Jumping Hurdles...

I'm trying to keep it all together over here.

In my universe, this time of year means year-end closing for 4 companies, taxes, audits, and an overabundance of sheer annoyance. I always take 2 steps forward...just so that I can take 3 more back.

I need a Valium.

My training is severely suffering this week. Sunday was my fantastic 8 miler. Tuesday my plans for running 6 miles after work were foiled because I left work late, and the dogs were completely out of dog food. Sometimes I need a personal assistant.

Last night, the plan was to make up the 6 miles that I missed. I brought some work home with me (even though I have no place to sit down and comfortably do it, since the new dining room table we ordered 4 weeks ago has still not arrived), so I was comfortable with the idea of taking an hour of my scant free time to run.

I began the run tired. I jogged tired. I gasped and hacked and coughed. Still tired.

Then my shins got tired.

Then my brain completely shut down.

The end.

I proceeded to walk home with my tired body and shins and brain. After completing only 1.85 miles. Pffftttttt!!! I went home and cried.

Then I started working, got about 20 minutes in, and decided that if I remotely changed the resolution on my work computer, it would speed up my connection at home (VPN). Yeah, don't ever try that. Make your resolution changes prior to leaving your real computer at the office. Otherwise, you will cry again, and won't get any more work done for the rest of the night.

It was basically a completely awful and unproductive evening.

I ended the evening with a pity party and a veggie fest of a dinner. I suppose that the veggies were my only positive during for the night. Thank God for veggies. I had grilled zucchini squash w/ mushrooms, mashed cauliflower with cheddar, steamed broccoli, and some of my favorite cottage cheese. My Gazelle's reaction?

"Aren't you havin' any steak?"

"Meh. Steak is for men."

And now, I am trying to put on my happy face because today is our anniversary! He has to work tonight (naturally), so we're doing lunch today to celebrate. It was a lovely surprise when I slugged into work today and found two anniversary cards (a funny and a sweet) and this cute little desk plaque thingy in my purse:



It does make me smile when I look at it. I love the simplicity of it. And the way that he left the price tag on it. It's so...so...him.

Hover Round and Snuggies do not Thrill Me

After last nights' successful 5 mile run (6 miles total walk + run), I am anxious to get back in the gym tonight for my scheduled 3 miles. My right calf feels tight today, but nothing alarming. Definitely not like yesterday or the day before.

It wasn't the calf that was upsetting me, actually.

It was Sunday's wretched shin pain that eclipsed to a disappointing 3 mile walk that really threw me for a loop. Sunday's run turned walk in the falling snow coupled with my extreme calf tightness on Monday and yesterday was just more than I could grasp.

I tinkered with the repercussions of claiming mental insanity (will I lose my job, will I have to be medicated, will I start drooling on myself, and so on). Then, I began toying with the idea of purchasing a Hover Round and a Snuggie, and just living happily ever after (with my free book light and extra Snuggie, no less). And never running again.

Never.

I said never.

The more I considered it, I decided that I just wasn't comfortable driving a Hover Round. I'm sure that I'd crash it. My overly-vivid imagination brought me to a terrible foreshadowing moment in time. I was driving my Hover Round aimlessly through town in the dead of the night while reading "ChiRunning" (free book light ablaze), having one of those "I coulda been a runna" moments. All of a sudden, my Snuggie inexplicably became wrapped around the little wheels of my Hover Round. It was all bad.

The mere thought of this tragic scene invoked terrible childhood memories involving my BFF, a vanilla ice cream cone, a bicycle, and a large hill. Oh yeah. And gravel. Lots of gravel.


Where was I headed with this? I forgot.

Oh yeah.

So the point is that not only do I love running too much to stop, but I also don't want to crash my Hover Round.

Or something like that.



