IT bands, achilles, and metatarsals...OH MY!

What does an IT band, an Achilles tendon, and a 4th metatarsal have in common?!

Well...if they are located on my body, specifically on the right side...they've been injured at one time or another during my training. (and...each injury was probably due to me making a stupid training choice/error)

~IT band: in September of 2009 as my training drew to a close for Marathon #1 (Chicago in October of 2009)...I was completing one of my longer training runs with some new friends in the Lake Run Club Marathon Training group...it was 18 miles or so...and for some unknown reason, I decided to really push it for that last mile. I was all full of adrenaline or something, and took off for that final mile. I ended up running that final mile in just over 7 minutes (which, for me, was a feat :)). What do ya know...that week I started having knee problems. UGH!!

~Achilles tendon: Last fall (2010), prior to marathon #3 (Quad Cities)...I was still having some knee issues. Leading up to the marathon, I spent a lot of time in the pool swimming laps and pool jogging thanks to my knee. I ended up finishing the marathon quite strong (for me!) and even PR'ed. The day after, though, my ankle bothered the crap outta me. The next Saturday, pain and all, I ran a 5k...Run the Woods. I was running it with some co-workers and had really talked it up. There was no way, in my mind, that I wasn't going. I even got 2nd in my age group! The following week the ankle hurt even more...so I had it checked out by a sports doctor. Turns out I had some nasty Achilles tendinitis, complete with that really fun crunching sound when ya move (crepitus...a fun word).

~Metatarsal...specifically #4...currently I am dealing with a lovely stress fracture. I am reluctant to admit that it is likely "my own fault". Last Sunday I ran 2 5k's. I ran the first one in 22:52, which boils down to 7:22ish minute miles. Honestly, in the grand scheme...that's nothing all too impressive. However, it was a 5k PR for me...and it happened to be a relatively small, event...and I ended up being the top female finisher! This event was at 1pm in the afternoon...and there was a second 5k across town at 2:30. I am sure you know where this is going. I thought...why not? I ran the second one a bit slower (24ish minutes)....but after just about 1 mile, I started to feel some pain in my right foot. I did slow my pace a bit, but it honestly didn't hurt badly enough to stop (or so I thought). When I finished (I was the 4th female finisher in this event and the 15th finisher overall....this event was quite a bit bigger than the 1st)....I was DEFINITELY "feeling it"! It was pretty miserable walking about a mile to where my car was parked. I went to see a PT this week who ran ultrasound over it...apparently stress fractures do not show up on x-rays until about 3 weeks after the fact when they've begun to heal and you can see the new ossification of the bone. Apparently, though, if you run ultrasound over it...it causes the bones to vibrate, resulting in pain. While I wouldn't classify the ensuing "pain" as "severe", it was definitely uncomfortable....so, I'm in a walking boot right now. Pretty awesome, and pretty hot!

SO....it is looking like, unfortunately, the half marathon at the U of I will not be happening for me next Saturday. I am trying not to think about it too much so as not to be really sad about it. Truth is, I am super bummed. My sister and Jeremy are running...I am definitely still planning to go, and will likely just see if I can volunteer at a water station or something.

I'm hoping to make it to the Lake Run in a week (which would be three weeks after the stress fracture began)...but we'll see. If not, I'll just man a water station there too. Guess I'll just embrace the opportunities as lessons in humility, eh?

My first tri is one month away...precisely four weeks from today. I've been keeping up the swimming and biking ends of things (just got back from a 13 mile bike ride, actually, and am presently icing my foot on the couch :)). I sincerely hope to make it...we'll see.

Well...I plan to keep on keepin' on! Hopefully my body cooperates :)

Little hiatus

Well...my doctor's appointment on Wednesday afternoon went well. The doctor I saw was very nice...and I think was a little amused by me/my apparent craziness. After hearing me rattle on and on about my history/symptoms/what I've been doing about things lately...he says, "So you are a runner." I responded, "Well I try." He replied, "You run when it hurts. That means you're a real runner." Well, pin a rose on my nose ;). The fact that that statement gave me a little delight probably means I have some sort of issues ;).

So, the worst pain lately has been the suspected Achilles tendinitis. Turns out, my PT friends Jamie and Jillian were correct and I am indeed presenting with Achilles tendinitis (which, if you've never experienced this, is SUPER painful. We're talking...I was wearing flip flops even in the cold because I couldn't stand to have anything pressing on the back of my ankle/heel). The doctor prescribed methylprednisolone, a steroid. I took six pills Wednesday night after filling the script with my good friend Lynden at CVS in Normal :), five pills yesterday, and will take four today (have taken one so far). Boy oh boy. Yesterday I had an awful headache that I am "blaming" on the drugs, but who knows. Of course "headache" is a potential side effect of the drugs...but headaches are side effects of pretty much EVERY drug I feel like! So, who knows if it's related at all or not ;). However....the pain in my Achilles is extremely diminished. So, that's awesome! It was hurting just to take a step!

