Make Yourself Monday

Hurricane Sandy style....to all the runners out there hardcore enough to complete the Marine Corp Marathon Sunday under the threat of a hurricane...You are HARDCORE for sure!

Make Yourself Monday

Fearless

Make Yourself Monday

Love it!

Post Marathon Recovery

Day One felt like this

So did much of Days 2 and 3. I finally started to feel human again yesterday, but I am fighting a cold and I'm completely exhausted. Day 5 - today - I wore shoes again for the first time (blisters aren't super painful any longer) and can walk up and down stairs without making an awful face or grunting. So that's good.

The other good news is that my injuries don't appear to have been aggravated too much. No significant extra pain in either my hip or upper hamstring....just a general soreness that is frankly a lot duller than I expected it to be. I really thought I might have set myself back but it doesn't appear to be so! A couple more weeks and I'll start up PT again. We'll develop a different plan based on this diagnosis and hopefully I'll able to start walk/running again in a couple months. Last weekend really made me miss everything all the more. I am thinking about volunteering for the Seattle Marathon next month since I can't run it....It's time I started to give back and what better way to do it. right?

Portland Marathon Race Recap

Finisher!

This was my first 'destination' race, even though it wasn't very far. We left for Portland on Saturday morning, arriving about lunchtime. We were able to do an early check in at our hotel, which was really nice but quite far from downtown - it was at the airport. But there was a train stop a block away that went right downtown Portland so we hopped on that after getting settled in our room. The Girl had some birthday money to blow on tax-free shopping so that and hitting the expo was the grand plan for the day. 

We got downtown, and after a brief stop in the wrong area of downtown, we figured out where we were going. We were starving so we found food first and then I peeled off to meet up with Jess and D at the Expo.

It took a couple tries to get this picture. The old man we asked

 had a hard time figuring out how to use an iPhone 

camera....which incidentally, kept happening to us.

After hitting the expo, we went our separate ways until our planned dinner...we were late getting reservations made so after striking out at four different Italian restaurants, we had to settle for a brewery....

At dinner, I was still planning to walk only about 5-7 miles. Little did I know that I would decide to do something totally crazy - like actually walk the whole thing with no training whatsoever. I tried to get a decent nights sleep, but that is virtually impossible sleeping next to someone who snores. So a few hours of non-sleep later, I was up and getting ready for my planned DNF. I caught the first train downtown that ended up being FULL of other racers....I was earlier than our planned meet up time so I had my second cup of coffee. Again, not at all in the 'I'm about to walk 26 miles' mindframe....But the thought was starting to occur to me. I was mentally trying to talk myself into it at that point...by the time Jess, D and Mike showed up, I was all, I think I am going to try to walk the whole thing. Jess was excited and that sealed the deal. I couldn't let her walk the entire thing by herself, injured, carrying a 5ft flag. I still planned to stop if the injuries started bothering me.

Representing Blue! 

We had our Circle of Remembrance by calling out the names of the fallen soldiers -- a reminder of who we were running for. Then it was time to split up into our separate corrals. D was up front in B corral, Mike started in G I believe,and Jess and I started in Corral F. The corrals were all split up on separate blocks so we weren't able to hear the National Anthem at the beginning, which was a bummer. We finally rolled across the start at about 7:25am or so. 

 Have no idea which mile this was at....

I am still smiling though....

The first 8 miles or so flew by pretty quickly...we did an out and back along the river, walking mostly, yogging some of the time. There were bands all along the course, cheer squads and a lot of spectators. There was also a good deal of aid on the course, which - thank god - because I was so unprepared, I was totally reliant on what they had to offer. 

We also got to see everyone at some point or other....We saw Deidra twice on a couple out and back portions; as well as Mike and April, our Ragnar teammate. That was really cool since there were so many people....the flags totally helped with that! Easier to spot. 

As I mentioned in my "I can't believe I actually did that" post, this whole experience was very surreal and didn't feel like it was actually happening. If every single part of my body wasn't screaming at me right now, it might seem like a crazy feverish dream....since I did everything so very very wrong. Wrong clothes, no preparation, and made do with what I had in front of me...All the things you aren't supposed to do were done, but I survived it. 

