More on Sacroiliac (SI) Joint Dysfunction and Running

I've been getting a lot of questions about SI joint dysfunction lately. Before I post,  I just want to explain that I am not a doctor nor do I consider myself an expert in sacroiliac joint dysfunction. I am simply explaining what I know (scratch that, what I think I know) about my SI joint problems and what has worked for me. Also, I think its important for me to write that I have had this same injury for 12 years and was misdiagnosed most of the time. Keep in mind that what works for me may not work for you for a number of reasons. Read on for more.

What is the sacroiliac joint?

The sacroiliac (SI) joint sits between the sacrum (lower end of the spine) and the iliac bone . It is one of the largest joints in the body and the surface fits together like lego. A very small amount of motion should occur at the S.I. joint. The motion of this joint is typically so minimal that it might only slide a couple of milometers and it may only tilt and rotate a few 2-3 degrees. The primary function of this joint is shock absorbency and to provide enough motion and stability to protect the pelvis and spine from constant motion like running.

What is SI joint dysfunction

From what I have been told and from what I have read, SI joint problems develop when 1.) The joint doesn't move enough (hypomobility), or  2.) The joint moves too much (hypermobility). Keep in mind that there are actually two joints (one on either side) that are designed to move together as one.

Hypomobility (The joint doesn't move enough)
The joint locks up and doesn't have enough motion. This typically happens when the joint wears down due to age. 

Hypermobility (the joint moves too much)
If the ligaments surrounding the joint are weakened, maybe by pregnancy, a car accident, or another high impact injury (such as a bad fall from a steeple barrier, in my case). When the ligaments become weak, the SI joint moves too much and causes all sorts of problems, and pain. The locking sensation that can sometimes occur (for me between mile 4-8 of every race) is because the joint has over rotated. SI joint problems (for me) get worse as the race shortens and the pace gets faster (I.E. 10ks are a terrible race for SI joint problems)

Hypermobility can be quite tricky, especially in runners. Because there are essentially two SI joints, one side may actually move too much while the other may move just enough or not enough. This can make you feel off balance, like one side is tight (or needs to be pulled on or pulled out) and the other is loose. Its very annoying, believe me, I know.

What doesn't work for me
Chiroractic can work for people with hypomobility because it can return some motion into the joint. However, I have never had any relief from the chiropractor for my SI problems because while one side might move just right, the other side is hypermobile. Chiropractic care creates more motion in the joint, which in the beginning may be relieving if the area around the joint is inflamed, but over the course of a few weeks or months, might actually make your problems worse. My suggestion, make sure you understand just what your SI joint problems are before you consult a chiropractor.

Anti-inflammatory medicine, incline tables, acupuncture,  I've done all these things in excess. Thought they initially will give you some relief, over time your problems will return without strength exercises and a good physical therapist that understands your SI joint problems.

What works for me
A strength and exercise routine that is designed by a physical therapist. Simply massaging the joint never worked for me, however, the combination of physical therapy, massage, and exercises (at home, on my own, every day) have helped and continue to HELP my SI joint problems. Keep in mind that the flare-ups (locking episodes) will still happen if you are like me and genetics also plays a large role in your issues. Also, the more children you have, the more problems you will likely have with your SI joints. And before you start searching the internet for "strength exercises for SI joint dysfunction" you need to find out what kind of SI joint problems you are experiencing.

Ok, the really bad news
Sometimes the solution to the problem actually make the problem worse before it gets better. I have been working really hard on my strength all spring and sometimes over do. Thus I have dealt with major inflammation around the joint causing more "episodes". Also, if you get a good deep tissue massage, don't expect to do a workout a day later (or in some cases 2 days later). Taking two days between workouts and limiting yourself to one run a day will help when things are going really bad.

And, in closing:
If you think you are experiencing problems with the SI joint, see a doctor and get a referral to a physical therapist that has experience with sacroiliac joint dysfunction. If your therapist doesn't have much experience with dealing with SI joint dysfunction, see someone else or ask around your running friends. Someone you know has bound to have had some SI joint problems.

The end, for today.

Change of plans.

After battling sacroiliac joint issues all spring, along with insomnia/sleeplessness for the past few weeks, I have decided (after many conversations with Houston) not to run the Ottawa marathon.

This spring I have gotten really strong, but I have yet to get fast. I have logged more miles and put in more work then ever before. But, with what I have been dealing with these past 4 weeks, it looks like I need another 5-6 weeks to train, rehab my hip, and find out what is keeping me up at night. I can't run another race after a sleepless night, and I don't want to attempt 26.2 miles off of 0 sleep. Maybe a half, maybe a 10K, but not a marathon.

If I run Ottawa, I predict a 2:55 and I've worked too hard to settle for that. With more time to prep I have the chances to replicate the last five weeks of my most successful marathon, and potentially PR or get extremely close to it. I've decided to run Grandma's marathon on June 22.

