Week 17: 6/20/16 - 6/26/16

Well things are not going to plan.  I've had a niggling hip pain off and on for a while.  Amy elbowed it out around Christmas time.  It came back during the Rutgers 1/2 in April and seemed to disappear and I continued on with my BARRE classes to strengthen my hips and core to prevent injuries.

Then we had two weeks ago BARRE class with the serious girl and those band things and around the calves they go and we side step across the room and then back.  I think that's what finally hit the nail on the head and nothing's been right since then.  

It's good to have my blathery blog and hieroglyphics of notes, I wish I was better about labels... it would make searching easier, but then I don't know what I'm going to search for till I search for it.

I had a major step back week last week, and it continued on to this week.  

After an appointment with an ortohopedist, Dr. Carlow, he poked and prodded with various things on my legs wiggled my hip joint, declared the joint fine, then he pressed on this spot on the side of my hip and I flinched.   Ordered some x-rays, it was clear my hip joins are in great condition, nice and smooth, there were no fractures.  Bursitis is the most likely issue, 2x week PT.  I start that next week. 

Monday (0/3) - This was hard, I did take Gus for a walk after work so I got in some movement.  It helps to move, just not a lot.

Tuesday (0/6.7) - Walked at lunch then again at the Dog Watch fun runs.  It isn't fun watching people run when you can't.

Wednesday (5.8/1.5) - Hills with Ro, these still count as running training.  Met up with Jennifer for a walk on the beach then I took Gus for a short walk when I got home.  Appt with Dr. Carlow started the day.

Thursday (4.3/1.7) - I felt fine, my hip felt good, no pain all morning!  I ran.  Not smart.  It hurt and hurt worse and I wasn't going to stop.  I wanted to run.    Walk with Gus after dinner out.

Friday (0) - Jax and Gus got out for walks, they needed to get out.   

Saturday (0) - Took a nice slow bike ride, it nearly killed me to not try and meet some of my goals on starred segments, and it hurt even worse when my "virtual partner" popped up as Jeff W or Jeff H, really Garmin? really?  how do I make a more realistic target... sheesh.  All in all I enjoyed the ride and my hip didn't complain.  Well it did after I got off the bike and walked.  But seemed to simmer down with some Vitamin I.  



Sunday (0/2.9) - Took a long bike ride, time wise not so much mileage.  better get my ass used to the seat for extended periods of time. Since I can't run I'll get my PMC miles in!

I collected a few more PRs putting in little effort. That was kind of a nice gift.





And in case you wanted to support me in my fundraising efforts to have the honor to ride in the Pan Mass Challenge - 192 miles from Sturbridge to Provincetown! 

http://profile.pmc.org/BL0174

The couple hours out on the bike was nice time to think.  Coming up on 9 years since my mothers diagnosis with Lung Cancer.  She is the exception to the rule, and is living with this horrid disease.  The treatment took a lot out of her and aged her past her 71 years, my father too for that matter!   

The doctors were not able to take out her tumor as it was attached to her spine and ribs.  

The thing I remember the most was my father telling me "Beth your mother is not going to die from Lung Cancer she is going to die with it. This can  be managed like a chronic condition, like diabetes."  

The research done at Dana Farber in the Lowe Center for Thoracic Oncology can make this a reality for more people, if they can't rid the patient of the disease they can at least live with it.  My mother lives with the disease.  Team LUNGStrong's founder Diane Legg lives with the disease (11 years now - she is 53), not only does she lives, she runs and bikes!  

The best possible outcome is complete eradication of the disease, however, barring that, being able to live as close to normal as possible is a pretty good alternative to death!

Feet:
Weekly Mileage:    27.2  Run:  10.1  Walk 17.1
Yearly Mileage:  1015.2 against a straight line target of 980.8

Saddle: 
Weekly Mileage:  52
Yearly Mileage:  427.1 against a straight line target of 980.1

Sincerely,
Beth, remain calm and pedal on

Week 18: 6/13/16 - 6/19/16

Monday (7) - I was in NYC for work.  Running in NY isn't easy, you have to dodge people, vehicles, pigeons, bikes, a variety of things, even at 6 a.m.  It was clear from Sunday's shuffle running wasn't going to be happening, but I brought my stuff anyhow because I needed the upper body work out?

After a jam packed and successful day - remember that time in April I thought I might get fired for letting a participant in my company's annual shareholder's meeting know she should not be recording?  Well, when I got into the studio for the globally broadcast meeting for Monday, I got cheers.  The guys were all "You ROCK Beth!"  "You totally shut her down."  "That was unbelievably awesome." 

