All of this is to say that I've been bitten by the racing bug and I'm working hard to embrace the run when I finally can. At this point I have maybe 3 weeks until I can run on land, so I'm continuing to bike and elliptical to get my aerobic capacity back up. I've really enjoyed the strength I've developed from lifting multiple times a week, and will likely continue that through the summer. But the most exciting development of my slow comeback is the presence of an underwater treadmill. I stepped on it today and started with a slow walk. The resistance from the water is a strange feeling, even though I haven't run on land for more than two months. After some stretches, I finally got to jog. I felt on top of the world and ready to take on anything...until I was told that I was jogging at 3.5 mph. It was humbling but nonetheless so exciting to finally take some real steps. I'm only aqua jogging once a week and I already can't wait to go back. I'm fixing all of my imbalances and strengthening my legs in way that I possibly may never have before, so I can only imagine how it will feel to finally set foot on land. Now I have goals and visualizations and motivation, and you know that come August I will be racing that 5-miler just like I imagined.
Thursday, February 20, 2014
Street Dreaming
Last week, a friend told me about a local road race that his family put on every August. I drifted off, imaging rounding the corner of this race wearing spandex and a singlet and being soaked with sweat from working hard and the warm summer sun. And in that moment, I was ready to race again. Since then, I haven't been able to take racing off my mind. When I drove into Boston to visit my boyfriend, I saw so many runners out for their Sunday morning long run along Comm Ave. I slowed to catch the collegiate logos on hats and jackets and wished I could have just jumped out of the car to join them. Later, the football coach at my school approached me about learning how to run. How could I say no? On our first day in which I evaluated his speed and fitness, he told me that his goal was to run a 6 minute mile by June 1st. Though he's coming from a place of very little fitness and I've been working out since January albeit without running, I said I'd join him. I'm thinking of challenging him to a race.
All of this is to say that I've been bitten by the racing bug and I'm working hard to embrace the run when I finally can. At this point I have maybe 3 weeks until I can run on land, so I'm continuing to bike and elliptical to get my aerobic capacity back up. I've really enjoyed the strength I've developed from lifting multiple times a week, and will likely continue that through the summer. But the most exciting development of my slow comeback is the presence of an underwater treadmill. I stepped on it today and started with a slow walk. The resistance from the water is a strange feeling, even though I haven't run on land for more than two months. After some stretches, I finally got to jog. I felt on top of the world and ready to take on anything...until I was told that I was jogging at 3.5 mph. It was humbling but nonetheless so exciting to finally take some real steps. I'm only aqua jogging once a week and I already can't wait to go back. I'm fixing all of my imbalances and strengthening my legs in way that I possibly may never have before, so I can only imagine how it will feel to finally set foot on land. Now I have goals and visualizations and motivation, and you know that come August I will be racing that 5-miler just like I imagined.
All of this is to say that I've been bitten by the racing bug and I'm working hard to embrace the run when I finally can. At this point I have maybe 3 weeks until I can run on land, so I'm continuing to bike and elliptical to get my aerobic capacity back up. I've really enjoyed the strength I've developed from lifting multiple times a week, and will likely continue that through the summer. But the most exciting development of my slow comeback is the presence of an underwater treadmill. I stepped on it today and started with a slow walk. The resistance from the water is a strange feeling, even though I haven't run on land for more than two months. After some stretches, I finally got to jog. I felt on top of the world and ready to take on anything...until I was told that I was jogging at 3.5 mph. It was humbling but nonetheless so exciting to finally take some real steps. I'm only aqua jogging once a week and I already can't wait to go back. I'm fixing all of my imbalances and strengthening my legs in way that I possibly may never have before, so I can only imagine how it will feel to finally set foot on land. Now I have goals and visualizations and motivation, and you know that come August I will be racing that 5-miler just like I imagined.
