Apr 23, 2009

days 20, 21, and 22: playing catch up

I have been slacking at updating this blog with my blogs from the Social Workout site. My apologies dear reader, I have been...ANNOYED. Not with blogging. With myself. I AM ANNOYED[not have been, that implies that the annoyance has ended] with the injury I sustained as a result of going too hard at the Ultimate clinic on Saturday. I felt like, if I didn't write about taking it easy, then I wouldn't really be taking it easy. Alas, I have been taking it easy. For reals. So here's what you've been missing...

day 20: shuffling along
As I may have mentioned I have, as a result of this challenge, been running faster, longer and harder. I may also have mentioned that I LOVE that I've been running faster, longer and harder. And I may also have mentioned that I totally effed up my legs on Saturday. So yesterday when I, determined to get in my mileage on my very first day of half-marathon training, left the house for the first half of a four mile run [I split it up, two in the morning, two in the afternoon...poor legs], I shuffled just as fast as my stiff, sore legs would allow. And then after work I did the same thing.

What I have NOT mentioned is the swelling pride that has developed as a result of faster, longer and harder runs. And how difficult it was NOT being remotely able to run fast, long or hard yesterday. I'm sure there's a great life lesson in here somewhere. Whatever. I'm just glad that after four miles of shuffling along [we're talking 12+ minute miles here], an ice bath, a warm bath with epsom salt, AND Tiger Balm my legs are feeling a bit looser.

day 21: worth the effort:
I am a morning person. I mean REALLY a morning person. I consider sleeping in anything past 7:30AM. But this morning when the alarm went off at 5:30, like it almost always does, it was hard to drag my heavy, sore muscles out of bed. I stumbled into my swimsuit, pulled on some shorts and a hoodie, grabbed my gym bag [packed the night before] and headed for the bus. An hour later I was in the water. Weightless. If they could have I think my legs would have kissed me. They kept begging me for a break yesterday. "Please Haley, let someone else walk for us." And, "Please Haley, don't go down the stairs again." And, "Please Haley, don't sit down because we will eventually have to get back up." Poor legs.

I didn't push it too hard in the pool. I just really tried to stretch, get my muscles moving. I like this whole getting better, sore muscles recovering thing, and was extra careful not to mess it up by doing anything too intense.

day 22: jog a little, walk a little
I hate this. I am not a "take it easy, let's just go slow" person. Or at least not very often. So this whole INJURY thing is really getting on my nerves because the prescription for getting better is taking it easy and going slow. BARF. NO THANK YOU. I miss my gazelle-ish self, racing through the streets and along the waterfront of Portland at a sub-10:00 minute mile pace. Part of it is pride, and part of it is just ME wanting to be ME when I excercise. [Cue "Harder, Better, Faster, Stronger" by Daft Punk]

Instead of harder, better, faster, stronger I went slower yesterday. I went with the Nike Run Club and was the last person to return from the three mile loop. I was even passed by several of the five milers. Awesome. BUT, despite my hollerings hamstrings and griping glutes, I completed the three miles. No major accomplishment when I look at the rest of the month, but for someone who could barely make it up the stairs on Sunday I think I might as well suck it up and allow myself a pat on the back.

Bonus Workout[?]: Any movements that took me from floor to chair height. That's still pretty painful.

No comments: