Blame it on Meadows

Yesterday was back spasm day.  And I freaked out my son and husband by taking 6 or 7 ibuprofen.  I didn’t take them all at once.  Waited about an hour an a half between two doses.  My oldest son has the fear that I can die if I take that much ibuprofen.  (I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to scare him) I know that’s a lot of ibuprofen.  But back spasms, they can throw me to the ground, they are that painful.   I’m not in the mood to check to see how long it’s been since I’ve had a back spasm but let’s just say, I really thought that I was finished with them. 

So after the medication, I went to the gym for two hours – back spasms be damned.  I actually felt spasm twitches, but not the pain.  So, I had to wrack my brain, what did I do, what did I do?  It could be the sciatic nerve, however my piriformis muscles are doing about 95% better thanks to fellow blogger Stuart and his suggested youtube link.  The question I always ask with pain or injuries is, what did I do different the day before?  I didn’t think it was the speed work because that was a couple days before.  The next run, well there was nothing new about that one.  And then I remembered.  During class the night before back spasm day, like a fool, I showed a student how to do a plank.  He was just going on and on about his ab strength and the fact that he’s got stomach fat (the lad is 17, a bean pole with seemingly not an once of fat on his body!)  Anyway, I told him to start doing planks, and he didn’t have a clue what they were so I got down on the floor (I was wearing jeans by the way) and showed him.  His male peers gathered around him afterward to time his plank, and the boy collapsed after twenty seconds of his first plank. (I remember that, collapsing after 20 seconds on my first try, that is).  ANYWAY, I haven’t been doing planks since my recent problems (especially the pec and deltoid injuries which are now healed!).  So I am very suspicious that for some reason, my back can’t hack planks right now.  I’m not sure why, but I won’t be going back to planks any time very soon. 

My, it sounds like I’m in a world of trouble.  But I’m really not.  Really.  I’m actually doing pretty good.  I slept through the night without waking until 5:30 AM!  I’d call that a pain-free night.

Therefore, I am. (lol)  And so I took a run in my usual park, this time, timing myself.  I took all of Wood Canyon at a pretty good pace.  Basically every time I looked at the garmin, I told myself improve pace and I ran a little faster.  It was Meadows Trail, that last mile of it that pretty much killed me.  Though I would have hiked most of it during a race, I ran it all.  By the time I reached the top, I was dead-dog-tired.  On the beauty side, flocks of quail fluttered from the brush several times on my way up (they make such a lovely gentle flapping noise) and the view of Saddleback Mountains was awe inspiring. 

Nearing Top of Meadows Trail (looking toward Saddleback)

I hoped to run this 9 1/2 mile loop in 2 hours, which would mean that I could probably do Calico’s 30k in 4 hours (my goal).  Today’s run however, took 2 hours and 20 minutes. 

I blame Meadows for the time delay.  I clicked a picture when I reached the top (shown on right), and I also made two pit stops (before Meadows)  to simulate a race as much as possible (they don’t stop the clock when you make pit stops in races).  I’m still over a month out, so I’m not disappointed that didn’t make this loop in two hours.  It’s a difficult loop.  And I shall improve, careful, careful to avoid injuries.   

Elevation Profile:  +1,400 feet (route Via Canyon Vistas Park:  Wood Canyon to Meadows, up Meadows, across Top of the World, West Ridge, Cholla Trail, Wood Canyon and back up Canyon Vistas Park)

9.57 Miles logged today

I’m Breaking up with you . . . Pavement

Now, I have nothing against road runners.  Really, I don’t.  I’ve run miles and miles, joyfully, happily on pavement and/or asphalt.  But that was in the past.  Lately, it’s just not working out between us.  More and more, the road just reminds me of my old friend, the dreadmill treadmill. 

Today, I was forced to give you one more chance, pavement.  With no time to drive to some trails, you got me on the rebound!  I filled my handheld with water, my belt with Nuun tablets and phone then headed off down the road for a nice, three hour run . . . a three hour run.  I hoped you would help me get lost just like Gilligan.  I wanted to lose myself, simply run.

