Today is my "planned rest day" since I am going to be spending the entire afternoon/evening traveling...and I have never been so thankful for a rest day. My knee is still a bit ache-y and I am less than thrilled about that.
Last spring, around this time of year, I irritated my medial plica. You'd think I would have learned my lesson and picked up some more stretching and weight training...but of course not. I think I have re-irritated that same area. It's not all that bad yet so I'm just going to take it easy for a while, stretch, and start running outside again (so matter what the temperature) so I can balance out my leg muscles (running on the treadmill and the indoor track just isn't doing it for me...).
The major cause of medial synovial plica irritation is tight hamstrings (which I'm guessing I have since I've sucked at stretching lately) and poor quadricep strength (which I'm also guessing I have since I've barely run outside since upping my mileage and I haven't been lifting at all). And, since I'm a woman with hips, my larger q-angle is not helping one bit.
All in all, I am one very injury prone gal. But I am not injured yet. I just need to stop the progression before it elevates to the level of last year (where I could barely walk).
With that said, I am leaving for spring break in 45 minutes! I suppose it's not really spring break considering I'm flying into 20 degree weather, but it is break. And I am incredibly excited!!! I can't wait to see everyone in CT and I just want to get a move on now!
Some info for the curious:
http://www.emedicine.com/sports/topic75.htm
http://sportsmedicine.about.com/od/women/a/Q_angle.htm
Friday, February 29, 2008
Monday, February 25, 2008
I'm the queen of negative splits and procrastination
Ok, I have been majorly slacking off on my running blogging and I'm sorry for the serious lack of action lately...midterms and papers have been completely bogging me down for the past week. But thankfully midterms are over (hallelujah) and spring break is just a day away (!) so I'll have more time to dedicate to procrastinating and writing (as opposed to studying and homeworking like a good student).
To be honest, I don't even remember the past few days. It all just feels like one big blur of studying and testing! My running has been extremely off as well; the runs that I did do were pretty good (As the title of this post says, I am the queen of negative splits: all of my runs have been much faster in the second half) but I've had to throw in some extra rest days due to the fact that I have not been stretching/yogaing as much as I should and I'm starting to feel the consequences of that. Note to self: Must. do. yoga.
Today is one of those aforementioned rest days. I was planning on doing a 7 or 8 miler this morning but that plan immeadiately got sidetracked when I got out of bed and felt a horrible twinge in my knee. I've been feeling it (and ignoring it) since the end of last week but I finally decided that it would be stupid to do a long run on a twinge-y knee...especially with the start of half marathon training in a little over a week. I always manage to get injured right before training starts and I don't want that to happen again this year (I was sidelined for almost 2 months last spring!).
I may ride on a spinning bike tonight if I'm feeling extremely antsy because tomorrow is my planned rest day, but I'm going to try my best to just stretch, do some yoga, and let my body heal. I'm hoping that the rest I'm doing this week will allow me to have some great runs next week when I'm in CT with plenty of running routes and free time. Plus I have a 5k race on Sunday!
But enough of the rambling and ranting...
Monday: 5.5 mile treadmill run - 45.20 minutes
Wednesday: 5.5 mile treadmill run - 45.30 minutes
To be honest, I don't even remember the past few days. It all just feels like one big blur of studying and testing! My running has been extremely off as well; the runs that I did do were pretty good (As the title of this post says, I am the queen of negative splits: all of my runs have been much faster in the second half) but I've had to throw in some extra rest days due to the fact that I have not been stretching/yogaing as much as I should and I'm starting to feel the consequences of that. Note to self: Must. do. yoga.
Today is one of those aforementioned rest days. I was planning on doing a 7 or 8 miler this morning but that plan immeadiately got sidetracked when I got out of bed and felt a horrible twinge in my knee. I've been feeling it (and ignoring it) since the end of last week but I finally decided that it would be stupid to do a long run on a twinge-y knee...especially with the start of half marathon training in a little over a week. I always manage to get injured right before training starts and I don't want that to happen again this year (I was sidelined for almost 2 months last spring!).
I may ride on a spinning bike tonight if I'm feeling extremely antsy because tomorrow is my planned rest day, but I'm going to try my best to just stretch, do some yoga, and let my body heal. I'm hoping that the rest I'm doing this week will allow me to have some great runs next week when I'm in CT with plenty of running routes and free time. Plus I have a 5k race on Sunday!
But enough of the rambling and ranting...
Monday: 5.5 mile treadmill run - 45.20 minutes
Wednesday: 5.5 mile treadmill run - 45.30 minutes
Tag, you're it!
