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June 30, 2007
Day at the beach
It was hard to get up early this morning knowing it was the weekend, but I left myself just enough time to get in a decent workout before we left for New York. I ran a couple of miles--it was still humid out but cooler than past days--and then rode my trainer. The run felt fine except that it seemed to be longer than it actually was. I guess that happens when you are out of shape. I have been trying to walk a minute or so before starting my runs; not sure if it is helping but many of my routes start downhill so I think it is probably a smart idea. I didn't have as much time to bike as I anticipated when I got back, but I was already sweating when I got on from the run so it wasn't hard to get into a good workout mode. Nothing was on TV so I listened to my iPod.
We took a 10:30 shuttle flight to LGA and my mom picked us up and then we met my dad and my sister a beach on the Sound that my family likes to go to. Aside from the occasional smoker and screaming kid, it was pleasant and great to see my dad back to his old self (although still skinny!). I managed to get a little color and only a bit of a sunburn--all and all a successful day.
Tonight my grandmother is coming up for dinner and then Matt and I will head to his mom's house and his dad's tomorrow. As always, an action-packed weekend in NY for the Wexlers!
Posted by becky at 5:34 PM | Comments (0)
June 29, 2007
End of a long week
This week felt very long to me and I'm not sure why. Probably a combination of being busy at work and being out two nights of the week (in a row). Whatever it was, I'm exhausted and glad to have a breather. I was trying to get as much sleep as possible so I worked out at home today, riding the trainer. I watched most of "Notes on a Scandal"--not exactly the light movie I had hoped to find--and really enjoyed it. I am hoping to finish it tonight. I mostly just biked steadily but did throw in some surges. My kneecap is kind of stiff but aside from that no major complaints. I keep getting paranoid that my knee is swollen again when it feels stiff, because I could hardly tell last time until the orthopedist pointed it out. Somehow swelling freaks me out more than pain because it is such an obvious sign of inflammation.
I was away from my desk most of the afternoon dealing with the ABC News crew, which was fun but tiring. It's always interesting to see what little of the interview ends up on the broadcast, but I'm still looking forward to it airing, probably sometime next week.
Matt and I are going to New York tomorrow for my parents' 35th anniversary. I have wanted to see my dad well for some time now since the last time I was there he was still sick, and it will be nice timing with the occasion. Matt has a meeting in NYC on Monday but I will come back Sunday since I have both a physical therapy appointment and an appointment with the orthotics guy.
Happy weekend to all!
Posted by becky at 8:44 PM | Comments (0)
June 28, 2007
Another okay run
I did survive the swamp of Camden Yards last night—I was really glad I had my towels—but there was a lot of traffic getting out of the parking lot and on the roads so we didn't get home until about midnight. I was beat and it was not easy to get up this morning. I had warned everyone at work that I would probably be in late, so I let myself sleep in an extra half hour or so.
My biggest complaint while running today was the weather—it was stifling even though I was perversely glad to be able to experience running in it. I feel like I am still running a bit tentatively but I did not have any pain today, only a little tightness. I did my "Friday loop" because I will be biking on Friday. I was most annoyed with the humidity when I had to stop at a light—as long as I kept moving and generated my own breeze, I was okay.
I did end up a little late to work, but I didn't miss much. I was busy all day because several of our faculty members have a new study being published electronically this weekend. I don't mind being busy and it kept my mind off the fact that I was pretty tired from my late night.
I lifted after work and incorporated some of the new things that the physical therapist showed me yesterday, like the properly-done squats and lunges and some stretches. I am also supposed to try and manually move my kneecap back and forth and up and down to loosen it up, which totally grosses me out. I just do it and try not to think about it. Anyway, I'm a little sore after all that but hopefully that will turn out to be a good thing in the long run.
Posted by becky at 11:26 PM | Comments (0)
June 27, 2007
Is this weather for real?
Currently At 2:57PM
94°F
RealFeel®
107°F
Winds: CLM
at 0mph
We are going to Baltimore tonight for the Orioles-Yankees game. The weather information above is for Baltimore. Obviously these tickets were purchased far in advance of the weather forecast! I am bringing a frozen water bottle, several small towels, and gummy peaches--comfort food. Hopefully I won't melt! (Or get blown away in a huge thunderstorm.)
It was really uncomfortable walking to the bus this morning and I was glad to have my little sweat towel with me (and to be wearing gym clothes and not work clothes!). I had a great workout on the elliptical, which is what happens when I am not in pain. The only thing that bothered me was a slight twinge inside my knee. I also biked for a bit this morning while getting into a new book.
Since I am going to the game tonight and was busy all day at work, I did not have time to lift, but I did have a physical therapy appointment this afternoon which was full of squats, lunges, step-ups, and other sweat-inducing and muscle-building activities. I now know how to work on building the stability in my knee so that it stops wanting to turn inwards (which causes the inner knee pain.) I really enjoyed the session and I feel armed with a few more things to do in the gym now.
