Week in Review

Listen, I can't sit still.  If I sit still I'm going to weigh 400 pounds.  Plus, working out is good for my sanity.  Even though I received the devastating news that my hip was is jacked up this week, I still did some good workouts. 

I started the week with a half hour spin on the trainer before learning I wasn't allowed to bike.  I also did some weight training with this workout.  I did 3 x 10 bench presses at 30 pounds, ball crunches, and dips off the weight bench with my legs on the stability ball.

The rest of the week all I did was swimming and all of it pulling with a buoy.  Stupid hip.  The first day I did 4 x 500 with :30 rest.  The next day I did 2000 yards straight pull.  And on Saturday I did 20 x 100 pull with paddles with Dave.  He didn't use any toys but we still swam together.

I'm committing myself to as much swimming as I can handle until I've been giving the green light to do something else. 

Now if I could commit myself to eating better.  Much, much better....

Hip Update #3

The doctor walked in on Thursday and said, "unfortunately, I don't have good news for you."  Yeah, somehow I already knew that.

From the diagnosis:

Incomplete medial right femoral neck stress fracture.
Nondisplaced right acetabular labral tear.

Awesome.

There is some good news in all of this.  The doctor is not really concerned about the labral tear.  He said they're very common and shouldn't affect my running and that's probably not what is hurting me.  He said if they had done an MRI on the other hip they probably would have found one there too.  So, for now, we're just going to treat the stress fracture.  Unfortunately, he said because of the location and severity it was going to be a long slow healing.  He told me to expect to not be running for a full 12 weeks.  Y'all, that's the whole summer!  When I do return it's going to take me another 12 weeks to even get to maybe 5-10 miles of running!  And because you can't just cast a hip and let it heal on it's own, I've been forbidden from just about everything.  I'm allowed to walk for daily activities, but no walking for exercise.  No biking.  No anything.  I'm allowed to swim with a pull buoy and lift weights sitting down.  I have another appointment in four weeks to see how the healing is going, and then I might be able to add in some more swimming and MAYBE some spinning.

I've had a lot of people asked me how this happened.  The doctor didn't speculate and neither will I.  I'm a runner.  Injuries happen.  This isn't my first trip down Stress Fracture Lane.  In 2004 I had both a stress fracture in my fourth metatarsal of my right foot and a tibia stress fracture in my left leg.  I was training hard and maybe not taking my nutrition and recovery to the level of my training.  I probably do not have the strength I need in my lower core and outer legs to be at the level of training I was doing.  These are things I will work on when I return.  But, I also know that I have to heal.  As badly as I want to get back out there and as sad as I am to miss basically the rest of the year of racing, I have to get healthy and take care of myself if I want to come back. 

Thursday I was sad and upset.  I had a margarita and ice cream.  I cried and gathered hugs from my boys.  Yesterday I got back in gear.  I ate healthy and went to the pool.  It's going to be a long road, but, for now, I have a positive outlook.  This is certainly a devastating blow, however, I'm trying to think about the positives.  I get to spend the whole summer with my little guy.  I get to enjoy the sunshine and the pool.  I have no set schedule and can do or not do workouts as I please.  I will find new recipes and work on getting healthier, trimmer, and leaner.  I will find lots of books to read.  I will work on getting the house {finally} in order.  And I'll dream of all the races I'm going to do when I get healthy.

Foto Friday

You'd think in all my new-found time not running that I'd be taking a few more pictures.  Well, I'm not.  Or I haven't, yet.  I want to.  Soon.  Maybe.

Anyway, here's one from Anderson's last gymnastics class yesterday.  He's "smiling" and showing off his ribbon he earned.

Thursday Things I Shouldn't Admit

Alright Internet.  Go put on your Depends and grab a seat.  This confession might cause some pee-soaked laughing.

Last Thursday I did something I have never done before.  Ever.  At the age of 37. 

Ready for this?

I mowed the lawn for the first time.

Ever.

Embarrassingly, it was on a riding lawn mower.  My husband had to give me a lesson on how to use it.  And, in the processes of zipping around the yard, I shredded the newspaper at the edge of the driveway and had to spend fifteen minutes cleaning up tons and tons of slivers of paper from the neighbor's yard.

It wasn't that bad, though, and now I guess I'm willing, I GUESS, to help with the yard work a little more.