All I could say was, "Please tell me the whole thing was only audio recorded not video recorded."  Uber cool tech guy "Yeah, why?"
Me: "Because I'm pretty sure I was making inappropriate facial expressions."

After I was confirmed my face, that shows every feeling or expression I have, was only seen by the CEO (my bosses, bosses, bosses, boss), my bosses boss, and my bosses bosses boss.  Hey if you are going to do something, don't half ass it right?? I was very much relieved and enjoyed the praise for doing what I was told to do.  Stop any recording (audio or visual) at the meeting. 

It was pretty clear in the Order of Business:

     No cameras, recording equipment, electronic devices, large bags, briefcases, or packages will be permitted in the Annual Meeting. The use of mobile devices, photography or recording of the event is strictly prohibited.

I had a lovely chat with one of the folks from catering who has been at the company 40 years, and will be retiring in January when he turns 67.  I couldn't believe he was any older than 50.  Remarkable guy, happy, always smiling and saying hello.  There simply isn't enough people saying hello and smiling.  I do this when I walk down the long hallways at work.  Usually my smile and "good morning " is greeted with a glance to the floor.  Huh, do I have booger hanging out of my nose?  No wait, if I did they'd totally stare and totally NOT tell me, so hmmm, oh well on to the next victim...

Oh, sorry rambling, guess I am feeling a little less concerned about this hip issue, or maybe I'm emptying the beer shelf in the fridge... 

So the day was good, successful even.  I caught up with colleagues I don't get to see much and shake and howdy with new folks.

After work I ventured onto the East River Greenway.  I think this is a bit miss named as it isn't really green it's frigging NYC!!  There were some areas which were green and park like, there were also narrow pathways with nothing more than a Jersey Barrier separating the two lanes of cars zipping up town on the FDR and an asphalt path wide enough for two people to comfortably pass. 

The walk was enjoyable, the pathway curves a lot so I was always curious to see what I was going to see around the next bend.  After I'd been walking a while I checked my watch, oh wow, I've been walking an hour, how did THAT happen.  SO I made it around one more bend and turned around and headed back to MidTown after 7 miles of walking, to scare up some beer and dinner at a favorite bar.

The Greenway starts at Battery Park and you have to use 2nd Ave from 38th - 63rd street and it continues up to 125th street where it dead ends.  It is all part of the Manhattan Waterfront Greenway, I think these things have a bajillion names..

In any event next time I get a few days in the city I will make it a point to walk all the way down to Battery Park and then cab or subway back to MidTown.  I'm kinda sad I didn't do that on Monday.

Tuesday (0) - Work Work Work didn't get home until after 10 p.m.  all I wanted was food and a beer, it was a long day.

Wednesday (5.6) - Hills with Ro, and then the Westerly Fun Runs where I volunteered to assist.  My quad/hip is throbbing.  Tommy was helpful when he said I spend a lot of time on my feet, speed doesn't have much to do with the constant impact.  He has a point, a point I've been trying to ignore. He did suggest swimming, no impact (except when I bash my head on a back stroke) and good cardio.  Smart man, that one.

Orthopedic appt in a week.  I was hoping the act of making the appointment would magically make the pain and throbbing go away. No.

Thursday (3) - Mikey talked me off the ledge.  I think his opening comment of "You look terrible" pretty much clued me in to this not running thing was a problem.  Ya think?  He recommended KT tape.  I did a little research and stopped at the easiest to get to drug store and picked some up, after the sticker shock. I thought, these things better work.  I've had KT tape before but it was years ago during one of those 60 mile walks for Breast Cancer and at that point on day 3 I was pretty much spent and nothing but a big bottle of Jack was going to save me in those days.  Anyhoodles...  I watched the application video and stuck this stuff on my quad.  My immediate test was could I stand on my right leg with out it buckling.  Holy Crap I could!

Took Gus on a 3 mile walk, he was a bit over heated and not loving it after the first mile but we had to get home and we had to go spy on Jeff V and see if his lawn was mowed, he usually does this on Thursday.  It was not, so Gus ate some grass and maybe tinkled on the curb...

The quad felt ok, better than it had been feeling.  I still feel a constant dull ache...  But it hurts less to move it or pick up my leg, so there's that, right?

Friday (0) - This was torture, I got it done though.

Saturday (6) - Took a short run in the a.m. hip/quad hurt the whole time, medium pain, not searing, definitely uncomfortable and I don't want to admit I felt it in the joint a bit.

