I waited till the rain stopped and headed out to the seawall.  The plan was to run a virtually flat course and hope that that helped the IT band.  I also forced myself to walk for 30 seconds after each mile. Brilliant, brilliant idea.  The run was cold but not too cold and it felt so nice to be out for a big jog again.

I had a minor mental breakdown around mile 4, but luckily I was far enough away from home that it passed fairly quickly.  I also stopped for a pee break and took a gel at mile 6.  I actually was feeling pretty good until around 8 when I started to feel some pangs.  My leg was getting really tight and my knee was starting to tweak a little bit. I stopped and stretched and then kept going. I was actually feeling really good mentally and was even thinking maybe I could extend it to 12 when my knee twinged badly.  I kept jogging for a few more minutes to see if it would improve but it wouldn’t so I walked the last .7 miles to my car.

I don’t feel defeated though, not at all.  I am feeling a large appreciation for my body for letting me get that far and I know I can get back into it.  (optimism, a whole new theme for the blog).  There is a 5K I ran in December last year which I am determined to run again and beat my time, plus I am thinking about creating a new “back-on-track training plan”. What can I say, I like a schedule, it keeps me motivated.

I also stretched, took a big ice bath and rolled out already. Plus I was freezing so I just took a big hot epsom bath.  Really hoping I still feel good tomorrow.

Current plan is to take tomorrow off (maybe even do some yoga?), do weights on Monday and Wednesday and do a little light jogging on Tuesday and Thursday.

• Distance: 9.37 miles
• Time: 1:38:24
• Pace: 10:30
• Avg HR\Max HR: 162\201
• Cals: 930
• Laps:  10:29, 9:51, 10:21, 10:10, 10:45, 10:33, 11:39, 12:08, 10:40, 5:00  (note I didn’t stop my timer so the stretching breaks really ate into my time)

I also ran on Thursday:

• Distance: 3 miles
• Time: 32:07
• Pace: 10:45
• Avg HR\Max HR: 148\166
• Cals: 298

healthy meal idea of the day:

this lentil, spinach and sausage soup looks so comforting

I totally have runners high.. not actual runners high, more like post-run accomplishment high.  I was going a little bat crazy not being able to run, it is so important for my mental state these days!   I may have pushed it a little too hard today, my knee twinged a little bit at the end so I definitely need to stay off it tomorrow. (I really wanted to run another mile but decided it was unwise.)

My current plan until everything settles out is to not run two days in a row.  We will see how things feel tomorrow and then I can decide whether I get to run 3 or 6 miles on Thursday or what.

• Distance: 5.01 miles
• Time: 0:50:11 (including walking breaks! hell yeah)
• Pace:  10:06
• HR Avg\Max: 158\181
• Cals: 492

I also did run on Sunday as well, but it was only okay. I was still so worried about my body so I didn’t really enjoy it.

• Distance: 3.6 miles
• Time: 0:37:48
• Pace:  10:36
• HR Avg\Max: 146\190
• Cals: 357

healthy meal idea of the day:

Check out this strange but delicious lasagna I made the other day, it is a vegetarian lasagna with roasted squash and hazelnut sauce as well as kale and goat cheese.  Twas supposed to be a soup, but whatcha gonna to do?

At any rate, it wasn’t until today that I was back out there again, and while I was sick I didn’t stretch or roll or anything. It was pretty much all about lying down. So my run this morning was still fairly stiff and slow.

But what a beautiful morning it was. It was supposed to be raining, and sure enough it did pour all day, but when I was running it hadn’t started yet. But it smelled like rain, you know?  And it was windy enough that I was running through the leaves as they came off the trees. Amazing.

I have totally tossed out my training plan now. I will start thinking about it again once I get up to, say 15 miles a week rather then like 3. Oh well. I have made peace with it. Sorta.  Going to focus on recovery and some good solid pain free runs…. I can do another half in the new year. If I am feeling good on HM day maybe I will do the 10K. Maybe.  Thanks for the support everyone, it helps.  I am behind on blog reading . Not being able to run makes me sad to read about it. But if I have truly made my peace it shouldn’t matter right?

