Hi, Friends. Week 5 is over. Woot!
Monday: Off
Tuesday: 45 min/4 mile speed work via treadmill class, PT sesh, which included 1 mile run
Wednesday: 45 min spin class
Thursdays: 3 miles
Friday: PT session
Saturday: 6 miles, 60 min Definitions class
Sunday: Nothing
Let’s start with why I only ran 6 miles for my “long” weekend run. So I’m signed up to train with CARA, but it was cold and snowing on Saturday morning. It’s been sooooo cold in Chicago, like negative 17 degree wind chill cold.
See this? It’s so cold outside that the river is steaming.
I am a wimp when it comes to the cold and running. I’m also a wimp when it comes to walking to work in the cold.
See this creepy self pic? This is a down filled scarf that is the size of a baby blanket and it the warmest thing ever. The. Best. Also a man magnet.
What I am trying to say is, while I hate the treadmill, I hate the running in cold, slushy, slippery snow much, much more. As such, my 10 mile lake front run turned into 6 miles on the treadmill. This upcoming weekend I am scheduled to run 7, so I plan on just adding a few miles to the end of it to make up for this week. AND! I plan on running with the group because the forecast is calling for a balmy 38 degrees on Saturday! HEAT WAVE!
Let us also discuss Tuesday’s physical therapy session. The PT did a gait analysis, which was my first ever. The results were not as bad as I was expecting. I was told I need to drive my right arm across body more (which seems to go against everything I was taught in HS track), but it’s supposed to help my hip. Gave it a try on Thurs and it did seem to help. Who knows. I was also given a new exercise, which is to help activate my right glute before the run. Oh and I’m a heel striker, so need to work on my turnover… appareantly a faster cadence = less heel striking. Running is so complicated.
Yet another sneaky gym pic… here I am doing my new exercise before I run on the mill.
The combo of pre run foam rolling and this little exercise seemed to help. He also thinks my hamstring could be part of the problem. Basically, my right leg is jacked all from the hip to the knee. It’s sweet. Oh also, I had my first experience with the Graston Technique. I injured my knee in 2010 and he thinks perhaps some of the scare tissue near the back of the knee is not helping my running. It was weird and now the back of my knee is also bruised. NO PAIN NO GAIN, people. I really have no idea what is wrong with me, but I am thankful that this PT is taking an active interest in fixing whatever it is that is wrong with my hip/knee/IT Band. Here’s to a 2013 marathon PR!
On a non running note, KMW-M was in town this weekend and we had a super fun time. 
Sadly, this is the only picture I have from the weekend.
Winter in Chicago = many scarves
Now I need to know – who else has had a PT use those scarey Graston tools??? Worth the pain and bruises?
I, too, loathe the dreadmill but freezing cold and wet feet do not appeal to me, either. I either need to get tougher or move.
I can’t do the cold either…my limit depends on the windchill factor though. 15 degrees or less? No thank you!