Entry bubble Muscle Pains

By: Colleen | September 23, 2009 | Category: Health

Apparently because I've turned 26 my body has started to break down on me. Okay, that's being a little dramatic, but it feels like the truth.

Last year I set a goal to run in and survive my first 10-miler. I did, and it was great. After years of just hitting the treadmill to keep myself from looking like a whale, it was nice to have another purpose for my efforts. After completing the 10, I figured why not try for a half-marathon? It's only 3.3 miles more.

This leads me to today. I'm trying to get serious about this training, but my body just won't let me. On an average day, I like to run about 40 minutes and I can do that comfortably. A few weeks ago my left achilles started to get tender and sensitive. This is not an uncommon injury for a runner, and I've had to deal with it being much worse in the past. I'd let it rest a few days, and then get back to business. It would be fine for that first run back, but only get irritated again as I continued my work-outs. With lots of stretching and icing, I seem to have that under control.

Now my problems have shifted to my right calf muscle. It's very, very tight and is significantly painful enough to not let me get much past 20 minutes of running. As far as I know, I'm doing everything to ease this away, but it won't budge. I stretch, apply heat compression, massage, and you can smell the icy-hot on me a mile away. (Which may have a direct effect on my dating life...)

Since I haven't been able to train the way I'd like due to injury, I've started taking spin classes. Spinning is NO JOKE and it applies a lot less pressure to my joints and calf muscles. Now I'm starting to worry if I'll be able to fit in the proper training I need before the race in November.

Any runners / athletes out there have any similar experiences? What helped / hurt your healing process? Any recommendations?

| Post a Comment | View Comments [11] | envelope E-mail This Entry | Tags: calf_muscle   injury   marathon   running  

 

Entry bubble Breaking down and calling the doc

By: Jess | February 19, 2009 | Category: Health

The human kneeI’m a runner, and I have a bum knee. Last summer when running hurt so much it brought me to tears, I decided it was time to see the doc. I was sent to physical therapy where I did a bunch of exercises to get things taken care of and off I went when I was fixed.

Except, it turns out I wasn’t so fixed.

So this time when the nagging pain came back, I did a little research. I punched the name of my issue into WebMD, into USA.gov, into every runner’s training resource I could find.

After reading about the symptoms and causes, and running a 5K that left me hobbling around for the rest of the weekend, I finally broke down and called a doctor.

I’m pretty sure he’ll send me for x-rays like last time to make sure nothing is structurally wrong, and then I can only hope for good news.

From what I’ve read it sounds like patellofemoral syndrome (or patellar tracking disorder) takes up to several months to heal. I’m still crossing my fingers that my doc will have some voo-doo magic that will heal me up right quick so I can run a race I’m registered for at the end of March.

I've been pretty lucky that this is the only real medical problem I've ever faced and could easily find information on it. Where do you look for advice and information when you have medical questions or need advice? I'm always interested in hearing about what resources are available.

As for my knee, cross your fingers for me and I’ll keep you posted on how the appointment goes.

| Post a Comment | View Comments [4] | envelope E-mail This Entry | Tags: injuries   injury   jess   knee   knees   overuse   racing   runner's   running   sports  

 

Entry bubble Parking Tickets

By: Colleen | January 25, 2008 | Category: General

parking ticketI got a parking ticket the other week because I have high arches in my feet.

Kind of.

While home in Philaburbia, I was on a quest for new sneakers. But not just ANY kicks.

A daily runner, I beat up my footwear pretty quick. And my feet? They're "special." (read: I have an insanely high arch - making me the ideal en pointe ballerina. Having the grace of an elephant hinders this somewhat, however.)

Thus, I buy running shoes made specifically for people with Everest-like arches. These are not always available at general sporting goods stores that have sprawling free parking lots.

My mission led me to a running-specific store in Bryn Mawr, PA. I park at a meter. It was Saturday. I checked for signs indicating whether or not one had to pay meters on weekends. No such sign existed. Proceeded to store. Bought shoes. Everyone wins.

Not so much.

Back at my car I was greeted by a crabby meter-maid and a hand-written bright yellow ticket. (Apparently Lower Merion Township is pretty old-school.)

Ticked off but distracted, I tossed the ticket onto my passenger's seat and there it remained.

Yesterday, my Dad called. "Colleen, do you care to explain the letter I received in the mail from the Lower Merion Police Department?" Apparently a township that still hand-writes their tickets likes to be paid rather promptly, and when your Dad's name is also on the title of your car, they send failure of payment notices his way.

The meter thing still bothers me. I decided to do some local government research to see what the real deal is with parking meters.

Turns out, "All may park, all must pay"- including Saturdays. I stand corrected, even with my high arches.

| View Comments [2] | envelope E-mail This Entry | Tags: colleen   government   local   parking   running   shoes   ticket