But right away, stabs at the right glute, even after a warm-up, it was too painful to stay with you.  Now, I know that I’ve been having glute issues recently, and it probably is just me, but I couldn’t help but blame you, pavement, for my problem today.  And so, I was none too happy to dump you in for the dirt and run back up the hill home.  I was angry at first, but then glad to be rid of you, glad to spend time with my good old friend, Gym.  I spent two  hours there (closing my eyes as I passed the dreadmill treadmill.)

I had fun with planks and the roller too (my glutes loved that roller).  I got lots of ab work and strength training in, plus nearly 6 miles on the elliptical crossramp.  And even though I should have been sad or mad that I didn’t get to lose myself on the pavement today, had I not broken-up with you pavement, I would not have witnessed miner Esteban Rojas emerging from the mines after being trapped there since August.  I would have not choked up with tears while sweating on the elliptical as he dropped to his knees, clasped his hands and prayed. 

A Run to Nowhere

After rolling my sore glute, I suited up this morning for a nice long trail loop.  I dropped my kindergartner off at school and raced off toward Canyon Vistas park, giddy over my planned run.  Along the way I passed the new roadside memorial, a poor teenager killed on the road (not positive she was a teenager, but by her picture posted among the flowers, she looked young).  I can't help be amazed that I've lucked out to make it this far in life.  By "make it this far," I simply mean, having survived.

I sunscreened up at the park, put on my cap with the promise to watch out for branches and took off running downhill through the park.  Then OUCH.  That glute stabbed, literally stabbed at me with each step.  Now, I promised myself to listen to my body, and with this much pain, I knew I wasn't going to "run it off", especially with Meadows Trail looming ahead.  And so I turned back to the car, limping, wincing in pain.

Back in the car, I actually wept a good deal.  I've got plenty to weep over, like I still miss my Daisy Dog.  And my son broke his foot, and, and, and . . . a run would have made all that better.  But I am still alive.  My whole family is still alive.  And so, I sucked it up, just like one of my shirt says, and drove to the gym.  I put in over an hour on the elliptical (about 6 miles of Cross Training, Resistance 9 -- basically up and down hills), and felt no glute pain.  I foam rolled again, did a two minute plank, some ab work and weights, all without any glute pain.

So what's the deal???  I suppose the mystery will not be solved and I'm really not in the mood to head back to physical therapy for now.  We'll see.   I'm off to a 3 day writer's conference.  So, I'll put off my concern for these aches, and hopefully I will be back on the trail sooner than later.

Miles run:  ZERO

My Days of Rest

“I am my own affliction; I am own disease”

Switchfoot

Saturday, August 14 I proclaimed to myself and my running friends that I would not run again until Bulldog.  I would rest.  I kept my word.  I have not run, not even from the car to the front door. 

This is how I’ve spent my days of “rest” (besides reading, cleaning, and sleeping extra hours):

Sunday, I slept in : ), swam 1,500 yards and did  strength training (weights & core).

Monday, 65 minutes on the elliptical (5.22 miles) and core work on the floor at home in front of my favorite soap opera.  To bed early (8:30!)

Tuesday, slept in again : ) 65 minutes on the elliptical (5.68 miles) and more strength training (weights, but no extra weight or repetitions than usual).

Wednesday, woke up early, Physical Therapy 8 AM, then to the gym for 1,500 yards of swimming, then again core work on the floor at home watching my soap.

Thursday, woke even earlier, Physical Therapy 7:30 AM, then to the gym for strength training (weights & core) plus 1,500 yards of swimming.  Napped in the late afternoon.

Friday, no workout whatsoever intended.  Sleep in and keep a cool head, pick up a few things from the store and pack.  I won’t even do a plank!

NOW, there may be friends and readers who will give me that funny look, giggle and accuse me of not resting these past days.  But believe me, this has been a rest.  In the past five days, I’ve probably slept an extra ten hours.  No cardio activity lasted more than 65 minutes, and the strength training, I didn’t “up” anything.

As a result, I feel rested.  My toe isn’t pretty, but it’s practically healed.  No pain at all, no limp.  My hip is also doing much, much better.  Though my pelvis continues to rotate forward.  Anything will do it.  Sleeping does it!  But I am getting better and stronger at realigning my pelvis back into position.  So, if you see me out there in Calabasas laying in the dirt, pulling and pushing my right leg, I am not hurt, I am just preventing pain and injury by realigning.

