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August 31, 2006
Glad that's over
I was really glad that I had the time to work out this morning before my dentist appointment. I was very jumpy when I woke up and ellipticalling and biking really helped. (I split up my workout today because I am trying not to do the same thing too many days in a row, although this weekend we are going to NY and that takes swimming out of the equation...) Anyway, today dawned cloudy and cool and I loved the almost fall feeling in the air. It's still early and I'm sure we're in for more hazy, hot and humid days, but today I almost felt like I was in Boston!
The actual wisdom teeth removal was really quick. I got what felt like 10 shots of Novacaine, although it was probably more like 5. Even my eye was getting numb as I sat there in the chair waiting for the dentist to come back in. I noticed that my heart was pounding and I convinced myself it was just nerves! (I have irrational fears of having a bad reaction to medication or something.) It wasn't pleasant when they took the teeth out, but it really wasn't too bad. I was out within a half-hour of sitting down.
I stopped by the bookstore on the walk home and picked up a couple of books I haven't been able to find in the library, along with some pudding at the supermarket, and basically rested and read on the couch all day. (I've read a lot of good books lately between this and all my cross training.) Once the numb feeling wore off, I felt a little discomfort, but so far, so good. I haven't eaten too much because it's hard to open my mouth very wide, but Matt brought me home yummy mac and cheese from a place near his office, and that was perfect. Luckily I have ice cream in the freezer for dessert.
I may be swollen when I wake up tomorrow, so we'll see. I am planning to go to work because I have a lot to do. In terms of exercise, the official word is no exercise for 24 hours post-extraction, but the nurse/assistant person suggested 72 hours. "Luckily" I don't have to factor running into the equation, so I'm hoping that biking tomorrow will be okay as long as I don't bounce around too much. It would really suck to get a dry socket, which I've heard is incredibly painful, but as long as nothing too terrible happens between now and then, I will give it a try.
I think it's time to ice my face again!
Posted by becky at 8:46 PM | Comments (1)
August 30, 2006
Nervous
I'm very well aware that it is a very minor thing, but I'm still very nervous about my wisdom teeth removal tomorrow. I've always been a far-in-advance worrier, so this has been hanging over my head and now it's turned into full-fledged butterflies. I felt them as soon as I woke up this morning. They disappeared on the elliptical because all I could think about was how hot it was at the gym. I wasn't even the only one sweating all over the place. There didn't seem to be any air flow--it was awful. When I went back to my locker tonight to lift, my shoes were still wet. Gross! I hope that there is some HVAC malfunction and it goes back to being a little bit more normal soon...
I was pretty sleepy today. It was a cloudy and occasionally rainy day and I'm sure that had something to do with it. Work was fine and I finally got to catch up with one of my school friends on the phone tonight, which was great. Aside from that and being nervous, I don't have much to report! I hope to be able to update tomorrow once my Novacaine has worn off!
Posted by becky at 10:12 PM | Comments (0)
August 29, 2006
Social day on the elliptical
Even though I didn't have as much sleep as the night before, I woke up feeling much less tired today (we'll see what happens tomorrow). It was really nasty and humid out even at 6:30 am, so I was secretly glad that today was a drive-to-work day for me.
I tried a little running on the indoor track when I got to the gym, just so I could tell Barb exactly where the running motion still bothers me. It actually felt better than it did on Saturday, but still not normal. I was bummed out but I got on the elliptical like the committed little cross-trainer that I am. I ended up talking to a former Georgetown athlete next to me almost the whole time, which made the time go by really quickly. She's dealt with her share of injuries too so I don't think she minded my bitching about all my weeks spent cross training.
As I suspected, Barb wants me to wait awhile before trying to run again. I think it's even harder to know I can't run now when I don't have much pain at all. I feel almost like a runner again...but then I remember that I can't run. Sigh. Anyway, she worked on my hamstring insertion and it is still very sore when she gets in deep. I guess I need that to go away before I can stride normally again.
I must run and go pick up Matt since I am monopolizing the car today!
Posted by becky at 9:14 PM | Comments (0)
August 28, 2006
Groggy in the pool
I had such a hard time waking up this morning, even though I got a decent (for me) amount of sleep last night. It was sort of overcast in the morning and our bedroom was really dark! I felt like I was sleepwalking when I ate my breakfast and then walked down to the bus. Even sweating in the gross humidity on my walk didn't really seem to snap me out of my fog. Finally, about halfway through my swim, I perked up! I wasn't sure I would make it at first, and it seemed like everyone in the pool was so much faster than me. (Well, that part was definitely true.) It was weird, I felt less tired when I was finished with my swim than before I started. Sometimes strange things like that happen!
I'm trying to be especially productive at work this week because I know I will be out on Thursday to get my wisdom teeth out. I'm already worried about it. I am such a baby. I should be looking forward to being able to chew on the left side of my mouth again. I've always been such a weenie when it comes to medical and dental procedures--both my sister and I are the same way. I'm sure our mom dreaded having to take us to the doctor or the dentist. At least I wasn't the one who bit the dentist...
I lifted tonight and school is back in session for sure. The gym was packed with sweaty underclassmen. But I managed to work around them (most were on the elliptical anyway) and get in a good lift. Tonight I'm chilling out in our bedroom listening to the sound of Matt's poker game going on in the other room. As long as they clean up after themselves, I'm cool with it!
