5 miles...wait?...yep, 5 miles....

5 miles!

I haven't done 5 miles in months! But I did it this morning! It was rough...there was sweat (ALOT of it)...there was some hip tightness, there was some shuffling toward the end...but it happened! Obviously, it is pointless to say that humidity played somewhat of a factor (It's SUMMER!)...but I wanted to get the run out of the way before Power Pump class this morning. I decided to forgo the group run today...I just couldn't take the ADEQ route again. I think we've been there at least 3 times in the last 2 months and mentally, I wasn't up for that. I ran in my neighborhood, downtown, over into Little Rock and back. I was dripping in sweat, but I felt like I really accomplished something!

PT graduation has been postponed...mostly due to my overdoing it last week on the workouts. I think the Plyometrics does it to me EVERY time. I'm thinking that maybe I'm just not warmed up enough when I start doing all those drills and jump-squats...sigh...Yesterday's PT was HARD...every exercise felt hard and I felt like I had regressed. I definitely need to be more diligent about doing them at home, at least every other day. I can't go to PT forever! The financial part alone, is about to make me HAVE to quit. I'm hoping that I only have a few more sessions and I'm learning my limits.

On a good note, I busted out my new pair of running kicks (my New Balance 1224's) this morning and they felt WONDERFUL! And I also have a new pair of Brooks Adrenaline's that I will be wearing for my other workouts.....Sigh...new shoes are IT!

Sluggish day.....

Not much new in my running world...I ran 4 miles this morning with the LRM Group. I was debating on whether to run because my hip was a bit sore and tight last night. I did some of my PT exercises and stretches, iced it, and slapped several SalonPas patches on, to wear overnight. I think it helped, because it felt pretty decent this morning. The first few miles went well, but that last mile was killer hard for some reason. I didn't really have much discomfort in the hip, just felt sluggish. I didn't feel like it was overly hot or humid, compared to the last few days...but nevertheless, it was tough. Of course, I went to my Power Pump class and was able to finish, but felt sluggish there too. Not sure if it was not enough food and/or water this morning, or just being in need of more rest..or a combination of both. I may take tomorrow as a rest day too.

Yesterday was SUPPOSED to be my PT "graduation", but I think I did too much this week and made my hip sore. Hopefully, only one or 2 more sessions. Darby added another exercise and did active release again...which HURTS when it's being done, but after...oh so much better! I guess I have been extremely hard-headed about my exercising..I guess because I couldn't do a lot of it for so long and I'm glad to be back..but it definitely leads me to overdoing it. This week I did:

Monday- Boot camp type class and ran
Tuesday-Power Pump (weights)
Wednesday-Sculpt and ran
Thursday-Ran
Friday-rest day
Today-ran and Power Pump

It might not have been so bad, but that class on Monday kicked my a** and I was sore all week. EVERYTHING hurt...when I woke up the next morning, I was convinced I had the flu. Nope, just that dang class! I can only handle it once a week or less, it just ruins me for everything else, especially my running! I am on a loose schedule, training for the Soaring Wings Half Marathon in October. Right now, I'm trying to regularly get in 4 days a week of running and trying to build up the endurance. I'm between running/ walking 6:1 and 7:1...it's slowly improving. On the shoe front, I think I need to bust out a new pair. I'm starting to get a little knee pain when I run and that usually signals "it's time". I have started dating my shoes so I know when to change them, but my running has been so sporadic and so many fewer miles, that it's been hard to tell when to change pairs. I wasn't keeping track of my mileage for a while, just trying to run for time.

I want to get back on my spin bike soon. I miss it and I keep seeing all these tri's going on everywhere and I am getting the "itch" again!

I am HOT...in a sweaty kinda way....

It's not officially summer, but that does not stop Arkansas from busting out the 90 degree heat, 70 dew point,and 51% humidity to welcome me back to running! Time to break out my FAVORITE...the visor...to avoid the usual burning this time of year..and for those of you that know me...you know that I HATE visors and was being facetious in saying that...The good thing is that I scored a "cute" one (as cute as a visor CAN be) at the Runner's Roost in Colorado when I was there....

I officially have 2 more PT appointments and then I graduate! YIPPIE! I'm sure that I will probably have to continue my exercises, even after PT is over...but hey, I can can do my exercises at home FOR FREE! It is so encouraging to see such an improvement! I am back to enjoying my Sculpt classes twice a week, weight lifting twice a week, and running at least 3 times a week, soon to be 4. The runs, in general, seem to be getting better and I am trying to focus on building my time, and not worrying about my speed. Tom, "coach" of the LRM running group, has helped me put together a very conservative schedule for my planned half-marathon in October. I hope to also gradually work my way back onto my spinning bike...ahh....never so thankful to sweat...