Though I will miss the Canadian Marathon Championships, I want to give myself the best chance possible to run well. I've done really well with my strength, recovery, and building up my miles. I've done more long runs over 13 miles at marathon pace then any other marathon training cycle. I just need a few more weeks to deal with these issues.

Looking forward to the next 5-6 weeks.

2nd track session of the year

I forgot to mention yesterday that I suffered terrible friction burn on my feet and could barely walk after the race. It took a couple hours before it stopped hurting and rubbed my feet raw. Unfortunately Monday's 20 miler never happened.

I cross-trained Monday and ran 80 minutes Tuesday. Wednesday I asked Houston to pace me through a speed session on the track thinking that it might help boost my confidence before this weekends tempo/long run double.

40min w/u, 15 min c/d
8x800m w/90-2min rest
2:45,2:43,2:41,2:41,2,41,2:41,2:38,2:38

This workout went fine. I never struggled, I negative split most of them. I even had a cheering section for the last two (thanks Ladies). I'm in shape, I know this. Still trying to prove it on the race course.

Canadian Half-Marathon Champs Results

Canadian Half-Marathon Champs Results: 1:22:17 (8th)

(Fail.)

My first official race of the year turned out to be a huge disappointment. I felt fine Saturday before the race, but didn't sleep AT ALL the night before. Maybe it was nerves or an uncomfortably hot hotel room, but if I got any sleep it was a few minutes between 5:58am and 7.

I have never not slept the night before a race, therefore the 5:44 opening mile felt more like 5:35, and after three miles at about 5:45 pace I fell apart completely. I never gave up, if anything I pushed as hard as I could, hurting as much as I possibly could from 10k until the finish. There was no strength in my legs and I had to fight to maintain my position. Finishing 8th was not something I was proud of, I didn't travel all the way to Montreal to run a 1:22. If there is anyone out there that has really read my blog then you will remember that I just ran a 13.2 mile tempo in 1:22:11, feeling wonderful in the middle of a 90-95 mile week. This was slower than my recent tempos of 10-13+ miles.

My first thought was to throw in the towel, however it was just one race (and one badly executed after a sleep-free night.) when I returned home Monday, I had Houston review my last four months of training to see what "I was missing". His response was "this might be the most impressive 4 months of training I have seen. There is no way you are not in shape."

That gave me a little confidence and we talked about why I felt the need to go out at a 5:45 pace versus a 6:05. He once again pointed out that I did not execute the race correctly and should have known better. I know this. I don't know what I was thinking.

But, It's over now and I've moved on.

Wednesday's workout

With Canadian National Half marathon Champs only a few days away, this short and controlled "last chance workout" was the confidence boost I needed.
This week is National Volunteer Week, which means its the busiest week of the year for the center. I made time to run each day only once being that work took priority over everything else. Good thing that I had a recovery week planned.

Once Wednesday rolled around I got a chance to catch my breath and jump on the treadmill for one last speed session. Being that Houston is in Philly for Penn Relays it was a necessity evil, but because I find treadmill running easier then running on a road course, I was able to maintain a pretty good clip without emptying the tank. Surprisingly enough, I was extremely controlled the entire time. Is this is a sign of good things to come? Maybe. I'm not banking on that yet, I've still got a few days to mess things up.

20 min w/u at 6:45 avg.
10 min @ 5:35 (3:30 rest)
3 miles @ 5:46 (3:30 rest)
1 mile @ 5:24 (3:00 rest)
3x 1 min @ 5:10/5:07/5:02
10 min jog c/d

Run Happy! :)

The Mileage Experiment

This year I've decided to stop counting miles. I really like the numbers, but when I start running a lot I get caught up in the numbers and my quality always suffers. As much as I would love to be a mileage monster, I'm not. I've always ran my best when I'm focused on quality and not quantity.

I stopped counting miles in February. I started taking things day by day, running more when I felt good and less when I didn't. I started doubling again and running a quality 19-21 miles on Sunday, leaving Saturday for tempo runs or speed sessions. I started jumping in the occasional race so I wouldn't have to execute my weekend workouts solo.

These past two weeks I ran two lonely 5ks as hard tempos in the middle of 90-95 mile weeks. I know this because with 5 weeks remaining before the Ottawa marathon, I allowed myself to back in my log and count. Without obsessing about miles and focusing more on how I feel I've successfully built on my weeks from 80 to 85+, to 90+. I've also logged a number of weeks over 90 miles while keeping my energy high and running quality hard sessions. This is something I've never been able to accomplish.

With the past two race pace efforts, the first one was miserably slow. However I still pocketed $300 for the uphill effort, then turned around and logged another 19 miles with friends the very next day. This past week I ran 60 min tempo on Wednesday, a 5k race + workout on Saturday, and a shorter long run Sunday.

