Running In Place

Sometimes life is just silly.

Some time ago I got a Shoe Wallet to hold my car key in when I’m running. Being my usual worry-wart self, I would always check it frequently during runs to make sure the key was secure in the pouch - which it always was - so slowly Shoe Wallet and I developed a trusting relationship. Until yesterday.

I had gone about a mile and a half in on the trail, turned around and headed back about 1/4 mile when I happened to look down and see the pouch just a’floppin around on my sneaker. That’s a heart sinker, let me tell you. As I scoured the trail, having no idea where on the run it might have slipped out, I kept thinking “I’ll look down and see it any time now.” It was not to be I have a feeling that it managed to go flying into the tall grass that borders the trail. Fortunately, I had my cell phone with me and was able to call the old man to bring my spare key. I NEVER carry my cell phone with me on a run but it so happened that I was waiting for a call from a friend I was going to meet later, otherwise it would have been locked in my car. For this I am infinately grateful as the alternative would have been to hump it down the road to the lumber yard in all my sweaty glory, leave a message with the kid (husband was running errands), then sit around and wait however long. As it was, it was about an hour and a half before he got home and called me back.

Today, I ran with my key in a death grip in my hot little hand and managed to get my whole time in. I hit the trail about 7:30 AM but it was not the wonderfully cool dry morning of last weekend. The humidity was such that it felt like I was breathing soup. I felt sluggish and slow - which is made sadder by the fact that I’m only running in 1 minute intervals right now and still felt like puking (no snickering…ok, a little snickering’s ok).

Week in Review
Sun: Swimming (well, I guess you could call it that)
Mon: Slacker
Tue: Work late
Wed: 1 minute running/1 minute walking x 15 reps (No pain!!)
Thur: Gym
Fri: 1:1 x 9 (Lost key debacle)
Sat: 1:1 x 15 (Slug)

How much does my ankle hurt now when I run?? (See answer above).

That is all

It’s not a bad thing, I’m just kind of silly, that’s all.

I wonder if maybe every time I have an ache, pain, cramp, sniffle I’m going to have a mini freak-out. Probably initially - I’m so scared that the slightest little thing is going to put me down again - I expect it will wear off - geez I hope so!! I did, in fact, call a few different PT places and the story was the same - doctor’s prescription needed, private pay - not covered by insurance, sure we’ll look at your gait but we don’t make footwear recommendations, maybe we can fit you in when we’re done with all the local HS and college track & field teams. So off I went to my local sneaker store and was greatly helped by Scott in deconstructing my foot (which turns out to be quite enigmatic - like crop circles or the Sphinx) and finding (hopefully) the right shoe. Without belaboring the less than heart-stopping details - I have a high rigid arch but a pretty neutral footfall. Evidently, because my arch is so tight, it does not conform to the arch of the shoe, leaving open space and too much movement mid-foot. We talked about Superfeet and other such inserts but in the end I sprung for the Asics Gel Nimbus. They are super comfy/cushiony, nicely snug at the arch, and I don’t have that sensation of my feet rolling towards the center line. Being nearly 6 feet tall and no beanpole, I usually feel like T-Rex smashing through the forest when I am running down my trail - I wouldn’t say these make me light on my feet but they definately blunt the impact. I’m really hoping that all that cushion is going to be a benefit in avoiding stress re-injury.

Following Wednesday’s shopping trip, I went for a test run and was wholly pleased. No back pain, ankle was fine. Thursday: gym, Friday: beer drinking with the gals, Saturday: family stuff. Sunday - oh what a nice day - I’m going to spend just a moment reminiscing.

My neice’s birthday party at noon. Had salads to make, legs to shave (pool party), etc. so I knew I had to get up and go early to get a run in. Let me briefly preface with: I am not a morning person by design. Most of my life I have worked 2nd or 3rd shift and the fact that I now have to work a standard day - plus the fact that I’ve been conditioned to wake up early even on weekends - does not make me any more spry in the AM, even though I may appear to be awake and functional. So, frankly, getting up and hitting the trail at (don’t laugh at me, Chris ) 8 AM was not the least enticing. But ya know what? It was definately delightful! Very foggy, cool (46 F), no one else around, peaceful - very peaceful. Athlete that I am, I cranked the running up from 30 seconds to 1 minute, alternated with 1 minute of walking x 15 reps. Went well - ankle got a little sore about half way through but the soreness did not increase as I continued on - so I continued on. I don’t expect I will become a devout AM runner but I am going to shoot for one AM per week as there is definately something special about it!

Later in the day I swam some laps (and by “laps” I mean glorified dog paddle) in my sister’s pool - which I NEVER do. Swimming is not at all my thing but I was trying to keep warm till everyone else got in the pool to play volleyball. I am surprisingly exhausted and sore today. I am no tri-girl for sure

..that I wasn’t meant to run..

..I’m not listening.

Today was (is) a beautiful day - 80 degrees (first time that high in a month or so), not humid (what??), no rain (that’s kind of unusual too). Sneakers - check, bra - check, rock n roll. Did 30 sec. running/1 min. walking intervals, planned on 16 reps but stopped at 14 due to some strange back discomfort. Not pain, more like a pressure, low back below the kidney on the right. No sharp or shooting pain, nothing down the leg, not sciatic I don’t think, no hip pain. Hmmmm, I’m befuddled . When I stopped running and just walked, there was no discomfort but now that I’ve been sitting down at the computer for awhile and got up to move around, I felt it again. Strange.

Happily, my ankle did fine with the 10 second extension on the running intervels.

I think I’m just going to have to cough up the cash and go to a sports PT place to get some for-true guidance on my gait, shoe needs, training program, or whatever else. Maybe I’m just super-sensitized to not wanting anything to go awry, and maybe that’s not realistic. I’m probably being reactionary, as usual, but if shit needs correcting then so be it. How ridiculously annoyingly dispiriting would it be if I sustain some other run-preventing problem all ready?? I guess I can’t just continue to bungle along.

Ironically, in all other aspects of my life, I consider myself a pretty low maintanence person. I live a relatively simple and satisfying life. Running was supposed to be simple too, maybe not easy, but simple.

Well, tomorrow is new. I know it sounds like Pollyana’s taking a dive but it’s really just a stumble

All set to run after work today until I opened my bag and discovered I had forgotten my running bra. Unfortunately, my Donna Karan 36 D “zero vertical movement” iron maiden is vital to a tolerable run (and yes I did casually toss my size in there on purpose which I find secretly exciting!). Had I begun to consider going on anyway, further digging in the evil bag revealed that I had packed my wrong stupid sneakers. Nature comforted me by tossing out an impressive thunder and lightning storm that made going to the gym instead of running easier to swallow. Tomorrow the stars will align (and the bra’s already packed).