Friday, February 21, 2014

Love the Run Your With

One thing I absolutely LOVE about Pacer's Races is that they have SwimBikeRun Photography at every race! There is a fun photo booth and photographers throughout the course snapping photos to help capture the day. 










Monday, February 10, 2014

Running Dreams Crushed

Happy Monday! I got to start my day with physical therapy where my running dreams were crushed or at least for the next few weeks months. I am not even a "real runner" but being told "I can't" doesn't sit well with me. After an examination and a million questions it was determined that I have 3 issues to battle as I continue my running journey including;  Patellar Tendinitis, IT Band Syndrome, and Patellofemoral Syndrome. It seemed so easy for the therapist to just suggest that I stop running and take up something else like biking or swimming! I tried to explain my goal to him which is a race a month in 2014. His simple response was, "Why?" I guess I didn't have much of a comeback other than "Because, that's what I decided to do." I also told him that when I do something I do it 150% and I committed to the year by signing up for almost all 12 races. His reply, "I'm sure you can give your bib numbers away." He was having no parts in my excuses to KEEP running. I thought I would get somewhere by sharing the reasons why I LOVE running, ok so I don't love running but there are things that I do love about running but I got nowhere and he wouldn't budge on his suggestion to NO RUNNING.



Things I love About Running
I love that I don't need a pool, a gym or any fancy equiptment to run.
I love that I can run at 5am or 7pm.
I love that I can run by myself, with Lilly (my puppy), with a buddy or with a group.
I love to dress up for races and that makes running more FUN!
I love to do races with friends, it's a great workout and a social outting with girlfriends.
I love the way I feel after I run.
I love the challenge that I have created for myself through running.
I love to run because I feel accomplished when I hit a new milestone or setting a PR.
I love to run because I love to eat cookies and not feel SO guilty.

So my list isn't that long and it might be a battle but I am not a quitter…

The therapist suggested not running for 3 weeks minimum which I can handle and it gives me just enough time before the St. Patrick's Day 8k to rest my knee. I will also be going to therapy 2x a week to do some strength/stretching as well as ultra sound and electrode therapy.

Sunday, February 9, 2014

Love the Run Your With



It's way too early in the challenge (race a month) to miss a race, even if the doctor said 6 weeks of no running. One of my best and worst character traits is my stubbornness. Being told no is just  enough to make me want to prove you wrong so I decided to run the Love the Run Your With 5k despite the doctors suggestion. I kept telling myself any run is better than no run and even if I had to walk some of it, that would be better than laying in bed which is exactly where I would've been had I decided to skip this race.



So I suited up in my all pink attire and painted my hair bathroom with pink sparkles. Note to self- brown hair does not receive spray on color well, white bathroom door, floor, sink and toilet seat DO! Roger was in for a surprise when he woke up :)! Oops! I hair sprayed some stickers to my face which worked perfectly, who knew and I didn't even Pinterest that. I couldn't find that eye lash glue and I was running out of time so I gave hair spray a try!



We had three friends join us for this race, three friends who are not used to running in the cold and at some point between 8:30 and 9:00 thought what a terrible idea it was to join us. The race was at Pentagon Row in Arlington and while there wasn't much scenery there were some good inclines. My knee does much better on the uphill than the downhill which is the exact opposite of how everyone else wants to run. We didn't beat our PR from January. Honestly, as competitive as I am I am OK with it, I was just as happy to finish the race without having to walk because of knee pain. 

                         

My knee is definitely sore but I survived! Part of my justification for running is that I start PT on Monday and I might as well show the therapist what my knee is like AFTER I run. Logical, right? 

Monday, February 3, 2014

The Common Sore Throat and Knee Pain

Doctor: Hey Nikki. What's going on? I see we have the classic sore throat and knee pain going on today.
Me: Yeah, about that. I am pretty stubborn, one of my best and worst character traits so we are killing two birds with one stone. My husband might have made the appointment and forced me to come so since I am here we might as well talk both problems.
Doctor: Ok, tell me what's going on.
Me: Well, I think I have post nasal drip from a sinus infection which is causing my throat to hurt and the reason I am loosing my voice but it's cleaning up and I think I'm having issues with my IT Band from running.
Doctor: Sounds like you don't even need me and you've done some self diagnosis.
Me: Yeah, I'm pretty good with Google but haven't figured out how to write a script yet OR fix the two issues at hand.