I still don't have anything to show for the training I've done this season but some lonely local stuff as training runs, and I'm probably not going to have anything big until Ottawa or after. Heading into Montreal, I'm not naive enough to think I'm going to run a huge PR. I'm still dealing with a little bit of S.I, though it has gotten much better over the last 6 weeks just by diligently doing my exercises. Montreal will be exactly what it needs to be, a hard, quality 13.1 miles (with an additional 6 mile run tacked on there after the race). I will give it everything I have, enjoy myself, and then focus on the next 4 weeks before Ottawa.

I'm at a place I've never been before. And though It may be some time before I see the benefits, I'm really enjoying it. I'm excited for what this year may bring.

Friday: AM: 6 miles PM: 15 min w/u, 3.14 race as tempo in 18:21, 25 min c/d (1st, $300 -Killer Kudzu 5K, very challenging hilly course) (13)
Saturday: 19 miles @ 6:43-7:15 (not hilly, lots of long flat stretches today, Refuge)
Sunday: AM 5/PM:4
Monday : 11
Tuesday: 10
Wednesday: 60min hilly tempo at marathon pace (6:18 avg) (16) (95% humidity today, and hot)
Thursday: 12
Friday: 10
Saturday: 25 min w/u, 3.15 miles on hilly road loop @ 18:03 (small local 5k for the 3 mile part, fun, 1st) 4 min jog, 2x800m on road course, 2:44, 2:42, 6x200m hard @ 5:00-5:05 pace, 30 sec easy + 20 min c/d (great weather)
PM: 30 min (14)
Sunday: 1hr45 min on South Farm, last 21 min progressive starting at 6:53 working down to 6:11

VestigeWear Repurposed Running Headband Review

Just before the Historic StarkVegas 10k, the owner of VestigeWear contacted me about wearing and giving an honest review on her re-purposed running headbands. Now I don't usually review much stuff, and I take the support I get from Brooks and Gu really seriously. But, neither company is in the women's headband market and for someone has yet to find a cute headband (for my massive hair) that doesn't slip off in the first mile of my run, I decided to give it a try.

The owner sent me this headband (click to order, pictured above).She told me that it had a former life as a pair of capri pants and the backside was made of a piece of towel to prevent slipping. It was extremely cute (first impression) but when I put it on it seemed a little loose at first which I was worried about. Fortunately, on my first trial it didn't move AT ALL. Imagine my excitement, finally getting to sport a cute headband versus bobby pins and clips (of which I have lost by the thousands). I wore the headband that weekend for the Historic Starkvegas 10K (which I won, in the rain), the next day for my 20 milers, and again the very next week for the Viking Half.

Anyone that knows me knows my hair is very long and wild. If VestigeWear can handle my hair, it can surely handle yours. Check out her awesome selection at: http://www.etsy.com/shop/VestigeWear

Me, Maddy, and my DAD!! I was wearing a VestigeWear headband after wining the Viking Half-Marathon. No slipping or falling off for 13.1+ miles


There are numerous adorable styles and fabrics available. Check out her store at http://www.etsy.com/shop/VestigeWear

Wednesday's speed session

AM: 20 min w/u, 20 min c/d,
2x75 sec @ 5:13 w/ 1 rest
7 min @ 5:33 pace
6 min @ 5:30 pace
6 min @ 5:30 pace
4 min @ 5:27 pace
3 min @ 5:24 pace
2 min @ 5:18 pace
1 min @ 5:13 pace
( 2 min rest between each interval, treadmill @ 4:45am)

My legs were still tired from the tempo/long run double this past weekend, so I decided to run this one on the treadmill versus the road. The treadmill is a much easier on the legs and would help me hit my pace.

Even if you add the "15 seconds per mile" that most road to treadmill conversion chart suggest, I still would have been happy with the times. Physically I felt fine but I could still feel the Sunday's long run in my legs. Starting to think all the miles and long runs are paying off.
I decided not to double today.

Weekend recap

Saturday: AM: 3 mile w/u, tempo on hilly "campus 5", 5 mile loop @ 30:04, 45 sec stop for Gatorade, 1 mile @ 6:15 pace, 1 mile c/d
PM: 30 min easy

Sunday: 21 miles w/ 16-17@ 6:55-7:15 on hilly loop (South Farm x 2) + 20 min progression
Starting @ 6:58 getting down to 6:18 + 10 min at reg. pace c/d (2hr26min)

Saturday ended up being a horrible day for this workout. The wind was strong and in our face for 3/4 of the loop, it was hot and the sun was blaring. Normally, I wouldn't complain about a day like that but I haven't had the chance to train in anything besides cold and wet in a very long time (except for running indoors every once in a while). I was told to go out really slow, which I did (6:23) which just made me feel sluggish and tired. Eventually I brought things down to 5:53 after we got out of the wind but I just couldn't keep the intensity going. I was too wiped out.

I made the decision to only go six once Houston stopped us and made us drink after the first loop. I realized then, I was getting extremely dehydrated and felt it was time to call it quits for the day. I spent the rest of Saturday playing with Maddy and drinking pedialite (this was a smart move by me).

