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11 Good Things About Being Injured

If you are new to my blog, this was me during my 10 mile training run on Dec 29, 2011:


and then this was me for 2 months after that day (note the surgically repaired raised ankle on the left):

Five months later, I am on the road to recovery (I can walk without limping) and I want to say that it hasn’t been all bad:

  1. Less laundry – no running clothes or tennis clothes or yoga clothes (and sometimes all 3) to wash each day
  2. Fewer bags to carry to work – no running gear bag or tennis gear bag or yoga clothes bag to lug into work
  3. Easier to park your car – my handicap sticker came in handy cuz it’s free to park with it at the beach
  4. More time with friends and family – I now eat dinner with my hubby every evening
  5. Save money – no race fees, no gels to buy, my running shoes are not wearing out
  6. Learn something new – I now know how to knit
  7. Discover other ways to exercise – I walk at lunch and ride my bike on weekends (I never did this before…)
  8. Eat healthier – in order for my ankle to heal faster, I started taking vitamins, eating more fruits & veggies- I didn’t have to carb load so although I haven’t run in 5 mos, I haven’t really gained weight
  9. Get more sleep – no getting up early to run before work or to race on Sat, no coming home wired from tennis & staying up too late
  10. Teaches patience – I am NOT a patient person…I do things right away and I want instant results so I guess this was a test (I may have still failed, though)
  11. Find out who  your friends really are – I am truly blessed…I have received many cards, gifts, meals, loads of support, etc.

See I can write a positive post…more on my first attempts at running to come!!

Happy Running! If you have been injured, can you add anything to the list?

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FMM on Thursday

So if you’re not running, then you have to invent things to blog about. So here’s a belated FMM thanks to www.alltheweigh.com

If you’ve taken part in FMM then you know the rules. If you’re new, please take a moment to answer this week’s question before next Monday on your own blog and then add your link in the comments section here at: www.alltheweigh.com  so we can all see your FMM questions and answers.

Please invite your blog readers to add their links here too so everyone has to opportunity to be seen. The idea is to connect with other awesome bloggers so take a moment to post your own FMM post and comment on a couple of other posts. Here’s this week’s topic!

FMM: Three Things

1. Three of your favorite movies:

– Midnight in Paris
– Slumdog Milionnaire
– Once
-many others but these come to mind first

2. Three of your favorite things to drink:

– Starbucks frapuccino
– Starbucks latte
– Chocolate Martini

3. Three of your favorite songs:

-anything by the Beatles
-anything by Billy Joel
-anything by Adele
– Many others as well

4. Three people who have recently been a positive influence on your life (outside of your family):

– my tennis friends who have supported me (with visits, food, etc) during my recent injury
– PT guys Rick & Joe who have patiently helped me recover
-my friend from Russia, Anna who has showed me how to appreciate the little things

5. Three things you to do keep yourself entertained:

– Blogging & reading Facebook
– Reading books and magazines
– Knitting

6. Three things you’re attracted to in the opposite sex:

-sense of humor
-athletic ability
-honesty

7. Three things you love about yourself:

– I’m pretty smart.
– I’m good with technology
– I’m creative.

8. The last three people who text messaged you:

– my tennis friend Catalina
-my boating friend MaryAnn
-my mentee Amanda

9. Three things you’re looking forward to this week:

– a 3-day weekend on our boat
– running outside a little (without any bad side effects)
– seeing a movie

10. Three wishes specifically for yourself…What are they? (Be selfish, and be honest.)

– that my ankle heals sooooon
-great weather this summer (esp. on the weekends)
-financial stability

11. Three of your favorite quotes:

-“Pain is temporary. Quitting lasts forever.” ~ Lance Armstrong
-“If you run, you are a runner. It doesn’t matter how fast or how far. It doesn’t matter if today is your first day or if you’ve been running for twenty years…” ~ John Bingham
-“It is only with the heart that one can see rightly; what is essential is invisible to the eye.” ~Antoine de Saint-Exupery

12. Three of your biggest fears:

-that I will not be able to run again
-that I will get injured again
-that I will not have enough money to retire (ever)

13. Three of your favorite TV shows:

– Smash
–The Good Wife
– Grey’s Anatomy

14. Three of your favorite things to purchase when you’re shopping.

– running gear
– shoes
– tops

15. Three things that you enjoyed last week:

– the beach in Naples, Fla
– boating last Saturday on Lake George
– dinner out with friends in Bolton Landing

16. Three things that you always have in your bag (or close to you if you’re not a purse kind of person. )

-phone
-sunglasses
-extra pair of contacts

17. Three types of food that you wouldn’t want to give up.

– coffee
– ice cream
– carbs such as bagels, pies, cakes, etc.

