Post Life Changing Marathon

About a week ago, I ran a marathon. San Antonio wasn't my first choice location-wise, but it was the most practical decision. I started this blog two years ago with a somewhat vague notion that I could one day train and actually complete a 26.2 miler. It's been interesting what I've found out about my physical and mental strength since then. It appears as though my mental capacity to handle a ferocious run like that heavily outweighed my physical ability. But, what's done is done. 

So here's how it went...

Just prior to race day, I clung to Hal Hidgon's latest marathon book and tried not to freak out. It's true what they say about training for any race:  you can't cram for it like you can a test. You're body needs time to rest and repair from any run that is considered "long." I had one final eight mile run a week before the big race and I killed it. Yet, I still felt like I wasn't ready.

Parlay that into another aspect to a successful run: a positive attitude. I knew I had to shove all my doubts and worries out of my head or else my brain would end up sabotaging the race. Another thing that "they" say is true, running is 90% mental, or something like that. If you don't think you can do it, you probably won't.

So, how did it go?

I thank God for blessing me with the ability to accomplish this feat. And for just the right amount of stubbornness to get it done (not to be confused with 'get er done'). I think it would be crass of me to claim my victory over the race in the name of God. Rather, it was an act of God that I was even able to finish. The thought crossed my mind several times to give up, just lay on the ground, and throw a tantrum. Every mile of the race came with a water station and medical tent. It was so tempting. By mile 24-ish, I was ready to burst into tears from the pain in my quads, the feeling of it never ending, and exhaustion. That's when I saw my parents cheering me on. They had been strategically placed at that point the race to get me through to the end, so for that, I am thankful.

Side Note: My iPod playlist definitely helped me get through it all. "Tongue Tied" was the song that played right before I finished and even ended right as I was about to cross the finish line. I didn't choose this song, but it was fitting since it was in a heavy music rotation from the very beginning of training.

From about mile 15 until the end, I had trouble with my tightening quadriceps. Every so often I would stop to stretch them, which gave temporary relief. Interestingly enough, that was my only serious ailment. No KNEE ISSUES, No IT BAND ISSUES, No SI JOINT ISSUES, No GLUTE GUILT, No NOTHING. Geez louise, all this time I've been working through various issues related to those things and I guess it paid off! Unfortunately, a lot of my energy was focused on my gentle giants, aka my enormous quads. They have never given me problems. Well, not until my more serious long runs. And really, you just chalk it up to normal muscle tightness. If I had worked on stretching them more from the very beginning, they would have been better off. But again, what's done is done.

How do I feel about it now?

Did I really struggle that hard to finish? Was the race really THAT long? These are actual questions that crossed my mind recently. So quickly did I forget the painful strides and the unforgiving sun. 

But yeah, I did it. I feel good about myself. And I walked away uninjured, too. I went to what appears to be my last PT session today (I hope). My PT didn't really see a need for me to come back. This is a sign that I am in the clear, health-wise. Unfortunately, this did not mean that I was in the clear, maternity belt-wise. I still have to wear that thing. I know I am the envy of all the other runners...

Buuuuut seriously, I feel relieved. It's DONE. And I don't have to do it again! If anyone wanted my advice about the whole thing, I would say, yeah, I can do a race, so you can do a race. But don't train for a race unless you find at least two things you enjoy about running. For me, I enjoy the feeling after a run, and I enjoy its ability to help me escape for a while. That's what got me through most of my training. 

A Day Before Madness

So, here we are (face-to-face, a couple of silver spooooons...oh wait...). It's the day before the marathon attempt. I feel like I've been plotting to run a marathon for years, but it's been more like one or two. When I've watched and heard about friends and loved ones accomplishing this feat, I would think "Gee, I wish I had that kind of discipline. There'd be no way I could do something like that without any help." Well, I sort of proved myself wrong, which is always a nice surprise.

Now I have to be patient. Conserve my energy. Consume carbs. Not stress about the schematics.  And, not obsess over the feeling that I'm still under-prepared  Yes, I did just about everything my training plan instructed. And yes, I did complete the 20 mile run. That doesn't seem to squash the doubts of a newbie, though. But I can say I've received a lot of support for my race, so I'm going to take that with me as I run.

