May 1, 2012 by Darlene

Yay, It’s May!

April has ended…still no tennis or racing but things are improving.

I met ALL my Goals! (See below.)

April Goals:

Continue PT 1-2x per week. Check. 2x/week
Do exercises on my own, as well 1-2x per day. Check. 2x/day
Use exercise bike and/or treadmill at work everyday. Check.
Go biking outdoors 1-2x per week. Check.
Lose that limp. Check. Well, almost. I can still feel it but not evident to others.
Run (on the treadmill) at least a few steps. Check. I can do a 2 min run, 1 min walk for 20 min.

my new BFF

As you know, May is my favorite month. I have a lot of fun things planned even if they do not include racing. I even have some new goals.

May 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 on days with no PT.
Go biking outdoors 1-2x per week.
Go for walks outside.
Run outside (at least a few steps or maybe on a track.)
Hit a few tennis balls (maybe practice serving or volleying)
STAY POSITIVE!!
Welcome, May!

Happy Running! Any exciting goals for May?

April 29, 2012 by Darlene

Walking For Miles and Miles…

I decided to go back to Colonie Town Park to do my bike ride yesterday. It was chilly but at least it was sunny.

I rode my bike toward Cohoes. I knew this time that the way back would be uphill.

I parked my bike and decided to walk a little further to see where it went next.

These are the train tracks that I heard about. Some people have had wait for the train to pass when running the Hudson-Mohawk Marathon.

Eventually if you keep going, you can hit the Corning Trail on the Hudson River. Don’t know how far, though.

I completed my 10 mile ride as I did last week and put my bike back on the rack.

I was itching to run but I know that I cannot so I decided to walk.

Walking is painful but it is allowed. So I walked and walked and walked. I vowed to walk until I saw the Mohawk River.

bridges over 87N.(which crosses the Mohawk)

Then when I did, I kept walking and finally hit the end of the Nisky Trail (that I have run and biked.) Well, the end for me, at least.

I am glad that I walked it. It is quite hilly and my legs & bike brakes aren’t up to it.

I turned around walked all the way back. It may have only been 4 miles but with a bum ankle, it felt like 10.

had to do it again - only 90 calories!!

They say “You have to crawl before you can walk.” So I say “You have to walk before you can run.”

So I am walking…

Happy Running!

April 25, 2012 by Darlene

Running on the Treadmill

I have never enjoyed running on the treadmill. I have never been good at it. It’s not just the boredom but I find it difficult.

I run at a slower pace. If I speed up, I feel like I will fall off.

I kinda run like this.

I have a shorter stride on the treadmill. Otherwise, I feel like I will go off the front.

I do NOT look like this!

I get tired faster.

I feel like this!

And they seem to run at different speeds. The same speed on the treadmill at work feels SO MUCH FASTER than the one at PT. Is that possible???

I could go on and on about my treadmill difficulties.

In the past, I have only used the treadmill when I could not run outside (rain, snow, etc.) Well, now it’s the only place I can run.

Things will have to change!!!!

PT guy J remarked that on Monday, my stride was too short and my gait was choppy. “You must be nervous because of your ankle. We’ll have to work on that.”

Only part of my problem was related to the injury. How can I explain that I suck as a treadmill runner!

Happy Running! Anyone else have treadmill issues?

April 24, 2012 by Darlene

Two for Tuesday Injury Update

1. Yesterday I went for what I thought was my last visit to the ortho. It was not. I have to go back again in 2 MONTHS.

He cautioned me about keeping the swelling down so it will heal —compression socks, ice, elevation. He said I could walk & run on the treadmill, use the elliptical and bike –BUT NO RUNNING OUTSIDE YET!!

He said I am ahead of his healing schedule but of course, not my schedule…it’s a long road to recovery…BE PATIENT.

I left the office depressed and headed to PT.

2. There I ran for 2 MINUTES straight on the treadmill (with 1 minute walking in between for a total of 20 minutes)!!

No real pain, just the usual stiffness which results in a lack of rhythm and a feeling of awkwardness.

Happy Running!

April 23, 2012 by Darlene

The Path Not Taken…

The good thing about new bike paths is that when I can run I will have new running routes.

On Saturday, rain was forecasted but it held out until the afternoon. It was warm (70s) and I decided to ride on the Corning Trail. The fishermen were on the Hudson in abundance.

Well on Sunday it was 30 degrees colder but it wasn’t raining so I went for another bike ride.

This time I decided to park at the Colonie Town Park and take part of the Mohawk Trail that I had never done before. I headed toward Cohoes (an industrial city on the Hudson.)

looking back toward the park

It wasn’t very scenic. No view of the River. You go under several over passes. You see the city of Cohoes eventually on both sides of the path.

It is slightly downhill the whole way.

again looking upward toward Colonie

Yes, that means that it was uphill on the way back. Gotta build those quads & calf muscles back!!! (Maybe it will help my running….)

I think it was 4 miles down & 4 miles back.

When I got back to the parking lot, I figured that I might as well bike in the other direction since it hadn’t started raining yet.

