Rehab

I went to an orthopedic today, Dr. Jay Kimmel. They took x-rays to rule out a fracture. Also Dr. Kimmel doesn't think it is sciatica since I had problems like that 13 years ago (swollen disk with no feeling in my lower right leg for about 6 months). So I'm starting physical therapy on Wednesday.
I just biked 15 miles with no pain and when I told Dr. Kimmel I was signed up to run Chicago he said don't rule it out yet. I had a massage/acupuncture today and Shannon said "you ran your race in Boston, just go and run Chicago and don't worry about the time." I hate to pass it up when I'm registered and my flight is booked. My physical therapist is a marathoner so I'm praying I can rehab in time.

Pain Free

Yea!!! I ran today almost 3 miles (2.7) and was mostly pain free. I went to my Chiropractor on Friday and found out my piriformis muscle in my left leg was so tight that it was pinching my sciatic nerve.
This is the third problem I've experienced this summer that I have not encountered in a long time.
I rode my bike over 60 miles this weekend and stretched a lot. I think they both helped loosen up the piriformis. Hopefully, tomorrow I'll still be pain free.

I haven't written any updates because I have been walking, biking, and using the elliptical trainer since August 19th. It feels like I have a pinched nerve in my left leg. I went to my family doctor but she couldn't really find anything wrong. I'll go to my Chiropractor Friday and to an Orthopaedic next Friday. I can't run; I have like a knot just above the back of my left knee when I try. It seems like the kind of problem that only time will heal. Hopefully not a lot of time.

The Sweetest Day of the Week

I usually run with some pain; I'm sure we all do. You get to a race you really want to do well at and you're only 80%. But you still do OK. I have a few favorite runs that I do at least every 2 weeks. One is a 1o miler. I know when I'm at the 3 mile mark if I'm going to have a fun time or not. That's the route I started on when I strained my hamstring.
Now I'm almost afraid to run because I don't want to feel any pain and know I haven't recovered. There's almost nothing that feels as good than when you get to the point of a long run and you are completely within yourself and you feel like you could run forever. I run by myself this year most of the time so I do get to that point often.
Well tomorrow early I'm going to test the legs. I hope to go 4-6 miles. I told Linda my trainer that if she hears me say something like I'm on my third or fourth day of double digit miles to tell me to take a day OFF!!!

One Day Closer to Running Again

In retropect I should have taken a day off once in a while. Now I've had to take several days in a row. But I'm not running again until I'm close to 100%. It's killing me but I still feel I can get a PR in Chicago if I'm smart about my training for the next month and a half. Today I did 60 minutes on the ellpitical trainer (just over 7 miles) and lifted weights for about 20 minutes. I still stretch twice a day and I use heat and cold (today cold felt best) on my legs. I've been able to do more push-ups lately so something has improved. Tomorrow I may take the day off again and then Saturday morning go for a RUN!!!

At Peace with Time Off

I saw Shannon for acupuncture today. She said my hamstring was as tight as a piano wire. I took the day off after that. My leg feels a 100% better. I'm getting treatment on Saturday again. I am taking it easy until my hamstring is close to 100%. I'm hoping that is Sunday. Since my company already paid for me to fly to Chicago, I going to go to run the best I can. All those days I ran hard is balancing the days off. As you can see from my previous marathons I have run to beat my time,
basically running against myself. I will again have fun and enjoy Chicago. My trainer is also having some ankle problems but I know she will overcome those and will run Chicago too. If anyone reads this and you are going to run Chicago I would love to hear from you.

Running Again

I ran 2 miles on the treadmill. The hamstring felt weird the tightness was up high then near the knee and even inside and outside. I used the elliptical trainer for another 4.5 miles. Tomorrow I will get acupuncture on the leg and hopefully it will feel much better.

Orthotic

My trainer Linda Yamamoto recommended Dr. Brian DeSchamps , D.P.M. in Vernon, CT when I found out I had a bunion. He ran the NY Marathon twice and Boston 4 times besides numerous other races. It's nice to go to a doctor with running experience. He took a casting of my feet today. I'll get my orthotics in about a month.

Continuing Rehab on Left Hamstring

The hamstring is better; about 80% of normal. I went 7 miles in an hour on the elliptical trainer at work today and lifted weights for about 20 minutes. Hopefully tomorrow I can run. Since the third week of June I have run 50, 59, 60, 71, 63, 60, 10, 49, and 34 (last week) miles per week. The heat at noon got to me and caused problems 3 weeks ago along with the bunion on my left foot. I am going to be more conservative in the hope I can still run a great race in Chicago.

Sweetest Day of the Week

I walked 10 miles this morning. What every runner wants to do. Take a walk. Hopefully my hamstring will be back to normal soon. At least the Red Sox won 8-7.

Took time off from work today. I had a massage this morning and Jen told me I strained my left hamstring. It feels a lot better now but I'll probably just swim and walk tomorrow.

It's ironic I started this blog when I did. I needed to familarize myself with blogs for work. It's like when I subscribed to Runner's World or Running Times in the past. Everytime I renewed my subscription I would get hurt and for months I would be reading about running and wishing I was.
Today I started on a 10 mile run and my left hamstring didn't feel right. I had to walk at mile 7 and won't be able to run tomorrow. Well 7 miles is better than nothing. I have a bunion on my left foot which I am being fitted for an orthotic on Monday and I think my whole left side is screwed up right now. It may have added to my problems today. I have not really had a down time for over a year. With all the massages I get I was hoping to run through Chicago but maybe at 54 I need some rest. I'm writng this but no one is probably reading it. I also run alone most if not all of the time. But it's nice to be able to write this down. It's probably why there are 2 blogs created each second of every day. I added more links yesterday and I will continue to add more.

Wednesday August 9

I ran 8 miles today in 1 hour and 6 minutes. I felt good, better than yesterday. After my run I saw the licensed acupuncturist and massage therapist, Shannon Kuzel, one of 2 massage therapists that my company has on site for us 5 days a week. The other massage therapist is Jennifer Cross. Without their help I would not feel 100% and be able to run all the marathons I run. The company I work for, NERAC, also provides a trainer for us 2 times a week in the gym which is open 24/7. I feel very lucky to have such great support from NERAC. They are also sponsoring me in the 3 marathons I am running this year, Vermont City, Boston, and Chicago. Here is a link to the LaSalle Bank Chicago Marathon, www.chicagomarathon.com, where people often set PRs. Of course I'm hoping to set one too!

Vermont City Marathon 2006

It was a great day the weather was a little warm but all my family was there to cheer me on. The race loops back to the center of Burlington several times so you get to see friends and family multiple times. My left calf cramped up at mile 23 but I still made the finish with my best time ever. This is a wonderful race with a great organization. The people of Burlington really support all the runners.

First Message

Ran 7 miles today in 58:53. I'm always slower on the treadmill than running on the roads and my legs have felt a little tired lately. The temperature is finally down in the 80's this week. This is my first blog and my first day of blogging, I just started blogging about 3 hours ago. I love to run and I have a lot to say. It was tough getting into the site but I will try and chronicle my daily running and thoughts on running. I have run 7 marathons and I am preparing to run Chicago on October 22. My PR is 3:18:32 run in the Vermont City Marathon in May. I have been lucky so far in that I have run each one faster than the last. In April I ran Boston which was the greatest running experience of my life. I ran 3:26:22.