Ellie's Run to the New York Marathon

water running isn't so bad!

I went down to clovelly beach today for my first solo water running effort. The first thing that I have noticed is that it is much harder to get my heart rate up in the freezing cold ocean water than it is in the heated hydro pool. I think it is just a matter of doing the intervals for longer - but will check with the physio.

My session was loosely based on what I'd done in the pool plus some straight water running.

10 mins easy 'running', 5 mins of intervals, 5 mins regular 'running', 5 mins intervals, 5 mins regular, 5 mins intervals and then 10 mins of slightly faster regular 'running' took me to 45 minutes. I was a little bit tender (niggly again) in the left SI joint but that went away after a little while and now I feel good.

We are looking at the USA lonely planet now to plan a couple of weeks after New York this year!

Ok... at least one more post...

Mostly because I actually ran today - yesiree. I ran 5k at the CR challenge. I ran the 5k back to the start, not the 5k race part which was probably a good idea. I felt reasonable although I had a little niggle most of the way. Not painful though. I felt like I got in control on my core and held it together almost the whole way. I was also very happy to finish in 31.30 when I thought I would be closer to 35. Noice.

Running makes me happy :)

Evidence of why I miss running a lot!

Right here!

I haven't updated recently and am contemplating letting the blog go for a while as I am sure nothing I write is of great interest to many at the moment! However, for the sake of keeping this a complete record, I have been keeping my core exercises and some hydro work and am pleased to say that yesterday I ran for 30 mins with no noticeable negative effects. I also did 20 mins reasonably high intensity stuff in the pool so it was a good day.

Keep your fingers crossed for me :)

Water sprinting

Did a 40 min walk yesterday as well as my exercises. In the afternoon I went back to the pool to try a few new water running things. It was great! I ended up getting my heart rate right up doing some intervals which felt just as hard as running on the track. It was done with a little bit of contact on the bottom of the pool so it was not 100% non impact.

I felt a little bit sore today but suspect my body just hasn't worked hard in a while. Nothing really hurts although that niggle in my left SI joint is still there every now and then. Particularly when I go downhill. Bizarre.

Today I am feeling really unmotivated to exercise though. I didn't want to get out of bed and when I did I did some (but not all) of my core exercises and decided I'd walk later. Ah well - it is probably not too bad to have a rest day. I had hoped to go to Clovelly later in the day but that isn't going to happen because I had forgot I was car-less due to some kind souls trying to steal B's car (unsuccessfully but they managed to smash a window and jam a screwdriver in the ignition...).

I have noticed with one of my exercises that I get quite a lot of localised pain around my sacrum when I am essentially resting on it. I need to check whether this is actually because it is being stretching independently of the rest of my body which it needs to do and is just protesting, or whether it is bad pain.

We'll see - I always feel better afterwards so that may mean something.

Testing the waters...

Well I know I am not supposed to run, but Brad the physio said he didn't think it was necessary to stop altogether if it wasn't hurting.

Sooo...today in my 40 min walk I added 5 mins of hard running. I felt a little fragile and thought I felt a couple of niggles but certainly nothing that got worse or caused me to stop. So good news.

Back to a class with my core lady today so I will check in with her and see what she thinks. I have been doing my exercises every day and need to check whether there would be any benefit in doing it twice a day. (ie fix myself up twice as fast :)

A great morning

Headed down to Vaucluse this morning to meet Lulu and Sara. The plan was that they would run and I would walk Max the dog. In the end Max walked me, and every now and then I exerted my authority and made him walk with me. But that wasn't very often. Fortunately he got puffed out so he calmed down a bit towards the end!

The up shot was that I did 60 mins walking (and stopping for a piss on a pole - max - or to throw a ball - me) it was kind of like interval training mixed with upper body work. Fun! On the extra-plus-side nothing hurt and nothing hurts now.

Lulu and I had a quick dip in at Neilsons Park which was just gorgeous and I think I might head back for some water running once my water running program is up and running.