We got through the first half and I still felt pretty good. My hamstring and hip didn't hurt anymore than normal so I decided to keep going past the 13 mile mark....and past that, there was really no turning back. After mile 16, you hit the first bridge, St. Johns bridge. The next 8-9 miles were on the other side of the river and I knew it wouldn't be easy to get back if I stopped there. Plus my phone had already died, so I wouldn't have been able to call my sister to come rescue me anyway....

Headed up the killer hills to the bridge, approaching Mile 17.

 

This picture is a result of the nice lady coming to 

the rescue of another iPhone challenged runner....

We made it over the bridge and by then it was H-O-T hot. Mid 70's and I was still in my long sleeve shirt. This next 8 miles or so was in a residential area and there were at least a couple nice folks who turned on their sprinklers in the street for us. I ran through both of them and dumped at least 4-5 cups of water on my head during the last 10 miles. I was definitely hitting the wall by this point. My energy was dropping significantly, I was really thirsty and the blisters on my feet were getting more raw. But we just kept plodding along....passing mile markers slowly but surely. 22, then 23...then finally 24 and were back over on the other side of the river after crossing the final bridge.

At this point, we were yogging more than walking since it hurt less. Jess kept getting shooting pains in her knee and was limping a bit, so she felt better walking. I sort of shuffle/dragged my feet beside her and we finally made it to mile 25. Right at that corner, I heard my sister and daughter screaming our names...I looked over at them in a daze and immediately burst into tears and almost started hyperventilating.....but seeing them was exactly the boost I needed to finish the last 1.2 miles. We rounded the corner at mile 26 and both of us held the flag the last .2 of the race across the finish line. Until this point, we were taking turns carrying it, switching off whenever one of us got too tired. 

We crossed the finish line and it was so nice to be done.....I was exhausted though. And almost burst into tears again when they said they didn't have medals right then and water was a half block away around the corner. I seriously almost lost it big time. I hobbled over to get water and again was defeated when I was handed a half full dixie cup. Seriously? No bottles of water? They got some medals finally (they had taken them all for some reason to the new finish line they were setting up since it was nearly the end of the regular course time) and I was able to stop by the medical tent to get some ice packs saran-wrapped to my arse. 

The post race food was pretty sad by then...all the fruit was brown and the chocolate milk was slightly warm. I guess that is what happens when you finish after 7 hours. We picked up the rest of our swag and got the hell out of there....by then most people were gone. And we all had long drives ahead of us to get home....

 Smiling or grimacing? You be the judge...

Overall, I thought the race was well organized, the volunteers were superb and the Pirate Band was by far the best on-course entertainment. I didn't love the on-course fuel, but when you don't bring any of your own, anything is better than nothing.....I would have loved Gatorade instead of the awful pink stuff they were calling Ultima (which I only drank b/c it was hot and I need to replace electrolytes in bad way) and gels of some kind instead of pretzels and gummy bears. But I survived. 

Overall stats- which I am writing out, since screen-grabbing is in violation of their 'copyright policy' (which, really?) and I really don't feel like risking a $150,000 fine.

Finish: 7:08:41 (Tag time; 7:27:19 Gun time)

Avg Pace: 16:21 (not too bad for walking)

Overall Place: 6374 of 6518 (ha!)

Women: 3251 of 3360

F 35-39: 557 of 565

Splits:

5 km: 43.13

10 km: 1:30:48

8.9 mi: 2:12:52

Half: 3:20:21

17.5 mi: 4:41:44

21.1 mi: 5:42:18

Finisher - Marathon #1 Done

We carried the flags the entire 26.2 miles. 

I still can't believe I did it. I really truly planned to walk a maximum of 5 or 6 miles. I even packed for that - leaving no room for the possibility of even trying to walk more. But somehow, that morning, being around all those runners, knowing Jess was going to do the whole thing walking and what we called 'yogging' (a sort of shuffling jog) I decided to just go for it and play it by ear. The first half of the course was a few loops through downtown Portland and some industrial areas and I figured I'd see if I could make it to that point and do a gut check then. We were feeling good so I decided to keep going.

By the time we got to mile 16, it was like, this is it - this is the point where there is no turning back. It was only 10 more miles and I knew we could do it. My hip and arse (that upper hamstring area just below my bum where the tendons are super angry) felt pretty ok so we just kept plodding along. The walking was tough, I am not going to lie. Your foot moves around in your shoe differently, which for me, means blisters. So there were times where the yogging was less painful, as long as I kept my stride really short. And miles 23-26 were really really tough. The last mile was the longest mile I've ever yogged. No lie.