Sinus infection- check! I was right, no thanks to Google on that one but too much life experience. Actually I did Google Doctor to figure out what the huge lump on my neck/skull was and as anticipated it was a swollen lymph node. Now on to the knee… 

Me: I started doing races last year and soft of became obsessed. I've been in pain after every race but attributed it to something different. First it was shoes. Then it was shoes and no training. Then it was shoes and no training and crappy running conditions and maybe I twisted something. NOW I have nothing to blame (got new shoes, started training more regularly, listened to my body, only ran 1-2 miles) and I can't even walk and have spent the past week limping around. 
Doctor: So, let's take a look at what you did here. 
Me: Well, I've been "resting it" the past two days so it isn't as swollen and the cracking/creeking isn't as bad as it has been the past week. I also got an IT Band Compression Wrap and a knee wrap.
Doctor: How often do you run?
Me: Well, I might have decided to challenge myself with a run a month and some longer races in 2014.
Doctor: Hmmm, well… you're NOT 18 anymore. 
Me: Yes, thank you for pointing that out. Today is my first of many 29th birthdays but I am also NOT 80. Old people run all the time.
Doctor: Old people who don't have patellar tendinitis and IT Band syndrome. 
Me: So how do we FIX those two little problems.
Doctor: They actually are kind of big problems especially if you are stubborn and plan to push through and continue to run and train. You're pretty good with Google I bet you've found every IT Band stretch.
Me: Well, stubborn is not going away and I have committed so what do I do? I've watched EVERY Youtube video and researched IT Band stretches for HOURS.
Doctor: We will start with therapy and maybe you should think about a 1K for awhile. 
Me: I might have a 5k on Sunday.
Doctor: You might NOT want to run that BUT if you do you should definitely not run the rest of the week. You may want to buy a big bottle of Aleve. 
Me: Yea, about that too. I may have gotten an esophageal ulcer from it.
Doctor: Hmmm… 
Me:  Sounds like I am kind of screwed.
Doctor: Well, it depends on how dedicated to running you are. You are young, non-smoker, non-drinker, healthy eater, non-obseese, healthy individual so you have a lot in your favor.
Me: I actually don't even LIKE to run but I am trying to learn. ANNNNNND I may have also signed up for almost all of the races already. You also just called me old, now I'm young?
Doctor: Let's start with some therapy and go from there.
Me: So it won't KILL me to run?
Doctor: No, it won't kill you but this isn't a no pain no gain situation. It truly is a problem that you will need to learn how to manage and it won't be an easy feat.
Me: I will call the therapist tomorrow and start Googling patellar tendinitis.
Doctor: Good luck with all of that! 

{Sigh!} #runnerproblems #12in2014 #Googledoctor #kneewoes

Sunday, February 2, 2014

The Knee Saga Continues

Last time I posted my knee got sore after each run around a mile or so. I was trying different stretches and exercise in hopes that the pain would just go away and I was giving it plenty of rest between runs. 


I was looking forward to heading to Florida for work and packed my shoes and warm weather running gear. Walking through the airport was enough to send my knee over the edge and I have spent the past week WALKING in excruciating pain. I didn't get to run once in Florida and spent most of the time limping around.


Since we didn't rent a car and walked over 3 miles everyday I broke down and bought a knee bandage. Tomorrow I am going to my general doctor and hope he can shed some light on what is going on or point me in the right direction. 


Our next race is on Sunday, February 9th and I am really disappointed that I will probably NOT be able to run it :(! I hope to at least be able to walk it. Lizzie and I have also had the worst luck with weather during our races. We are supposed to get rain/sleet/snow! {Sigh!}