98%

I read a quote recently that said only 2% of running is glamorous. My running certainly fit into the 98% this week.

After not running Sunday (I was pretty much just lazy), I ran a little more than a half hour Monday morning. I would have liked to do more, but staying up late Sunday night watching the Steelers-Browns game did not make it easy to get out of bed Monday morning. Tuesday I ran an uneventful six miles. Wednesday and Thursday I ran six miles as well, but some stomach issues didn't make those runs too much fun. I didn't get much sleep Thursday night either, and Friday's run was just an easy half hour.

This morning's run went well, though I still wouldn't call it glamorous. I was up at 5 am to get it in. The weather was great, probably about 50 degrees with no breeze. I ran seven miles, and actually felt pretty good for the first time in a little while.

The leg is feeling pretty good these days. I think what's going on is piriformis syndrome. I was doing a little research on it, and actually not stretching it helps. Massage and stretching/strengthening the hamstrings is the recommended treatment.

Part Time

I finally thought that I was back to running full time, but then I got sick. I was up to five or six miles a day, but then I came down with this headache/stomachache/bodyache thing and I made the prudent choice that rest was better than running. I only missed three days, but it felt like more. I was feeling better yesterday, so I decided I would run this morning. I ran five miles, but did not feel too good doing so. It didn't feel like the sickness, I just felt kind of tired.

Feeling Better

I've been building up my running time and actually have crossed the 30-minute mark a few times in the past couple days. Pretty soon I might get up to 40 minutes. My leg is feeling pretty good and if it is a little tight it usually loosens up during the run.

I've been up to quite a bit since my last post. I spent a few days in West Virginia with my extended family for my cousin's wedding, and then I went to Pittsburgh to spend a few days at my parent's. I had a good time, but really didn't run much. It's a little too easy for me to get out of my routine when I'm away from home.

I don't mention work too much, but I would like to mention that I was recently promoted. I'm now at the lowest level of management. It's some more responsibility, but it's also some more money, which helps since I did recently have a third kid.

Recap

I mentioned in my last post that I had started running again. That lasted until I got sick. I had a fever/cold and decided that the extra rest was a good idea. So I slept in rather than run. I'm feeling better, though not quite completely well, but well enough to be running again. The Olympic Trials really got me motivated, and I'm anxious to get out there seriously training again.

I've been thinking that maybe my left leg issues have come from poor posture on my commute. I've recently noticed that I really lean on my left leg when I'm waiting for or riding on the Metro, because my bag is on my right shoulder. I've consciously tried to be more stable and keep my weight balanced lately and I've also tried to make sure my core muscles are engaged while I'm running. We'll see if that makes a difference.

Numero Tres

I've been absent from blogging for a while, mainly since I hadn't been running. I've started running again, trying to build back up for a marathon next spring. I've been taking it very easily. The longest I've run in my comeback is 16:53.

But on to something more important than the running. On Fruday, June 13, J and I became parents for the third time with the birth of N. He and mommy are doing very well.

Rehab

I've come to an important decision: this hamstring is only going to get better if I really try to make it better. Thus far I've been halfheartedly going through the motions. I did some exercises occasionally and just kind of hoped it would feel better. Then I started to run again since my few-and-far-between exercises didn't seem to be working, and hoped my leg felt better. That really didn't work, and this weekend after working in the yard my leg feels more strained than it has before. So yesterday I started doing the exercises. And after I finish writing this entry, I'm going to do them tonight. I'm going to get better, and I'm not going to try running again until I am better.

Stupid Clock

I managed a decent weekend of training. Saturday I ran six miles, out and back along the parkway. It was my first real taste of running in spring, as it was fairly warm and humid and the pollen was in the air. Sunday morning, after the rain Saturday, was much nicer. It was cool and dry and I got in an easy half hour, which I'm calling three and a half miles. I set my alarm to run this morning, but I didn't hear it go off. When I woke up I could see that the alarm had gone off, but the volume was so low I couldn't hear it. I always check my alarm before I go to sleep at night and it was loud enough last night, but it's been a little screwy since the kids have knocked it off the nightstand a couple times.

