The ABCs of Being Pain Free?

I ran just 10 miles this week, but that's not important.  What is important is I ran 10 miles without a hint of trouble from my shins or varicose vein, and I'm cautiously optimistic that I've found the fix for it.  And by "I've found the fix for it", I mean Chris told me something to try that seems to have worked.

It's writing the alphabet in the air with my toes.  Here's an example that's a little more thorough than what I've been doing:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2X5-6-Puo20

Please note that I can't endorse all the Red Sox stuff in the background, but this seems like a good example.  I've just been writing through the alphabet once or twice several times a day while I'm working or watching TV and before I run.  I've been doing a little better with strength training lately, which may be helping, but I've noticed I didn't have any exercises for the muscles on/next to my shins, which is where I have so much trouble on my left leg.  This alphabet thing seems like it fills that void in my workout routine.

Now, my quads were another story.  My quads felt weak (I blame last night's fencing class for this) throughout the run, I've clearly lost some conditioning over the past month, and it was digustingly humid and warm this morning.  A four-mile run (per my training plan) that I wanted to turn into a six-mile run since my shins and ankles felt so great ended up a five-mile run when I felt like I was going to overheat if I went another mile.

So today, I lost the battle.  But for the first time in quite awhile, I think I'm going to win the war and be ready for a fall half marathon and spring full marathon.

And since this post is boring and people come here for the cat pictures, here's Higgy helping me work. 

Crashing and Burning

This post isn't meant to be as doom and gloom and the title indicates; it just hasn't been that good a week of running.  I had a gorgeous morning on Tuesday but could only put together 5 miles because of discomfort in the mystery bump area around my left ankle and shin.  I had a little bit of  a comeback on Thursday and managed 6 hillier miles despite the warmer morning.  Today, on an oppressively humid morning, I ran 5 again.  I hate the heat, but I should be able to do more than that...my legs just didn't feel well enough.  I had the same pain and weakness in the lower left leg, and the left quad was very achy, too.  I'm not sure if the culprit is fencing, Dreaded Druid Hills, one of my runs on this week, or something else I'm forgetting.

I need to find something that can help me make that left leg strong again, whether it's more (any!) strength training, exploring more medical options, or something else, compression socks and foam rolling alone just aren't cutting it.  As Chris said last night as we left our fencing class at the Y, I'd also be very grateful if someone invented an air-conditioned bodysuit.

(NOT an air-conditioned bodysuit)


Speaking of fencing, the last two weeks of fencing have been really fun.  Instead of just working on footwork and different blade moves (lunge, parry, repost, etc.) we've spent the whole class in round-robin tournament.  I know practice is important, but this is a lot more fun!

I'm holding my own, at 4-1 over the past two weeks, and came in second last week and this week we didn't total it up.  I think I tend to press my attack too much, because I really don't parry (defend) well at all.  I should have another loss, too, Chris got totally hosed by the judges (other members of the class) in her bout against me last week!   It's fun, but I'm still not sure I have any real desire to enter competitions or take it more seriously than just the class.


But enough about that.  You don't come to this blog for running, or fencing, or me complaining about my stupid legs.  You're here for the KITTENS!!!!

("You work. I'll lie under your desk and purr.")

Hopefully Minor Setback

Considering where I started the year, I had a really good week of running last week, in which I ran a fast 10K-distance, challenged myself on some hills, ran my longest run of the comeback tour (7 miles) and racked up 20 miles total for the week. I've really felt good since returning from Virginia Beach, so I guess I was overdue for a bad run.

I just didn't expect it to be this bad: 1.4 miles in 12:38, bailed out with some left leg issues: Ankle felt sprained and swollen, calf was very tight, and lots of soreness on the on muscle outside of the shin/shin (didn't feel quite like my shinsplints, but like that muscle was tight/cramping). With two 10Ks coming up this month, I elected to just walk back to my car and live to fight another day. Wimpy, but I ran 7 miles on Friday, I felt like anything I gained by suffering through a painful 3 wasn't worth making something worse.

I've got a couple theories. The ankle problem is weird. Now that I'm not running, it feels stiff but doesn't really hurt. I did sprain my ankle on either Monday or Wednesday last week (can't remember which), and it didn't bother me during my runs on Friday or Saturday, though it was intermittently sore throughout the week. I also know that I forgot to foam roll my shins before leaving, so maybe that had something to do with the muscle pains in that area. Pacing's a problem for me lately -- I didn't feel winded, despite the high pollen count, but I know I started out my run going much faster than my normal pace. That probably didn't help. Lastly, after a weekend in which I celebrated a little too much with some of our college friends, I'm probably still a bit dehydrated. I'm not sure which of those things, if any, was the main culprit for today's bad run. I'll try again on Wednesday.

If this is a real setback and not just a bad run, the timing stinks: Chris and I just signed up for the Hershey 10K, on April 15 today, and we've got the Sole of the City 10K on April 21. No reason for me to panic yet. I'm a little concerned, but decent runs on Wednesday and Friday will reassure me.

The Comeback Begins...

With a wintry mix falling over Central PA, coating the grounds but not the roads, and me waking up (covered in cats) feeling like I'd been hit by a train despite a very good longer than usual night of sleep, I was leaning toward putting my run off till tomorrow.