St. Johns Bridge....about 2/3 of the way there!

It felt surreal the whole time. I still couldn't believe I was doing it, even as I wincing with every step....And I was so unprepared. First off, because I planned to keep the miles in the single digits, I wore my long sleeve Wear Blue shirt and my thick heavy WB hoodie. It was super chilly at 6am, but by about 11am, the sun was out and it got really really hot...definitely hit the mid 70's, which is very very unusual for the Pacific Northwest in early October.

By mile 1 - the hoodie was off and around my waist, forcing me to re-pin my bib. But luckily, I knew we were going to see Erin around the 2 mile mark and when we saw her I yelled hi and basically threw my sweatshirt at her. Thanks for taking it Erin- You are, hands down, one of the best race pit crew people ever.

Other things I did wrong: I brought no water bottle or fuel, I didn't train at all (oy vey), I didn't dress properly for the weather (was kicking myself the whole time for not wearing my short sleeve WB shirt and forgetting my hat), I didn't wear sunscreen so my face is pretty sunburned. In addition to not training, I also wasn't fueling with walking a 26.2 in mind- ate crappy this last week, didn't pre-hydrate like I normally do, and didn't carbo load very much at all. Also, I forgot to start my RunKeeper app at the start and remembered around 1.5 miles in. Once I did start it, we decided to run without music (which I can proudly say I did for the entire 26.2 miles, also another first) but a couple hours in, I looked at my phone and had only 9% battery left. So I just switched it off. I had no idea of our pace or exact time the whole time - we just kept going (aaand another first!).

Despite all of that - I did it. I finished a marathon - walking, injured and carrying a 5ft American flag for about half the time. Every painful step was walked in honor of Command Sgt Major Kevin Griffin - who died in Afghanistan after proudly serving our country for the past 24 years.

Serious swag here - 2 shirts, a beautiful medal, a commemorative 

coin, a pendant and a rose! I also loved the personalized bib!

Seeing my people at mile 25 was also really awesome. We got to that spot and my sister, daughter and my daughter's friend were standing there screaming for us and taking pictures. I was having a really hard time at that exact moment and seeing them made me burst into tears. My girl was proud of her mama and the love gave me the boost I needed to get through that last super long mile. What a day. I feel like I am going to die today, but I did it. Full recap to come!

First marathon - Done!

Make Yourself Monday

Portland Marathon - Walking in Honor of...

 Army Command Sgt Major Kevin J. Griffin

Command Sgt Major Griffin was killed on August 8, 2012 in Kunar Province, Afghanistan in a suicide bomb attack. He was the most senior enlisted soldier for the 4th Brigade Combat Team, 4th Infantry Division. Griffin, 45, of Riverton, Wyo., and was a Bronze Star recipient who first enlisted in the Army in 1988.

Also killed in this attack were Maj. Thomas E. Kennedy, 35, of West Point, N.Y., and Air Force Maj. Walter D. Gray, 38, of Conyers, Ga., USAID foreign service officer Ragaei Abdelfattah was identified as the other victim. 

As a command sergeant major, Griffin was one of the brigade's senior leaders and provided leadership and guidance to the 4,000 man brigade. A 24 year veteran, Command Sgt Maj Griffin had served three tours in Iraq and previously served in Kuwait and the Balkans. He is survived by two children, one of whom, Sgt Dane Griffin, followed in his footsteps of serving his country.

I really wish that I could actually run the full 26.2 miles in honor of Command Sgt Major Griffin. It would be an incredible honor. I hope that he understands why I'll be walking instead. Thanks for your service to this country.

I Wear Blue: Run to Remember.

PDX or Bust...

I am going to try hard to not be sad and have a good time this weekend. Even though I will no longer be running, we are still headed down to Portland for the marathon. It will be festive and fun and my friends will be there. But if I am being honest. I am having a hard time getting excited. Part of it is that although I am heartbroken I can't do this first marathon, I never even got to start training for it, officially anyway. So it feels a little hollow.

And I am a bit scared that I am going to over-do the walking. My running friends are pretty hardcore. Jess is determined to finish and I think she'll definitely push harder than I will want to. Heck, she might be feeling so good she decides to run some or all of it. My hip is feeling better but I am terrified of doing something worse to my hamstring tendons. I haven't been in a ton of pain, but I can tell they are tight, as is the hamstring itself. Maybe I'll do a bit of gentle foam rolling before we go. I just need to be strong and stop when my body tells me to. I anticipate that this means it'll be about 5-7 miles total. We'll see how that goes...

