I did a double!

Yesterday, nothing went totally according to plan. I got to work only to leave after 2 hours so I could work from home while my daughter had a fever (it broke, she's fine). Then the work I thought would take most of the day went faster than I thought so I had time to jump on my treadmill for 6km. I recently started using a new app, called BitGym, which displays a virtual scene (single track trail runs mostly), through various regions of the world. The camera tracks your movement and estimates how far you've gone based on your profile and estimated bpm. I'm using the free version so I'm limited to 10 minute circuits, but there's enough of them I could string together 5 if I need to. It certainly beats watching tv since I'd rather be running outside. I thought I had only covered 4km but it turned out I had run 6km. yay! So treadmill run done, I got ready and took my daughter to her dance practice (they were learning a new routine so she couldn't miss it, fever or not). While she danced, I decided to hit the real trails and squeezed out another 4km. I didn't really plan to run that far, in fact I figured I would go for a short walk, but because my knee felt so good I figured I'd go for a double...and I love the trail system in Cole Harbor.
So I have a birthday coming up. 38. The other day I realized how fast the big 4-0 is sneaking up on me. To celebrate I'm taking the day off of work and running a nice looong run. I want to run 38km to commemorate the day but I don't know if my legs can handle that right yet. I'll see how I'm feeling closer to the day. If worst comes to worst (maybe it'll rain) I'll deal with only running 3.8. haha

Anti-Inflammatories don't cure everything

It was another long slow slog of a run commute yesterday in the 30C temperatures and 80% humidity. But I did it! I was a gross stinky mess by the end, but I did it lol.
Today the humidity has given way to rain showers. Okay, so excuse me for the misconception but I thought if I was taking an anti-inflammatory pill that it would relieve my rain-day soreness? Apparently I was wrong. Very wrong. Ugh. In fact, it appears to have enhanced to itchy sweater feeling I have under my kneecap...not very comfortable. So did it remove the swelling to leave the crumbled bits of cartilage that I have in my knee to bump and grind as I move? 'Cause it sure feels that way! I also have some intense shin pain (WTF?!) so I'm not sure if that's swelling moving around more freely now or if this is a symptom of something else? Who knows? I'll wait this out and see how I feel this afternoon. I'm still going to try and get in my 9km run today, rain and all.

Half Marathon Goals and Hunting Pokemon

It's decision time. I've decided that to cap off this half marathon training that I'll do the Maritime Race weekend again. Last year's performance sucked, especially after the 15km mark, so this year I am determined to get it right and finish somewhere in the range of my previous half marathon times (anywhere from a speedy 2:15 to a respectable 2:45). I'll be running this one alone, which might be best since I tend to push myself harder when I'm by myself.
So to meet this ambitious new end, I've set up a new training plan on Runner's World's Smart Coach app and see that today's run is scheduled to be an easy 5km at 8:30 per/km. I can do this.
My run commuting/Pokémon hunting has been going pretty well. I've discovered the most ghetto of places in north end Dartmouth are filled with the nicest (and most curious) people. I've managed to get to level 5, which is apparently pretty freaking slow since I met a few other players at a pokestop on Friday that were at level 10 already! Sheesh, I'd better get my pokebutt movin'! Today I'm going through a more northerly route since I've bagged most of the pokemon to the south of my work.
Last week, after four miserable, pain filled days I cracked. I bit the bullet and went to my GP. I explained that normally I wouldn't bug her about this, but after four constant days of pain I didn't know what else to do. So, she put me on an anti-inflammatory pill. I take it twice a day and it gives me horrid stomach cramps, but it does help with the knee swelling and therefore, the pain. It's helped so much so that I don't need to wear KT tape constantly, so my skin is certainly happier. I still cramp up and get the occasional pseudo locking thing but it isn't anywhere near the level of pain I was in last week. So we'll see how this goes. If the GI pain turns out to be too much of an issue my GP has told me to try seeing my chiropractor again. I'm in no rush to have more deep tissue message so hopefully this pill helps long term.

