Needling

I got needled this week.  Yes, needles were stuck into my damaged calf muscle, which makes the muscle contract, twitch and then cramp up.  Yeah.  It feels 'great'.  However, I can actually see muscle definition in my calf again - this is good and it feels great.

I'm using our new elliptical daily and will be going to PT 2X/week through March.  Everyone knows I want to run the NYC half on March 18th - I'll truthfully be happy just to run even if I can't race - it will be nice to just be around the scene again. 

I'll continue to be a good student doing all the little things to get back into the game.

3 more weeks

I finally went to see an MD yesterday.  I also had an ultrasound today to check for a varicosse vein - seriously?  I didn't think people like me could get those.  Got myself some PT and some heavy NSAIDs which seem to be helping.  In the interim, lots of crossing-training.  Our new elliptical comes Friday and our gym in our house is coming together.  It will be so nice not to have to trek to the gym or BE at the gym for that matter.  I go back to the doctor in 3 weeks.  Coach says I can still cross-train to be prepared for my March 18th half marathon - fingers crossed.

5 miles = ouch

I ran for 5 miles today.  Ouch.  Doesn't feel happy!  I still don't really know my diagnosis.  Heat makes it feel better so I sat in a hot bath.....sweating.....it helped!

Sitting on the Dreaded Running Shelf

Here I sit on the running shelf.  I don't think for long but really, every day feels like an eternity.

How did I get here this time?  Well, I had never quite returned to 100% normal after my tibial stress syndrome that was born in April 2011 but had managed to pull off a few PRs despite not being 100% throughout 2011.

As mentioned previously in this blog, I took it easy in the November-December timeframe w/o issues - aside from those from just being 'lazy' i.e. running but not with any rigor, speed, appropriate cross-training.

However starting January 1, I started to amp things back up - for a few weeks they were fine but then I started to experience a nagging bruise like feeling in the same area the injury had been.    I ignored it for awhile hoping it would go away but no, it didn't and just progressively started getting worse.

Almost 2 weeks ago, I was really really trying to alleviate this issue with stretching the area (both calfs) very diligently.  Well, I overdid it and got myself a nice calf strain on top of the issue.  Well, given that it's the middle of February, I felt it more important that I heal up and right so not to blow my entire year.

Mika (chiropractor) made the assessment that my hips are weak so I've incorporated a lot of cross training exercises to try to alleviate some unnecessary pressure being put on this injured area when I run. It's improving but next day on the rounds is still to be determined.  Until then, it's elliptical city for this girl!