Tag Archives: IT band

A Silver Lining…

30 Apr

Sometimes doing the right thing doesn’t always seem right in the beginning.  Take today for example…Today was going to be a fantastic weekend.  The plan had been set in motion back in November when I signed up for the NJ Marathon 2011.  It was my back up race if I didn’t go to Napa. ((which I did :) Yea!)  But I had coursed my workout warrior friend to sign up for the 1/2 in January and also another friend to do it, so the plan was a super girlie athletic weekend.  When I got back from Napa I was crippled literally from my IT band and the recovery has seemed like forever…8 weeks to be exact.  But I kept plodding along, floundering slightly, having a personal pity party some days, doing what I was told (for the most part), less running and physical therapy etc etc.  But as the NJ race got closer I decided to down grade to the 1/2 marathon.  But about 6 weeks ago my one girlfriend got sidelined by back problems.  Then my workout warrior friend became sidelined 3 weeks prior to race day with a severe hamstring pull.   I had such mixed emotions about her not running.  We had been running together and reporting out weekly mileage for weeks, but I was struggling to keep up.  Part of me was relieved for myself  but was devastated for her and all that she  has been working so hard for, her goal just within reach, now put on the back burner because of a pulled hamstring. So then I needed to decide… do I go it alone?

My chiropractor said “well Deana, you could do it…but will you run a personal best, not likely… will you be sore… most likely, your decision”.  So against what the “game on athlete” in me would do (which by the way is go and run the race) I am not at the NJ marathon this weekend.  It is a bummer because the conditions for race day are going to be spectacular.  Very different from the rain I endured my first go at the 1/2 there 3 years ago.  But I know that I have come this far back in my marathon recovery and pushing the mileage too fast and far would be dumb.  Right now I feel fantastic, actually better than before I did my first race which was NJ.  My IT band seems 100%, I am running pain-free. Yesterday I logged 6.5 miles and it felt incredible, almost like poetry in motion.

Hoof it for Haiti 5K~ Family Pics

So today to catch a glimpse of a silver lining in the weekend I signed up for the 1st Annual Southbury Hoof it for Haiti 5K.  It was a fantastic morning, blue skies, no wind and 50 degrees at race start.  My three little cherubs ran the kids fun run.  Little Griffin my 4 yo ran the 6 and under 600 yard dash.  He smiled the whole way! Sophie and Benjamin both ran in the 7-12 yo 1/2 mile race.  This was Sophie’s first race ever and she was nervous.  She cried when she was done.  When I asked her why she was crying she didn’t know why. (chalk it up to girlie hormones). 

My 5K PR: 25:47

So mommy ran the 5K.  I had my cheering section, and I met up with a few local friends at the starting line which is always nice.  While hanging out afterwards I met one of my blogging buddies, Susanne Navas from Smile Pacing.  She came in 2nd in the 40-49 division!  (Go Susanne!!) Susanne is a Connecticut runner, wife, mother, Ironman finisher and a personal life coach.  We’ve been virtual friends via our blogs and she has been a constant support emailing me through my marathon training &  recovery offering words of encouragement and even to join her in yoga to aid in stretching.   Her motto and trademark smilepace: V 1. To pace yourself by going as fast as you can with a smile on your face. 2. To gage your progress based on…happiness and fulfillment.  I think today I had that covered.  During my run I realized I just love running.  I enjoy the comrade of it.   The feeling of personal accomplishment and the energy of the event.  Everything about my run this morning felt right.   My pace felt strong, no nagging knee pain, just me and the road.  I had my garmin on but never looked at it.  I kept repeating to myself ” if it feels good, go with it, no need to look.  Who cares, your just having fun“.  I crossed the finish line with my hubby and 3 cherubs looking on, yelling and screaming, “hi mommy! go mom!”   I did a 5K personal best today 25:47, 108 overall and 5th in my age group females 40-49 yo, out of 59 runners .  How cool is that!  So in a weekend that seemed like it was clouded by bad luck and storm clouds, it looks like I found my silver lining.

