Between the driving rain and tropical storm type winds I decided I needed another option to my beloved trail system for my runs this week. So I went home. Not my actual home but the indoor track where I went religiously for years, across from my former workplace. The indoor track is a padded surface .25km (ish) track that circles an ice rink. The beauty is that no matter what it's doing outside, whether it be a blistering 30C or a subfreezing -20 it's always ready for a run.
Yesterday was a busy day at the track. I seemed to miss a memo about wearing a turquoise top since 75% of the runners were wearing one (weird). I stuck to the outside of the track (designated for runners) but not hogging the lane so the faster runners could pass. And they all did. Ugh. I remember being in the mix of them. Running laps and passing the slower runners as they pushed on. Now I'm one of the slower runners, plodding but determined. I managed a solid 5km run and did outlast a few of the runners before I had to head to my daughter's dance practice to carpool. My leg twinged a bit in my calf muscles. First the outside (left) side felt tight but then that feeling moved to the inner part of my calf. I thought about taking more walk breaks, but then realized if a little calf tightness was as bad as it was going to get I could push through it.
My knee felt pretty good until I got home. After a couple of hours or so I started getting sudden shooting pains extending from my inner knee across my kneecap. I wasn't doing anything special, just sitting on the couch watching Netflix. That's the part about knee OA that drives me nuts. I can be doing nothing and I get this intense searing pain that makes carrying on a conversation very difficult since my whole mind just goes "OH MY GOD..OWWWW!" which, of course, makes me lose focus on whatever the hell I was talking about. I find it hard to tie this to my run since A. it happened almost 5 hours later, and B. I was doing NOTHING involving my leg and I wasn't the least bit stressed. So when I complain I get the standard advice to take more time off running. They just don't understand that taking time off makes no difference. I'm in pain if I run or if I don't. So I've stopped complaining. There's no point...at least out loud to my loved ones ;-)
So, this week's been a banner running week overall. I've managed a total of 15km between Monday and today (Thursday), which is really freakin' good for me lately. Today I'm hoping to bring the total to a lovely round 20km and if I can squeeze in another 10 before Sunday I will be really proud of myself and my bad knee.
Thursday, February 25, 2016
Wednesday, February 17, 2016
There will be good days and not so good days
So I would love to say my first run in my 50k training plan went great, except it didn't. Thankfully I am well aware that bad run days happen. It started out good enough. The weather was beautiful, sunny and warm for February. I decided on the pod runner 179bpm podcast music to keep my pace steady. I should have probably rethought that decision after the first kilometer turned into a slog. Maybe if I had cut the bpm down to 150 or 135 things might have gone more smoothly. As it was, I was 1 mile into my 45 minute run and my calves (both of them) felt like they were on fire. Ugh. I started thinking maybe I need new shoes, and maybe I do, but I probably should have simply slowed down a touch. I struggled through the next kilometer then started doing 1 for 1's. Run one block, power walk the next and so on. I did that until I got to the steep decline past the local high school. From there gravity helped propel me through the next five blocks.
All in all though my total time didn't suck as badly as I expected and my legs felt fine after an hour or so recovery on my couch. Today, even though it is pouring outside I have hill training. I used to hate uphill runs but now they are one of the few things that don't cause my knees to hurt. So we'll see if the rain stops or if I'll be taking my scheduled "hilly 45 run" indoors to a stair master or bike.
Today I also check in with my GP. The last time I saw her was two months ago and I was starting that horrid Gabapentin. I don't think I'll bother asking for any other kind of pain relief, if they all have similar side effects, I don't want them.
So, onward and upward...literally ;-)
All in all though my total time didn't suck as badly as I expected and my legs felt fine after an hour or so recovery on my couch. Today, even though it is pouring outside I have hill training. I used to hate uphill runs but now they are one of the few things that don't cause my knees to hurt. So we'll see if the rain stops or if I'll be taking my scheduled "hilly 45 run" indoors to a stair master or bike.
Today I also check in with my GP. The last time I saw her was two months ago and I was starting that horrid Gabapentin. I don't think I'll bother asking for any other kind of pain relief, if they all have similar side effects, I don't want them.
