Tag Archives: Buddies

Take It and Run (injury free) Thursday

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I have never been seriously injured from running (except for that time I ran into a ditch and broke my ankle. Even though I was technically running I was not on a run, just to be clear ) – knock on head wood!!!

I know I should count my blessings every day as I have certainly seen my fair share of running related injuries over the years that sidelined more than one of my running buddies. Knee related pain is the most frequent complaint, closely followed by shin splints and hip problems. And it is almost always frustrating if not devastating. There are those injuries that come from bad luck: you stepped off the curb funny and rolled your ankle. You tripped over a bump in the road and fell flat on your face, bruising your knees, injuring your right hand and knocking the wind out of you completely (ahem!), but most running related injuries I have witnessed are caused by ignoring the initial and unrelenting pain. Instead of taking the time to figure out the cause the person keeps on running, and running, and running, until he or she can literally run no more.

Those are by far the worst injuries as they are almost always chronic and take the longest to recover from, sometimes never. I have known people who literally ran themselves lame, thinking that if only they pushed through the nagging, always present pain it would somehow magically disappear. That, unfortunately, is never the case!

It is fitting that the day the Runners Lounge is asking us to write about running injuries, I am somewhat sidelined by a bout of Patellofemoral Pain Syndrome, also known as Runner’s Knee, myself. It is not the first time I have had this and it probably won’t be the last, but I have learned to recognize the early symptoms and can take care of it immediately. The first pinch came on Tuesday during my easy 6.6 miles through the neighborhood. The familiar feeling of something being stuck underneath my knee cap set in after about 4 miles. I did not feel anything for the rest of the day and decided to go on the treadmill for some uphill training yesterday morning. Again I felt nothing afterwards until I went to track training last night. After the first mile the pain set back in and after another couple of miles it could no longer be ignored. When I came home I elevated my leg and iced the knee and I already felt better when I went to bed.

This morning I am pain free but I realize that it is deceiving. Something is irritated and needs looking after. So for the next three days I will take a break from pounding the pavement, rest and ice the knee and take yoga classes instead.

And that really sums up all I ever do for minor aches and pains: the R(est)I(ce)C(ompression)E(levation) is a proven method to get over minor irritations. It is easy to do and the sooner you start the better off you are in the long run. If a few days of resting and icing do not help it is definitely recommended that you see a specialist who can address and treat your possible injury properly. It is never “a waste of time”!!! Much better to find out nothing is seriously wrong than to be told that your running “career” is over because you waited too long to be checked out. The most important thing is that you listen to your doctor and not try to be the hero. There are too many fallen ones already, no need to join the ranks.

Needless to say, the best thing to do is to actually avoid injury in the first place and there are a few steps you can take in order to keep on running injury free:

~ cut back on the days per week you run! 48 hours is the ideal time for recovery and repairing damage.

~ slow down on long runs! A lot of injuries are caused by running too fast for too long. Slow down and let your legs recover.

~ take walk breaks! The risk for injury increases the more you use the same fatigued muscle. Frequent walk breaks allow the muscle to relax before fatigue sets in.

~ warm up properly before speed workouts! Be sure to warm up with a slow run before you head out for a speed workout. Cold muscles tend to get injured more easily that warm ones.

~ stretch! Stretching after your workout helps increase muscle efficiency and effectiveness and prevents pains, tightness, and cramping. However, it is important to remember that you should avoid stretching a tight or injured muscle or tendon. Stretching leads to small tears in your fibers and can prolong recovery. Only stretch if you are pain and injury free.

~ strength train! Strength training helps build muscle mass which will help take pressure off of your joints. Strong leg muscles will help your knee, strong abdominals will help your lower back.

Following these simple steps is easier to do than you think and will keep you running well into the future!

Todays’ Running Tip: See above!

Take it and (Only in) Run(ning) Thursday

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There is a common theme in the world of running. The theme of the unacceptable! What seems to be unthinkable in the “real” world becomes the norm amongst runners. And the Runners Lounge picked up said theme on this first Thursday after we officially switched back to daylight savings time and can now once again enjoy longer days and later runs.