OK, off to Baltimore!
Posted by becky at 3:14 PM | Comments (0)
June 26, 2007
No more complaints about the weather
It was hot and steamy today and sweat was pouring off me after only a few minutes. But did I mind? No--because my legs felt okay running! Since being back, the inside of my knee is a tad sore--more like in the VMO area so it might be from some leg lifts I did yesterday--but I felt great during the run. I kept the pace nice and slow and I really wasn't sure how I would feel going uphill, but it was actually okay. I did about 40 minutes, the same amount as Sunday, and then I came home and rode the trainer for a bit.
I lifted at lunch today--much more peaceful without the basketball campers--because Matt and I are getting together with another couple for dinner tonight. I am still hesitant to do much leg/lower body stuff until the physical therapist watches me first, so I did my usual upper body routine as well as a little biking. It is so hot that I got sweaty on the walks to the gym and back to my office. I am heading out now and pretty much dreading it. Maybe this is how some people feel in the winter!
Posted by becky at 5:32 PM | Comments (0)
June 25, 2007
Biking to the morning shows
Having watched all of the available "Tori and Dean: Inn Love" and "Real World Las Vegas Reunited" episodes On Demand, I haven't had anything to occupy me while riding my trainer lately. I would have gone to the gym this morning, but I had an appointment before work that would have made it difficult to go there first. So I put "The Today Show" on mute and listened to my iPod. Now that they have the local headlines scrolling across the bottom of the screen, it's easy to keep up with what's going on. One of the top stories this morning on national news was the investigation into that pregnant Ohio woman's murder. It is such a horrible, tragic story but it is gripping in "can't look away" sense. Hopefully they will figure out what happened and, as they say, at least some justice will be served. Speaking of justice being served, the other top national news story: Paris Hilton's upcoming release from jail. How ironic.
In any case, my knees/legs felt fine while biking. I had a good workout and was actually glad not to be outside in the humidity. It seemed to get worse as the day went on and even the three-minute walk to the gym from my office tonight seemed unbearable, and it's only supposed to get worse as the week goes on. Lovely! Lifting tonight went fine although there is some sort of Georgetown basketball camp going on and it is incredibly loud since the courts are adjacent to the cardio and weights area. I don't think it should last too much longer than this week, though.
Oh, I forgot to mention that I was interviewed on the street today by our local NBC affiliate. I was on my way to lunch about a half-mile from my office and they were doing a story about this very contentious road construction project that kicked off today and is supposed to last at least a year. I answered some questions but since I didn't watch the news, I'll never know if it aired!
Posted by becky at 8:48 PM | Comments (0)
June 24, 2007
Can't complain
I was nervous when I woke up today because it was a running day, and I was meeting Camille. I warned her that I didn't know how I would feel and I might need to do the run/walk thing, but she was game for that like a good friend and running partner would be! I was glad we were meeting in Georgetown near the Canal because I know it is such a good surface to run on--it makes me less worried about injuring myself/exacerbating current injuries.
I had a tiny bit of discomfort--I won't call it pain--on my kneecap that seemed to move from the outside to the inside for the first few minutes, but then I felt better once we settled into our pace. I looked at my watch when I thought of it and it was 19 minutes, so I made sure we turned around at 20 to head back. I felt good, certainly a lot better than I've felt in weeks, so this was not easy. But as I said to Camille, it is better to turn around now and be able to run longer next week (hopefully)!
I stretched a bit after we got back to our cars and was elated that nothing felt weird. When I got home, I rode the trainer for a bit but not too long because I was getting very low-blood sugar. But even though I was hungry, I was happy because my run had gone well.
This afternoon, Matt and I went down to a Farmer's Market near Dupont Circle to get some veggies (and a delicious homemade blueberry scone, of which I ate 90 percent). We were hot after walking around a lot. It is supposed to go back to normal hot and terribly humid weather this week so today wasn't too bad, but it was still almost 90 degrees and sunny, so I would call that hot. After that we went to a few open houses in Bethesda. One of the houses was awesome and literally steps away from one of my favorite trails. But it was a little out of our price range.
I feel slightly tempted to go lift or bike or something right now, but I'm also kind of tired and just want to chill out. I think I'll do some abs and call it a day since I am trying to be (a little) more balanced with my working out.
Posted by becky at 5:43 PM | Comments (0)
June 23, 2007
Gym rat
I decided to go to the gym this morning instead of riding the trainer since I did that yesterday and I haven't been impressed with the selection of On Demand movies lately. It was beautiful outside when I left and I was of course sad to be going inside. But there was a "Made" marathon on MTV so I had something to distract me while I was on the elliptical. I alternated watching and listening to my iPod during the commercials. I did a pretty hard hour on the elliptical and then I biked until I finished my book and was really eager to go home and eat breakfast. My knee felt good--the only major complaint was a little hamstring discomfort but only when I was on the bike and it may have been the way it was adjusted (they just got new bikes and I am not quite used to them).
