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October 24, 2006
Relatively well-rested
I did get to bed early (for me) last night, and I felt much more alert when I woke up. It was still pretty windy outside when I left for the bus and I was walking extra-fast to keep warm. I had a run planned and I wondered if I had brought enough clothes. (I think I am less tough than I was in Boston.) I ended up wearing the wind pants I wore to walk to the bus over my shorts for the run. They kept me warm, but I got really chapped legs from the sweat and the fabric (not to mention the wind). I can't win!
So the run...my upper hamstring seems to be getting tighter again as I am running more (and maybe a little bit faster, although it doesn't seem that way). Foam rolling and stretching don't seem to do anything, and obviously four months of not running didn't do much either. I don't feel it in the back of my knee when I am running, but it is starting to get tight enough so that I am worried that my old pain will come back. I will ask Barb to focus exclusively on that for a couple of weeks, but I am sort of tired of paying for PT if I'm not really getting better. I can tell that the knot in my hamstring needs to be released...but how? I actually got a suggestion of acupuncture today, which reminded me that I did that for my achilles a couple of years ago. But I'm not convinced that was what really helped me get over that injury--I think it was being forced to take time off because Matt was recovering from his appendectomy. I would be willing to try it again if it was covered by insurance, though, so I'm looking into it. In the meantime, I'm sitting on a heating pad as I type this since that has helped loosen up my hamstrings in the past.
On my little run today, I found a new trail, although I'm not sure how safe it is or how long it goes. It runs between a road and the path along the canal--it's a grassy trail that has clearly been used recently as indicated by the well-worn rut, but I didn't see anyone even walking their dog. But it was pretty early in the morning. If I ever do a long run again, I will incorporate it into a route I really like.
I lifted tonight but didn't do as much of the leg/hip strengthening stuff because I'm worried that those exercises are bothering my hamstring. I wish I could figure it out! Anyway, that's all for tonight. I am going to get some stuff done, stretch, and try to go to bed at a reasonable hour again. Two nights in a row would be a minor miracle!
Posted by becky at October 24, 2006 9:29 PM