I was supposed to meet with Liz today at 12:30, but an emergency has pushed our appointment to 5:15. Then I have to pick up the pups from Wednesday doggie daycamp. Then I have to go home and change for the gym. I'm hoping that I can get to the gym by 7:15 so that I can be out by 8ish (only 3 miles on the schedule). I'm finding it really difficult on Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday (run days) to eat dinner prior to 10PM. It's kind of a pain in the arse actually. I need to be better prepared for quick dinners.

Yesterday I started using my food log again. I haven't used it in ages, but it helped me to take back a little more control over my own existence anyway. It's also made me realize that I'm not getting enough protein.

But all of my meat is frozen, and at 8PM I don't feel like trying to cook frozen meat!

Ideas people?

Training Update

In the midst of searching for "the best wrinkle cream ever", I am pausing for a moment to post an update on my training! I realized that I haven't really said much as of late about my actual training progress, so although wrinkle cream is very important at this juncture, it can wait.

Did I mention that I'm getting wrinkles?

Yeah. This concerns me.

Moving along.

I am fully immersed in week 4 of my modified Hal Higdon plan, and things seem to be going good so far. I am tired today, but I'm not sure if it is a result of the past 3 weeks of training, or staying up until 1AM cleaning and lugging furniture around in preparation for the painters arrival tomorrow. We're getting the condo painted. It needs it. Badly.

*Week 1 of training consisted of 14 total miles, with a long run of 5 miles. That was the week I was in Tennessee, and got 2 nice outdoor runs while I was there.

*Week 2 of training consisted of 15.25 total miles, with a long run of 6.25 miles. Week 2 was my first semi-self-organized group Sunday run at Centennial Park with Robert, Carol & Amanda. This was the 6.25 beauty (my longest run to date) that Robert had to drag me up the hills on. I love that man. Week 2 was also my first time in YEARS of running 3 consecutive days, which I was very nervous about. My body cooperated though, much to my surprise.

*Week 3 of training (last week) consisted of 16.25 total miles, with my long run again at 6.25 miles. The goal for Sunday long run was 7 miles, but I was really struggling. It was much (much) colder out at a mere 35 degrees at 9:30AM, and my legs felt really heavy from the beginning. I didn't warm up sufficiently, and that was most likely my mistake. I was already walking during the first lake loop, so I knew I was going to be slow. To make matters worse, my stupid dumb Nike + receiver pooped out the night before during my 40 minutes on the elliptical. Due to that, I basically just had to rely on Robert's Garmin to keep track of my time for me.

Sidebar: Have I mentioned how much I sometimes HATE my stupid Nike + thingamabob? Yes, yes, I have. I am so tired of replacing my receiver and sensor...and then my receiver again...then my sensor. Scuse me...Junk Miles? If you're reading, can you please inform the leader of your cult that this Nike + contraption needs to be better engineered so that it will be sweat-proof? Because for realz, I'm going to go bankrupt from having to replace the stupid things every month. And the chances of me sweating less are pretty much nil. Thank you. Muah. Love you.

I have been using the P:I workouts at least twice a week, and I gotta tell ya...this is some really great stuff! Remember how scared I was about trying out the Podrunner Intervals plan? Yeah, not anymore! I just love them. Last Thursday, during my 4 mile workout with Fred Mill at my good gym (as opposed to the gym I go to at lunch on work days), I had an awesome run to the P:I Week 2 interval podcast. For the first time in my life, I experienced that strange tunnel vision feeling while I was running, and it was amazing. Anyone else experience this? I felt like I could have gone on forever, and it occurred around the 3 mile mark. I basically "sprinted" (which for me is more like saying "ran" instead of "jogged") for the entire 3rd mile because I felt so incredible, then I turned down the heat a little and ran another 1/2 mile after that.

*So, here we are. One day into week 4 of "the plan". Yesterday was "stretch and strength" day, and I did a bunch of girlie pushups, some back exercises, walking lunges, abs, bi's and tri's. I was basically just trying to get an overall strength workout, and then I did 15 minutes of good stretching at the gym, followed by 15 minutes more when I got home last night. Pre-cleaning and furniture lugging.

