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Tag: recovery

Recovering from the Collegiate Loop FKT

Recovering from the Collegiate Loop FKT

Laura Parson Posted by Laura Parson on September 2, 2019 Leave a comment

Cottonwood Pass, about to take on the most remote section of the loop, the High 23. Photo credit: Jeff Spencer

This post has been a long-time coming, but it’s felt really hard to write, which is why you’re reading it almost four weeks after the Collegiate Loop Trail FKT. I’m not sure why this has been so hard to write, exactly, but I suspect it has a little to do with the fact that I’m still processing it all. While I have been recovering physically, because this is my first endeavor like this, I haven’t known if what I am going through is normal or indicative of an injury. Not unexpectedly, the Collegiate Loop FKT had a profound impact on my life, on my perception of self and what I was capable of, but also on what I wanted out of life. I’m only starting to understand the extent of what it means for my identity and my future.

But let’s start with the easy stuff to talk about – my physical recovery. The night I finished the attempt, I felt like I could not take one more step. I felt strongly, however, that I needed to get my rental car from where it was parked at my Sunday night AirBnB, so Kris took me to get my car and then headed to the hotel in Buena Vista he had reserved for the night. I had planned nothing logistics-wise post-FKT – I had no idea when I’d finish or if I’d finish, so I’d only planned to up to the start of the FKT. When we got to the hotel, I just wanted to lay down, but I was covered in mud and two days of camping (I got a shower on night two), so I hobbled to the shower and started to clean up. Standing felt too hard, so at a certain point, I just sat on the floor of the bathtub with the shower on, and tried to scrub off the dirt that was caked on my legs. I got most of it off except for an oddly persistent black stain on the inside of both ankles. Giving up, I hobbled to the bedroom, and settled on to my bed to search for a pizza company open this late (it was around 11 p.m.). Earlier that day, I had been debating what I wanted to eat when I finished, and pizza had won over my heart and mind. While Buena Vista does not have many food chains, they did have a Domino’s Pizza, which has a gluten-free crust. They were open, so I placed a delivery order for a veggie gluten-free pizza and sat down to wait for it to arrive.

Already, my legs were feeling the effects of the last four days. They felt red and raw and too big for my skin. While my upper body was mostly fine, just a little sore from carrying a pack and using the hiking poles, my legs (and especially my lower legs), felt like they had been run over with a cheese grater. Although I didn’t fall once, I had scratches from plants along the trail, and the insides of my ankles were bleeding from how often I kicked the inside of them as I got tired. As well, both of my heels were raw and bleeding, having rubbed on the back of my running shoes for hours every day. I didn’t, however, feel any type of acute pain – pain was, for the most part, diffuse across my legs. I was equally hobbled.

That night, I didn’t sleep well, which wasn’t unexpected — I never sleep well after a race. My legs were throbbing, and while I felt a little better the morning after, it wasn’t by much. In the light of day, I realized that the “stains” I couldn’t clean off of my ankles was actually bruising, bleeding, and chafing from the multiple times my foot had grazed the opposite leg as fatigue had set in.

For the first time ever since I started running, I felt completely and totally okay with a rest day. I couldn’t have run if I tried. I resolved to refuel and rest, and after coffee, got on task. Breakfast was a huge sweet potato scramble, lunch a giant curry bowl at my favorite Buena Vista restaurant, House Rock; lunch was followed by two giant scoops of salted caramel ice cream. Enjoyment of this indulgence was diminished by the fact that I wasn’t actually hungry, but the food tasted good, and I never felt stuffed. More concerning, however, was the size of my lower legs, particularly my right one. While it was swollen when I woke up, the edema increased throughout the day, exacerbated when I stayed in one place, and now my ankles were cankles. There was no division between my calf and foot, and my feet and calves were huge. The edema was so serious that it started leaking out of the cuts on my legs, and I was seriously concerned. That afternoon, feeling out of sorts and restless, I left for Denver. I didn’t want to leave Buena Vista (BV), but I felt like I needed to put some geographic distance between me and everything that had just happened. In Fairplay, 30 or so minutes away from BV, I almost turned around and went back, but I kept driving. I felt like I needed to create physical space to get some clarity.