I had a lot of tasks to do today--cleaning the apartment, going to the bank, getting a bridesmaid dress altered, etc. I worked hard to get everything done before the live broadcast of the USA Championships. I watched that and then did a little more research for our upcoming trip to Portland, Seattle, and Vancouver. I am hoping to take a day trip from Portland to visit Pre's trail in Eugene, but whether or not I will be able to run on it is a different story.
It is only 8:30 p.m. but both Matt and I are yawning. We spent the last few hours at an my Red Cross boss's engagement party on the roof deck of a bar in our neighborhood. It was the perfect night for it and it was nice to see some old co-workers. I only had a glass of champagne but maybe it was all the standing in heels that is making me feel like I'm ready for bed!
Posted by becky at 8:18 PM | Comments (1)
June 22, 2007
Holding my horses
I am pooped! I just got home from a very long walk (decided to walk home from my nail salon, which is near work, rather than wait for the bus) and came in just in time to press "record" on my VCR (old school, I know) so that I can watch the USATF meet when I'm ready. I am excited that track is on all three weekend days, although I'm always disappointed by the coverage. But some coverage is better than none.
I woke up nervous today knowing that I was supposed to try some running. As most of us do, I detest the run-walk thing but know it helps when returning from a lot of time off. I am definitely not at the point where I was last fall, having had no running base for several months...I first noticed my inner knee pain enough to stop running about 5 weeks ago. I've run intermittently at times during those weeks, but I can't really count that. Anyway, I did a bunch of 3-4 minute walks followed by 3-4 minute runs (total time was a little more than 30 minutes). I was really tentative when I first ran and things were all creaky (as they always have been) but then I relaxed and started to feel more normal. All in all, it was about what I expected--I felt some tightness in my IT band, but very little inner and back of knee pain. I finished the workout on the trainer and was pretty pleased.
I probably should have iced when I got to work, but the fact that my body didn't remind me is a good sign! I felt pretty good all day and my walk from Georgetown felt great. I wasn't wearing my sneakers or walking particularly fast, but I was wearing supportive sandals and was aware of the fact that I wasn't in pain. I will have to spend another Saturday cross training, but if it can be one of the last, I'm willing to grin and bear it.
Happy weekend to all!
Posted by becky at 8:14 PM | Comments (0)
June 21, 2007
Retraining my neuromuscular memory
It was again hard to get up this morning, despite the fact that it was super sunny. I even thought I overslept because it was so bright out. But I made my usual bus and got to the gym with a good chunk of time to work out. I am very happy to say that I felt better on the elliptical than I have probably in weeks. Hooray! I did not have to think about whether I was stressing my knee in a weird way because it didn't hurt. Whoo-hoo! We'll see how long this lasts, but I'm enjoying it for the moment. I also biked a little and that felt fine too. I think I took advantage of feeling pretty good and worked hard, because I was starving when I got back to the locker room.
I met with a new physical therapist today, someone at Georgetown (Univ. Hospital). The knee doctor recommended him and I decided to try it because it is so nice to just walk there from my office in 5 minutes rather than driving to Arlington and having to deal with paying for parking, moving the car every four hours, etc.
It turned out that I really liked this guy. He did a very thorough evaluation, including watching me squat (not pretty) and comparing things on my right and left legs to show me that there were some significant differences in flexibilty. He doesn't think the inner knee pain is pes pain; he thinks it is the way my knee is tracking combined with a really tight IT band and bad biomechanics. But the good news is he thinks he can do a lot to help those biomechanics and imbalances and he is a big proponent of strength training, which I love. The doctor had mentioned that taping might work for me but this guy doesn't think I need it as long as we work on correcting my biomechanics. I'm willing to try it!
I lifted tonight and while I was in the gym, I missed a huge downpour. Fortuitous because I did not bring my umbrella. I got caught in a bit of drizzle on my walk home, but it all worked out pretty well considering my lack of preparedness!
Posted by becky at 8:48 PM | Comments (0)
June 20, 2007
Big biking day
I didn't have a chance to hit the snooze bar this morning because I messed up when setting my alarm last night and it never went off. I bolted out of bed when I heard Matt's alarm, and that was 15 minutes after I planned to be on the bike. Oh, well, there was nothing I could do about it so I did as much as I possibly had time for. My knee is definitely feeling less stiff although it is still swollen on the side a bit and I'm not sure that is going to go away anytime soon even after the cortisone shot. Any improvement is encouraging, though.
I decided to bike to work today--something I've never done, actually--for a few reasons. A major one is that I had planned to show a couple of friends my weight-training routine tonight and then have dinner, and getting home via public transportation would have been sort of complicated. As efficient as riding to work is, though, it involves lots of traffic and the sweat factor. Plus I hadn't ridden my bike outside in...months, many of them. But I took back roads as much as I could on the way to work and it was fine! I was sweaty when I got there but I just toweled off and put on my skirt. My knee hurt a little bit going up some of the bigger hills, but it wasn't too bad.
