Hello Blogness My Old Friend!

The day is August 21, 2014.. oh wait. That's what I would said if i was even an amateur blogger who kept up with his blog. Instead, the day is the 11th day of April, 2015, and I'm here in bloggers anonymous. I have a blogger and I have a commitment problem!

So where have I been?

(TL:DR Having kid #2 really put a full court press on open time, being sidelined from running for another 3+ months, really puts a damper on motivation to blog about...running.)

These minions have monopolized my time and energy:

Having a threenager and a very needy baby boy maxed out my motivation and energy for the year.

At the time of my last post, I was running and getting a really good return on my distance runs.... Until October...When I got  pes anserine bursitis... while rocking my baby boy in his sleeping apparatus with my foot. Soak it in and see how well people believe it in conversation. What happened was (6+ hours after my run and stretches), I was resting on the bed and rocking the baby's rocker bottom with my foot, I stood up, took 4 steps and my left knee gave up and I couldn't walk. I quickly got into the doctor and got sent to PT  (Holler Athletico!). The timing was ironic as I was discharged on Friday, the injury happened Sunday and I was back the next week. I think they have a voodoo doll of me just to bring me back and test new CIA black site torture techniques on me.

Their face when I check in for "therapy"

I tried to run a few times, but my balance was way off and I was in some abnormal pains after the runs. So I was shut down for 3 months. Any runner will tell you, every day off feels like 5 when you're sidelined. The downtime was tough, right as I was hitting my stride again and running with friends on the weekend, I'm sitting on the couch again. I tried to look at the pro's of this, take advantage of the extra sleep as the baby was found of seeing us through the night and all the totes cool [bruising] time I got to spend with my physical therapy family. Being set up for a long time at least has the benefit of not having the anxiety of trying every morning for some miracle. 

Moving forward to 2015, I'm released to start the return to run program, which is mentally embarrassing to a running ego. Having just done the program in the Summer of 2014, I knew I was looking at three months of being humbled, forcing my patience, and acceptance. I was looking at three months of trying to develop trust in my leg wouldn't give out on me again and losing the injury weight.

The baby thankfully has slept more at night, so I have been able to get up earlier to get a longer runch (run during lunch) in at work. Getting those short sparks of muscle memory in my legs kept my spirits alive and hopeful. Seeing small leaps happen every week gave me more trust to not get complacent. 

And here we are in the now. I'm running 5-6 days a week. I'm trying not to focus on forcing a certain weekly mileage or treat every week as the crux week of a training cycle. I'm just trying to love running again and get to the point where I can keep up with my speedster friends again and get back in the mix.

So my status? down about 15lbs, my interval speed runs have moved from 5:52 to 5:50 (and maybe to 4:40s) pace and I can do 16 mile runs without trouble again. I feel like I'm in a good position again and hoping I don't fall down randomly and hurt myself soon #jinx #doublejinx

What else is going on? I've been loving the Flash on the CW

Archer on FX

And so far, Daredevil on Netflix:

Also, I have grown an appreciation for nice ties! (christian grey brand.. wait no)

I'll end here and I promise I'll try to start pushing updates and even reading some blogs (old and new!) in the future.

So please, leave a comment, tell me how you've been or is this your first time? Happy Spring!

To run is human, to rest is feeling bovine

Hello All!

I'm still twiddling my thumbs over here, waiting to get the okay to run again. I got cleared to do light impact exercise, like the bike. I hopped on an exercise bike, and quickly got bored due to the lack of intensity I could offer the machine due to my cranky knee. Although I pressed on with the "effort" just to get some sort of calorie burn. Director's Commentary: I couldn't even get my heart rate up and my body sweating! At least I don't look gross and sweaty right?

One more complaint about my sprained MCL and I'll move on! Getting my leg muscles working and walking around for 10-15 minutes helps the blood flow, reduces swelling, and eventually, I don't have to put much thought into having a normal gait. Great right? Well, working a desk job, or sitting for more than 10-15 minutes does the reverse of walking. Freezes up my knee and makes walking an uncomfortable chore. So if you see me walking weird:

The treatment for my sprained MCL (and my ankles) at physical therapy has easily been my most painful physical therapy bout to date! My therapist, Rachel (same one I had last year), has been using the Graston Technique on both my legs, my right knee, and my ankles.  I'm sure many of you have experienced the glory yourself of the metal tools of torture breaking all that holy scar tissue in your legs. The pain is fun enough, but when they redo areas that were nicely bruised the last session, holy crap. I'm pretty sure I was having an out of body pain experience!

And when my therapist asks if I'm okay, knowing it'll help me in the long run I say:

Still no estimated return time to running. Could be next week, could be in a few weeks! The first week or two running will have hard caps on time running as well (I'm sure I'll complain about that too!).

Okay, I'm getting off my waaambulance. How about some links?

I have linked this a few times before, but come check out my subreddit! http://www.reddit.com/r/RunnersInChicago/
The community is over 600 people strong now and I brought on board a few active members to help get more events going on, like track night!

Ever want to see the public running clubs in Chicago (proper) mapped out? Well I did, so I made the map! I only used groups that have normal runs, open to the public, and some static meeting point.:
Map here!  Let me know if I missed any groups!

I found this running video funny:


I really enjoyed this interview with Steve Jones, "I Never Wore A Watch": Running Lessons From A Record-Breaking Everyman". Gave me some inspiration in this dull rehab times.

That's enough text for today! Kudo's if you know the source of some of the gifs!

I hope you have a great long weekend!

Rest Day Thoughts - Rehabbing on the Run

This is a post about rehabbing on the run.

I'm not a physical therapy virgin  Prior to this current stint, I was rehabbing my other calf last November/December.  About 60% of the stuff I'm doing now, I was doing in my last PT jail time.