Anywho, just think, earlier this year I had a somewhat embarrassing glut injury, making it hard for me to walk straight (zombie-like). I could probably never adequately express how grateful I am to have a physical therapist guide me through the healing process and get back on the road to running. When I could no longer run the TIR during that time, my confidence was pretty shot. One day at a time and months later, I'm doing something a notch more difficult than a long distance relay race.

So what happened to me? Did I become a different person? Where's Lazy Shelly? I'd like to think that I've unlocked a seldom used piece of my personality that has so much drive to accomplish a goal, the strife that typically comes with it seems to just fade away. It's the same drive I had to graduate college and get a job I guess, but I've missed that feeling. I welcome it to linger and fixate on something else once my race is over.

Together! We're going to find our wayyyyy!

Powering Through to Get More Power

I keep daydreaming about what it will feel like once November 11th has come and gone. For superstitious reasons, I'm still not saying that I'll actually finish my very first marathon, but instead I say I'll be glad after I've attempted my first marathon.

Since I have neglected my blog, I'm going touch on some highlights and 'ah-ha' moments that I've had in the past month or so.

Most interesting place I've ran during training: Dodson Prairie

Granted, I didn't deviate too much from my Townlake trail and neighborhood streets, but I had not noticed, until I ran there, how beautiful that place is. It is a bona-fide prairie with rolling hills. Great for running 14 miles on.... (if you love pain and struggle). The best part was about 10 minutes from the end of my run when it began to rain just enough for me to really enjoy it. Perfect weather, perfect smells, perfect sights, so much so that I didn't even turn on my IPOD.

Favorite distance to run: 10-ish miles
Now that just sounds plain crazy, coming from me, but lemme 'splain. 10 miles gives you a sense of accomplishment, especially when you run it after training for five months. It's almost a flash in the pan at that point. I spent all that time running and suffering, so I enjoy my 10 miles more than I could have ever thought. I almost...err, ok, I almost wish I could continue to do those runs after the marathon.

Best running gear: My Mizuno shoes!
They are the best. I dared a month back to get a different pair of shoes to run with and made it one run with a hurt foot and a basket full of regret. Thankfully, I was able to trade in those disappointments for a new pair of Mizuno Alchemy shoes, and for once, they are in cool colors. The last two pairs I've had of those shoes have been burgundy and light blue (what the what people?). I was fitted for them at Hill Country Running Company. My foot was analyzed and matched with a pair that would be wide enough with plenty of arch support. I don't necessarily feel like I'm walking on clouds, but I'm not walking on just some flimsy piece of plastic either.

Greatest success besides adding on the miles: Gaining this mental 'will-do' attitude
When the rest of my body, bits and pieces of me, were struggling through the runs, my mental strength steadily grew. One only has to read some of my previous blogs to see how bad I've struggled with motivation. My brain is soooo determined to get over this mountain that it almost doesn't care that the ligaments in my "gluts" are plumb give out or my knees are plotting their revenge.

I know I won't be able to keep up this running thing for a long time. I will have to retire it and start focusing on lower impact sports. My body just wasn't naturally built for this sport, and frankly I don't want to continue pretending that it is when I know that someday I would have to have knee surgery or a hip replacement. I just hope that whatever sport I pick up next gives me the same feeling of strength that this marathon training has.

The Green-light Mile

After I got the green-light a few weeks ago, my marathon training program has continued as steadily and unsteadily as a prop plane gliding through a cloud. After a three-week vacation--my last hurrah before 'the other half' of my training plan--I had one final test with my PT to make sure I was race-ready. Apparently I am, so here I go! I've been gradually adding on the mileage and the muscle. It's weird how one day you just up and notice your jeans fit a little tighter in the quad area than before. My knee-jerk reaction was to be self-concious about this until it dawned on me that my running and protein shakes were actually doing their job.

I've now ran one long distance run past the halfway mark. This past Saturday, I ran 15.5-ish miles. But per the usual, each time I get into a long run, there's always something new ailing me. The same ol' knee aches come and go, but it's the other stuff that makes itself known. This past Saturday it was my quadraceps and the backs of my legs. I really felt the burn at about mile 13. I could almost hear my muscles tearing and pulling past their breaking point (eww).

