macontracks.org

So, I just realized what a slacker I am. I haven’t updated this thing in like 2 months! Well, prepare to be updated!

May and June had turned into extremely good running months for me. With my IT Band issues quickly fading away, I’ve been able to get out and get the training in I desire! On May15th I placed as first overall female at the Old Capitol City Classic 5K in Milledgeville! With this title, I also set the female course record and have a $100 price on my head for whoever can beat me next year. On May 22nd, I brought home another 1st overall female win at the Butler Toyota Run for your Heart 10K. I also might add that Run Fit Sports gave out some super sweet blankets and water bottles to the placers! June 4th I came in 2nd overall female behind Joan Wall in the Daylily Dash 5K. Considering the humidity and heat, it was an extremely successful race! The next weekend I was 3rd overall at the Salute to Freedom 5K in Macon. I want to give a shout-out to Kerry Odel for running with me for the first mile! It was nice to think I was fast! Haha!

On June 17th I was finally able to return home to NYC! It feels so good to be back home and with my best friend in the entire world, Idette! Though on vacation, it has not detered me from getting out and training, considering I will be taking part in the Distance Challenge the day after I get back.

Idette has been extremely supportive of my running, and even wakes up at the insane hour of 4:30 in the morning to come run with me. Well… I run, she walks and cheers me on. Still, it’s nice to have your own cheerleader when you train! Hoping to get a few more training days in before I return to GA, I’m finding it a pleasant relief to run without humidity. For a while, I thought I was going to be able to breathe underwater with all the humidity in the air, but I get a break from that up here. I have had some excellent adventures, and definitely know “there’s no place like home!”

Perhaps, there are a few lucky souls out there who have never been injured. You have been fortunate to go out and run the distance of your choosing. For those of us who have been, or are, injured but continue to run, we know that ability to choose your distance is a distant dream.

Today, after battling an IT band issue, I was finally given that choice again. Trying to get some miles in before the Butler Toyota 10K this weekend, I figured it would be another run of going as far as my leg could go. Doing a court in my neighborhood, I was running toward the main road when it hit me: I could go left or right. That seemingly pointless decision was a monumentous turning point. To go left, I would continue on for another 1.5 miles before my return route… to go right, I would head straight home. Time seemed to slow as I assessed my leg’s condition and embraced the blessing of even having this choice again. Feeling fantastic, I turned left!

This pain has been like nothing I’ve experienced. It came on fast, hit hard, and then seemed to disappear without any treatment. Like a sudden storm. As I’ve thought back about it, I truly believe it was an ego check. Someone upstairs saw I was getting slightly to cocky and decided to check me back. This pain was just enough to knock my time up a little and make me realize the blessing that running is in my life. I took it for granted, and it was taken away.

 I am so incredibly greatful to be able to run again, and then to be able to choose how far I want to run, instead of how long my leg wants to run. I you are fortunate to have this choice, do not take it for granted, because when it’s gone, you’ll long for it back!

I was, for the most part, a semi-skeptic of miracles. Some of them just seemed like good timing or dumb luck. However, given the progress of the last 3 weeks, I can say I am now a believer!

As I previously posted, I was suffering from some serious IT Band pain. I was on a consistent ibprophin regiment, and icing/RICEing my leg for all I was worth. Though, despite all my efforts, the pain remained or intensified. Finally about to lose my mind with what to do, I stopped ever recovery method. Everything. In fact, I began to resort to the complete opposite of what I had been doing. I began to beat, slap, and all around rough-up my leg.

The miracle? In the last 3 weeks I’ve been punishing my leg, I have had SIGNIFICANT improvement! Every day seems to get a little better! I have completely no pain while walking or other activities, and very VERY little when I run… if any at all!

Now, I credit this recovery to a miracle. Nothing else explains it. I wished on stars, prayed night and day, and did some extra good deeds hoping that Karma might want to pay me back. Whatever it was, I am GREATFUL! I’ve been down before and remember how wonderful it was to finally run without pain for the first time. However, as this year progressed I found myself getting cockier and cockier about my running. I thought I was THE runner, and someone decided to put me in my place. This injury forced me to take a step back and check my ego at the door.

As I start being able to get out and train, and run without pain, I will NOT take it for granted. I will not have disappointing runs, because they will all be a blessing. And, I will not ever think than any run is “owed” to me. I am blessed to be able to participate in this wonderful sport, and shall humbly continue… knowing good and well that this could happen again.

To all of my Tracksters, I am glad to get back in the races and see you out there as well. May you have wonderful, safe, and injury free runs as we begin into the hot seasons of the year. See you at the races!

I just found out a couple days ago that Will Chamberlin had passed away. Being out of the racing circuit, I was informed by Jim Baldwin, who calls to check up on me from time to time.

Though I did not know Will incredibly well, he was always a friendly face at the races. If it wasn’t for Jim, I would not have met Will at all, and would have been lacking a friend in my life.

I found that I enjoyed his races more than others because of the comradery and the laid-back atmosphere he created. He took into consideration the different runners, and made his races easy to get to, and easy to leave.

To Will,

You will be missed. You were a good friend, and your memory will live on in the fun and joy you were able to bring others. I know that in every one of my runs from now on, I will think of you. May you look down on us, smiling as usual.

                                                                  Your running friend, Jacqueline

Apparently I wasn’t just wrong to run last Wednesday, I was UBER wrong as a week later my leg is still bothering me.

