Prognosis

You would think with this particular type of injury or diagnosis - I would be a little more upbeat about it and thankful that it's something that is typically self-treatable (and I am - there are injuries that are much worse). Of course the number one thing I need to do is the awful four-letter word for any athlete in training - r.e.s.t. Not that I don't cherish every single one of my rest days that are scheduled in training plans, but I'm definitely not looking to take an extended rest period right before full marathon training begins.

The frustrating thing about resting is the question of how long. How long do I have to rest enough to heal or feel better where I can run again? It's clear 4 days isn't enough because that's how many days I took off before my painful experiment yesterday of "am I ready yet."

So now I've already skipped two consecutive weekend long runs to rest and I just feel all of the training and mileage I've built up slipping away. How fast can you lose your base mileage? When I am ready to get back into it - am I going to have to start from scratch, or can I pick up where I left off? These are my questions - and I bet there is no definitive answer. I wish there was some omniscient running god that could tell me my fate.

What's also frustrating is that the marathon training program I'm interested in begins on June 4th, and I've been so looking forward to that because I haven't loved this being in limbo since May/making up my own run plans, gig. I like having specific programs to follow. I need someone to tell me what to do - esp being a newbie. So on June 4th I'm supposed to start with a 10 miler - will I be ready for that? I've run that distance several times before. Or am I going to be behind before it even begins?

Then there are the scariest questions of all running through my mind (pun intended) - what if it never feels better? Will I always be plagued by this? Is my knee just not cut out for running so much, so often, or long distances? I truly hope the answer is, it will feel better and you can do this - because I really like being a runner.

Off to get some ice,

Diagnosis

The word of the day is "frustration." In the past few weeks, I've mentioned a little bit about the pain I've been experiencing in my knee. Now I have a diagnosis (although not an official doctor's diagnosis because I'm too immature to take the time to find any sports medicine doctor in the D.C. area when I know the best one in the country lives in my hometown - and am also currently too broke because most of the best specialty doctors are damn expensive and not necessarily covered by my plan. I went the cheap way out - maybe should have considered my increased training requirements before making that insurance decision, damn.)

I have Patellar Tendinitis. Diagnosed first by my local running store guy, then by my gym Pilates class teacher (who thinks the solution is to quit running all together and claims he knows all these people who ran all their lives and now their knees are shot...I don't like his answer). And finally by myself via trusty internet research.

My conclusion went something like this from a self-administered questionnaire (meaning I pretended a real doctor from the Mayo Clinic was asking them while I was answering - thus making the diagnosis more legit)

• Is the pain usually located in the section of your patellar tendon between your kneecap (patella) and the area where the tendon attaches to your shinbone (tibia)? - Why yes, that's exactly where it is bothering me.
• Does it occur especially when running or jumping? - Right-o. That and sometimes while pushing the pedals (just the down stroke) in my spinning classes
• The pain in your knee may initially be present only as you begin physical activity or just after an intense workout? Yes, initially this was the case
• The pain my increase as you step up the intensity of your activity? Eh - I don't really notice an increase in pain as the intensity is increased...but now instead of it just being at the beginning of the run it lasts the whole dang time - and when I used to wear the strap there wasn't pain, now the strap can't save me.
• The pain may make going up and down stairs painful? -YES - not so much going up the stairs, but I avoid going down stairs like the plague now.
• The pain may become a constant ache that can make it difficult to sleep at night? - Thankfully NO. But considering I've ticked off everything else on this list I fear if I don't get this healed it's just a matter of time.

And now let's discuss why I'm flippin' frustrated. A) of all, I'm frustrated because I don't understand how it's gotten worse. I mean it's something I've dealt with a little bit since the end of college, and it makes complete sense why. There is a reason it is also called "jumper's knee" - for all of those years of cheerleading I was stunting, tumbling, jumping and just all around bouncing all over the place. But this particular article points to the cause as overuse (i.e., increased mileage, hills, pace), and this I don't understand. I followed a gradual increase of mileage during our 10 mile race training program and throughout that gradual increase of mileage, I gradually added hills, and it didn't get worse. It wasn't until about 2 weeks after that race when it started really hurting (when I hadn't increased my mileage at all and definitely wasn't overdoing it).

Additionally, some point to weaker quad or hamstring muscles and the extra strain those weak muscles place on the knee as a potential cause. For the past seven months (at a minimum) I have been consistently weight training, mostly twice a week. Over the past three months I've put extra focus on my glute, hamstring, and quadricep muscles to even further try and prevent injury. So B) of all I'm frustrated because I feel as though I've been training correctly, stretching, foam rolling, etc. and don't understand why it's gotten worse.