Wednesday, February 5, 2014
Getting Faster without Running: part 3
Last week I finally got the good news: I could walk on two feet. No crutches, no walking boot, no seat in the shower anymore. I'm still walking slowly and carefully, but what a feeling to wear two of the same shoes! Just a few days into my two-footed ambles, I am nowhere near being able to run again. I start physical therapy tomorrow and am going to work as hard as I can to get back to running sooner than later. The doctor told me that people with breaks like mine (distal fibula fracture, if you're wondering) usually don't run for 4 months. 4 months!! I still have 2 and half months to go before I run if that's the timetable I'm following, and at that point I'll still be far from any good racing shape. But one can hope.
In this vein, I'm calling my comeback "cast to 5k." No offense to those who have earned their stripes by following the Couch to 5k program, (and I've looked at it for some of my xc girls; it's prettttty basic) but my plan is only related by tongue-and-cheek alliteration. Despite my inability to run, I've already made strides (pun definitely intended) to run a great 5k at some point this spring. So this brings me back to...my critical nonessentials, part 3.
Since I got off crutches a month ago, I've been in the gym about three times a week lifting. To keep it safe, I've been focusing on arms and core and I can definitely feel and see differences already. I started bench pressing with just the bar, keeping the weight low with many reps. In college we lifted 3x10 (3 sets of 10 reps each) with a focus on low weight and strength endurance, and I still ascribe to that. This doesn't mean, though, that I'm not increasing my weight as I go. As I'm getting stronger and more fit, I've been slowly adding weight to the bar or picking up a heavier dumbbell. Last week I benched 55 pounds--that's 5's on each side of the bar! I'm pretty happy with myself for that. I've also been working triceps, pecs, deltoids, back and all parts of my core. Deb had us doing "7 minute abs" weekly at Colby and I still do those with great results, but I am careful not to neglect the more important but less noticeable other core muscles. Many people don't realize that your core includes your back and your hips and I would argue that having a 6-pack means almost nothing for core strength. In my repertoire of strong core exercises are fire hydrants, superman lifts and rotating planks. I've forsaken my beach body for a warm winter hibernation layer this past month, but I'm still worker towards being stronger every day.
Today I biked for 20 whole minutes with no resistance. It was harder than I expected but I'm not embarrassed about that. Slowly and steadily I will recover and return, and hopefully win that race in the end!
 |
| A milestone: two of the same shoes! |
Since I got off crutches a month ago, I've been in the gym about three times a week lifting. To keep it safe, I've been focusing on arms and core and I can definitely feel and see differences already. I started bench pressing with just the bar, keeping the weight low with many reps. In college we lifted 3x10 (3 sets of 10 reps each) with a focus on low weight and strength endurance, and I still ascribe to that. This doesn't mean, though, that I'm not increasing my weight as I go. As I'm getting stronger and more fit, I've been slowly adding weight to the bar or picking up a heavier dumbbell. Last week I benched 55 pounds--that's 5's on each side of the bar! I'm pretty happy with myself for that. I've also been working triceps, pecs, deltoids, back and all parts of my core. Deb had us doing "7 minute abs" weekly at Colby and I still do those with great results, but I am careful not to neglect the more important but less noticeable other core muscles. Many people don't realize that your core includes your back and your hips and I would argue that having a 6-pack means almost nothing for core strength. In my repertoire of strong core exercises are fire hydrants, superman lifts and rotating planks. I've forsaken my beach body for a warm winter hibernation layer this past month, but I'm still worker towards being stronger every day.
Today I biked for 20 whole minutes with no resistance. It was harder than I expected but I'm not embarrassed about that. Slowly and steadily I will recover and return, and hopefully win that race in the end!
Sunday, February 2, 2014
The Ever-Elusive Trifecta
Note: I actually wrote this post back in mid-January, but was distracted by visits from friends (yay Sarah and Colleen!), friends leaving (Abbott come back!), and interview preparations (yuck, business casual).
