Time To Rebuild

During my PT appointment on Tuesday I got the go ahead to start adding miles - music to my ears! While I think I've been pretty level-headed during this injury, likely due to the fact that unlike others I neither had to wear a boot or use crutches, I've had my low times and it this has lasted longer than I expected. 

This all started back in May which means I've missed the majority of summer running and that I'm having to rebuild after a big setback. Before my injury, I was feeling better about my running than I had for a long time; having built a great deal of confidence, endurance, and speed. Things were going really well before derailed by the injury. I know, it's a common story among us runners, right?

The weekend before that last PT appointment I had two pretty rough runs. My legs didn't feel awful but my lungs did. Apparently being an active injured runner - doing long hikes and run/walks - didn't help as much as I hoped it would.

As much as I want to be elated to run again and have each run be better than the last, the truth is, that's not how recovery works for a lot of us and I've done this enough times you'd think I'd be used to it. 

The good thing is that I'm not in pain with every step and I can run. But I have to keep in mind that it's going to require patience, thoughtfulness, the ability to say no sometimes (and isn't that the hardest word for most of us to say to anything!) and a lot of stretching and rolling.

photo credit: Lindsay Jones

Patience with myself and my body.

Thoughtfulness in planning my workouts and goals.

The ability to say no to the impatient runner in me who wants to add more miles and speed too soon, and sign-up for too many races too soon.

And stretching and rolling so my legs won't be balls of twisted and tight muscles that weigh me down and keep me from getting back to my old self - and going past that!

Thankfully this weekend I've had the opportunity to run with some fellow Oiselle Volée birds. You may have heard the team recently expanded and we now have over 50 in Colorado alone! A bit last minute we planned a run + brunch for Saturday morning and had 7 birds for the run plus two more for brunch at True Food Kitchen. 

While I was definitely slower on the run and had to cut the loop of Wash Park short (listening to my body and staying true to where I am right now), I had a great time. Meeting new women who love to run also, was inspiring. That experience, plus my run on Sunday with another bird, got me out of my comfort zone by just the right amount. Rather than being discouraged by them, they are part of the rebuilding process. 

And thankfully when I come home from a run (good or not so good) or when I'm being lazy and not making time for the foam roller, I have Woody to keep me in check. 

We can only do so much of the rebuilding on our own, we need our support system to help us get where we're going.

Have you had to rebuild after an injury? What helped you on your road back?

5 for Friday: Goodbye 2011

If you’re looking for a ‘Best of’ list, sorry, you’re not going to find that here today. BUT, I can point you to THIS mother of all mashup ‘Best (and worst) Of” list from Fast Company. It’s seriously genius.

1. It’s so hard for me to believe that the year is just about over. It’s gone by so quickly! While I wasn’t able to achieve many of the goals I had set at the start of the year due to multiple stress fractures, I still got to do a lot of incredible things and made fantastic memories! So, all in all, it was a pretty good year. Every year we have is a pretty good year.

2. We enjoyed the most laid back Christmas ever. Even with Woody’s Mom in town for several days, we made sure to balance the activities with a healthy dose of relaxation! While I did miss being with my family on Christmas with all the hub-bub of lots of people, stories, and little kids running around ripping open presents on Christmas morning, there is something to be said for a relaxing day at home. We did actually leave the apartment on Christmas day though, to take a walk to the new pier near South Street Seaport.

3. I only had to work two days this week. There was hardly anyone in the office, but I was working on a big project that we were just assigned the week before and was due EOD yesterday. It was pretty intense since there were only a few of us available to work on it, but it was actually a fun assignment and allowed us to do some creative thinking.

4. I’m still going to PT, my left leg is feeling pretty good, the tight ITB is loosening up, I’m building up time on the elliptical and my right foot is still hurting with just about every step. I’m glad I’m in PT cause my therapist, Amanda, spends some time working out the muscle along my shin that’s causing all the trouble. It was feeling a lot better after the session yesterday, but not 100%. I really hope to get rid of this soon; there is plenty I want to do! Like yoga.

5. So far I haven’t come up with my goals or resolutions for 2012. Given my inability to reach my goals this year, I’m kind of weary to write anything big down for next year. I guess my real goal is just to stay healthy, or get healthy, more like it! Aside from that, Woody and I want to keep traveling. We already have a trip to Charleston, SC, planned for his Birthday weekend in a few weeks! Then I’ll be spending President’s Day Weekend visiting my parents. Other than that, we don’t have anything planned yet, but hope to soon. I love having a trip to look forward to and new places to explore.