I have to wait to run until I am completely pain-free...and then wait two days past the feeling of being pain-free. So, could be over a week. So far, I'm surviving ;).

I went out for a run on Tuesday night...I received a text from my good friend Ashley who told me she had just gone out and run five miles for the first time EVER in her life! I was SUPER proud of her...but it also made me really jealous (ok, that is an awful, awful thing to admit...but it is true!) and I thought to myself, "Why CAN'T I just go out for a nice little five-mile jog?" SO, I hurried home from work, quickly changed into running gear and hit the road. It felt great (mentally)...but my body felt awful. My form had to be completely heinous-looking. I truly hope that no one I knew saw me out there running! Not pretty at all. But, it got the job done :). It had been NINE days since the previous run....

Here's my running performance in the past few weeks:
1. Sunday, September 26--Quad Cities Marathon: 3:53:51 finishing time...8:56 pace....227/695 finishers....58/256 women......12/49 in my division...and a PR!!! :) :)
2. Saturday, October 2--Run the Woods: 25:46.1 finishing time....8:19 pace.....51/184 runners and 2nd in my age group (I would like to point out that this was 26 seconds faster than my Run the Woods time last year...which is impressive in my mind because last year I ran the race the weekend before the Chicago Marathon...and this year I ran it the weekend AFTER the Quad Cities Marathon, following knee issues and in the midst of some pretty painful Achilles tendinitis! Woot!)
3. Tuesday, October 12--I ran five miles at a 10 min/mile pace (UGH!) just to keep my sanity and to "say goodbye" to running for a while until my body is fixed.

So, just 34.3 miles in the past 3 weeks...when I am used to doing that many miles (give or take a few here or there) in one week!

So...goodbye for a few days (hopefully not WEEKS), dear running! Hope to see you SOON! :)

Maybe I'll have to figure out some sort of other hobby/vice to keep myself occupied ;).

Absent...

Yeah, so I haven't posted since Sept 5 on my good ol' marathon training blog.

Sadly (in my opinion), that's because I haven't been doing a whole lot in the way of marathon training.

My leg is super jacked. Super.

I feel like a hypochondriac, but I swear I am not.

I know pain can be mental...but I am pretty sure this isn't. I mean, what is there to be afraid of? It's not like this is my first rodeo, kids. This is marathon three! Marathon three in twelve months! It's not exactly "old hat," but it's nothing new either.

I know what to expect.

I know I am SO excited.

I know I have only eleven training days left....

and...

I know I haven't run on land in 6 long days.

Six!

As I posted on facebook today, I feel as if I may explode. I've been "redirecting my energy" in somewhat odd (for me!) ways like...making salsa last night. What? Who spends their Monday night making salsa?! It was yummy, if you were wondering ;).

I ran eight miles last Wednesday (September 8) and, frankly, it felt like some sort of torture. The first two miles were heinous. My inner thigh area (groin?) on my right leg was super tight and painful-feeling...it's a pain that's deep in there. Hard to describe. Painful. Hated.

My knee felt as if it was grinding (right knee...always issues with the right leg!! Wish I could trade it for another left leg. That leg seems to be golden, for the most part).

I took 4 Ibuprofens before I left...and they seemed to kick in after about 5 miles or so. Well, either they were kicking in or my leg was just going numb. Or both.

I was definitely numb.

I did most of the 8 miles at a 9 min/mile pace, but was able to speed up a bit at the end (once the numbness set in!) to an 8:30 min/mile pace.

Right now...I am learning patience. I am not a patient person. Not in the slightest. Actually, that may not be entirely true ;). I had a teacher at a school where I see some kiddos for speech today compliment my patience. I also had a parent of a little guy I see on Mondays commend my patient demeanor with his son after the session on Monday. So, I guess I've got it in me somewhere ;). I have to admit, though, while I may exude patience on the exterior at times like that when it really "counts"...on the inside I am anything but.

And right now...I am anything but patient.

I want to run, and I want to run...NOW. Tonight. Last night. Every night.

I hate this leg for holding me back.

But....I am holding out for the "prize"...taking some time off, because I know my knee needs to heal. I know I can't obtain my prize...starting the Quad Cities Marathon 11 days, 14 hours, and 41 minutes from now and finishing said race approximately four hours after that...in this kind of pain.

Ick.

I am jealous of every runner I see outside. We've been blessed with some amazing weather here in Central IL lately...and all I can think about is how much I want to be out there running, how much I feel like I need to be out there running, and how frustrated I am by the fact that I am NOT out there running.

Do I have a problem?

Yeah, probably. Probably a few ;).

Saturday I went to water aerobics with my dear pregnant friend. I mocked it ;) before trying it, but it ended up being a great workout...and it truly made my leg feel awesome.

Sunday I did pool running for an hour. Talk about boring ;). But, again, my leg felt awesome.

Blah blah blah.

here's hoping things improve, soon.

Sigh of relief...

So my knee feels better than it has since before my 18-mile run on Saturday, September 5! WHEW! I've employed the advice of many ;)...and hope that things continue to look up. We're just over three weeks til race day, folks!!

