Back on Track... hopefully

First: 

Happy National Running Day!!

Second: 

Great news, the PT cleared me for running again, but with caution, easing back into it and definitely lots of deep stretching afterwards. I'm taking all precautions here because I don't want any more setbacks.

I did a quickie 2 miler with Jenn last night using her run:walk method (run for 4 minutes, walk for 1), which I never thought I'd do, but with the easing back into things, thought it could work for me. It actually isn't too bad. I may stick with this for a while, especially if it doesn't aggravate my hip! I also read up more on the Jeff Galloway running method (who utilizes the run:walk method in his training programs). At first, the idea of walking during a run seemed silly (to an impatient runner like me), but from what he says here (regarding walk breaks), it can actually help you with recovery, injury prevention and does not take much away from your time:

"When you walk fast for a minute, most runners will lose about 15 seconds over running at their regular pace. But if you walk slowly, you'll have lost only about 20 seconds."

Anyway, when I got back home from the run, I made sure to stretch out everything and I even iced and foam rolled my IT band - both sides. This morning, my hip feels a tiny bit tender, but I am not limping, so that is great news. I'm going to get some more stretching and rolling in tonight, after boot camp.

Third:

This month I am making a conscious effort to watch my food intake and strengthen up! I started a Jillian Michaels DVD, which is a 30 day routine. There's a blog I read: Mama Laughlin, who is hilarious! She documents her weight loss journey after years of having a couple kids. Presently she looks AMAZING... This is the link to her before and after pics from doing a Jillian Michaels DVD (but not the same one I have). I hope to achieve the same type of results. I want to get rid of my pooch!

I took my own "before" photos on my phone, but I will post them only if I get some good results at the end of the month. :P I also need to remember to take my measurements...

2.11 miles - Ft. Washington Park

August 31, 2011, Wednesday
6:54 pm 

2.11 miles (used Joel's GPS watch)
23:21

mile 1 (flat) - 10:33:09

mile 2 (flat) - 11:32:31

I thought I was going at a faster pace in the beginning, but I guess not. I did not look down at the watch until I hit 2 miles (it beeps at every mile) because I wanted to see if checking my pace the whole time affected it... which I guess it does make me go faster! 

I signed up for the Chick-Fil-A 5k on September 10th. I think my cousin is going to do it too. Joel is not. It's going to be an early morning. The race starts at 8, but I have to be there early to pick up race packets and it will take an hour to get there. Definitely not setting any PRs here, but I needed to register for one to keep me motivated and running more often than once a week.

2.18 miles - Ft Washington Park

August 16, 2011, Tuesday
7:19 pm - great running weather
2.18 miles
23:49

 

mile 1 (flat) - 10:07

mile 2 (some hills) - 11:31

For not running in 2 weeks, I felt great. I felt refreshed and ready to go. I had a good pace going in the beginning and tried to keep it up for the whole first mile. For the second mile, I decided to veer off to other paths for variation (the normal path I run is a flat loop). I didn't feel extremely tired. I think it is mostly due to the weather change, how it is getting cooler and a little darker earlier. That humidity really gets to you! 

 

I wore my stability bands this time - on both knees. No pain!

 

Next run will probably be this weekend on the Wilson Bridge Trail. Or the 5k trail course at the Park (Fort Washington).

 

2 miles - Fort Washington Park

July 7, 2011, Thursday
7:15 pm - hot and humid even at this time of day
2 miles
22:25 (10 minute first mile)

Stayed on the flat part (not the trail). I wore Joel's GPS watch. I intended this to be a speedwork session (1st quarter mile easy, 2nd quarter mile fast, 3rd quarter mile easy, and so on), but when I realized that my "fast" pace was barely under 11 minute miles, I laughed in disappointment. I still tried anyway - my "fasts" were still faster than my "easies" which were in the 12 minute pace. Man, I have a long way to go.

Knees are feeling OK the day after.