There you have it – my days of rest.  Now I am a bundle of nerves, hoping that I can complete the upcoming race, my first ultra.  My goals:  (besides completing), no falling, no injuries, handling the cramps when the arrive, keeping a smile on my face and a positive attitude, and most of all enjoying the beauty and relative solitude.  Because it really is beautiful out there at Malibu Creek State Park.

So long til then.

No; not Again!

Tuesday my hip ached so badly, I went to bed with a heating pad, then fell promptly asleep. The hip was just not right.  And I was afraid.  Good thing I had physical therapy in the morning.  And good thing my husband came to bed way afterward and turned off the heating pad.

Physical Therapy Wednesday 7:00 AM.  I bridged, lay on the table and my P.T. took a hold of my feet and said, “Your pelvis is so out of line!”

“What???!!”  I felt doomed. “What did I do?”  I asked.  “Am I running wrong?”

“No, it’s not your running,” he said.  “It’s the car accident.  You’re going to be unstable for a while.”

*#%***##!!!!

After an hour and a half of physical therapy, he showed me how to tell when my pelvis is out of line and how to re-align it myself.  I listened and even repeated the steps out loud, but with little hope in my heart.  

Before I left for the gym for some elliptical and weights, he made sure my pelvis was aligned.  I was amazed that my hip felt so much better.

After 65 minutes on the elliptical and 25 minutes of weights, I grocery shopped and returned home and promptly napped for a few hours, so relieved that my hip felt good.

Thursday morning, I was up bright and early for a 6 AM run with Tom and Sheila.  I tossed around the idea of putting in more miles than the hilly out-and-back planned.  My running friends easily convinced me that it’s time to cut back.

And so we went for that ridge run, under cool, almost cold, gray skies. On the way up Cholla, we passed two female hikers.  I jokingly said to one of them, “You know the park’s closed.”  She threw me a glare.  I picked up my pace some, because after that glare, there was no way I was letting that hiker pass this runner up on Cholla Trail.

I didn’t even drink from my handheld once on the way up to Top of the World.  That’s how cool and overcast it was this morning (WHEN THE PARK WAS CLOSED).   I was quite the talkative gal on this run too, more so than usual, because nerves are racking up over the upcoming week. 

On the way back, we came across two cyclists, one who had just wiped out, the other who was calling 911.  The guy who crashed was walking.  For some reason, I was looking for injury in his feet/ankles, being a runner that I am.  Tom stopped to talk to him for a bit.   I could hear sirens in the distance.  Later, my friends mentioned something that I hadn’t noticed – that the wipe-out guy was powdered with dirt head to toe.  

At the top of Cholla a county paramedic truck made its way in, as did one behind us on Westridge.  After running Cholla Trail, another paramedic waited at the bottom to help. 

Good to know response is so quick.  Perhaps though, it was the time of day. (approx. 7:30 am, by now).

I was still stretching after Tom and Sheila took off to begin their day when up the road walked a man with his two doggies – one of them a Beagle.  I stopped him of course, because I wanted to pet his dogs.  We talked and laughed about how stubborn Beagles are.  Turns out, his Beagle’s name is Daisy – just like ours : )

Back I home I was freezing, and my hip ached like the devil!  After  breakfast, I crawled into bed, still sweaty, teeth chattering, hip in trouble, and slept for a couple hours.

After waking I attempted my hip exercises, and  barely able to accomplish them, marched in front of the mirror like my P.T. told me, with my thumbs on my pelvis.  And sure enough, my right thumb ended up a good 2 inches lower than the left.  My right pelvis had rotated forward and down that much!  And so after doing the exercises to supposedly align my pelvis, I marched in front of the mirror again.  And wouldn’t you know it!  My pelvis was aligned – thumbs even.  Wow.  My hip felt much better.

After an afternoon in Fallbrook, I did my mirror march again, and sure enough – pelvis aligned.  Yahoo!  In celebration, I did a two minute plank before walking down to dinner at the corner restaurant.

