Hi Everyone

This is way overdue. Life has been tough lately. I went to the doc a few weeks ago about my leg. Nothing too informative. Prescribed some physical therapy that I can't afford, so trying to figure that out. It doesn't look like I'll be running with you in Vegas, which really bums me out more than I can say. I'm still anxious to get back out there and running, but I can't yet :(. Besides that, the rest of my life is all upside down and changing and scary and hard and it freaks me out so I haven't written about it or checked in for a while. I hope everyone is doing great and avoiding injuries and having fun. I've been nursing an injured heart (emotionally, not physically) the last few weeks and I hate to admit that that's interrupted my exercise schedule more than my physical injury. I've been walking and done a lot of garden work and managed to stay physical, but I finally managed to get 30 min on the stairmaster yesterday. That felt good. I want to know how all of you are doing too. Teresa, did you do the 5k? How'd it go? How is everything going for everyone?

Knee Injuries

I found the following article from SparkPeople.com a great read, especially for the strength and stretching exercise.

Enjoy.!

http://www.sparkpeople.com/resource/fitness_articles.asp?id=363

Long time, no check-in...

Hi everyone. Thought it was about time I checked in. Things are not going so well, but could be worse. My training was going great until 3 wks ago. Went out for a shorter run after two 5mi runs that week. Pain in my calf/lower leg. Thought it was torn calf muscle or just really, really tight. Gave it a couple weeks to heal, but kept moving and stretching as much as I could and also tried to rest it too. It feels better overall, but it's VERY slow going. I think it's time to see a sports doc. Not a big deal, I'll get back out there. I'm determined to keep running after seeing and feeling the results. But it came at the worst possible time, or at least it feels that way. Right before training officially started. I was running more than 3 miles at a time...ready to train. And now EVERYTHING in my life is changing and up in the air and it's very overwhelming and running was actually the one thing that was going really well and was a great way to relieve stress and get my energy out. So I'm bummed and discouraged about a lot of things, but I'm also trying my best to focus on the fact that it's not as bad as it could be. On a positive note, since I am so worried about losing my overall progress, I've been back in the gym doing weight training, and even stairmaster. 30 minutes on the stairmaster yesterday, injured......piece of cake compared to when I started. Managed to allow myself to feel good about that.

Well I should probably post...

I've been struggling over the last week since I hurt myself - I went to the gym once last week and barely moved on the bike, and that was a lot of effort. My hands healed and the skin on my right knee is better, but my left knee that I wrenched has been giving me problems even walking. So yesterday I went to the gym and walked and today I went to the gym and started walking and I was in pain just on that knee. So me being me, I start to track down what the muscle is that's hurting and I realized that it feels better when my knee is bent and moving, so I started a slow slow run and that was less painful than walking. I ended up increasing my running speed to a normal run and did 2 miles of running, but afterwards I couldn't walk so well. So I worked (massaged) the attachment site for one of my quadriceps muscles (vastus medialis!) and it loosened up quite a bit. Still sore and tight, but I can walk on it again. I think I just tore one of my quads and its gonna take a while to heal. But I don't want to lose my training, so I'm going to continue to move, stretch, ice and massage. But its been pretty frustrating. But you all doing so well with your training is really helping me to remember to STAY ON TRACK!!! Even when I really don't feel like it. Thank you!

OH YEAH - I have been really struggling with the diet thing too - mainly in the arena of alcohol and nighttime eating. So, I realized I gotta lay off of that stuff. The alcohol is completely detrimental to my training and recovery. And I don't even drink that much - but I think I'm so toxic right now that anything puts me over the top, you know? Last night I didn't have a beer at the end of the night and this morning, it was easier to wake up and my joints weren't sore. Other than the obvious injury. I think I'm allergic to that shit... Which kind of sucks.

Amy Fall Down and Go Boom

Well, as it turns out, I am kinda clumsy when I'm hung over and trail running...

Saturday - went on a long hike and run with Tom and a new friend.
Saturday night - invited new friend over and drank margaritas and ate chicken fajitas made at home (yum!)
Sunday morning - hmmm.... no headache, but feeling kinda foggy and slow - lets go for another hike run
Sunday afternoon - finally get out there and climbed up steep ridge - nice view, want to hurl, feeling shaky but good to be outside, running down the other side (after the steep part, during the long part) - I go to pass a couple walking on the trail, say hi, do a little maneuver and BAM!

So I wrenched something in my left knee and my right calf is all scraped up and my hands are roughed up too.

But I ran all the way back to the car (2+ miles). Which makes me a super stud.

Today I'm pretty sore, and a little bit concerned about the left knee. And I had to reschedule my massages for the day (what with the open wounds and all). But I'm moving around and that's good.

And apparently the 5 lbs I lost last week was entirely water weight, cause now I'm back up. What.Ever.