Mileage Reporting 44th week of 2012

[Bare Lee]

2.3 miles / 3.7 km through the neighborhood. About 28-29 F / -2 C. The asphalt and concrete were cold but comfortable. Took off my gloves mid-run once I had warmed up. The knee felt fine, but we'll see how it does later in the day. The soreness is often delayed. The last mile I found myself picking up the pace a bit, and I felt a lot smoother. I hope that wasn't a mistake.

Running early in the morning in the dark, I felt like I was channeling Scedastic. It's quite pleasant. Kind of reminded me of delivering newspapers as a boy. With no concerns about pace or distance, I didn't worry about whether my body was properly woken up or not, fueled, or otherwise ready for a run. I may have to do this more often.

 

[scedastic]

Running early in the morning in the dark, I felt like I was channeling Scedastic. It's quite pleasant. Kind of reminded me of delivering papers as a boy. .

You were channeling me better than I was channeling me; I got up, looked at the clock, decided it was sunday, slept in till 6:45, then started coffee and work, deciding the temps would only improve with time.
Good for you! It is nice in the early morning, isn't it? It always makes me feel like the world belongs to me, and like when I come back from the run it's like "hah, world, what did you get done so far today? NOTHIN. Lazy you. Check out me."

 

[Barefooting Bob]

I agree, I just got my lazy behind out of bed, waiting for the wife to get home from her run before I head out into the frosty unknown. How far to run today, hmmm will have to wait and see.

 

[Barefooting Bob]

A good run through and through, 11.35 miles running around the west end of Winnipeg. Did you ever hear about the Winnipeg Transit Bus Driver, who gave the barefoot guy his shoes last month on a cold morning downtown? Well I think a bus driver was thinking to do the same thing to me this morning, all I could think was, Come on man, its not even cold out at -6, and obviously I am doing this on purpose since I am running my dog. Move on son, move on.

 

[happysongbird]

Breathing workout today. That is, I just played my flute for 45 minutes. I've been told by many a band director, and tuba player who tried the flute, that it takes more air for the flute than the larger horns. I always warm up a LOT, so I know I'm doing something!

 

[dutchie53]

3 miles with a cooldown of running backwards for the last .5 miles, temperature as Bob noted was -6C in this town. Hope you people on the east coast hunker down for the coming storm and come out of it with no damage.

 

[Bare Lee]

Walked another two and half miles yesterday afternoon with the kids in the stroller getting milk and orange juice and carving pumpkins. I was impressed my 20-month-old son was able to walk more than a mile pushing the stroller. He wasn't barefoot though, cuz my wife woulda killed me if she found out he was out walking in the 40-degree weather without footwear. Knee felt just a little nigglish at times, so I'll limit myself to three miles max on my next run Tuesday. I may try the run-walk-run method while I'm getting back into it these next few weeks, running a mile, walking a bit, then running another mile, and so on, just to make sure I'm not overdoing it. It feels great to be on the verge of decent running again, and I don't want to risk any more set-backs. Will do my Chest and Upper Arm strength-training workout later today.

I was disappointed Nick's Hawks couldn't beat one of our divisional rivals. Hopefully we too can stomp on the Hawks this coming Sunday.

 

[scedastic]

Yesterday: 5 mi, evening, walk/run in nb shoes (had this idea it would help with pain in right foot---i think it's tendon and weirdness from tight calves, though---at least i hope it's not a bone thing----- and the shoes felt awkward as can be)
This am: shuffled along 2.5 mi in huaraches. foot still hurtin, calves still too tight, ah well, trying the 'active' recovery thing. Going to try hard to keep my mileage way down this week but still go, "active recovery", get crazy with the rolling and try not to go crazy otherwise. Maybe I'll even hit the gym.

 

[Bare Lee]

Yesterday: 5 mi, evening, walk/run in nb shoes (had this idea it would help with pain in right foot---i think it's tendon and weirdness from tight calves, though---at least i hope it's not a bone thing----- and the shoes felt awkward as can be)
This am: shuffled along 2.5 mi in huaraches. foot still hurtin, calves still too tight, ah well, trying the 'active' recovery thing. Going to try hard to keep my mileage way down this week but still go, "active recovery", get crazy with the rolling and try not to go crazy otherwise. Maybe I'll even hit the gym.

Yes please do get crazy with the rolling. On yesterday's walk I felt a little TOFP, the first in a while since my running's been so limited. I assume it was from the early morning running, even though my calves didn't feel particularly tight. I've been pretty lackadaisical (lacking daisies?) about massaging the last few weeks, but as soon as I got home I rolled the calves and, more importantly, the FRONT SHIN MUSCLES (hint, hint), with my 'sprinter' stick and the TOFP magically disappeared in minutes.

I like that phrase 'active recovery.' Sounds more intelligent that 'working through an injury.' Jason put the phrase in my head last week while discussing my knee-tweak, and endorsing my plan to keep running baby runs while the knee rehabs.

 

[NickW]

I was disappointed Nick's Hawks couldn't beat one of our divisional rivals. Hopefully we too can stomp on the Hawks this coming Sunday.

What was sad is that our offense actually played halfway decent, and our strength, the D, played like crap. If the Vikes are going to beat Seattle at home all they have to do is throw short passes in the middle and they will keep moving those chains. Man that sucked... The Pats exploited that weakness a few weeks a go and now teams are taking advantage...