The problem me with right now, at this very moment, is that my right calf is tight. Not as tight as yesterday, but still tight. I have a feeling that it is from the shoes that I wore yesterday, which were flatter than flat...but I did put my nerdy insoles in them, so I shouldn't have really had any issues from them. Who knows...it could also be from Sunday's seemingly torturous run...but I felt fine on Sunday night. I just don't know. I'm going to do some foot stretches at lunch, because they always seem to help.

Have I mentioned that sometimes I feel like a science project?

Those Sweet Words...

Rest.

Day.



Every time I say those words, I feel like I just finished the end of a prayer, and I need to seal the deal with an "amen".

No, no. Not just an "amen".

Definitely an "amen sista".

I know that the words "rest day" might not seem as significant to you, because maybe you're one of those 'runner types'. Maybe you were born to run. Ran before you crawled. You ran a sub-3:50 marathon at the age of 10. Me? Not so much.

Running is a constant battle for me. My body does not want to run, nor is it built to do anything of the sort. I'm built more like a bodybuilder or a field hockey player...maybe a softball player. But definitely not a runner. My legs are short, my chest is ginormous, and I am insanely inflexible. Every time I strap on my runners, I am essentially laughing in the face of my genetic makeup and saying,

"Ha! Take that genes! Just try to tell me that I'm not a runner!"

Tuesday, I jogged.

Wednesday, I jogged with a little walking.

Yesterday, I nearly crawled.

I have to give myself a little credit though, because on Tuesday, I did tell you that I knew it would be hard, but I didn't want to be a wussy and just adopt the idea in advance that I couldn't run 3 days in a row. I have clearly proven to myself that I can run 3 days in a row again, and I can run 3 days in a row without sustaining an injury or dealing with pain in my leg/knee/calf. It feels good to know that a year of physical therapy plus the slow base building I've been doing has paid off. Patience has allowed me to train for a 1/2 marathon.

Today is just one of those introspective days. I'm replaying in my head all of the events that have occurred during the past 5 years of my life, and I feel so thankful that I've persevered.

And continue to persevere.

Amen sista.

Crazy Lady, Comin Through...Scuse Me...Look Out!

Much has occurred since we last spoke at 11AM today. Well, not really, but I am feeling an overwhelming need to vent. So I shall.

1) I ran, and it was grand. I wouldn't call it my best run to date, or even as good as my last run. But, I tried my orthotics, and they were fabulous. Liz did caution me that I will most likely experience muscle soreness since my foot is now hitting the ground (or dreadmill) evenly, thus causing me to work different muscles. I'm all about working different muscles. It means the lazy ones that caused my original problem are being whipped into shape. Damn lazy ass muscles.

2) Today, at the gym, there were two young women who appear to be resolutioners. I say this because I have been going to the same ghetto-fied gym for 9 years, and I have only seen these two young women twice. Once today. Once last week. They don't have a designated "gym bag", they carry their things in a plastic grocery store bag. They were discussing the fact that one of them forgot her deodorant and brush. Any seasoned gym-going person knows that you buy two of everything. One for home, and one for your gym bag. And you certainly don't carry your gym things in a plastic grocery bag. THIS is how I know that they are resolutioners.

In addition, post workout, they both stepped on the stupid gym scale that has been broken for the past 8.75 out of 9 years that I have been going there. Although I do not weigh myself like...ever...I've heard others complaining about that scale for as long as I've been going to that particular gym. Not only did they step on the scale before their shower, but they both stepped on it again AFTER their shower. One of them complained that she "gained a pound" by taking a shower.

This reminded me, once again, of how happy I am to not be a slave to the scale. Please, I've said it before, and I'll say it again. THROW AWAY YOUR SCALE, LADIES. They are from the devil.