The difference?

Last time I could take a couple weeks off, gently start running again, and not worry about my pace. I could rehab my injury in prime speed. This time... not so much. I'm exhausted in the process.

Note: Your experience may vary

I asked my physical therapist how long this would take the heal if I rested vs my current training needs to feel "normal" again. 1-1.15 months if I rested and eased back vs 3 - 4 months of doing what I do now. So <20 miles a week to recover vs >60mpw. Mental ouch. I obviously won't be going to therapy that entire time. Likely only a couple more weeks.

Don't take me wrong, I'm happy to be able to push through my runs and be close to my times, but how I feel the rest of the day after my run is completely different.  I normally feel super human all morning and want to run again.  Now my legs are just like NOPE! Sit down mofo, we hurt.

It is sort of like being Yoda in  Attack of the Clones. Hobbling around most of the time, trying to conserve your running force and channeling it for your hard runs.  You know you got the ability to do it, just have to believe in yourself, and maybe take an Ibuprofen the night before..You run it, then hobble again.



Now in my head, I always pretend that injury/rehab/return process is like this:


Except it isn't.  Therapy feels good at the time (painful good) , but they don't tell you that for one to a few days after, that worked on area can be a wonky mess.

It is like Jenga.  You walk in with whatever junk built up in your leg, they break it down, so your body can put it back together properly. During this process, weight bearing and going full tilt on that muscle is a show of stubbornness and a mental battle to decide when you are hurting yourself and when you are running over the hurt to get better.

This blog has helped me remember what pains and aches I have every day to recant to the therapist for her notes and plan for the day.  This at least helps mentally to have more confidence in the professionals hands that torture me.  They also have been upping the intensity of the exercises, as I'm now building up a sweat for the 75 minutes they build me up and tear me down.

Last night, I was spent by the time I got home.  Getting off the couch and dealing with the tot was a challenge.

But always worth it!

Happy Friday Eve!

Hustle Hard

Weekend post.

Saturday.. 10 easy miles on plan. Cutback weekend.

I didn't wake up with my first alarm. Got out a few late... I forgot to account for stretching time and a bathroom break...run getting shortened.

I start at 5:25am. A gnat immediately flies in my eye. Great start.. Take a few steps and oh god... My left calf....

The spot the physical therapist dug into like there was gold in there multiple times was screaming. I could barely break out of my jog.  I felt a lot better running Friday than I did post therapy beat up. I sure hope this is worth it.

Begin mental breakdown.

I just want to feel stronger again. I keep telling myself my leg would warm up. That is was from therapy.. don't freak out. 

Get to my stretching point. Edge of a thunderstorm rolls by.. sprinkles and lightening... Maybe I'll go home and try this later.. just a few more miles. Gotta hustle. Closed mouths don't get fed on this training boulevard.

The refrain from this song keeps repeating in my head, and gets me through a few rough spots in my runs.

 

I slowly can push off that leg again. My pace normalizes, but now I'm getting bathroom alerts.
Pit stop!

2 miles left and these two fast runners run by mile. I already had to cut a mile out of my rub, and I'm still cutting it close.  After they get ahead by about 15-20 feet, I hold their pace. This will get me home quickly.

Then my legs turn on. The outside world goes silent. My brain tells my body to flood the adrenaline and this tune goes on:


(Note: I really want to go to a Daft Punk concert)

My mind can't negotiate this. They get closer to me. Are they slowing down? I fly off. I shouldn't. I don't need to. It is rude. But I already have.

You know when you have a blind rage to go fast?

A ridiculously fast mile later I come back to my senses, look back and nobody is there. I wonder if they were real. It was a little glimmer back to how I felt just a month ago pretty constantly.

I get home thinking the kid is still asleep. I check the monitor, she is sitting up and says, daddy!

I walk in sweating with my yoga mat and water. She gets up and hops around me as I stretch.

At night (see 4pm) we go to Taste of Peru and enjoy a super tasty dinner. I highly recommend this place!

Sunday run. Another 10 easy pace miles. I decide to not set an alarm... I needed sleep.

Get out around 8:15am.

New ache to deal with today. More the area of the subjective complaints of shin splints. I'm getting real sick of this. One part feels better. The next lines up. Maybe those muscles were compensating for the previously sore ones. They better all get this crap out of their system soon, ain't nobody got time for that.

No rush at least for pace, just do it. Hustle for those miles. I tell myself, if I made it through yesterday, I can do today.

Within the 10 minutes I take to get to my stretching area I'm already sweating a ridiculous amount. My pace is a lot better than yesterday at least. I'll take what I can get.

This run is a steady run, I try to make sure the pace doesn't require much effort.  I refrained from chasing anyone that had a faster run on their schedule and kept on my humble way.

Highlights - I saw Pete @ The Lakefront Trail, a coworker, and a later confirmed sighting of Hillary @ Tongue in Chic.

 The ache/tightness in sides of my calves (yes both this time) eased up about 6 miles in, and I was glad to be at least exercising. I had about two instances of tightness in my original strain area, although I know it is all related.

Glad it is a cutback weekend. Not glad that I am not getting a more consistent string of feel good runs.  I'm not falling off any physical times, but mentally, it is getting tougher to believe that I'll be able to keep this up and rehab. But I believe enough that I can.

And I still believe that the rehab people will be able to get me in my fighting shape by race time (even though I currently am only scheduled for 2 more weeks..).

Enough of the boo hoo talk.

And a big holler to Annabelle @ Fluency's Folley for getting first place among women at the No Frills Marathon today!

This was obviously how she reacted upon crossing the finish line:

Aight, Thanks for hanging around for my ramblings!

Have a great Labor Day tomorrow!