It actually cooled off a lot by the time I left in the evening, so the ride to my friend's house was pleasant (although uphill, again, unfortunately). I demonstrated a few of my favorite weight routines and then I was treated to a homemade meal. I was nervous about riding back in the dark but I had a light and the traffic wasn't bad, so it worked out. Now I am completely tired and can't wait to hit the sack.
Posted by becky at 10:39 PM | Comments (0)
June 19, 2007
The orthopedist's two cents
I must have pressed the snooze bar on my alarm a million times this morning--I could not get up! I finally did and ended up riding my trainer while watching (most of) Adrian Grenier's documentary about looking for his birth father (it premiered on HBO a few weeks ago). It was pretty good although not the kind of movie that gets you pumped up for a workout!
First on my agenda today was my appointment with an orthopedist at Georgetown. I made this appointment about a month ago but I probably should have first gone last summer to get an opinion on the MRI. The doctor was someone I had heard was good with knees and a sports medicine specialist. Although I had one of the first appointments of the day, the wait was terrible; nearly an hour. First the resident saw me and did many of the same "tests' that the chiropractor did yesterday. He pressed on the spot where I would have pain if the pes was inflamed and I didn't really feel anything. Then the doctor came in--after having looked at my MRI from last August--and pointed out my "huge effusion" which I guess is swelling. He understood that I wanted to get back to running, though, and said a cortisone shot or draining it would make it feel better. Before he decided what to do, he had me go get X-rays of both knees, which meant another hour or so of waiting for the X-ray and then waiting to see the doctor again. The upshot of it was that the doctor said both knees looked pretty bad in terms of wear and tear and that a shot would calm things down in the knee that is bothering me. I was scared about the shot but it didn't hurt too much and the doc seems convinced that I will be able to run in a couple of days. We'll see, though, because I am not certain that the swelling (on the outside of the knee) is related to the inner knee pain.
I am also going to look into getting custom orthotics to possibly address my terrible biomechanics that seem to be causing all of my problems. I am supposed to bike tomorrow, elliptical the next day, and try running on Friday.
Because my knee was still feeling weird from the shot, I did not do anything in the gym after work except lift (upper body). The stiffness is starting to get better but the inside of my knee still hurts so we will see how it is doing tomorrow!
Posted by becky at 8:48 PM | Comments (1)
June 18, 2007
One medical opinion down...
I woke up hot and pretty much stayed that way all day, especially when I was outside (which, luckily, was not much). The temperature was already almost 90 by 10:30 a.m. and the air was thick as can be. I drove to work/the gym today because I had a chiropractor appointment at lunch and although it is Metro-accessible, Georgetown really isn't when you are trying to get somewhere quickly. Anyway, I started out on the elliptical today but noticed my knee/quad pain too much, so I switched to the stationary bike, where I did intervals to break up the monotony. A lot of it dragged, but I am pretty used to knowing I have a lot of time left in my cross-training workout when I already feel like I can't stand it after 5 minutes, so I made it through. My hamstrings and butt are very sore from the lower body stuff I did yesterday, although much, much more so on the left because that side actually is normal.
Last time I went to this chiropractor was my first visit, so it was basically an assessment (and I was feeling good then.) Today, I had electric stim for ten minutes (I just had the tech put it on my knee in various places because I'm not sure where my pain is coming from) and then Dr. Mike checked me out. He did a few "tests" of the ligaments in the knee and said I tested positive for a mild (grade 1) medial collateral ligament strain, which is near the pes anserine bursa, I guess. I was kind of surprised because it's not like I did anything in the past week or so to cause that much damage (I don't think)...it is pretty unusual for runners to have ligament strains in the knee, but I suppose it could happen. Dr. Mike was glad to hear that I have an orthopedist appointment tomorrow, which is kind of disconcerting. He also pointed out that my knee is quite swollen ("You have two totally different knees," is how he put it.) I haven't noticed the swelling but that would make sense considering the stiffness and limited range of motion I have. I am kind of freaked out about it because Dr. Mike mentioned that the orthopod might want to drain the fluid...eeew! How did I get to this point?? But before I completely freak out, I will wait to get the orthopedist's opinion.
I guess it is possible that I did strain something when I fell running back in the beginning of April, although nothing in particular bothered me except the cuts and bruises. Maybe I reinjured it somehow?? Just a theory but I might be making too much of it.
I lifted after work tonight and in addition to my upper body stuff did a few straight leg lifts that Dr. Mike suggested--just lying on the ground, no weights or machines or anything. I'll try anything as long as it isn't painful.
I really, really hope that this orthopedist--who is supposed to be a knee specialist, by the way--has something insightful to say. I'll prepare myself for the worst (major restriction of activity) but hope for the best.
