My Heel Really Hurts

So I have been experiencing a pain in my heel since around April when training for the Chicagoland Half Marathon. What started as a bruised feeling after long runs morphed into pain after most runs and has finally evolved into "yeah you're not gonna want to walk now".

After finally caving in and agreeing to see a real podiatrist about it (instead of playing Diane MD right down to the limp - that was a reference to the TV show House MD if you didn't know), he confirmed what I had already suspected: I have plantar fasciitis. Treatment includes wearing a boot at night on the affected foot, orthotics in my shoes*, taking anti-inflammatories and a neat trick with a frozen water bottle after runs.

*I'm only wearing the orthotics in my casual shoes as they don't really fit in dress shoes and I'm not putting them in my running shoes. Call me stubborn, but I run better in the less supportive shoes and this all stemmed from the more supportive ones I trained in last time. Hmph.

The boot seems to really help, although it is about as far from sexy as you can get and is a little uncomfortable to sleep in. I tend to rip it off in my sleep a few hours in. Taking ibuprofen is already something I was doing for various reasons, mainly headaches. After today's long run I did try the water bottle trick.

What is the water bottle trick? It's awesome! Freeze a water bottle and after the run, take your shoes off. Then roll your affected foot/feet on the frozen bottle. Works really well! I used it on both feet, even though it's my left that is causing me problems. Because I'm sitting a lot after the run my foot still gets stiff so when I took my obligatory post-long run nap today I slept with the boot. I also took more ibuprofen than I normally do after a long run. I usually take a few for exertion headaches.

So why the stubbornness about putting the orthotics in my running shoes? They really do help with my casual shoes. Because the Brooks Pure Cadence shoes have helped my form so much I am running much more efficiently than ever before. I'm afraid that if I put something in my shoe it'll alter my foot strike, which will alter my form overall. I'm not sore anywhere else but in my heel. Even after running 10 miles today. The last thing I need is to trade heel pain for back and hip pain, which has caused issues in the past.

So we'll see how this goes. I have a couple more weeks until race day, so I'm not easing up on the running until then. I still want to run a half on Thanksgiving Day, but if my heel doesn't agree with me it just doesn't agree with me. We will see.

In the meantime, I'm going to ice my foot every evening, wear the boot, and work on cross-training again. I let that part of my routine slip a couple weeks ago and haven't brought it back. I felt my abs working hard today, which means I need to focus on core workouts again. Planks really help!

Happy running, and try the frozen water bottle!

A Breakthrough!

Alright, here's the story since the last update....

I've been running sporadically, but with little success in getting my long runs in. The longest I had run was 6 miles, and it was okay. Then I missed a weekend so no long run. I was sort of keeping up with mid-week runs, accomplished very little speed work, and even dropped some cross training. All of this on top of the fact that the few runs I had were mostly awful led me to believe that today's long run would be horrible. I was determined to complete it, even if it was miserable. And it was....

Awesome! Okay - I really felt it was going to be bad. It had all the makings of a bad long run. Seriously. What made it so successful? A few things:

1. I finally paced myself. I started slow, let myself warm up, and then didn't let my pace get too fast. I really had the slow and steady mentality. It works!
2. I focused on good form and just put one foot in front of the other. The new shoes helped with form as well. 
3. I didn't allow myself to think "if I make it to mile X, I can reward myself with a walk break". That's been a huge obstacle of mine, and I've suspected for some time now that if I could get rid of the mental blocks and challenges then running would be easier. This allowed me to run all 8 miles this morning. No stops!

Post-run I actually feel really good too. The only issue I have is my left heel is really tender again. I have got to see a doctor about it. This pain started around April, and it's not going away. 

That's it so far. Hopefully this momentum keeps up!

Forced to take a break

So work was crazy last week. I had a huge conference to attend, which threw off my training schedule a bit. Last Thursday's run was cancelled, and I forgot to wear my compression leg sleeves on my long run last Saturday. Let's just say I paid for my forgetfulness.

