It's been about two months since my injury took me out of running. I can walk a bit and I've been pool running --and more recently biking and using the elliptical.  But, I'm starting to have doubts about doing the NYC marathon in 2010. I don't want to run it just to "finish" and I had planned a 2-year build up... now it will be more like a 10 month build up. I know it's possible... but still ... I hope some of my running from the past year (I was up to about 35-40 miles a week before the accident.) will carry over. But, I think I've lost a lot. It has been two months. My body has changed a bit-- I feel pretty soft.

So, I'm just thinking about how I might need to postpone it for a year-- and how I'll make that choice in a few months and not feel bad about it. I hope that I will be able to run it-- but really has anyone taken two months off and only done cross training (I do work with intensity and I get in about 5-6 hours a week.) and come back to running? What was it like?  Do I need to prepare mentally to be a beginner again? I can start over. I have no issue with that. Whatever it is I'll do it. It could take weeks or a years, I'll get there either way.

It's just taking a longtime for my foot to heal. And the new year is coming and I'm still on crutches mostly. It's taking longer than I thought it would.

I read that "A general rule of thumb is that it takes about two weeks of training to come back from every week of no exercise." Am I looking at 4 months to get back to where I was before? That's a long time.

First: I recently went out to Utah for vacation with my family. Now, I'm from Iowa, so it took me quite a while to get used to the huge elevation change. And it took me a while to get used to how nice the weather was. Even though it was "really, really cold" by their standards, it was pretty average Iowa temperatures... without the wind! It was so nice.

However, where I was, there was a huge inversion and everything was hazy and smoggy. It was really gross. My dad and I ran 10 miles down a canyon and I could tell when we got back down into the inversion. It was harder to breathe. :/ The air quality was horrible. I feel bad for anyone who lives in a place with stagnant, icky air. :(


Second: MY LEFT KNEE HATES ME! A LOT! Tomorrow, I am finally calling a local doctor to have it looked at, since it has been bothering me since the end of October. Basically, after I run about 4-5.5 miles, my knee starts to get achy/sore like it's swollen below my knee cap. Then it starts to hurt below and above my knee, but will hurt across my kneecap every few minutes. It's really horrible. On my 10 miler on Sunday, I wanted to cry for the last 2.5 miles. It doesn't hurt my pace a lot, but I get stuck in a slower rut than I start out at.

Anyone have any ideas on what could be wrong with it? I am hoping that a doctor can at least tell me what to do to make it feel better, if not what's wrong with it. After the first of the year, my marathon training really picks up. 35-45 miles a week... and I'm struggling with 30-35 right now, but only because of my knee. :(

I'm hoping some of the wonkheads can help me with figuring out what I should be doing to improve my running times; I'm aware of where the discrepancy lies but I don't know what would help me the most.

( For those who care )

I'm a Judo girl and before any competition I have to be a certain weight..but I also run. Running makes me sooooooo hungry, and my crazy Japanese coach has suggested that I eat a tea spoon of honey after all of my runs to suppress hunger. Has anyone tried this with success?

How normal is the "burning lungs" feeling when you run? How intense should it get before it becomes something harmful, rather than annoying? I'm not really a distance runner by any means yet -- I'm only running about a 5k distance 3-4x a week, but my long-term goal is to master distance running upwards of 40 mi/week. Right now, I'm afraid to increase my mileage because the burning sensation when I breathe has gotten pretty bad. I cough and occasionally I feel as though my throat closes EVER so slightly/I can't suck in enough air (this feeling only persists for maybe 30 seconds at a time, but it does happen).

What are your best breathing-while-running techniques? What *should* I be doing? I run on a 1.0 incline on the 'mill, at 10min/mile ("graduated" c25k not long ago), I'm not overweight, and I've never smoked at all. Should I accept burning lungs as a fact of running, and just suck it up and go farther?

( And another Christmas-related question )

I probably should just ask when I'm going to stop asking questions...

Good morning runners! Here's the daily training thread!

I'm starting off the last week of 2009 with an easy hour run after work. I'll cover 7-8 miles. There will also be ravioli and an early bed time in my immediate future.

So how is everyone else starting off their week, training and otherwise?

And it's Monday so tell me about your weekend. It's the Monday after a long holiday weekend so I'm sure there's lots of griping/venting and also bragging/rejoicing (and everything in between) to be talked about. Lay it on me!



Discuss... and HAPPY RUNNING!

I went out running on Boxing Day, but could only do about 40 minutes. I guess not running for 7 weeks DOES take its toll, whether you just ran a marathon or not. Yesterday I did 7 miles and I felt great. My ankle wasn't hurting although it's weird because I'm definitely aware of it now. I can actually feel my ankle when I'm not thinking about it, although it's not pain. I guess maybe my brain is just very concerned about it or something. Running with my pre-accident face is a bit of a pain in the cold. The huge patch of my cheek that has massive scar tissue forming underneath gets very cold in the wind and my right eye droops at the bottom because of the pull of the scar tissue and so I can't close it and it waters and gets cold.