Sunday I went out solo for a long run on the hilly loop we call "South Farm". Have I mentioned how much I love South Farm? Anyway, I felt great for the entire run, stopped for one gu and a splash of water from a facet at the recplex around mile 11. It was miserably warm compared to what we have been running in, but finally I am starting to reap the benefits from all those crazy 18 milers indoors at 75+ degrees. I had no trouble in the heat today. Even got in a progressive 20 minutes at the very end. All in all, really pleased at how the long run turned out after yesterday.

I've really put in a lot of work this week. Not really too concerned about one bad session when I look at what I have been able to string together in the last 8 days.

-Meggan

Wednesday's fit test

AM: 15 min w/u, 15 min c/d
2k @ 5:48 pace, 1 mile @ 6:20-6:25, 1 mile @ 5:45, 1 mile @ 6:25, 1300m @ 5:45 pace, 1 mile @ 6:20, 800m @ 5:33 pace, 1 mile @ 6:25, 400m @ 5:30 pace, + 6x150m strides

This workout was done on my hilly tempo loop at 4:45am. There is no true recovery, you recover from each interval with a mile at marathon pace. though my marathon pace is (hopefully) faster than this, this is what I could handle today.

It ended up that every single "hard effort" ended on hill and most of the marathon paced "recovery" sections were on the flat or going down hill. At the time it was a little frustrating because the ups killed average pace on most of the hard sections, but in the end it's good for me...and overall I still hit my times. Thanks to Houston for pushing me through it.

Monday morning run at "up-tempo"

4:45am Monday: 1hr37min on hilly route w/ 10 miles @ 6:45 avg + 6X30 sec. at sub 5:10/ w/30 seconds rec.

After Saturday's 13.1 miles at marathon pace I logged 12 miles Sunday and still felt really good. Instead of running easy Monday I decided on joining Micah and Houston (my Dad is here for a visit) for a longer run at up-tempo, nothing killer but a good effort that still required concentration.

After every harder run I feel the hip getting stronger...and its about time. With Montreal 4 weeks away, I've got to get ready to run as hard as I can for 13.1 miles faster than I have ever gone before.

I'm already nervous.

Marathon Tempo #2

AM: 15 min w/u, 13.12 miles @ marathon pace (6:16), 20 min c/d
(Viking Half - 1st female/3rd person in 1:22:11)

Just two weeks after my first marathon paced long run, I ran this one on a similar course and averaged 5 seconds per mile faster giving the same amount of effort. Unfortunately, I wasn't able to get in the 30 min of running before and after that I had planned on, but in the end I believe this day was successful. I was only beat by 2 men, ran 9 miles of it solo, and felt pretty good once again when it was all over.

Unfortunately the S.I. is still there and I suffered with it from mile 4-9, but only one of those miles ended up being slower than marathon pace. I've been consistent with my exercises and I feel like the long tempos are really helping with the strength in my hip. One giant step forward!

Unexpected workout success

Wednesday:
AM: 30 min @ 7:08 pace
PM: 14 min w/u w/ 4x150m @ 5:10-4:45 pace
3x2 miles on hilly loop:
2miles w/ splits of 5:44, 5:34
4 min jog rest
2miles w/ splits of 5:36, 5:44
4 min jog
2 miles w/ splits of 5:57, 5:01 (SHORT & off road/through the bush)
15 min c/d

I did this workout on my lunch break Wednesday when traffic was absolutely awful. I had convinced myself that it was going poorly early on because I had not looked at my Garmin splits yet and just FELT like my legs were tired. The last interval I started without any plan of where I would end up, and quick thinking made me take a turn by the vet school and through the wooded cut-through on the backside of Sherwood. Here, the hills destroyed my pace and took all the fight out of my legs. Regardless of the bush whacking I was still able to come in under 6:00 for the first half of the interval and continue to keep the effort up from there.

I had summed this workout up to be a huge fail until I finally got a chance to go back and view my paces for each.  In the end, I'm pretty pleased and a little shocked, given the junk that's still hanging out in my legs. All this can mean is that there are much more sessions like this to come.

Run Happy! -M

Praying to the Turnover Gods

I've had two S.I. episodes this week, but the last one was not near as bad as the first so I feel like I'm headlong back in the right direction. I saw Jack Weimer for an hour, I did strength everyday. I'm running a large amount of miles, and with the exception of having no turnover, I'm feeling pretty good about it.

There is not question that the long tempo runs drive my training, so I've got another one scheduled at the end of this week, running the Viking half in Greenwood, Mississippi. I've got a long way to go until I feel like I can run 6:20 pace in my sleep, but each week it feels like it is getting a little easier.

I've started to feel like the treadmill running has made my hamstrings weak, so I've been trying my best to run everything on hills and hilly gravel loops. My Saturday tempo was sort of a disaster, but looking back I think I just needed someone there to push me when the hills killed my pace...and there was nobody within minutes of me. This week will bring more recovery runs and two quality sessions that will hopefully give me confidence for the next few weeks. I don't feel tired, but the recovery runs are planned...and I'm trying my best this year to keep on track with my schedule and not overdue.

