Runner's Knee

Last Saturday I did Day Three of week three of the Couch to 5K program. I was running (no pun intended) behind on what day I did day three on so I didn't skip any days before I did Day One of week four - on Sunday.


So, when my knees started aching right after the run, I thought that was the reason. They still hurt on Monday - my right knee in particular - and I still didn't think a lot about it. But I sent an instant message to SCG at work and told him about it. I totally expected a smart ass response from him so was kind of surprised when he seemed all concerned and started asking me all sorts of questions about what kind of shoes I had and telling me I might need a pronated shoe. He mentioned a runner's repair manual book that he had and said he was going to look up my symptoms and let me know what he found out. I thought his concern was very sweet but I was seriously wishing I hadn't said anything by the time the whole instant messaging was over with because I honestly thought the pain was a direct result of running two days in a row.

Okay, so Tuesday my knees were feeling a lot better and I went out for another run. I took Brewsky with me (my dog, not an alcoholic beverage :) ). (Harley had been the dog I'd run with on Sunday - Max was Saturday.) We were doing good with the five minute brisk walk - and then we were told to run. I took about two steps at a run and knew it wasn't happening. But I tried anyway. I probably ran for less than twenty seconds when I decided that the best thing I could do was go back home and call it a day, which I hated doing.

The next two days my knees (right one in particular) hurt bad enough that I was seriously considering emailing the marathon coordinator and taking her up on her offer to refund my money (long story but apparently they will make an exception to their "no refunds, no exceptions" rule - I'll leave it at that). But I wanted to give it a little longer. Friday I didn't run. No real excuse but I'll just say I was tired and it was cold.

Then came yesterday. I had lunch with SCG and his wife (Mrs. SCG). He'd brought his runner's repair manual book with him and started asking questions about the pain I'd been experiencing. I told him where it had started and where it had moved to. He flips right to a page and says, "I think you have runner's knee." Uh, okay. He starts reading the symptoms, which involve swelling of the knee. "There's been no swelling," I tell him. "Hurts on the inner side of the leg," he goes on. "No, it's hurt on the outer side of the leg," I reply. He reads a few more symptoms that don't apply and closes the book with purpose, declaring - again - that I have runner's knee. I just gave him a smile that said "good boy, now shut up" and continued a conversation with his wife. We finished lunch and before we left he tells me how I need to "treat" my "runner's knee". I thank him for the tips and we part company.

So, last night, I decide to try running again. My knees feel pretty good and I don't want to get behind on the program if I don't have to. But, I'm fully prepared to come back home if I can't handle it. It was Max's turn again so I clipped on the leash and headed out the door (after at least ten minutes of fighting Harley and Brewsky to keep them INSIDE the door).

We weren't two houses down when I realized that I'd forgotten to put on Max's Halti - same as I had last Saturday. I think I may have discovered the problem. Don't think it had anything to do with running two days in a row and everything to do with being drug around the neighborhood.



I was fine last night, today I can feel it. The Halti - don't leave home without it!

Running in the rain

I wasn't going to post about my experience running last night because I mentioned it over on Fat Chicks Running but well...

I didn't run Sunday because I just had other things I wanted/needed to do (like read a book - The Fidelity Files lived up to its trailer, in case you were wondering :) ). So, that meant I really had to run last night - even though it was raining.

It didn't seem to be raining that hard when I left with Max but I didn't get far before I decided that I couldn't really run with a wet dog so I took him back home and took back off. I was probably at the furtherest point from my house - and running - when I heard a horn honk. My first thought was to run through the names of people I know in the neighborhood and wonder which one of them had discovered me running through the neighborhood. You see, I'm pretty sure my running isn't a pretty sight and I don't mind so much being seen by people I don't know but I don't want to be "caught" running by people I do know. So I was dreading looking over to see which one of my "friends/neighbors" was seeing the sight.

Turns out it wasn't anyone I knew at all. It was just some random man who saw my running - my training running, if you will - and thought I was attempting to run home because it was raining, instead of training in spite of the rain. He said (and followed it up with the ASL sign), "It's raining!" Then he asked me how far I was going, as if I had been dropped from the sky on a survival mission to find something, as opposed to being in my own neighborhood, no further than two miles from any point in the subdivision, and offered me a ride. I said thanks, I was training and he said oh and drove off.

Really, it was a nice gesture but I have to wonder what he was thinking. I mean, I had my mp3 player, running shoes and my standard running outfit - my yoga pants (what? they have "give"!) and t-shirt (which was soaking wet and clinging to me). Hmmm, okay, I'm refusing to think he had ulterior motives. It was just a nice gesture.

Anyway, in other running news. SCG was in the office yesterday and sent me an email that said something like "Hey! I'm in the office today in an all day meeting. I'll give you a shout later - I want to hear about your training." I read the email as a co-worker stood in the doorway. The conversation went something like this.

