It's going to be a long road...

Today it hit me how long of a road this recovery really might be.  Up until this point I've remained undeterred and optimistic, thinking I will get back to my previous mileage in the next few weeks.  But today, I started questioning what the point to all this really is.  When I showed my physical therapist, Kevin, my training schedule for the REVEL Rockies Marathon, August 17, he paused and said, "Let's give it two more weeks to see how you are healing.  After that we will bring up the mileage again but you have to demonstrate some real changes before I can suggest you start training as normal again."  This took me a moment to process.

He put together a two week schedule to help me ease back into training 6 days a week but I was shocked at what he wrote:

Sunday: 3 miles (yesterday. CHECK!)
Monday: 3 miles (CHECK!)
Tuesday: Swim 60 Minutes
Wednesday: 4 miles
Thursday: Rest/Stretch
Friday: 5 miles
Saturday: Swim 60 Minutes

The next week looks exactly the same but I am to run 4 miles on Tuesday instead of 3.  Sorry, Kevin, but 15 miles in one week is not 50+ miles a week.  I am starting to think this next race is a pipe dream.  Maybe I would heal better if I let it go and focused on shorter distances for the next few months.

On another note, I haven't swam freestyle in at least 10 years.  And the last time I did, I made it 5 laps before I was so out of breath I floundered around, gasped for air, and desperately longed for a life jacket. 

So I am changing my focus. 

1. I don't own an athletic one piece suitable for swimming laps.  I don't own any goggles.  And better yet, I need to flounder around a pool for 60 minutes tomorrow.  So, after my youngest son wakes from his nap, we are going shopping this afternoon.  
2. I called a local swim school to help me swim more efficiently.  This will be humiliating being the only adult in a pool with a bunch of summer swim camp kids, but it will be less embarrassing than being rescued by a lifeguard on my third lap.  I asked for a private lesson...
3. I put away the REVEL Rockies training plan I'd created weeks ago.  I can't keep looking at it.  The pressure to heal is not helping my mood and I can't rush this process.  My goal is to come back stronger, not band-aid the problem and return to this place in a couple months.
4. Continue my physical therapy sessions and my daily strength programs that Kevin designed specifically for my injury and long-term goals.  
5. Put my pride away.  Running 15 miles a week is still 15 miles a week and that is better than nothing.  Plus, I am being pushed into new opportunities, forced to expand my horizons.  This could be a valuable lesson that will better my character.  

Here are my hip stabilizing exercises in order (Do these at your own risk.  This routine was specifically designed for my injury.  Most of these exercises you can find online if you search running hip stability.  If you are injured, always seek the advice of a doctor first.):

• Dog Pee Squat - 30 reps every hour, every day.  Yes.  That's a lot.  Oh, by the way, I finally told Kevin what my name is for this stretch and he almost died laughing.  He couldn't look me in the eyes for at least 20 minutes today. 

 

•  One-Legged Bridge (30 per leg, 1xday)

 

These are harder than they look.

• Clam Shells with Resistance (30 per side, using a green band, 1xday)

 

 

•   Heal Squeezes (30 per side, 1xday)

 

 

• Monster Walks - Stand with band between ankles and step out at a diagonal with one foot.  Bring the other foot up to meet your front foot.  Continue alternating feet as you stay in a partial squat, working your way 30 feet out and back.  Do two sets, once a day.

 

 

•  One Legged Hip Rotators - Holding onto the green band stand on one leg.  Rotate your hip and chest to the outside, away from the band.  Keep your entire core straight.  (20 per side, 1xday)

You won't rotate much, but you will feel it in your glutes.

• Side Lunges - Stand with your knees slightly bent, core tight.  Step to the side and use the bent leg's strength to push back up to neutral.  (40 per leg, 1xday)

 

• Core Work - Before I started going to PT, I began a simple core workout.  My PT wants me to continue this daily on top of my running and swimming workouts.
• Middle crunches (neutral position) - 60 reps 1xday
• One legged crunches (I put one leg over the other knee and put the opposite elbow to my knee) - 60 reps per side 1xday
• 30 push-ups (2 sets of 15, 1xday)
• Superman holds.  (Lay on stomach and keeping core tight, lift both arms and legs off the ground.) Hold for 60 seconds, 3 reps, 1xday
• Plank holds - Hold for 60 seconds, 2 reps, 1xday
• Rolling out hips, legs, lower back, glutes with a foam roller 1-2xday

