. By that point it will have almost been a full 2 months of not running so coming back slowly is the key. I'll probably start with some run-walk workouts on the track and then go up from there. The good thing is that I have been somewhat good about getting into the gym or pool so hopefully the comeback will be easier and quicker than it might have been had I done nothing.
I'm also trying to get into Weight Watchers to start the weight loss which, while I've been told otherwise, I believe has had a role in this whole thing. I think I was running too hard for where I was fitness-wise and just had gotten to a point where my body wasn't able to recover fast enough. I have gained weight and loss a significant amount of fitness and should've been more conscious of this last year. Instead, I focused too much on the watch and the distance leading me to where I'm at today. I really hope this next round I can be better about really listening to my body and being less concerned with speed and distance.
Bring on the great return to running part 2.
At the beginning of July, I saw an orthopedist about my foot. He diagnosed me with "peroneal tendon dysfunction" AKA "I-have-no-idea-whats-wrong-with-you-but-know-the-problem-has-something-to-do-with-that-tendon". I was prescribed PT, orthotics, and Ibproufen; no surprise.
I have since finished PT where I got rid of some scar tissue. My foot feels better, but whether or not that's as a result of PT or just a prolonged absence from running I think is still undecided.
I have been fit for orthotics and will pick them up a week from Monday. I'm hoping they help but am weary. The onset of this whole issue was seemingly sudden leading me to believe that there's an element to the problem that's more than just a biomechanical issue that has built up over time.
Both the guy who's making my orthotics and the physical therapist noted that my calves were unnaturally tight and that this may be the root of the whole problem. I would have to agree, which is super frustrating because that is EXACTLY what the guy I saw back in March said. I thought I was stretching enough but the flexibility tests suggest otherwise. This is where the orthotics will come in; by adjusting the way I run, it is hoped that the pressure will be taken off my lower legs.
As expected, this whole fiasco has altered my running plan. Things aren't looking good for the Seacoast half because I just don't think I have the time to get my mileage up. I already missed one race I paid for, the York Days 5K on July 26th, and will likely have to miss another, the Fox Point 5-miler in September, for the same mileage-build-up concerns that I have for the half. This is a bummer because I was really looking forward to this races. Racing's kind of why I want to keep running and it just sucks to have the taken away for who knows how long.
The plan for now is to start running again a week-ish after getting my orthotics. By that point it will have almost been a full 2 months of not running so coming back slowly is the key. I'll probably start with some run-walk workouts on the track and then go up from there. The good thing is that I have been somewhat good about getting into the gym or pool so hopefully the comeback will be easier and quicker than it might have been had I done nothing.
I'm also trying to get into Weight Watchers to start the weight loss which, while I've been told otherwise, I believe has had a role in this whole thing. I think I was running too hard for where I was fitness-wise and just had gotten to a point where my body wasn't able to recover fast enough. I have gained weight and loss a significant amount of fitness and should've been more conscious of this last year. Instead, I focused too much on the watch and the distance leading me to where I'm at today. I really hope this next round I can be better about really listening to my body and being less concerned with speed and distance.
Bring on the great return to running part 2.
Monday, June 29, 2009
Biting the Bullet
Despite hopes that self-diagnosis and self-rehab (i.e., icing and sucking-it-up) would result in pain-free runs in the near future, I am going to see an orthopedic surgeon on Thursday. I was able to ignore the fact that my foot/ankle issue was still very present for the past few weeks since I was only running 2.5 miles every other day. Even then, though, the outside of my lower leg was always tight and the outside of my foot, while not incredibly sore, didn't feel right.
Last week I made the daring move up and ran 3.2 miles. The loop was very hilly and hard as hell, but it was my only option at the time. Afterwards, my foot was unbelievably sore and still hurts today. Needless to say, I haven't run since that run (last Wednesday).
I could continue to follow my plan of stopping for a week (or more) and then starting up again but something tells me I'm going to just keep ending up back here. I've been avoiding a doctor out of fear of being told not to run for weeks but clearly, I'm not progressing doing things the way I'm doing now.
I also have a feeling that the issue may be biomechanical given that it takes barely any running to knock me down. It may just be that running for 12 years and weight gain have left me running funny and in need of orthotics. Or a chiropractor. It'll take a real doctor to make that call though.
Last week I made the daring move up and ran 3.2 miles. The loop was very hilly and hard as hell, but it was my only option at the time. Afterwards, my foot was unbelievably sore and still hurts today. Needless to say, I haven't run since that run (last Wednesday).
I could continue to follow my plan of stopping for a week (or more) and then starting up again but something tells me I'm going to just keep ending up back here. I've been avoiding a doctor out of fear of being told not to run for weeks but clearly, I'm not progressing doing things the way I'm doing now.