I think today if it doesn't storm (it better not, the guy who picked me up off the floor immediately after my accident came into Sport Chek on Boxing Day and I asked for his email thinking he was moving to Winnipeg and instead got his phone number so I asked him out for coffee and we're going this morning! My face is mangled but I guess my runner's butt is still intact jaja) I will go for a nice 5 mile run. I don't want to push it too hard because it's been so long and I'm pretty sure over-training was what ruined my ankle in the first place.

In other news, I love my new Asics Gel Kensei runners. They are gorgeous and super comfy and they don't slip and slide as much as some do on the ice on the roads.

This will probably be widely classified a TLDR, but I think it's inspiring, so I'm gonna post it anyway. Plus, I still have such a surplus of joy over The Run that I think it would be selfish not to share. So here you are:

( No Earthbound Thing )

I'll be running my first (but not last!) marathon on January 10th (Walt Disney World). I know each event is different, but what advice do you wish you'd been given for your first? What were you not expecting?

I'm wondering specifically about fuel on the course. Do you like to bring your own water and blocks/gel so you don't have to rely on aid stations?

Thanks!

hi all!

is there a minimum number of times/week you need to run to get benefit from running?

I'm having issues trying to figure out how to fit in yoga & judo & running & weight training while actually having something resembling a rest day if I'm running more than once/week and to make matters worse when the weather gets nice I have a bicycle and a kayak that will start demanding attention... this would be much easier if I didn't have a 40hour work week ...or maybe harder given a lack of food? Is it helpful to even bother if you're running less than 3x per week?

thoughts?

thanks!

I'm a grad student starting the job application process (blech) are there any lists of jobs other than: AAM (and it's various and sundry international equivalents), Leicester museum studies list and Museum Employment Resource Center?

This post has nothing of substance other than to say that according to Mr. Scale:

OH MY GOODNESS HOLIDAY EATING AND INDULGING ENDS TODAY.

Carelessly left behind by a Bacchanalian reveler, this headdress allowed a celebrant to assume the role of Cernunnos, or some other local permutation of the Horned God. The holly leaves--sacred to the Druids--symbolize the promise of life within the living death of winter, and the bells keep away evil spirits. The green of the antlers echoes the evergreen plants in the holy wood, while the red represents the blood of Christian children sacrificed for Saturnalia.

It wasn't long into its championship celebration that the Parkton (Maryland) Hereford High boys cross-country team got the word: It was being dropped to third place because one of its runners had been disqualified.
For the color of the stitches on his undergarment.

That's right, the fourth-place finisher for Hereford in the Baltimore County championships on Monday was disqualified because the black compression shorts he was wearing under his running shorts had visible white stitching, a violation of the rules set forth by the National Federation of High Schools.

The rule clearly states that all undergarments must be a single color.

The full story is here.

I did my 20-mile run today, and it went much better than I had expected after the problems I had encountered the past few weeks. Now for three weeks of tapering.

I didn't walk at all during the entire 20 miles, but I did make a pit stop for four minutes at ten miles. There was a conveniently placed contractor's porta-jane there, and I needed to make use of it. And I stopped for about another half minute or so for traffic lights.

I started running at 11:07:28, and finished at 4:01:10: 4:53:42 total time, for a 14:41 pace including the stopped time. This was about 20 minutes faster than my 20-mile run while training for Nike last year. And I collapsed after that run last year.

ETA: At about 12 miles, my left foot and ankle started to hurt, and by 14 miles, I was at the "one more mile, and then I'll decide" phase. By 17 miles, it stopped hurting more, and I wasn't going to quit with only 5K left. And I didn't even feel it during the last mile and a half or so.

Today's run put me at 115 miles for the month and 1,001 for the year.
/ETA

The only downside was that the 8-hour battery on the garmin flaked out in the 19^th mile. It had just enough juice left in it for me to start and stop it just as I finished the run, so it could record the finish time, and compute the total elapsed time. I guess that I'll wear my 301 for the marathon; it has a 13-hour battery, so it should last the 6+ hours for that race.

This started as a reply in the dailies, but it started getting long so I decided to give it its own post.

I've decided to run the Cleveland Marathon on May 16. When I register within in the next 2 weeks, I get an earlybird gift- anyone have any experience with what this is?? I WILL find out for myself and let you guys know-- I also save $10 by registering by Jan. 8, and I'm all over that.