This little rant on my diagnosis has gotten a bit lengthy - thus, I am going to turn this into a two-part series and tomorrow we're going to discuss the prognosis and how that also has me (you guessed it) frustrated.

Can I even use the term prognosis when talking about an injury and not an illness - doctors out there? Oh well, even if it is not medically correct, it helps the titling of my mini-series. It's clearly riveting and nail-biting I know, you will all be rushing back tomorrow. You are welcome.

GU Time?

So, I did it. This past weekend I completed my longest run to date - 10 miles. I was pretty proud of myself, and as promised...self-rewarded, accordingly. It was a perfect day for a long run in DC. Temperature in the 50s, not too windy and slightly overcast. Miles 1 through 8 felt fantastic and I was really in a rhythm. Miles 9 - 10...notsomuch. My run turned into something more like a shuffle and on the 10th mile I was basically willing my legs to finish. Any sort of hill or incline was out of the question.

This complete lack of energy and inability to finish strong like I normally can when running 5, 6, and even 8 miles got me thinking....is it GU time?

In my brief research, I've found varying times at which it is appropriate to refuel and replenish the glycogen store during long distances. Some sources say anything over 75 minutes is the magic number, others say the 90 minute mark is a good threshold. I guess it's time for me to begin experimenting with what works best for me.

So I ask you, what is your threshold? When do you find yourself needing to refuel? Also, what are your favorite forms of refueling: jelly beans, gels, sports drinks?

Along these same lines - Sal recently purchased wrist strap water bottle. I still haven't given way to running with water yet. What works for you? Do you like the belt that has multiple water bottles? I think that would annoy me. The wrist strap water bottle? The Camelbak? I imagine the straps of the Camelbak cause some chafing on the neck and shoulders?

Just full of questions today and ready to be enlightened,

Sometimes We Want to Run Like Phoebe...

Her footloose and fancy-free approach to running seems like the perfect cure for battling utter boredom.

Sadly, most days, our form is completely haywire and we unintentionally look like her anyway. (Sigh) Never you mind though. As long we we're moving, it counts for something.

Coffee (and Tea) Talk

I’ve been trying to kick the coffee habit for a while now by switching to green tea. Coffee has always had a stigma in my mind ever since I was a little girl - I remember one Christmas morning when all 6’4” of my great uncle hovered over me and told me never to drink coffee because it would stunt my growth. It was hard not to believe him considering his height, and yet, life’s chaos settled in as I grew up, and coffee somehow found its way into my mug. But one morning when I was really craving a cup of joe/majorly dragging at work and feeling guilty about it, it occurred to me that I’m not really sure why I’m depriving myself because I’ve never bothered to look up any actual research defending one against the other. So I decided to do a little digging...

A) of all, I’ve never been a huge coffee drinker to begin with. Every now and then, I may overly indulge, but for the most part, I’ll have a cup of coffee maybe 3-4 times a week. Ever since trying to switch to tea though, I’ve upped my intake a bit because I’ll use a cup in the AM as a caffeine kick, and a decaf (okay, fine. It’s usually caffeinated too) cup in the afternoon to stave off hunger/prevent me from attacking our secretary’s secret candy stash. [pause...um Liv here. Our secretary has a secret candy stash?! You've been holding out on me. Oh - and yes, Sal + Liv work together, share a cube wall actually - but more on that later.] So am I really any better off? Well, let’s see…

Black coffee (which is how I like it) can ward off diabetes, Parkinson’s, heart disease and possibly some types of cancer – but in order for me to reap any of those benefits, I’d need to slurp back at least 3-4 cups a day. Eww. Stained teeth and bad breath aside, I’m pretty sure that much java in any given day would make my insides feel like mush. 

Tea also has some pretty bad a$$ benefits – preventing Alzheimer’s, certain types of cancer and osteoporosis, fighting cavities, speeding up your metabolism, etc, etc. But supposedly, I may have to drink a lot more than 1 – 2 cups to get any of these benefits, too. 

Hmmm. After several weeks of research, I've yet to find a conclusive answer. Which leads me to believe that there is no real answer. I think we have to listen to our bodies and determine what makes us feel our best. For me, that means sticking to tea whenever possible, but not beating myself up over the occasional coffee indulgence - after all, I need something to dunk my donut in, right?

Any helpful insight out there? What makes you feel your best – particularly when preparing for a long run? Talk amongst yourselves – gotta go grab a cup of joe I mean tea.

Feliz Año Nuevo

Happy New Year! New Year's resolutions aren't exactly our style... we're much more into the whole make-a-life-change-on-a-random-day-of-the-year-and-spontaneously-decide-to-transform-your-lifestyle-and-then-openly-blog-about-it thing.

