Running Commentary: December 2008 Archives

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December 31, 2008

Last workout(s) of the year

Well, this wasn't quite the running year I would have liked, but I can't complain about anything else. My new job is great, our house is great, and everything else is going pretty well. Although I may not have done as many miles as previous years, I think I only missed four days of working out (Saturday through Tuesday after my knee surgery) and some of those days were doubles.

Matt went to work this morning--he walked despite the howling wind and dropping temperatures--and I got to sleep in because I don't return to work until Monday. My Achilles wasn't feeling too bad but I biked because I had done that short run yesterday. I had a few DVR'd shows to catch up on anyway--the new spinoff of "The Hills" started on Monday so of course I am already hooked. My bike felt a little creaky compared to the spin bike I had been using the past few days but aside from that everything was fine.

Most of the ret of the day was consumed with errands that took too long because of all the people getting ready for New Year's Eve and then household tasks. I baked some dessert for tonight (we are going to dinner with friends and then coming back here) and got things in ship shape around here. Then of course I went to the gym--it was so cold on the short walk from the car to the gym that it took 30 minutes on the bike to literally warm up! And I know that my friends and fam in NYC/Boston have it much worse. Tonight will be a cold one for the midnight run in Central Park, and I think it was about 60 degrees last year.

Happy New Year to all!

Posted by becky at 7:05 PM | Comments (0)

December 30, 2008

Heading back home

We are sitting in the airport waiting for our flight back to D.C. We've had a nice time in Florida but as always, I am looking forward to getting back home. This morning was surprisingly cloudy (but it got better later on) and I was glad since I did a short run, just an out and back along one of the roads in the resort. Even though it meant being passed by several different people (all men, I think) I made sure to go slowly and think about my form. My Achilles was a little sore when I was done (I ran just 30 minutes) but not too uncomfortable on the whole. I ran back to the gym and rode the spin bike for about an hour. I think my legs were tired because I didn't feel too peppy. But all in all it was a decent effort.

Since we had to head to the airport by mid-day, our crew hung out at the pool rather than the beach today. We got in a couple of hours of sun and then came back to pack up. I'm sure I'm the only one of our group who isn't too disappointed to be going back to cooler climes!

Posted by becky at 5:16 PM | Comments (0)

December 29, 2008

Yesterday again

Today's activities were very similar to yesterday's, from the workout to the beach. My Achilles was less sore today though so I was able to do my whole morning workout on the spin bike rather than splitting it between the bike and the elliptical. I didn't feel quite as energetic today as I did yesterday; maybe I didn't sleep as well because for some reason I didn't even feel well rested when I woke up. But I made it through with the help of my music and my book. The spin bike has a little ledge for a book, which is great. I'm sure the sweat stains will dry soon enough...at least before I need to return it to the library!

It was even hotter out today than it was yesterday and I finally swam not just in the pool but in the Gulf. It was chilly but very refreshing. We read and napped (a long one for me today) on the beach and then Laura and I hit the gym yet again. I hadn't lifted in a couple of days but I got about halfway through my routine and then got very shaky/low blood sugar so I had to stop.

Tonight the "kids" are in charge of picking a dinner spot and I think we have selected a winner!

Posted by becky at 7:21 PM | Comments (0)

December 28, 2008

Being 'good'

Despite the sun shining outside, I knew what I had to do this morning and it took place inside on the spin bike. I tried not to feel too sorry for myself; at least I had a nice gym to work out in and a day on the beach to look forward to. My Achilles was a little less sore today than it was yesterday, so riding the spin bike ended up feeling more comfortable than yesterday too. It took a bit of adjustment to get the seat and handlebar height right, but eventually I did. I rocked out to my iPod for an hour, doing my usual on-off hill intervals and then switched to the elliptical for another half-hour or so. It was pretty warm in the gym and by that time I was just as soaked as I would have been after a run outside in the Florida sun. And my Achilles wasn't too terrible either so I was pretty satisfied.

We're on our way out to dinner after spending most of the afternoon on the beach and then a quick visit to the gym. We've got one more full day here and I think all of us are hoping to make the most of it!

Posted by becky at 7:05 PM | Comments (0)

December 27, 2008

Same old

I'm still sort of confused as to why my Achilles started bothering me again. I thought maybe I ran too long yesterday (even though I had done pretty much that same amount twice recently without too many ill effects), so my plan today was to do a short run and then end up at the gym. I actually started out feeling good--better than yesterday. I ran to the end of the resort/island and then picked up a sandy trail that circled a golf course and connected with the beach. Then I made the fatal decision to try running on the packed sand near the water. Probably good for my knee and other joints, but not so much for my Achilles because of the slope. It started hurting again and pretty much bothered me the rest of the run. I was not happy...but managed to have a decent ride on the spin bike at the gym after that. My Achilles wasn't amazing, but it held up okay. Unfortunately the gym had run out of towels so I got the floor pretty wet!