Running is definitely a sport that allows you to be undignified on any given day without losing your dignity, because only in running:

* will a girl show off her black and lost toe nails with pride. Wearing flip flops or sandals just enhances this badge of honor

* will you set your alarm to 4am willingly only to get in a training run before you help out at a local race

* will you forgo Friday night “Happy Hour” in order to eat mounds of pasta, chased down by water, followed by an early night’s sleep

* will you run around dark streets during the early morning or late evening hours dressed like a coal miner with a headlamp stuck to your forhead

* will you blow snot out of your nose and onto the street and wipe the remains on your shirt

* will you have no shame of doing your business on the open road amongst total strangers, nor will you think twice about pulling down your pants in the men’s bathroom without stall doors because the line to the women’s bathroom is two miles long and the race is about to start

* will you hug the sweatiest of people because they are your running buddies

* will you soak your tired and achy body in a nice ice bath

* will you swallow liquified nutritional bars that have the consistency of wallpaper paste

* will you lay out your clothes the night before a race as if a real person is sitting in that chair, including socks tucked into shoes

* will you make friends solely on the basis of conversations about splits, finishing times, and goal finishing times for the next race

* will you understand why you need to be qualified to visit Boston

 

Today’s Running Tip: Don’t be embarrassed!

If you ever find yourself in a situation you have never encountered before as a runner, take comfort in the knowledge that others have been there, done that! 

Take It and Run Thursday – Training Plans Do’s and Don’ts

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This is my virgin post for Taking It and Run Thursday over at the Runner’s Lounge. Throughout my racing “career” I have definitely learned a thing or to about what to do during training and what to avoid at all cost.

The biggest Do is to have fun. No matter what race distance you choose to train for, never forget how much fun it is to be outside with like minded people and being able to run. If fun is your priority the rest will follow. Once you decide to train for a race tell you friends, family, and especially your running buddies about it. It is always easier to stay committed when people close to you remind you what you signed up for and in order to not look like a loser quitter you will probably stick with the program.

Dedicate a set time for most of your training runs. Some people like to run in the morning before the day gets away from them, some prefer a lunch time exercise break to free their minds and be ready for the afternoon and others prefer the after work workout. Even if it seems tough at first to fit a training run into your already packed day, once you start running at the same time you will realize how it becomes just part of your routine. If you run in the morning lay out all of your clothes the night before so all you have to do is jump into them first thing after getting up, lace up your shoes and off you go. If you have a shower at work you could even run to work and run back home at night. 

Running with friends that are training for the same race is always easiest. It is much harder to ignore the early morning  alarm or just get lost in the couch cushion when your friends are waiting for you at the door step or a designated meeting point. If you do not show up YOU WILL HEAR ABOUT IT!

Do try to run the distance you are supposed to according to your training plan for that day. If you do not have time to cover the entire distance in one run split the run in half and do one workout in the morning and one at night. As long as you run the entire distance in the same day you will get the benefits. If for some reason you really have no time at all to run the distance, run a shorter one and leave the longer run for another day within the same week.

TAPER! Cutting back on mileage and speed is essential when preparing for a race, especially a long distance race like a half or full marathon. Be sure you get plenty of rest before the big day. Eat nutritious foods and hydrate!

There are many Don’ts I have tried and believe me, all of them were ugly. The biggest one hit me at mile 9 in San Diego in 2005. I have always had a hard time eating breakfast at the best of times and that morning my nerves got a better of me for extra measure. I ate one piece candy! When my coach saw me at mile 9 and asked how I was feeling all I could say was “Fine!” but what I really wanted to do was lay down and die. The prospect of having 17.2 miles to go to the finish did nothing to help my death wish. Hitting the wall at mile 9 in a marathon is not what anybody sets out to do – especially not if your goal for the race is to qualify for Boston. After downing a GU and some Gatorade I came back to my senses and managed to finish strong (many GUs and cups of Gatorade later) and ended up Boston bound, but I have never ever run on a piece of candy alone again. Neither should you. Even a non breakfast person like yours truly can teach her/himself to have a snack before a long run. These days I usually munch on dry whole grain cereal and always have a big spoon of peanut butter.