3) I sent my awesome friend, Robert a text this afternoon to ask him if he's interested in networking with my PT because she mentioned that she was looking for a running coach to work with. In turn, he invited me to run with his Peak Performance team in the Baltimore 1/2 Marathon in Frederick, MD on May 3. Considering that I have this innate ability to never say "no" to anything or anybody, I obliged. Now, I'm scared.

Baltimore 1/2 Marathon (Frederick), May 3
15K, July 12
Baltimore 1/2 Marathon (Baltimore), October 10

Errr...My original commitment to run The Boilermaker seems to be turning into a full-on race schedule. I'm frightened. But the idea of running both of the Baltimore 1/2 Marathons this year is very exciting to me. I think they even give out medals. I've never got a medal before. I bet they'll be shiny.

But...

Can I do this?

Am I up for the challenge?

Can I do 13 miles by MAY?

Help.

Who, Me...Orthotics? YES WAY!!!

This morning, I picked up my custom orthotics. At lunch, I shall try them out for the first time.

And I am excited.

Yes, excited.

What a difference 3 weeks, and 2 laps around the PT track can do, no?

When Liz took them out of the package, I was still in denial. I still hated them. In fact, prior to stuffing them into my Mizunos, I was horrified by the very sight of them.



Ugh. Gross!




AREN'T THEY HIDEOUS?

Yes, yes. They're bright blue, and they're thick as I don't know what. I wanted to throw them on the ground and stomp on them because they were so ugly and...ugly. And orthotic-y. I had 3 weeks to build up this frighteningly unhealthy, extreme hatred for my poor orthotics.

Then I stuffed the ugly things in my runners. Crammed my wide, (baby) bunion-infested foot into my Mizuno. Tied the laces.

And then, the heavens parted.

I saw Jesus himself.

And he was wearing orthotics too.

It's completely snowing today.

I don't like snow.

On another note, my treadmill run last night was terrible.

Aren't I just a ball of sunshine today?

I was happy to finally be at the gym last night, since it took My Gazelle about 25 years to get ready, but then my run turned to absolute crap around the 3rd mile. I haven't uploaded it to Nike + yet, so I can't tell you specifically where the actual crash and burn took place, but it felt like around the 3rd mile. I was physically on the treadmill for 60 minutes, and most of that included running, but I didn't start my Nike + until I got to the first fast interval on the Freeway to 10K Podcast. Which leads me to the next topic...

It is very early in my trials of the PODRUNNER: Freeway to 10K Podcast, but of course I have already formed an opinion of it. Because I'm slightly opinionated. I try not to be, but its hard.

Despite my preconceived notion that I was going to hate this plan because the entire workout played techno music, I quite enjoyed it.

Yes, quite.

I found the music to be exciting and invigorating, and not at all seizure-inducing (as I expected it would be). Prior to trying it for the first time, all I could think about was that my listening to this podcast while working out was going to cause me to discover some new condition similar to photosensitive epilepsy, and I'd name it "technosensitive Elisabethilipsy", just so that I could have my 15 minutes of fame for flopping around on the treadmill in a techno-induced fit. Oh, my imagination.

Alas, I had not a single seizure. I guess I'm going to have to find another way to earn my 15 minutes.

The way that the Freeway to 10K program works is that each workout is a little longer than the next. There are 10 workouts (10 weeks), and you do each workout a few times a week prior to moving up to the next week's workout. The idea is that each week, you build a few more minutes to your time, thus adding more distance, and by the 10th week the goal is that you can run for 60 minutes straight. We'll see how that goes.

Each workout has a series of fast and slow intervals. Last night's workout included 5 of each. I was mildly confused, though, because I didn't listen to the instructions very carefully at the beginning, and I wasn't sure whether I was supposed to start with a slow or a fast interval after the warm-up. I began with a 5 minute fast interval, and then a 4 minute slow interval. By the time that I got to the second "fast" interval, I was questioning whether I was really supposed to be doing a slow interval instead because the music seemed slower than the last interval. I don't know.

I'm confused.

What?