Medals, Medals EVERYWHERE!!!

In my hiatus from running I've decided to pursue cleaning up this house.  We moved here over a year ago and basically just dumped stuff everywhere.  We STILL have things in boxes!  If your stuff stays in a box for over a year you OBVIOUSLY do not need it.  So, I've taken the task for unloading the boxes, throwing away, and donating stuff.  I'm a minimalist living with a hoarder and well, I'm the one home all day so I win.

Last week I tackled all the running medals we have accumulated in the gazillion years we've been running.  I searched and searched all over the internet for some place I could donate the not-so-important ones but came up empty.  So I hatched a plan to display all of them in the workout room in the basement.  I found two pot racks we had purchased from Ikea nearly 15 years ago and NEVER opened or used and yet have moved them over and over again.  Our basement has been waterproofed so the walls are plastic and not drywall so I had to find a way to hang them.  I was able to hang them from the rafters just about our makeshift trophy case.  And after nearly 90 s-hooks later this is how it turned out:

The ones on the left of the picture are from 2001-2009.  The ones on the right are from 2010 to 2014.  Either we're running more races or they give out medals for EVERYTHING!!!  How the heck am I going to fit another five years on that rack?

That giant trophy?  That's for winning a 5K years ago.  That's a BIG trophy for a tiny 5K.

Do you display your awards/medals?  Do you toss them in a box and forget about them?  Do you donate them or toss them?  Do you think they give medals for WAY too many races?

Hip Update #2

This morning I had my MRA, magnetic resonance angiogram.  An MRA is a type of magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scan that uses a magnetic field and pulses of radio wave energy to provide pictures of blood vessels inside the body.  (Thank you Google.)  It started on an X-ray table with the radiologist injecting dye directly into my hip.  He cleaned my hip three times with iodine, covered it with a sterile dressing, and then used a GIANT needle directly into the hip.  First he started with a numbing agent, injecting it and then advancing it further and further into the hip, the whole time using the x-ray to make sure everything was going in the correct area.  Then he injected the dye directly into the joint between the hip and the femur.  The more dye he injected the more it burned and hurt.  I found myself moaning and apologizing and giggling all at the same time.  After the dye was injected they took two x-ray pictures.  This is when I noticed how badly my hip hurt and was heavy and swollen.  The doctor wanted me to take only a few steps, which they escorted me to the bathroom so I cut my scrubs back on.  This was SO painful!  I could barely lift the leg and it was crazy hard to walk.  I even had to have the tech put my shoes on for me and she was so sweet she even offered to help me dress.

After the angiogram procedure and getting my scrubs back on, they wheeled me to the MRI.  The medical center where I had this done was beautiful but unfortunately a little bit under construction, so the MRI was actually done in a mobile unit out back.  It was hilarious to be wheeled to a tractor trailer, put on an industrial lift, and escorted inside a truck.  So funny!  The MRI took 35 minutes and was uncomfortable.  The tunnel felt tight, and even with ear plugs it was loud.  It's so hard to lay flat on your back, not moving, and feel comfortable.  I tried to close my eyes and relax.  I was in pain, though, and it was not fun.

Finally it was over and they wheeled me back to the changing room.  My hip was still extremely painful, swollen, and tight which made getting in my clothes and hobbling out to my car almost humorous.  I wish I had valeted my car or brought somewhat with me, but you've got to do what you've got to do.  It's just great that Dave took a half day off to watch the baby and allow me to get this done so quickly.  The pain in my hip persisted for a few hours.  It was so bad when I got home that I had Dave meet me in the garage with my crutches.  But by lunch I was able to hobble around on my own and now, at 5:00pm, I am able to walk just fine (minus the pain of tripping over the dog yesterday and re-aggravating it).

Thursday I have my follow up with my regular doctor.  I'll find out the results then.  I must say, I don't have my hopes set very high, but you never know.  Wish me luck!

Holiday Weekend Camping

Well, I've been camping.  I'm happy to be home.

Actually, it wasn't that bad; it's just not my cup of tea.  This really wasn't camping.  This was definitely glam-ping.  We were staying at an "RV Resort" where there were less than 10 tents and all the rest were giant campers and RVs.  Even my sister's pop-up camper was dwarfed!  Although we could have stayed with my parents in their camper, we decided to stay in the tent.  The first night it was cold!  We had put Anderson in his pack-and-play in the camper and we froze out in the tent.  (I should say, I froze; Dave snored.)  Luckily, my parents had loaned us a space heater and I used that sucker.  The second night Anderson stayed in the tent with us and it was much warmer. 