• What have you been up to while I’ve been MIA?
• How do you like to celebrate the holidays – big parties or small gatherings?
• What is your favorite memory from this holiday season so far?
• Do you have any goals or resolutions for 2012?

Why I Love My Physical Therapist and Other Musings

Why I love My Physical Therapist…

Tuesday I had a great workout. I did some strength training, 35 minutes on the bike and a good stretch session. When I left the gym I was feeling pretty optimistic about where I was and looking forward to PT after work.

Fast forward an hour and I’m on my way to work. All of a sudden my right foot started hurting. Like really hurting. With every step. I’ll admit it, I kind of started to panic. All day it continued to hurt and I talked to my PT about it that evening. She took a look, iced it, and we modified my exercises a bit. She thought it might just be one of those freak aches and pains that come and go. So I was to ice it at home the next day and let her know Thursday how it was feeling.

Wednesday, the pain was still there when the alarm went off so we skipped the gym. Later I realized the pain had moved from the base of my toes to the top of my foot. It hurt all day. I stretched Wednesday night and iced it. Thursday I was determined to get back to the gym and while it didn’t bother me on the bike too much, I was walking really slowly and deliberately. All of my leg muscles were tense. It hurt all day Thursday.

I got to PT and told my therapist what was going on. By this point I was feeling pretty helpless with my mind going directly to thoughts of another stress fracture and not understanding how in the world I could get a stress fracture from walking to the subway! My PT was not happy to hear it was still hurting but thought it was a good sign that the pain had moved, as a stress fracture wouldn’t do that. She confirmed the only cardio I’ve been doing outside of PT has been the bike and after checking out my swollen foot and poking around the muscle along my right shin, she determined that the muscle had tightened up because I went from hardly ever riding the stationary bike to riding it nearly every day and the circular motion and up and down of my toes were tightening the muscle. She worked on it for at least 5 minutes then worked on the muscles on the bottom of my foot as they had also tightened up. After about 10 or so minutes I tested it out and while the pain wasn’t completely gone, there was definitely less of it. We did alter my exercises a bit but I got through the rest of my session and left with a few extra stretches to do and orders not to get on the bike for a few days. Because I’ve been doing well on the elliptical during my sessions, she gave me the okay to do 15 to 20 minutes on the elliptical instead.

To say that I’m relieved is beyond an understatement. Thank goodness I’m in PT now and she was able to determine this without me worrying like crazy for days and possibly going to a doctor just to find out I need to switch up my cardio and do some stretches!

It did hurt a bit this morning when I woke up, but I spent a few minutes massaging the spot and stretching before heading to the gym. I also did a lot of stretching while there, and it seemed to help!

Other musings….

I am not working today, yet we still woke up at 5:30am to go to the gym. Something is wrong with us.

I am in denial that Christmas is in two days. Perhaps it is because I’ve been so busy at work these last few weeks. Or maybe the fact that not only is there no snow, but it has been over 50 degrees the last few days. It’s felt more like Easter than Christmas.

My mother-in-law is known for her sugar cookie recipe which she used to make for team gatherings when my husband and his brother were in high school. Woody even admits to splitting up the batch (and a batch is about 60 cookies) and keeping half for himself and taking the rest to the team cause he liked them so much. Well, the first time I tried making them I quickly realized my bowl wasn’t nearly big enough and my little hand mixer broke. We had to go out and buy new of each. Once I finally got things set it took me a whole day to bake an decorate the cookies. No joke. I haven’t made them since. She’s bringing some for him today when she arrives. Some things are just better when they come from your mom.

The rest of my family is in Minneapolis at my sister’s house. It’s always an off Christmas for me when I’m not with them. I’ll be thinking of them though.

The heat in our building went out yesterday. Apparently a steam pipe blew. We still have no heat. Thank goodness it was 56 degrees yesterday but it’s getting colder. At least we have hot water though!

If you aren’t following @30RockTree, you should be. It’s hilarious!

I wish the holiday season was more about showing people how much we care than just buying stuff to buy it. This video is a little hilarious and a little disturbing. But the little girl who likes her mom’s cooking… has the best line of all!

And on that note…. I hope you all take some time to relax, have fun and just enjoy life over the next few days! Live up the last days of 2011!

HAPPY HOLIDAYS!