Part of the reason we decided to still go is that it was my baby girl's 15th birthday yesterday and we'd planned to make a weekend getaway out of the trip. We had a fun mom/daughter day and then we had a not-so surprise party for her. My sister arranged with one of her best friends to have a bunch of her friends meet at the cupcake shop downtown. And we were already having our girls day so we stopped in to pick up cupcakes and 'Surprise!'....except it totally wasn't. iPad messaging fail -- stupid iMessage. I was texting one of the other girls' moms about the party and the whole exchange popped up on the iPad at home that little Miss Birthday Girl happened to see. Oh well....It was still fun though. So off we go....marathon/birthday weekend festivities to commence forthwith.

 

Happy Birthday Bird! I am one proud mama....

September: In Which I Confirm I'll Be Out of Commission For Awhile

Pretty dismal month. A whopping total of zero miles logged. And a confirmation that something was actually wrong with me. Started the month knowing that I needed to see my doctor because I wasn't getting any better after three weeks of PT. Initially, my PT thought we should rule out a pelvic stress fracture. 

But alas, the x-ray showed healthy bones. Next up - MRI. It took over a week to get authorization from my insurance company but it finally came through and I made my appointment. In between all this waiting, I sort of disappeared for a bit...But I am here and alive. Just a tad depressed and cranky.

The experience of my first MRI, complete with hip injection of Iodine and MRI contrast solution wasn't super pleasant. And I was pretty apprehensive about whether anything would actually turn up on it. Well that turned out to be a needless worry. A few days later, the results were in.

I have a "superior lateral and posterior acetabular labral tear", which is a fancy medical way of saying that the labrum (the thing that goes around your hip socket that keeps your thigh or femur in place) is torn. But that's not all! Oh no, there is more fun to be had here. I also have "significant tendinopathy at the hamstring attachment"....which is fairly self explanatory. The tendons attach your hamstring to your pelvis, and when they get angry and inflamed, it's called tendonitis or tendiopathy (essentially the same thing)....

I obviously will not be able to run the Portland Marathon this weekend. My doctor gave me the ok to walk until I am in pain...so that won't be very long...anticipating about 5-7 miles, max. My awesome friend Jess coincidentally also has a labral tear so she is walking/jogging as well so at least I'll have company. The rest of the gang will be running still so hopefully I'll be able to watch most or all of them cross the finish line. And we'll have our group dinner Saturday night so I'll get to catch up as well. October is bound to be mile-less -- I'm on at least 4 more weeks rest, then I can possibly start PT again. I will try not to completely disappear.

Make Yourself Monday

 

Love it!

The Results Are In....

And it's not pretty. I actually got the results over the phone late last week and have been mourning processing ever since. I have a "superior lateral and posterior acetabular labral tear", which is a fancy medical way of saying that the labrum (the thing that goes around your hip socket that keeps your thigh or femur in place) is torn. But that's not all! Oh no, there is more fun to be had here. I also have "significant tendinopathy at the hamstring attachment"....which is fairly self explanatory. The tendons attach your hamstring to your pelvis, and when they get angry and inflamed, it's called tendonitis or tendiopathy (essentially the same thing)....

So first emotion here was relief. As I mentioned before, I have some experience with joint injuries, specifically, significant joint injuries that don't show up on scans. So I was relieved that whatever is causing me pain was evident on the MRI. I've heard of people having hamstring tendon issues that don't and know exactly what that frustration feels like and I didn't want to go through that again. Second emotion was a lot of sadness. For several weeks now, I've been mentally preparing myself for the inevitability that I wouldn't be doing the Portland Marathon next month or my Ragnar Ultra Relay in Las Vegas in November. But that doesn't stop me from being really really sad whenever I remember all over again.

Treatment and how long recovery will last largely depend on how much healing I can promote in the tendon with total rest. The labral tear will heal on it's own provided there is no further stress on it, surgery isn't warranted as it's not a big enough tear and there doesn't seem to be any cartilage that is just hanging out there that might prevent healing. Once the pain and symptoms aren't present when at rest any longer, I can start PT, working on strengthening and stabilizing the hip so that it can withstand the load bearing and the shock of running.

