Ready to Turn the Page

April 7, 2024 by 10 Comments

Hello April!

It would be an understatement to say that March was a crazy month for me – it came in like a lion and pretty much stayed that way. So this week I was more than ready to turn the page and say “hello April!” I’m linking up with Deborah and Kim for the Weekly Run Down – here’s a quick look at my week in fitness.

Week 14 – Ready to Turn the Page

Monday — 20 minutes run/walk intervals
Tuesday — Long cummute and day in office = rest day
Wednesday — Lower Body Strength & Core
Thursday — Upper Body Strength & Core
Friday — 20 minutes run/walk intervals & Yoga
Saturday — Full Body Strength
Sunday — 3.2 mile walk & college re-visit day (And too much time in a car!)

If you caught my March Runfessions then you know that I have been feeling pretty down about my cortisone shot – I’ve just not been feeling the relief I had so hoped for. So on Wednesday I had my 3 week follow-up with my sport doc. My hip range of motion (without pain) seems to have improved, but the pain radiating down my leg is still making running extremely difficult. Gluteal tendinopathy could be the cause so my doc has ordered another MRI to get a better look at my hip/pelvis since the last MRI I had done focused more on my right femur (the original pain point).

In the meantime, I’m to focus on a range of PT exercises along with cycling, walking and run/walk intervals. Basically, I’m going to keep moving and doing what I can – movement is medicine!

How was your March? What do you have planned for April?

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Filed Under: injuries, Weekly Run Down

Week 10: It Will Come

March 10, 2024 by 14 Comments

“It will come” – that was my mantra during today’s run/walk intervals. A gentle reminder that this return to running will be slower than I want (a lot slower!), but eventually I will get there. Where is “there” you ask? I’d love to get back to 5 mile runs – 5 miles has often been a sweet spot for me so that seems as good a “there” as any.

In the meantime, week 10 was another week of doing what I can — strength training, hip mobility work & my PT exercises, some time on the Peloton bike, a little yoga, and lots of walking. I had hit the pause button again on my run attempts because my hip/quad had turned especially cranky about a week ago. Things have been feeling better the past few days so I decided to join my son at the track this morning as he’s gearing up for Lacrosse season. 30 minutes of run/walk intervals completed!

My sports ortho and I have agreed to try a cortisone shot so I have that scheduled for Wednesday morning. Fingers crossed!

I’m linking up with Deborah and Kim for the Weekly Run Down.

How was your week? Have you ever had a long break from running?

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Filed Under: injuries, Weekly Run Down

Week 6 – All the Things

February 11, 2024 by 21 Comments

This week was all the things — my husband was traveling, my high schooler was sick, work was challenging (including some long commutes), and the house was full of electricians, plumbers, and framers — Yeah…deep breaths. It was a l-o-n-g week! I fit in working out where I could and I even managed my first run/walk in months!

Week 6 – All the Things

Monday — Hip mobility work, PT exercises & 3-mins jumping rope
Tuesday — 2-mile walk
Wednesday — Upper Body Strength and 3.5 mins jumping rope
Thursday — 2-mile walk, Core & Lower Body Strength
Friday — 2-mile walk, Upper Body Strength & 3.5 mins jumping rope
Saturday — 2-mile walk, Core & PT exercises
Sunday — 30 mins run/walk

While the run wasn’t all rainbows and unicorns, there was running, and that makes me smile.

In Case You Missed It:

Five Things I Love About Working Out

I’m linking up with Deborah and Kim for the Weekly Run Down.

How was your week?

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Filed Under: Weekly Run Down

Week 3: A Long Short Week

January 21, 2024 by 25 Comments

Despite having Monday off from work for MLK Day this work week felt oh so long. Why does that always seem to be the case? Despite the hectic schedule, the workouts continued. Here’s a quick recap of the week.

Week 3: A Long Short Week

Monday — Lower body strength & Core
Tuesday — Upper body strength, Core & 1-mile walk
Wednesday — Unplanned rest day
Thursday — Upper body strength & Core & 2-mile walk
Friday —  Lower body strength & 2-mile walk
Saturday — Peloton bike, Upper body strength & Core
Sunday — Yoga

Highlights & Lowlights:

Wednesday was one of those days that was a reminder as to why I’ve made returning to early morning workouts a goal. Best to work out before your day gets hijacked!