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Today’s workout -

• 3x15 Pulley ab twists
• 2x17 weighted side bends
• 10x10sec wobble board balancing
• 2x18 seated row
• 125 ab exercises
• 17min elliptical
• 2x35 sec planks
• 2x15 back extension
• stretching

Getting Back on Track

My second week of PT is starting and while I took one more rest day last week than I had planned on (long, stressful hours at work required an extra morning of sleeping in) I’m feeling really good and optimistic about my recovery!

On Thursday my PT had me start with 10 minutes on the elliptical. I was definitely nervous about using the elliptical since I haven’t done more than the stationary bike since October 17th. That’s a really long time by my calendar! I kept the resistance very low and it was definitely the slowest pace I’ve ever done on the machine, but I finished the 10 minutes and felt okay. I followed it up with some balance work on a square wobble board and a four different exercises on the hip flexor machine. There were other exercises and then she worked out the spot on my ITB and hip that are really tight. I also learned that Woody can help by pushing down on my tailbone while I’m sitting in Child’s Pose to help loosen the muscles too! The session finished with 10 minutes on ice and then I was off to meet Woody for drinks.

Oh, did I mention our new date night? We decided we don’t take advantage of our city enough and one night each week we’re going to meet after work and get a drink at a different restaurant or bar before heading home. Mix things up a bit! The first week we went to the bar at the Andaz Hotel which is near our apartment, last week we went to a New Zealand restaurant/bar on Front Street near South Street Seaport, called Nelson Blu. We had planned to go to the Oyster Bar in Grand Central, but tis the season for holiday parties and the restaurant was closed for a private function. We’ll get there sometime though!

Anyway, I had two long workouts this weekend, spending 45 minutes on the bike and working on my upper body strength and also the exercises I did at PT, and I started the week today with another good workout. Truthfully, I really wanted to sleep in but I knew it would be best to start the week with a workout and not a lazy morning. My leg muscles are still extremely tight but I think they’ll loosen up as they get used to moving again!

My goal this week is to get to the gym 5 days (plus PT) with two, maybe three, 10 minute sessions on the elliptical. While I’m feeling good, even after walking around the city a lot this weekend, I am still going to be cautious and I will not push myself at the gym too much. Enough to break a sweat and get a good workout, but I don’t intend to start running anytime soon. Or even spend too much time on the elliptical. I’ll get there one day and by then my legs and core will be strong enough to support it!

I’ve finally started listening to Christmas music and I’m getting in the holiday mood! I think we’re going to get our tree this weekend. Nothing like buying your Christmas tree on the sidewalk like we do here in the city. It’s definitely an odd way to do things, but it works. Can’t wait for the smell of pine to fill our apartment!

Have you entered the giveaway yet? Better do it now, cause tomorrow’s the last day to enter! (Just scroll down a little farther!)

• What did you do this weekend?
• Do you have travel plans for the holidays?
• How do you start your weekend on the right foot?

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Today’s workout -

• 35min elliptical
• 200 ab exercises
• 1x40sec plank
• 2x18 seated row
• PT exercises
• stretching

I’m Still Here

It’s been a while since you’ve heard from me! But don’t worry, I AM still here. I’ve just been pretty busy at work and, well, living life. And truthfully, without running and the fact that my workouts are all pretty boring, I don’t have a whole lot to write about.

That being said, I did go to my first PT session yesterday morning. And I’m still feeling it! Turns out the spot on my left leg near the hip that my Sports Doc thought might be a pinched nerve is the inflamed IT Band! I hadn’t even thought at all that it could be connected to the ITB as my knee doesn’t hurt at all, but when my PT pushed around the spot I almost screamed. She worked it out a bit and used the ultrasound machine. It’s been aching (the good kind of ache) ever since. She also worked out the other spot that’s been aching a bit. Of course, as all PT’s do, she showed me a series of stretches and exercises for homework. This first session was pretty passive on my part, but I have a feeling it won’t be much longer. I go back Thursday after work (which should be better than the 7am of yesterday morning) and then twice a week for 4 – 6 more weeks. Thankfully my PT is also a runner, having run two marathons this year including NYC.

Okay, a little promotion here – either Wednesday or Thursday (depending on how awesome our company holiday party is tonight) I’ll be posting what I think is a pretty awesome giveaway. Among other items, the prize pack will include products from Banana Blossom Press, Sprigs, and Nathan. So, check back soon!

• What have you been up to while I’ve been silent?
• Are you done with your holiday shopping (I haven’t started yet!)?
• Are you participating in any charity drives or gifting this year?