Off to the Coogee palace hotel this arvo to say bon voyage to Becky O before she heads off to the Sahara for the Marathon Des Sables - what a champion!!!

Quick update

Managed to faff about this morning so much that at nearly 10 I have only just had my breakfast. I did my core exercises, which take me much longer than they should because of all the manouvring into exactly the right position. Then I headed out for my run walk - 20 mins this morning. No pain at all which is bloody great. Have pulled up nicely from my hydro session. I even tried a little jog for about 10m just to see and nothing hurt so I am glad about that.

I felt a little twinge in my right hip when I got home so shouldn't get too exciting, I am taped by the physio, which could be lulling me into a false sense of security!

Righto - on with the day.

A big day!

What did I do today...

- First thing I did my core exercises - good start! I tried to do them again a bit later but was fatigueing a bit too quickly so thought I'd build up gradually.

- Then I did a 15 min walk - a bit of pain but not much. Started out with a sensible 15 mins (claps self on back).

- Then I went to the physio where Brad ascertained that I was wonkier than last time. He did a little bit of manipulation and then taped me up. But not the full butt taping. He thinks that I shouldn't stop running altogether. He also said that our plan to go kayaking for 4 hours on sunday was not my best idea ever so it has been postponed.

- This afternoon I was wanting to buy an aqua belt and was fortunate to have a session with Physio Mike at the Waverley Hydro pool to ascertain which sorts of running in the water and stuff will be good for me. He was awesome and we are waiting to see how I pull up from the little bit that we did before committing to a program.

- Watched a lecture in my positive psychology course that I am doing through harvard extension. Very interesting and reminded me that I need to keep working on changing my scheme of reference. I need to stop asking what is wrong with me and start asking what is working well. Easier said than done!!

Woah...

Interesting session with the core lady today. Very interesting indeed. So many things running around my head I think that bullet point is in order:

- I have a pretty good core but the problem is that my hamstrings do nothing. Literally. Or my lower glutes. I have been expending all the energy on my glute medius but really the problem is more the hamstrings and lower glutes and piriformis. Working on the glute medius is almost impossible to separate from the 'back passage' (her words!) muscles that make you  clench and that in fact aggravate back pain.

- I have some exercises to do which I will do religiously.

- She thinks some of the exascerbation lately is almost certainly due to getting back on my bike. Cycling apparently although excellent because it is non impact put a lot of pressure on the hips/groin/pelvis/lower back because it is almost impossible not to overload your hip flexors which is one of my big problems. Everything I do I do with my hip flexors and/or my adductors.

- So what she wants me to do is do my exercises, and then when I am walking or running - DON'T EVEN THINK ABOUT IT! I have been constantly thinking about where my hips/pelvis/ta/feet/head are - but that is counter productive as the theory is about teaching your body what to do in stillness, and then just letting it do what it does naturally.

- The catch is that for 8 weeks she wants me to walk. Power walking - but its still walking... I have to stride out because the goal is to remind the hamstrings to turn on. After that back to running.

- Consequently I need to do fitness maintaining, non bicycling things like swimming, water running (i tried to buy a belt today but rebel only had a very large one). I also know of a place that does high intensity water aerobics that I might go to also.

- Looks like my strength training is off the agenda... But this is yet to be confirmed.

Personally I think that I can get the 8 weeks down to less than that. If I am doing my exercises regularly and doing well with the power walking I am going to just check each time I go to a class whether she thinks I am ready :)

So looks like many goals at cactus (again) but am keeping the big picture in mind. Plus I will run all this by Brad tomorrow.

this sucks

I started feeling better yesterday afternoon and thought it was one of those 'oh no - i just had a massive whinge and now it is better just before I am going to the physio' - which would have been just fine by me. This morning I woke up and felt really good so I jumped on the bike for 5 mins to warm up and did some core activation exercises. All good.

Headed out and 10 steps down the road I turned around and came straight back home. it still hurts and I'm still frustrated and angry and upset. I'm over it.