While we can't claim that we've 100% stuck to our pre-training training plan, we have handled this holiday season significantly better than years past. And this lil' blog here is largely responsible for that. Though running is by no means second nature to us just yet, it is certainly a major part of our lives and constantly on our minds - particularly that ever-approaching day when we'll truly have to kick it into high gear and begin the real training.

So stick with us in 2011 and continue to hold us accountable. We need some major support to stay motivated, preferably in the form of more running partners! C'mon... anyone?? We'd love some company at the starting line, folks. And if we can do it, you can, too. The real training doesn't start until May/June, so mull it over. 

Footsy fans unite, 

All We Want for Christmas is...

Dear Santa,


We've been really good this year...we swear! And we're not asking for much, really. Just a few things to enhance our performance, make us stronger/faster/warmer/cuter for our runs.

In home pilates reformer machine (with a trainer)

Bethenny Frankel as our personal chef to cook us yummy healthy things.

Simply Stainless Bottle from lululemon

lululemon: Inspire Jacket

okay, pretty much everything off of the lululemon gift guide

Technogym Run Personal Treadmill (and it's only $10,000!)

In-Home Sauna (extremely practical for our tiny DC apartments)

A massage... on a beach... with a pina colada.

xoxo,

So about that 10K...

The good news is that WE DID IT! And... we didn't walk! Well, in the interest of full disclosure, Sal + the tweenster walked for about 20 feet while slurping back some H-two-the-O... we weren't as talented as Liv at the whole pinch-the-cup-and-keep-on-truckin' move. Anyway, our lil' group crossed the finish line and agreed to make a tradition out of running the same race each year.

But we should also explain that, while we did complete the race, it certainly wasn't pretty. We huffed and puffed and marveled at how the road seemed to never end - it was deceptively long and constantly playing tricks on us, convincing us that we were closer to the finish line than we really were.

The lows...

• Watching a friend loop back for her final leg of the race while we were still on mile 2.5 (she ended up finishing first place in our division, we might add! Go Blur!)
• Mile 3 - the course was a down-and-back with mostly uphill on the second half
• Sal had to pee the entire time.
• Mile 4 - Liv's left ankle started hurting real bad and couldn't figure out why - she thought she was running with good form. Luckily all was well after the race and it wasn't even sore the following day.
• Thinking about having to do that race 4.5 more times when we finally run the 2011 MCM. Ugh.

The highs...

• The weather! It was a beautiful day with race temps in the 60s - couldn't ask for more at the end of November.
• The pre- and post-race camaraderie with all of the other folks from around the 'ham
• Running with Sal's bro and tweenster niece/keeping each other company for the first half of the race
• Watching the tweenster take-off while on a total adrenaline rush and crush the finish line. Also watching a boy in the tweenster's class complete the race in a wheelchair
• The knowledge after the race that there was nothing left to do that day other than EAT!

The Footsy gals' first official race couldn't have been better was a great start! Though our goals were meager - a) to just finish and b) to try and complete it without walking - we accomplished them. And we even ran a pace to be proud of...finishing the whole shebang right at an hour. Clearly we won't be breaking any records anytime soon, but we earned our Turkey Trot tshirts and will sport them with pride.

Back on My Feet

BOMF DC in the 2010 Fannie Mae HTH Walkathon

Last weekend at the Help the Homeless Walkathon, there was a large and enthusiastic group (800+ to be exact) from Back on My Feet, "a nonprofit organization that promotes the self-sufficiency of homeless populations by engaging them in running as a means to build confidence, strength and self-esteem.

"Back on My Feet... does not provide food nor does it provide shelter, but instead provides a community that embraces equality, respect, discipline, teamwork and leadership. Back on My Feet is much more than just running. It is a comprehensive program that offers connections to job training, employment and housing, but these benefits are not free. Members earn the opportunity to move forward in the six month to nine month program by maintaining a 90 percent attendance rate at the morning runs three days a week"

Source: Good

First of all, we think this concept is pretty awesome. We found our newest inspiration in Eric Fair, a homeless man and Back on My Feet team member who recently completed the Philadephia marathon. He was a promising athlete in his high school days, but drugs and a number of other stumbling blocks got in his way. In an effort to piece his life back together, he began training with Back on My Feet - and though we haven't been able to confirm it just yet, it looks like he completed the race in 3:49:32.

An impressive time? Obviously. But it's even more astounding when you consider everything Eric had (and still has) to overcome just to be able to run...

"His years of drug use have ravaged his body, leaving him with high blood pressure, kidney problems and a slew of other health concerns, but he says he always feels good when he is running."

His doctor was clearly worried about his decision to run the marathon, but his response to those concerns won't be easy to forget...

