Run consistently as I get back to 100% health. Stay patient!
Long-Term Running Goals:
Have fun training and racing.
Sub-17 5K
Sub-1:17 Half Marathon
Quality for the Olympic Trials in the marathon
Personal:
I am originally from Knoxville, TN and moved to SLC with Jake in 2010. I started racing in 2011 and had some great success before a major injury hit me in July 2012. I had athletic pubalgia surgery in May 2013...then again in Sept 2014 and am still trying to get back to my old self. Although running is my true passion, I love doing pretty much anything active outdoors - backcountry skiing, backpacking, biking, etc.
I've been running for the Saucony Team since 2011. I enjoy representing the brand and really do believe they make the best shoes :)
I work as a Quality Engineer for BD Medical in Sandy.
AM - 45 minutes cardio, 5 min warmup, 10 min on the stairmaster backwards, then 30 min on the recumbent bike. Didn't feel any pain when I was doing exercise, but the rest of the day I felt a little pain in my foot :o( I was trying not to put any pressure on my forefoot at all, so not sure what that means.
AM - Was totally worthless and slept in until 7:20am. It's hard to be motivated! Will try to make up for it this afternoon.
PM1 - Bike 20 min, elliptical 10 min, and some strengthening exercises. Had 45 minutes in between meetings at work.
PM2 - RAN 3 MILES! It felt so good to exercise outside and the weather is very nice for February...I went to the Olympus track and ran on their turf field. There was a slight numbing sensation in my big and 2nd toe, but no pain at all. Icing now, will try to run a little tomorrow too.
AM - !!!!!! After a good run yesterday, I couldn't help but join Emily B, Devra, and Allie for a run this morning. My foot was not painful at all throughout the run!! We were close to my house at 7 miles and the girls helped me make a smart decision to not do too much too early. I cut off from them and headed home. Average 7 min mile pace. So happy to run :o)
AM - Rob Murphy and Jake had a killer 15 mile run planned all the way up Emigration Canyon, but I figured that I could hang on for a while before turning around until 1) my foot hurt or 2) I got too tired and could blame my foot. Once we got to the zoo with crazy winds, I was quite relieved when they decided to turn on Wasatch Dr. instead. The run became really nice from here - I'm a big fan of that road. An old guy stopped in his car and said that the three of us looked like springtime with our bright green, orange, and pink jackets. Cute. Both of my feet got a little sore around mile 10 so I decided to call it shortly after. Since it was both feet, I'm fairly confident that was due to lack of running and not a problem. First 4 miles were 8 min pace, then averaged 7:10s for the rest.
Hung out with the Murphy crew for a while afterwards - fun times. Make us feel like family.
I'm planning to take tomorrow off just to be safe, but I'm happy with how the last couple days runs have gone. Now time to relax, eat, and watch the Superbowl!
AM - 30 minutes on the recumbent bike followed by some weights. Finally upgraded from the 15lbers to the 20lbers, although my arms still look just as scrawny as ever.
PM - Decided to try running at the Olympus track on the turf. As soon as I started, both my feet felt terrible. An extremely sore, painful feeling with every step. I don't understand...can two weeks off then two days of running really make my feet this sore, or is it something else too? Went home and ate a bunch of chocolate and ice cream in depression mode - I gotta stop doing that! Finally got myself motivated enough to ice my feet then do 30 minutes of strenghtening exercises.
Today is National Frozen Yogurt Day!!! You can get free yogurt at Yogurtland from 4-7pm tonight :o)
AM - Spin class. Took a while to get going this morning but still had a good workout.
PM - Tried out running again today. My feet immediately felt like they had just run a 22 miler plus some- very very sore. It didn't hit the point of pain, though, like yesterday. Kept it only to 3 miles in hopes that I will be able to run 10 miles tomorrow with JAJA. Icing now.
AM - JAJA Run, we tried to stay close to the cars since the gimps (James and I) wanted to be cautious. My feet started hurting a little around 7 miles so I called it for the day. Glad to get in a solid run this morning! And hopefully I convinced Jake to stay home and get over the upper respiratory infection that I gave him....
PM - Super circuit strength training workout 30 minutes.
AM - We have a pretty action-packed day in store for today with hiking and mountain biking in Sedona, but I wanted to still try to run a few miles beforehand. Started out with Jake, and my feet felt good for about 0.25 miles, then hurt, then went numb. So I turned around at 1.5 miles and got 3 miles total. I can definitely tell that my running fitness is fading quickly - it's been three weeks of minimal running so that is to be expected. Anyone that says you can be your best at running without some solid mileage has no idea what they are talking about. Anyway, I'm excited about the rest of the day and enjoying the vacation.
PM - Went on a 2-hour hike that was just beautiful, followed by a nice bike ride cruising the area for 45 minutes. Fun times!
AM - Rode for 1:23 while Jake was running. Roller coaster hills throughout the run...reminded me of TN except much more beautiful! My feet went numb at 45 minutes and felt like they do when I'm running....maybe it all has to do with my back and nerves. Maybe the Sedona vortex we are heading to today + Dr. Ball tomorrow will do me wonders.