I've been tagged by 2 fellow bloggers:
Patricio; http://cuencanoinmo.blogspot.com/ and
Training to Tri; http://trainingtotri.blogspot.com/
The rules:
1 - Link to the person who tagged you
2 -Post the rules on your blog
3 - Share seven random and/or weird facts about yourself on your blog
4 - Tag seven random people at the end of your post, and include links to their blogs
My random and/or weird facts:
1. I'm left handed but I use right handed scissors and throw with my right hand because that was the only way they would teach me when I was learning to do those things in pre-school/kindergarten.
2. I have been running since elementary school and haven't stopped for more than a few months at a time since then...
3. I am obsessed with tea. I try as many different varieties as I can get my hands on and I rarely find a type that I dislike.
4. I grew up in and spent most of my life in Connecticut yet I am quite possibly the biggest wimp you will ever meet when it comes to cold weather....which is why I have been doing all of my runs indoors despite the fact that it's been in the low 40s for the past week.
5. I have an addiction to bookstores. I could spend all of my free time in Barnes and Nobles and all of my life's savings on books. Thankfully I (eventually) read all of the books I buy and get a lot of gift cards
6. I really enjoy planning and organizing and researching. Sometimes I'll plan a "dream trip" that I know I won't be taking just because I like researching hotels, restaurants, and various things to do in different locations.
7. My toenails are always painted a shade of either red or pink...no matter what.
Who I'm tagging:
Well I'm going to have to get back to that in a bit because I told myself that I'd get back to studying at 7:00 and it is now 7:05. Bah humbug.
Patricio; http://cuencanoinmo.blogspot.com/ and
Training to Tri; http://trainingtotri.blogspot.com/
The rules:
1 - Link to the person who tagged you
2 -Post the rules on your blog
3 - Share seven random and/or weird facts about yourself on your blog
4 - Tag seven random people at the end of your post, and include links to their blogs
My random and/or weird facts:
1. I'm left handed but I use right handed scissors and throw with my right hand because that was the only way they would teach me when I was learning to do those things in pre-school/kindergarten.
2. I have been running since elementary school and haven't stopped for more than a few months at a time since then...
3. I am obsessed with tea. I try as many different varieties as I can get my hands on and I rarely find a type that I dislike.
4. I grew up in and spent most of my life in Connecticut yet I am quite possibly the biggest wimp you will ever meet when it comes to cold weather....which is why I have been doing all of my runs indoors despite the fact that it's been in the low 40s for the past week.
5. I have an addiction to bookstores. I could spend all of my free time in Barnes and Nobles and all of my life's savings on books. Thankfully I (eventually) read all of the books I buy and get a lot of gift cards
6. I really enjoy planning and organizing and researching. Sometimes I'll plan a "dream trip" that I know I won't be taking just because I like researching hotels, restaurants, and various things to do in different locations.
7. My toenails are always painted a shade of either red or pink...no matter what.
Who I'm tagging:
Well I'm going to have to get back to that in a bit because I told myself that I'd get back to studying at 7:00 and it is now 7:05. Bah humbug.
Thursday, February 21, 2008
Back to the indoor track
Never again will I go to the gym at 11:30; earlier or later, yes...but never at 11:30. That's a crazy, pre-lunch half hour and I just didn't enjoy it one bit.
I had been planning on running on the treadmill again today (because I really liked knowing my pace/distance) but they were all taken up and I didn't feel like waiting around for one to open up. So I sucked it up and headed to the crowded indoor track.
At any rate, my run was fairly good. My legs were a bit tired but nothing dehabilitating. Today was also supposed to be an easier run but some guy was bent on using me as his pacer and I was getting irritated by his heavy footfalls and breathing just a few steps behind me. So I picked up the pace and had to maintain a somewhat quick clip to hold him off. I just couldn't deal with it anymore.
Hopefully, when I go to the gym tomorrow morning, there will be at least one free treadmill.
Thursday: 30 minute run
I had been planning on running on the treadmill again today (because I really liked knowing my pace/distance) but they were all taken up and I didn't feel like waiting around for one to open up. So I sucked it up and headed to the crowded indoor track.
At any rate, my run was fairly good. My legs were a bit tired but nothing dehabilitating. Today was also supposed to be an easier run but some guy was bent on using me as his pacer and I was getting irritated by his heavy footfalls and breathing just a few steps behind me. So I picked up the pace and had to maintain a somewhat quick clip to hold him off. I just couldn't deal with it anymore.
Hopefully, when I go to the gym tomorrow morning, there will be at least one free treadmill.
Thursday: 30 minute run
Tuesday, February 19, 2008
A good treadmill run?
I decided to run on the treadmill after reading Patricio's comment about indoor tracks not being so wonderful for knees. In my mind I knew that, but during yesterday's run my left knee was feeling a bit tweaky...so I just put two and two together and decided to give the treadmill a go just for a break from running in circles.