My wife would kill me too if I let my son walk out in the cold without shoes too.

 

[dutchie53]

Cold? Where? There are still people running barefoot here in Winterpeg. 3 miles today with a windchill of -6C.

 

[scedastic]

but as soon as I got home I rolled the calves and, more importantly, the FRONT SHIN MUSCLES (hint, hint), with my 'sprinter' stick and the TOFP magically disappeared in minutes.

I like that phrase 'active recovery.' Sounds more intelligent that 'working through an injury.' Jason put the phrase in my head last week while discussing my knee-tweak, and endorsing my plan to keep running baby runs while the knee rehabs.

I've been sheepish about rolling in the front/sides; the shin splint stuff is just about gone (the irony, as the tight muscles invade) and I worry that rolling in front will somehow intensify whatever scar tissue stuff is goign on there.
I wonder (with no evidence, really, just after-that-therefore-because-of-that logic), whether I made things worse when after the shins started bothering me, a day or so after the half, I rolled REALLY hard in front, thinking the shin pain was tight muscle b/c i never had shin splints before ).

 

[Bare Lee]

I've been sheepish about rolling in the front/sides; the shin splint stuff is just about gone (the irony, as the tight muscles invade) and I worry that rolling in front will somehow intensify whatever scar tissue stuff is goign on there.
I wonder (with no evidence, really, just after-that-therefore-because-of-that logic), whether I made things worse when after the shins started bothering me, a day or so after the half, I rolled REALLY hard in front, thinking the shin pain was tight muscle b/c i never had shin splints before ).

I don't know anything about shin splints, but just to clarify, you don't touch the tibia or shin bone at all. It's the muscles on the outside of the lower leg, which work antagonistically to the calf muscles, that are the target. Roll those muscles and dig in with your fingers or a massage tool like the Knobble or Trigger Wheel. Jimmy Hart (http://gobarefooting.wordpress.com/2010/04/21/injury-top-of-the-foot-pain/) explains this counter-intuitive phenomenon quite well:

"The typical runner making the switch will usually complain of sore and tight calves after the initial barefoot runs. This is because the calf muscles are now being tightened and flexed. After that initial shock is gone and the calves begin to adapt, the same runners typically complain of pains in the tops of their feet. These pains are usually coming from two muscles and/or three tendons that run the length of the top of the foot, one of which actually starts along the tibia.
The two main foot extensor muscles are the Extensor Hallucis Longus muscle (EHL) and the Extensor Digitorum Longus muscle (EDL). The tendons from these muscles cross the front of the ankle, pass across the top of the foot, and attach into the big toe and lesser toes. These are the muscles that run along the top of the foot. There is also the Extensor Digitorum Brevis muscle, but it is more along the upper/outer part of the foot and not typically associated with this issue. Three tendons cover these muscles: the Extensor Digitorum Longus Tendons. These muscles and tendons all function to pull the foot upward and work with resistance from the Achilles tendon and the calf muscles (flexor muscle group) that pull the foot downward."

I spent more than a year being held back by TOFP until I re-read Jimmy's article and realized it's not 100% the calves, even though that's where most or all of the soreness is coming from, and the pain is coming from the foot. The shin muscles are key, or at least they were for me. Give it a try, you have nothing to lose but your pains.

 

[Barefooting Bob]

3.73 mile loop around the area over lunch. Temp is going up it was -4 with the windchill, perfect shorts weather.

 

[NickW]

30 min on the stationary bike and 45 min of chest, bi's, and tri's. Had a niggle in my calf from Saturdays unplanned run so decided to take an extra day off from running today. Damn emotion based runs... I always overdo it when I run to burn off stress. I need to make a better effort at taking my butt to the gym and riding the stationary and weights instead of running when I'm upset.

 

[happysongbird]

30 min on the stationary bike and 45 min of chest, bi's, and tri's. Had a niggle in my calf from Saturdays unplanned run so decided to take an extra day off from running today. Damn emotion based runs... I always overdo it when I run to burn off stress. I need to make a better effort at taking my butt to the gym and riding the stationary and weights instead of running when I'm upset.

I ended up needing knee surgery because of emotionally induced high energy physical activity once. One of our daughters, age 13, had died of leukemia. I know it's hard. Be careful.

 

[NickW]

I ended up needing knee surgery because of emotionally induced high energy physical activity once. One of our daughters, age 13, had died of leukemia. I know it's hard. Be careful.

Wow, I'm so sorry to hear that Laura. I can't even begin to imagine. I was upset about a dog (still am), which doesn't even compare...

 

[happysongbird]

Wow, I'm so sorry to hear that Laura. I can't even begin to imagine. I was upset about a dog (still am), which doesn't even compare...

The sorrow of the moment is what rends the heart. Death is unavoidable, but so sad for those of us left behind. I won't minimize anyone's loss.

 

[Bare Lee]

I've heard it said there is nothing harder than for a parent to lose a child. My condolences.

 

[happysongbird]

I've heard it said there is nothing harder than for a parent to lose a child. My condolences.

As hard as it is, I think it would be harder to lose a life long partner. But, cheers! No need to worry about me! I have a song in my heart and hope well established.