Pokemon and Pseudo Locking

Yesterday's 7km run was pretty fun. I decided to try out the new Pokémon app and spent my run commute time chasing Pokémon all over north end Dartmouth. Before I knew it I had covered 6km and it was time to pick up my daughter. I also learned some interesting facts about some of the local landmarks. I'm not entirely sure why some people are so frustrated by the idea of this game, I think it's an excellent way to get people outside, walking, and learning abut their community.
I also had one of the worst sleeps in a few weeks. I woke up at 4am to searing pain in my knee, it had completely locked up and it felt like someone was trying to pull my kneecap off. I rolled around moaning for a few minutes before I got a grip and started breathing slowly while trying to force my leg to straighten. It took a while, especially since as I tried to straighten the knee I had even more pain, but eventually I was able to get my leg straight. Then the back of my knee started throbbing so I pressed my kneecap into the mattress and that helped for some reason. All I can assume is that it was due to the impending rain?
So, of course, I'm googling how to get rid of this pseudo locking crap. I know its the OA, I know it is a result of swelling in the joint. My question is how do I get this to stop? It's not like I can "make sure to move my knee" since I'm asleep when it gets locked. Today I was a hair away from calling in to the office "sick" because I was pretty sure walking would be out of the question. Thankfully I could get up and walk around, and it's slowly improving as the morning goes on. It just sucks. I tried to think practically. If this is due to swelling, then would taking a diuretic help? Is that going overboard? I refuse to just constantly mask the issue with pain killers, since that doesn't address the underlying problem. That said, today it just hurts too much to not take anything. I do have to get through the workday. So far, Google hasn't been super helpful. Every medical site and forum gives advice for preventing this when you are awake, not so helpful since it gets locked when I'm asleep. The search continues.

Making the training work for me

You might have noted my blog title change from Knee OA Sucks to Running with Knee OA. I think my former title certainly captured how I felt about my condition for my first year after diagnosis, but now I have come to see my knee OA as something that will always be with me but I will no longer allow to rule me or my decisions.
This past weekend was a struggle to fit in my 19km of long slow distance running (LSD), so I split it into two parts. I did a scorching hot 7km on Friday evening and the other 11km on Saturday morning (I am aware I only managed 18km but hey, I was in a rush). I know from experience this is not how to correctly do a LSD run, but when time is a factor and its a fall back week, I think the occasional LSD split is alright. I am very happy to report that neither run left me totally destroyed so I think my training is going pretty well.
On the long drive to my cousin's wedding this weekend my husband and I had a rare conversation about my running. He asked how it was going and how my knee was coping. I told him that while I am sure I can get my distance back up to a half or even full marathon again, my time is ridiculously slow, so slow I am assured to finish last in any race I would enter. I know what you're thinking; that's a piss-poor way to assume your speed in a few months time. I say I'm being realistic. That my long runs take almost 1.5 times longer than they used to and that puts me well at the back of the pack in any local race. I've finished last, and am okay with that to a point. My issue is keeping people around an event because I'm too stubborn to quit. So my solution is to do a virtual race. He said whatever decision I made was okay but that he thought I could do both an actual and a virtual race (a very rare show of support on his part lately). I was touched. Just that tidbit of support has me looking at the marathon plan again, thinking maybe, just maybe I can do it. This week's scheduled 24km will be a challenge, especially since I am crunched for time again with my husband headed out to a multi-day music event and I'll be chilling with our 9 year old at home. Basically I have 4 days to fit in my 4 running days. I may save the 5km run for the weekend when I can do it on my treadmill so I can fit in a rest day before or after the 24km run. The question is though, how the hell do I fit in a 3 hour run when I only have 1.5 hours to do it?!

Gettin' it Done

Somehow I summoned the inner will to keep my running clothes on as I made supper yesterday, then, with my daughter munching on tacos, I grabbed the dog (who was in full-on panic/excited mode because I had my running clothes on and hadn't left the house), and we squeezed out another kilometer around the block before I recruited my daughter for the last 2km of a total of 9kms. Today I'm a bit sore, sunburned and tired, but otherwise okay. My knee decided to have an issue with the last 2kms yesterday but the shots of pain were sporadic, so I sucked them up and focused on keeping my stride tight. It helped get me through. I did try to walk through the last kilometer but between my daughter racing around on her bike, the dog trying to keep up with her and a throw down challenge when my husband pulled around the corner in our suv to see who could make it home first, I ended up jogging the damn thing. At least we got some family bonding time in ;-)
Today is a rest day from running but a cross training day for the rest of my muscles. The weather is supposed to be a total scorcher so I'm going to keep my workout confined to a well air conditioned gym. My next LSD is a 16km run, my furthest yet this year. I am going to try and squeeze it into my Saturday but that day already looks busy. The problem is, there really isn't a better time to do it, unless I want to run on Friday evening...which is also tricky. I figure I can do an out and back around 6am on Saturday so I can be sure to be back home by 9am at the latest. I'm hoping to avoid blistering temperatures and give myself time to recover before getting ready to drive 3 hours to my cousin's wedding later Saturday afternoon. Sunday is a total write-off since my husband leaves for work around 6am and won't be back until that afternoon. So it's scheduling thing, one I'll figure out, even if I have to split the LSD in 2, it doesn't hurt every once and awhile.

