Last year I blogged about a genius set of ads New Balance put out depicting the love/hate relationship runners have with their sport, making a parody of running as each of our lovers or partners. One of my favorites in this series starts out with the announcer saying something like, "So, you broke up with running today. But now you see running EVERYWHERE. And you miss it." The rest of the ad shows a dude walking around seeing happy runners everywhere, looking woeful himself. This morning as I made my drive to Quincy to attend a memorial service for a friend of the family, I totally was that guy looking wistfully at all the runners I passed along the way. And then it hit me - being injured is kind of like getting dumped by running and then having to watch running slut it all over town with a million other people, right in front of you, several times daily. That running is such a brazen S.O.B.
Fast forward a few hours: I'm faced with tackling our first 20-miler of the year, it's a beautiful day and I'm longing to feel the pavement under my feet. Plus, I have a LOT on my mind, given the morning's events. The update I didn't give (sorry!) is that I did my 9 Thursday on the ArcNemesis, after which I hopped on the treadmill for a moment of truth, to see JUST how far I'd set myself back on Tuesday. Surprisingly - no pain. A little tightness and stiffness, but nothing else. So I did 13 mins on it pain-free, "to remind your body that this is what you're working toward," as Jack suggested on Tuesday. So with all that in mind, I caved in to my desires (as I'm often wont to do) today and promised myself I'd try to do 7 of my 20 outside, but that I'd stop and turn around the second I felt any pain. And then 7 turned into 11 :) After all, running is also very persuasive and charismatic. Always knows how to twist my arm into spending more time together.
Somewhere in between miles 9 and 10 the act of running got tougher and my body was pretty fatigued. Strangely, at this point I started thinking about just how satisfying the pain and aches of marathon training are, and how much I was masochistically enjoying my workout. To quote John Mellencamp, it really does "hurt so good." From there, all I could think about was how much I love to run, how great it makes my body feel and, specifically, the unique joy of long runs. I mean, I love short distance racing, chatty 4-milers around the river with friends and "doing the Thursday," but there's nothing like actually pushing your body to the limit and that endorphin punch-drunk feeling when you finally stop. I think I had forgotten just how much I love to run, which is sort of odd when you consider my apartment (and body) is covered with reminders.
Last night I was feeling sort of down about the injury and I asked Jeff at what point it becomes crazy to continue running marathons when the training inevitably injures me at some point each year. Today I think I answered my own question: Never. Because as awful as being injured and not running is each time it happens, the running is awesome enough to make up for it, and then some.
Saturday, February 28, 2009
Wednesday, February 25, 2009
Set(back)-ually Frustrated
Can I get a big "Uggghh" please?
After having such a great run on Saturday, faithfully sticking to the ArcTrainer on Sunday and resting on Monday, Coach Jack surprised me yesterday by clearing me to run with the team at our track workout last night. I of course agreed to do a remedial workout, but any running was enough to bring a smile to my face.
I showed up at the Tufts track and was greeted by my teammates who were equally as glad to see me as I was them. After I got in a couple of warm-up laps to loosen up the legs, Jack gave us the "ready, set, GO!" and we were off. I stuck with Shifter, who was also coming off an injury, knowing that as long as I had someone to set and police the pace, that I wouldn't be tempted to hammer it. After about a mile, my left shin started flaring up, but I thought it might work itself out, so I kept on going. A couple laps later, Jack yells over "Brenda, are you limping?" Crap. Yeah, I guess I am, Jack.
I don't know what changed between Saturday and Tuesday, but I was pretty disappointed to feel that too-familiar nag in my leg, and I woefully retreated to the elliptical machine just off to the side of the track and finished my workout from there. It was hard to watch my teammates whizzing around the track with one another while I was moving in place. It was even harder to think that I might have set my injury back and bought myself even longer on the ArcTrainer before I'm off for good. Even the delicious cold beer and greasy food at Red Bones afterwards wasn't enough to fix my broken spirit that night.