In any case, I just stuck with my plan, the slows maybe should have been fasts and vice versa, but I just went with it. My suggestion to PODRUNNER? Rather than just playing a little techo "boop boop boop" tone to notify you of a change in intervals, maybe try to be a little more clear. How about "boop boop boop FAST" and "boop boop boop SLOW"? I'd like that. Then I wouldn't have to think so much. I always like not thinking much.

I did some walk/run segments because, like I said, I lost my fire around the 3rd mile. I did make it to 4.2 miles (per my Nike +), and the treadmill said I was at 5.43 when I got off at 60 minutes. It was still horrendously slow, but I have to stop thinking that I'm going to just wake up and magically become Kate O'Neill.

It's just not going to happen people.

I know that building the base I need takes time, but patience has never been my forte. I am painfully inept when it comes to that virtue. I'm working on it. I'm hoping that the Freeway to 10K plan helps me to remain patient and build a sensible base, without trying to rush myself. I have plenty of time before my first "big" race, so there is no need to try to rush.

All in all, I think the PODRUNNER plan is a good one. I'm giving my JL Seal of Approval. If you want to try the PODRUNNER: Freeway to 10K plan yourself, you can get it here.

It's free. I like free.

Who, Me...Orthotics? No Way.

So, at some point in my life (err...probably right now), I will have to come to terms with the fact that this



is not the same thing as this



I saw Liz this afternoon. We did some stuff. Then we did some more stuff. Then she yanked my foot around a little bit. Then she did some more stuff.

Then she told me that I need orthotics.

Orthotics.

Ummm...Orthotics.

Conjuring up weird visions of nerdy kids with retainers and glasses? Old ladies hobbling across the street with canes? Pee-Wee Herman?

Yeah...me too.

I'm not entirely comfortable with this concept. However, my desire need to jog is outweighing my irrational fear of orthotics. That desire need is even outweighing the $200 price tag for the orthotics.

I'm simultaneously mortified and happy. Mortified at the idea of needing orthotics, and happy with the idea of getting orthotics. Because they'll feel good. Because they'll help me run better. She asked me if I needed to think about it. I'm not that kind of girl. I act on a moments notice. I'm spontaneous. I'm spunky. I'm impulsive. I go back at 4:30 today to do a cast of my feet.

At this juncture, I really can't decide if I'm more irritated about needing orthotics, or that I didn't bring my camera to work, so now I can't blog this experience!

Priorities...

But Wait! There's More!

Shortly after this revelation last week, I made a call to Robert, my former trainer and still very good friend, who is a master trainer and owns Peak Peformance Fitness in Marriottsville, MD. Just moments before I made that phone call, I was hovering on the ledge of my 2nd story office window ready to jump.

I'm not kidding.

He talked me off of the ledge, and told me to come in and see him.

"but your schedule is so busy, when do you have time?"


He must have sensed the raw desperation in my voice.

"I'm available whenever you need me."

Robert agreed to see me on Sunday at 10AM, and even offered to pick me up at my house and drive me to his studio. Geez o man...I must have sounded RULLLY desperate! I'm telling you all of this because I want to make sure you understand that in addition to being a completely awesome trainer, he is an even greater friend, and an all around cool guy.

So, in addition to my super cool trip to Fleet Feet Sports on Saturday, I also had a training session with Robert on Sunday at 10AM.

As Robert has reminded me so many times, he once again reminded me that I cannot neglect that fact that I had a knee problem in the past. He again reminded me that knee problems have a tendency of creeping back up if you do not properly train and pay a little extra attention to said knee. So, we again reviewed the exercises that I should be doing at least twice a week.



Yeah, so that's not me, but that's the exercise.

Not only did we go over the standard leg extension, but also leg extensions with the toes pointed outward (think "duck"), and leg extensions with the toes pointed inward (think "pigeon"). He has instructed me to use very light weight and do 3 sets of each of those exercises (point up, point out, point in) 20-30 times per set. Then we also did some machine leg presses.