Me: Training? Have I gone to a training lately.

Co-Worker: Did you go to a training?

Me: I don't know, I'm drawing a blank but my friend said he wants to hear about it.

CW: (with same perplexed look on her face I think I probably have) What kind of training?

Me: I have no idea. I don't know what he's talking about.

Then it dawns on me...he wants to know how the marathon training is going. Some days I'm slower than others - and it was a Monday. (I never heard from him, by the way.)

Week Two - Day Two

I'm kind of behind on my schedule for week two. I ran on Sunday, as planned but I wasn't scheduled to run again until Tuesday. So Monday I worked late and came home Tuesday and got sucked into watching the election returns until I couldn't keep my eyes open anymore (it hadn't been decided yet but it was all but a done deal at that point, as far as I could tell - and it turned out the way it looked to turn out).

Last night I had class so I wasn't able to run yesterday either. So today was my first opportunity since Sunday night to run.

I took Harley with me this time. He didn't have the "OMG a crazy lady is running after me" look in his eyes tonight and he actually did more running beside me, which was good. I felt pretty good out there. I ran the first 90 seconds with no problem (although, don't get me wrong, I was glad to hear "you can walk now"). And I wasn't all that upset when she said it was time to run again. It hardly seemed like it could be 90 seconds again when she said it was time to walk again.

I wasn't quite ready to run again when it was time for the next 90 seconds but I did it anyway. I was actually thinking I would make it all the way through the full six runs this time but at the fourth run, I decided that would be the last - again. Even though I was doing pretty good at that point - better than I have to date.

So, I came home, changed clothes and logged on to blog about it, when I felt something scratching my neck. At this point I was at full rest mode (the energy fades quickly) so I kind of brushed at it. Turns out, my pajama shirt is on backwards. Maybe if I get another burst of energy this evening, I'll turn it around...

Running - Day 3

Well, I went running last night. Since Brewsky was the dog I took with me, there was no chase him warm up or cool down.

I clipped on the MP3 player and was listening to some good tunes with someone telling me when to walk and when to run. You know, I thought I was doing better than I am because I could still feel the burn when I ran (one minute is a LONG time - don't let anyone ever tell you differently!). Anyway, I had taken a shorter route than what I take when I walk them (but longer than I took Harley the other day) but I wasn't near being done when I got back close to my house. So I went down another street, thinking there was no way I wouldn't be done by the time I made it back around to my house. I was coming back around the corner by my house and looked at the time on the MP3 player - I'd been going for 20 minutes. The session is just over 30 minutes but I decided to pack it in and go home - I was too close. So, as I rounded the corner, she said "this is your next to last run". I responded with "uh, that was two runs ago sweetie" and I walked the rest of the way home. I felt like such a loser but well, I was dying and decided I'd rather die in the privacy of my own home than on the streets in my neighborhood. Plus, recent experience has shown that Brewsky wouldn't have run for help - he'd just have run (although he was pretty tuckered when we got home so maybe he would've just laid down beside me 'til he got his second wind).

Anyway, I got home and changed clothes and logged on to the computer to look up the link for the podcasts - I'd told someone at work I'd send the link. Well, I clicked on the wrong thing and ended up at the coolrunning.com webpage. For the first couple of weeks it says to do the routine for 20 minutes! Not 30 - 20! Which means I accomplished the task. Yeah, I'm still dying but I did it.

And the thing is, I do actually feel better after I've done it. In the long haul it will be good for me too - once I get used to it.

Oh, and something else I've learned about myself through this whole experience. The other day I went to the grocery store. I was buying healthy food to go with the exercise program. I'm walking/running now, with the goal of running a half-marathon by March. But what did I do? I drove around for ten minutes looking for a good spot. Apparently I'm one of those people - the ones who drive around a while to find a spot at the gym so they can walk on the treadmill, sort of people. Anyway, the irony didn't really sink in until I was walking into the store. If I'm going to run/walk 13.1 miles, I can surely walk a little further to get into the store, don't you think? Next time!

Happy halloween!

Save yourself!

That's kind of what I was thinking last night as I went out for my run. I hadn't seen the link to the Couch to 5K podcast Mel provided so I was on my own again, running when I thought I should and stopping when - okay, let's be honest, stopping when I wanted to.

I took Harley this time and somehow managed to avoid the whole chase-Brewsky-down-the-street-because-he-got-loose-as-I-tried-to-get-out warmup of the other night. Harley, who has in the past been the best walker, not pulling or stopping to pee or anything, decided that last night was the night he wanted to change HIS style. At first he was pulling on the leash and then he'd want to stop and smell something and then I'D pull the leash. When we ran, he would get immediately in front of me so that I was afraid of stepping on him or tripping over him and FALLING on him. He apparently had the same fears because he periodically looked over his shoulder with a "OMG this crazy lady is gaining on me" look on his face. I took a detour of our usual walk (making it shorter because I didn't think I could handle the full one, walking and running) and when we would walk, when Harley would want to stop, I reached a point where I thought, "Am I crazy? Let the dog stop and smell the roses - I'll just lie down here so he doesn't feel rushed." I didn't do that - I just thought about it because I knew it would be harder to get back up and he wasn't likely to send back help.