Posted by becky at 9:05 PM | Comments (0)
June 17, 2007
Ups and downs
Well, Matt, the master planner of surprises, did it again. We had a great time at an awesome restaurant downtown with a bunch of my closest friends, and then everybody parted ways. It was still kind of early and I was surprised no one wanted to hang out anymore. Matt and his sister and I walked from the restaurant back toward the Metro, but then Matt said we weren't going home--we were going to a room he had gotten in the Hotel Monaco, a cool Kimpton hotel that is known to be really nice. I knew at that point something was up, but I wasn't sure what it was. We walked into this suite and in the dark I noticed a lot of bottles of wine and some empty beer bottles. I was wondering what was going on and then Matt encouraged me to go into the bedroom. As soon as I walked in, I heard, "Surprise!" and there were many of the friends who had been at dinner and a bunch of others. How am I going to top that for Matt's 30th birthday in a few months?? In all honesty, it was really thoughtful and I had a great time. Thanks, Matt!
We stayed over at the hotel (Matt packed a bag and of course brought my sneaks and workout clothes) so I attempted to go for a run in the morning. My knee was not having it and I just went to the "fitness room" and biked. I just didn't have a normal stride even starting out because the whole knee is so stiff and just...messed up. I am really down about this but trying to keep it in perspective. I have both a chiropractor appointment and an orthopedist appointment this week and they couldn't be better timed.
By the time we got back from the hotel (we had brunch there), it was already afternoon. I did some reading, took a nap, and then went to the gym for a brief workout (bike and abs and some light leg lifting). It was super hot and humid out today and the very short walk back from the gym left me very sweaty...it is supposed to be like most of the week (95 tomorrow) so I'm kind of dreading it. That's summer in D.C., though!
Posted by becky at 7:42 PM | Comments (0)
June 16, 2007
Morning movie
Another Saturday morning on the bike and in front of the TV for me...I'm getting used to this. I could tell my quad was really tight from the time I woke up, so I foam rolled it a bunch before getting on the bike. My whole knee is still really tight and stiff and has been locking up when I walk--a new development since my run yesterday. It doesn't do that on the bike but it just didn't feel all that great. I watched "Ten Things I Hate About You" to distract myself. I thought I had seen parts of it before but it was all new to me. It was a good movie to bike to, I can't say much more than that!
Matt's sister and I spent most of the afternoon shopping in Georgetown. She just went to the gym for a really quick workout and I was considering getting on the bike again, but I might just take a powernap. Tonight a bunch of my friends are getting together to celebrate my birthday at a restaurant downtown. I can't wait!
Posted by becky at 5:13 PM | Comments (0)
June 15, 2007
Friday runaround
I actually felt fairly normal when I was running this morning, but everything kind of tightened up once I got home and has been feeling weird ever since. I did my Friday loop and the weather was awesome; I was definitely going slowly but at this point I am just happy to be out there running. What's especially weird about my knee is that the latest achiness is not on the inside--in fact, I didn't feel any of that pain when I was running. This is more of a general soreness/stiffness. Whatever it is, I don't like it.
The rest of my day was fine but happily did not involve any exercise! After work, I got my nails done and then picked up Matt's sister who is here for the weekend. (Yay!) We just got back from dinner and I am pooped. Happy weekend to all!
Posted by becky at 11:10 PM | Comments (0)
June 14, 2007
Rockin' out on the elliptical
It was hard to get up today! I think it was the fact that it was cloudy and kind of drizzly. I was running late (as usual) to catch the bus down to the gym and I did not have my umbrella, so I think the very light rain woke me up a little. My intern was also at the gym ellipticalling so that made it a little more social. I felt good today and was able to keep up my "torrid" pace for almost the whole workout. My knee felt all right--not amazing, but not too bad either. Oddly, the remaining painful thing about the pes anserine business is driving--that motion of pointing my toe and stepping on the break pedal is exactly what hurts. I don't even drive that much, but every time I do, I notice it. In any case...I'll take a good elliptical workout over a crappy one, and I had some extra time after that to bike and start a new book.
I wanted to have extra time tonight after work to clean my apartment in anticipation of Matt's sister coming to visit this weekend, so I lifted at lunch. I was hungry though and just wasn't feeling it. I got through what I needed to do and then was able to refuel with some free catered food at a going-away reception we had for one of our longtime faculty members who is leaving for McGill. Free food rocks, especially when you don't bring your lunch that day.
In a deja vu of last night, my laundry is ready again (a different load, obviously!). I am such a creature of habit!
Posted by becky at 9:28 PM | Comments (0)
June 13, 2007
Half inside and half out
It was back to the grind this morning--or, at least, back to the office. I should go to conferences more often, it felt kind of like I had been on vacation! But before work, of course, I got in my workout. I ran for a little less than 30 minutes and then rode the trainer until it was time to get into the shower and do the mad dash to get out of the apartment. With running lately, the inside of my knee hurts a bit when I start and then seems to loosen up. I'm not sure if it's because my stride is just normalizing when I get going, or what...but it does not feel worse when I'm done (at least with a short run) than it does when I get off the elliptical or bike. Actually, biking bothered my knee more than running today. If I enjoyed swimming, I would swim more. But I just really detest it, especially when I'm alone. It has become a true last resort for me!
