Did I say ow?
I did my 6 mile long run on the trails yesterday and let me tell you, everything is just about to break. From step #1 until the last step I took, the shins were hurting. My ITB started to flare up on the rocky downhills. And when I stopped for the last time, I got this horrible pain throughout my entire right leg. Not like a shooting pain, but just imagine if your knee, ITB, hip, shin, quad, toes, and every other joint and muscle instantly hurt like you tore it off the connective tissue. That’s what it felt like. Ow.
I had nice mild weather when I got to the park, but it turned to dark clouds and drizzle almost instantly. 4 miles in it turned to downright rain. I didn’t mind so much because it kept me cool. And whining about the rain took my mind off whining about the all the pain. After runnning, I stood in the lake up to my quads while I drank my chocolate milk.
Did you notice that runners have “quads” and everyone else has “thighs”?
Despite the weather there were bikers everywhere. And you know? They don’t care who or what is on the trail. If I hadn’t jumped off into the poison ivy a few times, I would have been killed. Not a word of “sorry” or ’scuse me”, just that dead ahead stare that says “What are you doing on MY trail.” There were a few bikers that warned me that there were others coming behind him, who would try to kill me too. Thanks. Next time, they get run off the road. One guy did a total crash on the hill behind me. Pity? Not from me Mr. I-own-the-trail. Grrrrrr.
This past week I’ve been missing alot of sleep. 4 hours a night kind of thing, which is really bad for recovery. I got more sleep this weekend, but I think it will be a while before I’m caught up. The ITB pain now really scares me because it was what grounded me last year.
New plan. Every run until the race will be with the cho-pat strap. I need all the support I can get while that thing heals back up. Tonight is weight training so that’s a rest of sorts, but tomorrow I will do crosstraining instead of running. I want one more day of rest for the shins and ITB. Its a little naive to think an extra day is going to fix anything, but I’ll take what I can right now. Just two more weeks to go and I don’t want to fall apart in the final stretch.
Hope you all have had a good weekend. Next weekend is Memorial Day in the States and hopefully everyone is going to have a chance to do something fun. I’ve got my last long run before the race. Just 7 miles, but hopefully alot less sore than this one.
May 23rd, 2005 08:24
Ouch.
Pity about the jerk bikers. I’d offer an excuse, but there is none.
Is it just me, or is chocolate milk (and strawberry milk) becoming a trendy recovery beverage? Not that it’s any less tasty…
The quads/thighs thing - it’s the “in tune with your body” thing. I’m acutely aware that there’s a whole different set of muscles aching in my thighs after a hard ride than after a hard run.
May 23rd, 2005 08:42
Oh, Jon! This really doesn’t sound good. And you know you gotta sleep. It’s way up there in the important things to do.
We have some trails around here that bikes are prohibited on, and you still see that sort of attitude. It makes me so angry!
I love that you are having chocolate milk as a recovery drink! I so love it!
May 23rd, 2005 08:49
Funny about the quads and thighs.. and when we are lazy we have sorry asses :P
Take it easy and heal properly, we don’t want you to miss your next long run.
May 23rd, 2005 10:57
been there, too, jon. i’m sure standing in the lake helped. get some rest and hope you’re feeling better for the coming week!
May 23rd, 2005 13:18
Jon, I’m not one of “those” bikers. I slow down, pass with lots of room and always give warning. I also say good morning, great run or something pleasant, but that’s me even when I’m running. Ya know there are runners out there that are just as rude as those bikers….grrrrrrrrr.
Next weekend my be your Memorial Day, but today we are all off in Canada.
May 23rd, 2005 14:02
hmmm,, how come your not sleeping? Someday I wanna have quads!!!! Darn bikers,,, tho I wouldnt know,, I would say in the last 200 miles I have had three trucks pass me,,
heather
May 23rd, 2005 14:51
I?m sorry for all your pains. Take Care Jon!
May 23rd, 2005 15:07
Injuries!!! Boooo!!! I hope that comment was helpful.
Seriously though, that’s pretty rough. The extra day off from running sounds like a good idea.
Feel better.
May 23rd, 2005 18:00
Oh man…I know that feeling of pain sneaking back in–and it’s so discouraging. Try to sleep (yeah, I know…like you would if you could). Use your ice baths. I’m sending good thoughts your way.
May 23rd, 2005 18:56
OUCH! Your first paragraph has me cringing. I hope the ITB settles down. I am a bit paranoid about that kind of injury….and I am very proud to announce that i too have quads and not thighs - whoo hooo, I am finally part of the “in-crowd”
May 23rd, 2005 20:31
When I read about your pains I think to look and see if you describe the circumstances and check for the word “stretch”. Well the only time you used that word was in describing the time period between now and the marathon. I sure hope you ARE stretching in warm ups and afterwards. Yes. Yes. Of course you are, but I’ll post this anyway so I get to nag everybody else who occasionally lapses into such foolishness.
May 24th, 2005 09:16
HOLY SHIT! NICE DESIGN!!!!
May 24th, 2005 09:47
Hope you get healed up soon, take care of yourself! SLEEP, Jon, Sleep.
May 24th, 2005 14:26
Jon, you need to add more rest days. You should be tapering now. Anything you do from this point on (training) will not help you in 2 weeks, BUT rest will!!! Get in the gym but stay off the road now! (Just one Canadian’s advice.)
May 24th, 2005 20:04
Hey, I have quads. Fat ones.
May 24th, 2005 23:11
Jon, You solved your own issue with your description! You CANNOT, I repeat, WILL NOT and to reiterate, MUST NEVER try to function with only four hours of sleep a night, don’t make me hunt you down, like less than 50 miles atwixt us! OBTW, Davids idea holds most true also! Taper now grasshopper!
May 25th, 2005 11:17
Love the new look. The Chocolater Runner headline looks like you wrote it in chocolate syrup! BRILLIANT!!!
May 25th, 2005 17:08
Oh no! ITB syndrome; I share it 100%. It always seems to be making a comeback, doesn’t it. You need to rest, man, or there will be no marathon! Sounds like you’ve been in overdrive lately– if you can pull back a little, you can avoid injury, but be extremely careful. Don’t forget the weird stretches and crosstraining– a boring day on the elliptical trainer might be in order. I’ll be thinking of you…
May 25th, 2005 22:16
This place looks great!
That’s funny, I was just thinking in the tub the other day about thighs vs. “quads”. Oh, it wasn’t an ice bath, though! :)
May 27th, 2005 09:36
Thighs are for couch potatoes. or dark-turkey lovers. Pain is for those who don’t get enough rest! Take that extra day off training, and get some sleep! Those who over train a) have trouble sleeping and b) have trouble healing.
I’m definitely going to have to try that chocolate-milk-in-the-lake-up-to-my-quads move. Just don’t drop the milk…
May 27th, 2005 18:00
Just remember - one ITB twinge while running = at least 30 seconds of immediate ITB stretching. Even in the middle of the race.