I'm Baaaaaaaack....

Well...it's been a WHILE since my last post! I can't believe it's already the middle of May...I have really been dreading the hot weather coming our way...summer is my least favorite season, but I'm sure the summer will go as fast as the rest of the year has been going, so maybe it won't be so bad!?! Cool weather will be here before I know it! And even though I am only just now getting out my summer clothes, it won't be long before I am dragging back out all those layers...Sigh...a girl can dream, right?

I am happy to say that I am back in the running world! It has been a long, SLOW process for sure. I wasn't able to consistently run the mileage or even think about doing speed work, so I was unable to do the WCR Clinic this year. I am still going to PT, but was informed yesterday (GRATEFULLY) that I only have a few more sessions before I "graduate"! I'm excited...not only because I am having so many pain-free days and am able to get back into the things I love to do...but because I will be free from the expensive $75 a session and the 2-3 hour chunk of time, twice a week! I am still doing the walk/run thing, and probably will be for a while, but I am up to 4.5 miles now and it has been a LONG time since I have been able to do that! I have also been able to go back to Sculpt class at the gym and this week is the first week I have been able to ride my spin bike, virtually pain-free! I can't say how good it feels to be back!

In other news, about 2 weeks ago, I was able to take a short vacay to Colorado and stay with my good friend Kristen, whom I hadn't seen in about 3 years. She lives in Lakewood, just outside Denver, and it was a great visit. I flew up there on a Thursday, courtesy of my little brother, who bought me a plane ticket with his frequent flyer miles! It was a huge relief, as I was NOT looking forward to the 14-15 hour drive. I picked up a rental car at the airport and after getting lost for a while, finally made it to Kristen's house. We spent some time catching up, amidst shopping at REI and Vitamin Cottage, followed by an AWESOME dinner at Watercourse Foods. I love that Denver has some great Vegetarian options, and if you are ever if the area, you have GOT to try this place! The following morning, Kristen and I awoke to a wonderland of whiteness, as it had snowed overnight and was starting to come down hard! We were supposed to drive to Estes Park that day for a weekend conference....Once the plow made it through, we were ok and it melted pretty fast. On the way to Estes, Kristen took me through Boulder and I seriously fell in love...

We hit up the World Market...I HAD to get my licorice Altoids..and were on our way to Estes. Of course, it started snowing crazy-hard, luckily we were behind a plow that, although it was slow, made the roads easy to drive on. We stayed at the YMCA Conference Center and it was bare-minimum basic, but pretty and clean. Kristen made me immediately check for bedbugs upon arrival and yay, no bugs! hehe....The Conference itself was pretty good. The focus was "The Centrality of the Cross" and was sponsored by the Association of Exchanged Life Ministries. I got some great resources for Bible study too. We had some free time on Saturday and Kristen wanted to take me to the Rocky Mountain National Park, since it was free that weekend, in honor of National Parks week. It was awesome...beautiful views, lots of elk grazing along the road...we snow hiked up to Nymph Lake and it was totally frozen over, people were hiking on it..

Sunday afternoon we headed back, but not before another stop in "The People's Republic of Boulder", as Kristen calls it..hehe...we did some looking around at the outdoor mall and hit up some awesome stores..Patagonia, Outdoor Divas, and several ethnic stores with imported goods. Boulder apparently has a large population of Nepalese people..Boulder was having it's Earth Day festival that day, so there were tons of booths, food, live music...and "hippie" people walking around. I don't know what it is, but I have always felt at home in that kind of environment...I guess maybe I am a hippie at heart? We tried a Vegan place called VG Foods and it was ok..I was expecting a bit more, and although my tempeh burger wasn't bad, it was overpriced and had no sides.