Sunday:20 min w/u 13.21 miles in 1:23:59 (6:21 pace) 10 min c/d (S.I)

Monday: AM: 44 min PM: 30 min

Tuesday: 1hr 34 min easy w/ Kelly

Wednesday: 21 min w/u, 4x400m, 2x800m, 1x1600m, 2x800m, 4x60sec hard, 32 min c/d (11) (all at 16:40-17:05 5k pace on hilly road loop)

Thursday: 51 min easy

Friday: 81 minutes w/ Micah & David

Saturday: 20 min w/u, 32 min c/d, 6.3 miles of extremely hilly tempo in 38:30 (6:07 pace) S.I bad but better than Sunday. (13.3)

Sunday: 2hr 25 min (20 miles) long run on South Farm (dirt road w/ hills) last 5 miles @ easy progressive tempo, starting at 6:58-6:21 (felt great today)

Race Preview: Historic Starkvegas 5k/10k

Last year I ran the Historic Starkvegas 10k as a tempo run to prepare for the Montreal Half-Marathon. This year I plan to do the same, and for anyone in Mississippi that reads this blog, I want to encourage you to come to this race.

The route takes you through historic downtown and even dips onto the MSU campus. The course is rolling (Starkville is not flat!) and even covers a large portion of my favorite tempo route. The scenic course is well marked with signage and volunteers and starts/finishes at the same place in front of the Greensboro Center. Also, it's certified and the course has changed slightly from last year because of rumors that it was long.

This year's race offers a 10k/5k and family fun run. Being that the temperature is typically pleasant in the morning, the race starts at 8:00am (which, I am looking forward to).

Race registration will begin at 7am at the Greensboro Center in Starkville. Hope to see you there!
Paper registration:
http://racesonline.com/uploads/HistoricStarkvegas.pdf

Marathon Tempo #1

Friday: 10 miles
Saturday: easy run accompanied by stomach flu
Sunday: 20 min w/u, 13.21 miles @6:21 pace, 10 min c/d   (1st female)

So I had planned on running the Germantown half-marathon as a marathon paced tempo for a few weeks now. I didn't, however, plan on getting Maddy's stomach bug the day before. Because I doubted I would be able to run based on the way I (and Maddy) felt on Saturday, we didn't actually leave for Memphis until Sunday morning @ 3:30am.

Even more impressive was the way I ran this race. I actually suffered a major S.I. episode and locked up badly from 3-7 miles...clocking at least 2 miles as slow as 6:45. Once I hit 8 things started to losses back up and I felt great from mile 9 onward. I finished feeling good, not tired. A little over goal pace but good enough based on all the set backs.

Glad I opted for some company this time, tempo running on your own can be rather mind numing. I very much enjoyed being out there Sunday. Hopefully I can add another 13 miles in the near future to finally meet my 2:45 goal.

With three hard sessions and some quality training runs, I believe this would be considered a successful week.

Finish photo:

Baby Steps.

Monday: 80 minutes @ 6:58-6:44 w/ 10*1 min hard @ 5:18, 1 min jog in btwn.

Tuesday: 72 min easy

Wednesday: 90 min w/ strides

Thursday: AM: 30 min PM: 1.5 mile w/u, 8x1000m @ 3:35, 3:33, 3:32, 3:32, 3:31, 3:30, 3:34, 3:27, 1 mile c/d w/ 4x 150 strides (on the track) 90 sec rest

One thing I don't do a very good job of is describe in my training log is how much "effort" I put into some of my training sessions. I know that the "giving it all you got" mentality, as glamorous as it may seem in fitness inspired posts floating around Facebook, is really a recipe for disaster in the long run. And this year I'm looking forward to a long racing season which means I've got to be more patient in my hard sessions and more focused on my recovery.

I've been sleeping more about eating better, which means my overall energy has improved. I've stopped counting miles and started back counting "minutes" and running doubles when I'm really tired. Though last week was great for training, I did deal with an episode of S.I. This caused my long run (20 miles) to be much slower than I would have liked, but overall successful given I had already ran 2 hard session and a pretty hefty amount of miles. 

Thursday I ran my first track session in over a year. Houston assisted with the pacing (I told him I wanted to run around 5:40) and helped me hit every interval on target. I left the track feeling like I had more energy then I had started. I'm hoping this is a good thing and does not mean I should have ran harder.

This Sunday I will run Germantown Half in preparation for the Ottawa Marathon, which is also Canadian Marathon Championships. I've had my eye on this race for years! Now I finally have the guts to run it. Hopefully the next 10 or so weeks will have me toe the line fitter than I have ever been. Either way, it'll be a journey.

Run Happy.

-Megg

Bump in the road.

I would love to blog about my awesome race last weekend in B'ham and how I finally got down under 1:19 in the half, but unfortunately then I would be lying.