For some reason the phrase “ever-elusive” always make me think of one of my favorite Family Guy scenes: National Geographic special on Firetrucks. (Link below in case anyone has my same sense of humor)
But back to me (blogging makes me feel self-absorbed sometimes), the trifecta is a silly little thing that I use to define the major components of my life: running, research, relationships. I'm usually a solid 2 for 3 (you don't want to see me at 1/3). Yeah, yeah, I'm a perfectionist, you caught me. It’s funny because I used to get so frustrated chasing the trifecta but it seemed nearly impossible that the three could co-exist. I ran my best cross country and track times when I was an emotional wreck. I accomplished some incredible things in the lab while I was nursing/ignoring/healing a stress fracture and subsequently falling from the top to the bottom quarter of the cross-country team as a senior.
Which brings me to now: at this crossroads of injury-free training, a month of interviewing for PhD neuroscience programs, and family and friends rooting for me. Based on my trifecta theory, I start wondering where will it crack? My bet is on the running (it usually is). In this case it’s not a matter of being out-of-shape or injured, it’s my geographical disadvantage. What’s a girl gotta do to get into a race around here?!
I’ve been trying, unsuccessfully, to get on the track for nearly a month and a half now for a post-collegiate racing debut in the mile. Unfortunately, the running community down here in Balto is just so much sparser and there are practically no opportunities to race something shorter than a half. I tried to race at a U of Maryland Invitational but they “didn’t have space” for me. I call BS because I know an alum who was let in to race the men’s mile, but whatever. On the plus side, I feel like I’ve got the speed back in my legs and plan on trucking along until I can race (hopefully) in an outdoor meet in March/April.
OK – enough of my complaining. Having a lack of race opportunities is hardly cause for whining (and would be majorly insensitive of me given that my poor comrade is healing a broken leg right now). It’s just that my racing blood’s a boilin’ and I want nothing more than to get cranking on the oval. My consolation prize… it seems as though I bestowed upon Baltimore the gift of New England winter weather. Payback? I like to think so. 
Monday, January 27, 2014
Getting Faster Without Running: part 2
With (hopefully) just a few days left in my walking boot, but many days to come until I can run again, I'm still focusing on my critical nonessentials to prepare me for my comeback. Last week I waxed somewhat poetically about sleep and nutrition, and today I'm focusing on more specific and purposeful running-related advantages.
When I'm healthy, one of the best things I can do for myself is to practice yoga regularly. I'm lucky that I have free yoga classes at my school and that I have a great rapport with the instructor, who is also a colleague and friend. Yoga is great for a number of reasons, and you can choose which you want to focus on in your time on the mat. If I'm particularly tired from running or burnt out from work, I can use yoga to recharge and refocus, and the practice becomes less about the poses and more about the intentions. I can really unplug and let go of stress, tensions or worries. Other days, I want my yoga to help me become stronger or more flexible. I've made great progress with crow pose and headstand, although sometimes it feels like I'm still just a beginner. Yoga is very humbling and can be a perfect antidote to competitive running because you truly can't compare yourself to others. Sometimes, even just turning your head to look at someone else's pose can mess up your alignment and cause neck and spinal damage; you just need to look inward. I haven't been doing yoga since being in my boot but I'm looking forward to moving a little more freely and confidently very soon!
One of the least considered critical nonessentials is the compression sock. In fact, when I was getting my USATF coaching certification, I suggested compression socks as a recovery method and the other coaches were very surprised. I swear by compression socks, for both during and after a workout. They help to drain your legs of "dirty" blood and get fresh blood pumping and restoring. I have a pair of fancy, neon compression socks but I also have $9 airplane compression socks that I bought at Walmart. I've been wearing a compression sock on my bad leg for the past month because it helps reduce swelling. Now I can finally see my ankle bone! Another great perk of compression socks is that they simply look fly. They may not make me a faster runner merely because I'm wearing them but there is definitely some placebo effect when I put them on. If I look fast, and I feel fast, then I am fast. How's that for a new motto?
Don't knock these things until you've tried them, but at the same time, you should probably be running instead of reading this or browsing Running Warehouse for new socks. If I can't run, at least one of us should be logging miles. Get out there already!