Here's what happened. So I forgot my leg sleeves. No big deal, right? Yeah, my calves are dealing with the biggest adjustments out of all my muscle groups, and the leg sleeves help with the swelling. Why is that important? Shin splints. Because I have been properly fitted for the right shoes and they're fairly new, I know that's not the cause. My form has improved, which has helped significantly in many areas. What gets my calves is the increase in mileage. And since muscles swell a bit when they're used, that can sometimes cause some discomfort. I had a lot of discomfort during and after the long run. Sometimes even my left foot will go numb, but it does get better as I run. The leg sleeves decrease the amount of time I'm bothered by soreness, tightness, and numbness, and they also help recovery. I'm not saying everyone needs compression gear, especially since it can be kind of pricey, but I love it.

So anyway, because I was hurting I skipped the recovery run Sunday. Then it stormed Tuesday, and since I don't like to run back to back during the week I didn't run again until Thursday. My run yesterday went well, but I have noticed something about myself over the years. If I take a break, I often have to break down a lot of newly built mental blocks. Yesterday, I just didn't feel like running. I finally had to tell myself about half a mile in that I needed to get over my self pity and just run, damnit. Funny enough, once I picked up my pace (I was dragging) everything went fine. It's like I have to prove to myself again that I can run. Note to self: after the half marathon don't stop running! I've got to keep up some regular running or else I'll fall off the wagon again.

Long story short, take care of your legs and don't let the mental blocks get you. Tomorrow's long run: 10 miles!!

The Mental Hurdles

So I'm excited that I'm progressing well with training and that I'm losing a little weight, but I'm finding that my biggest problem is inside my head. I was out last Thursday for a 3 mile run, and I was so opposed to the run I found I was walking more just because I didn't feel like running. Then the 7 mile long run went okay but it started shaky. I ended well, but I've got to keep those internal demons at bay. Today's recovery run went pretty well, but I did focus on positive thoughts.

Long story short - I have to keep reminding myself to hit the small goals in the runs and that not every run will be spectacular. These are things I've probably mentioned before, but I always find it interesting how those same issues keep creeping up on us. Stay positive! I've developed a new mantra for those tough moments (usually going up a hill) - Conquer that (insert obstacle here)! It seems to help, so I'll keep using it.

A couple other issues about the long run: around mile 5 I got really hungry, and my left calf is tightening again around mile 3.5 but loosens up by mile 4. I have an easy solution to the hunger issue: go get some running fuel! For my calf issue, I think I might need to incorporate some calf strengthening drills. I tried some of the drills today after my recovery run that help with form. Note to self: don't try them around the dog. He thinks it's play time.

We will see how this week progresses, but overall I'm still very excited about my progress. Rex has been showing a lot of improvement as well, and I hope his momentum keeps going. It's always so exciting to see others succeed :)

Training update

Alright, I've hit the 6 mile long run! I'm only roughly halfway to the full 13.1 mileage for the race, and I feel pretty good. When I was at this point for the last half marathon (I am continually looking back at the training for that race for comparison), 6 miles nearly did me in. I limped the rest of the day. My muscles were tight, sore, and screaming for relief. I felt good just to finish the mileage, forget speed or anything else. Fast forward to yesterday's run...

And I feel great! It was a little tough getting down stairs, and my calves were really tired from earlier runs so I wore my compression leg sleeves, but overall I felt great. I also finished the run about 15 minutes faster than last time! That's a huge improvement. Keep in mind I'm not trying to break some sort of PR (maybe I am, but it's not #1 for me). I just want to finish the race and all my training in better shape than last year. And since I'm not feeling so physically drained, I think mentally I'm doing better. While it was a huge milestone to complete last year's race, I was mentally burned out and didn't really run for almost a year. Not the kind of outcome anyone really wants.

So what was different about yesterday's run? I keep harping on it, but it's improved form. I can run longer, faster, and take smaller walk breaks than before. Instead of needing a full quarter mile for a walk break, I take maybe a tenth of a mile. I run farther, aiming for at least a half mile before taking a break. So much of that depends on how I feel (earlier in the week I ran a mile and a half before considering a break), that I let my body tell me what it needs. Although I think I'm reaching a point where I really can run more but my mind is so conditioned to need a walk break that I need to break the mental barrier. We shall see.

