Training Summary: Winging It

Week of 9/21/15 to 9/27/15

No, someone has not hacked into this blog to spread such heresy. It’s really me. And I’m really playing it by ear.

UGH, argh, fuck.

I have a new friend/injury/reminder that I’m no youngster. This must be the month of bizarre injuries. Earlier this month it was a freak upper body injury as the result of an overzealous and undertrained masseuse, and now I have a butt problem. I’ve never had a butt problem other than the obvious Asian Butt Syndrome. See Exhibit A “Pancake Booty” below.

So after a successful post-marathon week of recovery, I went to push it a little on Wednesday and do a short tempo run. Oops. I felt a dull ache in my right rear. No sharp pain, but it was annoying enough to make it so I couldn’t really lengthen my stride. I took a day off, tried to run on Friday…lasted .75 miles before I got freaked out by the dull ache and stopped. Repeated this on Saturday and Sunday. It’s not painful, and if I was fifteen years younger, I’d run through it, but I’ve decided to wait until I see my ART (Active Release Therapy) therapist next week before I start running again.

Ugh, ARGH, fuck.

I had already planned on going somewhat planless for the next training cycle, which was supposed to be for the Santa Clarita Half Marathon in November. I had a vague idea of 10-16 mile long runs, a tempo run, a speed run, and staying in the 30-40 mile base. But I knew I’d be picking up my cross-training by working with a trainer, and I wasn’t sure how my body would handle that in terms of sticking to my runs, so I knew I’d be playing it a little bit by ear. But now, well, now, it’s all up in the air.

I’ve read a couple articles – OK, it’s ridiculous how many various iterations of “butt pain running” Google searches I’ve performed this week – and this butt pain could be one of two things. So until I see my doctor and find out what it is and the treatment, I have no idea if this is a 10-day thing or a 4-6 week thing.

Ugh, argh, FUCK.

Despite this setback, there were some positives fitness-wise. The needle finally budged on my upper body inflammation, and although there is still some pain and discomfort, things are moving in the right direction. I imagine that barring any setback (read: me doing bench presses and incline flys), it should be gone in two weeks.

I also was fairly diligent about doing leg and ab exercises, and did several days of rolling and stretching too. On days I do ab-work, I choose two from five types of exercises:

1. Planks: One minute each of regular and each side.
2. Crunches: Combination of 100 standard, obliques, lower abs.
3. Weights/Medicine Ball: 15 reps each of three exercises with a weighted ball and one set of side bends with dumbbells.
4. Core Balance: These are done on my knees while stretching out alternating arms. One set I hold opposite arm/leg for 20 seconds; one set I bring in my knee when I bring in my arm; one set I extend my leg while extending my arm. And then one exercise I am in plank position and curl alternating legs.
5. Standing: Tracy Anderson – Gwyneth’s trainer and fitness center partner – has a standing ab series that addresses the lower abs. Most people don’t think of doing ab work while in a standing position, and this is a fun way to break things up.

Anyway, in lieu of running news, I’ll go ahead and add some personal filler.

In a rare school night outing, Husband and I went with friends to a one-night performance of theater (Wicked) and TV (Smashed) actress Megan Hilty at the Valley Performance Arts Center at CSUN. She has a lovely voice, but her “impromptu” banter was off-putting. Just sing, please! Strangely, this was Husband’s idea. I married a dude who manages multiple fantasy football teams, lives in t-shirts and flip-flops, AND enjoys musical theater. Who needs girlfriends?

Also…Book Binge. Silver lining: more reading time because less running time.

This week’s tentative plan is to stay off running and go hard on cross-training in the hopes of staying in decent shape until I find out what’s wrong with my bum. Winging it is not really my go-to position, but perhaps this is where experience comes in. I’ve had enough nagging injuries to know that I can fight this and try to struggle through my runs only to have to eventually take a break, or I can rest now. Hence, my seemingly easygoing wait-and-see, let’s-play-it-by-ear stance. I think I just threw up in my mouth.

Hope everyone has a great running week!

Total weekly mileage: 7 miles
Cross-training:
-10 sets of ab exercises (up from 6)
-29 sets of leg exercises (up from 11!)
-3 sets of stretching, rolling, and yoga poses
-I also made an appointment with my trainer. Baby steps.