The rest of my visit included some great runs near Kristen's neighborhood and some trail hikes in the surrounding areas. We went to a great Nepalese restaurant in Golden..I did some looking around at thrift stores and the biggest Whole Foods I have ever seen! Kristen also took me to the Red Rock outdoor theater, the triceritops trail to see some dinosaur fossils, and the human body exhibit at the Museum of Nature and Science. I got to meet up with my cousin and stay with her one night and catch up. The trip was the perfect mix of sight-seeing, down time, catching up, and exploring. I had a bit of an issue with the altitude the first 2 days I was there...headache, fatigue..but it gradually got better with time and LOTS of water. The running stores in Denver are AWESOME and the running community is huge. If you ever get to Denver, go to The Runner's Roost and The Boulder Running Company. Both had an excellent selection, but my favorite was the Runner's Roost. The people were very down to earth and unpretentious, and their clearance table was awesome! I would love to go back to Colorado in June for the bluegrass festival....

There you have it...an update of sorts. As far as my running goes, I am trucking along and trying to stay realistic about my progress. I'm so thankful to be out there again, but it's hard not to be able to do the races I wanted to do this year. I think the Tupelo 14 miler is out this year, sad to say. I keep telling myself that taking my time will help me in the long run. I don't want to hinder my progress or hurt myself again, all for the sake of being able to do a race. I am sad that some of my friendships that seemed to come about through running seem pretty much non-exisitant, now that I can't do what I used to...but I guess I need to just accept that and move on. It hurts not to be included, but I don't want to hold people back. Thanks to those of you in Blogland who have been encouraging!

Quick update...

Not much to add lately...I am about to go to my next PT appt. Sadly, I think it's going to take more PT than I hoped to get myself "fixed up", if you will, but the good news is that I am having more pain free days and am able to actually squat...in my daily life and in weight lifting. I have been working on my upper body strength and that has improved, but I am still not able to use that much weight for squats or lunges...baby steps, baby steps...

The last run I attempted was several days ago and it didn't go very well...my hips were more sore than expected, my right IT Band was acting up and overall, I felt crappy. I tried to go after work and the weather was rather warm. I think I was a bit dehydrated from not being able to drink much water that day, and I just felt like a limp noodle! I hope to attempt it again this week.

Skip and Kim are running the Capital City Classic this coming weekend. I did that race last year and I'm sad that I can't do it again this year. I thought about signing up anyway, but I haven't even WALKED 6 miles in the past few months...best to wait, I think. I'm hoping to do a 5k in May and definitely not for speed. I will be out of town this year for the Catholic High Rocket City 5k....boo...but maybe this year I can do the Dino Dash? It's pretty hilly, so I will see...Off to PT!

PT! PT! PT!

Well, it is def time for an update!

Good news folks: I am going to PT!

It all started with the LR Marathon Expo....I ended up going to the Expo with Skip (aka Cheryl) and Kim...(1) in support of them, (2) to check out all the latest cool running stuff, (3) to meet a new pal Jamie, whom I met via the blogging world. My friend and fellow hip-pain sufferer, Kelli, was there volunteering with packet pick up. Cheryl and Kim immediately went to pick up their packets and Kelli told me about a booth at the expo for a clinic called Innovative Spine Rehab. Well...I would have walked right by the booth, mostly based on the name, but she showed me the brochure she picked up and it said that they specialize in knee and hip problems too. Not only that, but there was a coupon inside for a FREE, yes folks you read that right..a FREE CONSULTATION. Well...needless to say, I hightailed it over there! Darby, the PT, asked about my problems/issues and said that I should call Monday to set up my appt. He said he would get me in within 48 hours of my call! I was EXCITED!

Of course, I called upon the clinic opening on Monday morning and was scheduled for an appt. on Wednesday morning! Wednesday morning came and I was excited but apprehensive..what if he couldn't do anything for me? It was the last thing I knew to do and I was worried...He, of course, did a series of tests in flexibility, alignment, etc. and told me that if it truly was a muscular issue, I would greatly benefit from 3-4 weeks of PT. Verdict: VERY WEAK HIPS. What surprised me most was that he didn't just say "here's what's wrong with you.." and push me out the door. He actually treated me that day, at no charge! He did Ultrasound, stem, exercises and ice. I was there for about 2 hours! Finally...HOPE on the horizon...I could immediately tell a difference in the tightness I had been feeling.