The week before, when I hit the mid-way point of 13.1 miles, it was the rightside of my body that started to give out. At one point (about mile 9), I was forced to walk due to the stress on that side. But, after about 10 minutes of walking, I was jogging again, and everything was fine-feeling. Except my blistering toes. From my hip down to my baby toe on my right-side; ailments came and went that day but haven't since.

I guess that's how she goes... that's how she goes. And if you don't find a way to correct the ailment quick, then that just leads to more ailment, or injury. I get the feeling that there's a part of my body I'm really pressing my luck with. It could be the lack of muscular support to my knees or my hip joints. I usually ignore "little" aches to pay more attention to the larger aches, or at least the places where I know a big ache can occur (i.e. SI Joint City).

But, what comes with learning the hard way...is picking up tricks I hadn't known before. Here's a few I've picked up in the past few weeks:

• Body Glide isn't just for thigh friction. Use it anywhere there's friction. It hadn't dawned on me before. So now, I use it on my toes and guess what! My blister count has dropped considerably! And nooo, I don't wear cotton socks (yet another thing I learned the hard way).

• You can tell when your running shoes start to fail you by noticing all the new places where your feet start to hurt.
• Don't think about the end goal during training. Only think about the immediate goal ahead of you ('hmm, tomorrow I do cross training, what should it be, Yoga, pilates, or both?'). This works for me in that I don't psyche myself out by thinking about 26.2 friggin' miles.
• Definitely use your training as an excuse to eat that heaping plate of chicken n' waffles because gosh darn it, you EARNED it! Sure, eat healthy and stay away from the booze, but I've come to find that when you train for a race of epic proportion, you have to eat as much to counter it.

Planning, Plotting, Milestone-ing

If I pull off next week's "long run" in my training plan, I'll be a the half way mark in my training plan: 13.1 miles. It's a little exciting to be back at the half marathon mark again, but scary because I eventually have to run two of those...back to back.

This past Saturday was a 10.5 mile fun run. And actually, I jogged about the same distance the Saturday before. Night and day difference in how I felt before, during, and after, too. Last week, I felt I was near heat exhaustion. At every water fountain, I didn't just drink, I doused. I had slept in, which put me at a start of around 11 AM, about when my end time was for this past Saturday. There can be almost a 20 degree difference in temperature if you start at dawn, so yeah, that was an unnecessary stress. Last week's long run was bad enough that I paid another visit to my physical therapist to have someone check on my cranky body. Seems I'm doing about the same, but she gave more stretches to do, which I should be doing now, but idle hands... tend to blog. Actually, today I sort of crashed. I got a bit of cross training in, which is what I should be doing on Sundays, but beyond that, I've done nothing but eat. Could it be that I finally came down from my runner's high from yesterday?

A Runner's High tends to happen to me when I've done all that I can do to prepare, and then have the run/jog/walk of my life. That's what happened to me yesterday for my long run. I carb-loaded the day before, got an adequate amount of sleep, ate the right foods the morning of, stayed hydrated, and started the run early in the day. Then, all the planets aligned. Don't get me wrong, I wasn't completely with out error. My knees are starting to bother me some during the runs (it's a song and dance I know well), and I do walk here and there (mainly to rest my knees). Shame on me for putting my knees through this, I guess. I'll probably have needs of a 70-year-old when it's all said and done with (serves you right you whipper snapper!).

Sad but true

But afterwards, I felt as if I had more energy to expel than I did when I started. Very strange. I was almost suspicious of that feeling because I hadn't felt that in a long while. I got home and continued my runner's routine of a cool down, protein load, stretching, all that, but then I proceeded to do chores. Had it been the week before and I would have still had ice on my knees and lay sprawled out on the floor. I eventually fell asleep for two hours; an awesome afternoon nap, but I didn't feel like that was my only option. I could have kept going, but wanted rest up for late evening plans.

