Saturday Dec.27th - 7 miles? Felt at least like 8...

Oh my god...

You know how when you have a really intense workout and then the next day you are really sore, but everyone always says, "the second day is always worse"? What does it mean when 5 minutes after your intense workout you can't walk?

The Saturday after Christmas was a Mentor run. The coaches know it is the holidays and most likely a lot of people will not be able to make it to the run, so the mentors who are available are awesome and host the run. If you've been keeping up with my "adventure" then you know that at our 6 mile run, I started having issues with my IT band and and pain in my right knee acted up so I had to walk in the last mile. I had to get some new shoes, but with the holiday shipping it took them longer so I had to use my original shoes for the next weeks run, 7 miles. I was worried about my knee, worried about the hill and didn't want to push myself and cause injuries so I took it very easy. Well... basically I went from 5 miles to 7ish this Saturday! Ouch. Plus my running buddies, Annie, Angie & Colleen were out of town so I think I might have run at a slightly faster pace (with walking, yes I still have to walk some). I didn't have to run alone until after the 1/2 way turn around. My Monday morning buddy run mentor, Mike, was very kind to trot along side me to keep me company and motivated - seriously, how nice is that? I know his pace is MUCH faster than mine. At my 1/2 way point, one of the other girls needed to go another mile as she was training for the Rome full marathon, so I told Mike to go ahead and keep her company and I would be ok getting back by myself. I ran/walked the rest of the way... about 1/2 a mile to go and my right hip flexors (group of muscles that pull the knee up) were very angry with me - but the knees were doing pretty good although tired. I sadly trotted/walked the last bit in and immediately began stretching. I hobbled about in Sports Basement to get a few items and then got in the car to drive home. Oh my holy lord... I got out of the car and it was total agony! I was barely able to walk much less climb the stairs to our apartment. It wasn't just my inability to lift my right leg more than 3 inches off the ground, but my left foot felt like I had broken it. Very slowly and painfully got to our apartment and iced (should have taken an ice bath, see previous post).

I stretched, iced, later took a hot shower... and then hobbled out in the night to go meet up with a good friend of mine from college who was in town. I was in such bad shape and Garrett was so patient walking teeny tiny steps to walk with me and offer his arm for support. Left foot barely able to put pressure on, right leg can't lift off the ground and right knee kind of sore - it was a lovely site to see.

Sunday - my right side was functioning normal again! Woo Hoo!! Left foot still very sore/bruised feeling. I learned this from our doc's injury prevention workshop... with that much mileage the bones in the foot begin to spread out and the ligament that attaches to your heel along the bottom of your foot is then pulled... this creates a bruised feeling in the ball of your foot. I had that and all along the side. Today, Monday, it's a lot better and I think I need to remember to put my arch inserts in the new shoes! :( oops.

This Saturday is 9-10 miles. I'm just guessing... but I think I'll opt for the 9 mile route. Wish me luck!!

Ice Baths

ICE IMMERSION is a very effective modality in the treatment of subacute injuries or inflammation, muscular strains, and overall muscular soreness.

Why not simple ice packs?
When an individual removes an ice pack after the typical 20-minute application, temperatures within the muscles increase instantly. Packs may suffice for surface-level pain, but for deep, lasting treatment, baths can’t be beat. Even after the conclusion of the treatment, the muscles will continue to cool.

For runners in particular, ice baths offer two distinct improvements over traditional techniques. First, immersion allows controlled, even constriction around all muscles, effectively closing microscopic damage that cannot be felt and numbing the pain that can. You may step into the tub to relieve sore calves, but your quads, hams, and connective tissues from hips to toes will gain the same benefits, making hydrotherapy an attractive preventive regimen. Saint Andrew’s cross-country coach John O’Connell, a 2:48 masters marathoner, will hit the ice baths before the ibuprofen. "Pain relievers can disguise injury," he warns. "Ice baths treat both injury and soreness."

The second advantage involves a physiological reaction provoked by the large amount of muscle submerged. Assuming you have overcome the mind’s initial flight response in those first torturous minutes, the body fights back by invoking a "blood rush." This rapid transmission circulation flushes the damage-inflicting waste from your system, while the cold water on the outside preserves contraction. Like an oil change or a fluid dump, the blood rush revitalizes the very areas that demand fresh nutrients.

Even if you don’t have access to a $5,000 hydrotherapy pool, you can set up the same ice bath at home. Modern research points to 12–15º C or 54–60º F as the ideal ice bath temperature range; remember that the temperature will rise steadily with your body heat. Warning: Significantly colder baths offer no additional perks and can actually perpetrate cold-induced muscle damage or spontaneous fainting—a good reason to have a friend watch your back while sharing in the misery.

Once you feel the blood rush around the six-minute mark, stay in for a couple more minutes, but don’t overdo it. Muscles and tissues can tense up with too much cold, and to avoid tightness you should take a warm shower 30 to 60 minutes later.