The weekend was filled with family activities.  We played on the playground.  Dave played basketball with my niece, nephew, and Dad.  The family went swimming while I went to the grocery.  We had s'mores over the fire.  And the kids rode their bikes around and around and around the campground. 

We left a day early to come back and get some projects done around the house.  Our bathroom is still ripped apart (SIX MONTHS we've been without our master bath!!!), so we wanted to do some work on it while we had the time. 

Honestly, I didn't take many pictures.  It was more about constantly keeping my eyes on Anderson and making sure he wasn't doing anything or going anywhere he shouldn't have.  Here's a few that were taken:

Homemade lawn Yahtzee.  This was fun.  Unfortunately we ran out of daylight and didn't get to finish the game.

Anderson and Ashtyn were inseparable all weekend.

I don't know if there will be more camping this summer.  Maybe in the backyard.  Well, Dave and Anderson.  If I'm steps away from my comfortable bed, I'm sleeping there.

MJ's Memorial Day Fun

In my former life my nickname was MJ.  And during college I would have a little party at my parents' house on Memorial Day weekend where we would cook out, play volleyball, and hang out.  Nowadays I prefer to spend my holidays quietly at home getting things done.  This weekend we're doing something completely different.  We are going camping.

My parents are nearing retirement and bought themselves a monstrous 5th-wheel camper.  My sister has a pop-up camper.  We have a tent.  So this weekend the whole family is going camping together.  I should say, we're going camping with a side of glam-ping.  We will be staying on my parents' site and will have accommodations like a kitchen and whatnot.  This is the first time I've gone camping since Dave and I were dating.  I've got to say, I don't really like camping.  And camping with a two year old scares the devil out of me.  Luckily, we're only going about 15 miles away and we're paying by the night instead of the whole weekend so if it doesn't go well we can always just come home.

Anyone got any tips for camping with a toddler?  Anyone got any tips for those camping with someone who doesn't like to camp?  :)

Expect pictures soon!

Hip Update #1

This morning I went to the doctor again.  We started off with a few strength tests.  Or maybe I should call them "lack of strength" tests.  I laid flat on my back and was told to lift my leg.  Um, yeah, I can't.  Then he moved my leg inward and outward which caused quite a bit of pain.  Next, it was time for x-rays.  Two x-rays were done - one where my legs were straight out with my toes turned in (ouch) and one with my leg bent and knee rested outward.  I love my doctor's office.  Everything is digital and the doc went over the x-rays as soon as they were done.  Surprisingly, there was nothing.  No stress fractures, no fractures, no impingement, no arthritis.  Nothing.  So next up I will be having some fancy MRI with contrast dye injected into my hip to rule out a labral tear..  It's not scheduled yet, but hopefully it will be done in the next week.  For now, there is no running.  Shoot, I'm barely walking.  But, I might get in the pool and pull.  I have to do something.  I'll go insane!!

Cleveland Marathon 2015

Let's be real.  I had no business doing this race.  I've been lying to myself and everyone else around me about how injured and painful my hip had become.  I saw the doctor twice last week and had ART done on it, did about a million PT exercises, stretched, and iced like crazy.  My last run was on Thursday which allowed my hip two days to return back to feeling okay.  See, every time I ran hard or basically at all I would spend the rest of the day limping around.  Some days were worse than others.  Still, I was determined to get through the race.

Sunday morning brought warmer temperatures and HUMIDITY!!!  Regardless, I was "all in" and ready to tackle the race.

I don't like professional basketball, but go Cavs?!

I didn't mess around either.  I started between the 3:25 and 3:30 pace groups and took off way quicker than I am used to.  Although I did not hang with the groups for long, I was moving.  My miles were consistently in the 7:50s to 8:10s.  I was hot and sweaty but I was moving and doing okay.  But then my hip started to ache.  Not hurt like shooting pains, just ache and I found that it was getting more difficult to lift my knee.  I felt like my leg was dragging.  It was going to be a long day at this rate.  