So, onward and upward...literally ;-)
Tuesday, February 16, 2016
Trying to have a goal
I've been known to over-reach in my goals. But then again, come hell or high water, I usually accomplish them. So while it came as no surprise that my husband would totally hate my idea to run (at least) one lap of this year's Waskally Wrabbit, I was also hurt that I didn't get even a hint of support, never mind he said (in an off-handed way) earlier this weekend that my personally has imitated a crab since getting injured a year ago. And here I thought I was coming off as nicer recently, I honestly have been really trying to be nice all. the. time. But clearly he still thinks I'm cranky. :-(
I need a plan. I need something to strive for, a goal, something tangible since my efforts at home go unnoticed and unappreciated. I thought this idea would be somewhat supported since more than a few people have asked me what races I am planning to do this year. My now-standard answer of "None yet" gives surprised reactions, which tells me I'm not truly back to my old self. My goal is the Waskally Wrabbit.
My recent pleasant surprise that running trails didn't leave me a sobbing pain-ridden mess, has also given me the gumption to give'r at the trail race that started it all for me. I'm not hoping for a win, or even a top ten finish, but I do want to finish that race again.
So, while I heard my husband after his eye rolling, huffing and puffing, and exasperated "I just don't want you to undue the gains you've made," I'm still going to try for this. I'm still going to start training, albeit without any home support, and see how this goes. If I fall into my injury cycle again, where I'm needing three days to recover from a run, then yeah, okay, maybe I'll rethink that goal and maybe rethink how far I'm capable of going nowadays and about running a shorter trail race later in the summer. But to give up without even trying just isn't me.
This stupid knee OA isn't going anywhere. I've managed to learn how to deal with the cramps, with the night pains that wake me up nightly, the kneecap swelling, the pseudo-locking and the crunching noises. No KT tape technique, brace, pill or time off has really helped long term. I am coming to terms with the fact I will have to live with this. So, if I have to live with this, and this knee OA is coming along for the ride, then that means I'm getting back to ME, and that means getting back to the trails support or no support.
I need a plan. I need something to strive for, a goal, something tangible since my efforts at home go unnoticed and unappreciated. I thought this idea would be somewhat supported since more than a few people have asked me what races I am planning to do this year. My now-standard answer of "None yet" gives surprised reactions, which tells me I'm not truly back to my old self. My goal is the Waskally Wrabbit.
My recent pleasant surprise that running trails didn't leave me a sobbing pain-ridden mess, has also given me the gumption to give'r at the trail race that started it all for me. I'm not hoping for a win, or even a top ten finish, but I do want to finish that race again.
So, while I heard my husband after his eye rolling, huffing and puffing, and exasperated "I just don't want you to undue the gains you've made," I'm still going to try for this. I'm still going to start training, albeit without any home support, and see how this goes. If I fall into my injury cycle again, where I'm needing three days to recover from a run, then yeah, okay, maybe I'll rethink that goal and maybe rethink how far I'm capable of going nowadays and about running a shorter trail race later in the summer. But to give up without even trying just isn't me.
This stupid knee OA isn't going anywhere. I've managed to learn how to deal with the cramps, with the night pains that wake me up nightly, the kneecap swelling, the pseudo-locking and the crunching noises. No KT tape technique, brace, pill or time off has really helped long term. I am coming to terms with the fact I will have to live with this. So, if I have to live with this, and this knee OA is coming along for the ride, then that means I'm getting back to ME, and that means getting back to the trails support or no support.
Thursday, February 11, 2016
Winter Wonderfall
I just couldn't resist checking out my new favorite trail system yesterday when I had an hour and a half to kill while my daughter was at dance practice. I was certain it would be snowed in but something told me to check it out anyway. I was surprised but happy to find dozens of tracks had beaten down a sizeable path through the 30cm of snow. The sky was clear and all I could hear was the crunching of my footfalls through the snow. Bliss! I was concerned about slipping, especially with my bad knee, but as long as I kept my stride very short I was fine. It felt like a bit of a dance, but the fresh air and snow covered trees made it worth the extra effort.