PM - In Phoenix now. The weather is absolutely perfect. I went out for a run, not expecting much (in terms of distance and feeling good). Although I only managed 8:35 min miles at sea level, my feet felt surprisingly good. I think the warmer temperatures and slower pace helped a ton.
The difference between my vacation and Jake's vacation :o)
A day off from work + laying in the sun + getting to run + going to the doctor to fix me = a pretty nice day!
AM - 5 miles easy, a little pain in the feet but definitely better. Then went to Dr. Ball. He feels like he has a good idea of what's going on with my back - mostly just talk about poorly developed muscles that are rotating my pelvis incorrectly and putting extra pressure on my back, etc...He hit a bunch of pressure points and pointed out the unhealthy muscle vs. healthy muscle, worked on me for a while. He said to run normally the next few days and see if there is any noticeable difference. If so, we have the right treatment, otherwise we need to try something else. He gave me a name of a guy in SLC that he could talk to about treatment for me, so I'll probably go to see him in the next week or so. Later on in the day, my back was killing me (not sure if this was supposed to be expected or not with his work). We'll see what happens tomorrow.
PM - Went for a short jog on dirt with Jake; I couldn't help myself with how amazing it was outside. Ran 1.5 miles then felt soreness so I stopped.
Heading back to SLC tomorrow....wish I could stay in Phoenix for another month!
Nothing yet...not hard core enough to wake up at 3:45am to get a run in before flight back to SLC.
PM - Ran 1.6 around the block and feet were hurting so stopped and went to the gym. Joined in on the last 35 minutes of spin class.
My hometown in Knoxville, TN got named "most romantic city". Sounds like some guys in the SLC area need to up their game...or at least watch more romantic comedies!!
AM - JAJA Run! Overall felt good. Wore extra socks this morning because the cold temperatures seem to bother my feet more (as was tested in AZ). Trying to stay conservative on the mileage even when the feet don't hurt much. In regards to my back, it HURTS. Taking lots of ibuprofen, which I hate to do. Whatever Dr. Ball did to me on Monday morning definitely irritated it. He told me to call if I'm still in pain today so that's the plan. Sounds like his first impression of the solution was a failure. I hope he has more ideas up his sleeve....
I know everyone is tired of hearing about all my injuries....I really hope I can get back to some solid training with no complaints here soon. What really bothers me is that no one can figure them out. I would be better off if I just had a stress fracture or something definite so I would know how to treat, what to do, my limits, etc.
PM - Boot camp class with squats, pushups, step-ups, shoulder press, etc. 20 minutes on the recumbent bike.
AM - Spin class 45 minutes. Took a while to get moving because I only woke up 10 minutes prior to the class and wasn't quite awake enough for sprints.
PM - 30 minutes of strength training. Headed to the Olympus track to cheer on Jake and Adam on their track workout and run on a softer surface. Had some mild pains every once in a while, but not bad. Ran 4.7 miles or so.
AM - Went to the gym and ran on the treadmill for 4 miles. If I twist and point my toes every once in a while, the foot pain seems to subside. Weird! Just glad to be able to run this morning.
If you haven't seen this, it is really awesome (and scary!). Corona Arch area is so beautiful, we went there in September...but did nothing like this!
AM - Headed down to Pleasant Grove for the group run. We dropped a bike along the course so I could stop when needed. Met up with a big crew at JulieC's place and had a really nice run with people that I don't get to run with often, so that was great. I was feeling okay until about mile 11 then decided to cut off and ride the rest of the way back. Feet gradually hurt more and my back had completely tightened up by the time I reached the bike. Can't say I enjoyed the ride at all - it was freezing! My hand warmers weren't quite warm enough.
I'm really happy with 13.5 miles and running EVERY day this week. Progress, I hope! The after party was lots of fun. The pancakes, chocolate milk, company...good times.
AM - I REALLY wanted to go snow running this morning, but my feet were pretty sore from yesterday so I made myself be smart and go to the gym. 75 minutes on the bike at the gym - 30 min recumbent and 45 min upright. I had a book to read so that made the time go by a little faster.
I decided to buy some Berry Superfeet Insoles for my shoes yesterday. "BERRY features a full-forefoot shock pad to provide extra comfort and shock absorption under the metatarsals and toes." I've had really good luck with the green insoles in the past when I had shin splints so I'm hoping these will help with the forefoot pain.
AM - 5 miles, extended horsepark loop with Jake. It was super slippery this morning which made for a easy run at 8:40 pace. Not thrilled with how my feet felt, but it was manageable.
I'm so jealous of everyone that gets the day off today! Enjoy it!
PM - P90X shoulders, triceps, and chest. Ouch! Then went to the gym for 45 minutes on the exercise bike - 20 upright, 25 recumbent.