I arrived in Denver and immediately felt overwhelmed – the traffic was insane, it was hot, and there were people everywhere. From the second I arrived in Denver, I wanted to be back in BV. So, in the middle of another restless night, I decided to go back to BV first thing in the morning. That resolved, I slept soundly. The next morning, the swelling in my legs had gone down a little, and I did some googling and found out that this seemed to be a pretty normal part of recovery from multi-day ultra endurance events even though I’d never suffered from it before. It still felt gross. On the positive side, my appetite had returned with a vengeance, and I was starving. I ate a huge Starbucks breakfast, made a quick stop at the source of all good things, REI, and headed back to BV, arriving in time for a late lunch at House Rock (again). I took another rest day, which also wasn’t much of a mental struggle – I was too afraid of my swollen legs to try to figure out what might happen if I tried to make them run (or, alternatively, tried to fit them into shoes). Otherwise, however, I felt fine – I was almost insatiably hungry but not sore in any meaningful way.

The next morning, the swelling was even better, and while I didn’t feel like running, I definitely felt like walking, so I convinced Kris that we needed to walk to breakfast instead of drive. I was ready to get this recovery show on the road and really missing the mental space I get from running. What I’d just done, 161 miles in less than 4 days, felt big, yet I didn’t feel like it was a big deal. To me, then, the FKT was a thing I did, it was really really hard, but it was done, over, and now I felt a bit lost. Even though it had just been two or so months of planning, the CTL FKT had occupied the front or back of my mind that entire time, and now that it was done, there was empty space. I needed to figure out what was next, but I didn’t want to rush to do that before I’d processed what had just happened and what it meant for my life. I knew running would help me to process this, too, but I wasn’t willing to jump into running and injure myself for real.

So I took that third day easy again, but I was relieved to see that my coach had put some running on the schedule for the subsequent day. I woke up the next morning ready to run. I didn’t know what to expect as I’d been walking in sandals for days. From the second I put on my trail runners, my right achilles felt painful. That pain wasn’t replicated in my left leg, so this panicked me a bit, but I resolved to take my still swollen legs for a spin. The first few steps were slow and painful, but with the exception of what I thought was pain in my Achilles, everything else felt great. I ran around five miles, and while I was exhausted at the end, it was a good exhausted feeling. My Achilles pain scared me, as Achilles injuries are no joke, but the pain subsided the second I took off my running shoes. My left leg was almost back to its normal size. In contrast, my right leg was closer to normal size in the morning, but by the end of the day, especially if I’d been standing, it would swell again to double its size. The next morning, I ran again, 8 miles, and again, everything felt fine except for my Achilles. I was mystified by the pain that seemed to disappear when I took off my running shoes, and I was also scared of what it might be – was my Achilles torn? Much googling of Achilles injuries later, I was in the throes of an existential injury panic, and my coach suggested that I cross train and rest for a few days until I was back in Alabama.

I stayed in BV until the day before I had to catch my flight back to Alabama, where I’d start work the next day. If I could pick any place in the world to live, it would probably be BV and not just because of my favorite restaurant, House Rock (so, hey, major university, perhaps it’s time to open a campus there?). BV was relaxing, beautiful, and a true vacation. My time there did end, however, and I headed to the Denver airport and into a work crisis, which consumed my last day in Colorado. My left leg had completely returned to its normal size and fitness, but my right was still swollen, perhaps no longer in a way that was noticeable to others. The Achilles still hurt in real shoes, but I’d started to become convinced that I had bursitis (instead of a tear, partial tear, or even tendonitis). There was a bump on my right heel, and my heel area only hurt in shoes that rubbed on it. I was still super scared that it was a real injury, however, and that kept me treating it like glass and refusing to do any strenuous activity that wasn’t running. A little less than two weeks after the completion of the FKT, I had a sports massage, which finally worked out the remaining fluid in my legs, and they returned to normal size. Two weeks to the day after I completed the FKT, I went to the orthopedist who confirmed that I did not have any Achilles injury and even called the bursitis self-diagnosis into question, bringing my attention to my heels where the backs of my trail runners had rubbed them raw. That, the doctor suggested, was the cause of the Achilles pain and the reason it only hurt in shoes – otherwise, he did a full check-up and cleared me to start training in earnest again.