Work was busy because I was catching up on stuff. One of my friends from work took me to lunch to celebrate yesterday's birthday, so that was fun. I lifted after work and felt good after having not done that yesterday. I don't know if it is physical or mental, but I think I need to get back to three days of lifting instead of four, or at least do the fourth on the weekend or something.
My laundry is calling so that's all for now.
Posted by becky at 9:23 PM | Comments (0)
June 12, 2007
New age group
Today is my 30th birthday, so I guess I am entering into a new era--or at least a new age group (not that I will be racing anytime soon)! It is definitely a milestone but I am not going to be fooled into thinking it means too much, especially since a friend's mother recently told me I look exactly the same as I did in college :) In any case, birthdays are always fun although we will be celebrating this weekend mostly.
I ellipticalled again this morning and my adductor/knee felt a little looser after really digging into it with the foam roller last night. I was at Washington Sports Club again and I don't think the temperature there is any better (colder) than it is at the Georgetown gym. For the money they charge per month, it certainly should be! I also biked for a bit next to the D.C. mayor's father (who owns the local Fleet Feet, so I knew him before he earned his most recent celebrity status). All in all it was a good workout.
I had the second day of that PR conference again and it went well. I am meeting a friend in VA tonight before meeting Matt for dinner so I didn't really have time to lift afterwards. Instead, I rode my trainer and watched more Tori and Dean: Inn Love. It's my birthday so I can watch stupid shows if I want to!
Posted by becky at 6:29 PM | Comments (3)
June 11, 2007
Change of scenery
I am attending a public relations conference today and tomorrow in my our neighborhood--very close to our new one!--so it is nice to have a break from trekking over to Georgetown. Many people use conferences as an excuse to travel, but I like my routine, and I've broken out of it enough lately, so I'm glad to have one that's here in town to go to.
I went to the gym before the conference started and ellipticalled. I felt okay--some weirdness in the inner knee but it loosened up as I got more into the workout. I went to Washington Sports Club down the block today since I wouldn't be going to work, and they have installed new flat-screen TVs on each machine since I was last there. Unfortunately there wasn't really anything to watch, so I read the scrolling news headlines and listened to my iPod. A decent workout.
The conference was pretty good--I enjoyed the small breakout sessions much more than the large keynote addresses--and I reconnected with a former Red Cross colleague. Somehow I always find these events exhausting, though. I walked home at the end of the day, took a quick nap, and then went to lift. Now I am fairly re-energized, but I have a feeling it won't last long!
Posted by becky at 8:52 PM | Comments (1)
June 10, 2007
Group run on the Canal
I am pretty much at the point with all my injuries where if I can sneak in a run now and then--if it doesn't cause too much pain during or after--I'm going to do it. Especially today. I haven't seen Camille in ages because of my knee and both of us being away/busy, and she promised me she would go whatever pace I wanted. Our friend staying with us is running Grandma's next weekend and he wanted to join us too, plus one of my college friends, Liz, was here and she expressed an interest too. How could I turn down a four-person run??
I did make sure that we just went out and back on the soft and flat Canal, which was good. It was humid but thankfully overcast. My knee didn't feel great, but it warmed up, which is usually my sign that things are on the mend but not quite there yet. We chatted all the way and caught up on several weeks' worth of conversation. It was really a lot of fun.
When we got back and were stretching, I realized I did not have my car key with me anymore. In other circumstances, I would have run back at least a bit to look--I was pretty sure it had fallen out about a mile from our stopping point when I took off my shirt--but I was already pushing it by running for about an hour. Camille's keys were unfortunately in my car as well and she was in a hurry. Liz drove me back home to get the extra key, but while we were gone, Camille decided to run back and look for it and found the key I had dropped! I owe her big-time as that is the only one that can actually open the trunk (where my house keys, cell phone and wallet were). So that was a relief.
This afternoon I did some errands and rode the trainer for a bit while I watched the Prefontaine Classic on TV. I mostly kept it on mute because the announcers annoy me so much, but some of the races were decent. Fast times in the women's 800!
Tonight we are preparing for an Italian feast (fresh pasta with veggies and chicken) in anticipation of the Sopranos finale. It should be a good one!
Posted by becky at 6:18 PM | Comments (0)
June 9, 2007
Biking the morning away
Another Saturday on the bike, watching a movie (this time it was "The Holiday," where Kate Winslet and Cameron Diaz switch houses for a couple of weeks). I know I probably would have been complaining about the heat and humidity had I been running outside, but I still miss it. I had a decent workout on the bike but the inside of my knee hurt off and on--I can't seem to catch a break.