Posted by becky at 9:34 PM | Comments (1)
August 27, 2006
Relaxing Sunday at home
Except for going to the gym and doing some errands right after that, I spent the day at home today. I had plans with a friend I hadn't seen in a long time, and she even volunteered to come over to my place. Sweet! Actually, this is someone I met through my D.C. running club back about six years ago, and she was in my wedding, but because we've lived in different cities for several years now, it's been awhile. I hope to be back running with her on Sundays soon (our old day to run together)--but not soon enough.
My leg felt better when I woke up today so decided to give the old elliptical a try again. No pain while on it, but it's still a little stiff/sore walking around. I need to be better about foam rolling when I'm home since they do not have foam rollers at the Georgetown gym. Anyway, I got into a good groove during my workout and felt strong. I threw in some "intervals" and that helped pass the time.
That's pretty much the update for me. I am going to ride my trainer now while I watch the red carpet pre-Emmys show. I'm usually not into that stuff but with all my US Weekly reading lately, I'll probably recognize more people than I used to. And speaking of entertainment, Matt and I watched Saint Ralph last night, the movie about the 14-year-old who tries to win the 1953 (or 54?) Boston Marathon. It's very cute and well-done and I'm glad I got to catch it.
Posted by becky at 7:21 PM | Comments (0)
August 26, 2006
If at first you don't succeed...
I guess I shouldn't have assumed that walk/jogging would go smoothly. When I tried to add it in the last time I was injured for a significant amount of time, it turned out I needed a little more time, too. It's not that the same pain came back, exactly--it's just that I wasn't completely pain-free behind my knee. It would feel better when I walked, so it's something with the way my hamstring is that's not allowing me to have a normal stride yet. I only did 4 2-minute run/1-minute walk intervals because I knew in my heart that I was not ready. I am sad but I hope that with a little more time, I will really be okay.
After the "run," I was worried that all my pain would have come back. It hasn't, but I have a little niggle now that I haven't felt for a couple of weeks. I didn't want to elliptical with that weighing on my mind, so I got in the pool. I felt good in there after having taken a couple of days off from swimming. And kicking didn't hurt my leg, so I was relieved. It's possible that I will be sore behind my knee when I do start running again, but I think at this point I'm better safe than sorry.
I biked a little while getting into a new book this afternoon. I didn't really feel like lifting so I skipped that...I also went shopping for more "functional" work clothes at Ann Taylor Loft. There's no way I'm buying any long-sleeve blouses or wool pants, so that left me mostly with the sale items in the store. I am challenged to find nice pants that don't pull across my quads/hips. (Any suggestions are welcomed.) I have resigned myself that I will probably have to get pants altered so that they fit both in the waist and the hips, but I have yet to find a pair that is even close! So frustrating.
Matt and I are trying to figure out a plan for tonight, so I am going to sign off here!
Posted by becky at 6:44 PM | Comments (0)
August 25, 2006
Yellow light
I shouldn't really write about the fact that I am going to try some walk/jogging this weekend before I actually do it, but I am excited to have the chance! Barb pushed and poked and prodded me and declared me ready to see how the jogging feels. I still have tightness in my upper hamstring, but she said it's coming out and it feels much better. I'm really nervous about "running" but I've got no more pain (just soreness now from actually using my legs!) so I think it's time to at least give it a try. Oooh, I have butterflies just thinking about it.
I was pretty bored on the elliptical this morning. Sometimes you have it, and sometimes you don't. I probably should have tried to do a little bit of interval training or something to break up the monotony, but I didn't. However, my feet did not feel as tingly today! The only thing I can think of that I did differently was wear thicker socks.
I thought my arms would be more sore from the new lifting stuff I did yesterday, but I feel okay. I need a pedicure so that will be tonight's after-work activity instead of another workout. I am almost finished with the book I am reading so I am looking forward to relaxing in the comfy pedicure chair and possibly finishing it! Happy last-weekend-of-August to all!
Posted by becky at 4:49 PM | Comments (0)
August 24, 2006
Feeling pretty strong, at least in the gym
It's been nice to be able to mix up my workouts this week and wake up knowing that I don't have to swim every day--I have a choice in the matter! Not that I don't enjoy swimming. It's just that I don't enjoy being banished to the pool. So this morning I went to the gym to elliptical. I like a lot of things about the gym at Georgetown: the location (a 5 minute walk from my office), the fact that they have a pool, the hours, etc. But I don't like the fact that they have 5 TVs up on the wall all tuned to some MTV-U station. I would like to at least be able to read the CNN news crawl! It's also quite hot in there at all times.
But I shouldn't complain. I had my iPod and I was tooling away on the elliptical for an hour. My feet started tingling at about the 20 minute mark and I tried everything I could think of (wiggling my toes, changing my foot plant) to try and make it go away, but nothing helped. I'm glad to hear that I'm not the only one with this problem, however. Luckily it is something that I can deal with. I worked really hard today and I was pretty tired when I was done--it felt great.
Work went by quickly today. A colleague and I were walking back from lunch and she took me to meet someone in the cancer center, where she works. That person mentioned that some of the student-athletes were sponsoring a fun day for the pediatric patients so we went up to see it. I think I wrote here about my fear of clowns (i.e. the one in Wellesley at the Boston Marathon). Well, that aversion extends to anything dressed up in a costume. Both the Washington Wizards and the Washington Nationals mascots were there at this event. I controlled myself but I really couldn't stay. I'm such a dork! But I like to laugh at myself.