Workouts the past 2 weeks....

Saturday, September 5: 18 miles
Sunday, September 6: Rest
Monday, September 7: Rest
Tuesday, September 8: ran 1 mile slow, walked 1 mile (***after my PT friend told me NOT TO DO ANYTHING...whooops)
Wednesday, September 9: Rest
Thursday, September 10: Rest
Friday, September 11: Rest also had an ionic steroid treatment on my right knee
Saturday, September 12: Rest
Sunday, September 13: 14 miles
Monday, September 14: 65 minutes on elliptical
Tuesday, September 15: 30 minutes "running" in the pool (in the deep end with a fitness belt thingie), followed by 5 minutes of laps
Wednesday, September 16: 8.5 miles also had an ionic steroid treatment on my right knee pre-run
Thursday, September 17: 30 minutes "running" in the pool (same as Tues.)

And, I feel great! I'll be taking the next two days off and then running the big TWENTY on Sunday. I can't wait!! :)

ONE MONTH to go!

I can hardly believe it...just one month to go til the big day!

This morning I ran 14 miles with Dan and John...it is a "taper down" week before building up to our big 20-mile run next weekend. We took it a bit easier than usual (Dan is also battling some issues....his are with his Achilles tendon in his left foot).

I feel decent...not nearly as awful as I felt last Saturday afternoon after the 18-mile run. After the adrenaline wore off last Saturday my knee hurt really badly.

I went to see David McClure at the Sports Enhancement Center on Tuesday and Friday this week and he helped me out a ton...he's a really nice, really great guy. He had some good suggestions...and gave me some steroid therapy (pics in previous post!) on Friday that seemed to really help. I am hopeful!

Nate, also at the Sports Enhancement Center, also suggested some new shoes...Asics Nimbus...I bought them Wednesday and then tried them out for 6.75 on the treadmill at the gym. They were expensive ;), but felt great. I wore them today on the 14 mile run and had no issues with the fit or feel of them...which was wonderful.

So between rest (I did NOTHING Sunday, Monday, Thursday, Friday, and Saturday this week...YOWZA!), ice, Motrin, new shoes, steroids, David, Nate, and a band worn above my knee during today's run (per another trainer at SEC's suggestion)....I am doing better.

No way am I giving up, no way, no how! I am far too excited about this...and have been training for far too long! Basically all year, really! I got really serious about the IL half marathon back in February, ran the half in April, and then registered for Chicago shortly thereafter. So, this has really been a February-October deal! We're going on 7.5 months right now of training.

It's frustrating, honestly....cardio-vascuarly I feel AWESOME. I feel like I could run and run and run and run forever. I haven't even been really winded at the end of all of our long runs (aside from last week, when I finished the last mile of 18 miles in 7:20ish....yeah, that's a story for another time). The endurance issue is with my joints (particularly my knees!)...which is so frustrating! I wish I could whip those puppies into shape and make them more durable ;).

I couldn't sleep last night...I tossed and turned all night. I was really worried about my knees, particularly the right one that has given me issues since last Saturday's 18-miler. I feel ok right now (probably still floating on that runners' high a bit! ;))....but I have a feeling I am going to hit a wall and just CRASH later on today.

P.S. a little lofty ;), but in the back of my mind is the 3:40:59 Boston qualifying time requirement....I mean, if you double my half marathon time you get something around 3 hours and 54 minutes....and I am in much better shape (if my knee cooperates, of course ;)) right now than I was before the half marathon....is it realistic to shoot for? Not sure. Now that it's in my head, it's gonna be hard to forget about it ;). However, I am gonna do my best to push it back and "forget" about it and focus on.....1) Staying healthy.....2) FINISHING....and 3) finishing in under 4 hours.....

Here's to running....and staying strong and healthy!

IT band fun

18

Well today was the day of more firsts for me :)...I ran 17, then 18 miles! The most I'd run prior to this was 16 miles, so miles 17 and 18 were totally new territory...and it felt great! I had the best "runners' high" ever afterwards, too ;). After three straight hours of running, I felt like I could conquer the world! So, I picked up an iced coffee for me and some McDonald's breakfast for Jeremy on my way home (per his request; yeah, we're health freaks around here! HA! Actually, though, he has lost TWENTY-EIGHT pounds this summer; and it wasn't like he needed to, either)....then when I got home I did 2 loads of laundry, cleaned out the fridge (aka threw away old/expired stuff, and washed the shelves/walls of the fridge), cleaned the litter box, emptied/re-loaded the dishwasher....and then crashed. Boy oh boy was I TIRED! I still am. I've been somewhat worthless for most of the day.

In other news, I may have screwed up my right knee. It's not feeling good. I just e-mailed a co-worker whose husband is a PT who works at a sports' clinic here in town to see if he could see me. I am not messing with this crap; I hope it's something I can deal with and deal with quickly and easily. There are just FIVE weekends between me and the marathon and I am not giving up!