Although it doesn't technically count as a workout, I certainly got sweaty enough to warrant a shower in the afternoon when we walked all over Georgetown showing my cousin and aunt around--my cousin is visiting colleges as he is entering his senior year of high school. It is not quite as brutal as it was yesterday, but it is still pretty hot. I watched the NCAA track meet when I got home and was very impressed by the women's 800--a great race!
Posted by becky at 4:50 PM | Comments (0)
June 8, 2007
A run...but feeling it later
As I am typing this, a fantastic summer storm has just begun. Not a shocker since it has been oppressively hot ever since I stepped out the door to do another test run this morning. I actually saw someone running (fast) when I was outside at lunch and I wondered how he was able to stand it. Maybe people think the same of me when they see me in my shorts in the winter. In any case, I ran about 5 miles today, I think. I did not really have pain on the inside of my knee, but the hamstring definitely stiffened up much like it did a few months ago when I was just getting back to running after the back-of-knee hamstring thing. I know that I am probably unconsciously doing weird things with my stride because I am worried that every step will hurt, and that is no doubt why the back of my knee hurt for the rest of the day. It was weird, it didn't hurt when I was first back, but then when I got up from sitting at work for a bit, it did. Hopefully it will feel better tomorrow, although I am not going to run (I will most likely ride the trainer.)
We are having guests this weekend who are in town for a wedding. My apartment is in pretty good shape but I have to do a few other things to get ready. The husband of the couple is a good runner and I really wish I could take him on one of my fave D.C. runs. But I'll just have to describe one.
We are not going to NY this weekend but hopefully we will be able to make it up for Father's Day next Sunday. I have not heard from my mom today but as far as I know my dad continues to do well.
Happy weekend to all!
Posted by becky at 9:04 PM | Comments (0)
June 7, 2007
Another day in the gym
I did not have a particularly tiring day today but I am sitting here feeling like I'm about to fall asleep! I think it's the heat. It is not humid today but it is very warm. I did not check the temperature but I wouldn't be surprised it it was around 90. But I worked out inside today so it didn't bother me in that respect. I actually stopped ellipticalling and switched to the stationary bike after about 20 minutes because the back of my knee was feeling weird. It felt okay on the bike so I think that was the right decision. I did a bunch of intervals and got good and sweaty. I am using too much laundry detergent because my shorts get soapy when I work out! I hope no one noticed before I caught it and wiped it off!
I lifted at lunch but I was dragging because I was hungry. I can't quite figure out how much to eat--or rather, what to eat that will actually sustain me--when I go at lunchtime. But I'm glad I did do that because I actually got home before the dry cleaner closed tonight so I could finally pick up our clothes that have been there for two weeks!
I am loving Flotrack's coverage of the NCAA track champs...off to watch more videos!
Posted by becky at 7:42 PM | Comments (0)
June 6, 2007
28 minutes of yay
Although I will probably jinx myself by writing about it, I ran for 28 minutes today with no major pains! I was going slow, of course, and being cautious, but I felt better than I have in several weeks. I really, really hope I can start returning to running more regularly now, even if I still have to cross train a lot too. It was actually almost chilly this morning, too--the humidity had dropped and it was so comfortable. I had to go early because I had a doctor's appointment, but I didn't mind since I felt okay. When I got back, I stretched and then rode the trainer while watching a few episodes of my new favorite brain-drain show, "Tori and Dean: Inn Love" On Demand. Hey, it may be dumb, but sometimes those are the best to bike to.
Work was busy but I did get to take a nice walk to my favorite sandwich place during lunch. Today was a great day to be outside doing summery things and not such a great day to be at your desk, but what can you do? At least I got to enjoy it for a bit.
I lifted after work but I was kind of hungry and my lack of energy definitely showed. When I got onto the bus to go home, I stepped funny and kind of tweaked my hamstring. I don't know WHY it is so sensitive...but it is. It is still feeling a little weird but better than it was and hopefully a good foam roll will help, too.
I have not heard from my family today re: my dad so I hoping that no news is good news.
Posted by becky at 9:10 PM | Comments (0)
June 5, 2007
Sweaty inside and out
I forgot a critical piece of my wardrobe this morning when I left for the bus (think undergarments) and I realized when I was a few steps away from our apartment. I ran back up and grabbed it and then had to really hoof it to get to the bus on time. Even though it is almost all downhill, it was so sticky out that I was disgustingly sweaty when I got there. The bus driver had the air conditioner on defrost for some reason, so that did not help matters. And then of course there was the temperature in the gym, always lukewarm no matter what the season.
Despite the heat, I had a good elliptical workout. I just did my usual hourlong thing with surges and then biked for a while after that. Our student intern, who I really like, was at the gym at the same time, which was fun. I warned her not to get on the elliptical next to mine, though, because I tend to get sweat on my neighbors.
I lifted at lunch and was able to do a few leg things. The only thing that really hurts now about my knee is going up stairs, or doing something that approximates that motion. I'm assuming that is because I am bearing more than my full weight on it. I did make an appointment with the chiropractor in Arlington for early next week, so we'll see what he says.
