A little spa time

I think I may have jinxed myself. Only a few days after blogging about how Glucosamine saved my life, my hip started hurting again. Same hip, different pain.

I feel like I have pulled a muscle or have a terrible bruise on the top, outside part of my hip. There was no trauma to the site, but it hurts when walking, running, stretching side to side, and trying to sleep on my right side.

So instead of hitting the gym tonight, I opted to hit the spa instead! I don't get massages very often when I'm training, but I know I should. I figured a day off and a little TLC couldn't hurt. But it did. I hate getting massages when the therapist tries to work out a spot that already hurts. I know it is for the greater good, but ouch! And definitely not a relaxing experience!

I know have soreness all down my outer thigh. I suspect I will have bruises in the next few days. Let's just hope all the pain helps cure the pain!!!

Miles logged: 0

The Wonders of Glucosamine

Running has really hurt my body. I'm not sure if I suffer from "too much too fast" syndrome or if I just have a weak body! But I have suffered some pretty rough injuries in the short time I've been running. I have dealt with a stress fracture in my foot-of which I ran a half marathon with, so I know I am badass! I've had crippling knee pain that turned out to be IT band syndrome. I've also had to nurse myself through cartilage damage in my right hip. The pain in my hip started 3 days before the first half marathon I ran. It originally felt like a tight or pulled hip flexor. I thought I might be having sympathy pains for my friend who was dealing with a bone spur in her hip. Weeks after the race, I was still in a ton of pain, so I finally broke down and went to the doctor. He thought I had developed a stress fracture in my pelvis (treatable by at least 8 weeks on crutches) and sent me for an MRI. The good news was that I didn't have a stress fracture, but I had cartilage damage in my hip. Unfortunately, the MRI couldn't show the extent of the damage, I would need a second one with dye injected into my hip. I decided against this test, figuring I had enough radiation and would try other methods of treatment instead of PT and surgery. I stopped running for a few weeks and started taking Flexamin, a blend of Glucosamine and Chondroitin. I saw a little improvement in my pain, but once I started running again, it was back. I did a bunch of research to see if I could OD on Flexamin and found that it was probably the wrong mix of supplements to help me. I learned that young athletes (at 31, I feel I fall into this category), should take higher doses of Glucosamine and do not need the Chondroitin. Also, there is a different variety of Glucosamine that I should have been taking, vs what is in most supplements you buy at the drug store. I have been taking 2000 mg of Glucosamine Sulfate and have virtually cured my prior hip pain. There are still days when it hurts, but I would say I'm 99% improved from where I was 6 months ago. And I owe it all to Glucosamine. If you are a runner, consider taking it daily. Miles logged: 11

The Run at "Nutria Park"

Since the weather has turned nice, we decided to run outside this evening at a near the office. I have named this park "Nutria Park." I will not be running at Nutria Park ever again. I am from Louisiana, but I have never seen so many nutria in one place in my life.

I affectionately call nutria swamp rats, because that is what they are, giant hairy rats with fur. They have the same nasty hairless rat tail too. Due to their destructive nature to the swamps of Louisiana and the uncontrolled populations, there used to be a bounty on nutria. If only this bounty was in effect at Nutria Park. We must have seen 10 different nutria during our 40 minute run, adults, babies, swimming...

All of the nutria excitement definitely distracted me from the run and the almost 4 miles just flew by!

The welcoming sign at Nutria Park

Disgusting adult nutria

In addition to nasty nutria, there was this creepy goose.

Miles logged: 3.75

Running on Fair Day

Running has taught me many things: I can do it if I put my mind to it, pain is overrated, and self control, among others. Today I practiced self control. I live in the stunning metropolis of Dallas, and every Fall, the State Fair of Texas parks itself in our backyard. I make a pilgrimage to the Fair every year to partake in a fried food bonanza. I leave the Fair every year sick to my stomach, regretting all of the delicious fried goodness I ate. I usually lay on the couch until it is late enough for me to crawl into bed where I toss and turn and groan all night. Fair day is a great day! This year, Fair day fell on a running day. While I didn't walk around all day worried about my food choices, I subconsciously limited my fried food intake. I had the fried cheese curds (one of my faves), the fried buffalo chicken in a flapjack (disappointing, threw half of it away in the trash), and only had bites of everything else fried: peanut butter and jelly sandwich, Hostess Ding Dong, Hostess Twinkie, green bean, funnel cake, and s'mores. I didn't even drink a beer this year. And I came home tonight and ran 4 miles at a pretty good pace. Finished in 42 minutes even. I guess that means a fried Twinkie is better fuel than a just a regular Twinkie! Miles logged: 4

World's Best Hangover Cure?

I know it sounds crazy, but the best cure for a hangover is a long run. If you can somehow drag your overtired, achy, slow-moving body out of bed, put on your running clothes and get yourself outside, you will feel amazing. I've used this as a cure multiple times, after a bachelorette party, wine tasting, you name it, I've ran after it. Unfortunately today, I did not go for a run and spent half the day laying around and feeling like crap after my dad's 60th birthday party. Instead of running, we got up early to do this...

Happy birthday Dad!!!