I tried some new stuff when I was lifting today. I read an article in Triathlete magazine when I was at Barb's office last month and it has a very detailed lifting plan. I'm not a triathlete, but I train like one and I've been doing the same lifting for years so I will incorporate some of this stuff to spice up my old routine. Speaking of muscles, I wore a dress to work today that I hadn't put on in a couple of years and my back/shoulders were like busting out! I don't think I've changed that much in terms of upper body strength, but maybe it's temporary because of the swimming.
My (late) dinner is calling, so off I go...
Posted by becky at 9:00 PM | Comments (0)
August 23, 2006
Tired again
Hanging out with Liz and her cousin (and Matt) last night was a lot of fun but we were out kind of late for a week night and I was tired today! However, Liz accompanied me to the pool so the swim definitely dragged less than it could have. Probably because I didn't swim or lift yesterday, this was the first day in a while that my upper body actually felt pretty good.
Work was pretty uneventful--I actually got a lot of writing done--and I went to see Barb during lunch. She wants me to keep ellipticalling for a couple more days (I see her again on Friday) and then she'll consider letting me do some walk/jogging. I have never wanted to run so much in my life! When I drive around, I think about all the routes I want to do. All in good time, I hope.
I lifted very briefly after work and then I went to pick up the tourists downtown. We came back here and had dinner and now they are our looking at the monuments all lit up. I'm trying to stay awake until they come back, but it's not easy!
Posted by becky at 10:28 PM | Comments (0)
August 22, 2006
Mid-week visitors
I was dreading swimming again this morning when I thought about it last night, so I decided to see how my leg would do on the elliptical. It was weird not to put my bathing suit on when I woke up--that's how long I've been swimming consecutive days! But it was very nice to have the change. I was a little nervous about getting on the elliptical for the first time in quite some time, but Barb and I discussed it last week and she agreed it would probably be a good idea for me to try that before running. I'm happy to report that it felt just fine, except for the fact that I was sucking wind! No leg/knee complaints, just the usual tingly feet that happen to me on the elliptical (I have no idea why, but I think it is because they are not moving much). I wore my heart rate monitor and kept it steady--not too high, but I was working hard. I capped my ellipticalling at 45 minutes because I tend to overdo, and biked for a while after that. My leg was a little stiff/sore after all that, but it was more like getting-back-into-it soreness. I had hoped to have time to lift after working out, but I only had time for abs and stretching or I was going to be late to work.
My friend Liz is coming to visit today for a couple of days. It's sort of weird timing because I don't have enough time off built up in order to take any days off, but she is showing her cousin around town anyway so they will be occupied. I haven't seen her since last winter so I am excited! We always have lots of fun and do a lot of laughing when we are together. It's actually hard being back in D.C. without her since we both lived here until 2004 and Matt and I both miss hanging out with her. So the next couple of days should be fun--and it's always good for me to be forced out of my routine (i.e. I won't get to go to the gym as usual after work.)
OK, I must run and do a little bit more work before Liz swings by to pick me up!
Posted by becky at 5:35 PM | Comments (1)
August 21, 2006
Another day goes by in a flash
I'm really surprised that my day went by so quickly, because I was so sleepy when I woke up that I had the feeling that the day would drag. We got new blinds in our bedroom and it seemed really dark in there, almost like it was the middle of the night when my alarm went off (for the second or third time). But it was time to get up, stuff some breakfast in my mouth and dash off to the pool. It was crowded but a woman volunteered to give up her lane to go swim with her friend. Great! I didn't do too much of a workout today, just pretty much lap swimming, but that went fine. I had to cut it a few laps short of my target distance because I was running late...but I made it to work pretty much on time so it was all worth it. I am looking forward to next week when the pool at Georgetown reopens. That way I can just swim and go right to work from there instead of having to deal with dropping my car back at home, getting to the bus, etc.
My day was pretty quiet, but that was good because I got a decent amount of work done. I went to the gym after work to bike and lift and then missed the bus home by about a minute. (Another one was coming, but I had to wait almost a half hour and I was very hungry!) I have to give Matt props for starting our dinner as I usually beat him home.
That's the daily update from me...and my leg is feeling good, just still very tight in the upper hamstring. In fact, I am about to go foam roll it right now!
Posted by becky at 9:56 PM | Comments (0)
August 20, 2006
Fast walking and slow swimming
I finally got up early enough this morning so that I could try some fast(ish) walking before my swim. I knew there was a track--a very beat-up one, but that's okay--next to the community center that the pool is in, so I just went there. I walked fairly briskly for a mile and a half and even tried to change my stride up to see if that bothered me...and I'm glad to report that I was not feeling any pain, just some hamstring tightness on both sides, actually. I know that walking is not running, but it's something, for now.
I can tell my legs are going to need some time to catch back up to my cardio because they were even tired after the walk. I was glad to get in the pool where I could mostly pull if I wanted to. It took me quite a few laps to lose the tired legs feeling and get more into the swim, but I came around eventually. I even did a few minutes of pool running to end the swim just because I felt like it.
I didn't have much time at home to enjoy my usual Sunday ritual of reading the paper because we were headed up to Baltimore for an Orioles game. When Matt bought the tickets last week, it was supposed to be a perfect (i.e. non-humid) summer day. Things change, though, and it was around 90 and sticky. I usually like to go to baseball games with Matt a couple of times a year (he really loves baseball) but today I was just kind of miserable because I was so hot. Luckily some storm clouds rolled in around the 6th inning and that made things much more bearable. Being a true "girl", I also brought my US Weekly and my library book to occupy myself when I was bored. So it was an okay time!