I met a friend tonight to see a free screening--sponsored by the city--of a documentary called "Crazy Love." My sister had actually told me about it since it has to do with a famous New York legal case from the 1950s. It is the story of a man who blinded the woman he loved because he was jealous of her, and then ended up marrying her when he got out of jail. It sounds pretty gruesome but it was actually pretty upbeat--too upbeat for a movie about domestic violence, in my opinion. Glad we got to see it for free!
Everything is pretty much the same with my dad. He's frustrated because he is still not feeling that great but he keeps getting stronger. Hopefully he will turn another corner in the next day or two.
Posted by becky at 5:17 PM | Comments (0)
June 4, 2007
Little by little
I am still confused about what day of the week it is after last week's crazy time warp and all our traveling. It was a little hard to wake up today and when I thought for a minute and realized it was (only) Monday, I was kind of disappointed. Since I ellipticalled yesterday, I rode my trainer today plus another little run (13 minutes or so). My knee is feeling less stiff, which is good, although the inside still hurts a bit. I tried to make another appointment with Barb (had to cancel one last week) but she is on vacation and all booked up next week. I am also considering going back to see that chiropractor I liked about a month ago since I think he is also an ART-ist. All in all, though, I had a pretty decent workout. I watched the morning shows while I was on the bike and I felt like I saw the same three stories (terrorism threat at JFK, TB patient, and the weather) over and over. That must be why I don't regularly watch morning TV!
I lifted after work and the gym was surprisingly crowded. I guess there are a lot of summer program kids around, or something. I didn't mind and it was nice to get in a solid lift after several days off. I know I lift too many days in a row so it is kind of good when I am forced to break out of my routine sometimes. (At least that's what I tell myself.)
I did not get a chance to speak to my dad today and my mom was just getting to the hospital when I called her around lunchtime, but I did hear that he has been on the phone with people from work a lot, and I have to take that as a good sign. My mom, who is a first-grade teacher, returned to work for a half-day today and she said it was so great to be back and I was happy to hear that. Her class made the cutest cards for my dad last week. She had to translate most of the words, but they were adorable!
Posted by becky at 8:37 PM | Comments (0)
June 3, 2007
Status quo
We stayed at Matt's mom's house last night, so I was lucky to have access to an elliptical this morning. It is an older model with both the resistance and ramp height adjustments, which I'd rather not have, but you make do with what you've got. It did not hurt my leg and I was dripping with sweat, which is a good workout in my book, or at least good enough for me this morning. I probably should have done a little lifting, but I was hungry and I will hopefully be able to get to the gym tomorrow so it shouldn't be a big deal. Plus, I am anxious to get back to the hospital to spend time with my dad before we have to get back to the train station and head back to D.C.
That's all for now; I wanted to make sure I had a chance to update before things got busy tonight. I have been avoiding household tasks like laundry and grocery shopping but as our train does not get in until 7:30 p.m., I think those will have to wait another day so we can watch Sopranos!
Posted by becky at 11:15 AM | Comments (2)
June 2, 2007
Quick check in
Matt and I are here in New York now after having taken the train up this morning. Before we left, I did a ten-minute run in my neighborhood--I'm taking the new approach of doing a little bit instead of trying to jump back in all at once--and then got on the trainer and rode while watching part of the movie Invincible. It was pretty good although I had trouble making out all of the dialogue as I always do on the trainer. As for the knee pain, I felt pretty much the same on the run and on the bike--some stiffness and a bit of inside-the-knee pain. At least it is not getting worse.
The train ride up to New York was pretty relaxing except for a bunch of loud people in our car talking about everything they saw out the window and singing "New York, New York" as we approached the city. We continued on to Westchester so at least we got 15 minutes of peace. We spent a few hours at the hospital with my dad and it was pretty amazing to see the improvements in his condition and to just have a conversation with him. Now we're back relaxing at my parents' house and will all go back for about an hour tonight.
Posted by becky at 6:06 PM | Comments (0)
June 1, 2007
Bike and some good news
I rode my trainer this morning while watching "The 40-Year-Old Virgin" for the second time (still funny!). I only got through part of the movie, though, since I didn't wake up early enough to get in a very long workout. My knee felt mostly stiff and not painful, but the stiffness is annoying too. The inside of my knee now hurts only if I step a certain way or put a lot of pressure on it going up the stairs. It has pretty much been that way for about a week now, despite continuing to cross train (except for the one day I ran). I think I will add in a little bit of running slowly and if it doesn't get worse, I think I can treat this like all my other nagging injuries.
We got a bunch of good news about my dad today and he is apparently talking a bit and trying to make sense of the state he is currently in. Matt and I are planning to take the train up tomorrow so that we can get some work done on the way and I am looking forward to seeing my dad look a bit better.
I don't have much more to report! I am waiting for Matt to come home with sushi and then we might watch a movie.
Happy weekend to all!
Posted by becky at 8:22 PM | Comments (2)