When I'm healthy, one of the best things I can do for myself is to practice yoga regularly. I'm lucky that I have free yoga classes at my school and that I have a great rapport with the instructor, who is also a colleague and friend. Yoga is great for a number of reasons, and you can choose which you want to focus on in your time on the mat. If I'm particularly tired from running or burnt out from work, I can use yoga to recharge and refocus, and the practice becomes less about the poses and more about the intentions. I can really unplug and let go of stress, tensions or worries. Other days, I want my yoga to help me become stronger or more flexible. I've made great progress with crow pose and headstand, although sometimes it feels like I'm still just a beginner. Yoga is very humbling and can be a perfect antidote to competitive running because you truly can't compare yourself to others. Sometimes, even just turning your head to look at someone else's pose can mess up your alignment and cause neck and spinal damage; you just need to look inward. I haven't been doing yoga since being in my boot but I'm looking forward to moving a little more freely and confidently very soon!
 |
| Some preseason flow |
Don't knock these things until you've tried them, but at the same time, you should probably be running instead of reading this or browsing Running Warehouse for new socks. If I can't run, at least one of us should be logging miles. Get out there already!
Saturday, January 18, 2014
Getting Faster Without Running: part 1
This past week we've experienced some beautiful days here in Connecticut, and all I've wanted to do is head out for a nice 6-mile run. Unfortunately I'm still in my walking boot and my leg is still on the mend, so I have to find other ways to satiate my desire to run. And although I have a long time until I'll be able to run, whatever I can do now to get and stay healthy and fit will help speed my recovery process down the line. Along the way, I heard someone call these things the "critical nonessentials," actions you can take that aren't essential to making you faster (only by running will you run faster/farther/whatever), but you will become a much stronger and more balanced person and athlete by taking the time to do all of these. Often the difference between a mediocre runner and a truly successful runner is not the running, but rather what he or she does off the track. Since I won't be blogging about my running any time soon, I'm going to spend the next couple of posts giving my professional and personal opinions about other aspects of the sport.
Today: sleep and nutrition.
I would argue that most important thing you can do besides running is to get enough sleep. Sleep is key for recovery as well as tackling the next hard workout. I'm no scientist so I'm not going to preach about how impaired you become after x-number of hours of sleep, but when your cognitive functioning goes down, so does your reaction time. Think about that next time you're running on a road with no shoulder and the car doesn't swerve fast enough! I love naps (and cats, coincidence?) but naps don't really take the place of a good night's sleep. For better or for worse I am a night owl and do my best work/lesson planning/Pinteresting after dark. I usually get to bed around midnight and wake up around 7:30. My body hates this, though. I am one of those people who needs a minimum of 8 hours of sleep, or I start to feel like I've been hit by a bus. I should be going to bed earlier, especially because hours of sleep before midnight are more valuable than those after midnight. Sleeping 2 AM to 10 AM is definitely not the same as sleeping 11 PM to 7 AM, wouldn't you agree? The other important aspect of sleep that I wholeheartedly ascribe to is the idea of a 2 day sleep cycle. When we were racing Saturdays in college, I would always get my best night's sleep on a Thursday and worry less about the night before. I remind my runners now about that as well, and it's just generally an important consideration for leading a healthy and balanced life. Many of my colleagues rely on strong coffee to get through the day, but I would rather be energized by a good night's sleep than by a caffeinated hot cup.
Another easy way to improve any sort of performance is to eat better and with more purpose. I don't necessarily "eat clean," (whatever that even means) and I don't eat paleo or low-fat or ascribe to any diet. Again, I'm not registered dietitian, but I do know about macro- and micronutrients and recognize that what I put into my body is not purely for my enjoyment. Ideally I enjoy my vegetables and fruit, eat protein (I keep kosher so this often means no meat), and incorporate whole grains. But I always eat dessert. And some days I eat two servings of mac and cheese and ice cream for dinner. Whatever! I always make sure to eat enough calories. I get crabby and tired when I don't eat enough and who wants that? Not eating will not make me skinnier and will not make me faster; for me it is just not worth it. I do take a multivitamin for "nutritional insurance" but I would so much rather reap the benefits of nutrients from eating well than from a manufactured pill. I don't stress about what I eat too much because I know that at the end of the day, I have a surplus of healthy foods and enjoy my refined sugar desserts.