That was a huge relief. Prior to this, I didn’t know if I could run safely (and, I needed running because this is when I process things), so the all-clear from the doctor was also when I started being able to get excited for what was coming next. Time is a great healer, too, as is another big new goal – an FKT attempt of the Camino de Costa Rica.

Heading out on the trail. Photo credit: Kristopher Cargile

Physically, I’m recovered and training in earnest again, but mentally and emotionally, I’m still processing the FKT.

I still miss being on the trail, every day. The FKT was hard and terrible at times, but it was also simple and clear. It wasn’t easy to do, but it was easy to know what to do. Life doesn’t offer many opportunities like that. They say that the disjuncture between experiences, say your vacation versus your work life is what helps you to value the vacation, and while I’m not so sure that isn’t just a capitalistic attempt to quell disquiet from an unfulfilled life filled with work, I certainly do miss the simplicity of life during and, to some extent, after the FKT. Everything and everyone felt more real. Stripped of everything that is my armor in my professional life – heels, makeup, sheath dresses – I felt realer too. There is nowhere to hide out there, and that includes hiding from yourself and your thoughts. I didn’t have any grand revelations while running, yet I did realize, with absolute clarity, that this was where I belonged.

As someone who has, for a better part of her life, been trying to find the place where I belong, I can’t shake an almost persistent sadness that I’m not on a trail, somewhere, right now. And that, I think, has been the hardest part of returning from Colorado – now that I found my space, how can I incorporate this fully into every aspect of my life, my scholarship, my world?

I’m still working this part out.

Categories: Running + Life, Trails & Ultrarunning
Tags: recovery, ultrarunning
Cross Training With a Running Injury

Cross Training With a Running Injury

Avatar Posted by Lavender on August 3, 2019 Leave a comment

a bicycle wheelInjury got you down? Maybe it’s tendonitis, a sprain, a stress fracture or one of the Million Different Ways Your Knee Can Turn Into a Knob of Hot Fire-y Pain … whatever is ailing you, every injury sucks. The PT has prescribed time off. You’re completely justified in using that time to just not run, if you’re into that, but, like … who’s into that?

A serious study of anecdotal evidence (sponsored by the SaltyValu corp) shows that almost no runner wants to take time off, which we have unscientifically extrapolated to mean that you’ll probably be cross training if you’re injured, and that you might be cross training even if you’re not injured. Believe it or not there are many ways to exercise without running and some of them are actually fun!

Exhibit A:

A woman in a sport bra smiles while handling tiny dumbells
Tiny pink dumbells in your underwear is like the MOST FUN, amirite gal pals?? Let’s go have a powderpuff pillowfight next!

Okay but really, I don’t mean it’s fun to cross train in that stock photo, depressingly persistent and overwhelmingly male-driven ideas about women and athleticism kind of way, I mean it can actually be fun.

Please note that depending on your specific injury you may or may not be able to safely do all of these activities, so I recommend checking with your doctor or physical therapist and paying attention to how your body feels!

Read more >>

Categories: Cross Training, Healthy Running
Tags: coping with injury, cross-training, injury prevention, recovery
Shawanna White: Toeing the Line for an OTQ

Shawanna White: Toeing the Line for an OTQ

Sesame Posted by Sesame on May 22, 2018 5 Comments

There is an overwhelming consensus among the Saltines that Shawanna White is simply amazing. We love following her on IG! We admire her tenacity, her positive attitude and her incredible work ethic.

