Women's training and recovery thread - 11/15/09

Good news on the consistent running.

I can't smell the decaying leaves -- I'm too congested. Damn moldy leaves. I went back to my primary care doctor and got yet another prescription (Veramyst), as well as a reference for a specialist.

I guess it's a small blessing that I can't smell the ginkos.

Did 70 miles this week. They looked like this:

Monday: 7 easy miles outside (9:07 pace), plus weights.

Tuesday: 10 easy miles on treadmill, most at easy pace (9:40 – gym was very hot), but with fartleks. Also a yoga class.

Wednesday: 16 miles total. In the morning, 14 miles outside, including a “tempo” run of 4 miles at 7:33 pace (much slower than my normal tempo pace due to the very hilly route (the Custis trail, for those of you in DC), the wind and rain, and the abundance of wet leaves). In the evening, 2 miles very easy on treadmill (9:36 pace).

Thursday: 6 easy miles on treadmill (9:16 pace), plus weights

Friday: 10 easy miles on treadmill (9:24 pace), with fartleks. Also a yoga class.

Saturday: 13.5 miles outside, including a 5.5 mile tempo run at 7:00 pace on somewhat hilly terrain, plus 4 hill sprints of 15 seconds each up hill of 17% incline. Wanted the tempo to be longer, but was having a rough day due to allergies, so cut out early.

Sunday: 7.5 miles easy (9:12 pace), plus 6 hill sprints of about 12 seconds each (up shallower hill than my norm).

Wow, those are some long runs on the treamill (makes sense with the weather we've been having, but I don't have that discipline). I have good news and bad news. On the one hand, my right knee is feeling great. On the other hand, I did something to my left foot in the area between the heel and lateral ankle, I think because of too much running barefoot. Now it hurts to run with or without shoes, but hopefully this will subside in a few days, so I can do my 5k on thanksgiving. I tried a spinning class for the first time in a couple months, and was pleasantly surprised that I could actually do all the "moves." So I'll probably do more biking/spinning for the next few days.

beech leaves, from the american beech. They make wintergreen flavored stuff from the twigs and roots, since its easier than growing wintergreen.

Hi everyone! I know I've been MIA the last few weeks, although I have been following this thread somewhat. It's great to hear everyone's progress.

I haven't had much to report of late. It's been about 6 weeks since the marathon, and I've still been resting this stupid groin injury. I've been getting in some cross training (ellipticals, stair stepper), usually a couple days of lifting each week, and I've been trying to get in one day of yoga. I'm really trying to focus on core exercises and lots of balance stuff (particularly one leg balance stuff) in order to hopefully strengthen all those stabilizer muscles.

I have noticed definite improvements in the leg over the last couple weeks and on friday decided I might be able to give running a try. So I went out yesterday (perfect 55 degree day!). I kept it very, very easy (10:00-10:30 pace) and did a run/walk. So I'd run 1/2 mile, then walk 1/4 mile. I did 3 miles of that, which got me to a park with a great set of stairs (about 100 steps), so I ran up and down that 6 times. Then I did the same run/walk home. So 6 miles total...4 of running...plus stairs. The leg felt good...I'd say about 95%. There wasn't anything I would call pain, but it just didn't feel 100% normal. I think part of it though is that I'm still pretty apprehensive about it...I think I had the pain/limping so long that I anticipate pain that's not really there. No pain in the leg today though, so that's a good sign. Assuming the leg stays pain free, my plan is to do the running/walking 3 days this week.

Hi all,

Add me to the "recovery" side of the room this week. Like you, former track star, I have managed to eff up my left foot, although it's a tendon on the lateral side.

I did manage to do two important workouts this week by backing off on other days and gritting my teeth a lot. The big one was a 20 miler with 15 at just below marathon effort, which I did yesterday. I'm paying for it this morning with a swollen ankle, and am now counting the minutes until my sports med's office opens up so I can beg my way in for an appointment.

I'm three weeks out from my goal marathon and crossing fingers that I can correct this issue before then.