As for the hamstring tendinopathy, that is a bit trickier. These particular tendons don't get a lot of blood flow, which is essential in healing. And once it's been a few months, you start to wander into chronic territory, which isn't good at all. Unfortunately, there was nothing visible in the MRI that tells whether there has been any healing so far.....since this injury is 3 months old now, that isn't really that helpful. I had hoped to gain an understanding on whether the damage looked new or older...in other words, have I been making it worse? Or was it just really bad and it taking a long time to heal? I suspect the former....even though I cut way back in July, continuing to train really hampered the initial healing that should have been happening at that point. And the off and on rest since I started PT also didn't help much.

Right now, I am at 3 full weeks of rest and counting. At least 4 more weeks of it and then at that point, if I am asymptomatic when resting, then I can start PT again. Once I start PT, massage, strength training exercises and perhaps some utlrasound might help. As for drug treatment, the best thing for me right now is anti-inflammatory meds....I've been taking some twice a day for a couple weeks now and it seems to help. I did ask about steroid shots, as that came up some in my research, but he thinks that a cortizone/steroid shot might hurt more than it would help....After starting PT, and working through the tight hamstring and tendons (which are part and parcel to the injury), I can try to gradually ease my way back into running, under the guidance of my PT. Really, the one helpful thing he did say was that once I get back into PT, there will be soreness and pain and that finding the right balance of moving through that and pulling back when necessary is going to be key....

I officially told my Ragnar team that we need to find a replacement for me today. And I'm really sad about it....so to make myself feel better, I'm already recruiting them to form a team for Ragnar SoCal for next April. I think that will help with the injury blues - and give me something to look forward to!

Make Yourself Monday

A much needed quality right now....

Well that was fun....

Yeah. Not really. Really glad I decided to head home after the MRI today, instead of going back to work and trying to sit in a chair for the rest of the day. My hip hurts and feels weirder than I thought it would. I am still sort of confused as to what this whole thing is called- Dr.'s orders called it an arthogram - but essentially, they injected some iodine and MRI contrast fluid into my hip joint using an X-ray as a guide. And then did an MRI.

The appointment started off in utter confusion and ended with a bang- literally. I went to the front desk at the hospital (where the radiology department for the group of physicians I see is located) exactly where they told me to check in. She says 'oh no, you just go straight down to the MRI waiting room and check in there'. So I walk all the way down this super long hall, down a floor and that lady tells me that I am having the arthogram somewhere else and she can't check me in here....not sure where I should go, let me call someone, etc etc. Whoever she calls tells her to send me all the way to the other wing of the hospital and up to the 6th floor. Which is totally suspect - when I get all the way over there, it's imaging alright but cardiovascular...clearly not where I am supposed to be. I went in anyway and the lady was very nice in finding out where I was supposed to go; which incidentally, was main patient registration...where I started.

So we started off with a bang. I finally got to the right place and checked in but of course we were 30 minutes behind because I spent my planned 'registration' time traipsing all over the stupid place. I had to change into gowns and they had me lay on a table where there was a big X-ray thing hovering over it. They took a bunch of pictures and then the radiology guy that was injecting me came in. He was super nice and very chatty and made an uncomfortable procedure go by quickly. The needle was larger than a shot needle but not super huge. He had to inject the fluid into the joint just so, so he used the X-ray machine to guide the needle. I didn't watch this. I was numbed up so I didn't feel anything more than a pinchy pressure.

Once that was done, they had me get in a wheelchair and took me off to the MRI area. So I was asked a few times if I was claustrophobic but no one asked if I loud clanking and rumbling noises for an entire 40 minutes would make me crazy. Seriously. I feel like I was prepared for every aspect of that but the god awful racket. For reals. It was crazy and I am really glad I didn't have a headache! My sister has had one and the place she went to was fancier apparently, b/c they gave her headphones with music to listen to during and I just got disposable earplugs. Heh.

So that was it. The hip felt super stiff and weird for the first couple hours and then it started hurting. A lot. I've been icing off and on since I got home and that is helping a bit. I'll probably be pretty sore tomorrow as well. And now I wait. It takes them 24-48 hours to send the images back to my Dr. but he's out on Friday, so the soonest I can see him is first thing Monday morning. Holding out hope that it'll come Thursday some time and I can pop over and see him, since his office is right across the street from my office. Terribly convenient, I know.

