Author: Darlene

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Two Steps Forward, One Step Back

I was pretty psyched after my ladder drills at PT on Monday.

Yesterday I had PT guy R. He is the gentler, more cautious one who doesn’t push me as hard.

He asked me how my ankle felt after J’s ladder drills and I said “Fine.”  So he gave me some hoop drills to do.


It involved jumping in and out of the hoops on BOTH feet.  Definitely a reality check.  Very difficult for me to do …I put most of my weight on the uninjured foot when I land.  It is very hard for me to lift off of both feet. I also realized that is because I cannot hop with my injured foot. 

In other words, not moving as quickly to running as I thought.

So again R & I had the talk about whether or not I’ll ever run again.  He thinks yes (but won’t promise that it will be fast or long).  He says I am doing extremely well but that it is a long slow process.

We ended the session with 20 minutes on the treadmill (at less of an incline than usual).

The glass is half full…he said that next week after doing the ladder drills again, he may start me running A LITTLE on the treadmill.

On an unrelated note…Have you seen the new Nike commercial – I Will Run to You?  If  not, click HERE.

It’s great..the girl runs across the country to meet her guy.  The guy tries running to her but ends up in the hospital.

 

Do you notice how we BOTH wear a running skirt over our capris?? (I do it to hide my fat thighs.  That is obviously not her problem LOL) 

Happy Running!  Have a great weekend!

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Tuesday Update and the Ladder

The weekend was filled with LOTS OF EATING!!! Passover Seders and Easter dinner at my MIL.

Italian pastries, my downfall (obviously not observing the Passover no flour rule)

In the past, I could justify the extra food (and desserts) by my running mileage! 

Not this year….

I did walk on the treadmill and I did go for a bike ride (solo on the Corning trail).   Here are some of the things I witnessed on my ride:

green grass & a runner

Hudson River & a fisherman

a goose crossing the road

The calories burned are not the same.

Oh well…I’m not stressing.  I think I have gained some weight but not a lot (cuz I can still fit into my clothes.)

This is week 8 of PT.

Usually at the end of my PT sessions, a local HS track team uses the facilities.  The kids do these ladder drills that make me drool.  I always joke about wanting to be able to do them.

So yesterday PT guy J took out the ladder.  I said “Are you serious?  I’m not ready to do that!”

Well, he had me do a variety of drills and it was hard at first but little by little I was able to get faster and pick my feet up higher.

That was follwed by the ellipical (with resistance for the first time) and then the treadmill.

It’s not running but it sure felt good. 

Happy Running!  Are you working off Easter eating?

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Happy Passover & Happy Easter!!

I was raised Jewish.  My husband is Catholic.

Although I am not very religious, I love to celebrate Chanukah and Passover. My Mah Jongg group who are for the most part Jewish with Catholic husbands host an annual seder. Everyone brings a dish as part of the meal.  (I always bring charoset & wine.) It is a lot of fun.

MJ Seder 2010

Prior to playing Maj Jongg, I used to go to PA to celebrate with my BFF from  high school & her family.

Passover 2008

Coincidentally, both holidays this year occur on the same weekend…lot’s of eating predicted!!

My hubby & I may go out to dinner on Easter & then to my mother-in-law’s for dessert.

I hope to squeeze some biking during the weekend.

Happy Running!  Happy Holidays!

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Goals

March Goals:

  • Continue PT. CHECK! 2x/wk
  • Do exercises on my own, as well. CHECK! 2x/day
  • Start using exercise bike at work. CHECK! 1x/day
  • Walk with less of a limp. CHECK!
  • Lose that darn BOOT! CHECK! (didn’t really lose it, just don’t wear it!)
  • Burn those crutches! CHECK! (didn’t really burn them, just don’t need them!)

I am used to setting running goals – run faster, run longer, run more often…

So I set goals for March and never even looked at them.  I was just depressed about  not running.  But the good news is that I met ALL my March goals! 

That means that I should set goals for April (and even look at them after I post them.)

April Goals:

  • Continue PT 1-2x per week.
  • Do exercises on my own, as well 1-2x per day.
  • Use exercise bike and/or treadmill at work everyday
  • Go biking outdoors 1-2x per week.
  • Lose that limp.
  • Run (on the treadmill) at least a few steps.

    of running again

Happy Running!  Do you set goals?

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Status Quo and a New Month

Wow — it’s April already?  Where did March go?

So here’s my March update:

  • no running hence no races.
  • no tennis so no tennis matches.
  • PT 2x a week so there a bi-weekly treadmill walks & elliptical use 2x a week.
  • stationary biking everyday and even some real biking.

This is fun but it is depressing seeing
ALL the runners on the trail…

  • limping less I think but still limited ROM and pain & swelling nightly.

Yes, PT guy R confirmed my plateauing. 

February was filled with big gains – weight-bearing, then bootless & crutchless events.

March is status quo.

I am hoping April brings improvement because something is wrong with my life and:

My next ortho appt is April 23 and after that,  PT guy J says I may be able to start running on the treadmill.

My New Compression Socks are anxiously waiting…

Happy Running!

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My New Lunch Routine

I didn’t participate in this challenge but it’s a great idea.

Before my injury, my lunch time routine was going to McDonalds or  Subway or Paneras or one of the 3 nearby school cafeterias.  My eating choices were fast food so no matter how healthy they seemed, we know that they were not.  While I ate, I usually read a variety of newspapers and magazines.