We tried a different beach today and had a nice, relaxing day lounging, swimming, etc. and then it was back to the gym in the afternoon. It seems that the elliptical is the best thing for my Achilles so I did that for a bit and then a little lifting. We are definitely falling into a routine here this week but it has been a relaxing one. I will not be running tomorrow (and possibly the rest of the time here) in the hopes of calming down my Achilles so I sure hope that makes a difference.

Posted by becky at 7:29 PM | Comments (0)

December 26, 2008

Achy Achilles, again

The good news is that I did get in a very scenic run this morning and my knee didn't really bother me. The not-so-great news is that my Achilles was sore again! Really more the side of my ankle, but anything in that area makes me nervous. I was surprised because being in Florida, everything is pancake-flat, so I should have been able to maintain my form well. I'm not sure if the Achilles and knee are connected but I am starting to think so since I seem to have either one area or the other bothering me.

The Achilles discomfort wasn't constant so I was still able to enjoy a Gulf of Mexico view during almost the entire (out and back) run. It probably wasn't all that warm--maybe in the high 60s or low 70s--but considering where I'm coming from, I found it pretty darn hot. I was (of course) pouring with sweat after a few minutes, but I thought to bring some water/Gatorade and that helped a lot.

We spent most of today at the beach, doing all the types of things you would expect--eating, reading, sleeping, etc. I did my best to stay mostly in the shade because I had enough sun during my run this morning. After we had had enough of the sun, Laura and I went to the gym. I did a little ellipticalling because the bike bothered my Achilles and then we traded ab moves--always good to introduce some new ones into the routine for a new year!

Posted by becky at 10:11 PM | Comments (0)

December 25, 2008

Tropical Christmas

Considering my day started before 5am today, I'm very surprised that I'm still awake and will definitely be going to sleep soon. I actually didn't have too much trouble waking up this morning probably because I was looking forward to our trip. It was actually really warm out but I didn't want to run in complete darkness so I found myself on the bike once again. After a "30 Rock" episode, I was excited to watch coverage of Foot Locker from earlier this month that I had DVR'd yesterday. The end of the girls' race was so amazing and exciting--it made the workout fly by. It was one of those rare early-morning workouts that didn't feel that way.

Everything went smoothly with our flight down to Florida and subsequent taxi ride over to Captiva Island where we are staying. It's really pretty here and quite a bit warmer than D.C.--even I had to admit it was nice to be able to walk around and be hot instead of cold. We were waiting for the other family members to arrive so Matt and I took a walk on the beach and ended up grabbing a (very good) bite to eat at a little cafe before meeting up with the others.

I went to the surprisingly nice fitness center at the place we are staying late in the afternoon while Matt and his sister played tennis. It is small but has a lot of modern cardio machines and decent weights so I am pretty happy. I am really hoping to do some combo of running and cross-training tomorrow.

Hope everyone had a great Christmas!

Posted by becky at 9:59 PM | Comments (0)

December 24, 2008

Busy Christmas Eve

I had a bunch of things on the agenda today and I tried really hard to get an early start. But I always find it hard to motivate and get up when I don't really have to, and especially when it is nice and warm in my bed. Eventually I did get ready to run since my knee felt a little better during the getting-out-of-bed test and headed out for a short and flat loop through those ritzy neighborhoods I explored on Sunday. It was much warmer than it had been the past couple of days and tonight when we got home (around 10 p.m.) it was close to 60 degrees.

My run didn't bother my knee as long as I concentrated on my form. I wasn't moving very quickly or anything, but any run that feels marginally comfortable is good for me. My biggest complaint today was actually my neck/shoulder. I must have aggravated that muscle I pull periodically yesterday so it ended up being a good thing that I didn't have a chance to lift today. When I got home from my run, I gently rolled my shoulder on the foam roller (didn't do much) and then got on the trainer for a bit and was finally able to watch "The Hills" finale. Phew.

I had a lunch date with a running buddy who I don't get to see much anymore because she's got three little kids and I'm not running much. It was nice to have some time together to catch up. Then I went to get my pre-beach manicure and pedicure and finally to meet Matt for a quick bite and a movie. We saw "Milk" which was a really moving story. I heard some of the other audience members saying that it will probably win an Oscar as we were all walking out. I wouldn't be surprised--I highly recommend it.

If all goes well I will get in a trainer ride before we have to leave the house for our flight to Florida, so I should probably think about going to bed. Merry Christmas to all!