For those of you that don’t know Shawanna, she is a marathoner with the dream of qualifying for the US Olympic Trials in 2020. Her running talent spans across the entire spectrum of race distances, but the marathon holds a special place in her heart. She is an elementary school Physical Education teacher, originally from Georgia and currently living in South Carolina.

I have been following her journey via social media for the last few years and I recently had the privilege of picking Shawanna’s brain about all things running and recovery! Here’s what she has to say:

Read more >>

Categories: Features, Interviews
Tags: marathon, OTQ, recovery
Valentine’s Day Gifts (and what not to buy) for the runner you love

Valentine’s Day Gifts (and what not to buy) for the runner you love

Parsley Posted by Parsley on February 13, 2018 4 Comments

 

Valentine’s Day is coming up, and if you’re looking for a gift for your favorite runner, you likely know already that stereotypical flowers and chocolate lose out against the often cheap, yet life-changing training accessories your runner covets.

I’m here to help! Here’s my list of running-related items I’ve received lately (or given to myself) – some favorites and others that weren’t worth the cash.

Read more >>

Categories: Shoes and Gear
Tags: fun, gift ideas, recovery
Floating for #ExtraSalt

Floating for #ExtraSalt

Anise Posted by Anise on November 21, 2017 Leave a comment

otter floatingUntil recently, all I knew about float tanks was limited to the Simpson’s episode where Homer and Lisa are angry with one another and go to float tanks, and they get repossessed with Homer still in one. I never thought I would use one because, well, claustrophobia. But, a co-worker’s husband went to a new float tank place in town this week and posted a picture — these float tanks aren’t enclosed!

Floating is basically automatic in the tub — it uses 1,000 pounds of Epsom salts. The super-saturated solution, like the Dead Sea, makes you buoyant. Plus, the magnesium is believed to help relieve muscle soreness and replenish electrolytes — the reason many of us soak in them at home.

In addition to the benefits of Epsom salts, floating also adds a relaxing element because of the sensory deprivation even though that sounds super creepy. Similarly to meditation, you’re removing all distractions from around you. I am terrible at turning my mind off, and I didn’t quite get there with my first experience. But it was relaxing and felt healing — and I even booked a second appointment.

I scheduled my first visit online, and when I arrived at the facility I found it similar to a nice day spa, massage studio or yoga studio. There was a large, well-appointed lobby, a quiet room for post-float, a restroom, and private float rooms.

Each room is the size of a large bedroom and fashionably decorated, with a shelf area and bench, a shower, and the float tank (really a tub in this instance).

It did take me a while to “surrender” to the experience, and I was holding my head in a position that wasn’t comfortable, but eventually I relaxed my neck and it was great. Figuring out if I wanted my arms internally or externally rotated was the only other thing I had to figure out.

The room was slightly warm, matching the temperature of the water. Eventually the lights turned off and I did turn off the blue tub light. I am pretty uncomfortable in my own skin and expected to feel odd floating naked in a tub in a room, but it wasn’t uncomfortable at all. The tub is large enough that you don’t feel at all constrained in space.

 

At the end of the session music starts gently playing and the water starts circulating so that you know your time is up. After you get out of the tub, you take a shower in the room. They had great shampoo (I love unexpectedly great shampoo). I spent a moment in the quiet room to drink some water and I left feeling relaxed and comfortable. I signed up for a trial week so I have several more appointments scheduled. I anticipate I’ll return to the float tank after some hard workouts, much like massage.

I live in the Midwest where most things are reasonably priced. The first time fee was $45 for an hour. The regular retail price is $56. Monthly memberships with unlimited floats are $99.

Looking for other posts in our “#ExtraSalt” series?

***

Have you tried a float tank? Are you an Epsom salt bath fan?