This morning, my legs hurt. I can't pretend they don't. As I sit here writing this, they're in a bucket of ice water and I'm eyeing the bottle of ibuprofen. And that, dear reader, is what you get when you "let the tiger out of the cage" too soon, as Jack said once. So if there's anything you take away from reading this, aside from the fact that 2009 isn't exactly off to a great start for me, it's not to rush back from an injury too fast, no matter how much the replacement workouts suck.
After having such a great run on Saturday, faithfully sticking to the ArcTrainer on Sunday and resting on Monday, Coach Jack surprised me yesterday by clearing me to run with the team at our track workout last night. I of course agreed to do a remedial workout, but any running was enough to bring a smile to my face.
I showed up at the Tufts track and was greeted by my teammates who were equally as glad to see me as I was them. After I got in a couple of warm-up laps to loosen up the legs, Jack gave us the "ready, set, GO!" and we were off. I stuck with Shifter, who was also coming off an injury, knowing that as long as I had someone to set and police the pace, that I wouldn't be tempted to hammer it. After about a mile, my left shin started flaring up, but I thought it might work itself out, so I kept on going. A couple laps later, Jack yells over "Brenda, are you limping?" Crap. Yeah, I guess I am, Jack.
I don't know what changed between Saturday and Tuesday, but I was pretty disappointed to feel that too-familiar nag in my leg, and I woefully retreated to the elliptical machine just off to the side of the track and finished my workout from there. It was hard to watch my teammates whizzing around the track with one another while I was moving in place. It was even harder to think that I might have set my injury back and bought myself even longer on the ArcTrainer before I'm off for good. Even the delicious cold beer and greasy food at Red Bones afterwards wasn't enough to fix my broken spirit that night.
This morning, my legs hurt. I can't pretend they don't. As I sit here writing this, they're in a bucket of ice water and I'm eyeing the bottle of ibuprofen. And that, dear reader, is what you get when you "let the tiger out of the cage" too soon, as Jack said once. So if there's anything you take away from reading this, aside from the fact that 2009 isn't exactly off to a great start for me, it's not to rush back from an injury too fast, no matter how much the replacement workouts suck.
Friday, February 20, 2009
Two Months to Go!
Wow, time certainly does fly, doesn't it? Two months from right now I'll be getting my dance on at teammate Shifter's annual post-marathon party, hopefully celebrating a sub-4 finish time with those I love most. But let's get real here, dear reader - at this point given all the odds (shins, black lung, work, etc.), I'll be grinning ear-to-ear and busting out "the sprinkler" and "the shopping cart" across that dance floor even if I don't improve over year's 4:40, because I'll have just completed my second Boston Marathon and raised money for cancer research.
And as far as "all the odds" go, I'm still at odds with them, although each ailment seems on its way out the door. I can run pain free on the treadmill right now, but not without complete and utter exhaustion and frustration after 3 miles (I think a lot of it is mental). I can crank away on the ArcNemesis almost infinitely, but have been coming closer and closer to losing my mind each time I step through the front door of the gym for another indoor workout. My coughing fits have slowed down to only a couple of times a day, but I still have a creepy husky 1-900 number phone operator voice that cracks Peter Brady "When It's Time to Change"-style every time I try to use my upper register. I can even stay up after 9pm without compulsively yawning now, but leaving the apartment this late is not smart, or the fatigue hits me hard the next morning and cripples me.
But don't get me wrong. I'm not complaining. I'm grateful for the health I have and really looking forward to the next two months. After all, these are the most exciting ones - the longest long runs, the real start of team bonding, the hardest push in my fundraising and of course - the sweet, sweet taper and the marathon weekend festivities in April.
And speaking of fundraising, my event at Hajjar's in Weymouth is two weeks from tomorrow. Hope to see you there, if you're local!