With the exception of 13.1 miles I ran on Sunday morning, the weekend was a nice get away. I got a chance to room with Meagan, eat expensive/tasteless room service and get 8+ hour of uninterrupted sleep. However, the task I set out to complete Sunday morning didn't even come remotely close to happening.
I dropped out a 4 miles. Not from injury, pain, or puking. For lack of a better excuse, I simply didn't have it in me. Motivation = 0.

I know that's sad. Who spends 6 weeks preparing for one race only to show up and not try. I understand what some people might think, however I do believe that there are some things in life that do not necessarily need to be discussed on a blog, however open diary like blogging truly is, and therefore I really have no further excuses. My heart wasn't in it. As soon as it got hard I just couldn't make myself go...AT ALL.

I dropped out at 4 miles (29:33 I believe) took off my number, started walking back...when I realized that it was probably easier just to finish the race then to try to make my way back to the start. I then put my number back on and jumped back in, covering the last 9 miles at about 6:30 pace. At least I put some work in.

Fortunately, I wasn't sore after Sunday, so I went out Monday for a quality 12 miles and workout on the roads Wednesday. Because it was early and cold, we opted for 6X5min @ tempo w/ 2 min runs in between. We started out conservative and worked our way down to 10K pace by the last 2. Surprisingly enough, I recovered pretty fast between each of the hard sessions and figured I had set myself up for a highly successful training week.

.....

Wednesday afternoon I (once again) pulled my intercostal muscle. This time the pull didn't hurt as much walking around, but it hurt more to breath. Thursday I managed a slow 40 minutes breathing in short fast gasps. Friday I ran 70 minutes but slowly, about 8 minutes per mile. Friday I moved around too much and made it worse.

One positive is that I can still log treadmill miles with this injury, its just the road (pavement/concrete) that is too painful. Saturday I ran 17 quality miles on the t-mill, nothing spectacular, but good enough.

60 minutes @ 6:53/0.5 incline
20 minutes @ 6:15 & 0 incline,
3 rest/jog
20 minutes @ 6:15 & 0 incline
15 minute c/d

My legs just didn't have it today and I felt uncomfortable, so I left the incline at 0 on the hard segments. I know its not the same as 6:15 on the flat road, but it was still tempo effort, whatever pace it was equivalent to.

I'm probably going to have to jog around just a few more days until my breathing gets better. Hopefully it will be just long enough for me to get my head back into the game. For everyone that is racing this weekend, have a good one and Run Happy!

Running injury caused by parenting

I don't get injured much. Being a toe runner (not a fore-foot runner or a mid-foot runner, a TOE runner) most of my running-related injuries are having to do with my achilles and calf. Non-running related, when I was in tenth grade I took a really bad fall on my snowboard and could not run for almost an entire week. In 11th grade I hurt myself playing rugby that put my on the sidelines for a few days. The injuries you get from everyday life that keep you from running, I despise those injuries.

These past seven days were suppose to be pretty intense, 3 hard sessions with one in the middle of an 18 mile run. Tuesday I ran a speed fartlek in the morning around the inner loop of Sherwood, with warm-up and cool-down it was only about 6-7 miles, so that afternoon I went out and ran a moderately paced 8 miles. Wednesday I took it easy, 8 in the morning, 3 at night. Thursday I ran in the morning and had planned on running the Glow Run 5K on campus in the evening. I felt pretty good throughout Thursday.

Thursday around 3:00pm I was pulling Maddy's car seat out of my car to give to her Grandmother (my mother-in-law), she had come into town to help me prepare a meal for a co-ed service fraternity that I am the advisor for, among other things. I was in the parking lot at my work, the straps were stuck in the seat, I was pulling hard to get them out. I must have turned too much to one side...afterwards I was having trouble breathing. I thought maybe it was anxiety or the medicine I was taking for the chest cold. It started to get painful. I soon realized I had pulled a muscle in my back.

I went home to change, thought maybe warming up would help. I got back to campus, jogged two miles. The jogging was not helping, it started to hurt more and breathing became more difficult. I grabbed my bag and left.

I tossed and turned most the night, every once in a while I would turn a certain way only to be woken up with a sudden jolt of pain. Upon waking that morning, my back hurt but my breathing was better. I wrapped myself up in a tensor bandage and jumped on the treadmill for a slow 8 miles. I was able to manage 8:20 pace with only a small amount of pain, about 80 seconds per mile slower than I would have ran that morning.

Saturday morning I awoke and was determined to get a good run it. I once again, wrapped a tensor bandage across my chest and started running. Because my regular sitter was out of town and I didn't know how long this run would last, the treadmill seemed like my best option. Due to my legs feeling pretty fresh and pure stubbornness, I proceeded to have the best "treadmill" tempo run I have ever had.