On Thursday, I had my follow-up appointment with my sports ortho – of course, this was the week that some intermittent glute pain returned…sigh. Thankfully he didn’t see any reason for me to test out some run/walks as long as I let “pain be my guide.” He also wants me to keep up with my PT/mobility exercises and to put in more time on the Peloton. I followed up the appointment with a trip to my massage therapist. Overall this day was a win!

Given the pending forecast for this week of more snow and icy conditions, my first attempt at a run/walk may or may not take place this week – I’ve waited this long, I can wait a little longer, right? There will, of course, be a lot more time on my bike 😉

In Case You Missed It:

My 2024 Fitness In and Out List

I’m linking up with Deborah and Kim for the Weekly Run Down.

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Filed Under: Weekly Run Down

Week 2: Oh that Wind!

January 14, 2024 by 17 Comments

Mother Nature made sure to remind us that winter is still in full effect. This week we had snow, then driving rain, but it was the wind that was the most challenging. Nonetheless, I still managed to get outside most days to log some walking miles.

I’m joining Deborah and Kim for the Weekly Run Down. Here’s a quick peek at my week in fitness.

Week 2: Oh that Wind! 

Monday — Lower body strength & 2-mile walk
Tuesday — Long day at the office with an uber-early commute so rest day.
Wednesday — Core, Yoga & 2 mile walk
Thursday — Upper body strength, Core & 2-mile walk


Friday — Lower body strength
Saturday — Upper body strength, Core & 2-mile walk
Sunday — Upper body strength & 3-mile walk

With today’s workout, I’m now halfway through the Arms with Tunde program on the Peloton app. It’s a 4-week program and I have been incorporating the program as part of my upper body strength workouts. My lower body strength workouts continue to be a mix of all of the single leg work and glute/hip exercises that my PT programmed for me.

I have my follow-up appointment with the sports ortho coming up on Thursday and am keeping my fingers crossed that I get the green light to start running!

In case you missed it:

Five Things I Want to Accomplish in 2024

How was your week? Did winter weather make an appearance where you are?

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Filed Under: Weekly Run Down

Hello 2024!

January 7, 2024 by 19 Comments

Hello 2024! Can you still say “Happy New Year” when we’re already a week in? I think so..Happy New Year!

It’s been more than a minute since my last check-in for the Weekly Run Down – September 17 as a matter of fact – say what??! Yep, at the time I had just been told by my primary care doc to stop running until I got an MRI to figure out what was going on with my ongoing quad/hip issues.

Since then, I’ve found a sports ortho I like, I put in 8 weeks of PT with a therapist I also liked (helped that he was a runner!) and leaned into a lot of walking, time on my Peloton bike, and strength work. Running has been largely paused except for a couple of run/walks to test the waters. Once I get the green light to start running (waiting for a follow-up with my sports ortho) I’m thinking of following a couch-to-5K plan so I force myself to ease back in slowly.

And with the new year, I’m going to make an effort to get back to joining Deborah, Kim, and all of you for the Weekly Run Down.

In case you missed it:

First Coffee of the New Year

My Word for 2024

Cheers to a great 2024!

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Filed Under: Updates, Weekly Run Down

Grounded

September 17, 2023 by 31 Comments

Grounded – that’s how I saw a runner on Instagram describe being injured. And that sadly resonated with me because I too am injured.

My last few runs have not felt good…in fact, anything beyond 3 miles has been difficult and my quad has started to be cranky all the time whether I’m running, walking, sitting….you get the idea. My last run was early Wednesday morning – I saw my doc later that day and she grounded me. No running until we can confirm what’s going on (a partial tear is suspected) – so with just 2 weeks until race day, running the TC 10 Miler is off the table and I’m waiting on an MRI.

Sigh.

I had myself a good old pity party! But, I’m not one to wallow. So I’ll focus on what I can do and hope that I can be back out on the road soon. Fall running is my favorite and I don’t want to miss out! Wish me luck!

I linking up with Deborah and Kim for the Weekly Run Down.

How do you pass the time when you’re injured?

 

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Filed Under: injuries, Weekly Run Down

Hello September!