And, let me say...I had an a.m.a.z.i.n.g run. I started out with a 10 minute warm-up at a 9:30ish minute/mile pace. Then I kept ramping up the speed every 5 minutes to get in a "tempo run" and to break some of the monotony. By the end of the run I was doing a 6:40 minute/mile pace. Granted, it was only for a couple of minutes but I'm still extremely proud of myself.
Altogether I did 6.3 miles in 50 minutes (which evens out to be approximately a 7:56 minute/mile pace...but I know that's not what my actual pace was because of my constant changing of speed and my slow start).
I was amazed at how quickly those 50 minutes went by. 30 minutes is typically my cut-off (although I once did a 12 mile run on a treadmill because of a snow storm...not something I'd recommend). Usually treadmill runs drag on and make me want to gouge my eyes out with a spoon but it wasn't really all that bad.
Monday: 45 minute run (indoor track)
Tuesday: 50 minute tempo run (treadmill)
And, let me say...I had an a.m.a.z.i.n.g run. I started out with a 10 minute warm-up at a 9:30ish minute/mile pace. Then I kept ramping up the speed every 5 minutes to get in a "tempo run" and to break some of the monotony. By the end of the run I was doing a 6:40 minute/mile pace. Granted, it was only for a couple of minutes but I'm still extremely proud of myself.
Altogether I did 6.3 miles in 50 minutes (which evens out to be approximately a 7:56 minute/mile pace...but I know that's not what my actual pace was because of my constant changing of speed and my slow start).
I was amazed at how quickly those 50 minutes went by. 30 minutes is typically my cut-off (although I once did a 12 mile run on a treadmill because of a snow storm...not something I'd recommend). Usually treadmill runs drag on and make me want to gouge my eyes out with a spoon but it wasn't really all that bad.
Monday: 45 minute run (indoor track)
Tuesday: 50 minute tempo run (treadmill)
Sunday, February 17, 2008
Happiness is a warm run
I usually detest running around in circles. I am thankful that I don't have to run on the treadmill, but the indoor track is really only marginally better.
But today, I have never been happier to have an indoor track. It was damp and grey and just an awful day to be outside. So I took my recovery run inside and did a "nice" 30 minuter. I say "nice" because my legs were super tired and I felt like I was absolutely dragging.
But at least it was warm. I am a self-titled cold weather wimp...anything colder than 40 and running outside just does not sound appealing. So although my legs were killing me, the temperature was quite pleasant.
Oh, and the lack of hills wasn't all that bad either.
Tomorrow is going to be another indoor track day; it's supposed to be rainy and grey again.
Sunday: 30 minute run
This week's mileage: 22 miles
But today, I have never been happier to have an indoor track. It was damp and grey and just an awful day to be outside. So I took my recovery run inside and did a "nice" 30 minuter. I say "nice" because my legs were super tired and I felt like I was absolutely dragging.
But at least it was warm. I am a self-titled cold weather wimp...anything colder than 40 and running outside just does not sound appealing. So although my legs were killing me, the temperature was quite pleasant.
Oh, and the lack of hills wasn't all that bad either.
Tomorrow is going to be another indoor track day; it's supposed to be rainy and grey again.
Sunday: 30 minute run
This week's mileage: 22 miles
Saturday, February 16, 2008
Conversations in my head
When I'm running hills, I typically have this monologue going through my head:
- I don't want to run up this hill...
- Yes you do. Be quiet
- No, no I don't. Ow, my legs...
- Shut up and run. You're already halfway up the hill
- No I don't wan....ooh, pretty cloud
The route I ran today was approximately 75% uphill. I had to talk myself into pushing through lots of muscle burning. It is an extremely painful route. But as hilly as it was, my long run was wonderful; I always feel so accomplished afterwards. It took some extra oomph to get myself dressed and out there today because my legs had some residual tightness, but once I got going my legs loosened up and I ended up running a few minutes longer than I had planned. I don't know my exact pace (or even the exact distance of the route) but I do know that I ran at least 7 miles.
I haven't even started my training plan yet. My endurance is shocking. Go me.
Saturday: 7 mile run
- I don't want to run up this hill...
- Yes you do. Be quiet
- No, no I don't. Ow, my legs...
- Shut up and run. You're already halfway up the hill
- No I don't wan....ooh, pretty cloud
The route I ran today was approximately 75% uphill. I had to talk myself into pushing through lots of muscle burning. It is an extremely painful route. But as hilly as it was, my long run was wonderful; I always feel so accomplished afterwards. It took some extra oomph to get myself dressed and out there today because my legs had some residual tightness, but once I got going my legs loosened up and I ended up running a few minutes longer than I had planned. I don't know my exact pace (or even the exact distance of the route) but I do know that I ran at least 7 miles.
I haven't even started my training plan yet. My endurance is shocking. Go me.
Saturday: 7 mile run
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