I headed toward Niskayuna where I have ridden before. I only went a mile and then turned back. The sky was getting darker.

(With nicer weather & when my legs are in better shape, I’d like to ride from Niskayuna to Cohoes and back.)

Look what I passed on my way home:

rumored to have the best soft ice cream in the area

10 miles of biking deserves some ice cream, right?

But, I chose frozen yogurt – mint choco patty with sugar-free choco syrup…YUM!

I see a long run route in my future… and if I do it, then I will try the soft ice cream 🙂

Happy Running!

April 19, 2012 by Darlene

I Ran! I Ran Twice!

the PT treadmill is now my friend

This is exciting! But I’m not getting too excited.

My ankle is still stiff, it hurts and it swells throughout the day but my PT guy J who said I couldn’t run for 6 mos (which would be not until the end of June) told me to get on the treadmill on Monday. (He may have been tired of me repeatedly asking when I can run.)

This happened after the hot whirlpool, the usual stretching exercises, drills, machines, ladder, etc.

I was nervous…I whined that I was not ready… I wasn’t sure at all that I remembered how…but I did what I was told to.

I walked for one minute (3.5 mph), then I ran for one minute (4 mph) for a total of 10 minutes!!!

It was weird…it was hard to get a rythmn…I tried not to limp (I used the Black Knight’s suggestion of saying 1…2..1…2). But I ran!

PT guy J cautioned me not to try this at home… (I obeyed!)

Then again yesterday, the same thing happened at PT but I did it for 12 minutes (increased my running speed to 4.8 mph).

So I have run twice!!!

Again PT guy J warned me not to try this at home… (I will obey…for now!)

When I asked: “When will my ankle stop being so stiff?” He said that it is a hinge joint & I had a serious injury so a long time. When I asked: “How long will it take to be able to run correctly & get some rhythm?” He said that it will take many months…

I go back to ortho on Monday. PT guy J said not to tell him that I am running…

This is my happy (will run again) face

Happy Running! Thanks for sticking around.

April 17, 2012 by Darlene

Injury Advice from Shut Up + Run

Source

I can’t take any credit for this advice but boy do I need it!!

Thanks to Beth at the Shut Up + Run blog. (I hope she doesn’t mind the re-posting! I highly recommend her entertaining blog, too.)

10 Ways To Survive Your Injury Without Being a B*tch

If you’ve been running long enough, you’ve been there. It’s the place, much like the porta potty, that no one likes to visit, but everyone eventually has to go. Injury-land.

The only good thing about injuries is that they are {knock on wood} temporary. Even if you are like this guy and you break about every bone in your body and have to spend months upon months recovering, there is usually a very dim light at the end of the tunnel. The light of running, training and racing. It waits for you. I promise.

However, before we can bask in the light, we need to wade through the darkness. How do we navigate through our injury without killing our families, destroying our friendships and resorting to sitting in bed with a super-sized bag of nacho cheese Doritos for days on end?

Get perspective – Yes, you are injured. No, the world is not ending (that isn’t until December 2012, so you can wallow then). You became injured because you had the luxury of doing something you loved to do: running. Injury is to running as weight gain is to eating Paula Deen’s cooking . It simply goes with the territory. Go ahead, have your pity party, but then get behind yourself and move on. As Stephen King says, “Get busy living or get busy dying.” (Trying, trying except my injury was an accident not a result of running…)
Stay away from Google Search – If you give into temptation and start searching about your injury, you may find yourself ready to slit your lists. While there is good info to be found on such sites as Web MD and Sports Injury Clinic, beware of worst case scenarios. Most sites will give you the entire spectrum, so you have to be careful to not diagnose yourself as being worse than you are. And, for god’s sake, stay away from forums and message boards. While there is good support to be found, lots of people go to these things when they are desperate and majorly injured. I’ve come away from many a message board convinced I would have to have surgery, would never run again and might shrivel up into a ball and die. (I have read every post related to broken ankles…still looking for one that says you return to running as well as you did before…)
Be careful who you tell – Be sure to share your injury woes with people who get it. There are many folks who will simply tell you to quit running so you quit getting injured. Maybe this isn’t the input you need. Find support where it suits you best. (This is true. I am lucky to have running friends and bloggers who support me!!)
Keep your eye on the prize – Say to yourself, “I will run again,” and believe it. If you have been given a time line for when you can ease back into running, look forward a few months and consider signing up for a race. Hope is a powerful thing. (I wish I was given a timeline but there is none for this injury…I say everyday to myself: I will run!!)
Get wet – One of the best ways to stay fit and simulate running when you can’t run is water running. Go HERE to read an article I wrote about it. If you are really wealthy, consider buying one of these. (Unfortunately, I don’t have access to a pool.)
Find out what not to do next time– Use your injury to your advantage. Become the most well educated person about your individual issue. Research it. Talk to runners who have had it. Learn how to avoid it in the future. Pick all the brains you can find. Knowing your injury takes the mystery out of it and gives you back some control. (As I said before, this injury was not related to running.)
Laugh at yourself – Lighten up. Don’t be so doomsday. Life goes on. Laugh at how clumsy you can be on crutches or how you have to roll around the kitchen on an office chair for months at a time. Fart and laugh about it. It feels like the end of the world, but it isn’t. Five years from now this will just be a blip on the timeline of your life. (Once I can run again, I am sure that I will joke about the day, I walked around a piece of ice so I wouldn’t fall & get injured and fell & broke my ankle. HaHa)
Do one thing you love everyday or learn something new – If you can’t do the one thing you love most, run, then pick something else you love almost as much. Or, learn something new. Watch South Park reruns, get a pedicure, learn to make the perfect pie crust. Anything to distract yourself and to get some good mental energy going. (Still trying to find the love…I cook dinner each evening…I knit…I ride a bike…watch 50 Rock re-runs but don’t love any of these activities.
Cancel your subscription– When injured, it might make you more depressed to read countless blogs and magazines about how well everyone else’s training and racing is going. Although you might also find good information on dealing with injuries, allow yourself permission to turn off and withdrawal for a bit if needed. (When I was house bound and non-weightbearing…I let all my running magazine pile up. Now that I am recovering, I have started reading them again.)
Reach out – While it may be tempting to crawl into a hole, do not isolate yourself. Human connection is one of the most healing things we can do for ourselves. Let the people who you trust the most know that you need them right now. Allow yourself to be vulnerable and to ask for help. The people you love want to do this for you. (This is tough when you have friends that you only see at races and on the tennis courts. I do have a few other friends that I see as well as play mah jong weekly. But I am planning on going on a tennis vacation with my friends…and not play or run.)