Posted by becky at 10:26 PM | Comments (0)

December 23, 2008

Still cold; still biking

My knee hurt just getting out of bed this morning, so I decided not to bundle up and brave the cold but to head downstairs and onto the bike. I was kind of down about it but I had a doctor's appointment to get to so I couldn't think about it too long--I just had to get going. I felt all right, pretty much the same as yesterday. I was relieved that my knee wasn't worse. I was looking forward to watching the finale of "The Hills" but the DVR didn't record it! (Don't worry, it will be on again and I've stayed away from People.com so I don't find out what happened.)

My day today was mostly spent at home because I had the day off. I did a couple of errands and then hung out mostly reading and napping. My favorite kind of day (once in a while). And then of course in the late afternoon I went up to the gym. I actually ran a couple of miles on the treadmill to test out how my knee would do on a completely flat surface because it bothers me most going up and down stairs...and I actually didn't have any pain when I made sure to clench my butt. So I'm not sure what to think--we'll see. I got in some lifting after that and then Matt and I came home together. His vacation is the opposite of mine--he's even working tomorrow, but we are hoping to catch a movie in the evening as per Jewish Christmas tradition.

Posted by becky at 9:34 PM | Comments (0)

December 22, 2008

Staying warm inside

I heard the wind howling last night and saw that the outside temperature was below 20 this morning and I was kind of glad I had a biking day planned. Part of me wanted to be hard core, but only a small part. (And it is still supposed to be pretty cold tomorrow morning and I will try a run.) Matt walked all the way to work with wet hair and didn't complain...I know it is a myth but I hope he doesn't get a cold! In any case, no surprise that it is supposed to be near 60 by Wednesday and in the mid-60s by the weekend. These extremes drive me nuts. Can't it just stay in the 40s?

OK, enough weather talk. I was pleased with my bike effort today; I had a little knee discomfort but I felt like I was able to work harder than the past couple of outings. I am really running low on DVR'd shows, but I still have the last few "Dexter" episodes of the season, as well as one more "House" (well, half of one after today). A lot of people think "Dexter" is too dark or too hard to buy, but I get into it.

I dropped off our ailing car on the way to work today (luckily the garage is nearby, my wet hair was freezing, literally!) for a semi-major repair. But they were able to do it all in one day so I picked it up after work. I am now officially on vacation, and how did I kick it off? Going to the gym, of course! We are going to Florida for a few days on Thursday but I look forward to relaxing a little and following less of a routine for the next couple of days.

Posted by becky at 9:38 PM | Comments (0)

December 21, 2008

A little of everything

It felt good to sleep in for the second day in a row (though this time I did have my alarm to remind me when it was getting time to wake up.) I know from experience that my knee does better when I work on my stride as many days in a row as I can, rather than taking a bunch of days off. But I knew that it wouldn't be a good idea to run any longer than 45 minutes...so that's what I did, and then I jumped on the bike for a bit when I got back.

I just wanted to go out and back somewhere that wasn't too hilly for my short run, and I ended up in a neighborhood that is one of the ritziest in Bethesda...and walking distance to anywhere you'd want to go in the downtown part of Bethesda, which is awesome. I knew it was fancy because we couldn't afford to even look there when we were on the market for a house, but I was amazed at how large the houses were on the street I was on this morning. Just humongous, and many were really modern and neat. I bet some Washington VIPs live in the neighborhood...I just wish I knew who!

I watched Britney Spears' recent tell-all MTV show while I was biking. It really wasn't that revealing but with my interest in all things celebrity, I enjoyed it! Definitely passed the time.

I spent a little time this afternoon doing work (I was supposed to be officially on vacation starting tomorrow but it looks like I'll be going in to the office) and then a LOT of ironing that had been piling up for weeks...or months, actually, since there were some summer skirts in there. It felt good to get it done.

Tonight I am making some potato latkes for the first night of Chanukah. Even not-great latkes are usually delicious so I hope mine turn out all right. Happy Chanukah!

Posted by becky at 6:38 PM | Comments (0)

December 20, 2008

Trying too hard

Being the routinized person that I am, I generally set my alarm every day, even on the weekends (knowing that I can snooze it if need be). I guess I set it wrong last night because I woke up on my own at almost 9:30, kind of late for me. But I'm sure my body needed it. I didn't get out the door until almost 10 but it actually felt more like late afternoon because it was so overcast (and it stayed that way all day). Today was all about trying to run slowly enough so that I could focus on my form. No doubt, it definitely helps...but it is hard to keep up. I wasn't pain-free, but it was an improvement over the last run I did, so I was happy with it.

I was going to bike when I got home, but I decided to put that off until later because I was hungry and had a bunch of chores to get done. Between cleaning the house and grocery shopping, it wasn't until late this afternoon that I got on the bike. It was a pretty low-key ride but I was glad I did it.

Tonight we're having friends over for dinner. It is chilly outside so I am happy to stay in and cook and feel cozy.