Some examples of homemade food that I enjoy:
Stay tuned for more critical nonessentials in the coming weeks. Up next: yoga and compression socks!
Today: sleep and nutrition.
I would argue that most important thing you can do besides running is to get enough sleep. Sleep is key for recovery as well as tackling the next hard workout. I'm no scientist so I'm not going to preach about how impaired you become after x-number of hours of sleep, but when your cognitive functioning goes down, so does your reaction time. Think about that next time you're running on a road with no shoulder and the car doesn't swerve fast enough! I love naps (and cats, coincidence?) but naps don't really take the place of a good night's sleep. For better or for worse I am a night owl and do my best work/lesson planning/Pinteresting after dark. I usually get to bed around midnight and wake up around 7:30. My body hates this, though. I am one of those people who needs a minimum of 8 hours of sleep, or I start to feel like I've been hit by a bus. I should be going to bed earlier, especially because hours of sleep before midnight are more valuable than those after midnight. Sleeping 2 AM to 10 AM is definitely not the same as sleeping 11 PM to 7 AM, wouldn't you agree? The other important aspect of sleep that I wholeheartedly ascribe to is the idea of a 2 day sleep cycle. When we were racing Saturdays in college, I would always get my best night's sleep on a Thursday and worry less about the night before. I remind my runners now about that as well, and it's just generally an important consideration for leading a healthy and balanced life. Many of my colleagues rely on strong coffee to get through the day, but I would rather be energized by a good night's sleep than by a caffeinated hot cup.
Another easy way to improve any sort of performance is to eat better and with more purpose. I don't necessarily "eat clean," (whatever that even means) and I don't eat paleo or low-fat or ascribe to any diet. Again, I'm not registered dietitian, but I do know about macro- and micronutrients and recognize that what I put into my body is not purely for my enjoyment. Ideally I enjoy my vegetables and fruit, eat protein (I keep kosher so this often means no meat), and incorporate whole grains. But I always eat dessert. And some days I eat two servings of mac and cheese and ice cream for dinner. Whatever! I always make sure to eat enough calories. I get crabby and tired when I don't eat enough and who wants that? Not eating will not make me skinnier and will not make me faster; for me it is just not worth it. I do take a multivitamin for "nutritional insurance" but I would so much rather reap the benefits of nutrients from eating well than from a manufactured pill. I don't stress about what I eat too much because I know that at the end of the day, I have a surplus of healthy foods and enjoy my refined sugar desserts.
Some examples of homemade food that I enjoy:
 |
| Apple pie with hand picked, local apples |
 |
| Whole wheat bagel with zucchini, green bean and goat cheese scramble |
 |
| Homemade kale chips |
Saturday, January 11, 2014
Reflection on 2013, or, amusing things I wrote in my running log
Looking back on 2013 there were a lot of ups and downs in terms of training. I went from struggling to just run in January 2013 due to a mystery medical condition and eventually taking time off when most of my runs were ending in me in the fetal position on the treadmill, to looking at racing my first post-collegiate track meet in January 2014. It certainly was a bit of an extended transition year out of college, but luckily that lent itself to me writing some weird stuff in my running log. Below are some samples of what happens when I write like no one's reading...
1/9/13
1/9/13
Feeling
nostalgic for the killer group 3 mid-distance workout that was happening today at Colby, so
I did one on my own on the treadmill. 1x800m @ 2:45. Got some funny looks, completely
warranted...
2/11/13
Treadmill
run, lots of abdominal pain today. Feel like I've tried the "rest and get
better" theory for long enough with zero success and will be reverting
back to the “ignore all pain signals” method
3/10/13
Slept 5hrs,
worked 10hrs, ran 10mi. Take that, DC Doghead hangover...
3/22/13
Distractions
prevented the execution of tonight's run.