Now to the financial part of things...I was worried (yes, I'm a big worrier) that I wouldn't be able to afford the sessions at $75 each. Unfortunately, my insurance company would not pay until I met my deductible and because the PT clinic was "out of network", if I used them, they would double my deductible before they paid anything!!! Nothing short of HIGHWAY ROBBERY! Liz, an office manager, said that she would "work with me" on the fees and as long as I paid a little each visit, I would be okay...kind of like the old days of having a "tab" there...This was even better than having to put my therapy on my credit card!! I have had 3 sessions so far and I can't believe how weak my hips are!! But I am hopeful that I am on the road to recovery!! I can tell a difference, in general, in my flexibility and can now squat and lift my legs a little toward my chest. He hasn't banned me from running and I hope to get back to it soon...man, I MISS it! He did tell me not to run this weekend ( I had a strenuous workout yesterday) and I was glad I didn't try it (although, I thought about it) cause I am really sore! But, it's a good sore, not the usual "catch" feeling and tightness. I will ice today to help that, and my next appt. is on Monday! I am so thankful that I have been able to go. I really feel like God provided for my needs here and that means everything...especially since I have been feeling so hopeless and depressed. Thank you to everyone who has encouraged me to hang in there and helped me keep things in perspective!!!!

Back to the expo...I met a great gal named Jamie!! We have been emailing back and forth for a few months after "meeting" via blogland. We don't know each other that well, but it was like running into an old friend when we met... SUPER encouraging, she has been praying for me and sending me uplifting emails for a while! Jamie, you are a lifesaver! I hope we can bond soon in person! The day of the marathon was, like I said, bittersweet...but it was fun cheering on all the runners with my sign "Good Luck Runners"...the same sign a friend made for me last year when I ran the race!..People loved it...even though I spilled coffee on it that morning and there was a big brown trickle down the front...haha..

I hope that I will have more positive results to report in the days to come. I'm keeping my expectations light...After I started feeling a little better, I started to imagine all the races I wanted to do..I had to reign myself in, cause I was putting pressure on myself. I would like to build up a good base, so I can start training this fall with the LRM group again to do the Hobbittom Challenge and LR Marathon next year in March. Not worried about speed, just wanting to run, PERIOD!

This is getting old...........

I wish I could say that a lot has changed and that I am running and exercising up a storm...but alas, that is no where near reality!

About 10 days ago I finally got an appt with my Ortho MD and he confirmed MY diagnosis of hip flexor strain/tendinitis...I swear, I should be my own MD....Anyway, he pretty much said "If it hurts, don't do it..." and didn't ban me from running, although he did prohibit cycling, which he believes was the culprit this time. I asked about steroids and PT and he was agreeable to both. I am NOT one to push medications if I can avoid it, but I have been on NSAIDS for a month with no noticeable results, so I was hoping that steroids would decrease the inflammation long enough to start the healing and I would be able to start stretching/exercises that would help me bounce back. Well, I got my steroids without much problem...but the PT, that was another story...Basically, down to brass tacks, I can't afford it. I haven't met any of my health insurance deductible for this year and would have to pay totally out of pocket for all of it. The first visit alone, the assessment, is between $250 and $300...too rich for my blood!

Now, 10 days later...I am fatter and sleep deprived, but the steroids don't seem to have helped at all. As a matter of fact, my hip has hurt worse this week than the past few weeks combined. I'm not sure if I pulled it again or what...but I am about to pull my hair out! The Doc did do an x-ray, nothing spectacular there..and suggested that an MRI might be more definitive but didn't feel that it was especially necessary at this point. Kelli, my fellow running pal and hip pain sufferer, had a mini Ortho massage last week and said that it really seemed to help her. I am now contemplating the same thing. I have a recommendation from a fellow runner that swears by the guy she sees...I asked a PT friend at work if he thought it might benefit me, and he said it could help, as long as I don't get a deep tissue massage, which, in his words, "basically bruises you up on the inside!"....The suggested massage guy only takes appointments by recommendation and an hour and a half massage is $85..we'll see....

Today is the beginning of the Women Can Run Clinic in Cabot and I am signed up...I really thought that by now I would be ready for it...but I am wondering if I will even be able to do it at all... I haven't run in over a week, since my hip has been hurting worse...but I guess I can walk for now and get some sort of exercise...Sigh...There was hope on the horizon in telling myself that this whole thing was temporary and that I would be able to exercise again...but....I am helpless as to how long it takes for my body to heal and, aside from the massage, I've done all I know to do. I guess it could be worse, and I'm thankful it's not...but I REALLY miss being active. This next weekend is the Little Rock Marathon and it is definitely bittersweet...I was really wanting to do the Half and am relegated to being on the sidelines. Don't get me wrong, I love cheering on my running pals and I definitely have a lot of friends doing the race...I miss being out there myself...I miss the good kind of soreness from a great workout, working up a good sweat, and the time with friends that share the same activities.

Not to moan and groan, folks....but this is getting OLD!