Close Encounters of the Running Kind

Part of the post-run pampering dream team.

Last year I ran the Holiday Lake 'loop' four times before race day. I ran it the first time late December where I had some stomach issues probably from nerves, in 3:17. Not particularly fast but I signed up for the race anyways. A week later I ran it again, getting lost even, in 3:17. Two weeks later I went out for one of Dr. Horton's training runs on the loop and ran somewhat hard for the entire 16 miles running my fastest loop to date in 2:34. I ran the loop once more before race day in 2:40. 

This year, I am not, despite what you may have heard, running Holiday Lake. I want to. Badly. But I know, just having a baby some months ago and just returning to what I term real training, that my body is just not up for the mileage, not the way I would want to run. I would like to return to Holiday Lake with the confidence in myself to improve on my time and this year I would not likely improve my time and quite probably come away injured. So I'm trying to be smart and sit this one out. 

However, I still like to run the 'loop' whenever I can. Honestly I just want to run with others whenever I can and most of my friends and my spouse are in training mode for Holiday Lake so it just happens that a good long run spot is currently the 'loop' in Appomattox. This past Saturday Todd and I both got in good mid-length runs in the morning. He ran trails with some guys really early and then I met him in a parking lot where we swapped cars and kids and went for an only somewhat early run with another group. I got in a good steady 9.5 miles. I felt strong when I was done. I finally felt as though the old me were returning to its pre-partum ways. I got a text to run with some girls that night that I only occasionally get to run with these days. Knowing that we were already committed to running the loop on Sunday I said 'heck, yes' to girls night out as long as we could run conservatively. My weary legs didn't really want to meet them by the time 8 p.m. rolled around but I was so glad that we did when the run commenced. I felt even better. Confidence growing further. 

Sunday I had planned to run with my husband at Holiday Lake keeping up as best I could. However, as soon as Dr. Horton basically unleashed us I had a series of malfunctions that resulted in my falling way behind the pack and losing all sight of my husband.  Once I was all together and ready to really run I found myself alone on the trails. I just turned my iPod on and set to work on catching up. I ran a really good pace, feeling strong and steady when at 10.5 miles a certain runner who had arrived late flew past me. I can't quite explain it, I mean I know the guy and he's an awfully strong runner but seeing him fly past me sort of took the wind out of my sails. In a moment of weakness I let the negativity settle in and I took to walking on what is a most runnable section of trail on the loop. 

I am not a terribly weak runner, either in terms of physical or mental strength, but if I had to say what is my greatest weakness it would be negativity. I can run through pain. I can run long distances. I can face cold weather. Rainy weather. Hot, humid weather. But if I allow myself for just a second to think I can't do something, that I'm not strong enough, those thoughts will spread like an infectious plague so quickly that I don't even realize it. Having finally identified this threat I am learning to fight these battles, but sometimes, like this past Sunday, it can come on so quickly I don't even realize what's happening. Fortunately, two runners came up behind me and I was able to muster up the will to continue on though not at the same pace. 

I ran contentedly the rest of the loop. I was not particularly pleased with my performance, mainly because of the negative episode along the power lines between miles 10 and 11, but I did finish out the loop in about 2:38. Not my fastest, but not all that bad for ten weeks postpartum. Feeling possibly over-confident at this point, I agreed to go out for another 6 miles with Todd and another fellow runner. OK, honestly I didn't want to do these six miles but I knew the guys did and I have a hard time telling people I'm not up for something. 

So after 16 miles, of which I didn't fuel but only drank about 6 oz. of Fierce Grape Gatorade, I agreed to go back out for a partial loop. Not my smartest move. As my husband likes to point out, if I'm not over-training and injured, what am I?  I did eat a handful of gummy bears those last six miles but by the time we made it back to our cars we'd been running for four hours, my stomach was completely empty and my calves were awfully tight. Then we had the almost hour long car ride home. 

By the time we got home and I took my still wet shoes off (you run through two creek crossings in the loop) my left calf was tight and painful and the pads of my feet were swollen and aching. A few minutes on the couch snuggling the children I had missed all day and I was a complete stiff mess. As I attempted to maneuver the stairs I began to worry that my big mileage weekend would haunt me, as it could possibly do. Would I be able to run our weekly Wednesday trail run? Is this an injury or just the pain of improvement, I wondered. After putting the older kids to bed I instantly set to work on pampering my weary legs. I iced my calf while I nursed the baby. Then I took a warm, Epsom bath accompanied by a gargantuan glass of water and two ibuprofen. Then pj's and some Ironman muscle cream for the calf. Bed by 9:45 p.m. 

The baby, Brodie, woke at 2:30 a.m. After nursing him I took another Epsom bath, followed by more cream on the tight left calf. Monday morning I was still a bit stiff but already feeling much better. A few sessions with the foam roller and I felt almost completely back to normal. Other than the foam roller I took a day of complete rest. 

Today I am feeling good. The plan is a few miles, very easy and a Cross Training class at the Y tonight.  I am so thankful for the advice of my running friends and that my high mileage weekend didn't result in injury. I am taking the mileage a step down this week in hopes of keeping any injury at bay. I am hoping that the only lasting effect of this weekends string of runs is a growing self-confidence in my growing strength. There is no room on my training schedule for injury though, so I must play it safer and smarter. 

Chances that I'll turn down a group run whenever asked, however, are still low. 

Alexis