3/27/13
Still not
feeling the vibe at my new gym. Why would people annoy strangers with stupid
conversations when they are clearly trying to work out? Meatheads.
4/2/2013
Drove to Dundalk HS to try out their track….In other news, never returning to Dundalk EVER AGAIN, very
sketchy.
5/20/13
the “no run –
off” option should probably end in an exclamation point. Long day
(6:40am-5:40pm) meant no running after work.
5/29/13
100%
laziness. No regrets.
6/1/13
Wedding day
run with Kat :) Hot
and humid, saw some huge turkeys
10/2/13
Furlough day
one (and only).
10/6/13
No run: off! Hansel,
so hot right now.
11/1/13
unintentional
tempo run. Suns out guns out on Nov 1st.!
11/2/13
@NESCACS! Go Mules!
1/2/14
Nothing like
starting out not-JanPlan with the infamous JanPlan repeat 800s workout all by yourself. Felt the cliff of the back of the treadmill on the last repeat as i drifted and faded away (that I had turned into a 400, which therefore turned into a 300). I'm getting too familiar with that emergency stop button, but at least it's fast.
2013 had too few CCXC reunions for my liking, hopefully 2014 can have more like this 10 mile relay race we did in August.
2013 had too few CCXC reunions for my liking, hopefully 2014 can have more like this 10 mile relay race we did in August.
Tuesday, December 31, 2013
The December That Wasn't
At the beginning of the month, I was excited to start upping my running a bit and get back into shape before I tackled my first marathon. Midway through the month, I had some inspired runs in Central Park and got to meet a coach whose philosophy on running and training clicked with me. After the coaching clinic I emailed him for help running my first marathon, my "debut," if you will. I was going to title this post "Stop...Treadmill time" because so many of my RunStreak runs had been inside and after dark. I was hoping to run between my boyfriend's parents' houses on Christmas Day, a nice 8 mile, head and stomach clearing jaunt between all the gluttony and sloth of the holidays. I was going to continue with my Run Streak all the way to New Years Day...and then I broke my leg.
As my cousin described it, I tried to "ice skate without skates." I simply fell while walking and did some pretty bad damage. I broke my fibula, probably sprained my ankle, and kissed those marathon debut dreams goodbye. Luckily I was on the edge of winter vacation so I've spent the last two weeks at home on the couch catching up on new and old TV shows. My friends and family have been awesome about taking care of me, even my angsty teen brother.
It's definitely been hard not moving at all over the break, and seeing other people's pictures from runs or a beautiful day outside makes me miss the ability to lace up and get out even for an easy run. My right calf is already noticeably atrophied and I know that it's going to be a long and slow process getting back to even be able to run. I'm currently still on crutches but extremely hopefully that I can just be in my walking boot before I get back to school. It's scary how much I'm looking forward to going for a walk. The marathon plan is definitely off the table for the spring, and likely for 2014 all together. Depending on my recovery, I'll shoot for a 5 or 10k in the spring to have something doable as a goal. But for the moment, I'm looking forward to that New Years Eve cheese platter and the day I can wear shoes on both of my feet.
Wishing everyone a happy, healthy and fast New Year!
Rachel "yoga pants for days" Runner
 |
| And then the Run Streak stopped |
It's definitely been hard not moving at all over the break, and seeing other people's pictures from runs or a beautiful day outside makes me miss the ability to lace up and get out even for an easy run. My right calf is already noticeably atrophied and I know that it's going to be a long and slow process getting back to even be able to run. I'm currently still on crutches but extremely hopefully that I can just be in my walking boot before I get back to school. It's scary how much I'm looking forward to going for a walk. The marathon plan is definitely off the table for the spring, and likely for 2014 all together. Depending on my recovery, I'll shoot for a 5 or 10k in the spring to have something doable as a goal. But for the moment, I'm looking forward to that New Years Eve cheese platter and the day I can wear shoes on both of my feet.
Wishing everyone a happy, healthy and fast New Year!
Rachel "yoga pants for days" Runner
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