Post-run I'm feeling amazing. Tired but not sore, tight but not stiff. I have a feeling once I begin really working on the drills I learned in class all of this will improve even more. Even though things have improved, I do keep in mind not all my runs will be fantastic. In fact, Thursday's run was sort of tough. I think the cumulative lack of sleep from the work week had been catching up to me. My mid-week evening runs also have a tendency to not be as good as my Saturday morning runs. Some of that is fatigue, some of it had been from wearing high heels to work, and some of it is hunger. I am running when I would normally be eating dinner.

We'll see how this momentum keeps up. We are now just under two months until the race. The flights are booked, the hotel rooms reserved, the rental car too. We are truly committed! The course looks fabulous, and it'll be a great time of year to be in Chicago. Whenever I think that most people see me as the crazy person paying to run these kinds of distances, I think "yeah I'm crazy and that's cool!". W00t!

Good Form Part 2

Well yesterday was the second and final good form running clinic. We learned a lot of drills that will help with our form, range of motion, and strength. We also got new videos of us to see what kind of progress we've made. It was an amazing clinic and there's a possibility that Big Peach will be doing a more intense clinic in the future. If it fits my schedule, I will definitely sign up!

Since I was busy with the clinic yesterday, I saved my long run for today. I was still a little tired and sore from the drills so the run wasn't fantastic. It was an improved time from last year, which is good. Even with fatigue I ran better due to the improved form. I did encounter something that haunted me a lot before: post-run headaches.

Seeing as how I have several more weeks of training to look forward to, I did a little googling to see if there was something I could do about these headaches. So far the common culprits seem to be dehydration, low blood sugar, electrolyte imbalance, and tense muscles. One comment mentioned that maybe we're all wearing our hats too tight, but I can't see that being the case.

For today's run, I drank water before and during the run. I admit I should have been better about it after the run, but even after I started drinking a lot more water the headache persisted. I also ate salty food last night and after the run. The banana I had before the run contained the potassium I needed. It should have had some magnesium too. My neck and shoulders actually feel okay, so I don't think they're tight. My blood sugars seemed okay, but I have no means of measuring it exactly. Suffice it to say I didn't feel any other typical low blood sugar symptoms like shakiness and irritability.

So do I have a solution? Maybe. I've been toying around with the idea of magnesium supplements since I sweat a ton on these runs. I need to check the supplement levels in salt tablets and in the snacks I will eat on the longer runs before deciding. Taking vitamins and supplements are iffy because it's known that eating foods rich in whatever you're lacking is best. It turns out that means eating a lot of beans. As a runner, we often try to avoid eating too much fiber in case it ends in gastrointestinal distress during a run. Maybe the solution is to eat more of the right foods at first? Yogurt is supposed to be high in magnesium, and I've been eating more of that lately.

Overall it seems that these kinds of headaches are actually fairly common. It's just hard to me to deal with because of my already chronic headache issues. I'll do a little more research and report back.

On a more positive note, I invested in a large foam roller to help massage larger groups of muscles. It's going to take a little time to get used to it, but let's just say it hurts so good :) My recovery today has been great aside from the headache, so the good form is still working. We will see how everything goes after I incorporate more of those drills. They fit perfectly with cross training days, so I will end up working out a lot now. It will all pay off in the end!

And the mileage ramps up....

So I've officially been training for this half marathon now for a couple weeks. I have to report that the focus on better form seems to really be helping. I have my final clinic this weekend, so we'll see how that goes. Rex seems to have benefited greatly from the first class, and for that alone I think the money spent on the class was well worth it.

Some things I think I'll ask about are my calves (I think the sudden increase in mileage is making them tight - not as tight as they were before but still), my posture (I think I'm slouching), and the possibility of barefoot running during the week. There is no way you'll see me using the barefoot running shoes for long runs, but I think I will try them during the week. We will have to see. The suggestion before was to try running barefoot on a soft surface like grass, but I am really allergic to the stuff. Hives on my feet do me no good, so if I try this it'll have to be with the barefoot shoes.

On another note, the dog has been running a lot with us. I have decided that he will not run more than 3 miles to prevent any overheating issues or injuries. I mean, he's just 17 pounds! How far could I really take him? With some practice he's become a really nice running partner. Perfect for recovery runs.