Today I'm going to do a 3 mile run at marathon pace. McMillan says I can run a marathon at a 10:44 min/mile pace. This is based on my best 5K time and I know that the accuracy is better if your predictor is closer to the distance you are going to be running, but I figure... the marathon is in May. It's December. I looked at all the paces that I will need to run (long run, recovery run, easy run, etc) and they are all well-within my capabilities. If I don't TRAIN for a 10:45 pace, I DEFINITELY won't do it... so why not try??

I ran my first marathon almost a year ago... and had a very off-year, running-wise (as in, for the majority of the year, I just didn't do it). I found myself marveling at the fact that a year ago, I'd be setting out for a 16 or 18 or 20 mile run with no doubt that I could do this. After not running for a while, that seemed just completely beyond my comprehension. I was having a hard time getting the mindset back.

Last night my brain went into overdrive. In addition to making a timeline for the rest of the year for my job (elementary school music teacher- need dates for 3 more concerts as well as planning the preparation for said concerts), I sat down with my running schedule and planned that out more specifically. There are still things I need to hone, but I feel like I put the next layer on the schedule. I'm psyched and excited (er, and redundant) and am back in the mindset of "I've got this"!

"Shoot for the moon. Even if you miss you'll land among the stars." -Les Brown

Does anyone have any experience with running on an ingrown toenail? My second biggest toe started bothering me two days ago, and after peeling off my sock I realized it was super swollen and ingrown. Today, when I walk around the house barefoot, it just plain *hurts*

I'm supposed to run my first 5K tomorrow and now I'm worried. Should I rest today and see how it is tomorrow? I have lots of experience with ingrown toenails on my big toe, but I've never had this happen with one of the smaller toes. I've been so looking forward to my first ever race and I'd hate to have it sabotaged by the 2nd little piggy :(

I also got brand new running shoes about 2 weeks ago -- maybe this is a result?

Good morning runners! Here's the daily training thread!

Yesterday's run didn't end up happening. Christmas and life got in the way. This happens. Today, I'll be doing what I had planned for yesterday, 12 miles of (almost) Christmas. I'll also mess around with the weights in the basement.

So what is everyone else up to today, training and otherwise?

And it's the day after Christmas so tell me all about the fancy new Garmin or the hot pair of shoes/shorts/gloves/etc or whatever else Santa Claus left for you under the tree (or that you got for the holiday season, those non-Christmas-celebrating people). Alternatively (or additionally) tell me about your best Christmas/Chanukkah/Kwanza/Festivus/etc memory(ies)!

Also, a BIG GOOD LUCK to any and all who are racing this weekend or otherwise going for a PR!


Discuss... and HAPPY RUNNING!

Reoccurring injuries? I have no idea what you're talking about... ok, couldn't pull that off w/ a straight face...

For 2009, I ran a total of 4-5 miles over 2 days (each day being 2-3ish). The 2 runs were about 2 weeks apart when it was actually warm here. Since we didn't really get a summer here in NY, you take it when you can get it. Those 2 runs felt good and I almost had no problems from them. Some ache in the bad knee, but I had surgery on both of them a few years ago (bilateral medial meniscus tears), so I pretty much expect that.

My (worse) knee still bothers me most of the time in varying degrees and I have a new ankle/shin problem to add to that (other leg ironically). I know I hit my shin area into something and it has bothered me ever since. I have a referral for orthopedics since this happened around September-ish. Weight-bearing isn't a problem unless I'm doing it for a long time. I can't find the problem via motion (ankle flexion in various directions). I can best find pain by pressing into the area. The point of impact is about 2 inches above my sock line (ankle socks). It's in the right leg on the inside of the tibia. It seems on the bone, but the edge if that makes any sense. On the edge pushing towards the shin area (as opposed to pushing down). I've already had x-rays (clear), so my PCP got me an ortho referral. Recently, I noticed it's spreading (if that's possible). The worst pain of it at the moment is right at the sockline, but it goes up to where I think the original impact point was a couple inches above it. Since I know squat about ankle anatomy, I have no idea what is in that area.

I stay off it as much as I can. I ice. I wrap. I put it up. I'm not sure if it's a bone or tissue injury. I do have custom orthotics (over-pronation, moreso in right leg than the left; left has the worse knee and right has the ankle/shin thing). Unless the weather dictates otherwise, I always wear running shoes since they're the most comfortable and I feel I get better support from them. Saucony's are the only brand I've found thus far that don't feel weird or cause more pain. Asics, Nike, and NB at different times have caused me more trouble than when I started wearing them. I currently wear the Stabil CS (which I'm not extremely in love w/ but they work; I liked the MC 6 better but they're d/c'ed).

OK, that got long and I'm not sure how clear I was in all that. Anyway, if anyone has suggestions or whatnot, I leave back for my place tomorrow and have no Internet there (ah, using families' Internet resources). It's harder for me to check this after longer periods of time, but e-mail works better. I can be found at gsurosey @ gmail.com (my primary e-mail). Thanks guys. :-)