By the time we got back from the game it was almost dinnertime. I rode my trainer for a little while (I am not yet allowed to clip in, but I am fine just pedaling) and then baked brownies for Matt's cousin's birthday since she is coming over later. I haven't baked anything in a really long time. I am really looking forward to eating the brownies!
Posted by becky at 8:16 PM | Comments (0)
August 19, 2006
Feeling down
Since I've been injured for so long, I've noticed that some days are (emotionally) harder than others for me to deal with not being able to run. Today was a hard one, and I don't know why. My route to the pool took me through Rock Creek Park and I passed throngs of runners probably out doing a long marathon training run, so that probably kicked off my run of negative feelings. My swim was going well until I slammed into a lane line floating right in front of me--they had decided to change the configuration of the pool again without warning. It really is annoying but I tried not to get too mad because I know that this is a city pool and these are just high school kids working there. I volunteered to help get the 50 meter lanes unattached and put in the 25s so I could finish my swim. The whole process took a lot longer than it should have, but I was able to get a decent workout in. I hope to add in either some pool running or actual fast walking into my workout tomorrow, but I need to get my butt out of bed earlier.
We had a handyman come over today to put up some blinds we had purchased about a month ago now at Home Depot. He was great and did everything we asked. Life is difficult without a drill, but we manage. I also did a lot of cleaning today and in the late afternoon found myself getting very sleepy. I took a nap and then went grocery shopping. I was hoping to get in some sort of second workout this afternoon, but it never happened. I'm sure I'll survive but as I mentioned, today is one of those days where I am very conscious of what I'm not doing.
Tonight Matt's cousin is having a pub crawl in our neighborhood to celebrate her 23rd birthday. We're too old and married to actually join in the crawl, but we're heading to her apartment in a little while to see them off. I hope we won't be seen as chaperones! :)
Posted by becky at 8:31 PM | Comments (0)
August 18, 2006
Not ready to run yet
I was definitely less tired when I woke up this morning. My swim was a little better, but I still didn't feel like I had too much speed. I did what I could and that was good enough for today! I still like to think of Fridays as my "easy day" even though I'm not doing anything hard or long any day of the week! It's just an important mental break for me.
I spent the morning interviewing a long-time Georgetown faculty member for a story I am writing. She was really great and a lot of her work ties to courses I took over the past couple of years in grad school, so that was an added bonus. It was interesting to hear her say that she never thought she would end up doing what she is doing now when she started her career.
I was wondering if Barb would let me try a little running after I saw her today. Well, it turns out she doesn't think I am ready quite yet. She said my leg feels a lot better, but she wants me to wait until I see her again (Wed.) to add in running. I'm going to try some fast walking and ellipticalling and see how that goes. Of course I was disappointed to be relegated to the pool for five more days, but I trust Barb and I do agree that I'd rather keep moving forward in my recovery than hurt myself again and have to take a giant step back again. Plus I do not miss the amount of pain I was in.
I'm just finishing up my day here at work (well, I have a little while to go) and then I will do some errands and head home. We have a birthday party thing tonight at a bar and we are planning to go early and leave early too! I know I will stick to that plan--Fridays are tough. Happy weekend!
Posted by becky at 2:05 PM | Comments (1)
August 17, 2006
Tired
Could I possibly be significantly more tired this week because I've been biking in the afternoons? It doesn't seem possible, but I've been trying to go to bed earlier and I'm totally dragging during my swims and even during the day at work. Maybe I need more coffee, that's definitely possible too!
Today I just never felt comfortable in the pool. My arms were hurting and heavy and my mind was wandering all over the place. I did run into a really nice guy from "my" running club (I put that in quotes because while I am technically a member, I have yet to show my face at any event) who was in the lane next to mine. He mentioned that his wife had seen me in the locker room at the pool and I put two and two together that the very pregnant woman who's been so friendly to me is his wife! They met through the club but were only dating when I left D.C. Funny!
I had to sit through two hours of computer training this morning, which didn't help my tiredness! But the teacher was really good and didn't mind that I was also playing on the Web and checking email.
Tonight I biked but didn't do much lifting since I've been feeling so sore. I hope to wake up feeling refreshed tomorrow!
Posted by becky at 8:12 PM | Comments (1)
August 16, 2006
Making progress
Today was a perfectly good day. Nothing too exciting, but that's not necessarily a bad thing. I swam in the morning, as usual, and my arms were aching even from the beginning. I think they are hurting from resting my arms on the stationary bike when I read. I just can't catch a break! But other than that relatively minor complaint, my swim was fine. I did more of an endurance workout which ends up taking less time than some of the faster stuff because it's mostly continuous. All those 20 second breaks add up!
I saw Barb at lunchtime today. I had the wrong appointment time written down on my calendar, but luckily she was able to squeeze me in. I didn't have time for electric stim but she did her usual manual therapy. She said everything feels much better. The only place I feel anything now is in my upper hamstring, and that's mostly tightness. I am going back on Friday and we are going to evaluate whether I can add in some *jogging*!! I won't get my hopes up, though.
