Rededication

If there's one GREAT thing that came out of all this knee-nonsense, it's realizing how important running has become to me, and how much I previously took it for granted.


A CHANGE IN PHILOSOPHY
After the injury on January 28, I didn't run for a week. My knee was really sore, now we know, from my patella having been tracking sideways and slamming into my fat pads for 12 miles. After that, I spent 3 weeks running 3-4 miles 2 days, and followed by a day off. 3-4 miles really didn't even scratch the intensely burning ITCH for a good run. I did my foam rolling, I went to Pilates, I started to take steps towards recovery, but in the back of my mind, I'd really given up on Boston.

When two great doctors said without question that I'd make it to race day, I knew I'd have to take a new outlook on training and commit to the LENGTHY stretching/ strengthening exercises they'd assigned. I am NOT going to get a DNF in the marathon and have any question that I did everything in my power to recover and prepare.

THE NEW SCHEDULE
Running was initially so appealing because it is so efficient. You can get in a perfectly sufficient workout in an hour and be done with it. Well, now we've added another hour of stretching, doubling the workout time. Honestly I don't mind the hour- I'm enjoying making progress towards new goals- but losing that hour in the afternoon is tough. If I come straight home from school and change and do all the running and stretching, I'm not done until at least 6pm. Most days it's fine, but let's be honest. Some days it takes a toll.

What the H is she stretching for an hour, you ask? Here's the daily list. The most important ones are *ed.

1. Plank, 3 x 30 sec; 2. Side planks, each side, 3 x 30 sec; 3. Supermans, 3 x 12-15; 4. Windshield wipers (the death of me), 3 x 10-15; **5. Quad stretches (none like I'd ever seen), each side 3 x 30 sec; 6. Hip flexor stretches, each side 3 x 30 sec; 7. Side leg raises, each side 3 x 30 sec; 8. Single leg raises, each side 3 x 30 sec; **9. Hamstrings, each side 3 x 30 sec; **10. Foam rolling, each side 10-15; **11. IT band stretch, each side 3 x 30 sec; AND NOW PT ADDED 3 MORE -- 12. step down, each side 3 x 10; **13. side steps, each side 3 x 10; **14. hip abductors, 3 x 12-15.

The other change to the schedule includes not running two consecutive days to allow for ample recovery time. This means more cross training, like the elliptical, HOT YOGA, and maybe some occasional spinning. Let me say how much I love that the doc has given me an excuse to do hot yoga regularly. I love it.

PROGRESS... ALREADY?!
In a week, I can already feel changes. I used a technique called Mcconnell taping on my knee on Sunday, and banged out an excellent 12 mile run, pain free! HOORAY. Today I taped my knee with crappy tape, which came undone after like.. a mile. I proceeded to run 5.5 miles, hard, sans tape, and had no pain! woooohoooooo. Good tape is on its way from Amazon, crucial for my 16 miler this Sunday.

(Side note. While running aforementioned 5.5 miles on treadmill today, a guy came who reeeeeeked of cigarettes, and took the treadmill two down from me. Like for real. Did he just smoke and then come in for his workout? Also nearly ALL the other treadmills were open, so why did he have to take that one?? Anyway, as I'm thinking about how much he reeks, up walks his stinky friend to take the treadmill directly next to mine. I'm not judging. Ok I'm judging a little bit. But the smell was so strong that I was gagging. I wound up switching treadmills.)

ENDORPHIN ADDICTION
For years, studies have shown that exercise releases happy, feel-good hormones called endorphins. They contribute to what's called "runner's high." Not being able to really run for several weeks was a little bit like putting a crack addict into rehab.

It was not pretty. In that time, I felt more low, listless, and anxious than I'd ever have thought. Truly it was unattractive. Endorphin withdrawals + Type A personality losing control over knee (before seeing doc) = my husband is a saint. ^2.

And now, time for a few hip abductors before bed.

HAPPY RUNNING.