Miles run this morning: 6.11

Food for Thought

I have been sick the past few days, and it's really pissing me off.  I mean, I really have a bad attitude about it.  Thing is, I KNOW, that's not the way to heal.  Rest, positive attitude, good food, that's the way to heal.  Not me, I've been grumbling, eating nachos for dinner and tossing and turning through the night. 

I hate to get sick.  And this is not your oridnary sickness -- this is one of those dental/bacterial things, which means there's pain involved.  That makes me even angrier.  I've been trying to let go of this anger.  I even read Bach's Illusions, which is a lovely, lighthearted book with lots of good advice that I have not employed once.

So what is my problem?  I'm just a baby, that's my problem, and it seems that my attitude is somehow tied to sweat.  If I don't sweat, I have this irrational fear that I'm rapidly growing physically weaker.  And it's only been two days. 

On the good side, I have kept up the hip exercises and the planks.  Not going to do much good fighting those nacho dinners.  But perhaps I will not lose strength.  (I am toying with the idea of sneaking in a run today, or at least faking that I am much, much better, and perhaps I will be better, and that this whole sickness thing is really more attitude than anything else).

I shall leave you with this video clip that I found on Runnerdude's blog.  It's a good one for plank instruction.  You can find lots more on youtube.com

Planks, Blogging and Short Runs

Planks and more planks, that's what I say.  I still hate them.  But I can tell they make me stronger, more stable on my feet as a runner.  I am now up to five sets, more than a minute each.  I know that doesn't sound like much.  Consider this:  when I first tried planks, I crashed to the floor yelping after a few seconds!  That's how weak I was.  Sure I could run for five/six hours straight.  But there was always that nagging hip.   And then with my last injury (when I finally visited the dr.) he was amazed at my leg strength, but frowned at my core strength.  He actually used the words, "very weak." 

I knew my core was weak.  I didn't want to do anything about it.  I knew it was more difficult to keep my column straight with a weak core, and that I bent at the hips when I grew fatigued.  And I knew that the more rugged the terrain, the more apt I was to get injured.  But this is the funny part.  Nevermind that running period, is hard -- it was just too hard, in my mind, to work on core strength.  And so I didn't.

Now, I'm not saying that planks are the "end all" answer to my weaknesses (that is physical weaknesses :).  I've added all sorts of weight training and hip exercises, and I'm returning to a schedule that includes more cross training.  But I am saying that planks are the clincher in this strength training journey I'm taking.  Thanks to Runner Dude's blog.  I'm not sure I would have began my plank regimen if I hadn't stumbled upon this blog.  He convinced me:  planks, planks, planks!

I've been running for about seven years.  I've been running trails for about two years.  (Another plug:  thanks to OCTR).  Since my first blog on myspace back in about May/June  2008, I have blogged every single run, even those runs I put in on the treadmill (which by the way, now I can't even look at a treadmill without anxiety shuddering throughout my body).  Recording every run is just something I do -- 1) because I run, and 2) as an exercise in writing (because I love to write, but don't have enough time otherwise).

AS THUS (spoke Zarathustra -- joking) I feel I must blog today's run, eventhough today's run was my short run, and I don't have much to say about a run that lasts well under an hour.  (Obviously that's not true, because how many pages have I written so far?)

My rule for these newly added "short runs" (thanks to Tom, who inadvertently convinced me on Harding Truck Trail that I need short runs) is that they must be less than five miles.  At first the idea repulsed me.  Seriously.  Was it even worth tying my laces to go out for a 3 or 4 mile run?  I mean, if I'm gonna run, well dang it, I want to put in the time.  (As I've mentioned before -- I'm a glutton). 

Now I am here to say -- Yes!  It is worth it to tie my laces and run for 3 or 4 miles, even less.  This afternoon I was joyous from the very first step.  Because from the very first step, the run is almost over!  (For those who don't understand the logic to this, because I wouldn't have 7 years ago, part of the joy of running is FINISHING the run, that is the last step).  With the short run, that last step is "just around the corner!"

I ran the wharf and Doheny Beach today.  And to add a little excitement (did I say excitement?  I meant, pain : ) I added seven bursts of speed throughout the run.  That is, I ran for short distances the pace I would run if I were coming into the finish line of a 5k race, which is basically the fastest I would ever run.  (Thankfully I haven't had to run from a predator, human or otherwise, because that would probably be the fastest I would ever run, which would be faster than my bursts today).  

