Ode to Jess

Sometimes runners get injured. Sometimes we're unable to run. And sometimes we get upset about it. Because there's nothing worse than wanting to run, and having your body say no.

But I firmly believe that no injury is forever. Once a runner, always a runner - so with patience, introspection, and diligence, any runner can get back on their feet, back out on the roads, back out doing what they love. 

You all know I've had my issues. But nothing I've experienced can compare with a certain friend of mine. I won't list her problems, because dwelling on the bad doesn't help anyone. Let's just say that she's been through a lot, and dealt with it in various ways, ranging from angry tears to systematic treatment, to hours upon hours cross-training in the pool or on the bike. 

But this week, after many months of almost-recoveries, things finally went well. So this blog post is an Ode to Jess. 

I'm like a ridiculously proud parent right now!  Seriously, imagine me as an crazy lady on the bus (probably wearing spandex...and maybe a fanny pack). And you are all the unsuspecting passengers. I pull out my pictures, a newspaper clipping, and commence subjugating you to a long detailed story.

Gather round children, here's how things went down: 

Last June, Jess ran in a Corporate Cup Race on her company's team. And won. Because she's that awesome. 

A few weeks later, I got a call: Oh my God, Mol, remember that race I did? Well Fidelity's team won, and now they're sending us to South Africa in March!!!

(Did I almost pee my pants with jealousy? Maybe.)

So here we are in March, and about 4 injuries since her Boston win, Jess boarded a plane to Johannesburg, not exactly planning on racing. But her feet felt good, and it was too much of an "event" not to run. So she did. 

And got 3rd place.

How's that for inspiring? 

Like I said, I'm so proud of this girl! I know she works hard, and I know it hasn't been easy...so wow. Usually a blog is a platform to brag about oneself...but I can't compare with this one - Thus, my Ode to Jess. Go her! 

I'm Injured. Who Done It?

As many of you know, I have been battling a hamstring injury (if your definition of "battling" includes crying in the fetal position).

So running recently has not quite been up to par. I still don't know what's wrong, but I've been considering a few potential culprits. So let's play a little game of Clue.

Is it Mr. Knot in my iliotibial band (ITB) with over-training?  

Is it Mrs. Tightness in my piriformis with not stretching?

Is it Miss Tear in my hamstring with hill repeats? 

I am quite familiar with Mr. Knot in my ITB. Seriously, every problem in my life stems from this area. So for those of you not familiar, here's a little run-down. Your ITB runs from your hip down to your knee. ITB Syndrome is when your knee hurts due to over-training and the resulting tightness in your ITB. It's not quite as dire as this article suggests, but it's not particularly fun either. Icing, stretching, and deep tissue massage are the most common treatments, followed by rehab strengthening exercises. Check out this article for details/suggestions. And here for stretching and strengthening suggestions. 

Mrs. Tightness in my piriformis?

Well, I think that she is my least likely culprit. I mean, my piriformis was definitely tight for a while there, but I think that was more a result of my hamstring issues, rather than the cause of them. If you're wondering,What the heck is a piriformis? It's basically a small muscle in your butt. It can cause piriformis syndrome, which is when the muscle presses on the sciatic nerve, causing pain. But that's not my problem. 

What about Miss Tear in my hamstring? 

This is definitely a possibility. If you already have a tear/strained muscle, you do not want to stretch too much (and if you do stretch, make sure the muscle is warmed up, and then ice afterwards). To prevent tears, make stretching a part of your routine. 

Here are some hamstring stretches: RunnersWorld, and Cool Running. 

Thus far, I think I blame Mr. Knot, in both my ITB and hamstring. However, I've been getting deep-tissue massage, and though it has helped, the problem is not solved. 

It's important to remember that all these muscles/tendons are interconnected and interdependent. Your legs function as one entity, with multiple components. So tightness in your hamstring can irritate other muscles, which can cause you to feel pain in completely other places. Which leads you on obnoxious games of Clue: Running Injury Edition, where you're stuck in a crap-shoot of guess-and-check. 

The case is open, the culprit is still on the loose. Until then, I will be foam-rolling and massaging, and running in a slow short-strided way. Hope your workouts are going better than mine!

Running Games

I haven’t run in 12 days. Ouch, that hurts. Unless you count my attempted run this Sunday – which totaled to a 1-miler plus 4 miles of walking and crying along the Georgetown Canal. Oh man, again, that hurts. (If you don't know why, read this post).

But I’ve been trying to keep myself sane – lots of walking and guest appearances in a couple spin classes. Due to the fact that I’m too cheap to buy a gym membership, I use the workout room at work – aka fine for treadmills, but the jenkyest bike ever! Ah well, desperate times call for desperate measures…(Thank you Jaffar for those wise words. Picture me stroking my imaginary beard right now. If you have no idea what I’m talking about, go watch Aladdin and get back to me.)

 Anywho, I can’t help but spend my day fantasizing about the runs I could possibly be doing right now. Let’s play a game, shall we?

If You Could Be Running Right Now, Where Would You Be?

After much deliberation, I have come to a decision. Are you ready for a trip into my imagination? (Don’t be afraid…I’m not as crazy as I sound!)

Picture early morning, lightly foggy, the parking lot at Mt. Tam in Marin County on a weekday (this part is key. Weekends = bikers. I hate bikers!). It’s cool enough not to sweat excessively, but not so cold that I have to wear long-sleeves. I’m thinking December, so the grass will be green-ish (rather than the yellowy-brown that characterizes California in the summer).

For those of you who don’t know Mt. Tam like the back of your hand (aka everyone except for mi padre), there are 3 lakes – two of which are circumvented by trails. So you start from the parking lot between them, run up to the upper lake (about 2 miles around), then figure-8 to the bottom lake (about 4 miles around). Repeat as desired.

The trails are narrow, with a variety of ups and downs, but nothing too extreme. All around it’s quiet. I think I would like to be doing this run with a friend – so quiet except for our chatter. The only people we see are the occasional dog-walkers, or pairs of housewives out for a hike.

Sounds lovely, doesn’t it? Just a nice long run. Followed by a satisfying breakfast, a big cup of coffee, and potentially a glass of eggnog.

Welcome to my happy place.

On that note I will leave you. I will not be blogging for the rest of this week, considering it’s Thanksgiving. Hope you all have a fantastic holiday. See you Monday!