Posted by becky at 6:58 PM | Comments (0)

December 19, 2008

End of this long week

The holiday party was a lot of fun last night! But I've had too many nights in a row of going to bed after 11...and in some cases a lot after 11. I was not too pleased when my alarm went off but I remembered that I will be able to sleep in a bit tomorrow.

Today was a biking day for me. My knee actually bothered me a bit on the bike but it wasn't anything I haven't felt before (unfortunately) and I think I managed to get in a good workout anyway. I was looking forward to watching last night's Thursday night shows that I had DVR'd but I should have realized that they won't be new until after the New Year. No matter, I had "30 Rock" and a bunch of other things to keep me occupied.

I went to the gym after work tonight--rare for a Friday but it fit into my schedule. It was blissfully quiet. I was pretty efficient and got in a decent amount of lifting and then Matt and I went to get pizza before heading home. I am surprised I am still awake...I think I'll be heading to bed soon.

Happy weekend to all!

Posted by becky at 10:41 PM | Comments (0)

December 18, 2008

Further, but not neccessarily better

This week has been a busy one with the extra-curriculars. Tonight is our holiday party so it was a one-workout day for me and I feel like my run was ages ago since I've been sitting at my desk all day except for a brief excursion at lunch.

On the plus side, I felt better on today's run than I did yesterday. But I still had that moving-through-molasses feeling and I was plagued by that same old inner knee pain. I think I need to totally refocus on my form though to hopefully get that to improve. And to further complicate matters, I was in desperate need of a bathroom for about three-quarters of the run--always enjoyable. I am quite frustrated that only three weeks ago, I was feeling better and better and even entertaining thoughts of adding longer runs into the schedule.

The run ended up being a little bit longer than intended (I think I messed up my watch, but a little over an hour probably) and that was all I had time for today. I'n off to mix, mingle and celebrate a good year of employment!

Posted by becky at 5:39 PM | Comments (0)

December 17, 2008

One of those days

I ended up having a really hard time getting to sleep last night and was up until about 2:30 am--very odd for me indeed and I didn't feel so great when I woke up, tired and out of sorts. I attempted a run knowing that I could always bail out and come back to bike and for the first time in almost as long as I can remember, I turned around after 15 minutes. I just wasn't enjoying myself and my knee was hurting--I finished on the bike. Not a great effort today, but I'm trying to give myself a break.

We had our first of two holiday events at work today, which helped add levity to a very stressful day. We had our gift exchange--I ended up with a Starbucks mug and chocolate-covered coffee beans--and tomorrow evening is our holiday party. If I finish up all my work (well, come to a good stopping point) by Friday, I will have the next two weeks off. We'll see how things go!

I got to the gym a little late because of our gift exchange and it was pretty empty. I rode the spin bike intending to watch "TMZ" but for some reason that channel wasn't working on any of the TVs! I settled for a preview show for the new spinoff of "The Hills" followed by lifting and the whole thing thankfully felt much better than this morning's workout attempt!

Posted by becky at 10:33 PM | Comments (0)

December 16, 2008

Only Tuesday?

It feels like it should be later in the week than Tuesday. Although I guess technically it is almost Wednesday. I spent most of the day at home today, working while I supervised (and I use that term loosely) installation of our new water heater and some other plumbing work. I got in a decent bike workout before the plumbers arrived but didn't have time for anything else today except some extra ab work and pushups before having to leave to go to a meeting for a benefit committee that I am volunteering for. It was one of those days that was quiet but quick.

I am totally hooked on "30 Rock" now--it is hilarious. I love Liz Lemon's character, but of course Tina Fey plays any character well. I did my usual hill intervals biking workout through a couple of episodes and then watched some "ER" and some real serious stuff--"The Hills." It all went by pretty quickly.

I am up too late for yet another night. Time for bed!

Posted by becky at 11:04 PM | Comments (0)

Only Tuesday?

I am up too late for yet another night. Time for bed!

Posted by becky at 11:04 PM | Comments (0)

December 15, 2008

Spring in my step

Actually, I definitely didn't have a spring in my step this morning. But it certainly was spring-like in terms of the weather. I tried another run and it went...okay. Better than the last couple, but I definitely still felt slow and had a hard time getting into a rhythm. I went basically out and back on the Capital Crescent and as I sweated it out in my shorts and t-shirt, I passed walkers and a couple of runners who were so bundled up I wondered how they could stand it. That area on the side of my foot/heel bothered me some but it has not been a problem since so I think it is just some left over soreness from the Achilles issue.

Work was busy but lonely because my roomie was out sick. This week is definitely shaping up to be crazy. I am planning to work from home tomorrow because that is when I rescheduled the water heater delivery. I hope I am able to power through a few things and cross them off my list.