I biked and lifted tonight but I didn't last long because I was hungry. On that note, I am off to eat dinner. But I will also paste this quote from Laura O'Neill's NYRR training diary, because it is almost exactly how I feel right now: "After countless hours on the stationary bike and in the pool, I relish the thought of starting to run again in the next few weeks. I miss the freedom I feel as I set out on a trail for a run and leave the frustrations of the day behind. I miss chattering non-stop with Kate for a ninety-minute run, somehow never running out of things to tell each other. I know the first few weeks will be challenging, but I think all runners derive some satisfaction from pushing themselves. I can't wait for the nausea that sets in after a tempo run. I look forward to finishing a hard session on the track and beginning my cool-down with heavy legs, but with the irreplaceable satisfaction of having tested my limits."
Posted by becky at 8:48 PM | Comments (1)
August 15, 2006
Status quo
Nothing too exciting to report today. I woke up tired and it kind of lasted the whole day, with the exception of my coffee buzz. I even felt sleepy when I was swimming, which could be dangerous! I got my own lane today and had an okay swim, nothing great. I felt fine kicking although I got a twinge pushing off the wall pretty hard once. (I am so used to only pushing off with my other leg that I am almost glad I was able to fully use my injured leg to do that.)
There was a thermostat problem in our building at work today and the heat was on. Needless to say, I was extremely uncomfortable. Everyone in our suite was complaining. They finally fixed it around 3 p.m. and I was much more productive during the last few hours of work than the rest of the day!
I didn't get out of work until 6:30 so I decided just to bike pretty leisurely and read and not try to lift. I think my arms will thank me! Anyway, Matt and I are both exhausted and heading to sleep soon, so that's it for me.
Posted by becky at 9:49 PM | Comments (0)
August 14, 2006
It feels good to be sore
I noticed walking around today that my legs are a little bit sore--in a good way--from kicking and biking. Basically, I'm able to use my leg muscles when I work out, a little bit anyway, and it feels great! I'm still being cautious when I'm swimming, biking, even walking, of course, because there are a few movements/positions that still bother me. Sitting Indian style (is that politically incorrect) is one. It's better than it was, that's for sure, but I know I'm not out of the woods yet.
My swim went by fast this morning, mostly because I was running late and I was trying to get as much in as possible before I had to get out. Kicking felt fine, but my arms were a little achy today. I was sharing a lane most of the time and I think I unconsciously tense up and use my arms almost too much, if that makes sense.
Work was fun today because I got to be in a promotional video shoot for the local CBS affiliate here in DC. They are getting footage of medical students at local medical schools and are going to piece it together for some sort of promo about the channel's health coverage. We were short a (female) med student so I volunteered to step in. All it took was a spare white coat! (That thing is heavy! Good thing I didn't choose that career or else I would sweat all over my patients.) The camera crew was a lot of fun and the anchor was nice too. I'm sure they won't use any footage with me in it, but it was a good experience anyway.
The Georgetown gym is closed for cleaning this week (it better be sparkling when it reopens) so I went to one near my apartment. It is humid again so I was sweating just from walking the few blocks from the bus when I got there. But it was nice and cool inside. I biked and lifted, almost back to my old routine. We'll see what happens but for now I'll take it!
Posted by becky at 9:18 PM | Comments (0)
August 13, 2006
A strong swim, for once
Finally, I felt good in the pool today. And I kicked more than I have in a long time with no (knock on wood) pain. I even did a little pool running for the last few minutes of my workout, and felt fine. I was paranoid that I was going to do something weird to my knee, though, so I limited my time doing that since it's "new."
Today we ate a leisurely breakfast/brunch outside on our balcony since it's so nice out, and then we finally hung up a bunch of paintings that have been leaning against the walls since we moved in. We're not completely finished, but probably by next weekend. It looks pretty good in here!
This afternoon I braved the crowds at Whole Foods (you'd think they were giving organic food away) and went to the gym to lift (and bike, which I am now cleared to do, but not as hard as I like.) We're in the midst of cooking our dinner and then we will spend a couple of hours with Matt's cousin and her boyfriend, who live around the corner. It's become our new Sunday night habit to hang out with them. It's a great new tradition!
Posted by becky at 7:34 PM | Comments (0)
August 12, 2006
Sunny Sat.
When I left to go swimming this morning, I took a deep breath and inhaled the end-of-summer (ish) air. This is the kind of weather I love to run in after suffering through many soupy ones in the weeks prior. But I know I have even cooler weather to look forward to in the months ahead, by which time I hope I will be running at least a little.
So my swim...was okay. I was finally getting into a rhythm and had 10 laps to go when the lifeguard tapped me on the shoulder and told me that I had to get out for a few minutes because they were changing the congfiguration of the pool. What could I do? They were nice enough to let me get in as soon as they put the first 25-yard lane in. I had to do double the number of laps in the new configuration but they went by quickly!
We just got back from a baby-naming ceremony (a Jewish tradition) at our friends' house which was really touching! It was also a great afternoon to be outside, so that worked out well. Now we're going to meet my old boss for a drink at a rooftop bar in the neighborhood. I look forward to getting all the gossip from the old office!
Posted by becky at 6:45 PM | Comments (0)
August 11, 2006
Information I didn't ask for
I had another draggy swim today. I don't know what's going on--maybe my arms are sore from lifting a lot this week? I just couldn't get moving and I felt like my laps were taking me twice as long! Just one of those days, I guess. I even got to sleep in (about a half hour) because I was driving to work, but the extra rest didn't seem to make a difference. I hope I feel stronger this weekend.