• Distance: 3.26 miles
• Time: 34:02
• HR Avg\Max: 144\159
• Pace: 10:32
• Cals: 323

healthy meal idea of the day:

A health-ified sweet potato casserole from Cooking Light, just in time for the holidays.

My knee and leg are sore and I was very aware of them the whole run. My left leg literally felt heavier then the right, I guess because it was taking more force to come around? I walked a few times and I stopped and stretched alot.   At first only every mile and towards the end every half a mile or so.  I am starting to really be able to feel the tight muscles now and not just a sore knee which I am taking as a good sign. Then I can stretch and roll out better right? At around 4 miles I knew I shouldn’t do too much more so I took the next opportunity to get back to the car. I stretched a bunch then again when I got home, took an ice bath and I am going to take another day off.

• Distance: 4.33 miles
• Time: 45:19
• Avg pace: 10:40
• Avg\Max HR: 142/175
• Cals:429

My mileage is going to be so low this week. 5 miles, compared to 19.12 and 27.75 the week before. I am hoping next week I can do two shorter runs maybe a 4 and a 5 then a solid 10 or 11 mile long run.  But either way I am going to keep taking care of myself.  On a happier note I just edged out my highest mileage month ever by just under 3 miles to make it 83ish miles.  So yeay me.

Yesterday I went to the gym and did the following for lifting after a 10 min warmup on the elliptical. I did the following circuit twice.

• tricep dips until fatigue
• step ups with overhead press (10lbs). 10 each side
• 10 assisted pullups
• 10 lunges holding 12 lb weights, 10 each side
• 10 pushups
• 20 squats on bosu
• 1 minute abs. Situps the first set then bicycles the second set

Here is hoping the terrible halloween shoes I am wearing tonight will not totally fuck up my knees. But yeah… we all know it ain’t going to help.

Happy Halloween!!

healthy meal idea of the day:

check out these delicious, and appropriate pumpkin pie muffins.

I haven’t posted until now cause I have been feeling pretty down about it.   I miss the act of running (nothing like not being able to!) and I hate missing the days on my plan, it makes me feel like such a failure.   So.. yeah this is why I haven’t updated, cause it is just so negative.  I did workout on Monday, and I did get on the elliptical yesterday.  I have high hopes for a run tomorrow.

Lesson: If you are having knee pain on the outer side of your knee it is very possibly IT issues.  There is a great Q & A post on runners world to self-diagnose.

This is also the first long run in awhile where I have fueled properly. I woke up at 9, ate a bagel with peanut butter and an apple as well as a cup of tea. I set out at 11am with two planned water stops, cliff shot blocks and an emergency bus pass just in case.

The first mile was mostly downhill and I was still digesting but after that my body woke up and felt really good.  I ran the first 5 miles feeling really good, and slowing myself down on several occasions.  The weather was great, but not so good the seawall was crawling with people and my knee was tight but not painful.  At 5 miles I stopped at a park, used the washroom, grabbed some water, ate the shot blocks and then kept going.

Around mile 6-7 I started hitting the hills and my knee started hurting more. Luckily my parents called from Europe and I was able to chat on my iphone while I jogged.  That entertained me, and slowed me down for a mile or so.    Around mile 8 I had my second park\water stop. I also stopped and stretched a bit, the knee was really tweaking at this point.  It does feel a bit better after stretching but running up or down hills is just really killer.

I made it though, when I hit the last mile  I was actually still feeling really good. Sure my knee hurt, but that was the only problem, I wasn’t exhausted or bored I was just feeling really good. Good enough to kick out a last mile party for a 9:58 mile even with a painful knee.

• Distance: 10.01 miles
• Time: 1:44:53
• Pace: 10:41
• Avg HR\Max HR: 152/168
• Cals: 993

I did all the right things post run too, I stretched, had a smoothie and an ice bath and then a larger meal.  I even just stretched again and rolled out. I am really hoping I can get in my 5 miles tomorrow.  It is supposed to be a pace run  (~9:56) but we shall see we shall see…

healthy meal of the day:

this Italian lentil and chestnut stew looks delicious. I have never worked with chestnuts before and they are totally on my list.