Balancing Life in Da Heat

Yesterday was SO hot. Since I had left late for work I could only squeeze in a 4km run. I was so grateful it wasn't supposed to be longer. The temperatures were a humid 30C, so I didn't beat myself up when I took walk breaks. I did try to push myself to run in the shade, when it was available. As I finished I saw dark clouds looming in the sky. My knee started to ache, not because of the run, but because of the impending thunderstorm. My husband was kind to offer to help but there just wasn't anything he could do. I tried to contain my yelps when the sharp pain would hit but sometimes it was just too frustrating to muffle.
I think I'm starting to be able to differentiate between the times when my knee is sore from overuse and when it's from the weather. One is a deep, dull ache that doesn't go away and the other is a bit more painful but comes and goes in waves. Neither really holds me back from running but the overuse pain usually comes with a side of swelling so I tend to change up my workouts on those days since my swollen leg and ankle can make running rather frustrating. On top of my parenting and spouse time flexibility I now get to add knee soreness flexibility. I give myself permission when it becomes too much to give myself a rest day. Sometimes maintaining my mental health is the most important exercise. It's all about balance.

Consistency and crappy advice

Consistency is key. I just need to keep reminding myself of that. No matter how crappy I may feel, if I keep plodding along I will eventually get better.
This morning was off to a rough start. I woke up around 4 feeling like my knee was locked into a bent position. I reflexively straightened my leg and it felt like my knee broke in half. Now wide awake, I got up and hobbled to the washroom. On my way I stepped on something sharp. Ugh. Then I stepped on it again when I came back into the room. Picking up one of my daughter's headbands that either the dog or the cat dragged into the room I tried to go to back to sleep...until my husband discovered the pen my dog decided to chew and the ink spread all over our beige carpet. Wonderful. Somehow I passed out for another glorious 45 minutes until I had to leave for work. I had hoped to be up by 5 and leave early so I could squeeze out more time for a 9km run today but it looks like I'll need to switch that run for the "easy 4km" on my schedule. As long as I still get out there I can justify the egg/bagel sandwich I just ate ;-)
So the knee continued to throb off and on, with fun twinges of pain thrown in for good measure all morning. I googled it. Yeah, I know. I've had this for a year now and I should be used to the google results, but ya never know when some new breakthrough might emerge! But no. Same old, same old stupid advice. If x hurts when you do y, don't do y anymore. Well, there's rocket science for you! Honestly, hasn't medical science advanced further than this piece of non-comforting advice? I mean, really. I can't just stop bending my knees, that is kind of their JOB, so it's be like telling an asthmatic to just not breathe when they feel short of breath. Sounds completely ridiculous. So I scroll past the stupid advice in search of something better. Something that I can actually try, like some new gel that brings relief or a new type of kinesio tape that will make my knee feel like my "good" knee. None of that. In fact, a lot of the time I don't even see the stuff that actually helps, like using KT tape and ice packs after exercise. Oh well, better luck next flare up.

LSD Debates

So after a rest day and some much cooler temperatures I managed a much better 5km run than on Monday. The sky looked like it would open up any second and even my weather app told the weather to "suck it" but I headed out anyhow to make sure I got my last 5km of the week done. Now to enjoy another rest day today in anticipation of tomorrow's big 19km LSD run on the Salt Marsh trail. I've been debating if I should do two loops or do one out and back. The loops offer me the ability to change out my water half way through and possibly towel off. The downside is that once you finish one loop there is often a mental struggle to go back out again. Then there's the out and back option, which kind of makes me feel like the distance isn't as long since once I hit 9km I'll just turn around and head back, but I'll also need to make sure I carry my water and any food I'll need with me. Thankfully this isn't a big deal since I won't have my sidekick Nutty with me for this one (too long for him). I am siding on the out and back option since I'll get to explore a new section of trail, even though it seems a bit dull from my initial impression. Here's hoping the rain holds off!