Anyway, overall he was actually okay (other than me thinking I was going to trip over and fall on him). It kind of made me think his previous owner might have been a runner. Either that or in his previous life he was chased by what he perceived to be a crazy lady.

Anyway, we made it back home in one piece and getting back into the house is usually the easy part. I'd put my house key in my shoe and thought I'd felt it shift as I stepped up onto the porch. I reached into my shoe and had it, until it slipped down into the shoe so that I had to take the shoe off, only to find it empty. I took off the other shoe and there it was. So, I was holding both shoes and Harley's leash, opening the door. Normally the other dogs will back away from the door and let whoever enter. Not last night. Brewsky saw my vulnerability and darted past me, as did Max. I dove for Brewsky (Max is usually pretty easy to handle) as my shoes went flying. I missed him but the dive was broken by the corner of the door jamb. Max and Harley both stopped (okay so I still had a hold of the leash with Harley attached to it but I'd like to think he wanted to stay behind) and Brewsky ran down the street, obviously thinking I needed a "cool down" portion of my run (little did he know I was content to do my cool down in the comfort of my living room). I changed shoes and came back to the front door to find Brewsky waiting to get in. It would have been okay but Max pushed past to get out and he took off again. He went as far as my next door neighbor's.

So, the run was okay but the "events" at home aren't as "fun". And I have a big old bruised goose egg over my left temple to prove it. I woke up in the middle of the night with pain in my left knee too (apparently the left side of my body is the sissy-side of my body) but I'm doing better this morning. And I'm looking forward to running tomorrow with the podcast that tells me "run" now "walk" now "run again" on the official times I'm supposed to. (Thanks Mel!) :)

Oh what a feeling!

I love that everyone is being so supportive of my joining in on the marathon fever. Really, I am. But I've discovered something about myself. I'm a follower. I'm not the leader - the pied piper, or the person with the great idea. No, I'm the one who gets tapped on the shoulder and asked "where's everyone going?" I say something like, "I don't know, something was said about a bridge, something about jumping. . . it sounds like fun though. Join us!"

It was that way with school. Last year Kristen and Ellen decided to go back to school. I followed suit in the spring.

It was like that with the marathon too. Inspired by others, I jumped right on the marathon train (oh if it were only that easy) with both feet and registered before I could change my mind.

Today is day two and I worked out with Richard . . . Simmons. I was sweating to the oldies. Tomorrow I will run again (I'll take Harley this time I think - and we'll hopefully skip the "chase down Brewsky as he bolts out the door and down the street" warm-up we had yesterday). I'm going to plow through the pain and work to achieve the goal of finishing a half-marathon in March.

In the meantime, I'm being told how cool it is that I'm doing this. People are proud of me. People are envious of me - or at least of what I'm doing/trying to accomplish. It's a nice feeling, really it is, but I can't help but find it kind of funny that I can't feel my legs but I'm inspiring people. :)

Torture - Day One

Well, I've done it. I registered for the half-marathon in Little Rock. It's happening March 15, 2009 and I'll be there.

The exercise started last night - with my credit card. After I registered for the marathon, I went to the mall to get proper running shoes (not sure I've accomplished that task sufficiently but we're going to try what we have for now). The shoes cost more than the marathon.

I left there and went and bought an MP3 player (my first) so I could download tunes while running. Turns out you have to pay for tunes so my credit card got even more exercise (and because of some computer glitch that I stayed up ALL NIGHT trying to fix, I can't even download songs - don't get me started).

I finally gave up and went to bed about 5:30 this morning, got a few hours of sleep and decided to start training (more like get the running for the day over with but whatever). I got dressed, and was going to take Max with me. Brewsky didn't care for that and darted out the door and ran down the street (he started out too fast and burned out quickly - which was a good thing, all things said and done). I got him in and then Max and I hit the ground running - well, not immediately but still. . . you get the idea.

By my third round of running and then walking, I could feel it in my legs and was wishing I lived closer to where I was at the moment (I think Max was too, truth told) but we kept on. (Kind of because we had to but that's beside the point.)

We finally made it home and I had an epiphany - I understand what they mean when they say there is a runner's high. It's not so much a feeling a runner has so much as a state of being - anyone who enjoys running has GOT to be high! It probably started with a Jeff Spicoli kind of person (Sean Penn's character from Fast Times at Ridgemont High) saying something like "Duuuudddde, that runner's high." Someone heard "Duuuuudddde, that's runner's high." and the rest, as they say, is history. That has to be it.

Anyway, if you'll excuse me, I'm going to go settle into a running induced coma now . . .