recap :: MoHud2013 week 22

Eight. Weeks. Left.

Week 21's long run was pushed until Monday, plus a little extra cardio for good measure. Since I'm relegated to running twice weekly, I opted to go to a spin class after my long run to really tire out my legs. It worked and somehow I unknowingly signed up for the hardest spin class known to man, full of sprint intervals and climbing sprints.

The eight miles felt better than I anticipated. Knowing I'd be annoyed, tired and not wanting to run long on a work day, I changed my scenery and ran through town, stopping to grab a few miles on the track to focus on form and keeping my knee in the right spot. At my PT session last week, the Doc noticed I stand/run/walk/move with my right foot/leg kicked slightly to the right, instead of pointing straight ahead. She blamed most of my current injury on poor mechanics (super) and said I could probably fix it if I paid attention to my form and practiced running on straight lines. The track provided a welcomed distraction from running through town with hills (...so, so many hills), blown out sidewalks, tree roots, traffic, rocks and a multitude of other hazards. The first few miles were annoying, but by mile three everything fell into place for a comfortable last five miles.

Saturday I got up and out for my week 22 long run before it got too warm. This was another run I took to the city (albeit a different one) to help the miles tick away "faster". In 10miles I took a tour of old tree lined streets and 19th century mansions, watched racehorses during their warm up, window shopped in town and used the public library as spot to refill my water. At the beginning of the run I wasn't into it, but I seemed to fall into a good rhythm around mile four that carried my legs through the end and I was free to enjoy my surroundings.

Running twice a week seems to have had a positive impact on my mental game. I'm not sure if it's because I'm looking forward to long runs more because I'm running fewer times weekly, or because I've abandoned "the plan" and the need to have my excel training log mirror the prescribed workouts. Whatever it is, I'm glad my mood has shifted and I'm learning to love the long run.


   

Monday: 8mi; 60min spin; 45min total body
                scheduled - cross
Tuesday: rest
                scheduled - rest
Wednesday: 60min spin; strength training; stretching 
                scheduled - 3mi  
Thursday: 3.55mi
                scheduled - 7mi  
Friday: PT strength training
                scheduled - 4mi  
Saturday: 10.15mi
                scheduled - rest  
Sunday: rest
                scheduled - 15mi

Weekly mileage: 21.70mi
Scheduled weekly mileage: 24mi

recap :: MoHud2013 week 21

still hanging on my wall.

Back at it. I didn't get a long run in this weekend because Saturday was a fake rest day. I had tickets to the PGA championship and spent the day in the sun schlepping around the golf course following Jason Dufner and Jim Furyk. While it wasn't a run, I was wearing running kicks and probably walked more than 5miles (uphill both ways, of course). After my fake rest day, I needed wanted an actual rest day, so I spent Sunday doing the exact opposite of working out: watching TV and napping.

I promise long run will happen on Monday.

This week also marked the one year anniversary of the great fracture of 2012. Just sayin. 

Monday: 60min spin; 45min total body
                scheduled - cross
Tuesday: 60min spin
                scheduled - rest
Wednesday: 3mi
                scheduled - 3mi  
Thursday: rest
                scheduled - 7mi  
Friday: PT strength training
                scheduled - 4mi  
Saturday: rest
                scheduled - rest  
Sunday: rest
                scheduled - 10mi

Weekly mileage: 3mi
Scheduled weekly mileage: 24mi

recap :: MoHud2013 week 20

Ten weeks left.

My faith was restored after a 5mi long run on Saturday. Unsatisfied with the advice from doctor #1, I went back to my sports medicine orthopedist who said "Of course you can run. Just keep it to twice a week and dont be an idiot." After I stopped clapping, I grabbed my physical therapy script and was on my way (I should also mention that he said if my pain was beyond a 5 on a scale of 1-10 I should stop; obviously my pain will never exceed a 5).

Que some more crackle/snap/pop of my knee as my PT moved my leg around during an eval. Apparently the symphony in my knee is because my right VMO is underdeveloped (read: it isn't doing anything but taking up space). That's unfortunate because while it's just hanging out as the useless quad muscle, my knee cap is moving anywhere it wants without anything to stop it and the other muscles in my leg are working overtime to keep everything in check - hence the pain in my knee, IT band and hamstrings.  and she hooked me up to a e-stim machine and cranked up the voltage to make my VMO twitch and respond while I did pilates style lifts for 15minutes, followed by a tear inducing aided stretch of my IT band and hamstring. Yikes.

a little electrical current to the muscle
really gets your blood pumping.