Completing a half this next weekend with no injury and no whining will be a vast improvement from the last time I ran a half (in 2010). Vast. I'm not going to think about how every other long run after it will be uncharted waters for me, and that my three week vacation coming up will probably set me back at least two weeks in my training plan. Nah, I built in about three weeks of cushion in my training plan to allow for "accidents" and "laziness" to happen, as long as those things are temporary.

Hal Higdon's Plan Continues

Cross Train Day is now my favorite day of the training plan. It also happens to fall on Sunday, which is also the day I go to worship. I think I finally did everything right, this past Sunday, eating-wise, sleeping-wise, and stretching-wise, because afterwards, I felt this deep sense of peace and by the time I got to church, I couldn't stop smiling. My health bar was full.

But that isn't to say that it has always been that way. I seem to have just as many struggles with my energy levels as triumphs. Thankfully, I'm taking my vitamins regularly now. And thankfully, my "slight" anemia (as my Dr. calls it) is usually subdued by my iron supplements. My remaining lack in energy may or may not be stemming from lack of sleep. I'm still trying to figure that out.

But back to Cross Train Day, I've determined that cycling is a good time to be had! This week, I rode my roadster down to the yoga studio, did some light yoga, then peddled home. It was 10 miles, roundtrip, in the Texas heat, so that was satisfying to my sweat glands. My bag I was using to cart my yoga stuff broke during all that, but I fixed it. I made it better.

My least favorite day of the training plan, Hal Higdon, is the day before...which is Long Run Day. I attempted 8 miles this past Saturday and though that is how far I went, I did not run it all. I walked at least a mile or so of it. I don't know if that's good. Hal doesn't say. The training plan I'm following (of his) says it's to prepare to you finish a marathon, not win it, and that walking while getting water is encouraged. What about walking when the humidity is at 70%, the locusts screech their chilling serenade, and the sun bears down on your shoulders like a blanket just out of the dryer? Hal doesn't mention those scenarios, but that little goal-oriented conscious of mine simply replies, "Excuses, excuses."

Watch Your Hips

Sometimes when I'm on the trail and see a woman walking or running with the kind of hip action that any model would be envious of, I think, "Watch your hips, lady!" I mean that's how my trouble started, right? That and my lack of muscle tone. Lack of core strength. I'm not going to stop the woman and tell her to walk like a robot...but I'll think it...and say a prayer for hips sake. 

A still from the video. Be forewarned, there are short shorts

And then sometimes I see speed walkers, men and women alike, and they are more or less walking belly dancers. At least, the ones I've seen...all that they sashaying. I don't know, maybe they know something I have yet to learn.

Like, maybe they stretch better than me. As a result of not placing my training at the top of my list, I've neglected my stretching some and have yet again, injured my gluteus medius. Blah. I have no one to blame but myself. Minor setback, though. I'm not going to let the glut win, you know, by being so fussy. I'll take it easy. Scale back my training for a few days. Stretch. And then see where that gets me. I've come to realize that not everything I want in life needs to happen right at this moment, no matter how impatient I get. The marathon goal I've set will indeed haunt me until it's done, but really the only reason I'm trying to do it now is to get it over with. Well, that's not the only reason, but a pretty big one. Mark my words, I will retire from race training if I can get a marathon under my belt. Parts of my body might be begging me to stop, but those parts just aren't strong enough, yet. Unfortunately, getting stronger the natural way takes so much longer than the steroid way. Not that I would use performance enhancing drugs. I don't want roid rage! But, because it takes so long, the impatience tends leaks into my conscious. I know that reward is that much sweeter when you know you've worked hard to earn it, but I loose site of that when things come easy to me. at least running is no picnic! Reality checks everyday! ...lift legs, move arms, stand straight, straight knee, breath steady...

Don't Forget to Remember

I hope Hal Higdon is right. If he isn't...well, I'm not out any money but I'll be one unhappy in-shape person. I've decided to use one of his novice training plans to start out this whole marathon training stuff. It was recommended to me, but it's also posted for free on his website. So that helps, considering I'm not sure how much I can invest in this whole marathon training thing. I'm now two weeks in. My soreness has been at a minimum, I've upped my protein intake, and have built-in a little running routine. Unfortunately, my SI Joint is still not "hip" to the extra mileage and sometimes aches when I don't wear my brace. That's not really news, but just a reminder to continue my strength training exercises.