With the weather deciding to skip some transition steps and head straight from winter to summer, I think it's good to review warm weather tips:

• Cotton is rotten. Please try to invest in some decent dry wick clothing. I've found Target has some decent work out gear for a good price. There's no need to go all crazy and cover yourself from head to toe in all Nike or Under Armor attire, although their clothing is really nice. If you don't mind the wait, check online for sales and discount retailers.
• Hydrate! It's important to drink plenty of water before and after your run. Just make sure you're getting enough electrolytes as well. As a runner, you can actually have more salty foods if you're sweating a lot on your runs.
• Run during the cooler parts of the day. The morning is good but keep in mind pollen counts are higher then. The evening is a little warmer and has bugs, but less pollen and for me easier to manage. I am not a morning person.

300th Post!

I often wonder if I should make deep, introspective posts for these kinds of milestones. Then I realize that this is just a running blog intended to keep me motivated and hopefully help others like me, and so I decide to post about my training instead. Plus I don't really have anything terrible special to share.

I do have an observation, however. So far I've been at the Greenway, which is very flat, to work on my form. Tonight I ran in my neighborhood. Let's just say it's really, really hilly. I knew it would be a little harder for me to focus with the dog joining me, but I've found that going up and down hills is also making it difficult to focus on good form. I will have to bring this up in my class. For example, I find myself wanting to essentially stomp my way up a hill and then with the faster cadence I end up having to slam on the brakes coming down, causing other problems. In the meantime the dog is pulling my left arm, running in front of me, and having to carry his mess in my other hand is both gross and limiting the movement of my right arm. I ended up with a really stiff upper body, bent at the waist, and frustrated. To top it all off I finally measured the distance of my usual route around the neighborhood and noticed it's a measly 1.3 miles. I was supposed to go 2 miles tonight.

There are a couple obstacles I need to address right away based on tonight's results: chose a new route (or alter my current route) and either deal with the dog or leave him at home. Since this is exercise too, I hesitate to leave him home for the short runs. He absolutely stays home for the long run. Not only is he distracting, but like people dogs have to build up to longer distances and faster speeds. He's just not ready for that, and I'm not taking him to that level.

I've got to figure this out before Thursday. We'll see what I can come up with. In the mean time, check out youtube and search for good form running. There are a ton of videos out there, and for me seeing a good example was really helpful. There is a lot of great, free advice out there if you know how to filter out the junk.

Happy running!

Good Form Part 1

This morning was the first of two good running form classes at the awesome Big Peach Running Store in Alpharetta GA. It was two hours of evaluating the basics of good form and basically relearning how to run. I know a lot of people think this might be silly. Doesn't everyone know how to run? Sure, but to do it efficiently is another story. Here are some of the highlights:

• Watching yourself run after being recorded can be awkward (dude do I really look like that?!) but it's also enlightening (no wonder my back and hips are so sore!). It is especially helpful after learning what to look for in good form.
• Cadence is paramount. I'm going to focus on that until my next class. We'll see how it goes. For those that don't know, cadence is how fast you're stepping. It actually has little to do with how fast you're running. We're talking lots of small, agile steps.
• Arm movement is more important than you realize. I had read (and posted) about how the speed of your arms correlates to the speed of your legs. Little did I know my arm movements were not helping at all :)
• A little barefoot running has its place, but stick to the cushioned shoes for distance running. We did a little in the parking lot and it's shocking how much difference it makes in how you run and how you think about your feet. I might end up buying a pair of barefoot shoes just for short distance training.

So far it's been a worthwhile endeavor. I will post more about my progress as I train, and obviously I'll post after the final class. Happy running!

I actually ran on vacation!

Not just once. Twice!! I lucked out on my vacation this weekend and stayed at a really nice Hilton in downtown Atlanta. They had a fitness center that was open 24 hours, had headphones for the tvs on each treadmill, and all the towels and ice cold water I could handle. All this with a view of the pool!

My first run was really good. I ran for 40 minutes, and I felt like I could keep going but since I hadn't run in a while like that I decided to stop. It was nice being able to walk comfortably the rest of the day. LOL!!