Marathon Training with KT tape

Yesterday, despite leaving work an hour later than I planned (long meeting), I still got my 9km run in. Actually, to be perfectly honest, it was a run/walk. The weather was not nearly as hot and humid as the previous slog fest 5km, but it was still enough to keep me running intervals and walking the hills. That said, I was still pretty proud that I got out there and finished it. I did have a long mental debate about running a marathon at the end of this plan though.
To summarize; my shorter runs have been no real issue. It's the LSD (long, slow distance) runs that have been truly slooow, so much so I know for a fact I'd be the last to finish if I were to enter a race. Not wanting to repeat that experience again, I think if I do manage to get my runs up to the 30-40km mark I'll do a virtual run so I don't have any real spectators. So why bother? Because I need to prove to myself that I still can, even after being told I have the knee of a 70 year old, that I can run a marathon or further. That I still can train myself to get there and continue to push my own boundaries. It's a sense of personal pride is what it all boils down to, really. I need to fell like I "know" my body's limits and capabilities again. And I liked the fact I could run 20km at any given time, that was always pretty awesome.
To get there I've been really working on my nutrition and using KT tape daily. My sensitive skin isn't protesting this elastic-type tape on my leg too much yet so I try to make sure I take it off on any rest days. It makes for rather uncomfortable rest days since it is acting as a pain relief mechanism, but my skin needs to breathe at some point. Running with a brace worked alright for awhile but it was a serious pain in the butt once it got sweaty and heavy. I haven't used one yet that was truly made for a run longer than a 10km, hence the KT tape. It doesn't offer the support that a brace does so my stride has to tighten up considerably and I need to watch my knee if I run laterally on the trail (hopping from rock to rock), but otherwise it is doing a good enough job of keeping me relatively pain free, most of the time. I'll see how it fares during my crazy 19km LSD run this weekend!

Summer Slogfest

Yesterday's run commute was a hot mess. A total summer slogfest. I still got my 5km finished but it was truly a struggle. I wasn't sure if it was the heat, my sore muscles from the previous week's runs or some combo of the both. I tried not to beat myself up about my pace-I still lapped everyone who drove home!-but still, it was hard not to feel bad about such an epically bad run. I was so exhausted by the end that I skipped the 40 minute Inferno workout I was going to try and squeeze in after my run.
I'm hoping today's 9km run will be better. Thankfully I'm not rushed since my daughter is hanging out with my mom this week so she gets a ride home with her dad. I can leisurely take my time getting through those 9km, which I figure should take about 1.5 hours, but hopefully less, to finish. Here's hoping!

New 2016 PB!

I started my run thinking I would probably need to bag it a few kms in since it looked like it would start to rain any second. The air was humid but there was a breeze going that made running bearable. I knew this was my best chance at getting in a long run on the long weekend so I tried to keep my run interesting by taking a route I haven't done in a while. I thought about my friends who I knew were racing somewhere else in the city and wishing I was in better shape to be there with them.  But I had my own personal challenge that day, trying to run between 12-15km. The last two times I had finished that distance did not go well. The knee pain lasted for days and after the more recent attempt it spiraled into a major flare up that had me in the ER thinking I had torn something.
That would not be the case that day. I was determined not to push my speed, to take breaks but above all, finish the distance pain free. I had my trusty chihuahua who would also be doing a PB. We made it out to the 5km mark and I was feeling pretty good. My calves felt tight but not sore, my legs still felt like they had some "go" left in them and my dog was hyper and happy. We chugged back into town and I swung by the places I knew kind people left water bowls out for passing dogs. The town was busy with the holiday tourists and I found myself giving directions, meeting other dogs and running into lots of foot traffic. Thankfully my dog was in a social mood so he only growled at the really big dogs we passed by (little dog syndrome). Before I knew it we were coming up on the 10km mark. I was pumped and more determined than ever to finish at least 13km of this run. Dragging our butts up a large hill we both found a little bit more energy to run at a 8 min/km pace to the junior high school field, where I let Nutty off his leash so he could go exploring. A few minutes later we headed home, finishing 14kms just in time for lunch. No huge flare up followed, thankfully. I did have a bit of leg soreness but I chalk that up to running long, when I haven't been running much more than 8km recently. Even now, a few days after, my knee is complaining (a tiny bit) but not enough for me to avoid today's run.
Was it careful training? I'm not sure. I've also started a program called the Daily Burn which is a steroid version of the Livestrong workouts. It hasn't burned out my legs at all but I think it is helping condition my kinetic chain. My shoulders and arms though are another story-burn city! So, so far so good (knocking on virtual wood). I'll keep up this training plan and throw in those daily burn workouts as much as I can and see what happens.