The Impatient Mommy

4 Apr

Do yo ever feel like time goes by sooo fast but yet sooo incredibly slow.  That’s how I’ve been feeling the last few weeks.  Since the marathon I’ve been nursing this IT Band injury.  I waited 2 weeks before going to see my ortho.  Once I did go- good news nothing wrong, no tears or major injury, bad news “over use”.  So now I’m onto phase two which is seeing my beloved chiropractor for ART and Graston therapy both of which are painful but seem to be working.  My first week of therapy I was told no high impact cardio…which I was partially compliant with.  I did sneak in a 3 mile run, “just to see” if I could do it.  I later had regrets, trying to roll on the foam roller to make sure I didn’t  rebuild any scar tissue.  This week after another grueling session of graston, I was told to try to run 3-4 miles at an easy pace.  The Dr said I was “doing better than expected!”  Yea A+++ for the non compliant student. 

However I went for my 3-4 mile run yesterday and I feel totally defeated.  It was way harder than anticipated.  There were 20-30 mile an hour wind gusts.  At one point I actually felt like I was running but not going anywhere and to top it off my knee ached.  I’m not sure if that’s normal.  I mean it’s black and blue from the graston.  But I feel I’m losing my Mo-Jo.  I worked so hard to get to the start line of the Napa Valley Marathon 4 weeks ago and now am feeling like that was soooo far in the past. 

A trainer once told me if you take 2 weeks off it takes double the amount of time to get it back.  Meaning if your off for 2 weeks expect it to take 4 weeks to get it back.  Crap- I’ve been down for 4 weeks now…8 weeks to get it back sucks. 

I’m so impatient and feeling like I need a plan.  I’m floundering after this marathon.  So many people have said “enjoy this time off”.  Enjoy it? This is torture for an adrenaline junkie~ I hate it!  I loved having a plan, checking off my completed runs, having a sense of accomplishment that was all my own.  So today is the start of a new week, and the first Monday of the month.  I gave my trainers a challenge last week.  I said if I can’t run like I want to now then the new goal for the next 8 weeks is to look ripped!  Get the mommy bikini body I’ve always wanted.  So today I embark on a new type of training.  They have been working on a plan that will go into a spread sheet for my type A personality.  I will still be rehabbing the IT Band and strengthening the legs, all part of the 8 week plan.  I do have 2~ 1/2 marathons slated for the next 8 weeks, Long Branch Half and Covered Bridges in VT.  However for the next 8 weeks I’m going to focus on my eating {that should be entertaining} and more weight lifting.  The Impatient Mommy needed a fast fix….a new goal.   So Friday I had my weight taken, my % of body fat done, and all my measurements taken.  That was eye opening.  Today is the start of the 8 week plan.  Wish me luck!

What To Do with Myself!?

24 Mar

So the post nostalgia marathon high has worn off.  I’m still in this “recovery” phase, and feeling quite unsettled.  My routine that I have had for months is now all disheveled.  Not sure if you’re a routine girl or not.  But I thrive on it.  Type A all the way.  I think that’s what I like about training plans they give me a goal to aspire to each day, and I can check it off my list as an accomplishment no matter how big or small. 

So I have tried to run a few times post marathon without great success and fanfare.  My IT band is still really tight and the knee still not up to snuff.  I did break down and go to the ortho on Monday, and just as he has said in the past… “your fine Deana, over use”… over use, seriously, I thought.  Ugh what a drag.  So I have been banished from running for a few more weeks and told to work on my hamstring muscles, which I loath doing legs.  I have been told to stretch 2x/day.  My thoughts on that were, seriously…you know I have 3 kids right?  But I will do my best in that regard, and tomorrow I’m going to see a physical therapist that is going to do some crazy thing to my IT band.  I was also told to do the same amount of spinning that I would for my training.  ie: if I should be doing an 8 mi run at a 9.30 pace in training- I need to do the equivalent time on the spin bike.  So I guess that’s the plan, I have two 1/2 marathons on the docket May 1st NJ Marathon, and June 6th Covered Bridges in VT.    Good news was that my Dr said I’ll make both  races, “if you do what your told”.  Hummm that could be an issue, I thought because I’m not always good at taking advice.  But I want to get back out there as quick as possible.  So I will do as I am told, pinky promise! :)

So with that said… what am I to do with myself today?  Thursday is usually my day to run outside, so I’m going to hop on the spin bike and spin.  And of course do all of the above… I know, I know… I’m going!

What’s on your training agenda this spring?  A 5K, 1/2 Marathon… or just getting fit?  Help motivate me today! I love to hear about what your checking off the list!

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