After 40 minutes and only 2.5km I retreated back to my car. I had certainly worked up a sweat even though it was -5C. My bad knee twinged a little, which I'm chalking up to having to move laterally more often than normal, but overall it felt good.
Today I'll venture out for my first road run in a week. I'm looking forward to my little run commute, especially since today my husband has a day off so there's no rush for me to get home. If I can get 6km I'll be pretty stoked. We shall see. Sadly, this weekend I won't have a chance to hit the trail, but that should give me time to find my snowshoes, and I'll make sure to hit the treadmill when I can.
While I have read that running is not recommended for OA in the knee, it seems to have kept the swelling down and I haven't taken a Ibuprofen in a week or so. I still have nightly pain and of course the stabbing pain happens still daily, but it seems to be less severe on the days when I squeeze in some exercise time.
My eating plan is also going remarkably well. I'm working on portion control and cutting out snacks when at all possible. I haven't noticed a change in my size, but I know if I stay consistent the results will come, just like with my running.
After 40 minutes and only 2.5km I retreated back to my car. I had certainly worked up a sweat even though it was -5C. My bad knee twinged a little, which I'm chalking up to having to move laterally more often than normal, but overall it felt good.
Today I'll venture out for my first road run in a week. I'm looking forward to my little run commute, especially since today my husband has a day off so there's no rush for me to get home. If I can get 6km I'll be pretty stoked. We shall see. Sadly, this weekend I won't have a chance to hit the trail, but that should give me time to find my snowshoes, and I'll make sure to hit the treadmill when I can.
While I have read that running is not recommended for OA in the knee, it seems to have kept the swelling down and I haven't taken a Ibuprofen in a week or so. I still have nightly pain and of course the stabbing pain happens still daily, but it seems to be less severe on the days when I squeeze in some exercise time.
My eating plan is also going remarkably well. I'm working on portion control and cutting out snacks when at all possible. I haven't noticed a change in my size, but I know if I stay consistent the results will come, just like with my running.
Wednesday, February 10, 2016
A Trail Tale and new Tech
I fell in love over the weekend. Not with a person, but with the Salt Marsh Trail. It doesn't have a pretty-sounding name, nor do the smaller trails inside it (Longhead, Panorama, Jack Rabbit) but it is beautiful. I took my dog peanut for short 5-6km runs so I could explore and enjoy the forest and the soft trail ground.
I was thrilled after running there last week that my bad leg wasn't screaming in protest so I went back for more on Saturday and then again on Sunday. The micro spikes I used for the blotches of ice worked great and I was happy to be maneuvering around trees and rocks again. I found a great route that circles the perimeter of that section of the trail and it treated me to beautiful inlet vistas and cozy snow-covered trees. The paths were a mixture of snow, ice and slush. With the micro spikes on the ice wasn't an issue and the rest of the trail gave me soft under footing. That must have helped with the load on my knee because I didn't have the slightest hint of the iron bone or the stabbing pain I'm so accustomed to on streets and sidewalks. To me this was a huge revelation as I thought the unstable ground would cause me more pain than running on the stable surface of sidewalks. To be proven wrong was a great surprise. Now, don't get me wrong, I still had to ice my knee after my runs but I'm also not as hobbled by them as I usually am with road runs. It's progress, of sorts.
Once the weekend was over, so was my trail running fun. A massive blizzard hit the area and now my new-to-me trail is under 30 cm of snow. Boo. So back to the now snow covered sidewalks I go, at least until the next rain storm or heat wave can melt the trail routes again.
On a totally other note, Spring Loaded technology is releasing its first bionic knee brace today. I can purchase this thing for the low, low price of $1200 or I can pay the full price of $2300 if I am not one of the first 65 lucky people to buy one. This thing is supposed to be quite the improvement over standard knee braces. It is supposed to store your kinetic energy so it can be released when you need it, say when you get up from a chair. It sounds awesome but there's no way I'll be able to afford this brace unless I have a doctor specifically prescribe it. But for those that can shell out the cash, their mobility should improve drastically. It is encouraging to see new advances being made outside the drug therapy and surgery areas.