It was in the 60s in the evening when I walked to the gym--very weird for December but I will always remember two years ago when we had a couple of December days in the 80s. Unfortunately the gym was almost as warm inside. I biked for a bit on the stationary bike, trying to finish my book but falling just short, and then lifted. Status quo, I guess, and that's the daily report.

Posted by becky at 9:41 PM | Comments (0)

December 14, 2008

Solitary Sunday

I thought it would be wise to cross train this morning after two days of running, so I was out of bed and onto the bike. I watched a couple of episodes of "30 Rock"--my latest Netflix show--and then caught up on Thursday night TV from this week. I can't say anything was too exciting, either on screen on on the bike, but I got in a decent workout and was kept fairly entertained. My Achilles/side of foot thing bothered me now and then but nothing too uncomfortable.

I spent most of the day at a friend's house in Virginia at her annual cookie-baking party. All but one of the other women there were runner friends of ours, but now that we have all "grown up" and gotten injured/had kids/moved away etc. we barely see each other. It was so much fun to catch up with everybody--not to mention getting to leave with a whole bucket of cookies. I can't say my own cookies came out too well (in fact, they turned out more like scones for some reason) but everyone seemed to enjoy them anyway.

I'm sure I'm not the only one with a busy, pre-holiday week coming up. Hope everyone stays well and accomplishes a lot!

Posted by becky at 8:57 PM | Comments (0)

December 13, 2008

The reflection never lies

**In case any of my loyal readers are interested, I just posted yesterday's blog entry--I wrote it yesterday but did not get a chance to post until now.**

We're back from our West Coast excursion and this time the trip was much smoother. It tends to be a quicker flight coming east anyway, and we had no delays to speak of. That is exactly the way travel should be (and never is).

We ended up staying out pretty late last night (went out after the holiday party ended) so I knew I wasn't going to be thrilled when my alarm went off at 5am. But I knew I wouldn't have another chance to work out today so I stuck to my plan and ran on the treadmill. After about 5 minutes (maybe less) I remembered why I really don't like the treadmill. And especially when I am not in very good shape and have to see such low speed numbers. I ended up mixing in some "intervals" just to break up the monotony and that did help, but it definitely dragged.

Because it was dark out and the treadmill was positioned facing a window, I finally got a chance to watch myself run. And I totally still have the right leg hitch--it is so obvious I can't believe no one ever mentioned it before. I tried really hard to do my butt-clenching and other form adjustments but it didn't seem to change too much! I am not going to worry about it right now but it reminds me that I should check in with the Delaware folks and maybe get reevaluated.

The side of my foot--kind of close to my achilles, but not exactly in that spot--bothered me toward the end of the run. I wore pretty uncomfortable heels last night and stood around on a stone floor for hours so I'm hoping that was why. Otherwise I felt all right.

I'm really glad we have one more weekend day left and that we're back at home!

Posted by becky at 9:22 PM | Comments (0)

December 12, 2008

Quiet day in L.A.

Now that I’ve done the flight to L.A. a few times (not nearly as many as Matt), I’ve come to expect that some trips fly by and others feel incredibly long. I had an inkling that yesterday’s flight would be a long one when we got to the airport and it seemed that every flight out was at least a little bit delayed because of bad East Coast weather. Ours left about an hour late (not too bad considering the things I heard around me) and then the flight was longer than anticipated because we had a lot of “weather” to contend with and we had to fly lower than usual (the pilot was a talker). Eventually we arrived safe and sound and got to our hotel by 10. Matt and I took a walk because we were stiff from sitting too long and ended up having a late-night snack at The Geisha House, a sushi bar/restaurant that is one of Matt’s faves. We were both shocked that I wasn’t falling asleep considering the time difference but I guess my nap on the plane helped.

Matt woke up early this morning to get to the office by 7:30 for a meeting. I woke up when he did and first thought I would get up for good then. But I am not one of those people with an internal clock and I fell right back to sleep for a couple of hours before waking up for real and heading out for a run.

Running from this part of Hollywood is interesting (you see the hot spots on “The Hills,” for instance) but not really scenic. When I am in good shape, I can do the Runyon Canyon up-the-hill-and-back-down loop that is gorgeous, but I didn’t think that kind of route would be good for a just-healed Achilles. So I stayed out of The Hills and kept it urban—basically running along Sunset Boulevard and then dropping down to Santa Monica to come back. Pretty much all on sidewalks. Although my knee bothered me a little today, my Achilles felt fine and my biggest complaint was my body. I felt terrible, like I could barely lift my legs at points. I kept thinking that maybe I was coming down with a cold since I’ve felt like that recently, but I felt okay once I was back and doing my sit-ups and stuff. Very strange—I can’t possibly have lost that much fitness by taking a week off so I don’t know what’s going on. I think I will stick to the treadmill tomorrow since we have an early flight and I don’t want to repeat the same loop that I felt crappy on.