AM - 30 minutes on the exercise bike, then 15 minutes on the treadmill at 9 min pace. The slower I run, the less I have to push off with my forefoot and then less pain. Maybe I'll be putting in some slow jogs more this week. I wonder if that'll help or hurt...
PM - Strength training 20 min during lunch - Jilian Michael's workout. It was actually pretty good! After work,10 min on the elliptical followed by 30 min of spin class.
Happy Mardi Gras! I'm debating what I should give up for Lent this year. I used to always give up chocolate and ice cream, but I have recently become a candy addict. Hmm..maybe I'll do ice cream and candy this year. That's going to be hard! Frozen yogurt doesn't count as ice cream, right?
AM - JAJAF run this morning, Fritz decided to join us today! Weather was nice, great company , and my feet felt significantly better today. Then met up with my boss for some yoga. He scheduled every morning for us to do yoga because he thinks it will help my back. What a great boss!! Definitely a good start to the day.
PM - 20 minutes of strength training then headed to the track to watch Adam and Jake do their workout (and just be outside while it's warm!). Did a lot of foot massaging and then ran 0.75 miles with Adam on his cooldown.
I went to see Dr. Fletcher again yesterday, and he worked on both my back and my feet. I didn't have that extreme back pain after treatment like I have the past two sessions. In addition to the ART, he also did some muscle stimulation and cold laser (? will have to research that more today). This was the first time he worked on my feet and afterwards I was able to completely flex my toes with no pain! I have to say it was not a fun experience having him dig his fingers in between my metarsals though.
Here's a little more about Active Release Technique (I honestly had never heard about it until recently, but it is very common for prevention and overuse injuries by lots of elite athletes) -
ART is most commonly used to treat conditions related to adhesions or scar tissue in overused muscles. According to ART practitioners, as adhesions build up, muscles become shorter and weaker, the motion of muscles and joints are altered, and nerves can be compressed. As a result, tissues suffer from decreased blood supply, pain, and poor mobility. The goal of ART is to restore the smooth movement of tissues and to release any trapped nerves or blood vessels. In an ART treatment, the provider uses his or her hands to evaluate the texture, tightness and mobility of the soft tissue. Using hand pressure, the practitioner works to remove or break up the fibrous adhesions, with the stretching motions generally in the direction of venous and lymphatic flow.
AM - 45 min elliptical and 30 min yoga. My feet feel 60% better than Tuesday (!!!) so I think I'm going to take today off from running and see if that will help even more. I'm also going to exercise on the elliptical more over the bike since it doesn't hurt my feet anymore and feels better for my back. Can't say there is any improvement with back pain, but we'll take one injury at a time. I never thought I would say this, but I'm actually kind of enjoying the yoga :o).
PM - Met Lulu and Tina (new to Utah and on the blog!) for spin class. I was cycling for 30 min and then my bike broke so I went downstairs and rode on the recumbent bike for 15 more minutes. Fun chatting with the girls afterwards for a while.
AM - Went to the gym for spin but apparently Saturday morning classes are packed. So I did 20 min upright bike, 20 min recumbent bike, 10 min elliptical, and 10 min stairmaster. Obviously I get bored really easily in the gym.
Then headed to the SLC 15K and got there just in time to wish people luck before the race started. The wind chill made standing outside in the elements quite unpleasant, so I headed indoors to wait. I was only one of very very few at the race that was not running. Time went fast and before I knew it, the top runners were coming in. Nice times for a lots of people despite the less than ideal conditions. I ran a cooldown with the crew, met Josse and ran a couple with her as well. 6.3 miles total. My feet went completely numb for about 3 miles to the point where I could barely even feel when they hit the ground. Very awkward and uncomfortable - all my foot problems don't seem to fare well cold temperatures.
Took a few pics but not as many as last time because I couldn't handle the cold!
AM - Millcreek/Holladay loop with AdamRW, ACorn, Jake, and Fritz, 7:30 pace. Sundays are definitely the best day for running in the mornings. I was able to keep my feet from going numb and was relieved that they didn't hurt much. But I definitely felt out of shape today - we weren't even running that fast! I gotta get back on the wagon soon or else I won't be able to hang with the guys much longer.
AM - Ran 0.5 miles as a warm-up and could tell that my feet needed more time before another run. Stretched, then switched over to the elliptical for 40 min. Yoga for 30 min afterward. Going to the doc again today.
PM - Met Tina, her husband Nate, and their cute dog for laps around Sugarhouse. It was nice to have some running buddies today. Then I headed to the track to make sure Jake was doing his workout and didn't head to Baskin Robbins instead. 5.8 miles total.
AM - JAJAF Run this morning! Breezy but nice temperatures and a enjoyable, casual run to keep Allie fresh for her race. I'm on a streak of days running with little foot pain and shorter distance seems to be the key. I will gladly take 5-6 miles a day for a while until I'm feeling 100%. Afterward did yoga for 30 min and might have pushed a couple of the back stretches a little too hard today.
PM - 50 min on the recumbent bike and 10 min on the elliptical.