4 mile warm-up @ 6:58 & 1 incline

30 min @ 5:49 & .5-1.0 incline

5 min rest (tending to Maddy)

20 min @ 5:49-5:46 & .5 incline

4 rest (tending to Maddy)

10 min @ 1.0 incline & 6:15 pace

5 miles @ 6:58 & 1.0 incline

(19 + miles)

I say "treadmill" because treadmill running and running on the roads are very different, I know that. Most conversion charts say that a 6:00 at 0 incline on the treadmill is equal to about a 6:15 on the roads. I am not sure if I agree with it being 15 seconds per mile different, but it probably pretty close. I am trying to get used to the 1.0 incline, throughout the workout I hovered between 1.5 and .5 incline. 

Yesterday's 19 miles left me feeling confident for Mercedes. Though I missed three quality running days do to a freak injury, its going to be ok. I've learned another valuable lesson; make sure your husband takes the car seat out of his car before he leaves for the weekend.

Run happy.

Just this past week's log

Monday: 1:36 w/ strides

Tuesday: AM: 40 min PM: 43 min w/ strides

Wednesday: 2 mile w/u, 4 x 2 miles, 2 min jog rest, 1 mile c/d (treadmill -under a tornado watch so indoors was my only option)

5:56 pace, 1 incline

5:52 pace, .5 incline

5:49 pace, .5 incline

5:52-5:49, .5 incline   

Thursday: am: 12 min run PM: 72 min w/ strides

Friday: AM: 20 minutes PM: 60 minutes 

Saturday: 17 miles w/ 10 @ 6:30-6:43 (mile 15@6:10)

Sunday: 80 minutes on south farm (felt great) 

(85 miles)

Houston traveled half the week so I had a few more treadmill runs then I would have liked, but i'm not complaining. I really have no problem with treadmill miles when I have access to things like Pandora and Netflix. Still battling the chest cold of death.

Change.

This week my running took a turn for the better. I'm finally starting to feel fresh and I had one of the best 4x2 mile session I've ever had. My mileage peaked back up to 85, and I got the sleep I needed and the nutrition. I'm finally starting to feel fresh on my morning runs and my legs are not throbbing when I'm sitting or when I go too long between meals.

Honestly, running is an amazing hobby to look forward to everyday, and I'm so glad I'm good at it, but its not worth being fatigued in all other aspects of my life. Frying myself last fall left me beat up,  lethargic, moody, cramping, sore, and slow. It got a little out of hand, and therefore I'm glad the Fall turned out like it did. I learned another valuable lesson - you can't will your body into shape when it resents you. If you don't listen to the warning signs, it will eventually shut you down.

I spent about half of last year surviving on 6 hrs of sleep and paying zero attention to my eating habits. In a country so consumed with calories and diets, I really just wanted to believe that none of that mattered. Once again, I was mistaken. You can get away with less than optimal eating habits for awhile, but it will always come back around. Starve yourself of the basic nutrients you need, and you will suffer the consequences.

Unfortunately, though I am trying harder in the recovery, eating, and sleeping part of my life, I've still had what I consider to be the chest cold of death. The awful thing has stuck around for nearly three weeks, and cost me a few good sessions and a day off from running the week prior. Ironic, maybe, but part of life living with a two year old in day care - you get everything.

For someone that claims to hate doubles, I've ran twice three days this week. I plan to keep up this trend (1-3 times each week depending on the mileage goals) because it actually helped me recover much better between the hard days. Most weekday mornings I typically get 11-13 miles, but the length of those runs is still difficult for the body, especially when I've got to get up at 4:15 to get that kind of mileage in. If found that I can easily get 6-7 miles in my lunch break without it interfering with my work. Also, the lunch time run helps with productivity in the afternoon, major plus!

As for the racing plans. My first half is Mercedes. It probably going to be well short of amazing, but it will be a start to whatever running brings my way this year. Regardless, I'm going to enjoy it, one stride at a time.

happy running.

M.

Just a log and return to normal training

After spending most of December eating and running "when I felt like it", I returned to my normal training routine just two weeks ago. Surprisingly there was not too much fitness lost, but I've still got a long road ahead of me.

Wednesday, Jan 2nd: 13.2 miles in 1:30 on treadmill

After 30min, 15 min @ 6:18, 2 rest, 10 min @ 6:15-6:03, jog, 10 min @ 6:1 5-6:03, jog, 5 min @ 5:56, 2 mile c/d @ 6:44

Thursday, Jan 3rd: 9 miles w/ Kelly, ab circuit, ab ball, lower body circuit, stretch

Friday, Jan 4th: 10 miles w/ strides (10)

Saturday, Jan 5th: 15 miles w/ 10 @ sub 6:30; 2 sections faster than marathon pace (15)

Sunday, Jan 6: 64 minutes, 200 sit-ups, leg lifts, squats  (8)

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Monday, Jan 7: am: 82 min w/ 4x slow strides, pm: 30 min w/ 4x fast strides. (15)

Tuesday, Jan 8: am: 49 minutes @ 7:20 (7)