Am not entirely sure what to expect. My running buddy Jess has also been battling a hip injury since Ragnar and had her MRI last week. Results today - she has a labral tear...which is the cartilage around her hip socket. On cruches for a couple weeks but her Dr. says he's ok with her walking PDX...the idea of walking 26 miles with no training is also scary but it would be better to do it with someone. So depending on the results of my MRI and what my Dr. thinks is actually going on here...I am hoping to walk it too...at least start and get as far as I can, right? With the goal of both of us being able to run Ragnar....fingers crossed.

Make Yourself Monday

Trying very hard...I feel a bit destructable at the moment....

I'm Alive - I Swear

Just sinking into a spiraling circle of depression and just an overall blah feeling. I really miss running. A lot. It's been weeks now. I had my x-ray on the 7th. It didn't show any obvious signs of a stress fracture so an MRI was next. Took almost a week to get word back from my insurance company on preauthorization, but I finally heard back today and was able to schedule an appointment. He ordered an arthogram contrast MRI so I have to show up for a hip injection of some sort of dye and sit for an hour, while I guess it spreads out through the hip or something. Once the hour is up, they do the actual MRI. Hopefully they'll be able to tell exactly what is wrong right away. It will be very discouraging to have nothing show up. I've had that happen before.

I worked for Starbucks all through my 20's. In 2004, I tore the cartilage in my right wrist. Nothing showed up on x-rays or the MRI and I was misdiagnosed and treated for tendonitis for 16 months. 10 months of physical therapy and lots of different drugs and treatments, all to no avail. I finally wised up and switched doctors about a year in and after a bit, they became convinced I'd torn the cartilage on the outside of my wrist. They did surgery and sure enough, torn right off practically. Long recovery - probably the most painful and difficult time I've ever had physically.

That experience most definitely colors my perception on this whole hip-pain-not-going-away-thing. I have missed running and can't wait to get back to it. But who knows when that will be. My Dr. says no full marathon in Portland next month for sure...and most likely no ultra Ragnar either. I am extremely heartbroken about that. That whole waiting, not sure what is going on thing, has made me very bitchy and sad. I really want to run....

The start of school has kept me busy for sure. My beautiful baby girl has started high school and she's growing up. First Friday night of the school year found me staying up on the couch waiting for her to get home from the Girls Vollyball game she went to watch with her friends. God I remember those days...going to the game on Friday nights...football, basketball...lots of fun memories. The first of many nights like that over the next four years to be sure.

Promise I'll keep checking in, even though I don't have any running news to report. Sad face. To keep you entertained, like it's keeping me, check out this Tumblr....Suri's Burn Book. "A study in Suri and the people who disappoint he". It's a hilarious gal who lives in DC, works in policy by day, and blogs as her alter-ego, Suri Cruise at night. It's mainly snarky commentary on celebrity children's sartorial choices and I can't get enough of it. It's funny as schmidt. Go there. Immediately. You're welcome.

Make Yourself Monday - on Tuesday!

Yep....and patient.

August: In Which I Start PT and Feel Sorry for Myself

I can hear that 'timberrrr....' sound effect 

from cartoons in my head looking at these stats.

I began the month super excited about switching my focus to full marathon training. I revamped my plan and was getting mentally prepared. I was still running on fairly normal schedule, but was still in a lot of pain. I was also in a great deal of denial.....

I sort of limped through the first week of August; even got in an 11 miler. I celebrated my 1 year Runniversary in style - researching my insurance requirements for PT coverage and finding a good one near my work.

I found a great PT and started seeing her twice a week. I've had 7 visits so far and it was clear after the first that my pelvis wasn't aligned. She's been doing correction techniques at every visit and we've been working on strength - exercises to make the hips, glutes and hamstrings stronger so that it keeps the pelvis in place. I've gone on a few 'runs' to test out how it makes me feel - and see if there is pain. They've been walk/runs - 3 mins alternating and the running has most definitely shifted the pelvis back each time. Walking is ok - things stay in place pretty well and there is minimal pain.

It was a good thing the Olympics were on so I could distract myself from all that non-running and making no progress on my training schedule. At this point, I am still operating under the assumption that I will be doing PDX. Which freaks me out b/c it's going to be painful and I'll likely end up walking a good portion of it. 

The last few weeks have been tough. I am beating myself up on account of not being able to train, I feel like crap - some days I'm in a lot of pain; some days I feel much better. I feel like there are three steps forward followed by two steps back. I am discouraged and bummed that this isn't healing as quickly as I'd have liked.