Categories: Injury & Prevention
Tags: extrasalt, marathon recovery, recovery, relaxation, weird stuff
Marathon Mending: An Injury Recovery Training Cycle

Marathon Mending: An Injury Recovery Training Cycle

Avocado Posted by Avocado on October 18, 2017 1 Comment

I’m five weeks in and it’s already starting. The aches and pains, the fatigue, the daunting idea that the finish line is so far away, and the worst roadblock of all: the mental burnout and self-doubt.

No, it’s not marathon training. This time it’s the opposite — injury recovery. And damn, it can take a long time.

What I’ve learned, though, is that recovering from a serious injury is a lot like training for a marathon. You know, minus all the running. Read more >>

Categories: Injury & Prevention
Tags: coping with injury, hip injury, recovery
Take Your Rest Day, Gertrude.

Take Your Rest Day, Gertrude.

Fennel Posted by Fennel on April 25, 2017 9 Comments

see ya later. Gotta run.

I can’t tell you the last time I had a rest day. And I mean, a true day of rest with zero exercise or anything that gets my heart pumping. Bertha and her litany of excuses is not my problem. I’ve trained myself to ignore Bertha as I get out of bed without hitting snooze, throw my gear on and hit the road without a second thought. Instead, my problem is Gertrude.

I bet you’ve met her. Gertrude is the voice that fills your head with guilt if you don’t run. It doesn’t matter how full your schedule is, how foul the weather, how much pain you’re in, or even if your schedule tells you not to run, Gertrude tells you you’re a wuss.  Read more >>

Categories: Healthy Running, Making Time to Run, Motivation, Running + Life
Tags: Bertha, guilt, recovery, rest days
I F*ing Hate Sleep

I F*ing Hate Sleep

Catnip Posted by Catnip on February 3, 2017 15 Comments

Who needs sleep? I'd rather use my bed for form drills.Oh, I need to sleep nine hours a night for optimal performance? Whatever, dude. I f*ing hate sleep. I love not having enough time in my day for self-care and when my alarm blares in the middle of the one REM cycle I get a night.

I scoff at the reports that women need more sleep than men. What a joke. Ick! I’m practically breaking out in hives thinking about letting my muscles recover underneath my cozy blankets. I’d rather use my more complex brain to scrub the kitchen floor, duh. After my run, of course.

Quit telling me I need more sleep, because, really? Why would I do something I hate this much just to run a little faster?

Read more >>

Categories: Friday Fun
Tags: recovery, sleep
The Easy Run: Why and How

The Easy Run: Why and How

Turmeric Posted by Turmeric on February 1, 2017 12 Comments

Ah, the easy run. In theory easy runs are so simple; just run, well, easy! But in practice they’re very difficult to get right. What exactly is “easy” when it comes to running, anyway?  Is it a pace? An effort level? Is it an objective measurement? A subjective one?

Salty took care of explaining some of the basics in her post on easy runs.  She explains why it’s important to run easy for: a) recovery from workouts and races; and b) building an aerobic base. I want to dive a little deeper into easy runs. Let’s explore more about not only why it’s important to get them right, but also how!  Read more >>

Categories: Training Basics
Tags: easy runs, recovery, recovery runs
Let’s Talk About Compression

Let’s Talk About Compression

Pesto Posted by Pesto on January 26, 2017 21 Comments

You’ve probably seen the calves of ultra and elite marathoners as well as recreational runners adorned with colorful, skin-tight, often footless sleeves. Maybe, like me, you’re already a fan and wear them yourself.

If, however, you’re a skeptic, you probably have some questions about compression gear. What is it good for? Is there any science to lend credibility to its proponents’ claims? Is it worth the often spendy price?