The focus here was making sure to distribute the weight on my foot evenly because he reminded me (again) that I have a tendency to run on the outside of my foot.

After all of the fabulous strength training that he reminded me how to do (and gave me a mild guilt trip because I haven't been doing), he said "so, am I going to have to teach you how to run all over again?"

A HA!

What a concept. Maybe I forgot how to run! I know that sounds silly, but you're dealing with me. The girl who was wearing "husky" jeans when she was 11. The girl who avoided recreational sports like the plague until she was well into her 20's. Wellllll into her 20's. I was not a runner. Or a jogger. Or even a power walker. Until welllllll into my 20's.

Then Robert taught me how to run.

Then I stopped meeting with him.

Then I got hurt again.

So, yesterday he taught me how to run again.

My new mantra has become "work quads, not calves...work quads, not calves." Stop laughing. The goal of this new mantra is to encourage me to run from my quad rather than from my ankle the way that my body naturally wants to.

In Rob's opinion, my whole problem is originating from my overdeveloped calves. The fact that I have been running from my ankle for the past year is only further developing my already overdeveloped calves. Trust me, they are ginormous. Large and in charge. They want to be the boss. They want to run the show. I'm not havin it. My quads are bigger, so they're gonna win.

He instructed me yesterday to keep my knees a little less bent, foot more flexed than bent (think "heel-toe,heel-toe"), and shorten my stride by about 1/2. And today on the treadmill, it felt like I was doing "baby steps" to the 2 mile mark.

Have you ever seen those ridiculously fast power-walkers? Yeah, that's what I thought I looked like. Probably not though. I'm sure that I thought it looked much worse than it did.

Any way you slice it though, I looked silly.

But, I had a better run than I've had in weeks. Although the treadmill was only set at 5.3-5.5, I was actually running much faster than that because my feet were going double time.

Thank you Mizuno Wave Inspire 5's.

Thank you Robert.

Proximal Tibiofibular...huh?

Alright.

I've had it.

I really have.

I went to the gym at lunch, completely boosted about running, ready to bang out a couple of miles, hoping to not blow out a lung in the process. I'm sure you've heard the saying "if it's not one thing, it's another..."

Yeah, so I'm the poster child for that saying.

Not that my asthma was not as annoying as it usually is, but it wasn't in full-swing like last week. I wasn't ready to bust a lung trying to catch my breath. I didn't want to cry out "MEDIC!" while on the treadmill.

But I am so completely, totally, and fully sick of having issues with my leg/knee which stop me from jogging.

"HELLO, JESUS?

CAN I PLEASE JUST JOG WITHOUT ALL OF THIS DRAMA?!"

SERIOUSLY!

So, as with any other life situation in which I've reached my wits end, now I will declare it my mission to research and learn, and just be plain nosy if necessary until I find a solution. I'm not going to put up with it anymore. Throwing in the towel is not an option. That's so not my M.O.

The thing is, my knee/leg issue has morphed over the past 5 years. I was thinking this afternoon about at what point in my life I was able to run the longest, and even the fastest. Believe it or not, I did run an 8 minute mile at one point. I think that might have crossed me from the "jogging" realm into the "running" realm. I was never a great runner, but I was OK. I didn't have knee problems or leg problems.

I was also in full-swing eating disorder mode, was about 20 lbs lighter than my very healthy current weight, consuming about 500 calories a day, and running on straight adrenaline. Not exactly the ideal long-term situation.

Then came the shin splints. Oh my good golly, the shin splints! When they arrived for the first time, I could only envision that a gang of tiny little knife-wielding squirrels had latched onto my legs and began stabbing at my shins. That was most unpleasant, and quite possibly the beginning of my agony.

The shin splints eased up after some time, but I would venture to say that was because I stopped running so frequently. At that point, I began jumping rope, and apparently my body was not down with jumping rope on a hard basketball-court-style floor. Within a short period of time, I went from running 4 or 5 miles at a time 4 or 5 times per week to needing to be carried upstairs at night. In the evening after having gone to the gym, or if I was on my feet all day, my knees and the ligaments behind my legs would feel like they were swelled up to balloon-sized proportions, and I couldn't bend my knees.

