Journey to IRONMAN: IT Troubles

Well, I've done it, my first injury.  It's not horrible, but is not awesome either.  I didn't break anything or strain anything, it is a classic injury of overuse and I am sure is one of the many I will face over my journey to IRONMAN.

It happened about four weeks ago.  I ran 19 miles on a Monday and then, tired as I was, met my friend Sarah the following day for another 8 mile run.  I was doing great until about mile 6 of the run when all of a sudden I felt a sharp pain in the outside of my right knee.  I babied it and finished the run, but I was most definitely hurting at the end.  If you have ever had IT band troubles you know how sharp the knee and hip pain can be.

 Following that run, every time I took a step, it felt like someone was hammering a poker in my knee (probably an exaggeration, but its a close as I can get).  So I took 4 days off of running.  I continued to swim and cycle because neither of those hurt.  I ran a 3 mile run with very minimal pain and considered myself on the mend.

Last Saturday I did another 19 with my buddy and right at about mile 14 the pain started again.  I was careful and cautious about how I landed, but it hurt and of course, I had to finish the run.  After that, the pain was awful when I ran.  3 days following the distance, I want for a 2 mile run and couldn't even run it all the pain was so stabbing.  So Frustrating.

I decided that rest alone was clearly not going to help me get back to distance.  I have taken it upon myself to visit a chiropractor and a massage therapist for some intensive work and then went out and bought myself a little thing called "The Stick."  We have a foam roller,  which is basically a glorious muscle torture and stretching device, but the stick is a new form of work.  The description of this item is "Its a toothbrush for your muscles."  It hurts SO good.

I have been on constant stick, roller and ice work for the past week.  Thankfully, I am slowly improving, but it is slow.....and frustrating.  I am determined to rehab correctly though because I have marathons and IRONMAN's to do!

Through this little setback I am learning some valuable lessons though.  My dear running friend Sarah said it best, "Bethany, you can't demand so much out of your body without giving back to it occasionally!"

This pursuit demands much and I have got my first taste of the cost of such demands.  IRONMAN is as much about giving to your body as it is taking from it.  Well.....lesson learned.

The Shoe Fits Perfectly

Lily Grace is our resident princess these days.  Oh she simply loves all things magical and princessy.  Yes, its a word.    

She adores dresses and although she has several drawers full of shorts, shirts and pants, all this lovely lady wants to wear is anything that twirls.  Lately she has taken to having a blanket tied around her neck for a cape.  She runs through the house and along the sidewalk singing at the top of her lungs "Let it Go, Let it Go!"  

This past week Lily desperately needed new school shoes.  She has grown out of all of them.  So I headed to Target to get some sensible shoes for school.  Of course, I picked up Lily and all but 1 pair (I bought  4) fit her.  So I had to take her to the store.  We were not there but 30 seconds when Lily comes around the corner with Cinderella "glass slippers" on her feet.  Who cares that they were attached by a rubber band and she was hobbling down the aisle, she had found princess shoes.  No matter how I reasoned that they would not make good play shoes she was euphoric in her joy.  Oh dear, those are NOT sensible shoes.  "But Mom, they fit PERFECTLY!"  Lily ended up splitting the cost of the shoes with Me.  She was elated and only too quick to pay me her papers out of her piggy bank.  (oh what will happen when those run out!)

I love this little girl.  All of her and her princessy ways.  She has so much joy and such a big imagination.  She is beautiful and simply so much fun.