I had my appointment with Barb this morning. I didn't expect her to have much to say about the MRI results since I'm continuing to feel pretty good (kicking felt fine today; I'm just being careful not to do too much of it.) However, she told me we had some things to discuss. As expected, there is fluid (inflammation) behind my knee, not shocking because that's where it hurts. There are no ligament tears and everything is intact. However, the MRI showed that I have virtually no cartilage left in my knee. Considering I have never had pain in the kneecap area on that knee, I was pretty shocked. Barb said it might not necessarily be due to mileage, but possibly the combination of poor running biomechanics (I have been told that I limp) and relatively high mileage. As we all know, I also tend to just run the same mileage week in and week out unless I am tapering.
So.
This is not a problem that can be easily solved. Barb said when I am back running again, she will teach me some strengthening stuff that will help with this (I used to do a lot of leg strengthening back when I had patellar tendonitis but have since stopped) and encouraged me to start taking glucosamine chondroitin again. (Does anyone take a form that is coated? I hate the chalky kind.) Otherwise I am going to have to be smarter about running on softer surfaces and cycling my mileage. I do not want to have a knee replacement ever, let alone while I am still young.
This was obviously upsetting news, but I am hoping that it will knock some sense into me about being smarter with my training. That's easy to say now, of course, when I'd give anything to run even 10 miles a week. For now, I'm at least going to start with the supplements. As Barb reminded me, they aren't proven to be effective, but they won't do any harm.
It was hard for me to think about anything else today after that, but it was also good to have work as a distraction. We went to watch the first year medical students receive their white coats in the annual ceremony, which was kind of neat. Although the thought of beginning medical school seems completely out of the realm of possibility to me! I am so glad to be done with school.
It is supposed to be beautiful weather here, for once, so hopefully I'll enjoy it despite not being able to run in it. I'll end on that note...happy weekend!
Posted by becky at 10:31 PM | Comments (3)
August 10, 2006
Kind of a blah day
I felt pretty tired today, but I'm not sure why. Just like I never fully woke up. The fact that it was gray most of the day probably contributed. (But it was nice and COOL! In the 70s--I felt like I was in New England again.) I was glad to get in the pool again, although my swim wasn't so great. I was dragging and then kept hitting my hand on the lane line, something that happens when I am tired and not focusing on my form--and sharing a lane. It was crowded in there today!
Nothing too exciting to report from the rest of the day, unless you find the dentist stimulating. I finally got my panoramic x-rays taken and made an appointment for the end of the month to have the two decayed wisdom teeth removed. I am nervous but glad to have it scheduled. I've given up chewing on that side of my mouth completely and it will be nice to be able to do that again.
I tried looking at the MRI images on the CD that I got after the exam, but I couldn't make sense of them. They were neat, though. I am scheduled to see Barb in the morning, so hopefully she will have good news. I will keep you all posted!
Posted by becky at 9:32 PM | Comments (0)
August 9, 2006
Forced out of the pool
I found it very ironic that I was lying completely still in an MRI tube tonight at the exact time my D.C. track club's workout was going on. Well, hopefully the MRI will be clean and I can work my way back toward running fast—or just running at all, for that matter—again.
My day started out very stressful. I got to the pool right when it was supposed to open and I was surprised to see a bunch of people waiting outside. Apparently the guy who is usually there did not show up to open up the building. I waited for almost 20 minutes, confident that he was just running late. Finally I left, went home and got all my stuff for work, figuring I could still fit in a swim if I left straight from the pool. I was not in a good mood when I got home and I was very mean to Matt. He knows how I get when something stands in the way of exercise, though! Anyway, I went back to the pool and the guy still had not shown up. I was forced to go to the gym since I couldn't think of any other pool options. I biked and ellipticalled very easy. It was killing me not to go my usual pace, but I have not been officially cleared to try these other cross-training activities and I was scared. The upshot was that I am sore, but not in major pain. I am also sore from the work Barb did yesterday, so it's hard to tell what's what. I really hope the pool is open tomorrow so I am not "forced" into making any more bad choices.
Our office helped promote an event today that featured pediatric cancer patients putting their painted handprints on a white SUV (this was part of a corporate donation by a car manufacturer). Even though I'm in the health field and have thought and read about cancer in classes for the past two years and write about it all the time at work, it's been a long time since I actually had any contact with cancer patients, especially kids. The kids were all excited to be there today, and most of them will survive their disease, but it was hard for me to see them and their young parents, knowing that I am not that far away from having a kid of my own (hypothetically, of course). I did not expect to be affected like that today. I was also thinking about my grandmother, who will start her treatment after another surgery next week. As we stood at the ceremony, I watched older couples streaming in and out of the cancer center and I wished I were closer to home so that I could accompany my grandmother to some of her treatments. I do know that she is in good hands with my parents and sister.
That was a heavy entry. I think I need to go have some dessert. Sugar always helps!
Posted by becky at 9:55 PM | Comments (0)
August 8, 2006
Slow and steady progress
It's getting harder not to "test" my leg now that it's finally feeling better. But I've waited this long and invested this much time, effort and money into healing it, so another part of me wants to be extra cautious. I finally did kick a little bit during my swim today--it felt great to be able to! (I only did a couple of laps though.) And I can do the breastroke again, which mixes things up. My swim was good today--much more of an aerobic pace than some of the other workouts I've done in the past few days. I was the only one in the pool by the time I got out, and I thought it was a fitting way to end (until Aug. 26, anyway) my time swimming at Georgetown.