September 3, 2023 by 25 Comments

Well hello, September! Is anyone else trying to wrap their heads around what happened to August – it went by faster than a blink and here we sit at the start of a new month. My weekly check-ins have been sparse as blogging continues to sit on the back burner for me, but my running and workouts keep chugging along. As I mentioned over coffee, with summer winding down I’m craving some routine so perhaps there will be more blogging in my future.

In any event, here’s a quick peek at the last week of August and what I’m planning for September.

Hello September!

Monday — Rest Day – I was still feeling off after Sunday’s shortened run (logged 5 miles instead of 7) so I spent some extra time stretching and called it a day.
Tuesday — 2-mile walk, Yoga & Core.
Wednesday — 3 miles. A rainy run – I prefer to run in the rain vs. the treadmill as long as the roads aren’t too slick and there’s no thunder.

Can’t predict what you’ll get on race day, right?

Thursday — Lower body strength & sports massage
Friday — 4 miles
Saturday — Upper body strength & Core
Sunday — 8 miles

With just 4 weeks to go until the TC 10M, this run was a confidence builder! My goal from this point forward is to do what I can to run all the miles on my plan and not to shorten another run. To make that happen, hip mobility work will be a top priority. My other goals for the month are to prioritize sleep (I was all over the place in August thanks in large part to multiple trips across time zones) and dial in my nutrition – aka, get out of vacation eating mode LOL.

I linking up with Deborah and Kim for the Weekly Run Down.

What have you got planned for September?

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Filed Under: goals, Twin Cities 10M, Weekly Run Down

A Quick Check-in Between Trips

August 13, 2023 by 23 Comments

Wow has it really been 4 weeks since the last time I linked up with Deborah and Kim and all of you for the Weekly Run Down? Between college visits and a fantastic Alaskan vacation, my blogging has definitely taken a hit! After runfessing that I was thinking of leaving my run gear behind, I did end up packing it for my vacation…but I runfess the gear never saw the light of day. Instead, the vacation was filled with lots of walking, some hiking, and yoga and I was more than okay with that!

So this week was about re-entry – although brief because I’ll be hitting the road again soon for the Brooks Hype Fest in LA! Here’s how this past week played out…

A Quick Check-in Between Trips

Monday — Flight home from Vancouver
Tuesday — Holy jet-lag Batman! While I had every intention of getting in a workout I did not get an early start in the morning and then work was beyond cray-cray! So no workout happened.
Wednesday — 3 miles


Thursday — Upper Body Strength & 2-mile walk
Friday — 4 miles & Core
Saturday — Full Body Strength & 2-mile walk
Sunday — 5.5 miles & Hip mobility work

I really wish I could say that with the time off from running my right quad is feeling better but it continues to be a bit of a mixed bag – sometimes it feels fine and other times not so much with very little rhyme or reason as to when and why it flares up. I’m 7 weeks out from the TC 10M so I really do need it to start to cooperate! I’m going to see my massage therapist this week before heading to Hype Fest – the running there will be fun and easy peasy so hopefully by the time I return I’ll be ready to turn up the training dial a bit.

So tell me how was your week? Does it feel like August is just flying by?

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Filed Under: Uncategorized, Weekly Run Down

Am I Running or Swimming?

July 16, 2023 by 20 Comments

Oh, the humidity! I’ve been trying oh so hard to not complain about the weather, but this week truly tested me. The humidity was, quite simply soul-sucking but I managed to get my runs done outdoors – though it felt more like swimming than running. There was a lot of self-talk and some cursing 😉 Here’s a quick look at my week in fitness.

Am I Running of Swimming?

Monday — Extra early commute + long day in the office = Rest day
Tuesday — 2-mile walk and Full Body Strength
Wednesday — 4 miles & Core


Thursday — 2- mile walk & Yoga
Friday — 5 miles & Core
Saturday — College tour with my son = 4 miles of walking according to Garmin
Sunday — 4 miles

Perhaps it was re-entry after 9 days off from work or the impact of the humidity or probably a combination of the two, but things just felt off this week. The weather forecast is showing more of the same…sigh. If only there were a way to arrive at the starting line of a fall race without summer training LOL.

How’s the weather been where you are?

I’m linking up with Deborah and Kim for the Weekly Run Down.

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Filed Under: Summer running, Weekly Run Down