And as far as "all the odds" go, I'm still at odds with them, although each ailment seems on its way out the door. I can run pain free on the treadmill right now, but not without complete and utter exhaustion and frustration after 3 miles (I think a lot of it is mental). I can crank away on the ArcNemesis almost infinitely, but have been coming closer and closer to losing my mind each time I step through the front door of the gym for another indoor workout. My coughing fits have slowed down to only a couple of times a day, but I still have a creepy husky 1-900 number phone operator voice that cracks Peter Brady "When It's Time to Change"-style every time I try to use my upper register. I can even stay up after 9pm without compulsively yawning now, but leaving the apartment this late is not smart, or the fatigue hits me hard the next morning and cripples me.
But don't get me wrong. I'm not complaining. I'm grateful for the health I have and really looking forward to the next two months. After all, these are the most exciting ones - the longest long runs, the real start of team bonding, the hardest push in my fundraising and of course - the sweet, sweet taper and the marathon weekend festivities in April.
And speaking of fundraising, my event at Hajjar's in Weymouth is two weeks from tomorrow. Hope to see you there, if you're local!
Saturday, February 14, 2009
Rock You Like a Hurricane
Today I bundled up and took my black lung over to Greater Boston Running Company to buy myself a Valentine's Day present (to me, love me!) and finally make a decision - Mizuno Nirvana or Saucony Hurricane. After trying on a right-sized shoe in each model and running a few test laps across the store it was a very tough call. Both felt great. I asked the guy selling them which he'd recommend if he had to make a decision, and his answer was "whichever one doesn't feel like you have a shoe on." Hurricanes, it is. 
It was a little sad veering away from the Mizuno brand after they'd carried me so many joyous and successful miles this past year, and the Hurricane is definitely a more unassuming shoe visually than the Nirvana, but the Hurricanes are comfy, and I have to admit my wide width is really digging how roomy they are - and some red laces should jazz them up a little.
Here's hoping this is the end of my shin problems. That is, of course, if I can ever get healthy enough to start running again.
Friday, February 13, 2009
The Lemon Law
When it came time to hand out bodies, I think I got a lemon. Now my question is, who should I take up this complaint with - God or my parents?
Dear reader, I'm falling apart at the seams. My shin splints are still acting up, my calves are still throbbing from the workout the PT put me through on Monday and I woke up Tuesday morning with a cough that's completely crippled me all week. No running. No working out. No functioning. All I can do is cough, drink tea, take vitamin C, eat good food, try to get through my work day, think about how awful I feel and sleep. Oh, and continue to put on weight with each day of inactivity and caloric foods.
Last night I tried to go to the gym and "sweat it out," but gave up from exhaustion after only 20 minutes and retreated to the sauna, where I breathed in the delicious mentholated air and listened to 2 girls talk about how much they used to love getting drunk before basketball games in college. Oh, and I also need to put in a note about the woman who I THINK was boycotting pants. Like seriously, she was parading her naked hoo hoo around the locker room, first toweling off in the whirlpool room, then walking around wearing nothing but a bra, then fully clothed from the waist up, then including socks. She dried her hair pantsless, she put on her makeup pantsless, she even pulled her coat out of her locker (which was like 5 down from mine...) pantsless. It's like she wanted to wait until the absolute last possible second to cover herself. I was sick and cranky enough that I almost said something, but she looked like she could have taken me, so I refrained. The last thing I needed was to get beat up on top of being injured and sick.
I stayed home sick today (finally) and it has been maddening. I'm exhausted. All I can do is sleep. Every time I shut my eyes for another nap I think "Maybe THIS will be the one that has me turn a corner and feel human," and each time I wake up just as sick as I was hours prior. My spirits are pretty crushed right now, especially after emailing Coach Jack and being told that this cough is going around and that it relapses easily, so all I can do is rest up and get healthy. I just want to run, people! Is that too much to ask?