I wish I could report doing some exciting things during my day in Hollywood, but I was still a little tired post-run and I got a manicure (even took the L.A. Metro to get there), shopped a little, and read for a few hours (one of them on the bike at the teensy hotel gym). Tonight is the holiday party which is usually fun.

I am very excited for the Foot Locker girls’ race tomorrow. I didn’t realize this was the weekend of Foot Locker until we had already made our plans, otherwise I would have definitely dragged Matt to Balboa Park tomorrow!

Happy weekend to all!

Posted by becky at 5:15 PM | Comments (0)

December 11, 2008

Jet setting

I still have a couple of "use or lose" days left to take before the end of the year, so today was one of them since I knew we were flying out to L.A. tonight for Matt's company holiday party. Since I no longer had to wake up early to be ready for the plumber to come, I slept in a bit which was really nice. I got on the bike and got about an hour finished and then I had to take a quick break to drive Matt to work (it was pouring). I came right back to the bike when I got home and did another 35 minutes or so. I can't say my Achilles didn't bother me at all, but it wasn't too terrible and only started hurting towards the end of part one of the workout. I watched a fairly gruesome "Dexter" episode and laughed out loud at last week's episode of "The Office" and then watched half of a recent "House." Lots of morning TV.

I probably should have planned my day better so I could have fit in lifting, but I've been doing things around the house, a little work, a couple of errands and it is almost time to go pick Matt up so we can go to the airport. I have a middle seat on the flight out and back so I hope I am not too uncomfortable. But I have a lot of fun things to entertain me so it shouldn't be too bad. Such is life for the jet-setting Wexlers (this is sarcastic)!

Posted by becky at 2:44 PM | Comments (0)

December 10, 2008

Phew...at least for now

I am happy to say that for once in a blue moon, my first post-Achilles injury run went better than I expected. I was slow and kind of tired and didn't run too far, but my Achilles did not bother me. I'm still not ready to believe that it is healed--and certain things do bother it--but if catching it early helped speed the healing along, then I have (finally, after all these years of running) learned a valuable lesson. I'm still taking it one day at a time and I did notice some discomfort when I was riding the stationary bike at the gym tonight, so I don't think I'm completely out of the woods yet--but I was glad to be outside this morning and feeling somewhat normal.

I forgot to mention that it was already 60 degrees out when I left the house this morning for my run. Crazy December warm front. It was also humid enough for me to feel like tearing my t-shirt off, but I restrained myself. It just goes to show you how accustomed we get to weather--just a couple of months ago I might have called this a cool day. Except for the unseasonably warm weather, I don't have anything exciting to report from my time outside this morning.

I thought I'd have time to bike when I got home but I didn't, so I was soon experiencing yet another lukewarm (bordering on cold) shower. We were supposed to have a new hot water heater installed tomorrow, but the plumber just called to say that it arrived damaged, so it's not going to be until next week. I almost cried when I heard that; I was so looking forward to finally having a hot shower.

As for the rest of my day--work flew by again because it was crazy, and then the gym was blissfully empty and quiet. I was feeling kind of tired and I will be somewhat glad not to lift tomorrow (we are leaving for L.A. in the evening). Hope everyone else had a nice day too.

Posted by becky at 9:51 PM | Comments (0)

December 9, 2008

More of the same

I'm still being cautious with my Achilles so I was back on the bike this morning. It felt very much like yesterday because I did not have any issues until "Gossip Girl" and the remainder of "ER" were over. I had some minor discomfort during "The Hills" but again was able to massage and manage it afterwards and didn't have any lasting effects. It was a bit of a better workout (i.e. I was able to work a little harder) than yesterday but nothing too significant.

Work was very much like yesterday too. Busy and hectic. I escaped a few minutes early to get in a decent gym workout before meeting up with a friend I hadn't seen in months for dinner. The gym was a little less crowded so I did a little ellipticalling and managed to hit most of the machines/weights I didn't get to yesterday. Dinner was fun too and now I am hiding out in our bedroom while Matt and his friends finish up their poker game downstairs. I feel like I am a little kid waiting for my parents to finish their dinner party!

Posted by becky at 10:13 PM | Comments (0)

December 8, 2008

A better bike

I'm now at the point where my Achilles is definitely feeling better but I am not sure how far to push it. Right now I'm glad if I can bike more comfortably, and today I felt good until the last 20 minutes or so (at which point I kept going, of course). I wasn't going full force, but close. I decided not to wait for my plane ride and started my new "Gossip Girl" installment--such a guilty pleasure--as well as this week's "ER." As I mentioned, I had a little discomfort toward the end but it was manageable and felt better with stretching/massage afterwards. Speaking of massage, we won a shiatsu pillow at the holiday party we went to on Friday and it is a perfect setup for my calf/Achilles. I just put my leg out on it and plug it in and the little massage balls go to work--it's great. I don't know if it is actually doing anything, but it feels good.