The second run was not so good. I got calves so tight that I thought about stopping after about 10 minutes of running. Needless to say this run didn't last very long. I'm glad I went, but the treadmill really changes how I run for the worse.

At least I was able to enjoy my eating all weekend without feeling guilty about missing a run. Conversely I am skipping this week's runs until Saturday, but we all need a break right? =)

I'm back! Sort of....

So I've finally had a chance to breath, but I'm not completely unscathed. I'm still not running yet (not surprising), and I am going to have to drop the accounting class I'm taking right now. It's a hard class on its own, but with all the stress of moving and buying the house I've fallen behind. With the accelerated level I'm on with grad school missing a week of work is a disaster. Plus I'm just not understanding many of the principles, so I will take this class as soon as I can next time. I have the book and the syllabus for the class so I can study before class starts. I'd rather lose the partial tuition now than to fail the class, cause my GPA to drop, and waste the full tuition on the failed class only to take it again.

So on to running...

I found this article on Yahoo! that discusses how important it is to swing your arms as you walk. I liked it because the faster you pump your arms while running the faster you run. Have you ever noticed that? One of the things I learned in the training sessions getting ready for the Peachtree is to avoid wasting energy with extraneous arm movements, but done right it is very beneficial. Enjoy!

Final group training run!

Yesterday morning was the final training run with my In Training for Peachtree folks, and boy am I glad it's done. I actually feel like I've learned a lot about running in general, not just getting ready for the Peachtree. Next Saturday will be an event to participate in, not a race that I can try to determine my 10k pace. As a recap, here's what I think I've learned over the past 10 weeks or so:

- The right shoes make a world of difference. Go to a running store and get fitted.

- Being tense in the shoulders and arms is fairly common and can lead to things like headaches and decreased performance. I didn't realize I was so tense until I began working on lowering my arms and shaking them out occasionally.

- Don't push off with your toes to go faster. This will create more shin problems and affect the distance you're able to run. Try striking with more of your foot and pushing off with your upper legs/glutes.

- It's pretty common to have hip/back soreness and problems when increasing your mileage. If you feel you need to cut back for a couple days, then do so. You know your body better than anyone else.

- Stretch!!! I don't recommend stretching before the run unless you've warmed up a bit, but stretching post-run is an absolute must.

- G2 is so awesome after a run, particularly when it's been really hot and you've been sweating like a pig.

- Bananas are still my go-to pre-run fuel.

- Not only does technical clothing help keep you cool, but you have to have the right kind of technical clothing. The hotter it is, the less clothing you wear period. If you're concerned about spectators judging you, just remember that you're out there running and working on improving yourself while they're being couch potatoes. Other runners will not judge because we're just like you - busting our butts outside to meet fitness and weight goals.

This has been a very interesting experience, and I whole heartily encourage everyone to try to get a coach. Even if it's temporary and in a group setting like my situation was, it was well worth it.

How to run underwater

That should have been the lesson for tonight's run since it was so humid. The whole thing about your heart working harder because it's hot outside is so true. The 45 minute run tonight was okay, but I really had to keep that motivating speech going in my head. It's so easy to let our minds declare defeat when you know your body can handle more. I haven't had to let my heart rest like that in a long time (had to take a break halfway).

A couple things that I think I've learned though...

1. By focusing on lifting from my knees and powering with my glutes, I have taken the strain off my calves and I think my endurance and pacing is better for it. Yay!!

2. By focusing on lifting from my knees and powering with my glutes, my butt now gets sore. Doh!

3. Longer runs are so much better with a buddy. You keep pushing each other when you want to give up, and you have so much more motivation to just show up to run in the first place.

Am I over the exhaustion? Sort of. I think ultimately I need to quit beating myself up for not being able to give 100% all the time. I'm only human, and it's okay to have an off day, week, but it lasts longer than a week something's wrong.

And the exhaustion has finally taken its toll...