Speaking of reminders...

With the thousand other things I have to remind myself to do while I'm running--stand up straight, move arms, heel strike bad!, core strength good!, hips forward, short strides, loosen jaw, for heaven's sake pick up your feet--there's a new one I'm struggling to remember and that is to make sure my right knee doesn't bend inward. Most of my physical impairments, how ever slight they may be, seem to all tie back to my main issue that physical therapy is trying to correct. This was a new discovery for my PT, but it probably isn't new, since the effect of it causes a knee pain I'm familiar with. My right side is soooo weak, dude. Totally weak. And as a result, my knee just kind of shifts inward. But if I concentrate on it pointing forward when I run, es no problemo! The planets align (by planets I mean my legs), and off I go.

Why does Batman have eyebrows? Constant state of angry

Bleah, so how am I not discouraged by this? Jesus. I guess. I mean I don't think he would have felt the need to run a marathon and I'm not saying he's telling me to, but maybe without realizing it yet I'm trying to be my own Power Team. You know that group that goes around and performs feats of strength for God? I saw them (or a group like them) when I was a teenager. Inspiring stuff, although I know there's a trick to phone book ripping ...

Anyway, another reminder to myself: Glory to Him. I've asked to be prayed for, regarding my health, but I'm definitely not glorifying God enough through all this. Every few days I remind myself that I could be in a state of complete immobilization, and here I am, pushing the boundaries of a perfectly healthy body (well, not exactly perfect with a wobbly knee!). Why not acknowledge that by accomplishing a marathon, it is really an act of God rather than a stubborn person's unrealistic agenda?

More Yearly Commitments

Things...have been motoring along. PT sessions have moved to monthly, but I think my last one is next month (my bank account is delighted). Got a check up with the sports medicine Dr. this week but I'm not sweating it. As of last Friday, my PT has given me the running green light to add on mileage to my 30 minute runs. In other words, Shelly, you know that marathon you've been thinking about training for? Let's go ahead and start that, mmm K?

Am I ready for 18 weeks of training? Blah. What a commitment, but immediately, my mind jumps to researching marathons in the Fall and a couple of them catch my eye. That's the glamorous part because you can pick almost anywhere to run. Running is popular these days... But, I'm not sure my body is ready for the 'pad, pad, pad' of my feet on the pavement. I'm not sure my brain is ready for the discipline. I'm not sure I'm ready to give up my free time for this...

And I will be starting it off with at least one handicap: my SI joint. It's still irritable if left to its own devices, and I have to wear my maternity belt most of the time. My PT did reveal to me that I need to wear it for the NEXT YEAR... she just kind of sssslid that little piece of information into our last conversation, "So, after a about a year commitment with your SI Joint Band, you'll be stable enough--(Wait, what? Year what?)

Is that what I think it is?

But don't get me wrong, I will work very hard to do everything she tells me. I'm lazy at times, sure, but I'm trying to make a go at this. I think it takes just a touch of crazy, though, to commit to a marathon. The training plan looks harmless, but you don't actually run the 26.1 miles until race day. Maybe I'm reaching for the stars here, rather than just the moon, but isn't a component of life about making possible the impossible, especially when the odds aren't in your favor? I think about those people that run marathons in costumes! Itchy, stifling, carpet-like costumes. If I'm crazy, what are they?

Stretchy, Stretchy

I believe that once I say to someone that I'm going to do something, well, I gotta do it. Through mentioning my ultimate running goal of defeating a marathon to small groups of people, I am now routinely asked how my training's going. Well, I haven't technically started, I say, but I'm building myself up to start training. There's a little matter of conquering my SI joint injury by repeatedly stretching and strengthening the muscles around my hips. That takes time, patience, and a longer attention span than what I can muster right now.

This is me...in 50 years, if I keep it up!

Focus...

45 minutes is how long it takes to get through a full stretch session for my SI joint. Afterwards, I slap on my maternity belt and am on my way. Running, cycling, more stretching. I've sort of neglected the other stretches I should also be doing because this regimen takes so long, so I've decided to set up a plan around it to make sure I'm on track to one day be on track to train for that dad-blame marathon...