Miles logged: 0

A word on demotivation

What motivates you and gets you moving is just as important to know as what does the opposite. I learned today what is a demotivating force for my running. Watching your team get spanked in the ACLS finals. I'm not a die hard Rangers fan, but I do support them and have really gotten into the playoffs this year. They are one win away from going to the World Series again this year and the game was in progress when I got to the gym. I normally don't pay attention to the TVs at the gym. But today I specifically picked a treadmill in front of a tv with the Rangers game on. It was tied at 3. And it was exciting and distracting until they started losing, and badly. When they went down by 4 runs, it started hurting. And that damn TV was right in front of my face and hard to look away from. I had two bad options for distractions, the treadmill screen that slowly ticks down the miles, or the pathetic Rangers game. I tried to look at my feet instead. Needless to say, finishing the run was difficult, but I did it. Go Rangers! Miles logged: 3.5

Death of aqua sox: pair #1

I stopped running in traditional athletic shoes almost 6 months ago. After being plagued with injuries (stress fracture in my foot and cartilage damage in my hip), I bought a pair of Wal-Mart, $7, aqua sox. You know, the kind people with fanny packs wear to the beach. Except, I wear them running.

Today, I had to retire my first and favorite pair of aqua sox. They have seen me through over 200 miles of training, a half marathon, a 10k, a major trip and fall, and hours and hours of running bliss. I will miss you dear old aqua sox. Thank goodness I found 5 more pairs of you on clearance...

Miles logged:8

Running Paraphrenelia

I love running gadgets. If it claims to make me run longer, faster, or with less pain, I'm willing to try it!

My husband is a minimalist runner. He runs in shorts and sunscreen. No shoes, no iPod, no athletic tape.

I, on the other hand am decked out, head to toe, with equipment that I think makes me a better runner. Starting with my fave aqua sox and extra padded non-cotton socks, I sometimes wear KT tape on my ankles when they hurt. I'm a sucker for compression tights; I don't actually think these live up to any of the claims of helping prevent muscle fatigue, but I like that they don't ride up like traditional shorts do when my thighs rub together. TMI, I know.

You won't every catch me running without my water/utility belt. I can't make it through a 3 miler without this thing on. It carries a 24 ounce bottle of Cytomax or Zipfizz and has a zippered pouch to carry chapstick, keys, snacks and my cell phone. I'm not in love with this belt, but it does the job. I really need something that can carry more liquid. I also have some difficulties with getting items out of the pouch. Today, for example, I smashed my cell phone when it slipped out of my hands trying to get it out of the pouch. And when I say smashed, I'm not exaggerating. It fell on the concrete, my running buddy kicked it, and the phone, the battery, and the back all flew in different directions. This was bad on a number of levels. First, we had to stop to recover the pieces (thank goodness we found them all and the phone was shockingly unharmed). Second, it stopped my fitness app that was tracking our mileage and speed. Thankfully we had already passed the halfway point and had turned around to come back. Anyhow, back to the belt. It serves as a good place to clip my iPod Shuffle, which I use with headsets custom fit to my ears.

Topped off with a dri-fit hat, sunglasses, and at least SPF 50, you have my standard running outfit!

Miles logged: 9

A Word on Motivation

One thing that I don't understand is slacking off during a workout. Don't get me wrong, I'm not always into my run. Sometimes it takes everything I have to get through my run, but if I've made it to the gym, then I'm finishing my run.

At the gym this evening there was a woman on the treadmill next to me who spent more time standing on the edges of the treadmill than she did walking on it. She stopped to get a sip of water, to use a towel to pat her perspiration dry, to adjust her speed or her incline. I just don't see the point.

Find a song, a quote, a person to motivate you to get through your workout. Listen to that song over and over and over until you finish, or you get a second (or first) wind to push through!

Miles logged: 3.5

The New Running Superfood!

When I first started running someone told me that I needed to eat about 100 calories every hour or so. I think it was a salesman at RunOn who was trying to sell me shoes, but I believed him. I still don't know if I need to, but I do. I've tried most of what is in the mainstream marketplace for quick energy: goos (the most disgusting thing I've ever put in my mouth), fruit chews, and jelly beans (my personal fave).

I've always been partial to the energy jelly beans. They taste good, are easy to chew and digest, and some even have caffeine. I won't claim to have ever felt an energy boost from these, but I know there is no way I could get through a half marathon without them.

I work for a popular snack cake company and while training with coworkers, have on many occasions suggested we switch our our Sport Beans for Twinkies. How great would that be--we could MacGyver a Twinkie holder to our waterbelt and have the best tasting snack during a run!

After many months of talking about it, I finally did it! I used an elastic arm band from a now defunct iPod holder, wrapped it around the Twinkie and Velcro-ed it to my belt. This method didn't squish the Twinkie and wasn't in the way at all; I did receive some weird looks in the park from other runners, though. I can only imagine what they thought about me and my Twinkie!!

About to take a bite of a Twinkie at mile 6!

So, how was it? Delicious, of course, but a tad difficult to eat. I inhaled the first bite, literally. Breathing heavily and chomping down on snack cake is a skill that will need to be honed. I did squish it in my hand a bit (I had handled it delicately for 6 miles, then boom, I turned into a 5 year old!), and it made me a little thirstier than usual. 

Will I try it again? Heck yea!

Miles logged: 8