The past 3 weeks have been hell. I went back home to visit my dad for what was anticipated to be a quick surgery to repair a collapsed lung and instead ended up at his funeral. Not that his health was great (emphysema, colon cancer), but you don't anticipate the end when the operating doctor seems optimistic. Thankfully, the surgery was scrubbed and we had a little time to be with him before he passed though he spent much of that time sedated on morphine. Cruelly, one of the best lessons I've learned from my father is to live the opposite of his lifestyle - eat well, exercise, sleep, and protect my overall health. He was a very kind and loving person who died too young and is greatly missed. I truly wish he was here.
Needless to say, I've been away from running during this time due to long days at the hospital and the subsequent family concerns. If there's a silver lining, maybe it's that I've given my legs a chance to recover so I don't cause undue damage to myself. In more ways than one, I now begin a time of rebuilding.
Tuesday, June 23, 2009
Wednesday, June 3, 2009
Just a little patience...
"Patience and fortitude conquer all things." - Ralph Waldo Emerson
The leg is slowly but surely doing better. Icing and stretching combined have begun to relax the ITB & piriformis allowing me to run again. I've been slowly building my weekly mileage back up and trying not to get over zealous (something I'm definitely not accustomed to).
This past Saturday, I joined in a group run with the Fox River Trail Runners and their fall marathon training group. Though I somewhat drop in & out of the group runs (due to weekend travel obligations), I really enjoy the people in the group and these runs. Running with others is a good way to regulate your pace which is exactly what I need right now. Saturday's run was at the Great Western Trail.
(Photo courtesy of: http://www.about-bicycles.com/great-western-trail/GreatWestern02l.jpg)
The Great Western is a rails to trails conversion from the former Chicago Great Western Railway and runs approximately 30 miles in total. It is a combination of dirt, crushed limestone, and asphalt lengths and is relatively flat. Although it parallels a highway, the trail is rural enough to let you escape the noise & traffic and be alone in your thoughts if you choose. We logged 12 miles and I only felt mild fatigue in the leg within the last 1/2 mile or so. Not too shabby. It's just a matter of time, moderation, & patience and things should start getting back closer to normal.
The leg is slowly but surely doing better. Icing and stretching combined have begun to relax the ITB & piriformis allowing me to run again. I've been slowly building my weekly mileage back up and trying not to get over zealous (something I'm definitely not accustomed to).
This past Saturday, I joined in a group run with the Fox River Trail Runners and their fall marathon training group. Though I somewhat drop in & out of the group runs (due to weekend travel obligations), I really enjoy the people in the group and these runs. Running with others is a good way to regulate your pace which is exactly what I need right now. Saturday's run was at the Great Western Trail.
(Photo courtesy of: http://www.about-bicycles.com/great-western-trail/GreatWestern02l.jpg)The Great Western is a rails to trails conversion from the former Chicago Great Western Railway and runs approximately 30 miles in total. It is a combination of dirt, crushed limestone, and asphalt lengths and is relatively flat. Although it parallels a highway, the trail is rural enough to let you escape the noise & traffic and be alone in your thoughts if you choose. We logged 12 miles and I only felt mild fatigue in the leg within the last 1/2 mile or so. Not too shabby. It's just a matter of time, moderation, & patience and things should start getting back closer to normal.
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