Yikes... what have I gotten myself into?

Clam shells, pretzels, lateral something-or-others... after this is all said and done with, the word "pretzel" will never hold the same meaning to me again. I also had to buy a blood pressure sleeve to measure the pressure at which I am exhorting when I do these leg lift things. Which reminds me, I've forgotten to do those in the last three days. And my PT knows it, too. Kind of like how a dental hygienist knows when you haven't flossed, or how Santa knows when you've been... well anyway, the pressure's on.

My only question now is how long? I don't know how long I have to do these stretches for my hip joint. Indefinitely? Till death do us part?

TIR 2012, Maternity Belts, and Such

This year's Texas Independence Relay (TIR) came and went without a hitch. God blessed us with healthy runners and wildflowers galore. God also blessed me with the wisdom and foresight to bow out of the race this year... as a runner. BUT, I still volunteered to drive one of the race vans and was put in charge of six runners. I lived vicariously through them as they began and finished each leg.

Road to Recovery
With the TIR no longer a focus, I've been dishing out some serious cash for physical therapy lately, and it has put me on this path. It's the devil's backbone of pathways but still, the finish line is a completed marathon and I feel that since I have a PT looking after me, as long as I do everything she says, I'm well on my way. I mean, my butt isn't even sore anymore! heh...

All right now Shelly, you need to buy a maternity belt and wear it for a week. Let's see how you do.

Ok. Oh wait. What?

In a more delicate fashion, my PT gave me this advice last week as a way to help support my Sacroiliac (SI) joint while walking and thus, allowing me to finally run again. I looked around HEB, Walgreens, but come to find out, they only sell those belts at maternity stores.

So I go, there, to a store of this sort. I walk in and immediately, I feel surrounded by pregnant women and no available store clerks. I get a little scared by this. For one, I am waaay out of my element, and two, being surrounded by items pertaining to motherhood creates mixed emotions. I may have told the store clerks that it was for a sports injury about a half dozen times. And in a maternity store, that is the ONLY PLACE where you can safely ask someone if she's pregnant!! I mean, they asked me a few times and I wasn't offended at all. It's their job to ask. They even asked me if I was there for the Birthing Class (why all the Buddha bellies were there), and I politely replied, "You #*@*&!"

The belt works, though. It really does a wonder on me. My joint occasionally aches without it, but with it, I can jog. What a different a month of stretching and therapy can do!! When I started all this, I couldn't walk correctly on account of the.... glute issue. I may still walk slightly crooked, but I'm slowly building those muscles through daily stretches and weekly sessions.

You Walk Kinda Funny

With the TIR less than two weeks away, I'm already a week into my next chapter of running: The Responsible Runner. I finally... finally broke down and went to a sports medicine doctor to find out what my latest ailment was all about. Two weeks ago, I pulled a muscle somewhere in my glute region. It was isolated but annoying enough that I couldn't run, what with the sharp pains and dull aches.

From a 10 minute conversation with the Dr., it was determined that my knee issues (...not... tendinitis?), IT Band injury, and this latest upset, were all related to one thing: Weak gluteus medius and minimus muscles.

So... what your sayin' there doc, is that my butt is weak?Through physical therapy sessions, we've discovered other contributors that include other weak muscles, smaller ones, around my midsection/hip area. These under-worked muscles, and what strength they do have, are stronger on one side of my body than the other; therefore, one side of my body is more functional than the other. ALL of it muscle-related, thankfully, and I'm thankful because it will be easier to treat than say, a bone or spinal issue.

So, what now? 
I work and stretch like I've never stretched before. And consistently, too. If I am to still run the TIR, which is not a for sure thing, I need to strengthen the weaker muscles quickly. I've been going to physical therapy twice a week, expensive yes, worth it yes. There, I'm being treated and tended to in a way I could have never done for myself. This is also where my suspicions where confirmed: I walk kinda funny (fun-nay)...

Is this me?