I saw Barb at lunchtime today. Fortuitously, I ran into a friend there--my old D.C. morning running partner, who swears by Barb and was the one who recommended her to me in the first place! It was nice to catch up, even if it was just for a few minutes. As for me, Barb said that I'm feeling better because things are finally starting to loosen up in there. But she cautioned me to still only swim and to definitely get the MRI I had scheduled for tomorrow anyway--just to get a good look at what's going on. She's hopeful that I might be able to add back in some other type of cross-training in after I see her again on Friday.
I lifted after work as usual and stared longingly at the ellipticals and bikes while I was there but I restrained myself. That's the injury update from me! I must go investigate the sound of kids yelling outside our window...
Posted by becky at 8:33 PM | Comments (0)
August 7, 2006
I'm glad to report that my leg is still feeling pretty good. Climbing stairs was even easier today. But I tried the kickboard and that motion still hurts, so it was another day of pulling. Some of my swim dragged and some of it went by fast. I was thinking about all the things I needed to do at work today, so that probably helped pass the time. There were a lot of fast people in the pool today--I felt especially slow! I really like this pool a lot, but tomorrow is the last day it will be open before they close until Aug. 26th for some repair work and cleaning. It's a bummer because I've gotten into a routine that I like and now getting to the pool will be a lot more of a hassle. But I know I'll make it work.
Nothing too exciting to report from work. I was pretty busy, which is always good. I lifted very quickly tonight and then drove up to Bethesda to meet Matt and two of his co-workers and their significant others for dinner. It was half price wine night at the restaurant we went to--always a reason to go out on a Monday! It was fun but I am really tired right now and fear that I will be sleepy during the day tomorrow. In that case...goodnight!
Posted by becky at 10:18 PM | Comments (0)
August 6, 2006
The healing trend continues, for now
I am amazed at how much better my leg feels each day since Friday's setback. On the one hand, I think it is a good sign that it got better quickly. On the other hand, I'm scared that one wrong step will set me even further back. But for now, I'm definitely enjoying having less pain that I remember in a long time. I was a little sluggish swimming this morning, and I still didn't want to try kicking because that motion does cause pain, but pushing off the wall was fine and getting out of the pool was easier. (All that bending of the knee and weight bearing is tough for me.)
Poor Matt has a cold and wasn't feeling too well today. It was a good day to hang around and catch up on our newspaper reading. I also spent a good chunk of time transferring phone numbers from my current cell phone to my new one that I got from work and notifying people about the change. I will miss my Motorola phone, though.
Tonight I lifted and did a little speedwalking on the treadmill. It was only about 3/4 of a mile since I don't want to push it, but I felt pretty good. The major thing that bothers me these days is eccentric loading (i.e. walking downhill) and bearing a lot of weight (i.e. climbing up the stairs). Hopefully my body will realize that it's much better when I can walk normally!
Posted by becky at 6:19 PM | Comments (0)
August 5, 2006
Happy Blogiversary #2
That's right, it's my second anniversary of starting my blog today. A very exciting day indeed. Actually, when I woke up I did notice that my leg felt a lot more normal. My limp is now pretty much back to where it's been, although I still can't bear my full weight when climbing stairs so I have to go up them very slowly. Swimming was much more pleasant because I was feeling better, so I had a pretty good workout. I try to do a longer swim on the weekends (or at least one weekend day) because I'm not usually as pressed for time and of course I feel eternally guilty for not doing a long run. Of course, a long swim for me is probably nothing compared to what actual swimmers--competitive or even recreational--do.
I had some errands to do in the early afternoon on foot, and I noticed that it was still very hot but finally not oppressively humid. In other words, more "normal" D.C. summer weather. So that was good. Later on Matt and I went to a Crate and Barrel outlet in Alexandria to look for an outdoor table to use on our balcony. At first, it didn't seem like there was anything promising, but I was wandering through the store and found something that was perfect and also a really good deal. Despite an idiotic mistake made by yours truly when we were putting it together, it seems to work very well in our space. We grilled and ate our dinner out there tonight, in fact.
I think we're going to watch a movie On Demand tonight since we got a free coupon from Comcast. Actually, we saw Little Miss Sunshine last night in the theater and liked it a lot. I think I liked it more than Matt did, but even he will agree that it was very funny, but not in that silly, trite way. Go see it!
Posted by becky at 9:13 PM | Comments (1)
August 4, 2006
I'm so sick of this
I'm writing early today to try and make myself feel better about what's going on with my leg. I woke up feeling just as good as I did yesterday--hardly any pain walking around--and left to walk to the bus stop as usual. The bus was about to pull away and I picked up my pace/jogged one step and...my knee totally buckled, sending shooting pains behind my knee and leaving me to wonder if I could even climb on the bus. The weird thing is that the pain is different than it was before. And a lot worse--more acute than chronic. I was almost crying at that point--a combination of the pain and my frustration after having felt so good the last couple of days.
I made it through my swim, but it wasn't pleasant as I had pain every time I bent my knee at all (believe me, I tried not to, even when I turned at the wall.) It was awful. Luckily I had a Barb appt. already scheduled for this morning, so I limped my way there and we discussed what might have happened. She thinks everything just seized up in there when I planted my foot awkardly and it will probably work itself out in the next couple of days. However, she does think that for my peace of mind I should get an MRI to rule out a tear. The earliest I could get was for next Wed. evening, but I'll take it.