Send some healthy thoughts my way! And while you're at it, maybe send someone to clean my apartment. It's getting pretty ugly in here...
Dear reader, I'm falling apart at the seams. My shin splints are still acting up, my calves are still throbbing from the workout the PT put me through on Monday and I woke up Tuesday morning with a cough that's completely crippled me all week. No running. No working out. No functioning. All I can do is cough, drink tea, take vitamin C, eat good food, try to get through my work day, think about how awful I feel and sleep. Oh, and continue to put on weight with each day of inactivity and caloric foods.
Last night I tried to go to the gym and "sweat it out," but gave up from exhaustion after only 20 minutes and retreated to the sauna, where I breathed in the delicious mentholated air and listened to 2 girls talk about how much they used to love getting drunk before basketball games in college. Oh, and I also need to put in a note about the woman who I THINK was boycotting pants. Like seriously, she was parading her naked hoo hoo around the locker room, first toweling off in the whirlpool room, then walking around wearing nothing but a bra, then fully clothed from the waist up, then including socks. She dried her hair pantsless, she put on her makeup pantsless, she even pulled her coat out of her locker (which was like 5 down from mine...) pantsless. It's like she wanted to wait until the absolute last possible second to cover herself. I was sick and cranky enough that I almost said something, but she looked like she could have taken me, so I refrained. The last thing I needed was to get beat up on top of being injured and sick.
I stayed home sick today (finally) and it has been maddening. I'm exhausted. All I can do is sleep. Every time I shut my eyes for another nap I think "Maybe THIS will be the one that has me turn a corner and feel human," and each time I wake up just as sick as I was hours prior. My spirits are pretty crushed right now, especially after emailing Coach Jack and being told that this cough is going around and that it relapses easily, so all I can do is rest up and get healthy. I just want to run, people! Is that too much to ask?
Send some healthy thoughts my way! And while you're at it, maybe send someone to clean my apartment. It's getting pretty ugly in here...
Tuesday, February 10, 2009
"Exceptionally Strong"
Dear reader, I've been remiss in informing you that I started going to PT again last week for my shin problems. Yes, the fine folks at Kennedy Brothers are taking great care of me again this year, this time at their downtown location, which is no joke - MAN do they work you hard!
Last night was only my third time seeing them, and I'm just starting to get to know the therapists there and build a rapport, which is probably the only fun part of being in physical therapy. As I went through an exercise they call "D1 and D2," (you go through a motion while the therapist applies pressure against the movement, creating resistance) I was chatting with the guy working on me, asking him to explain how the exercise helped me, etc. It was almost 10 at night and the poor guy was visibly getting a workout himself pushing against me, and at one point he told me that I'm "exceptionally strong for someone your size." I think he was just tired because it was end of day but secretly, I've suspected this was the case. I have embarrassingly little upper body strength, but I'm pretty sure I could register my legs as lethal weapons given all the running and ArcTrainer workouts I do. Maybe I'll give Mariah Carey a buzz and see if she can recommend a place to get them insured.
Pint-sized super-human strength or not, though, he gave me one heck of a workout, eliciting grunts, groans and maybe one or two curse words (oops) from yours truly. I'm sure I made a great impression on everyone - even more so I'm sure, when it was finally time for ice and e-stim, and I found myself in a position that another patient told me looked as though I was about to give birth. Awesome. I'm just making friends all over the place!
**Side note: In our conversation, it came out that the therapist working on me went to Northeastern and... wait for it... was the NU Husky. Yep. Add another mascot to the list. I swear, I subconsciously seek them out.