I was thrilled after running there last week that my bad leg wasn't screaming in protest so I went back for more on Saturday and then again on Sunday. The micro spikes I used for the blotches of ice worked great and I was happy to be maneuvering around trees and rocks again. I found a great route that circles the perimeter of that section of the trail and it treated me to beautiful inlet vistas and cozy snow-covered trees. The paths were a mixture of snow, ice and slush. With the micro spikes on the ice wasn't an issue and the rest of the trail gave me soft under footing. That must have helped with the load on my knee because I didn't have the slightest hint of the iron bone or the stabbing pain I'm so accustomed to on streets and sidewalks. To me this was a huge revelation as I thought the unstable ground would cause me more pain than running on the stable surface of sidewalks. To be proven wrong was a great surprise. Now, don't get me wrong, I still had to ice my knee after my runs but I'm also not as hobbled by them as I usually am with road runs. It's progress, of sorts.
Once the weekend was over, so was my trail running fun. A massive blizzard hit the area and now my new-to-me trail is under 30 cm of snow. Boo. So back to the now snow covered sidewalks I go, at least until the next rain storm or heat wave can melt the trail routes again.
On a totally other note, Spring Loaded technology is releasing its first bionic knee brace today. I can purchase this thing for the low, low price of $1200 or I can pay the full price of $2300 if I am not one of the first 65 lucky people to buy one. This thing is supposed to be quite the improvement over standard knee braces. It is supposed to store your kinetic energy so it can be released when you need it, say when you get up from a chair. It sounds awesome but there's no way I'll be able to afford this brace unless I have a doctor specifically prescribe it. But for those that can shell out the cash, their mobility should improve drastically. It is encouraging to see new advances being made outside the drug therapy and surgery areas.
Thursday, February 4, 2016
Hitting the Trails again
With the torrential downpour going on right now I'm glad I did a short 4km run/hike last night. My daughter was at dance practice and I decided to head over to a local trail system I've run parts of before. This time I decided to try the other side of this trail network and after a few minutes found the parking lot entrance. I knew I didn't have a ton of time before I needed to head back and pick up my daughter and two other little dancers so I quickly scanned the posted map and decided to just pick the path with the least amount of snow. Since I had never run this portion of the trail before I had assumed it would be similar in terrain to the bottom side, flat with minor hills. So I was surprised when I found myself climbing up one big hill after another, trying not to fall on the snow and ice. I kept waiting for my knee to twinge or that fibula bone to turn to steel, but it never happened. I jumped tentatively from spot to spot as I dodged blotches of ice and marveled at the beauty of the area when I reached the top of the biggest hill, overlooking the Atlantic ocean. I was thrilled to be back on the trail again and even more happy that it wasn't causing me excruciating pain because of the uneven terrain. My time sucked, I think I averaged around 11:30 per kilometer, but I know running trails equals slower times so I'm not too hung up on it. There's room to get better.
But, all too quickly it was over and I had to get back to pick up the kids. I plan to go back though this weekend and explore some of the other trails I didn't venture down yesterday. I'll also pack a set of yak-tracks so I don't have to walk the really icy sections, and maybe I'll even take the dog!
But, all too quickly it was over and I had to get back to pick up the kids. I plan to go back though this weekend and explore some of the other trails I didn't venture down yesterday. I'll also pack a set of yak-tracks so I don't have to walk the really icy sections, and maybe I'll even take the dog!
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| View from the top of the Panorama Trail |
Wednesday, February 3, 2016
Little victories and trying to stay focused
Having to get up a half an hour earlier than normal is actually harder when you have OA. Yeah, that's been a nasty surprise the few times I've had to do it, today being one of them. To top it off the temperature dropped suddenly so the barometric pressure is also playing havoc with the swelling in my knee. Anyway, enough whining.
Yesterday I was consistent with my goals and run-commuted about 4km to home, then walked another kilometer with my daughter from her after school care. Then I was crazy ambitious and did the Iron workout from the Livestrong Stronger program. While I find the host a little corny he is motivating and being told over and over "you can and you will" keeps me pushing through the workouts. While I snacked more than I should have in the evening I still didn't go over my calorie goal for the day-yay! Little victories, little victories.