I stopped mid run to pet Mugsy, a very calm Bulldog who seemed to enjoy someone paying attention to him.  It was nice little break to sit on the ground with him.  He definitely could smell my dogs on me, it's always cute when they do it's like they know who's a dog person and who isn't, so he took in some long sniffs and categorized them where ever it is dogs categorize these things and I moved on and he moved on.

Walked Gus... he enjoyed it mostly, I was too slow for him.  Poor guy.

Sunday -  Dave and I took our yearly road ride.


I got a little lost, no surprise there right?  Not that I haven't ridden it a few times and not that I don't have it programmed in the Garmin.  Oh well, it was a couple extra miles and hill climbs and descents.  It is an awesome ride.  Wonder if he'll ride a second time with me over the summer?

My hip wasn't in pain, even on the hill climbs, constant nagging ache, so if all else fails I get to bike.  As I sit here typing this with ice on my hip.  How is this even possible?

I'm a little frustrated, and I put on 4 pounds in two weeks, which doesn't really help matters.

Weekly Mileage:  21.6  (run:8.7 walk: 12.9)
Yearly Mileage:  988.1 against a straight line target of 942.2

Sincerely,
Beth frustrated she let this happen to herself.

Weekly Recap: 19 weeks to go 6/6/16 - 6/12/16

Monday (7.4) - Last Monday run with Faith.  Her work schedule reverts back to M - F for the summer so she can have weekends off.  Monday is supposed to be a rest day for both of us.  I didn't run on Sunday but she ran a 30K (18.6 miles) on trails in the rain.  She was pretty wiped out.  Made the run easy for me, I guess.  It was nice, by mile 4 my legs were tired and it was clear Faith was spent by mile 3.  We talked the entire 4.3 mile run, so there is something to say for that!

Gus got a nice walk after my BARRE class.

Tuesday (9.9) - First at work 7 mile run in a while, or at least I think so.  It was hot and icky, the breeze helped.  I did "The Neighborhood" hills because they catch the breeze really nice, and it's a mile.  Avery Point may have done just fine, feh, I like the "Proud Mira" loop.

Had enough time for a 2 hour bike ride, I took an hour, down to Watch Hill and back.  My Garmin let me know when my favorite segment started!  Now to figure out how it knew that and put in a couple other biking segments I want to work on.



Jax looked rather depressed so he got the walk.  Gus paced the entire hour I was gone.  Poor guy.

Gus giving me the evil eye. 

Wednesday (5.6) - Hills with Ro, the temps plummeted in to temps I appreciate, 60's.  Ro, was bundled up, well she can't be more than 100 lbs at 5'2".  So yeah, she gets cold.

The Westerly Track and Athletic Club fun runs started tonight.  I volunteered to help fill in for vacations not really understanding what I signed up for!  So I went to observe, not to run.  That was odd.  Should be fun to see what goes on behind the scenes.

Founders had a Tap Takeover at The Engine Room in Mystic, we went out there for dinner.  It was not the Tap Takeover we've experienced at The Malted Barley.  Well, now we know, and will go to The Malted Barley for Tap Takeovers.

Thursday (3.1)  - Yes I was supposed to run 7, I thought I'd run after work, during work didn't work out.  Took Gus to the beach instead.  I was feeling worn out.  Guess that happens from time to time.  My  hip had been bugging me starting Wed and it wasn't much better.  3 miles on the beach helped a little bit to get moving.  Who knows what I did.  Maybe the band work in BARRE?  It was a new move and I do remember my right hip getting a little feisty.

Friday (6.1) - OUCH that hip hurt, the front part, a 5K was really all I needed to catch up on my miles so I did that.  I felt it the whole run, usually ouchy places go away after the first mile. I don't run fast enough to be injured!!!!

After dinner dog walk with Gus was tough for the first 2 miles and in the last mile everything seemed to go back into place.  I'm feeling more positive about the 16 for Saturday's long run!

Saturday (6.5) - Things did not go as planned.  A perfect day for 16 miles in the woods and that didn't happen.  I'm distraught.  Maybe a swim?  Um no that hurt.  I weeded the flower beds and enjoyed that sense of accomplishment, but getting up was torture...  Walked Gus, not so good.   I think I did something in BARRE, but not sure.  It can't possibly be the new shoes, not THIS soon!!!

Sunday (3.3) - Better, impact still hurts, only a little less.  Did get to listen to the Boston Pops traveling orchestra practiced in the park, so that was a bright spot.  Next run I'll load up on the Vitamin I and see if that helps.

Weekly Mileage:  40.9  Run: 24.6 Walk: 16.3

Yearly Mileage:  966.5 against a straight line target of 903.6

Sincerely,
Beth, I don't run fast enough to get injured!  HA HA HA...