I had always thought that I didn't walk straight. My right hip is not as fully functional as my left. I guess that could make one walk in loops, but apparently I also lean slightly when I walk (like a zombie?). My only guess to my lopsided swagger is the uneven weight distribution within the bags I carry to work each day. Day-after-day... it adds up. And makes sense. I remember having hip issues in college when I would carry my book bag on one side. I switch sides and didn't have problems. FIXED! Except... that doesn't really cure the uneven-ness, long term.

So, it's time to start thinking like an adult. This isn't necessarily just an adult issue, but it does take some adult decisions to get back on track.

We'll see, TIR, we'll see...

Yet again, why stretching is important

Ahhh, injuries. They're what make an already challenging situation every so much more complex and frustrating.

I think I've strained a muscle, according to what I've learned on Webmd.com. At least it's just one, right? Right, except of where it is. My left glute muscle, or somewhere around there. NOT my IT Band, thank goodness, but something more isolated and forget about resting it. It'd be one thing if it was my calf, I could elevate it, pack it in ice, soak in a hot bath, that sort of thing. A GLUTE injury is a little trickier to treat, I've come to find. You're always sitting on it, you have to use it to walk, can't really hop around, or glide...so much.

Ok, fine then. Forget the fact that I've been moderately stretching my IT Band and every muscle around that area for months now. Apparently, I still wasn't caring enough.

Recovery time? Not sure. I really wasn't taking it seriously until it started stinging with each step after a really short run yesterday. I've got my longest run tomorrow, but I think I'll postpone it a day to see what happens. I had a few aches and pains earlier this week and this strain was the only one that didn't go away after a couple of days. I guess that's how you know it's a strain? Meh.

I guess I should pay closer to sites like this, going forward.

As for my knees, they've been OK... I've been adding in some different stretches, though I'm horrible at them, that are suppose to help strengthen the muscles around the knee to support it better. I feel that's the best chance I got. Speaking of which, I should probably stretch now. They recommend doing them five days a week so I better get on that!

Pushing and Pulling

I think my body is slowly trying to fall apart. Why do my kneecaps scream after the fourth mile? ...Sometimes its after the second mile...? Why does my left foot tingle sometimes when I exercise? Am I going to have a stroke?

These are just a few of the questions that go through my head while I train for the TIR. I'm about halfway through training and while all the old familiar aches and pains are back for the reunion, it's starting to make me weary of jogging. I'm not trying the Jeff Galloway method this time around, which probably would be the better bet, given my self-diagnosed tendinitis. Last time I tried it though, I misunderstood the training plan and developed a hybrid method that was halfway successful...Half-assed effort leads to half-assed results when it comes to running.

BUT, remove the knee pain and random physical annoyances (i.e. foot tingles), and I do enjoy jogging. If I get into a rhythm and focus (or even clear my head), it becomes liberating. I remind myself that not everyone can do what I do due (da do do do) to physical or mental constraints, and even where I'm at in the training plan now, I'm no where near where I was when I started. Training is a proven method to achieving a herculean feat with patience and method. But with that said, in my TIR training plan, I am also accounting for the days where I modify the distances set out for me. Usually it's because of my knees, sometimes its because of my busy schedule, and occasionally it's because I've reached my limit. My body is telling me that I should go no further. This is something that is beyond the knee pain. I thought it was just a lack of focus, but then I started paying closer attention. I acknowledge the probable fact that I could continue on and run those extra 10 minutes, but this is a rare time where I agree with my subconscious about how even though its a good idea to stick to the plan, I need to know when to not push.

Where do you strike a balance between pushing yourself and knowing when to stop? Aches and pains come and go. There are so many pulleys and levers in the human body; it's a complicated science, I'm realizing, to be the ultimate runner. Some people have it naturally, but as it has been true with almost everything else in my life, jogging/running does not come easy. If you push too much, you break something. The lever snaps and your IT Band is shot. You don't push enough and you never get prepared for that 300 ft incline.

Anyway, I've experienced over and under preparedness with the TIR with the last two years of running it. I just wish it didn't always feel like a gamble. I wonder if this year is a push too much or push too little.