Glad some of you are coming back. This injury business gets old really fast, doesn't it?

http://raceslikeagirl.com/2009/11/15/fall-training-week-10-2/

Bad news from this end. I tried the walk 3 run 5 (3 times) thursday and yesterday. achilles still hurts. I feel it walking. I decided to give PT one more week. Honestly they aren't doing much - e-stim, ultrasound and giving me stretching and eccentric exercises. no point in continuing if it is not helping. i really really do not want to go back in the boot - i am wondering if that is necessary. at this point i am wondering if there is anything else left to try - haven't run in 12 weeks, did ART, PT, massage, boot, NSAIDS. does anyone know anything about the PRP injections for achilles tendonosis or am i grasping at another expensive straw?

sorry for the downer.

to balance the frustrations and pains of injuries from too many of you this week, i have an actually positive week of real-live running to report -- my first since june, and my first with full energy since april.

although my ankles still aren't good enough to be on trails, i ran just short of 50 miles this week, including a moderate-paced 1:45 long(ish) run and a 7x800 m (200 m jog rest) track workout at 10-sec/mile faster than my 10K pr pace from last april. i found this to be very encouraging. my goal had been 6-8 in 3:20; all were 3:15 or faster, but after the seventh i thought one more would put me past the "can do one more" state, so i called it a day.

still, this week came on the heels of a really bad week (which i posted about rather late in last week's thread, so the recap is i had sudden and pretty severe hip flexor pain, which ART fixed, so last week was just 55 min in two runs after five days of pain-induced zero activity), so i completely empathize with all of you who are hurting.

for my ankles, i've been continuing with theraband exercises for strengthening and using a wobble board to help with balance and stabilization. since i've been using the board, i can stand on one foot much more solidly. i recommend it. also, to help keep from rolling the ankle (as i did once this past week), i tape the outside. those of you with soft-tissue foot pain might want to experiment with taping strategies.

for my achilles, when it hurts (as it did much of the day after yesterday's easy 10 miler) it does so on the medial side of the tendon, and i can, with effort, massage the little lump of pain away from the tendon, which i find odd but wonderful, because it means it isn't the tendon per se. HSB, i wish i had suggestions for you.

Hi All-

MIssed you last week! I just got busy and didn't post. Glad to see NLS, Humbled, and BQ are feeling good. NLS - I'm jealous of your workout! I am feeling gross just running and not doing any workouts, although I don't want to push it after Chicago for a little more.

DarkWave - congrats on that PR last week! Looks like you ran a great race! That is wonderful.

HSB, Track Star, and RLAG - sorry to see the injuries. HSB - I have no info on those injections. I run with a sports PT, though, so I will try to ask her about them. I hope everyone recovers quickly.

34 miles for me this week and 30 last week, just running easy right now. Went to Nashville last weekend to celebrate my husband's 35th birthday, so lots of beer, bourbon, and country music meant not a lot of running, although we did take a nice 5-mile running tour of the city that included the Titans stadium, Hermitage Hotel, and a great view from the statehouse. I'm feeling ecsited to start back with workouts soon. I'm not quite sure what my friend/coach has in store for me but it will be interesting! Hope everyone has a good running/recovery week!

Late to the party, sounds like a mixed bag of news.

Looking for consistency and getting it, another 60 mile week in 6 days seems to be my sweet spot, and is done in various runs from several doubles to long runs....

Did a solid fartlek work out which woke up the quads with lactic acid burn 2min 3 min 4 min 5 min 4 min 3 min 2 min with 2 mins in between.. good session.

Next race is an 8km on Thanksgiving Day and hope to improve on the Govenors Cup time which finished up the hill from hell :o)

Great temps for running now and such a joy after struggling through the long cold did I say very cold winter of up-state NY.. don't miss that a bit.

Excited to be moving to my own place Dec 1, half a mile from where I have been staying so all my running routes here deep in the countryside stay the same.

Life is good and I count my blessings daily,wishing you all nothing but the best and healing for the pains.

Believe me if you can be hurt for 4 yrs as I was and come back and win races in your way upper 40s anything is possible.

only Believe Chicas!

Sarah, you are my inspiration! ;-)