Back at it

Distance: 1.2

Time: 20:32

Interval run/walk: 1 min/1.5 min

Okay,

So today marks the 5th week since the fracture. I have had no pain for about 2 weeks, I can walk and hop on my toes without feeling a thing, so I got back on it this morning. Over the past 4+ weeks I have been doing a lot of research and have decided that I have my whole life to build up the mileage and speed, so I'm going to start it off nice and easy.

I just want to insert here that I read Marathoning for Mortals last week and loved it--it really helped me realize the necessity of taking care of your body and enjoying the sport.

The plan:

I have 2 weeks until the July 4th 5K, so I'm going to follow the couch to 5K program, but instead of taking 9 weeks I'm going to do it in 2 weeks. Each day, starting today I am going to progress through the weekly programs taking tomorrow and Thursday off to rest and then resting 1 or 2 days next week. I plan to take it really easy and if I feel that I am pushing it too much I will back up on the workouts, even if that means I run the 5K using week 3's workout :).

After the race is over I'm going to evaluate my progress and pain. If I make it through and run the entire 5K or if I do the 5K with a run\walk interval of 3 min\2 min or better I'm going to start following the 14 week Marathoning for Mortals Run\Walk a Half-Marathon schedule. If I don't feel up to it, I will start on the couch to 5k weekly workout schedule that I feel most comfortable with and follow it to a T from there and then reassess my progress and potential to follow the half marathon schedule.

Today's run:

It was a beautiful morning, sunny and 58 F. Our oldest wanted to go out with me and the rest decided they didn't want to be left behind, so with one in the stroller and the others bounding along beside, I headed out the door. We did a 5 minute warm up walk and then started our 1 min/ 1.5 min run/walk intervals down the jogging path. After 10 minutes (we hooked the Garmin Colorado to the stroller for our time and distance tracker) we turned about and headed back. It was a lot of fun, everyone kept up and enjoyed themselves with no incident (more or less). After the clock hit 20 min we stopped tracking our distance and times and walked the rest of the way home for our cool down. It is always more fun to be out with others than alone and the best there is no one better to be out with than the kids! Hope they will be up for it on Wed.

D@#$ near broke it off!

I visited the podiatrist today, very friendly practice, to have a closer look at the foot pain and swelling. This was my first time seeing a podiatrist, so I wasn't sure what to expect. In the visit went well, the Dr. asked about the pain, pressed in a few spots to see how my pain was, and used a tuning fork to vibrate individual bones (ankles and metatarsals) to check for pain. There wasn't any pain with the tuning fork, which he said would be all but conclusive evidence of a stress fracture, but he wanted x-rays just in case. He figured that the symptoms in the left foot were from me favoring the right foot so we only took images of the right foot and ankle.

The assistant stepped me through the x-ray routine and took me back to the examination room. A few minutes later the Dr. was back. He pulled up the images on the computer and we looked at them together. The Ankles were fine, but when he increased adjusted the noise reduction on the film we could see a slight, very slight line across the second metatarsal. Yup, a stress fraction, but a very minor one. It was kind of weird when he announced this to me, he almost looked at me accusingly, like I had sinned or something. Anyway, no need for a boot, just be nice to it for a few more weeks (looking back at when the pain began I must be in week 2 now) and it will heal.

This really sucks, but it is a good lesson for me, I should still have time for the 5k I'm signed up for and it has helped me realize that I need to take it easier. I have Marathoning for Mortals on hold at the library (it is due back today) so I have vowed to read it and stick to the training schedule as suggested and if my feet start telling me that I'm going too hard, I'll back off even more.

Still nursing the balloons

I know it is been a while, but that is because it has been a while since I've ran. My feet are still swollen and there is some pain just under the outside ankle bones, so I have an appointment with the Podiatrist tomorrow.

In the meantime, I'm working on constructing my huaraches. They arrived on the Monday the 1st and I have them cut out and the lace holes marked, but need to pick up the awls to get them finished--hopefully tonight.

(pics of huaraches here)

First 3 miler

Distance: 3 mi

Time: 43 min

Intervals run/Walk: 3/1

Wow, what a run. Today I felt it, I really did. Having heard/read that you need to pull your feet up quickly when running barefoot, I have been trying to figure it out and today I did. I headed out the door around 8:43 for my first 3 miler since running barefoot, I thought it would be too much, but glad to find out that it worked out well. I walked the first minute to get my legs warmed up and then started off at a slow pace, without trying I felt my legs high-stepping and the balls of my feet planting and almost immediately lifting off again--no sliding no pushing off, wow it felt good.