After 3 months of grad school and adjusting to a new and better role in my company, I have finally begun to truly feel the effects of exhaustion. All this week I've barely been able to get out bed, only to have drunk so much caffeine or gotten my mental state so worked up that I can't sleep. Today was the last straw. I got home and promptly fell asleep on the couch instead of running. Upon waking, I realized that I had to get the run in or not run until Saturday, which is a long run. I drag my poor tired body to the Greenway, and sure enough didn't have the energy to continue running past a mile. It was a good 11:40 mile, but my energy was gone. I did try to run some more after taking a couple walking breaks, but after about 25 minutes I gave up and just walked. Some good things came from it though...

I saw 6 deer! Holy cow that was cool! And they were really close too. The sad part is that they must be so desensitized to humans to have come so close to me, but they were beautiful. I also saw a cute little squirrel about two feet from me. Again, sad that he let me get so close, but he was cute!! I realized how awesome it is to run outdoors today. You don't wish you had brought your camera running inside a sterile gym.

I think I have discovered the cause to my post-long run headaches. I don't know if I've mentioned them yet, but after my long runs on Saturdays I have been getting killer headaches. They're not dehydration (as long as I'm mindful of my water intake) and they're not migraines (I get an aura before migraines start). Turns out they're tension headaches. I figured that out last week. Now I think I know why I'm so tense. Not only do I have a tendency to be stiff with my upper body when running (thanks to Coach Jim for pointing this out), but I think I'm lifting my head too high in an effort to not look down. I've had it in my head so much to stop looking at the ground that I think I'm overcompensating. I guess it was good that I was able to walk today and have some time to figure this out.

April showers...

So it's been really soggy in the Atlanta area lately. Fortunately for me the rain let up today just long enough for me to hit the park and pound out 3 miles. I've decided for a super short term goal to see if I can lengthen my stride a bit while running. To do this I think about lifting my knees up a little higher, not about extending my feet forward. It really does work, and I run quite a bit faster while doing this...at least it seems a lot faster to me. The hard parts are 1. I keep forgetting to focus and my stride turns into little baby steps again 2. it seems a little bit easier to run faster this way, but it actually wears my legs out. That's probably why I can't seem to maintain this new change for very long. I'm hoping that by pushing myself like this on shorter distances (I can't believe I'm at the point that 3 miles is short!!) I can build more endurance for the 10k coming up soon (6.2 miles). Btw, if you scroll all the way down you can see my new tracker for the Peachtree. Yay!!

Working your core

When people think of running and what it takes to be a successful runner, most of us automatically think legs. That's what I did when I started running. I've come to find out that running is much more complicated than that.

First came the realization that while my legs could go on and on, my heart and lungs couldn't. I found that when my heart rate got too high I had to walk. Breathing becomes more of an issue in the winter for me because I have exercise-induced asthma. The solution for that is to use a neck gaiter to cover my mouth as I breath in the cold air.

Now comes a second realization. My core isn't strong enough to handle the mileage build-up I'd like to achieve in the next few months. By core I mean my abdomen and lower back. I've been having a little trouble with a stiff and sore lower back for weeks now. I thought perhaps it was my mattress, which I would love to replace sometime soon. Unfortunately I am 99% certain that it's the running. Because I'm working on stamina and endurance and my back isn't strong enough to meet the challenge, I'm running into more pain than I'm used to. This isn't debilitating pain - it's more annoying than anything else. But if I'm not careful I could hurt myself.

Here are some links that show how to work on some simple core exercises that are good for runners. Remember to give each exercise time. Don't rush through them using momentum because you're not getting a good workout that way. To be cliche, feel the burn.

Bridge - Great for working glutes and hamstrings. Repeat 10-12 times.

Side plank - Or any planks really. Great for obliques, transversus abdominus (deep abs), lower back, hips, and glutes. I hate planks in general because they're hard, but I know they work. Hold this position 10-30 seconds and repeat on the other side.

Superman - Great for transversus abdominus and erector spinae (lower back). 10 reps on each side.

Take a look at the other exercises that accompany those links. They're all good at strengthening your core. Sit-ups and crunches are good, but they don't work deep muscles like the three highlighted above do. Dedicate 15-20 minutes 3 times a week and you'll start to feel a difference. These exercises won't eliminate belly fat but you'll reduce your risk of back injuries significantly. And who wants a back injury? I certainly don't!

Edit: I should have noted that I got this idea from Runner's World December issue.