Before I ran Sunday morning, I caught the finish of the London Marathon. Ryan Hall had a very impressive performance and ran 2:06:17 for a two-minute PR. Congratulations to Ryan and he is now certainly a medal contender in Bejing.

Comeback

After a little more than a month off, I'm giving running another try. I'm still not completely recovered from whatever ailment was bothering my hamstring, but the running I've been doing hasn't made it feel any worse. There's times when it feels tight, and times when I can't feel it at all. For the most part, the only time I really feel it is going uphill. The furthest I've run so far in my comeback is a little less than six miles. I've been diligent about stretching and that seems to help, but I need to be doing the exercises again. I'd also like to be doing some core work as well. I'm planning on running a 5k at the beginning of may to see where my fitness is. I can't plan too far ahead, though, because J is pregnant and due at the beginning of June. I'm not going to commit to anything until I see how the third kid affects life.

Running Again

Monday I started running again. I ran two miles, and then two miles on Tuesday and Wednesday too. The hamstring has felt pretty good. I notice it a little bit at times but most of the time I don't feel it at all. I noticed it a little going uphill this morning. After I run I've stretched and iced it. The plan is to gently increase the miles and see what happens.

Advice

If there is anyone out there who reads this, hopefully you can give me some advice. What's the best way to treat a sore hamstring/glute? Originally it felt like the soreness was just in my hamstring, but now it's moved a little higher up into my glute as well. What's the timeframe on this type of injury? My guess is that I pulled something, but if that's the case why didn't it feel worse when I continued to run on it? Any advice is greatly appreciated.

Question & Answer

I've been running for about a month since the DNF in Richmond. Even after about two weeks off my leg didn't feel completely better; I was just anxious to start running again and I was hoping that it would miraculously feel better. This morning I ran five miles and my leg still felt tight. I still feel it even after I'm done running, especially when I've been sitting down for a while.

Last night and this morning I was asking myself if it would just be better to take some more time off and see if I can heal. I'm running, but I'm worried about increasing mileage and speed. I don't want to make this worse than it has to be.

So after some thought I've decided I should take some time off. In the long run, this is a good decision. Taking a week or two or three now is better than a month or two or three later on.

Wide Awake

I was pretty much wide awake at 4:15 this morning. I tried to go back to sleep, but just tossed and turned for a half hour until I got out of bed. It was still very cold this morning, but without the wind it wasn't as bad as the last two days. I ran six miles through the neighborhood. I used the foam roller on my leg last night and that seemed to help as my leg didn't bother me too much this morning. I plan on using the roller again tonight.

Still Winter

It was even colder this morning than yesterday, and still windy. I was a little worried that I should have put on a second pair of gloves, but my hands stayed warm enough. I ran six miles out along the Parkway. The leg felt a little tight, but it wasn't too bad.

A Touch of Winter

Ran five miles this morning. It got cold and windy last night, and running into the wind was not a pleasant experience. Running back, with the wind at my back, was much better. The leg was kind of tight this morning. The pain has moved up a little and now is more in my butt than my hamstring.

New Year

Ran for a half hour this afternoon, about 3.75 miles. Getting a little cool, windy as well. Didn't really feel the leg, even on the uphills.

Making Progress

My leg continues to feel better. I didn't run Saturday due to the all-day outing with the family, and then I didn't run Sunday either, mainly due to the fact that J woke up with an awful migraine and spent most of the day in bed.

Monday I ran for twenty minutes, did the exercises, stretched, and iced; this morning I did the same minus the ice. It took me a few more minutes to get out the door this morning, so to make sure I left for work when I wanted to I decided to forgo the ice.

The leg is still not 100%, but it seems to be getting there. I'm hoping the improvement continues, and I'll begin to increase the miles if it does.

More of the Same

After taking yesterday off, I ran for 20 minutes again this morning. Like the last two runs, the hamstring was tight at first and then loosened up. I did the hamstring exercises, stretched, iced, and then massaged a little with the stick. All of that seemed to help because my leg feels better today than it has for a while.