Don’t overdress! I often see runners at the start line of races who are dressed as if they were hitting the slopes of Colorado in the dead of winter. And they are not even layered so unless they want to provide their fellow runners with some entertainment they are stuck in their snow suits. Since most races start at the crack (no pun intended) of dawn anyone can understand the need for wrapping up in warm clothing. However once you start running the warming and sweating factor will set in fast and furious especially if you are running in thick clothes that you cannot take off. Dressing in layers is the best option for staying warm while waiting for the start and just taking all the unnecessary layers off once the race begins. If you have the option of leaving your clothes with someone who is not running, in your car or in one of the buses many marathons provide these days you can wear anything you want but if you are alone at the start and have no way of depositing your clothes just wear a sweatshirt and pants that you don’t mind tossing. Many race organizers collect discarded clothing that is still wearable and donate it to homeless shelters.

Another big no no I have personally witnessed but thankfully not experienced myself is to over train. Some runners tend to get extremely agitated and nervous before a race and convince themselves that they have no trained enough and are ill prepared. Instead of tapering and recovering properly for race day they continue to run long and hard. I have even seen someone put in another 22 mile run the weekend before the marathon. She came across the finish line three hours beyond her target time. When you are that close to the race you simply cannot improve your performance but you can definitely injure yourself and therefore not perform at all, or if you are lucky, just about make it and the skin of your knees. Instead of endless training start tapering three weeks prior to race day, take shorter, easy runs, and rest up. 

These are just a few Do’s and Don’ts but to me they play a major role in your race experience and since having fun is the number one priority I would suggest you stay away from the Don’ts.

 

Today’s Running Tip: Listen to advice from seasoned runners!

Advice from seasoned runners who have a few races under their belts can be a great resource during your training, especially if you are a beginner runner.

14

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Fourteen years ago today I committed to the man I have loved for most of my life. He had proposed to me six days before on a nightly walk around the neighborhood. Besides his sister and brother-in-law who were visiting from Wales at the time no one knew about the proposal and the five day engagement, not even my mom who had dreamed about her only child walking down the aisle in a white dress… Yeah, she was impressed when she found out! In fact she was so delighted that she stopped talking to me for a month. Then she got over it! However this did not keep her from telling all her friends that Hubby and I got married during the following summer when my parents came to visit us and I introduced my dad to his son-in-law for the very first time. In the past couple of years I have seen three of my friends walk down the aisle in elaborate affairs that, although much fun for the guests, made me realize just how much cheaper easier our day at the court house was. We even had a trial run for free as the couple that was getting hitched before us had no witnesses and asked us to be so kind. Our reception at TGIF’s was crowned by a shared caramel sundae. The best part about the day: committing to Hubby for the rest of my life and finally making our union official (the background story is long and involved and maybe one day I will be brave enough to write about it)! Having my sister-and brother-in-law, whom I love dearly, present was just icing on the non-existing wedding cake.

To think we could have had all this instead:

In honor of our 14 years together here are 14 reasons why I love Hubby:

*for his undying optimism even in the toughest of times

*for his love for Nelson

*for always replying “not as hot as my lovely as my wife” when asked if a female celebrity is pretty or hot

*for his ability to fix everything and anything

*for his uncanny ability to budget

*for the fact that he can finish my sentences and often has the same thoughts than me at the same time

*for his impeccable work ethic

*for always coming to my races and supporting me and my running buddies even though he is not a runner

*for his sense of direction

*for always making me feel save

*for the way he makes all of our friends feel welcome

*for always looking for ways to improve our lifes

*for not being afraid of new adventures and change

*for making me love him so much I would happily leave everything behind to travel North and South America with him in a Winnebago.

Happy Anniversary, G1! I am looking forward to making forever last a lifetime!

Today’s Running Tip: Commit to a training schedule!

By committing to a training schedule and telling your friends, family, and especially your running buddies about it you will easily reach your running and racing goals for the year ahead.