My last appointment with my PT, she said it's time to bring in my Dr. -- she wants to rule out a pelvic stress fracture so I've got an appointment set up this week. We'll see what comes of it. So I've definitely felt sorry for myself this month. I miss running and it's hard seeing people out there and hearing about friends runs and races. Trying to keep myself busy and distracted. Easy to do right now...we are spending the long weekend getting ready for school to start. My little baby girl is going to be a freshman. And then turn 15 next month. I am so not ready for this! But we are heading into my very favorite season of all....Fall is perfect. It's pretty, the return of boots and sweaters is my absolute favorite, and it's my favorite weather to run in. Hope I can start doing that again soon!

Time to See the Dr.

I saw my super awesome PT yesterday and reported that not only did I not get in the run I was supposed to do, I was in more pain. Sitting at work is getting to be really painful and makes each day feel like it's so very very long. But anyway....she said I should have started to feel better by now and that even though clinically, this is really presenting as a stubborn hamstring issue, we'd better rule out a stress fracture of the pelvis just to be on the safe side.

Which is good...because I had planned to ask her when she thought I should bring my Dr. into this. This stupid hip just feels too pinchy and sore. So I was able to get an apt with one of the other Docs in the clinic since mine is on vacation next week and we'll start with an X-ray. According to Dr. Internet, you can't always see a stress fracture on a x-ray....most of the time it takes an MRI. But since it happened several weeks ago, there is a chance that if there was a stress fracture, there would be some calcification visible.

No running until after the appointment. I'll see my PT the day after so we'll talk then and figure out what our next steps are. More waiting....hummpfff. Good thing there is a ton of political theater going on right now to keep me distracted! RNC over, DNC up next -- which I suspect will not be as entertaining. Unless Mr. Eastwood shows up in NC! Heh.

How do people do this?

I am officially about 4 weeks into my PT for this hamstring/pelvis issue. August has been a total wash....as in I've run a total of about 20 miles. I really thought that once I started PT and got the pelvis shifted back that I would be able to start running again and just build back up from there. Well, I was allowed to start running again last week but have only gotten 3 in so far. I am still doing a combo of 3 mins walking and 3 mins running. And doing 2 runs in 3 days really shifted the pelvis. It had been holding steady in place, for the most part, for several days, requiring only minor adjustments at my appointments. But after those 2 runs, it shifted a lot more and required much more correction. I could actually feel the difference before and afterward.

It's really hard not to be discouraged by this. Every time I look at the calendar and see the number of weeks getting smaller between now and October 7th, I get all panicky. How do people do this? Really, a half marathon would be painful now; I have no idea how I am going to complete a full. It's hard to know if I should even try. My PT hasn't put her foot down and when I used SmartCoach to majorly scale down my training plan, I half expected an error message to come up saying "Don't do it- there is no way you'll be ready for this and/or be able to prepare in this short amount of time"....It totally didn't. And that plan is decidedly less ambitious than the modified one I created.

My biggest concession so far, beside not actually running, is to switch my legs for my Ragnar Ultra. I will no longer be doing one of the toughest set of legs -- I'll be doing one of the easier ones. Relatively speaking, of course, since it's still two 7 milers and a 12 miler (as opposed to two 12's and a 10).....I did reach out to the Portland Marathon organizers just to make sure they wouldn't allow me to switch to the half. I got a nicely worded 'No way, Jose' email back....something about how over the 40 year history of the event, they've never offered this. And there were at least two pages on the website detailing how against the rules it is to just decide to run the half instead, resulting in disqualifications, being banned from future events, etc, etc. They basically said I should just run as much of the full as I can. Which is what I am going to end up having to do.

I guess adjusting those expectations now is better. Hopefully, a DNF won't scar the ego too much and I'll be able to pull it together and move on. There's always next year. I keep telling myself that there is a learning curve for this....and better to learn the "don't be stubborn, see someone when you are injured" and "moderation" lessons now. Overtraining = bad. Listening to your body and being smart = good.

So how do people do this? I guess that is a rhetorical question...but my best attempt at an answer is "One Day at a Time"....just like anything else, right? So that is what I'll do.....take it one day and one run at a time.

If anyone of my 3 (ha!) readers has any advice - please share.....How do you get through your injuries and stay sane?