Work was kind of nuts today as it probably will be for the next two-and-a-half weeks left until our office has our annual holiday shutdown (Dec. 24 through the weekend after New Year's.) It's a nice perk to have that time off, but I'm learning that it means everything before that time is frenzied. It's good to be busy, though.

The gym was pretty crazy tonight too. I think it must be still the pre-holiday rush. I didn't have any trouble snagging an elliptical but it was not easy to find the weights I needed after that. But being a girl you can usually ask people nicely for the machine you want and they are generally happy to oblige.

We're both home tonight and both have some work to do--no fun at all!

Posted by becky at 8:52 PM | Comments (0)

December 7, 2008

Cautious progress

We had brunch plans this morning on the early side and fitting in a trip to the gym and back was going to be difficult, so I got on the bike to see how my Achilles would feel on there. It was definitely improved from Friday but still a little bit of discomfort. But it did not get worse during the workout and it felt better afterward with a little bit of stretching. So I'm hoping all signs are pointing in the direction of healing, but of course not as quickly as I would want. I also got to catch up on "Dexter" and "Grey's." I have one more "Gossip Girl" DVD and I am considering saving it for the plane this week (we are going to L.A. Thursday through Saturday).

Brunch was a lot of fun--a high school friend of Matt's (and sometime blog reader, I learned today!) was in town for the weekend and she got a bunch of our common friends together. We were a party of 7 with two sets of twins, all just a few months old. Amazingly, the babies were either sleeping or quietly enjoying a bottle throughout brunch. I was very impressed--although I guess that's most of what they do at that age.

I had to return something this afternoon and then do my grocery shopping. Whole Foods was as crowded as ever. You'd never know we are in a time of economic crisis judging by all of the families there every weekend. When I got home I decided to bundle up and take a walk/run attempt because I was feeling especially anxious for some activity after eating all those (very delicious) pancakes. I walked for about 15 or 20 minutes and then did some light jogging to test out the Achilles. I did not feel any discomfort for the first couple of 2-3 minute intervals and then the rest of the way I had a little bit of discomfort but it was alleviated by stretching when I came home. So I don't think I am ready to run quite yet, but maybe/hopefully I can try again later this week. As usual, we'll see what happens.

Posted by becky at 7:41 PM | Comments (0)

December 6, 2008

Weekending at Washington Sports Club

Today was chilly, and I feel like I saw more runners than ever--on my way to the gym this morning, while I was driving around this afternoon, etc. etc. It turned cloudy later (and we even had some snow flurries) but when I left the house in the morning it was bright and cold and I knew it would have been a nice winter run had I still not been babying my Achilles. So off to the gym I went, but I grabbed an elliptical within sight of a window.

I did most of my workout on the regular elliptical and I was able to do a bunch of harder intervals without feeling too much from my Achilles. Then I switched to the more gliding motion elliptical so that I would be doing a slightly different type of cross training for the rest of the workout. The finale of the Paris Hilton show that I hadn't seen yet was on MTV during the finale of my own workout--very fortuitous. I then did a bunch of abs/core/strengthening stuff before heading home.

My achilles still does get sore after ellipticalling and even standing around for a long time, but I think it is getting better. I don't want to be too presumptuous but I am not thinking about it as I walk around as much, so I'm taking that as a good sign. One day at a time--it's a good mantra for everybody's problems.

I don't know where the day went today. I met a friend for a manicure, then did a little bit of shopping where I must mention I found a really nice BCBG coat that was 50 percent off. I was actually looking for a dress or a skirt, but that will do. Then tonight Matt and I went to a fundraiser/birthday party for the D.C. mayor, who we like a lot. His parents own the Fleet Feet in our neighborhood and Mayor Fenty is a fairly competitive runner on the local racing/tri scene. We didn't see too many people we knew but it was pretty enjoyable anyway.

Posted by becky at 10:08 PM | Comments (0)

December 5, 2008

Pushing it

Wow, today went by fast--and I am feeling very antsy because I did not have a very productive workout this morning. I really did not feel like going to the gym and decided to try biking since my Achilles was improved. It wasn't terrible, but it wasn't painless, either. Luckily it didn't seem to have lasting effects--I massaged it and foam rolled afterward and I was feeling okay, just a little sore. Was it worth it for the convenience of just going downstairs and being able to catch up on my shows? Probably not...but what can I do now?

I guess it will be back to the gym for me tomorrow. Tonight we are heading to an early holiday party downtown and I am already looking forward to being home and putting on my PJs!

Happy weekend to all...even those of us who won't be able to enjoy as much outdoor activity as we'd like.