It was at that point that I had to admit that I am not invincible.

It was at that point that I sought treatment for my eating disorder.

Thank you baby Jesus.

Then there was the IT friction band syndrome. I was unable to run for over a year due to this problem. Then I finally admitted that it wasn't going to get better on its own, and started seeing Liz. Within a month, I was running again, and the pain in my knee caused by the IT band thingy was gone. I also stopped having that uncomfortable swelling of the backs of my knees.

So, now I'm deciding whether this mysterious knee/leg problem is continuing to morph into new and even more interesting things because its getting better, and my muscles are just going wacky trying to learn how to really work correctly...or because I'm just doing more damage to myself.

My hunch is the former. I hope.

However.

I can't seem to kick this fibular head problem. At random intervals when I'm walking, I feel like it pops and is "out of whack". There is definitely something going on there. I always try to have Liz poke the heck out of it, because, although it is absolute torture, it makes me feel better.

So, I wondered to myself today on the way back from the gym after a disgustingly pathetic 2.25 miles at 12:02 pace due to this elusive fibular head pain,

"Self?"

"Yes jogger?"

"Is it even possible to dislocate your fibular joint?"


And that question was answered with a resounding "YES" when I found this article about fibular head dislocation. Of course, the people who did this study are looking at some SURIOUS cases of this rare condition, but I would venture to say that I am experiencing a mild case of this.

I'm going to talk to Liz about this one. I think it needs more attention. Stay tuned.

In a word...GIDDY!

I was slightly disappointed in the aftermath of my appointment with Liz last Wednesday because I did have some intermittent calf tightness throughout the weekend and up until yesterday. I was losing all hope. Considering throwing in the towel. Crying into my pillow at night. Ok, that might be a stretch.

I just got back from being tortured treated in her office, and Holy Catsaroonie, did that sheeeet hurt!! See, I'm all for a good arse kicking when I go in there. Generally, that means that I will feel better tomorrow if I can just manage the rolling tears as she contorts my foot and ankle into strange pretzel-like shapes. Last week, I experienced the pain, but not a HUGE relief in discomfort the way I wanted. I felt like my 45 minutes of agony was all for naught.

This afternoon, however, when I stood up to "walk it off" after the torture treatment was over, I felt like a new woman. A limber woman. A woman who can jog. And walk without a hitch in her giddyup. I'm suddenly trying to plan in a jog tonight, but not sure how I can fit it around studying for the evil CPA exam (Regulation section...bah), and my elusive lingering ceiling fan installation.

I feel more normal right now than I can recall feeling in the past 2 years. I don't know what she did, but I hope she does it some more.

Damn You, Tight Calf...Damn, Damn, Damn!

So.

Blah.

And blahhhh!!!!

My right calf has been insanely tight and uncomfortable for 2 days now. This is my standard M.O. I wore heels yesterday morning from the house to the car, drove to work, and then wore them up to my office. At which point, I promptly changed into a pair of flats and wore them for the remainder of the day in lieu of my super cute hells heels. I made a valiant effort to wear heels because they were cuter, but it just wasn't feeling right, so I bailed. Is it REALLY possible that the 15 minutes between my house and my office, including all of maybe 150 steps on those wretched stilts could have caused this??!! Who knows.

It could have been my run with Nikko, but I've done this run with no problems in the past. No backlash. No angry calves.

I see Liz tomorrow, but I really like going to see her when I don't need to see her. It makes for a much less painful experience. Remember last week, when I was happy that she canceled my appointment so that I could go to the gym for a run??!!

Yeah...that was so last week.

Wicked Cool Lunch Workout

Yap, I'm originally from Upstate NY, and 'wicked' is part of my vocabulary. Hope you can still love me for me.