Last night was only my third time seeing them, and I'm just starting to get to know the therapists there and build a rapport, which is probably the only fun part of being in physical therapy. As I went through an exercise they call "D1 and D2," (you go through a motion while the therapist applies pressure against the movement, creating resistance) I was chatting with the guy working on me, asking him to explain how the exercise helped me, etc. It was almost 10 at night and the poor guy was visibly getting a workout himself pushing against me, and at one point he told me that I'm "exceptionally strong for someone your size." I think he was just tired because it was end of day but secretly, I've suspected this was the case. I have embarrassingly little upper body strength, but I'm pretty sure I could register my legs as lethal weapons given all the running and ArcTrainer workouts I do. Maybe I'll give Mariah Carey a buzz and see if she can recommend a place to get them insured.
Pint-sized super-human strength or not, though, he gave me one heck of a workout, eliciting grunts, groans and maybe one or two curse words (oops) from yours truly. I'm sure I made a great impression on everyone - even more so I'm sure, when it was finally time for ice and e-stim, and I found myself in a position that another patient told me looked as though I was about to give birth. Awesome. I'm just making friends all over the place!
**Side note: In our conversation, it came out that the therapist working on me went to Northeastern and... wait for it... was the NU Husky. Yep. Add another mascot to the list. I swear, I subconsciously seek them out.
Sunday, February 8, 2009
18 in the Bank
I would like to start out this blog post by telling you all what a great friend Abby is. Today, she voluntarily skipped the group run so she could join me for 7 of her 18 miles and I am eternally grateful. I wasn't at the group run myself because this week's host club laid the smack down (for one reason or another) and decided to enforce the following rules for the DFMC crew:
- We were exiled to a specific section of the parking lot
- We couldn't bring in any food or drink, except bottled water
- We had to be out of the club by 11:30, no exceptions
- Anyone working out inside had to pay $25
Homie say WHAAAAT? Cranking away for hours on the ArcTrainer is torture enough as it is - I wasn't about to pay for it, too. So my plan was to log in 7 (PT-approved) miles around Boston and finish up my workout at the health club I already pay to use.
So here's the quick and dirty recap -- a gorgeous sunny warm day, 7 pain-free miles, a little bit of fatigue (I've totally lost my endurance) and a lot of wonderful chatter, followed by a mind-numbing indoor workout, for a total of 18 miles - some real, some simulated.
I don't want to jinx myself, but I think at this rate I'll be back running full time in a week or two. This time frame even works out well, as the weekend of the 21st we're in somewhat of a taper, only scheduled for 13-15 on our long run. If I can keep building up my endurance between now and then, I should hopefully be able to join for the low end of the mileage and then be right back on track. Now if only this nice weather would stick around...
- We were exiled to a specific section of the parking lot
- We couldn't bring in any food or drink, except bottled water
- We had to be out of the club by 11:30, no exceptions
- Anyone working out inside had to pay $25
Homie say WHAAAAT? Cranking away for hours on the ArcTrainer is torture enough as it is - I wasn't about to pay for it, too. So my plan was to log in 7 (PT-approved) miles around Boston and finish up my workout at the health club I already pay to use.
So here's the quick and dirty recap -- a gorgeous sunny warm day, 7 pain-free miles, a little bit of fatigue (I've totally lost my endurance) and a lot of wonderful chatter, followed by a mind-numbing indoor workout, for a total of 18 miles - some real, some simulated.
I don't want to jinx myself, but I think at this rate I'll be back running full time in a week or two. This time frame even works out well, as the weekend of the 21st we're in somewhat of a taper, only scheduled for 13-15 on our long run. If I can keep building up my endurance between now and then, I should hopefully be able to join for the low end of the mileage and then be right back on track. Now if only this nice weather would stick around...
Saturday, February 7, 2009
Cheat, Cheat, Never Beat
I'm notoriously a cheater. Never involving others and especially not in the romantic sense (I think it's the most cruel thing one person could ever do to another), but always with myself. Basically, when the going gets tough, I find a way to cut corners, make excuses and make poor choices that I convince myself are great at the time, as a way to alleviate whatever is plaguing me. Tonight I started thinking about how the trend has held perfectly true for this year's injury.
Have I run when I probably shouldn't have? Yep.