Posted by becky at 5:30 PM | Comments (0)

December 4, 2008

Gym rat

I started and ended my day at the gym today. I found out late last night that I had to be on an 8:30 am call (not early for the rest of the world, but earlier than I am usually at my desk!) so I was at the gym by just after 6. It was very hard to get up and I could tell it was going to be a long day.

I always find that I run out of steam on the elliptical. I'm going along fine and working really hard until all of a sudden my pace has fallen off. Achilles-wise, I felt a little bit better today. More soreness and less sharp pain. I entertained myself with The New Yorker (easier to read on there than I thought it would be), my iPod and then an episode of "Made" about a tomboy who wants to be more girly. Fitting, at least the tomboy part!

I had a headache almost all day today despite a dose of Advil. I think it was tiredness combined with a hectic day. I hope tomorrow is a little slower but I'm not sure it will be.

And then it was back to the gym tonight, where I used a different kind of elliptical machine (hard to describe but more of a running than stepping motion) before I lifted. It was still super-crowded in there, not sure what's going on.

Anyway, TGI almost Friday!

Posted by becky at 9:14 PM | Comments (0)

December 3, 2008

Doing what I have to

Since the only thing I can do comfortably right now is elliptical, that's what I did today and will probably do for the next few days. I wish I could say it was exciting and gave me the same high as running, but as we all know, that's never the case. I only know how to do the elliptical one way--hard (meaning at a fast rate but a relatively low resistance) but I tried to keep it in check today. I was glad to get in any workout, but I have been dreading the next few days of the same workout. And when I was walking/driving around later, I felt like I saw tons of runners. That's how it always is.

I had time for some extra abs at the gym this morning but I did not go back tonight because I went to see "Twilight" with the friend who got me into the Stephenie Meyer series! We had been trying to see it and tonight worked out best. I enjoyed it (although after reading the book I knew exactly what would happen) but was very sleepy after a hectic day at work.

I'm about to go to sleep but will try for one more round of stretching/foam rolling and then icing. I iced several times today in the hopes of healing this thing even a tiny bit quicker. If I could only look forward to biking this weekend rather than just ellipticalling I will be happy!

Posted by becky at 10:32 PM | Comments (0)

December 2, 2008

That pesky Achilles

I knew in the back of my mind this morning when I woke up that it was very likely that my Achilles would bother me enough to really concern me. The annoying thing about the good, old Achilles is that it does warm up and stop hurting once those endorphins start flowing. That definitely happened and I stuck to the flattish Capital Crescent to reduce the strain. I actually felt very good despite the nagging ache. But when I stopped running and could barely get down the stairs to the basement, I knew I needed to take action.

I wouldn't be as down if I could bike (at least I can elliptical, but that requires gym travel) but that seems to bother it more than anything because of the foot position (I guess). I worried all day long about how long this is going to take to heal and whether I will be able to run next weekend when we go to L.A. (gym options there are annoying because the hotel we stay at has a gym from the stone ages) and at the end of the month when we go to Florida. As all my faithful blog readers know, it is much easier (and much more fun) to run when you are traveling than to find a decent gym. I guess I need to take it one day at a time.

At the gym, I did a quick elliptical workout (felt okay) and then lifted and foam rolled and stretched (a lot). I got a suggestion from a fellow Achilles sufferer to do the downward dog to stretch my calves, and it does feel good. My calf still has a serious knot--I'm sure it was that combined with the 90 minutes of biking that put me in this position.

I am trying to stay positive but am frustrated and especially so because I am coming off a couple of good weeks of running. We'll just see what happens.

Posted by becky at 8:54 PM | Comments (0)

December 1, 2008

Better and worse

The good news is my quad felt better today (and my knee wasn't bad either). The bad news is my Achilles bothered me off and on during my run. Biking actually hurts more than any other activity, as I discovered at the gym tonight. Ellipticalling doesn't hurt at all and I seem to be okay if I am not going up or down a hill. I didn't have all that many hills during this morning's run, but there were just enough to irritate it, I guess. I did one of my variations on my American University neighborhoods loop. It was still sort of wet after a rainy day and night but otherwise good running conditions. Although come to think of it, I don't think I saw any other runners.

Everyone was sort of grumpy at work today--the post-Thanksgiving blues, I guess. But we are all quickly realizing that the other holidays are coming very quickly and I think things around the office will continue to be incredibly busy for the next several weeks.

As I mentioned earlier, I tried biking at the gym and my Achilles really hurt so I switched to the elliptical. Most of my lifting time was spent trying to get on the equipment I wanted and looking for misplaced weights. It was ridiculously crowded and I hope that too is a (short-lived) post-Thanksgiving phenomenon!

Posted by becky at 9:57 PM | Comments (0)