So I was supposed to go see Liz today, but I got a call this morning with the news that she has been sick all week and needed to cancel. Although I knew that I was due to see her since I haven't been in almost 2 months, I was secretly pleased that I could go to the gym and run instead of being tortured being rehabilitated. Don't tell Liz I said that. I'm sad that she's sick. Yet not.

I went to the gym and ran about 2.5 miles in less than 25 minutes, which is stellar for me. Stop laughing, ms./mr. fasty pants!

I did, however, forget my new iPod, so I had to resort to my backup (old) iPod, which further supports my ongoing gripe with the Nike+ gadget in general. Fortunately I had my old iPod so that I had something to drown out the sound of myself panting and hacking up a lung. Unfortunately, I didn't have the thingy that plugs into my iPod, so there is no official Nike+ update. I did my time, MAN. I promise.

Mile 0-1: 10 minute easy run
Mile 1-2: 6.0 for 0.20/mile, then 7.5 for 0.10/mile)
Mile 2-2.5: 5 minute easy run

One thing to note is that 7.5 is the fastest that I have ever run. Like ever. Ever ever. And did I mention...ever?

Many moons ago (circa 2005-2006), prior to my stint with IT Band Syndrome, I was training with one of my close friends, Robert McConnell. Rob is a master trainer and owns Peak Performance Fitness. He's awesome, by the way. He had me on a nice running regimen, and I was doing better than ever as far as my endurance. I never ran fast though. He yelled at me incessantly about how slow I was and about how I was 'scared' of going fast. He told me over and over that I needed to 'open it up' and just see what it feels like. He's right. I was scared.

I do have asthma, after all, so I'm a little gun shy.

I've been trying to run a little faster lately because I know that speed work really can't be avoided if you're trying to become a better runner. Today, however, I just let loose and ran my arse off. It was definitely an interesting feeling to open my stride up that much, and although my cardio isn't where it needs to be in order to maintain that sort of pace, I can honestly say that my body felt great while running that fast. I might try it more often.

If I don't get scared.

Unfortunately, 25 minutes is the max that I have during lunch because I have a job to get back to. I would have done at least another mile. Damn job. I'm not going to say that too loud though. I need my job. Otherwise I wouldn't have any money to buy running shoes and go on vacation.

Habitual Leg Crosser?

Yeah...me too.

For the past year, I've been trying really hard to curb this terrible habit because I know it is murder on your knee, and I think that my habitual crossing had a lot to do with the IT Band Friction Syndrome that I experienced from 2005-2007 (R.I.P...TG!) and intermittent knee pain and calf tightness that I still have from time to time in my right leg.

I have been seeing a physical therapist for all issues concerning my right leg since April, and Liz has done wonders for me and my life. I wasn't able to run for 1.5 years during my worst phase. I felt lazy. And fat. And lazy. It was one of several obstacles that I dealt with over the course of about 5 years.

I'm sure all of my past woes will surface in due time. Mostly because I talk too much, but also because everyone needs an enlightened witness in their life. Hearing other people's stories sometimes initiates a change in yourself.

I regress.

I was just reading about the damage that crossing your legs can do to the Peroneal Nerve. The Peroneal Nerve is this ginormous nerve that basically runs from your hip to your heel on the lateral side of the knee. It does a couple of twists and turns along the way. I wouldn't have ever known about the Peroneal Nerve if it wasn't for this strange numb-ish sensation that I've been having around that little sticky outty (yep, this is a medical term--I looked it up) boney thing on the outside of my leg just below my knee. The Peroneal Nerve is apparently attached to that part.

So, I came upon this article about Peroneal Nerve Dysfunction. It kind of made me feel yucky on the inside.

Loss of muscle control.
Loss of muscle tone.
Eventual loss of muscle mass.

Wow, that sounds like a joggers dream come true! Especially since the muscle tone in my right leg is already visibly different from the tone in my left leg (insert scary movie sound effect here).


Please don't cross your legs. It's all bad.