18. Three things you do to enjoy burning calories:

– running (when I was healthy)
– tennis (when I was healthy)
– riding my bike

19. Three things you dislike about blogging:

– not getting comments
-running out of storage space for images
-inventing things to talk about when not running

20. Three ways blogging has changed your life:

-kept me motivated to keep running
-introduced me to new people with the same interests
-I learned things about running from those who are more experienced & more knowledgeable

Now it’s your turn to answer the questions! Don’t forget to come back and link up in Alltheweigh‘s comments.

Happy Running!  Have a great weekend!  Will you be racing?

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More Injury Advice from SUAR

SUAR’s the best so I’ve stole advice that I need right now and maybe you do or will too.

7 tips to not let injury defeat you:

  1. You are not alone. Remember that many, many people are feeling exactly how you are feeling right now. It is incredibly frustrating and sad to not be able to do what you love to do and that feeling is universal. Just knowing others feel like you do helps. Yes.
  2. Feel athletic. Find something, anything that you can do that make you feel athletic. It will not be running, but it will be something. Try to not compare it to running, but just see it as the thing that will help you get back to running eventually. Be in the moment. When you are on the elliptical, don’t judge the fact that you are not running out on the open road. Just be on the elliptical, get your heart rate up, sweat and feel your body. Know that running is there for you when your body is ready. Look forward to that day. Biking and walking has been this for me.
  3. Have hope. Know that this temporary. Stop reading stuff online, that is usually worst case scenarios and will not help you mentally. When I had my hip stress fracture, I looked at online forums and found all sorts of awful scenarios -people who never could run again, those who had to have surgery, you name it. Chances are very good these scenarios will not be you. So true.
  4. Get perspective. You are a strong and capable runner. You have a an injury. Injuries heal (unless there is some extenuating circumstances). I had to remind myself that cracks in the bone heal if I give it time and if I rest. It did heal. It took four months, then I was running the Boston Marathon with no pain. It’s been 5 months today and I am healing…so slowly.
  5. Ignore those people who don’t understand. Confide in other runners, even if this means on line friends like me. Read chapters of books that talk about injury like Zen and the Art of Running, Running with the Mind of Meditation and Brain Training for Runners. Most running books have a section devoted to injury because most runners get injured at some point. I have.
  6. Get help. If you are really down and depressed consider seeing a sport’s psychologist even just one time. I had a friend/fellow bloggerwho did this last year when she was injured and very down about it. She just went once, but it really put her in the mind space to be able to see beyond the injury and to move out of that dark place. I think I can get through this myself …I hope I can.
  7. Focus on the gifts in your life outside of running. They are still there. Friends…family…work…

You are a runner even if you can’t run right now. This is the best line in her advice.

I decided that after running on the treadmill at PT yesterday, I am going to venture outdoors – either walk/running on a track or a dirt path.  I can’t wait!!

Happy Running!

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What’s the Plan, Stan?

Gotta have a plan, right?

  • June – WALK
  • July – RUN
  • August – RUN MORE
  • September – 5K
  • October – 10K
  • November – 15K
  • December – RUN LONG
  • January – Half Marathon!!!

January 13, 2013 or 1-13-13 (lucky 13?)

Well I may be overly optimistic since I haven’t started running outside yet. But my 6 month injury anniversary is June 29 and I’ve had enough!!!

 The worst case scenario is that I walk the races.  Even the Palm Coast allows walkers (if you can finish under 4 hrs).

Happy Running!  Do you plan ahead?  How far?

 

 

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Back to Boating and Biking

the marina – our boat in the center left

Saturday was a PERFECT day weatherwise and my first day on Lake George in our boat.  It was great seeing all those familiar faces (I had to repeat my broken ankle story many times.)  We spent the whole day on the lake and then went out to dinner in Bolton Landing with friends. We even stopped for a root beer float on the way home.  Summer fun has begun!

The weather on Sunday was even better.  Unfortunately, I had to go to a bridal shower so we couldn’t go to Lake George.

I started off the day with a bike ride on the Corning Trail.


It was great but I had to rush home to get ready for the shower.


The best part of the shower was seeing my tennis friends again.

It was very warm!! But I have been eating a lot lately…I mean a lot.  So I decided on bike ride #2 in the evening.

This time I went to the Nisky Trail to ride on the Mohawk River.

Old photo – now there is a lot of green

I really enjoyed the peace and quiet of biking alone. (Not as much as running but that will come….).

