Run, Run Rudolph

You may have noticed that there have been a lack of running posts on my blog lately. You could conclude that there has been a lack of running on my part. You would be right.

After the marathon, I took a full 2 weeks off from running and then got back out there. I ran once or twice during the week, and then ran 8 mile long runs with the running club on Sundays. I really wanted to keep my running levels up over the Winter, so it wouldn't be so difficult to get into good shape for the Spring racing season. (Totally off subject, but does anyone know the rules on the capitalization of seasons? Laura, Annie, Mom, I'm looking at you. )

However, it got cold and it got dark. I got busy and super unmotivated to run. And without an upcoming race to train for, it was easier than I would have liked to just drop it altogether.

My typical reaction to this is to feel really guilty. But I love running and I don't want it to be something I dread. I decided to give my mind & body a little rest from the rigors of training.

In the meantime, I finally went and saw a physical therapist about my knee pain. And let me tell you, IT WAS AWESOME.

I'll just start by saying that this was my experience and what (so far) has worked for me. If you are experiencing pain from running, I suggest you seek out the advice of a professional...which is NOT me.

Ok. So about my therapy. I went to see John Macy, as recommended by a friend at running club. I loved that I got a first-hand recommendation. Plus, John is a runner himself, so I knew he'd understand how important it was to me to continue participating in this sport (something I worried other physical therapists might write off as "trivial" compared to the health of my knees.)

During the initial evaluation, John was able to determine that I have a twist in my pelvis, as well as a counter-balancing twist in my torso. (I was looking a little wonky around mile 18, wouldn't you say?)

As John put it, oftentimes where you feel the pain isn't where the problem is. If my hip isn't doing it's fair share of the work, it's not going to scream about it, the piece picking up the extra workload (my knee) is going to! My left hip was not rotating as it should, so there was lots of strain on my left knee. After 20+ miles of running, it's no wonder that this caused pain and swelling.

This is not something that is permanent or unusual. Humans typically have a dominant hand and foot, so it is easy to become unbalanced. The trick is to re-teach your body how to work properly and unlearn bad habits.

After some stretching and realigning, I was shown 3 exercises that I was prescribed to do once or twice a day for a couple of weeks. I will then go back to be reevaluated and get a long-term plan put in place. I love that he is providing a solution that I can use going forward...that doesn't involve an appointment every 2 weeks!

My exercises focus on the muscles used to rotate my left hip. This is mainly the left inner thigh, but also the right glutes, abs, and two smaller muscles. What I thought was interesting was that my exercises are not necessarily going to make me much stronger. Lying on the floor squeezing my knees together, although difficult, isn't as taxing as say, running or lifting weights. However, I am sore and that soreness is supposed to trigger a neurological connection between these muscles and everyday movements, like walking and climbing stairs. It's supposed to help my body and mind relearn what muscles should be used to move my body naturally, as opposed to the crazy over-compensating that I was doing because my hip didn't rotate correctly. Crazy, right?!

Anyway, I totally buy it and think it makes a lot of sense. And I found it fascinating how easy it was to prove that my body was not balanced...he showed me how both of my knees turn right, but not left, how my right arm can go over my head easily, but not my left, and how I can bring my right knee up in a marching position much higher than my left.

I kept exclaiming, "This is so cool!" and he laughed and said, "It's just mechanics!" I like that it made sense to me. Physics is by far my favorite Science. It just "clicks" way more than Biology or (gag) Chemistry.

So, where does that leave my running? Well, I'm not back at it yet (being sick was a major setback), but I hope to pick it up again soon. I have registered for 2 races, including the Lincoln Half Marathon on May 1st (woooohoooo!!!), so I'll be working on a training plan this weekend. Once my cough is completely gone, I'll start testing how much fitness I have left and hopefully won't be completely discouraged. Improving is half the fun, right?!

To keep me motivated, I get to play with tons of awesome running gear that I got for Christmas! I don't usually make Christmas lists, but this year it TOTALLY paid off. I got everything that I asked for...and more!

My brother brought me his hydration belt that he doesn't use anymore. I was hesitant to shell out the $ for one of these without knowing if I liked it or not, so I was stoked to inherit his.

One thing I asked for was a seat cover for my car. I get SUPER sweaty when I run, so keep a towel in my car to sit on on my way home from running club. This seat cover slips right over the head rest, stays in place, and is machine washable!

I also asked for a Road ID, and Laura got me a gift certificate so I can pick out/personalize my own!

And as I showed you before, my Mom got me a sneakers Christmas ornament to commemorate my marathon.

Katie came up with the rest of this gear on her own. She found some really cool items that I hadn't even heard of before! First are some athletic sunglasses that don't fog up, which are awesome. I had been using some cheap-o ones from Target that I constantly had to wipe clean to see through. Plus, there are exchangeable lens so they can be used in any kind of light...bright sun vs bright clouds vs snow etc.

The "feet" are filled with cedar chips and are for putting in your sneakers to soak up moisture after a wet run. I had been using newspaper, so this will smell much better.

She also found some athletic bath salts that contain minerals which have restorative properties. And the shower wipes and shoe pocket made great stocking stuffers!

Hopefully using my new toys and newly realigned hip will get me motivated to get out there and run. I really miss it!