I am obviously really upset at this point, but I sound like a broken record. There's nothing I can do but wait, and I'm terrible at that. Anyway, I must get back to work. Happy weekend!
Posted by becky at 11:51 AM | Comments (4)
August 3, 2006
Hoping for a break in the heat
Today went by fast! It was another day of record-breaking heat and I felt it walking to the bus in the morning. Speaking of walking to the bus, I was able to walk a lot faster than usual--knock on wood, but my leg is feeling a little better. It still bothered me kicking in the pool, so I didn't do much of it. The workout I chose was really boring without the kicking interspersed in it, though. Plus my arms were aching. Overall, it wasn't a great swim, but I got through it.
I had an appointment for an oral surgery consult (re: my wisdom tooth, still) today. I got there and the receptionist informs me that they don't take my insurance, even though she failed to mention that in the phone conversations we had previously. I was really upset. I called Matt, who looked online and found another oral surgeon a couple of blocks away (I had come downtown for this, which takes extra time from where I work because there are no subway lines in Georgetown.) Luckily, that office really does accept my insurance, but the earliest appointment they had was next week. I've waited this long, so I'm sure I'll survive.
That was the main excitement in my day. I lifted after work and just made it home right as it started to rain. Unfortunately the humidity still seems to be around. I just checked Boston's weather, though, for old time's sake, and it's in the 60s. Why do I live in the tropics, again? That's right, all this suffering is going to make me stronger!
Posted by becky at 8:36 PM | Comments (3)
August 2, 2006
One more thing
I forgot to include the big news that my running partner Mary had her baby early this morning! Last year at this time she was doing an Ironman. Now she has an Ironbaby! Hah, hah. Congrats to the fam and I can't wait to meet baby Niamh.
Posted by becky at 9:54 PM | Comments (0)
Some progress is better than none
Barb had an opening in her schedule today, so I was looking forward to that all morning. Even though the treatments are painful, I always feel (mentally and physically) better when I'm finished. I drove to work today so that I could go to my appointment, and while I felt lazy, it was really nice not to have to walk around as much in the stifling heat. (Although the parking situation is such that there is still a lot of walking to do.) I got in the pool a bit later than usual and it was extremely crowded. When I walked out of the locker room, an older man flagged me down and invited me to share his lane since I had to share with someone. Hey, whatever I can do to make someone else's swim more enjoyable. I jumped right in!
My own swim dragged a lot today. I did a workout that looked fun on paper but it was rather difficult. I am so glad to be able to do something to still exercise, but I'm tired of doing the same thing every day. At least on a run you can pick a new route each day!
Work was really busy all morning and then it was time for PT. I have felt a little better (marginally) in the last day or so and was hoping that Barb would notice. She did! She said my adductor has definitely loosened up (I could tell as the ART was not quite as painful) and she was finally able to get deep into the inner hamstring, where the majority of the pain is. It hurts behind the knee, apparently, because that is where the hamstring crosses/attaches. Or something like that. In any case, Barb seems hopeful that we can really get to work on the root of the problem now. I'm still bound to the pool, but maybe, just maybe, things are looking up. We'll see how I feel in the next couple of days.
Barb also suggested that I start having regular massages once I get back to running. She said with the mileage that I do and my propensity for "tight musculature", it is important. I can't even picture being able to run enough right now to be sore, but it's definitely worth considering.
The rest of my day was busy (when I was inside) and hot (when I was outside). I got in a good lifting session before coming home and even caught a glimpse of a couple of GU sprinters. While I was lifting, a very buff and sweaty woman came in, obviously from a run. I was so jealous. I kept thinking, "That used to be me!" and it made me a little depressed.
But anyway. It's almost time for bed but I'm waiting up for Matt, who was in Florida for work today and is on his way back. We'll see if I make it!
Posted by becky at 9:19 PM | Comments (0)
August 1, 2006
Too hot
I just got home and I'm normally starving and ready to eat dinner right away. But it is just too damn hot today--even my appetite knows it's oppressively humid. I figured I would sit quietly, do my blog, and wait for the apartment to cool off.
Luckily I was inside most of the day. It wasn't too terrible out yet when I walked to the bus this morning, and then of course I swam. Today's workout was more of an endurance session, although I sort of lost track of what I was supposed to be doing. I was very tired when I was finished and very ready for some nourishment.
We were trying to conserve energy in our office today by shutting lights and making sure not to use any extra electricity, but for some reason the a/c was on extra strong! Everyone was freezing inside and we knew how hot it was outside so we felt kind of bad about it. I made up for it in the afternoon when I had to go to a meeting that was about a mile and a half away on the other side of campus. I walked about half of it and took the bus as far as I could for the rest so I wouldn't arrive there totally dripping. By the time I got back to the office, I welcomed the frigid air.
I didn't want to lift today because that would be three days in a row. I did my abs and then I did some walking around the indoor track since it was much more pleasant in there than outside. I am trying to stop favoring my bad leg as much as I do because I think it is causing more soreness. The walking felt pretty good, actually.
And that brings me back to the present. Unfortunately, I'm still too hot to eat, but now my stomach is growling. One the a/c kicks in I'm sure my senses will align!
Posted by becky at 8:02 PM | Comments (0)