Have I occasionally skipped on icing because I didn't have the time or energy? Ohh yeah.
Have I punked out on doing a full 10 minute ice bath from time to time and yanked my legs out at 4, thinking "That should do it, right?" You betcha.
Have I stopped regularly taking ibuprofen because I'm sick of the regimen? Absolutely.
Have I half-assed my ArcTrainer workouts before or cut them short? But of course!
It's clear I need to knock it off. Or to evoke a Full House reference, Cut. It. Out. What's unclear is how much I'm prolonging my own agony and/or hurting myself more. Last year I was so disciplined in both training and injury, following schedules and advice to the letter, but not so much this year. What happened? Have I become so over-confident in my limited knowledge of running and injury that I'm throwing caution to the wind? Am I pouring so much of myself into my job and personal life that there's just not enough left to devote to running? Or is it just that running has truly become such a huge part of who I am now that the character traits and problems that plague me in my real life have seeped into my running life?
These will be thoughts I'll ponder tomorrow as I crank away on the ArcTrainer, and that I'll likely throw out as topics of discussion with Abby, who has kindly offered to join me in my neck of the woods for the 7 miles the PT says I'm allowed to run outside. I'll be doing a grand total of 18 miles tomorrow, a combination of simulated and real, and it's still killing me that I can't do them all outside, given the day's weather forecast. But this is one corner even I know better than to cut, so if you need me tomorrow, you can find me on the second ArcTrainer from the right, reading the captions of whatever lame Matthew McConaughey movie they're showing, mouthing the words to my music, eating Sport Beans and secretly hating every woman in the gym who is running on a treadmill.
Have I run when I probably shouldn't have? Yep.
Have I occasionally skipped on icing because I didn't have the time or energy? Ohh yeah.
Have I punked out on doing a full 10 minute ice bath from time to time and yanked my legs out at 4, thinking "That should do it, right?" You betcha.
Have I stopped regularly taking ibuprofen because I'm sick of the regimen? Absolutely.
Have I half-assed my ArcTrainer workouts before or cut them short? But of course!
It's clear I need to knock it off. Or to evoke a Full House reference, Cut. It. Out. What's unclear is how much I'm prolonging my own agony and/or hurting myself more. Last year I was so disciplined in both training and injury, following schedules and advice to the letter, but not so much this year. What happened? Have I become so over-confident in my limited knowledge of running and injury that I'm throwing caution to the wind? Am I pouring so much of myself into my job and personal life that there's just not enough left to devote to running? Or is it just that running has truly become such a huge part of who I am now that the character traits and problems that plague me in my real life have seeped into my running life?
These will be thoughts I'll ponder tomorrow as I crank away on the ArcTrainer, and that I'll likely throw out as topics of discussion with Abby, who has kindly offered to join me in my neck of the woods for the 7 miles the PT says I'm allowed to run outside. I'll be doing a grand total of 18 miles tomorrow, a combination of simulated and real, and it's still killing me that I can't do them all outside, given the day's weather forecast. But this is one corner even I know better than to cut, so if you need me tomorrow, you can find me on the second ArcTrainer from the right, reading the captions of whatever lame Matthew McConaughey movie they're showing, mouthing the words to my music, eating Sport Beans and secretly hating every woman in the gym who is running on a treadmill.
Tuesday, February 3, 2009
I'm a Runner by Night and Morning...
...but a mean-spirited grammar nerd by day. It's like they wrote this article just for me :)
My favorite quote:
My manager Gerald refers this tendency of mine as "grammar bitch-slapping" and lovingly calls my red editing pen the "grammar bitch slap pen." I was just noting to a coworker the other day that I can tell the days I'm most stressed because I start giving out impromptu (and unwanted) grammar lessons to friends and colleagues. Imagine how up-tight and miserable I'd be if I DIDN'T run!
