Sunday, September 29, 2013

still hobby jogging in Humbleville...


Hey Guys!

I swear that I will never bitch about weather, conditions, inaccurate timing companies, Garmin malfunctions, fucking wild life or rude cyclists again. Promise!

I've had my fair share of stress fractures and little things here and there that require a comeback. However, none are anywhere near as difficult as trying to comeback after a jacked up spine. It is mind numbing in every imaginable way. So let me name some:

1. Initially, not understanding why I was hobbling.
2. Time off not making any difference. Runner nightmare.
3. Massive cross training doing nothing but killing my hair.
4. The inability to say "I'm going for a run" because after 2 steps I'm back in the car.
5. Not being able to run 1 mile with my running partner who I used to drop in a heartbeat (ok, slight exaggeration)
6. Running a pace that feels horrible in the hopes it gets better but never does.
7. Driving around with a bike rack on my car.
8. Running 8 miles on a Sunday.

That was last month and some of this. Now I have a bazillion spine, pelvic and core strengthening exercises to do daily. They are working though. I don't hobble. I'm slowing getting my comfy pace back down under 7:30. But seriously, it's like I'm out of shape.

I've gone from the boot to running 7 flat in a few weeks. It's not happening as easily this time. I see why though...this injury needs a little more attention. Here is one of my hypotheses as to why my back became crooked seemingly overnight.

Swimming obsessively and breathing on one side. That's gotta be it. I would rotate my torso hundreds of times a swim to get air on one side. Now suddenly I'm lopsided?? Well, I cut that out and learned to bilateral breathe. That is in addition to the Chiro and the rest of my dream team I'm making advances.

Now, I'll get one killer day and then 2 meh days. It's an improvement! I'm being patient as best I can.

Because I like statistics here is my mileage of late:

August weekly totals: 45, 70, 60, 12
September totals: 16, 24, 47 and 56 this week.
I'm still just about at 3000 for the year.

My pace started out around 8 and now is closer to 7:30. Both of which are not my usual and feel weird.

Of course there is bike, swim and endless hours in the gym in there but who cares.

So, I don't like talking about it but clearly Chicago is out of the cards. I have comped entry for Philly late November but even if that were possible it would force me to train back to back marathons with BOSTON 2014! So my common sense says chill now and then ramp it up for a killer Boston and a few half's in-between.

My short term goal is to pace my daughter in the Monster Dash next month. It's 1 mile. It's not Chicago but hey, all in due time. And please don't ask for my Chicago bib. A few people have and I don't feel it's appropriate to give away that seed. And it would bar me from future Chicago's if I was busted.

As Diana Nyad would say Onward!!! I will continue to lace up every morning and get out there. One of these days it will get better. And when it does all hell is going to break loose!!

 Thanks for listening to my rant. See you out there!

Laura

Wednesday, September 11, 2013

Nothing like spine x-rays to make you feel like a bent up piece of shit!

Hello My Dears!!

I wanted to update my blog once I had some GOOD news instead of whining and crying on your screen.  Well, it took a freakin' while to get back on the road and make some good news!

Basically, I swam and cycled my ass off and took off another 5 days of running. I couldn't figure out why I hurt EVERYWHERE. People kept saying suck it up, get out there. I needed answers. What was wrong??!

So I went to my trusted Chiropractor that I usually see just for Graston Technique. I asked her to check my back. She sent me to Raleigh Radiology for lumber and thoracic x-rays. I went there on a walk-in basis and didn't leave until I had my reports and films. I went back to the Chiro.

WOAH....

lower back and top of hips

Thoracic...creepy

Just a cool x-ray. Not bad
So, my problem clearly was that my hips were uneven causing my gait to clop around. Basically, the good 'ol one leg shorter diagnosis. I googled my fingers off and found some controversy on the topic. Some think it's a crap dx. Or that we all are uneven and it's not a big deal. Well, I can tell you this explained WHY I was clopping. I was UNEVEN! But don't cry for me (Argentina!)

So, I had my first ever adjustment with the wussy gun because I can't handle the thought of manual manipulation. I walked out fine. I rested the next day and ran the following. I ran EVENLY! No clopping! I ran the next, the next, the next and the next day. No clopping. I had a second adjustment. I'm about a week into daily running 7-10 milers. About 7:30 pace.

I keep waiting to fall apart. It's kind of stressful but it will pass. When I'm not running, I'm stretching every which way I can.

I'm still swimming almost daily after my run. I force taught myself bilateral breathing, instead of one side only. I don't know if that will help but half my back is really tight muscularly. So I'm trying to keep things symmetrical.

So it's not the end of the world. I feel 200% better but I'll be running through Humbleville for a little while longer. I still can't believe that's my back. I don't feel like that person. But I have BIG plans for that cranky back!!! It's getting closer to roll time!

See you guys out there!!

Laura