I also have a feeling that the issue may be biomechanical given that it takes barely any running to knock me down. It may just be that running for 12 years and weight gain have left me running funny and in need of orthotics. Or a chiropractor. It'll take a real doctor to make that call though.
Wednesday, June 10, 2009
Haulted in Houston
As mentioned in my last post (which was far too long ago) I was slotted to spend several weeks in Houston, TX for air quality research. The overall experience was not as bad as expected and, dare I say, even fun (at times). As anticipated, however, the days were long and the breaks none existent; I literally worked 7 days a week 10-12 hours a day. While I liked the change in the type of work (more hands-on lab stuff rather than the paper-writing and data-analyzing I had been doing for the months pre-Houston), it was still exhausting to do it for that long. Needless to see, I'm happy to be back in the cool Northeast on a regular, less rigorous schedule.
Unfortunately and as predicted, my running suffered, though not for the reasons I originally thought. Even though the work days were long, for the first week and a half or so I was there, I was able to get my runs in. The runs I did do were on the treadmill, partially because of the heat and partially because I didn't want to run around the city alone (clearly, I am from New Hampshire), but they were runs all the same. I was starting to feel pretty good at 3 miles and was getting ready to jump up to the 4-5 range. Of course, right when I'm getting psyched about progress, my effing right foot/ankle starts acting up again. I take a couple days off and ice it, hoping it calms down. No dice. In the end, I took 3 weeks off.
With where I'm hurting and how I'm hurting, I think what's going on is peroneal tendinitis. This was my thought before, back in February, but then I was told it was just overall inflammation in my foot by a physical therapist. I'm not really sure how to go about fixing the problem except for taking time off, icing and taking anti-inflammatories. That and stretching my calves madly. Supposedly it's caused by tight calves (among other things) and, to be honest, stretching hasn't exactly been a priority in my post-collegiate training. I probably should start warming up again, even if it's walk-jogging for 5 minutes.
I ran for the first time in 3 weeks on Saturday and then again on Monday. Overall it felt good but I did notice a slight discomfort, which suggests that I need to keep taking it easy and keep on the ice/ibuprofen.
So. Frustrating. It's amazing how three years of inconsistent running and rapid weight gain can make you prone to injury. I mean tendonitis off of 3 mile runs 4 days a week at 8:45-9:00/mile when I used to run 30 miles a week at a much higher intensity? Depressing.
I'm working through it though. Hopefully I'll be able to manage the tendonitis and be able to get going again and have a solid summer of training. I really want to get in shape and get to a point where I'm not embarrassed by my body anymore. But I also don't want to try and train through the pain and get to a point where I'm so broken, I'm sidelined for months. I just have to make sure to keep listening to my body despite my impatience.
Unfortunately and as predicted, my running suffered, though not for the reasons I originally thought. Even though the work days were long, for the first week and a half or so I was there, I was able to get my runs in. The runs I did do were on the treadmill, partially because of the heat and partially because I didn't want to run around the city alone (clearly, I am from New Hampshire), but they were runs all the same. I was starting to feel pretty good at 3 miles and was getting ready to jump up to the 4-5 range. Of course, right when I'm getting psyched about progress, my effing right foot/ankle starts acting up again. I take a couple days off and ice it, hoping it calms down. No dice. In the end, I took 3 weeks off.
With where I'm hurting and how I'm hurting, I think what's going on is peroneal tendinitis. This was my thought before, back in February, but then I was told it was just overall inflammation in my foot by a physical therapist. I'm not really sure how to go about fixing the problem except for taking time off, icing and taking anti-inflammatories. That and stretching my calves madly. Supposedly it's caused by tight calves (among other things) and, to be honest, stretching hasn't exactly been a priority in my post-collegiate training. I probably should start warming up again, even if it's walk-jogging for 5 minutes.
I ran for the first time in 3 weeks on Saturday and then again on Monday. Overall it felt good but I did notice a slight discomfort, which suggests that I need to keep taking it easy and keep on the ice/ibuprofen.
So. Frustrating. It's amazing how three years of inconsistent running and rapid weight gain can make you prone to injury. I mean tendonitis off of 3 mile runs 4 days a week at 8:45-9:00/mile when I used to run 30 miles a week at a much higher intensity? Depressing.
I'm working through it though. Hopefully I'll be able to manage the tendonitis and be able to get going again and have a solid summer of training. I really want to get in shape and get to a point where I'm not embarrassed by my body anymore. But I also don't want to try and train through the pain and get to a point where I'm so broken, I'm sidelined for months. I just have to make sure to keep listening to my body despite my impatience.
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