I originally planned on 6 bursts, but in the end added one more.  I have to say that after each burst I wanted to stop running, but I kept on going, and in time, I was ready to add another.

At the end of my short run, I walked about for a cool down same as usual.  And I drank some water before a regular stretching routine (same as my long run stretch session).  The only thing different on these short runs is that I don't carry water, nor do I stop at fountains.  I also don't take in calories on the run.  And my snack back at home was a mere apple (of course, lunch was just around the corner).

Running!  It has taught me to change things up. It has taught me so much.

Miles logged this afternoon: 4.27

Scheduling the Short run

I would much rather run than build strength.  Turns out though, if I want to run, I need to build strength.  But it's HARD to build strength.  It's easy to run.  (Well, not exactly EASY, but enjoyable, quite enjoyable.)

I figure part of my problem with strength training, is that I run myself ragged.  In other words, I'm too tired to strength train.  On my off days, I'm on the elliptical or in the pool.  Rarely am I working on strength.  Recently I added planks to my routine.  I've improved.  But I dread them.  Just as I dread ab work, push ups, or that giant exercise ball that sits in the corner of my livingroom between the baby grand and magazine rack.  It's no wonder that my core is weak, though not as weak as it has been since I've been working on it (post hip injury).  It's weak, because I simply don't work it enough! 

So, I'm switching things up just a bit with my running.  I'm forcing a short run once a week.  That's not an extra run, but an existing run each week will be less than five miles.  Sure, I get short runs in occassionally.  Not because I want too, usually because I have too -- recovery, time constraints or injury issues.  This way, I figure, I'll give my body a break and a little more time to work on the core.  Not an earthshaking routine change.  But let's see if lightening up some will help me get to that core work more vigorously.

Miles logged this morning (nice, flat, cool miles down at Doheny Beach and the wharf): 4.60   

Time to Give it a Try

I woke this morning with no hip pain.  I did my physical therapy exercises and stretches.  And being that I had to go to the post office anyway, I thought I'd take a little run.  I headed out in running pants, and a hoodie, zipped to my neck.  Gray skies, it was breezy and pretty cold.  But my hip felt fine.  And oh, about three blocks after taking off, I had that bright yellow hoodie off my shoulders and tied around my waist. 

Flat runs are difficult to come by in my town -- unless I drive down to the marina.  So I ran some minor hills out of the neighborhood, headed toward the sound of live music downtown.  With the roads closed into the town center, I realized that today was Festival of the Wales!  I ran on into the plaza, delighted.  Making eye contact with the band's lead singer, he waved at me as I ran  into the crowd.  The plaza was lined with vendors --different foods, arts and crafts, businesses advertising.

Out of the plaza, I ran across Pacific Coast Highway to the post office.  I crossed the highway and ran the cliff neighborhoods.  I just couldn't take it anymore; my body practically steered itself down the big hill to the marina.  There was a slight ache in my hip, not actual pain, so I figured it was okay.  Definately nowhere near a "2" on a scale of "1 to 10." 

Down at the marina, artists displayed their paintings along the sidewalk as crowds mingled about.  There were face painters, balloon twisters -- all sorts of interesting talents.  I squeezed through, making my way toward the wharf where I was met by another rock n' roll band.  Then I ran through the dry dock to make my way to the jetty -- a run up that road and back was an easy 1/2 mile addition to this run.   Fisherman threw a multitude of lines out into the harbor waters by the jetty.  And a great number of our city's homeless were camped out there as well.  As I ran through, an elderly, seemingly stinkin' drunk man (who could have been homeless) hollared at me, "You're lagging!  You're lagging," all the while shaking his finger and smiling at me with a toothless grin.  I thought to myself, "I know!  I'm doing it on purpose."

I kept up my leisurely pace back to the main road, a little concerned about running the big hill back.  Surprisingly, I took it no problem.  And the hip ached no worse.

Sorry about the hills Doc.  But they were nothing compared to what I'm used to.  And the PT said, "nothing that causes pain."  And the hills didn't cause me pain.  Really. 

Miles logged:  4.0

Back at home:  plenty of stretching, ice and more ice, and something new -- planks!