 
I am seeing progress, but I have a lot more work to do.  I've tried to stay very focused and upbeat but it is impossible to not get frustrated along the way.  Two miles away from home this morning, my eyes became red and my face hot in frustration and anger.  "Seriously, what is the point?"  After cursing myself out for a good 20 minutes, I decided the point is not to be a quitter.  I know that sounds really childish, but just because it gets hard and you get pushed entirely out of your comfort zone doesn't mean you earned the right to throw in the towel.  I am stupidly stubborn, and honestly that is enough.  I am going to learn how to swim.  I am going to continue to incorporate strength and stability work into my daily routine.  I am going to be grateful for the mileage, even 15 miles per week for a while.  When I get to the other side of this, 1 month, 2 months, or 6 months from now, I will be stronger.  I will be faster and more confident than I was a month ago when I was in the best shape of my life. 

Kevin reassured me that most people who experience an injury almost always come back stronger.  Not only do you fix what was broken in the first place, but you strengthen your entire body and your resolve.  He said, "Sometimes, an injury is the best thing that can happen to someone because it forces them to address those weakness, break free from routine, and start better habits from the ground up."  My resolve isn't broken, just a little pissed off, and I can work with that.


~Roadburner

Eighteen Days Left Until the Colfax Marathon 2014

Less than three weeks left until the Colfax Marathon and I feel incredibly excited and nervous.  I've come a really long way.  I started amping up my mileage at the end of October last year and officially started training for this race in November, 23 weeks ago.  Since then, I've run 852.23 miles, and lost over a minute in my marathon pace.  I get up at 5:00 am consistently, and burn over 1,500 calories before I make my boys breakfast.  Six months ago, I dreamed of running 6 days a week, but worried the constant impact on my joints would kill my endurance.  It's had the opposite effect.  I am stronger, faster, and more determined than ever.

Last week was my peak training week.  I ran 67 miles total.  I remember looking at this week months ago thinking, "How on Earth am I ever going to get there?  I am tired running 35 miles a week, is it possible for me to double that number?"  I remember my friends and family thought I was crazy.  They would look at my schedule and say, "Wait, are you serious?"

To get over that self doubt, I devised a genius plan: Don't Look Ahead.  I followed the Hanson's Method to a T.  If they said run slow, I ran slow, knowing tomorrow would suck if I didn't.  On the days where I needed to run fast, I ran fast.  I didn't cheat myself and I pushed really hard.  Speed work days taught me I'm stronger and faster than I thought.  I checked off the workout every day and marked it in green, yellow, or red marker, allowing for daily reflection and growth.  Green days signified I ran well and wanted to continue.  Yellow was okay.  I was glad to be done, minor aches and pains were small annoyances but I pushed through.  Red days were agonizing.  I never bailed on a workout but I desperately hated myself on those days.  Thankfully, I only self-loathed occasionally.

By not looking ahead, I managed what was in front of me.  Somehow, I ran myself to this point.  I am excited to see how this race goes.  I am also terrified.  Five freaking months of training need to pay off.  I took it very seriously.  I didn't bail, cheat, or skip on workouts.  I started taking 3-4 ice baths a week (after every hard effort), 1-2 epsom salt baths a week (recovery days before bed), and I rolled out twice a day (once in the morning after I ran, and once before bed.)  I've never focused on my diet so much before.  Yes, cupcakes and brownies love me, but I ate fruit and vegetables at least 10 servings a day.  I made my own energy bars each week and focus on whole grains and lean protein.  This training period has been life changing.

Because I get up so early, my husband gets up with the boys every day and gets their day started until I get home.  He has been patient and understanding and somehow willing to deal with my exhaustion and obsessive behavior.  

All this hard work will pay off.  When I began this journey 5 months ago, I wanted to get a 4:00-4:05 marathon time on this difficult course but my tempo, strength, and speed sessions were significantly faster.  I adjusted my time to be sub 4:00, hoping to push myself a little more.  In the last month, I've noticed my kick is stronger and I am learning how to work with my body when it hurts.  I use more of my body now to run, not just my legs.  I'm becoming more efficient and finding new muscles and tone in my legs, arms, stomach, back, and shoulders telling me it is working.  Eighteen days to go, I'm ready.


~Roadburner