Bon Appetitis

Funny how quickly I'd forgotten all side effects of training for a race (funny in a sadistic sort of way). Soreness, yes, that's always a given. I've combated that this time around through high protein intake and Epsom salt baths (more of a reward than a consequence). It's that other stuff that happens after many miles of running that I forgot about, but had initially remembered when I said I would NEVER run the TIR again. Is this what happens to new mothers, where after they have the baby, the pain of it all is fresh on their minds--Never again!--But after the baby leaves babyhood, they decide they want another one, forgetting the agonizing agony of it all? Is there a name for this kind of fun, because I think I have it.

Callouses. You know, I thought I had determined that the root cause of this was cotton socks in loose shoes. Apparently, when you attempt long runs in new shoes, the same applies, cotton or no cotton. I've been reading this book about a woman who goes on a walkabout for months. By the end of it, her bare feet were encased with a thick layer of dead, calloused skin, as if to suggest her body had made shoes for her feet as she adapted to the desert. I guess the wear and tear of breaking in new shoes, which started this week, will end up creating an "encasement" of my big toes.

Tendinitis. GINGIVITIS. Anything with an -itis at the end has got to be bad. I THINK this is what's going on with my knees. Like with past years, my knees will ache after a certain mileage is met. After about 10 minutes of a self-diagnosis exercise on Webmd.com, I've determined that I most likely have it. I've never been good to my knees, so I expect that they will die long before I do.

Appetite. Bon appetit. I am hungry, all the time. I knew I would have more of an appetite but good grief. I've been on a modified diet to try and steer away from harmful foods (hydrogenated oils, fried anything, high fructose blah blah, meat that had been mistreated in any way--dead or alive). I bought a scale for the first time ever, eager to watch my weight drop some, only to then be frightened of it because I weigh the same now as I have the past four years. **Disclaimer** I don't think I'm fat, but when you run five days a week, you tend to expect a shift in weight. My HEARTY appetite takes care of that. Nature's way of saying I will always be of average weight.

I could go on and on with the complaints, but those are the big ones. Could be worse, I guess.

So it's the TIR for you, eh?

When I was first asked to run the Texas Independence Relay (TIR) for a third time, I said I would drive one of the vans and cart people around to their hand offs. I like driving big vans. I've always had a secret desire to drive a bus. The second time I was asked, I said I would drive the van and be an alternate. That way, no pressure. I could still train at a leisurely pace; no biggie. The third time I was asked, I said give me December to get motivated and check back with me. Something inside of me was starting to turn, but it wasn't yesterday's leftovers. It was that competitive dwarf that sits in the back corner of my brain; vigorously hoping up and down until he gets to be heard.

Happy New Year, Shelly, what's it going to be?
OK... I say through instant messaging, I'll be your twelfth man. But, give me the shortest legs of the race.



Why did I say that? Am I gullible and people know this? Or, am I that valuable that I am a wanted member of the team?


As of this past week, I had said yes to the mess. Running in a 203 mile relay race is messy business. It can be fun, sure, but as any veteran on the team will tell you, "it ain't no cakewalk." Immediately, there's that twinge of fear that you've just signed up to walk across hot coals. Why punish myself with self-inflicting physical abuse?

Well, to that I say, why do anything at all?

Every time I run "that race" I friggin' learn something about myself that was unexpected. And I achieve... stuff. You know, personal goals and whatnot. Growth is better than a stalemate life. Though it seems I do I have a lot of physical growing pains.


My First TIR: I was empowered and achieved a running goal that I had never achieved before. DONE. And I learned that I have to constantly think "stand up straight" when I run or else I won't, which had given me the Mr. Burns Effect by the end of it.
Second year: I beat the goal I had last year, time-wise and distance-wise, even with a floundering motivation. It was something out of a made-for-TV movie when I powered through my very painful IT Band injury and ran all my legs. But what I learned was, you gottta stretch like a mo fo or else you're legs will get jacked!
This year, my reasoning behind my submission has been simplified: Get back into running shape and see if you have potential to touch that ultimate running peak, "The Marathon." I've got a few things going on in my life that stack the odds against me, but I'm choosing to ignore them for the moment. I realize now that last year, when I injured my IT Band, which turned me into a limping mess, I had all but given up on my marathon goal. "Some day, ho-hum," I would say.

"SOON," is what I heard the dwarf say last week.