Instead, Chris (who had a 4-miler today on her training calendar) and I headed up to the indoor track at the West Shore YMCA. And, I'm glad we did.

My plan was to try for two miles. I started out feeling great, it was nice to run again after over a month off. After two miles, I felt good enough to go for three. I was definitely a little bit winded afterwards, and my quads are bit sore but don't feel injured, but I'm otherwise ok.

Shinsplints? Gone.

Mystery bump? No problem.

One mile at this track is 16 laps, and I might have miscounted as I was singing along with Van Halen in my head (I hope it was in my head), but I believe that I ran an even 3 miles or one lap extra in 28:57. Other than being indoors, this run could not possibly have gone any better. This year's Shamrock Marathon is out of the question, but I feel very confident about the spring 5Ks, 8Ks, and 10Ks and trying to destroy the Harrisburg Mile in the Summer.

It is a long way back to being in marathon shape, but it is great to be started on that road.

Trouble in Paradise

After a busy running 2011, I have yet to log a single mile in 2012. That wasn't my intent, but a result of my leg problem seeming like it will be more trouble than I thought it would.

To recap, on Christmas Eve, I ran 4 miles, was struggling quite a lot, and drove right to the doctor's office when I saw a large bump on my leg where there shouldn't be one. I was diagnosed with varicose veins and the doctor recommended compression socks and putting my leg up as much as I could.

On December 26 at about 12:45am, Chris and I drove to Philadelphia to catch a flight to Jamaica, where we had the chance to spend a wonderful week at Couples Swept Away in Negril in celebration of our 10th anniversary.


It was an awesome trip with amazing sunsets, a gorgeous beach, and delicious food and drink. It was exactly the week of relaxation that I needed and we had a wonderful time, but I was not planning on being idle. Our resort had a jogging track and what it billed as the nicest gym on the island, and I brought ample workout gear.

My first run in Jamaica was a 7-miler on Tuesday morning. It seemed to go decently; the heat and humidity was a challenge and my legs felt tired, but the compression socks seemed to do their jobs very well. I had planned on running mostly along the beach, but I found that it took three minutes to run the whole length of the resort's beachfront walk and I didn't want to bother other guests on their way to and from breakfast by running back and forth along the resort's busiest path, so I opted for loops around the half-mile jogging course. It was a nice place to run, but the repetitiveness did make me long for my Shuffle, which I'd left at home.

While the run went well, my weird vein problem bothered me intermittently throughout the trip, and when I went for what I hoped would be my "long run" on Friday morning, I had to stop after three miles when my leg was just hurting too much to continue.


I'd planned to run one more time (Yasso 800s) on vacation, but decided to bag it and rest. The leg bothered me intermittently throughout the trip. I didn't completely rest, though. I lifted three times on the trip, and the gym was very nice and lifting is much more enjoyable when you're basically outside. Still, I definitely feel like I gained 10lbs on the trip!





Relaxation and fun was the point and in that regard it was a complete success. I am nervous about my next run, which will be tonight, though. It was kind of vacation where I now feel totally out of shape, but I know that feeling will quickly pass if I can get back on the roads. However, I also know that if I'm not able to have a good January, the Shamrock Marathon is a really dicey proposition for me. I wanted to do everything right for this one and kick butt, but right now I'll just be happy if I can run it and finish.

My plan for tonight is just 3-5 miles, but I think it will be a key data point as I wonder how worried I should be about my leg and how challenging it will be to manage. My leg is elevated and my fingers are crossed!

My Very Gross Veins

I went out for what was supposed to be a Saturday long run, but things did not go well. Legs were just feeling very weak early in the run. With the exception of the Celtic Solstice 5K, that's been the norm. On my last long run, 12.something miles 2 weeks ago, I made it to my desired distance, but my legs were feeling weak very early in the run. On Tuesday, I went for what was supposed to be a 7-miler, but cut it short at 5 because I just was feeling dead. I blamed my cold/bronchitis, whatever, but really it seemed more like the problem was my legs. Today, I was resolved that I was going to get 10 miles. That was before I looked down at my leg at about mile 3 and saw this:


None of my cel phone pictures came out very well, but kind of looked like I had another ankle bone growing out of the out of the wrong part of my leg. Of course, I thought it was probably a blood clot, compound fracture, or high-ankle sprain. Of course, I also know I'm a hypochondriac.

But, the doctor's office doesn't have appointments on Saturdays (walk-in only), and I thought I might be able to get it looked at quickly since it was right at 9:00am when the office opened.

I ran back to my car and was seeing the doctor within 15 minutes. Her diagnosis: Varicose veins.

So, compression socks, here I come. yay. Hopefully though, with some improved circulation and some more leg exercises, I can get rid of the power outage feeling I've been having lately (since Philly, really.) To clarify, varicose veins having nothing to do with not enough blood getting to the legs...but some of the symptoms are pain, heaviness, and the inability to stand for long periods. I've got the pain and feeling of heaviness in the legs, so the diagnosis seems to fit what I'm experiencing. I didn't go to med school, but I can wikipedia with the best of them.