Today is my hubby’s birthday!  We will celebrate at the lake next weekend.

Tonight I go out to dinner AGAIN…with a bunch of women I used to play tennis with on Mondays.

Happy Running!  Did you enjoy your weekend?

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It’s All About the Ankle

Yes, I had a great time eating, drinking, socializing, laughing, shopping, tanning… and just plain relaxing.

But…

Doesn’t this look like a nice place to run??

and

isn’t this even more inviting??

I just wanted to be running!!!! 5 months of NO RUNNING!!

I’ve had enough!  Anyway, enough said…

  • I rode a bike every morning  between 8:30 and 10:30 am. 
  • There was a gym with an elliptical, bike and treadmill but the weather was too nice to be indoors.  I kept waiting for rain but it never happened.

  • I hit the tennis ball one day between lessons and it felt fine so I hit with the instructor for 45 minutes on another day!! Of course, he didn’t make me run for the ball.
  • I found  2 paths with crushed stones and then one with clay (hard tru) and I ran out and back on them everyday…not sure how far (maybe 1/2 mi?). My gait is still awkward since my ankle is not fully bendable but I RAN!!!!
  • I walked a lot…in town…on the beach.

  • I wore sandals…yay!

Yesterday I went to PT for the first time in 2 weeks.

They said they saw a big improvement…I ran on the treadmill for 20 minutes as usual but I was able to run for 3 min and 4 minutes at a time without walking!!!! 

They said:  “You are no longer sounding like a Clydesdale!!”

Of course, I replied, “When can I run outside?”

The answer: “We’ll watch your ankle on the treadmill next Wed and maybe you can run on a track!”

It’s all about the (still stiff) ankle!!  Arghhh!

Happy Running!

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Vacation is Over!

I’M

8 days of vacation went by so fast!!  Here are the highlights:

bike riding every morning around World Tennis Center

my birthday – 59 on 5-9

birthday dinner at my favorite restaurant – The Turtle Club

cooling off in the pool

shopping trip in Saint Armand’s Circle – Sarasota

playing Scrabble at the beach

It feels great to hold a racquet

heading out to see a play – Steel Magnolias

our annual group photo at The Dock

hitting a few tennis balls

hosting a dinner party in our villa

group photo with our tennis instructor

More details in my next post.

Happy Running! It’s good to be back blogging!

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Happy Birthday to Me in Florida

I am 59 years old today!! That’s 59 on 5-9!

I don’t feel it (and I hope I don’t look it!!) I don’t think I act that old, either.

As far as running goes, if  you asked me 5 years ago if I would run in a 5k race, I would have laughed in your face.  But I have run 50 of them (taking 10 minutes off my finish time in the process.)

If you asked me two years ago if I would run a half marathon, I would have done the same. And I have run 5 halfs, too.

my proudest moment

However, on the flip side, a year ago, I never would have thought that I would not be running today.  I may have even though that I would have run my first marathon by now.

Besides my ankle, I am healthy.  It will heal.  I will run again. So…

I have my family and awesome friends.  I am on vacation!!! I feel blessed.

Happy Running! Thanks for stopping by!

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Vacation Time is Here!

This is our 8th trip together to Naples, Florida. (For some of us, this is our 16th tennis trip – 1 Palm Springs, 5 Las Vegas, 1 Dominican Rep, 1 Delray Beach)

our group & our coach – May 2011

There are 10 of us and we rent 2 villas (from the same lady) in World Tennis Center.

They will be playing tennis everyday from 8-11 am.  I will be bike riding, walking, swimming, photo taking and a combination of these activities while trying not to be depressed.

The highlight of the vacation used to be running every morning and then playing tennis & taking lessons from Billy Bob (love him!)

getting ready to go for a run

 playing tennis

I considered not going but staying home & working while my friends are away having fun would be even worse.

If I get though the mornings, we will be busy the rest of the day with a variety of fun activities such as shopping, eating, theater and of course, hanging out at the beach.

So my vacation will not be perfect but I will be away and with my friends and in a sunny warm climate.  What could be better?? (You know what I would say…)

I won’t have a computer so no posting on this blog for 8 days but I will bring my iPad and if there is wifi, I will be able to post to FB and read your blogs.

I will post pics here when I return.

Happy Running! I will Miss you all!

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Recovery Monday

Not from running … but

  • from a day in NYC
  • and a day on the lake….
  • from nervously tracking my marathon running friends (and THEY ALL DID GREAT!! WooHoo!)
  • and from trying to get things done at work so I can leave tomorrow for my 8 day vacation

Here are the highlights from the weekend:

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Happy Running!  How was your weekend?