Tomorrow's another day off since J and I are taking the kids to Day out with Thomas for j's birthday. He turned four Nov. 21 and I'm sure he'll be ecstatic tomorrow.

Baby Steps

After two weeks off, my hamstring didn't really feel much different than it did after the marathon. Massage seemed to be helping a little, but not drastically. I decided to try running and some strengthening exercises and see what happened.

The past two mornings I ran for twenty minutes. The hamstring felt tight at the beginning, but loosened up during the run. Afterwards, I came back, did the strengthening exercises, stretched, and iced. My big concern is not how it feels while running, but after I get ready for work and sit in the car for about an hour, it's tight when I get up. I'm going to continue with the plan for a few more days and see how it goes, and maybe massage the hamstring with the stick instead of icing and see if that makes a difference. I'm anxious to get back to training, but I want to be careful not to rush anything.

Richmond Marathon

I haven't written for a little while, mainly due to being busy and a lack of desire. But now I feel like the break has been invigorating, and I feel like writing again.

The last month of training for Richmond was going well up until the taper. I did something to my left hamstring, and it didn't feel quite right the last three weeks or so leading up to the race. The top of the hamstring felt tight and a little sore. Still, it didn't keep me from running, and I had registered for the race and paid for the hotel room, so I decided to go ahead and run the race.

J and I drove down to Richmond the night before the race. We checked into the hotel, picked up my stuff at the expo, and then went to dinner at The Olive Garden. I ate the same meal I did last year. I got to bed about 10:30.

I got up a little before six on race morning and took a shower to help me wake up. I looked out the window and saw that the rain had stopped but it seemed a little blustery. The temperature was in the low 40s. Our hotel was about a mile from the starting line, and I walked over. I jogged for just a few minutes to warm up and then dropped off my excess clothes and made my way over to the starting line.

The race started and I went out conservatively. I passed the first mile in barely under seven minutes. I was a little concerned that I wasn't feeling a good as I did last year. I sped up over the next few miles, running them in the 6:40 range. During these miles my stomach started bothering me, and I had to make a pit stop at the porta-johns at mile six. I felt better after that and made my way downhill to the "Party Zone" at mile seven.

After the seventh mile, the race goes up a hill and over a bridge. Going up the hill I felt a twinge in my hamstring. It felt tight and I backed off my effort. Over the next few miles my pace slowed and people started passing me. My leg was still tight and I began to think about dropping out. I knew J would be somewhere around mile 16, so I concentrated on getting there and seeing how I felt. I passed halfway in 1:35:XX, and was almost positive I was going to drop out. I wasn't going to seriously negative split the course and break three hours, and I wasn't going to kill myself just to finish. The last straw came when I went over the second bridge. I was running into a strong wind and ran my slowest mile, and after I came off the bridge I really started to tighten up. About a mile after the bridge, I saw J and dropped out.

I wasn't terribly disappointed about dropping out. I certainly wasn't having my best day, and the risk of further damage was not worth trying to finish. I haven't run since the race, and my hamstring still doesn't feel quite right, especially when it gets stretched in certain directions. I'm resting for a little while, and then looking to run another marathon in the late spring.

Still on Schedule

Everything's still going basically according to plan for the marathon. I finished up last week with ten miles on Friday and then just three on Saturday. Friday's run went well in that I was able to pick up the pace towards the end.

Sunday I ran for three hours and 20 miles at Burke Lake Park. The run went well--I didn't even look at my watch until I was two hours and forty-five minutes in. Ideally I'd like to run at a little faster pace, but I'm glad that I'm getting the long runs in. I feel like last year a major factor in my blow-up over the last 10k was a lack of longer runs. I was pretty much wiped out the rest of Sunday.

When my alarm went off Monday morning I hit the snooze button twice and seriously considered taking the day off. However, I heard one of the boys making some noise and I got up to go check on them. Once I was out of bed, I figured I'd go out for a run. I ran six miles, but really didn't feel good.

This morning I ran 10 miles with the HRM. It's been a little while since I've worn it. If there's one indication I'm getting in better shape, it's that the average heart rate was lower for this run than for a similar run a month or so ago. Also, the max I got up to for the run was lower as well.