I continued my interval training with 3 minute runs followed by 1 minute walks, these walks really helped. The walks helped me recover quickly, take inventory of how my feet and body were feeling, and think about my form. around the 2 mile mark I felt some hot spots on the fourth toe on the right foot (same spot that had bled the other day, forgot to wear a band aid) and one on the fifth (pinkie toe) of my left foot. I couldn't understand why I was putting so much weight on the outside of my feet when I couldn't feel anything like that at the beginning of my run. I tried a few things with my hips and bending my knees more, but I could still feel my weight working on the outside of my foot. I decided to make sure I was fully relaxed and that everything was in alignment, when I got to my knees I found that they were flared a bit, so I pulled them in together so they were pointed forward over my toes and guess what--the weight instantly transferred away from the outside of my foot and I felt the natural form that had surprised me at the beginning of my run. I was too late of course, I had small sores on those two toes, but at least I know how to avoid it for now on!

Another thing I discovered that was really cool, is what everyone means by following your hips. This was part of the natural feeling I had with this run, I found that if I moved my hips forward I would automatically accelerate without having to push off with my feet, kinda neat. I plan to toy with this a bit more on my next runs to see where my hips should line up for optimal comfort.

Oh and the swelling has gone down, but has not subsided completely yet. It may not be the Zyetec, I'm leaning toward extensor tendinitis. I'm goin gto start icing tonight, stretching the calf muscles, and not run for a few days.

Their like balloons, okay not that bad

Taking the day off. Last night I noticed that my feet, mainly my right foot, were swollen. This concerned me. At first I thought it was in reaction to the abrasion on my toe from this morning (infection would not be good), so I put a new band aid on with some triple antibacterial creme. The toe feels fine, so I don't think it is infected. So why the swelling? I did a little research and found others that have had swelling after running (shod or unshod, doesn't make a difference), so kicked them up and got some rest.

Today they are still swollen, feel tight in my shoes. I'll do some more reading, soak and ice them tonight. 

We'll see, I want to get out for a good run in the morning so here's to hoping. I'll update this post if I find out more about swelling.

Okay, after reviewing my day yesterday I remembered that I took Zyrtec for my allergies for the first time. A little searching and there it is, one of the rare side effects of Zyrtec are swollen feet and lower legs. Well, time to ditch the Zyrtec and take it easy as the swelling subsides.

Caught red toed

Distance: 2 mi
Time: 28
Intervals run/Walk: 3/1

It is a good thing I wasn't fleeing the scene of a crime, because I left an obvious and painful trail all the way to my door stop. I stepped out this morning ready to meet the pavement and implement the wisdom imparted by my time with the stroller yesterday. Well, I can't say that I felt it as I did on the one miler, but it was better. I'm starting to think that I either need more sleep or morning runs are just not for me or maybe I'm just being a baby. Anyway, having learned my lesson I returned to my tried and true 2 mi track. I continued using the run/walk method, but with the adjustments to my times: 3 min run followed by a 1 min walk. This made the run take a significantly longer time, but I was able to keep my heart rate under control a lot more effeciently and for a longer distance.

I must have been sloppier than I had hoped, because the 4th toe on my right foot (see may 23, 2009 for pics) was throbbing again by mile marker 1.5 and my big toe on my left foot had a large blister protruting to the inside of my foot ouch. Of course the pain didn't really settle in utnil I was home trying too cool down on the driveway. It was during this cool down that I noticed that each time my right foot touched the ground and lifted up there would be a nice wet and red circle left to mark the spot, I took a look at my toe and found that where the heald (so I thought) blister had been there was a little wound pooling with blood. I quickly turned around and walked back tracked my path and found the same little circle at regular intervals all the way down the path and off into the sunrise. Now, I just wonder how many of those friendly faces that I met out on the trail and gave me confused looks as they noticed my unshod feet became even more confused or concerned as they noticed the little trail I was leaving for the hounds to follow :).

I've mentioned to my wife that I fear that I'm quickly becoming the neighborhood loon, she said that it was better than being the town drunk ;).

Oh and here is a pic:

Child like

Distance: 1 mi

Time: N/A

Intervals run/Walk: Just listened to our bodies

As I've mentioned, I am training for a 5k on July 4, well the other day one of my kids decided that they wanted to run the 1 mile race on the same day, so we went out today for our first training session. We took it easy, walking the .5 miles to the jogging path as  a warm up and then running a mile out 'n back and then walking back home as our cool down. It went really well and we had a blast doing it. 

I was pushing a jogging stroller which was very educational. I have always found it easier to run on flat ground while pushing a jogging stroller (up or down hills is another story :( ) and today I found that as the stroller helped me maintain my pace without as much effort on my part, I was able to concintrate on my form and I think I felt the beginnings of the true form--one without pushing off or twisting, just placing my feet to support me and then lifting them back up as quickly. It will be nice to see how this helps me tomorrow when I'm all on my own.