So what's in store for today? Well, I got up super early to make sure I could leave work early to get my daughter and her dancing friends to their dance practice for 4pm. After that I'm not sure what to do. I can be lazy and chill either at the sports center or I can go home and put my feet up. My actual plan is to get changed at the sports center and then drive to a trail network close by and see what I can cover in the 45 minutes or so I'll have before I pick them up again. That's the plan in my head. My knee is strongly favoring a day off but I'll try to squash that before I leave work.
So am I "back to normal?" so to speak? No, as long as I have searing, stabbing pain in my bad leg I don't think achieving normal will ever happen. This is my new normal. If I can get out and run like I want to I'll chalk that up to success, even if it isn't 25km and is only 5, it's better than nothing at all. The way I've come to see it is that my bad leg is going to hurt all the time. It just does and I'm learning to accept that. It doesn't matter if I don't exercise or if I do, it still hurts. It's just a question of how long and how bad it will hurt. Ice and ibuprofen work wonders for that. Now try and tell that to my husband who has a father with psoriatic arthritis and has been told his whole life to become sedentary to avoid further pain and suffering. Old versus new medical advice butting heads. As long as I don't whine around my husband about my pain he seems to not make any comments about me exercising or running...which actually kind of sucks since the place I could use the most support is at home. I know he doesn't want me to hurt myself further but becoming an obese couch potato isn't who he married. My 9 year old though is awesome. When she sees me pushing through a workout at home she will say cute little things like "You can do it mommy!" or "Keep going mommy!" It makes my heart burst with love and appreciation. So I'll take what I can get.
Yesterday I was consistent with my goals and run-commuted about 4km to home, then walked another kilometer with my daughter from her after school care. Then I was crazy ambitious and did the Iron workout from the Livestrong Stronger program. While I find the host a little corny he is motivating and being told over and over "you can and you will" keeps me pushing through the workouts. While I snacked more than I should have in the evening I still didn't go over my calorie goal for the day-yay! Little victories, little victories.
So what's in store for today? Well, I got up super early to make sure I could leave work early to get my daughter and her dancing friends to their dance practice for 4pm. After that I'm not sure what to do. I can be lazy and chill either at the sports center or I can go home and put my feet up. My actual plan is to get changed at the sports center and then drive to a trail network close by and see what I can cover in the 45 minutes or so I'll have before I pick them up again. That's the plan in my head. My knee is strongly favoring a day off but I'll try to squash that before I leave work.
So am I "back to normal?" so to speak? No, as long as I have searing, stabbing pain in my bad leg I don't think achieving normal will ever happen. This is my new normal. If I can get out and run like I want to I'll chalk that up to success, even if it isn't 25km and is only 5, it's better than nothing at all. The way I've come to see it is that my bad leg is going to hurt all the time. It just does and I'm learning to accept that. It doesn't matter if I don't exercise or if I do, it still hurts. It's just a question of how long and how bad it will hurt. Ice and ibuprofen work wonders for that. Now try and tell that to my husband who has a father with psoriatic arthritis and has been told his whole life to become sedentary to avoid further pain and suffering. Old versus new medical advice butting heads. As long as I don't whine around my husband about my pain he seems to not make any comments about me exercising or running...which actually kind of sucks since the place I could use the most support is at home. I know he doesn't want me to hurt myself further but becoming an obese couch potato isn't who he married. My 9 year old though is awesome. When she sees me pushing through a workout at home she will say cute little things like "You can do it mommy!" or "Keep going mommy!" It makes my heart burst with love and appreciation. So I'll take what I can get.
Tuesday, February 2, 2016
Gettin' it done!
I stuck to my plan folks! I ran a decent 5km on my way home from work yesterday and enjoyed the fresh air and warmer temperatures. I managed to even get my pace per kilometer down from 9:30 per km to 9:00, which is a great step in the right direction for me. I'll take every little achievement I can get (I used to run around a 5:30 per km).