Read more >>

Categories: Injury & Prevention, Shoes and Gear
Tags: compression sleeves, recovery
SaltyValu Lounging: Because Sometimes You Have to Sit the F Around

SaltyValu Lounging: Because Sometimes You Have to Sit the F Around

Caraway Posted by Caraway on June 24, 2016 6 Comments

OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERA

Big news!!! Our first venture into merchandising was such a runaway success that we are branching out into lifestyle products!

By now you know that Salty Runners like to run, but did you know that sometimes Salty Runners just sit around? Sometimes by choice, sometimes not.

Here at Salty HQ, several of us have been sitting on our butts the last few weeks. We were bitching talking about this when suddenly a light bulb! Money-making scheme! There are 17 million products devoted to helping you be a better runner, but how many products are there devoted to keeping you off your feet? Not many! And so Salty Valu™ Lounging was born. Ways to spend money that help you Run As You Are, and Lounge Like You Mean It.

At Salty, we know there’s a growing need for a 5k2Couch, so we have FIVE new products launching soon! Here is a sneak preview just for you! Read more >>

Categories: Friday Fun
Tags: recovery, SaltyValu
How To Take A Cutback Week

How To Take A Cutback Week

Catnip Posted by Catnip on May 25, 2016 6 Comments

FullSizeRender (67)
Kick back during your cutback week!

Spring marathon season is coming to an end and many of us are already signing up for fall races and laying out our training plans! I don’t know about you, but I get excited when my coach’s training plan arrives loaded with solid chunks of mileage and challenging workouts. But I also like to look ahead to see when I might get a little break from the effort, the little break known as a cutback week that I look to as an oasis nestled in the weeks of tough training.

Sometimes called “down” or recovery weeks, cutbacks are weeks during which you reduce your training load. The intention of the down week is to allow some physical recovery while still continuing to train. Some coaches suggest cross-training to replace less running, but that defeats the purpose of taking rest time. During a cutback week, you can decrease your mileage, intensity or both. An extra day off running is another possibility.

Confused about how or when to incorporate cutback weeks into your training plan, particularly if you don’t have a coach to do it for you? I’ve got some tips and instructions for making sure you can train strong, plan rest weeks, and not burn out before race day!

Read more >>

Categories: Injury & Prevention, Training Basics
Tags: cutback weeks, recovery, rest
10 Minutes to Better Recovery

10 Minutes to Better Recovery

Barley Posted by Barley on April 14, 2016 9 Comments

imageWe can all breathe a sigh of relief that we have finally found the other side of winter, which means it’s peak training time for upcoming spring and early summer races. As our miles increase and the workouts become more specific, it becomes increasingly important that we keep up with those little extra recovery things we do, like core work and foam rolling, so it all comes together on race day.

Yes, those little extra recovery things that we need to do reach our goals. The baddish news is that spring tends to be a busier time for all of us as we all come out from hibernation and feel more human again. Cue marathon-training GUILT when, late in a marathon training cycle, we start feeling guilty for devoting so much time and energy to our running. The busy-ness of spring and marathon guilt are the perfect excuses to start skimping on all those little extra things … just as we need them the most! 

But recovery doesn’t need to add to your guilt or keep you from the other things you want to do. In fact, you can cram in enough recovery in only 10 minutes a day to be good to go.

That’s right! Just 10 minutes is all you need to recover well and take your training to the next level!
Read more >>

Categories: Injury & Prevention, Training Basics
Tags: recovery, time management
Basil’s Training Log – 2.14.16

Basil’s Training Log – 2.14.16

Basil Posted by Basil on February 15, 2016 2 Comments

IMG_9683My comeback trail is slippery, sloped and slow. But I’m on it.

I’m tempted to make useless comparisons, to shrug my shoulders and make light of a “long”run for the week that adds up to to the shortest of runs in training for my first marathon.

No one would blame me if I gave up, called myself a washed up old lady with uncooperative hips and resigned to a life of fun runs. I could conjure up plenty of legit excuses to stop caring about how fast I could go, to stop thinking about the next race I could run.  I could give up on becoming an elite version of myself.

