So what's up with my running lately???
I've been getting back into the groove after months off on-and-off injury. A couple of months ago, after reaching a point of pain during every run after only 20-30 minutes and then having to stop, I realized how ridiculous I was being.
I was putting down a lot of junk miles. I was suffering a lot of pain and risking big-time injury for a few measly runs every week while I could just put on the brakes for a couple weeks and focus on strengthening and healing.
Sometimes we humans do silly things like that. Or is that just me???
I went on a no-running cleanse and did alllllll the strength-training and alllllll the yoga. I took 3-4 weeks off and focused primarily on these exercises (great for all runners to keep in your strength-training arsenal!).
After a those weeks off I hit the road again, expecting to be good as new.
Nope.
I still had pain after a few minutes on the pavement. Albeit, it's very hilly around here and that wasn't the best for the particular problems I was having, but I clearly still had some weaknesses that had to be worked out. I felt really defeated, though, and mentioned my frustration to Alex.
He suggested some running spots that I was unfamiliar with, out in some corn fields (not kidding). He thought the grass would allow me to run pain-free and continue to build up strength.
I was skeptical, but I tried it out.
I've been getting back into the groove after months off on-and-off injury. A couple of months ago, after reaching a point of pain during every run after only 20-30 minutes and then having to stop, I realized how ridiculous I was being.
I was putting down a lot of junk miles. I was suffering a lot of pain and risking big-time injury for a few measly runs every week while I could just put on the brakes for a couple weeks and focus on strengthening and healing.
Sometimes we humans do silly things like that. Or is that just me???
I went on a no-running cleanse and did alllllll the strength-training and alllllll the yoga. I took 3-4 weeks off and focused primarily on these exercises (great for all runners to keep in your strength-training arsenal!).
After a those weeks off I hit the road again, expecting to be good as new.
Nope.
I still had pain after a few minutes on the pavement. Albeit, it's very hilly around here and that wasn't the best for the particular problems I was having, but I clearly still had some weaknesses that had to be worked out. I felt really defeated, though, and mentioned my frustration to Alex.
He suggested some running spots that I was unfamiliar with, out in some corn fields (not kidding). He thought the grass would allow me to run pain-free and continue to build up strength.
I was skeptical, but I tried it out.
It was an enormous success. I started doing about 30-minutes of "grass running" about 4x a week, and continued this for 2 weeks. Then I moved onto trails and built up to occasional 40 and 50-minute runs. I became quite a regular out there.
The trails are relatively popular, but I don't see many people out during the times that I run (either really early or middle of the day, depending when I can fit it into my schedule.
Sunrise :)
I try to engage in safety precautions like bringing my phone and wearing my road ID, but luckily I do have someone to look out for me...
I named him Philip. He actually may be a girl, I don't know him that well yet. But I do stop and say hi to "Philip" every time I run past!
Now I'm running more on covered trails, and I can run on pavement occasionally and haven't had any problems. Hopefully the worst is behind me.
Now I'm trying to build my endurance back up so I can go into marathon training with a solid base, but not exhausted. Sometimes it gets a little discouraging, knowing how far I am from my goals, but then I remind myself that I'm at the exact ability-level that I was last June before I headed into marathon training!
In addition to yoga and the exercises I mentioned before, I've been sticking with General Strength and Mobility exercises and 8-minute abs. I have not been rowing regularly, and want to keep the (little) arm and back strength that I had. So far, yoga is doing a great job of that!
Happy Thursday everyone! Have a great day!
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