I was fine until about halfway (over the bridge maybe?) and then my knee started hurting quite a bit, it was also a genuinely hard run energy wise. The rain held off but I still wasn’t feeling it.  Then just after 35 minutes my body wouldn’t go fast anymore and my knee was really hurting so I called it.  I only did 35 minutes but I still feel like getting out there and doing something is worth more then not getting out there at all.

I am going to skip tomorrow’s run. (… You see by writing it on the blog I am actually going to do it.) Friday is already a rest day so I think the two days off in a row will help. Plus stretching and icing.  I think it must have been that one really big increase week that did it.  Plus I am breaking in some new orthotics which probably doesn’t help.

• Distance: 5 miles
• Time: 49:10
• Pace: 9:54 (Tempo Pace: 9:33)
• Avg HR/Max HR: 152/180
• Cals:  489

healthy meal of the day idea:

Black Bean Soup with Fried Egg

I could really feel the tightness around my knee, specifically behind my knee and in my calf and hamstring but unlike Sunday there was no pain.  I focused on staying loose and rolled out like it was my job just now.  Ditto with last night.  Tempo run planned for tomorrow, worried about that as well.  I swear so much of this injury stuff is mental, being worried never helps anything!

• Distance: 4.11
• Time: 43:31
• Pace: 10:40
• Avg HR\Max HR:132/148
• Cals: 409

I did do weights (with my trainer yeay!) on Monday. Just tried to write it up but I can’t remember half of it so its not going to happen. Imagine lots of lunges and squats.

I hope this post makes sense… I really think I must be coming down with something as I feel a little dumber then usual.

The weather was perfect, my body felt good and I was in the right mood for running.  The first few minutes were stacking up to be great, and then my left knee started hurting again. I think it is a hill induced problem. I ran for about 3 miles and then started really worrying as it was getting worse.  Partway through the 3rd mile I decided to walk a bit, for maybe 30 seconds, to see how it felt then I tried to jog again.

It was a no go, I really don’t want to do any damage so I walked the last .6 miles home.  It seems like bending the knee is the problem, walking is better since it requires less range of motion.  I stretched, took an advil and iced and I will ice again later.  Tomorrow is a day off from running anyways so it will get some rest. (Although I get to see my trainer again, yeay!!!)

I just took a quick look at my increase from the week before last (last week was a low week) and it was 21%. Oops.  Technically it shouldn’t be quite that high since I ran a 10K on Monday and sorta ended up doing two long runs this week. Still… I think I need to be more careful with my increases.  My total mileage for the week is 27.75, another highest mileage week record.  I think if I can take care of myself well and listen to my body my knee should be fine. Positive thinking may work wonders, but I decided to refrain from registering for my half until I have had a few solid runs in a row.

• Distance: 3.4 miles
• Time: 34:46
• Avg Pace: 10:14
• Avg HR/Max HR: 140/156
• Cals: 333

healthy meal of the day:

Try this for a healthy and delicious side dish: carrots with honey and balsamic.

The run itself was fine but not great. My left knee was twinging for the second half and I was so wet my feet squished and I felt heavy.  My pace was slower then some of my other long runs but is still in my target range according to Macmillan, plus I am at the cabin again which means very, very hilly territory.

This time I listened to half smodcast and half songs from Glee. I freaking love that show.  I also tried a new form of mid run fuel.  I wasn’t well prepared so I stopped by the cabin at 5 miles and had a teaspoon of honey with a big glass of water. Works pretty well, although no sodium, I guess ideally it would include sodium?

• Distance: 9.01 miles
• Time: 1:39:29
• Pace: 11:03
• Avg HR\Max HR: 153/205
• Cals: 903

healthy meal of the day:

Comfort food, curried squash soup.  So easy and totally delicious.