First after I came back to work from my injury, I couldn’t drive so I had to bring my lunch.  Then when I started driving, I still couldn’t walk so I had to bring my lunch.

Now that I am more mobile, my new lunch time eating habits have remained with me.

I eat at my desk what I bring from home. It’s usually Greek yogurt, a wheat bagel, a fruit & a drink. Then I go to our gym and spend 45 minutes on either the bike or the treadmill (watching TV on my iPad).

New  lunch routine:

  • save money,
  • eat healthier and
  • get exercise.

So there is something positive that came from my injury imposed running layoff.

Happy Running! Do you eat fast food or are you a healthy eater?

 

 

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Two for Tuesday: Plateaus & Chocolate

  1. A study just released showed that frequent chocolate consumption is linked to lower BMI.

Excerpt: Study participants consumed chocolate a mean 2.0 (SD, 2.5) times per week and exercised 3.6 (SD, 3.0) times per week. Frequency of chocolate consumption was associated with greater intake of calories and satfats and higher CES-D scores (P < .001 for each of these 3 associations); these all related positively to BMI. Chocolate consumption frequency was not associated with greater activity (P = .41), but it was associated with lower BMI (unadjusted P = .01). This association remained with and without adjustment for age and sex, as well as for calories, satfats, and depression.

Good News, right!

fav #1

fav #2

I’ll stop there. I’m actually not a chocoholic.  For dessert, I prefer Coffee ice cream and pies, etc.

     2.  I know there is a weight loss plateau. 

Is there a healing plateau?

If so, I think I hit it.  I went from non-weight bearing to walking with boot to walking with crutches to limping without anything (in weeks) and then lately my ankle range of motion feels the same!

I am doing my stretches everyday, riding the exercise bike, walking on the treadmill (faster & faster), doing the elliptical (longer & longer) but the ankle is still stiff and painful and I limp…

Enough whining! Give me a piece of chocolate!!

Happy Running! Are you a chocoholic?

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Winter’s Back?

We got very spoiled here with the 80 degree weather. This is actually normal March weather.  Too windy and cold today for anything.

Weekend update:

Friday after work, my hubby and I went biking on the Corning Trail in Albany. (It was still fairly warm.)

college students practicing crew.

my hubby clowning around.

Saturday we went to the bike trail on the Mohawk (temps had dropped considerably.)

cloudy & cool

reading a sign after his pedal fell off...

Afterwards we went to a bike store and we found a used pedal for $4 that fit. Whew!

Sunday, the forecast was for rain but it was actually sunny.  Unfortunately, I  had some indoor stuff planned but the highlight of the weekend was seeing HUNGER GAMES last night!!

I was pleasantly surprised.  I don’t usually like a movie made from a book but this one was good.  I enjoyed it a lot!  I took my hubby.  Big mistake!  He hadn’t read the book (and the movie left out a lot of important details).  He thought that it was stupid!  I ignored him.  All my friends (who had read the book) loved it!!  Next time, I’ll go with them.

Tonight, I go to PT.  I am impatiently waiting for marked improvement in my ankle’s range of motion and the ability to walk pain-free. (And eventually run….)

Happy Running! Did you see Hunger Games yet?

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Happy 4th Blogoversary

I’ve been blogging for FOUR YEARS!! That means I’ve been running for FOUR Years!

Last year, I posted about the highlights of my first three years – https://myfirst5k.wordpress.com/2011/03/25/three-years/

  • Year 1  – starting to run for the first time and completing many 5ks
  • Year 2 – after taking the winter off, running again and completing even more 5ks
  • Year 3 – running through the winter, completing 5ks (and a 5k PR), 4 milers and a Half Marathon
  • Year 4 – completing some 5ks, a 5 miler, 15k and FOUR half marathons (plus an achilles injury and a broken ankle 😦 )

Mother’s Day 5k

Lake George Half Marathon

Delmar Dash 5 miler

 

Stockade-athon 15K

  • Year 5: ???

Optimistically speaking, I am hoping that this next year brings healing and a return to running and racing…

Happy Running!  Thanks for stopping by!!!

 

 

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Friday Ramblings

  • 12 week report – still painful walking but PT guy thinks I’m progressing and he keeps upping my training – Wed I did 30 min on the treadmill at 3 mph 12% incline and 10 min on the elliptical (I thought I was going to die!)
  • I do 45 minutes on the exercise bike at work everyday during lunch (This way I get exercise & catch up on my iPad TV viewing.)
  • The weather has been incredible and unfortunately it looks like today is the last day before it returns to normal March weather.  After work today, I plan on going on my 3rd real bike ride.  (I bought a gel seat coverfor my aching butt.)

    same trail as Tues.

  • Yesterday I went for my 5 week hair appt – there’s always someone that comments on my injury & has a horror story – like “my mother didn’t get the hardware taken out right away & she has crippling arthritis” – I hate that!
  • I’ve been doing my grocery shopping at Target lately (they don’t everything but their sale prices are great and I find things that I can’t anywhere else).  My latest fav is:

I tried the pumpkin spice so far and it is delish and cheaper than Starbucks.

  • I just tried FaceTime for the first time (Skype for macs/ iphone/iPad users).  I used it with my friend who just moved to Florida.  It was great (almost like being together in the flesh.)
  • I am looking forward to going to the movies hopefully this weekend:

    Katniss in Hunger Games

Happy Running! Are you a Hunger Games fan?