Wednesday, Jan 9: 2.5 mile w/u, 5x 1 mile @ 5:44, 38, 44, 39, 33, 2 mile c/d (10)

PM: ab workout

Thursday, Jan 10: 97 min, PM: 22 min w/ 4x strides (16)

Friday: AM: 53 minutes (7)

Saturday: 17 miles @ 645-6:59, few miles @ 6:30, felt tired. Extremely warm and humid (17)

Sunday: 65 minutes easy

- 80 miles

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Monday: 80 minutes steady treadmill (11)

Tuesday: 2 mile w/u, 9x800m @ 0.5 incline, 5:39, 5:36, 5:33, 5:30, 5:30, 5:30, 5:30, 5:29, 5:27, 75 seconds recovery jog between

2 mile c/d (9)

Wednesday: AM: 72 minutes easy w/Micah  PM: 33 minutes easy treadmill (14)

Thursday: 50 minutes @ 7:30-7:08 (7)

Friday: am: 3 mile w/u, 5 miles @ progressive tempo at 6:23, 6:14, 6:04, 6:12, 6:05, + 10 min of short fast fartlek, 1.5 mile c/d (very early, very cold and lots of ice)

Pm: 3 miles w/ strides (14)

Saturday: 14.5 miles easy/moderate. Most of this run was fairly relaxed, 6:50-7:20. Didn't feel really motivated and didn't dress warm enough. Thank goodness for Boardtown Runners and fast friends.

Canadian Christmas Vacation

Photo taken by Roland Roesler near Athabasca, Alberta. View original here

Every clock in my mother's house is wrong. Some are off by an hour, others by an odd amount, like the one in the kitchen is off by 1hr, 19 minutes.
I chuckle at this because I completely understand my Mom's issue with the clocks. She lives 15 miles out of town, and 4 miles down a dirty road. It's "country living" at its best and its were I grew up. My mom operates on her own schedule, up before the sun comes up most morning anyway, she knows pretty much what time it is judging by the light of the day. Operating her own business for over 25 years, during the spring and summer she works around the clock, making the time of day pretty irrelevant. The winter is when her schedule is the lightest. At one point during our visit she asked me, "what day is it, anyway?" This is typical Mom.

Alberta winter's were always hard for me. The days are short and cold, temperatures are commonly -20C or worse, the sun rises at just before nine and sets just after three. The roads are typically covered with ice, making quality running difficult. I'm not sure how I managed training for so many years. Actually, I do, being human, we are forced to adapt.

Photo of Island Lake during the winter, North-West of Athabasca

One week in the cold north each year is not sufficient time to get comfortable with the temperature. My blood is a lot thinner now and the hot Mississippi summers are to blame for that. Most runs during my Canadian Christmas vacation are short and cold. I don't miss running in that kind of weather.

Days spent at Mom's are fun filled, with the exception of the running. One day I swapped my run for a 90 min snowshoe trip instead. Other days I ran for 45min, followed by a snow shoe trip to the river. Snow shoeing was much more enjoyable then facing the cold wind on the flat open road. Fortunately for me, I was in my last week of recovery so the running didn't even matter.

Christmas Day and the final few days of our trip were spent in Edmonton, Alberta with my sister, her husband, their two children, and my father. Though my Dad lives 2.5 hours south in Calgary, he spent most of the week at my sisters to visit with us and the little ones. For sure, the highlight of the trip was watching Maddy and Aiden chase each other around my sister's kitchen for a good half-hour, hyper from the ice cream they had eaten just an hour earlier. The next day we spent a few hours a the World Waterpark in West Edmonton Mall (yes, an indoor waterpark in the middle of winter). Maddy played so hard she fell fast asleep on my lap just after we ate lunch. The last hour or so I sat in a beach chair with Maddy snooring in my lap, my sister's youngest sleeping in his carrier to my left. It was midday and the sun was still shining through the glass roof of the waterpark, for a second I thought I was enjoying a warm summer day.

The next morning we woke up just after 3AM to catch our first flight to Houston, and then on to Jackson. Then, home.

Yesterday I "officially" started training again. All the holiday eating left me feeling tired and sluggish. I was surprised, however, how quickly yesterday's 13 miles went by. This morning I joined Kelly for 9 miles before using the rest of the day to get myself organized before work starts back tomorrow.

I hope everyone had a wonderful Christmas vacation. Looking forward to getting caught up on everyone's training. Good luck in 2013 and Run Happy.

M.

Recovery

Last weeks mileage: 11.5 (1.5 over goal)

For the remaining days of this month I get to run what I feel like, when I feel like it. There will be no formal training until January.

Looking forward to a week in the cold north and some quality time with family. Run happy!

Brooks I.D. 2013

Just want to give a shout out to my favorite running company and say THANK YOU for deciding to support me through 2013. Anyone looking for the perfect Christmas gift, the Brooks Pure Project came out with a couple new looks that will leave you drooling on your computer screen. Check them out on http://www.brooksrunning.com