I saw Dave at mile 9 and called it a day.  This time he didn't fight me on it.  It wasn't going to happen today.  I didn't even want to turn off with the half marathoners and at least get that medal.

Having spent the day not being able to walk (seriously, I had to get out the crutches to get around and couldn't sleep last night because I was in so much pain), I'm really glad I stopped.  I have talked to my coach (um, yeah, I didn't tell her about my hip until after the race) and my doctor and it's time to do more testing.  Coach is concerned it may be a torn labrum (that would SUCK!!!).  I'm hoping it's just a strain and inflammation.  Tomorrow I go in for some x-rays and there will probably be an MRI in the future too.  Suck.  

Not achieving my goals this year has been heart-wrenching.  I have put all of myself in my training, been more consistent than ever, and I just haven't won the race "lottery."  All the stars must align to go after big dreams and my hip was a star that was WAY off the target.  Hopefully the hip is just a minor bump in the road and there will be more great races ahead this summer and fall.  Keep your fingers crossed.

Foto Friday

The kid likes pudding...

New Kit

I still haven't signed up for Nationals yet but in case I do decide to do triathlon this summer, I went ahead and got my coach's team kit.  I didn't take a selfie but here's what it looks like laid out on my floor.

Pain in the Rear

Every since I had the baby, I've had some trouble with lower leg lateral strength and therefore, I've gotten injured.  I've had some bad shin splints and foot pain and for the last several months I've had some hamstring tightness I just haven't been able to shake.  I've been able to put up with it but it certainly tugs when I'm doing speed work or drills on the bike.  Since my marathon last month, however, the pain has moved into other places.  I've had some pain in my SI joint along with some really bad pain in the same hip.  Some days are not bad and then there are other days, like after my sprint workout last week, where I could barely walk every time I stood up.  Having been around this block a few times, I immediately started doing some PT exercises I knew along with icing like an Eskimo.  Fed up with it not feeling better and starting to feel nervous about the race this week, I called the doctor.

The doctor did a few strength tests, flexibility tests, and then jammed his fingers into my leg.  My doctor does ART (active release therapy) and he went to town on my hamstring.  Gosh, it hurt so bad (good).  It stung for most of the day but did feel pretty good overall.  He also gave me a few more exercises to do.  And we set up another appointment for more ART later this week before the race.

I haven't tested it out on another run yet.  That will come tomorrow.  Either way, I'm doing the race even if I have to be hyped up on a zillion Advil.

Week in Review

I had every intention of writing every day last week, but I blinked and before I knew it a whole week had passed.  Where did it go?  So, I'll try again this week.  Here's what I was up to this week.

Swimming - 5300 yards
Two longer swims this week, one of which was 3000 yards.  I had a biopsy on my ear this week so wearing a swim cap and goggles was not exactly pain free or fun.  My favorite part of my swims this week was the monkey toy on the bottom of the toy that would smile at me with each passing length.

Biking -14.33 miles
Honestly, I can't tell you anything about the bike rides.  They were at the beginning of the week and they were uneventful.  I do remember that I stepped up the heat acclimation with them by not only riding with long sleeves and no fan, but this time I added a winter hat.

Running - 23.76 miles
Running was full of highs and lows.  I had a great track workout where I really tackled my demons and felt great and was moving with speed.  I also had a "long" run that was just terrible.  It was HOT and my hip was hurting (more on this soon) and I just didn't want to do it.  I have no idea what is going to happen in my upcoming marathon.  Training has been crazy sporadic since my last race.

I guess you could say this upcoming week is full-on taper as my marathon is next Sunday. 

My Husband - A Photogenic Runner

The husband ran the Cap City Half Marathon this morning.  He ran a good, smart race and did really well considering his lack of training.  My job was spectating and paparazzi which is a really weird position for me.  I'd much rather be runner.  But, the husband makes it easy as he might be one of the most photogenic runners ever.  Check it out:

I don't know about you, but I've never looked that good in a running picture.  Yeah, he's kinda cute.  ;)

Foto Friday

Anderson has been spending some time with his cousins the last couple of weeks.  He spent the weekend with my parents when I ran with my marathon and then has gone to a few of my niece's softball games this past week.  My sister's youngest child is like BFFs with Anderson.  Anderson loves her just as much.  Here's a couple cute pictures of them two of them from the weekend of my marathon.