My favorite quote:
“In general, I think people are getting a little bit meaner about correcting others or sharing what they call their ‘observations,’ ” she says. “They’re uptight and stressed out about losing their jobs. And if it makes them feel better to tell me I have a string hanging off my skirt or I used the word ‘your’ when I really meant to use the word ‘you’re,’ then fine.”
My manager Gerald refers this tendency of mine as "grammar bitch-slapping" and lovingly calls my red editing pen the "grammar bitch slap pen." I was just noting to a coworker the other day that I can tell the days I'm most stressed because I start giving out impromptu (and unwanted) grammar lessons to friends and colleagues. Imagine how up-tight and miserable I'd be if I DIDN'T run!
Sunday, February 1, 2009
Arch Support = Magic, and Other Thoughts
Lots to blog about, so let's get right to it:
First and foremost: I ran just slightly more than 4 miles today and felt like a million bucks. How is that even possible, you ask? Magical arch support inserts (Power Step brand). I paid the good people at Greater Boston Running Company in Lexington a visit for some new kicks and while I was there, I tried out both brands of orthodics my podiatrist had recommended, even though I had already picked up a pair of Super Feet at EMS yesterday. Turns out, I love the Power Step. As for the shoes themselves, I'm on the fence between the Mizuno Nirvana and the Saucony Hurricane, leaning more toward the latter at the moment. They didn't have a 5 1/2 on hand in the Hurricanes, so I special ordered a pair and I'm going to make my decision once I have a right-fitting shoe to try on. The Nirvanas are super light but just feel supportive - nice and rigid, with an air of "I'm locking these feet in. Your foot is not rolling ANYWHERE," but they're a little narrow in the width, but my Alchemies are too and we all know the love affair I have with my Alchemies, so that's not a huge detractor. The Hurricanes are better suited to the shape of my foot - narrow in the heel, wide in the width, with just as much support as the Alchemies, but are just a little cushier. They don't feel like a support shoe. But making my decision all the harder, the Nirvanas are DEAD SEXY (see link above). I got a little hot and bothered just looking at their aqua/blue and bling bling details. Ahhh... what's a girl to do? I'll let you all know when I decide!
Next: SAVE THE DATE! MARCH 7! I'm having a fundraising party in Weymouth at Hajjar's Bar & Grille. My brother's band, B-Side Charlie will be rocking your socks off from 7:30 - 11:30(ish), there will be a cash bar, some food to snack on and hopefully some decent "opportunity drawings." Not down with trekking to the South Shore? Fret not. There's a Boston party in the works, too. I'll lock down a date/venue once I get the Weymouth shindig under control. Feel free to leave a comment with your email (or email me directly if you have it) if you want more info.
And furthermore: Deep water running is da bomb. Jack gave me a tutorial last Tuesday at the Tufts pool, just before everyone else showed up for track and I totally can see why he's so passionate about it, along with the ArcTrainer and the Alter-G Treadmill. The concept is basically to go through the motions of running, but while you're in the deep end of the pool. The movement keeps you afloat (kind of like treading water, but you're propelling forward slowly), and you can put on special flippers that only extend a few inches past your toes (more like having webbed feet, than actual flippers) and a special floatation belt, do it sans equipment or anything in between. I prefer flippers and no belt, but did a few laps without them when my arches started to complain. It was a seriously good workout, a nice break from the ArcNemesis and there was some eye candy in the other lanes - overall a pretty great experience. Jack also showed me ways to switch up the workout - intervals, scissor kicks, knee lifts, etc. Two thumbs up from me, the Captain of Team Injured!
Finally, at the request of Run Brenda Run! blog fanatic Kim:
Yes, the glue is pretty purple. Yes, the gash line is kind of scary. No, it's not an illusion- there's a piece of my eyebrow that's a little more sparse than it should be. Thank you Dr. Emergency Room for being clumsy with the glue/rubber glove situation. I didn't need those hairs anyway.
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