Most of all, hang in there. Be glad you love something like running enough that it is devastating when you lose it for awhile. I promise you that you will never again take it for granted.

Any tips you’d like to add to help beat the injury blues?

Happy Running or Happy Recovery!

April 15, 2012 by Darlene

The Weekend of Almosts

I almost lost my wallet…I almost bought a new bike…I almost couldn’t file my taxes…I almost volunteered at a race…I almost got to see my mentee and her sons.

Saturday was a gorgeous day. My hubby & I decided to go for a bike ride on the Nisky Bike Path.

getting to ready ride

Almost immediately I spotted some running friends who had just finished running 20 miles – their last training run for their May 6 Marathon. We hugged and wished each other well – me to recover & them to complete their FIRST marathon.

Here they are before the Albany Last Run 5k

Then my hubby bumped into someone he plays tennis with and we rode the first half of our ride with someone who boats on Lake George like us — small world!

my hubby riding & chatting with our "new" boating friend

When we were done, we stopped off to get some lunch.

yum!

In my haste or absentmindedness, I left my wallet on the table. I realized it halfway home. We went back & someone had turned it in and everything was still in it – PHEW!!!

One problem I have with biking is that my butt hurts!! So I decided that I wanted to buy a new bike seat. We stopped off at a bike shop and I bought a cruiser seat (I saw some cool cruisers there which were tempting.) Then we heard that another shop was having a tent sale on bikes. I fell in love with a purple cruiser.

kinda looks like this but prettier

It was $349 – on sale for $319 & they said I could have it for $300…pretty tempting but I decided that biking is temporary until I can run.

My hubby was drooling over this in the parking lot:

an Italian-made motorcycle - Ducati...good thing it wasn't for sale

Finally on this April 14, it was time to file our income taxes. I’m not a procrastinator but since we have to pay a lot why give the IRS my money early.

I was done and hit e-file, and an error popped up about a missing payer id – Great, the banks arer closed Sunday & I have to work Monday & Tuesday.

It turns out that my stepson has an account in the same bank & had the payer ID so I was able to file today!! Yay!

Two years ago I volunteered at a 15K race & really enjoyed it. Last year, I got selfish. I ran all the races that I was able t and didn’t volunteer at all.

I also ran THIS race for the first time last year. I loved it…it was nearby and flat and my first and only 5 mile race.

April 10, 2011

Truthfully, if I weren’t injured, I wouldn’t be volunteering. I would be racing.

I had planned on helping with packet pickup at 7am. But that greasy cheese burger & fries that went down so good, kept me up all night so volunteering this morning didn’t happen.

By 11 am, I felt better and I had planned on going to the park with Amanda & her sons. My cell phone rang and Amanda said that she & her sons were sick 😦

park play re-scheduled for next weekend

My hubby was out playing tennis so plan B – test out my new bike seat and go for a ride. I decided to go to the Corning Bike trail.

headed south this time - toward the city & the port

tulips close up

It was a cloudy warm day but there were plenty of bikers and boats on the Hudson – mostly fishing.

this view is looking north

This time, I took the path as far north as you could go. It ends and then you have go into town and eventually can pick up the other bike trail. (I think)

my bike is resting - like my new seat?

I finished my ride before the rain and headed to Target!

Happy Running! Anyone have a cruiser? Should I get one?

April 13, 2012 by Darlene

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!

April 10, 2012 by Darlene

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.