"I have to [run]. After all that I've been through, I would rather die on my feet than sit on my butt."

We are extremely thankful for organizations like Back on My Feet and inspirational runners out there like Eric Fair. Thank you for reminding us to stop making excuses and start focusing.

Pre-Training Training

We've done a pretty good job thus far focusing on just about everything BUT the actual running part... whoops. But that's not to say we haven't been running. We just haven't been running far... or fast... or well. Our pre-training training program is off to a very slow, but very steady start. Fortunately, we have an entire year to prepare for the big 26.2, and the serious training won't start until next June. So for now, we're taking it step by step and day by day.

Here is our "Pre-Training Training Program:"

• November
• Run 2 - 3.5 miles at least 3 times a week
• Cross-train on off days
• Be able to comfortably & consistently run 3 miles by the end of the month without wanting to (or actually) throwing up.
• December
• Run 2 - 4 miles at least 3 times a week
• Cross-train on off days
• Be able to comfortably & consistently run 4 miles by the end of the month.
• Avoid egg nog and fruitcake at all costs.
• Run a 5K in New York!
• January
• Run 2.5 - 5 miles at least 3 - 4 times a week
• Cross-train on off days
• Be able to comfortably & consistently run 5 miles by the end of the month and hardly be able to remember the days when running made us want to throw up.
• February
• Run 2.5 - 6 miles at least 3 - 4 times a week
• Cross-train on off days
• Be able to comfortably & consistently run 6 miles by the end of the month and shake our bad attitudes about the bitter cold weather.
• Register for the 2011 Marine Corp Marathon!!
• Liv to lose 10 lbs (we included some extra time to accomplish this after the holidays)
• March
• Run 3 - 7 miles at least 3 - 4 times a week
• Cross-train on off days
• Be able to comfortably run 7 miles by the end of the month and rejoice about the slightest snap of warmer weather, but then remember that DC won't truly get warm until May.
• April
• Run 3.5 - 8 miles at least 4 -5 times a week
• Cross-train on off days
• Be able to comfortably run 8 miles by the end of the month without feeling completely burnt-out.
• Run the Cherry Blossom Festival (10 miles) and finish before the sun sets. Throwing up acceptable.
• May
• Run 4 - 8 miles at least 4 - 5 times a week
• Cross-train on off days
• Run 9 miles at least 2 times within the month (preferably in the Virginia countryside with a trip to the vineyards afterwards).

Oh, and to look like this by summertime. Psyche!

lylas,

My Romance with Running

Let’s talk history folks. I need to divulge my past relationship....with running. For Liv - it’s been an on again/off again kinda thing. She used to love to run....like in elementary school. I was one of those kids that actually liked the mile run for the presidential physical fitness tests every year...because I was awesome at it! I mean, I set the record for the mile at our elementary schools’ 6th grade track meet - just the stuff of legends, nbd. Sadly, last I heard it was broken, but that’s neither here nor there. I could run a six minute mile, now I’m lucky to run a ten minute mile! Whuck the hell happened to me?

But I was always a distance runner- never a sprinter. I think it was the endurance that I built up swimming competitively for 8 years of my life. Alas - it wasn’t swimming, or running that I stuck with...it was cheerleading. That’s right folks, I started cheering in the 7th grade and didn’t stop until my junior year of college.

Throughout high school and college I still loved to run - and could run well - 3 to 6 miles at the drop of a hat. But somewhere along the way I either stopped being good at it or stopped enjoying it so much - basically we broke up...and we didn’t remain friends. I think my knees had something to do with it. The two years I cheered in college involved countless times of being popped off of a stunt from 8+ feet in the air. Sure the guys slow the girls down by catching them at the waist - but you’re still striking the ground every. single. time.

Now I’m having those feelings....those long lost feelings about my old boyfriend running. And I’m missing the way we were, and those good times that we had, and I want him back. So where are we now? Well I’ve called him a few times.....but it’s strictly treadmill. But there is hope for us still...I ran three miles straight on the treadmill the other day.

The immediate roadblocks I see when we take our rekindled relationship outside...hills, and me stopping to walk. What is it with me being able to run three miles on the treadmill and then coming up with any excuse to walk after like 3 minutes of running outside? I’m fairly confident I run the same. I think it’s my reliance on the pace setting aspect of the treadmill. When we go outside I start to take things too fast, I’m thinking “ooooh, maybe I’ll let him get to second base tonight” and he hasn’t even taken me on a real date. I’m hoping that’s where our relationship counselors Sal, and Garmin (the watch) will come in handy.

Other possible problems on the horizon....my side love afair with Equinox, my gym. That’s right - I admit it....I’m a cross-training/class loving ho! (But more on that later).

Hello lover!

lylas,