Then there was homework. More pilates lifting ("to fatigue", to be exact) and get crazy with the stretching. 

My PT agreed that running twice a week is the best way to go at this point, so I jetted out the door on Saturday for a 5mi run that restored my faith. The sun was shining, the birds were chirping, I was actually moving. All wins. I was sore Sunday (but in a good way) and opted to skip spin for a 2.5mi walk around the park, starting with shopping at the farmers market and ending with lunch at the farmers market.

Another plus, all (minus the first doctor who clearly hates athletic endeavors is very cautious) of my medical entourage thinks I'll be able to make it to the start this year, and barring anything ridiculous, be able to finish. I'll count it as a victory over marathon 2012.

For my next trick? Condense 14 weeks of marathon training into 10 weeks following a 4 week no-running streak. Go.

Monday: 1 mi; 30min total body
                scheduled - cross
Tuesday: 60min spin
                scheduled - rest
Wednesday: rest
                scheduled - 3mi  
Thursday: rest
                scheduled - 6mi  
Friday: PT strength training
                scheduled - 3mi  
Saturday: 5mi
                scheduled - rest  
Sunday: 2.5mi walk
                scheduled - 13mi

Weekly mileage: 6mi
Scheduled weekly mileage: 25mi

recap :: MoHud2013 week 19

Thank god the spin studio doesn't judge me when I hobble in, fail to stand for the climbs and sport my knee brace the entire class. Side note: I really don't recommend doing an entire spin class seated.

I'm trying not to focus solely too much on my missed miles. This is my fourth consecutive week of posting zero in the mileage column.

remember me?

Monday: rest
                scheduled - cross
Tuesday: 60min spin
                scheduled - rest
Wednesday: rest
                scheduled - 3mi  
Thursday: 30min spin; 30min total body strength
                scheduled - 6mi  
Friday: rest
                scheduled - 3mi  
Saturday: rest
                scheduled - rest  
Sunday: 60min spin
                scheduled - 12mi

Weekly mileage: 0mi
Scheduled weekly mileage: 24mi

recap :: MoHud2013 week 18

Finally. Activity other than walking the two blocks to my office. This week I realized my disdain for the elliptical - again. Doctors continue to suggest that as an acceptable replacement training tool. Sorry doc, I know you went to school for an uber long time and while I value your professional opinion, you're wrong.

After mustering 35minutes I quit and opted to pedal. And then sat around some more.

At least it's not this:

summer 2012. accessory of the year.

Monday: rest
                scheduled - cross
Tuesday: rest
                scheduled - rest
Wednesday: 35min elliptical; 20min recumbent bike
                scheduled - 3mi  
Thursday: rest
                scheduled - 5mi  
Friday: 60min spin
                scheduled - 3mi  
Saturday: rest
                scheduled - rest  
Sunday: rest
                scheduled - 7mi

Weekly mileage: 0mi
Scheduled weekly mileage: 18mi

recap :: MoHud2013 week 17

Rest rest rest. What do you so when all you training time is now unoccupied?

Easy answer: enjoy summer. Yes. However, it rained more in upstate NY in June and July than it does in Seattle (true story).

[source]

So in lieu of training. This is what's been happening:

I've been sampling Oatmeal Stout on the couch, 

missed the coaster...I know.

watching Marley meticulously carry his bone around the house as if it was his child,  

ice and compress as if I was active, 

craft outdoor flower vases from mason jars, 

note: this looks cute for a week, then the flowers die and
you have to do something about it. #notmaintenancefree

hanging out with his crazy ass and his squeaky dragon, 

enjoying local craft brews in St. Patrick Day delights on the porch,  

and when I've run out of fun on a Saturday, I take advice written on wooden plaques. 

Monday: rest
                scheduled - cross
Tuesday: rest
                scheduled - rest
Wednesday: rest
                scheduled - 3mi  
Thursday: rest
                scheduled - 5mi  
Friday: rest
                scheduled - 3mi  
Saturday: rest
                scheduled - rest  
Sunday: rest - on Boilermaker Sunday :(
                scheduled - 10mi

Weekly mileage: 0mi
Scheduled weekly mileage: 21mi