Except I couldn’t.

I can’t.

I care.

I care about how fast I can go, and how much I can push, and what I can become.

This recovery from hip surgery has gone as well as I could have hoped. But it’s been slow, and I’ve been forced to start at mile one. The past two months have been nothing but boring mileage–no speed, no killer workouts, no impressive distances. I’m training through the unshiny in-between of recovery and racing, cautiously building a base of slow and tedious miles. I’m learning to appreciate these dull days, knowing it won’t be forever before I can bring out the polish in pursuit of a shiny PR.

This past week I hit 25 miles total, a huge milestone compared to the 6 total minutes of running I was allowed to do in my first week back. It still feels small. And I still feel slow. But I’m grateful for every mile.

Monday – 5 miles, took it slow and cautious as I was essentially running outside on an ice rink. Freezing rain, freezing rain, go away! Come again another day! (Doesn’t really have the same ring to it, does it?)

Tuesday– 5 miles on the treadmill. Too icy to risk it. Averaged 8:36, ran mile 3 at 8:00 just to give myself something new to work on. Felt decent.

Wednesday– Off.

Thursday– 4 miles on treadmill, easy pace. Lower back and hip on non-op side had been bothering me, couldn’t seem to shake it. Went to PT after, which did help a little.

Friday- 7 miles outside. This was my “long” run for the week. I ran it on icy trails, but less icy than earlier in the week. Was really slow due to ice and hills and being out of shape. Averaged around a 9:30 mile. But the good news–I felt really strong at the end. My non-op hip and back was still hurting a little, but other than that, I felt like I could have kept going.

Saturday– Off.

Sunday– 4 miles on the treadmill. Again, nice easy pace. Felt good overall. Post-op hip was a little sore, but nothing out of ordinary. Non-op hip and back seemed to feel much better.

Total – 25 miles!

 

Categories: Training Logs
Tags: Basil training logs, Hip surgery, recovery

Basil’s Recovery Log – 1.17.16

Basil Posted by Basil on January 18, 2016 1 Comment

It’s been 4 months since my hip surgery, and 6 weeks since I was cleared to get off the couch and “run”. If I had a mile for every time my PT and surgeon advised me to take it “very slow” and be “very cautious”, I’d be in shape for an ultra by now. But slow and cautious I have been, and it has paid off in the form of nearly 16 miles this week and no set-backs!

I’m not allowed to run outside yet, although I’m planning to plead my case for outside privileges at my next appointment with the medical professionals who have been bossing me around since September. The treadmill has its place, but I’d prefer it return to its previous station in my life–the last resort.

In the past two weeks, I was able to add in two days of back-to-back running without any issue. And my latest run totaled 3.5 pain free miles without walk breaks. I’ve resolved to be kind to myself and resist the temptation to call my training mean names like lame, slow or pathetic. This is a bully free running zone! No minimizing progress or comparing treadmill speeds to the lady next to you (or to the lady you were last year)!

Here’s the skinny on the last two weeks:

Jan 4th – 10th – 12 miles total

Monday – 2.8 miles easy

Tuesday – 45 min elliptical

Wednesday – 3.1 miles easy

Thursday – 3 miles easy

Friday – off

Saturday – 3 miles easy

Sunday – off

Jan 11th – 17th – 16 miles total

Monday – 3.5 miles easy

Tuesday – 3.3 miles easy

Wednesday – off

Thursday – 2.9 miles easy

Friday – 3.0 miles easy (8:23 pace) – This was my first run not on a treadmill. Ran at the indoor track, which was fun and “fast” compared to treadmill!

Saturday – off

Sunday – 3.5 miles easy on the treadmill, followed by an hour practicing XC skate skiing. My technique is still pretty awful, especially up hills. But I can see it being a great cross training activity, especially when my running mileage is limited.

Categories: Training Logs
Tags: Basil training logs, Hip surgery, recovery

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