That said, it was by no means a pain-free run. I noticed after a mile that I wasn't actually bending my bad leg, so my stride was a bit lopsided, giving my hip a nasty twinge. I focused on circling my leg through each footfall so I could have a more normal gait. That became easier as the kilometers went by, which was good. My fibula (that leg bone in your calf that attaches to the medial side of the knee), decided that it would progressively turn into a steel rod until I would slow down to a walk. Then it would pass and I would run again until I could feel it tightening and then slamming into my knee. Yeah, just typical OA knee crap right?....RIGHT? Ugh, so frustrating. So after I got home I worked on resting and messaging the knee and the areas above and below it. I could feel a knot around where the fibula was giving me grief so I tried to give that extra attention, however painful it was. This morning my bad leg is cranky sore, but it's manageable. I try to put off taking any ibuprofen until it hurts to walk, since having taken them for a year now I'm concerned about any long term damage they might cause. All in all I'm glad I got out there and got in a good run. There's only so many home workouts a person can do!
That said, it was by no means a pain-free run. I noticed after a mile that I wasn't actually bending my bad leg, so my stride was a bit lopsided, giving my hip a nasty twinge. I focused on circling my leg through each footfall so I could have a more normal gait. That became easier as the kilometers went by, which was good. My fibula (that leg bone in your calf that attaches to the medial side of the knee), decided that it would progressively turn into a steel rod until I would slow down to a walk. Then it would pass and I would run again until I could feel it tightening and then slamming into my knee. Yeah, just typical OA knee crap right?....RIGHT? Ugh, so frustrating. So after I got home I worked on resting and messaging the knee and the areas above and below it. I could feel a knot around where the fibula was giving me grief so I tried to give that extra attention, however painful it was. This morning my bad leg is cranky sore, but it's manageable. I try to put off taking any ibuprofen until it hurts to walk, since having taken them for a year now I'm concerned about any long term damage they might cause. All in all I'm glad I got out there and got in a good run. There's only so many home workouts a person can do!
Monday, February 1, 2016
Winter Storms with Fair Horizons ahead
I've always had a love/hate relationship with winter. While I love the snow and the variation in activities that it brings, this year has brought a new level of hatred for coming snow storms. I mean really. Isn't it bad enough that a person with OA is a walking barometer for rain storms? We have to be the canary in the coal mine for winter storms too?! What kind of messed up murphy's law karma is that?! So yeah, we had a snow storm on Friday that pretty much lasted until yesterday so that equaled a whole weekend of peg leg for me. Yeah, it sucked. And I had those weird amputation dreams again where I'm either waiting for surgery to cut off the bottom half of my bad leg or it's already done and I'm trying to walk with a prosthesis. Really weird eh? I didn't whine though (that much) about my weekend long pain since my husband was working all weekend and there's only so much whining my 9 year old will put up with, so I resigned myself to watching Netflix and Showbox on the couch so I didn't have to move too much. That said, I did actually get stuff done. I did manage to do the laundry, the dishes, the floors, the bathrooms and even shoveled the driveway a couple of times to get some fresh air. My arms burned, which was nice, but so did my knee after each activity. It hurt so much for so long I was researching unloader braces again online by Sunday night. I still don't have a spare $500+ lying around (shocker) so online window shopping is about all I can do at the moment.
Ok, so somewhat productive yet shitty weekend aside, it's a new week. Today the temperature is an unseasonably warm +10C so I'm taking advantage of it and run commuting 5km towards home after work. I didn't bring my bregg shortrunner brace since its pretty evident my bad leg is swollen from the weather (? I think?) and it will only cut off the circulation to my foot if I try to run with it on at the moment. I downloaded some new songs to my playlist so I'm hoping that will help keep me inspired to keep moving later today. I'm trying to see the change in weather as a kind of metaphor; I'll run to dig myself out of the pain I felt all weekend, and hopefully my outlook will change as well.
Ok, so somewhat productive yet shitty weekend aside, it's a new week. Today the temperature is an unseasonably warm +10C so I'm taking advantage of it and run commuting 5km towards home after work. I didn't bring my bregg shortrunner brace since its pretty evident my bad leg is swollen from the weather (? I think?) and it will only cut off the circulation to my foot if I try to run with it on at the moment. I downloaded some new songs to my playlist so I'm hoping that will help keep me inspired to keep moving later today. I'm trying to see the change in weather as a kind of metaphor; I'll run to dig myself out of the pain I felt all weekend, and hopefully my outlook will change as well.
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