I finally started PT for my hip that has been bothering me since I was 6 months pregnant with Sami. She is now 17 months old, so, yeah, I've really been putting this off.
Why did I wait so long?
After the first session, I felt a little better, confident that the PT had identified my major complaints, and some issues I hadn't even realized I was having because I was so focused on my painful hip. After my second session, I could tell my gait was different, both running and walking. I'm no longer all herky-jerky, using my body to compensate for my sore, weak, and spastic hip flexor. A few days later, I'm finding that surrounding muscles are sore, because I'm finally using them the way they're supposed to be used. I have made huge progress, but still have a ways to go.
Mostly, I'm just so glad to know that I can feel good again. That I don't have to deal with a bum hip permanently. After 20 months, I had integrated the bad hip into my life, so it's taking some time to un-integrate it. But I'm ready to do the work.
The Charlottesville Marathon was this morning. There's a half-marathon, too. I thought about running it, but really didn't want to mess up the work in progress. But now I know that the marathon - the full 26.2 - is now a matter of when, not if. I'm thinking about going easy this summer, spending lots of time with the kids at the pool, doing the 2 mile Cable Swim in July, then tuning up with a fall half. Then next spring - 26.2 here I come!!
Saturday, April 17, 2010
Sunday, April 04, 2010
Proud mama!
Today my boy went on a run with me!
We ran about .4 mi around the neighborhood, taking prudent walk breaks. He lectured me on how to make my muscles stronger. I guess we're rubbing off on each other.
We ran about .4 mi around the neighborhood, taking prudent walk breaks. He lectured me on how to make my muscles stronger. I guess we're rubbing off on each other.
Saturday, April 03, 2010
surprise - race report!
So, I ran the 10 Miler.
I had a great week. Nothing was hurting. Nobody got sick. I ran a lot. So yesterday I decided to pick up my packet. "I can drop out at mile 3, which is a quick walk to the parking lot, or mile 5 which is a couple blocks from my parents' house," I said to myself.
I have never been so mentally unprepared for a race before. Lining up for the start, I still wasn't quite there. And then the national anthem, and then the gun. I ran right past my car, gave it a wave goodbye and followed the crowd. I purposefully started way, way back at the start, and took the first mile in about 12 minutes. (Sorry for the inexact times, but I have this new watch that I still can't quite figure out how to retrieve my splits from.) Second mile in a little less, third mile a little less, and fourth mile in a blazing 10:30. Fifth mile was fast (for me), too - I crossed the half at about 55 minutes.
A little intermission to sing the praises of this race - the cherries and bradford pear trees were in full bloom, the sun was shining, the spectators were out in full force. Little kids handed out water in the neighborhoods, bands played, a church band sang uptempo gospel, the Pink Ladies magically appeared just when hope was waning. This is a fantastic race, so well organized, so well integrated into the fabric of my hometown which I love more than any place on earth. There were even college students in tuxes, and frat boys with signs saying "quitters drink free." Today, despite my best intentions, I will be buying my own drinks.
Miles 6 and 7 are always killers, tons of hills. I think one of those was at 13 minutes and something for me. But there was yet another reason to love this race - there's an official pit stop between 6 and 7, at the Pavilion bathrooms. After taking water from every little cherubic face holding a paper cup with an outstretched arm, I really needed that pit stop!
I crossed mile 8, looked at my watch, and realized that I might break two hours, which I failed to do last year. Not a land speed record by any means, but a nice round number for me.
At the water stop at mile 9, I had more than 14 minutes to go before the two hour mark. At that point, I knew I could break 2 hours, even if I walked the rest of the way.
I didn't walk, and ran across the finish at 1:57:04 by my watch, and about 1:58:30 gun time. I felt like a million bucks, and grinned like an idiot the whole way into the chute.
I should be this unprepared for every race.
Congratulations, my fellow 10 milers, and a big shout out to everyone who makes this race go so smoothly.
I had a great week. Nothing was hurting. Nobody got sick. I ran a lot. So yesterday I decided to pick up my packet. "I can drop out at mile 3, which is a quick walk to the parking lot, or mile 5 which is a couple blocks from my parents' house," I said to myself.
I have never been so mentally unprepared for a race before. Lining up for the start, I still wasn't quite there. And then the national anthem, and then the gun. I ran right past my car, gave it a wave goodbye and followed the crowd. I purposefully started way, way back at the start, and took the first mile in about 12 minutes. (Sorry for the inexact times, but I have this new watch that I still can't quite figure out how to retrieve my splits from.) Second mile in a little less, third mile a little less, and fourth mile in a blazing 10:30. Fifth mile was fast (for me), too - I crossed the half at about 55 minutes.
A little intermission to sing the praises of this race - the cherries and bradford pear trees were in full bloom, the sun was shining, the spectators were out in full force. Little kids handed out water in the neighborhoods, bands played, a church band sang uptempo gospel, the Pink Ladies magically appeared just when hope was waning. This is a fantastic race, so well organized, so well integrated into the fabric of my hometown which I love more than any place on earth. There were even college students in tuxes, and frat boys with signs saying "quitters drink free." Today, despite my best intentions, I will be buying my own drinks.
Miles 6 and 7 are always killers, tons of hills. I think one of those was at 13 minutes and something for me. But there was yet another reason to love this race - there's an official pit stop between 6 and 7, at the Pavilion bathrooms. After taking water from every little cherubic face holding a paper cup with an outstretched arm, I really needed that pit stop!
I crossed mile 8, looked at my watch, and realized that I might break two hours, which I failed to do last year. Not a land speed record by any means, but a nice round number for me.
At the water stop at mile 9, I had more than 14 minutes to go before the two hour mark. At that point, I knew I could break 2 hours, even if I walked the rest of the way.
I didn't walk, and ran across the finish at 1:57:04 by my watch, and about 1:58:30 gun time. I felt like a million bucks, and grinned like an idiot the whole way into the chute.
I should be this unprepared for every race.
Congratulations, my fellow 10 milers, and a big shout out to everyone who makes this race go so smoothly.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)