I took the entire weekend off of walking and almost any sport having to do with my legs, thinking it would help it heal faster. Sure, I went out and rode my horse, Salem, a couple times, but other than that I was off my legs completely. But, now that’s it’s a week since I last run and my leg still doesn’t feel recovered, I’m starting to worry.

I am now doing some walking, but not much… and taking a pretty heavy dose of anti-inflamitories. My bathroom counter looks like a pharmacy. Day by day it feels slightly better, but it’s definitely not the progress I was hoping for.

This pains me so. I somehow knew it would happen again. I’d push myself a little too far and be out for another couple of months. Ugh. I think the thing that bothers me the most this time is I knew what I had done immediately. After my training run, I remember thinking to myself that I may have over-trained that week. Grr! It upsets me that I knew what was going on, yet continued to do it, and if I had just changed one little thing, I wouldn’t be in this predicament. Helplessness bites.

However, I’m dealing with it better than I did last week, and will give myself one more week until attempting to run again. By that time I should be COMPLETELY out of shape for the Race For Literacy 5K. If my leg still hurts after that race, I’m going to have to break down and go see someone about it… which is easier said than done considering I’m 22 and have no health insurance anymore. If anyone out there wants to offer some medical advice, I am ALL EARS!

So, though I am broken and out of comission for the time being, I hope the rest of you out there are running strong and fast! Catch you later, Tracksters!

As careful as I have tried to be, as conscious of my body as I have been, as much as I have tried to avoid injury… I have failed.

Once again, I find myself broken. Unable to run, unable to walk. I would say this with more self-pitty, but I brought this uppon myself. The whole reason I began this blog was to let people know it’s ok NOT to run sometimes and let yourself heal. Had I heeded my own words, I’d still be on my runner’s high from this morning, and looking forward to the race this weekend.

However, I did not.

After running the Sweethearts 12K, there was a seering pain in my left thigh. Up until that race I believed it was just a sore muscle from a pinch of over-training. But, I was WRONG! Thanks to the MTRC Forum, I was able to “Ask The Injury Expert” and Brian Ross diagnosed it as ITBFS or (Iliotibial Band Friction Syndrome). He hit it right on the money! So, I read up on it, and it turns out to be just another common over-use inflamitory condition. Apparently I seem to be prone to these. Boo. Anyway, I read that rest and ice were the best remedies for it, and figured with a week off that I’d be running by 3/27!

Well, March 27th came and went, with no signs of a run in the near future. However, as this last week has progressed and I kept on my anti-inflamitories and ice, my leg began to feel wonderful again, and I once again became optimistic! So, this morning (4/1) I decided it had been long enough, and couldn’t wait to get out and run.

With the first step, I knew I should have stopped. Apparently, the walking I had been doing was much different from the running as I gimped my way through my first .1 mile. Bound and determined that it was going to work itself out, I continued, but at the second mile mark, KNEW it was time to stop.

So, now I’m at a delimma. With my extreme desire to complete an entire Peidmont Race Series year, I have two choices: scratch “Share The Path” this weekend and forfit the points, or run and perhaps injure myself further. Mind you, to any NORMAL person, this is a no-brainer. But to me… I’m still weighing the pro’s and con’s. I hate how addicted to this sport I have become. Even the fact of major leg damage is not enough to make me stop running.

But, due to the fact that I think my parents are one step away from tying me to my bed to get my to stop running, I probably will have to scratch Saturday. It will haunt me, but I do think it’s in my best interest. My one major goal this year being to actually place in my age group on Labor Day (since all the other years I’ve been running it, I’ve been injured) I would much rather rest now, and run later. Also, it happens to come at a good time because, though I will be missing a Peidmont race Saturday, there is not another on until 4/24, so I will hopefully have plently of time to recover.

The thought of missing a race, or several for that matter, gives me a horrible knot in my stomach, though I know I must. I must let myself rest and heal, so that I can once again come back strong. To those of you running “Share The Path,” have an awesome race. And to all of you, have a wonderful and blessed Easter! I hope to see you at the “Race for Literacy” on the 24th!

I love to run, and I love to race. However, there is something I look forward to even more it seems: the post-race shower.

No matter the length of your race, how you ran it, or what the weather, is there anything more satisfying than coming home and hopping into that hot shower? No. No there isn’t.

The heat of the shower sooths your muscles and eases your adrenaline. If you don’t think you ran your best, the shower loves you anyway, and washes away that disappointment. If you feel as though you rocked the running world with your bad self, well, the shower is just the icing on the cake! You’re already pumped, why not be clean too?!

Now, in the summer months, there are few things more relieving than getting home and rinsing the sweat/salt off your face. That cool post-race shower chills your body, and slows your racing blood.

In the winter, it seems, the post-race shower is even more rewarding. Sometimes you travel an hour or more to a race just to stand and freeze, run until your lungs hurt, and freeze worse on the way home. Your muscles are tense from shivering  and your exhausted from the long, productive day. At this point, I can’t tell you a single thing more wonderful than a hot shower. You instantly feel your muscles relax and your body warm up. Glorious, glorious shower.

I do believe this post-race shower has magical properties. Don’t get me wrong, it’s not like it can heal all wounds or make the blind to see… but it sure feels good! It is, perhaps, the single thing I think about most on race days. My alarm goes off (at whatever horrible time in the morning), and the first thought in my head is “I can’t wait to take that shower! Mmmm, shower.” Of course, I do eventually start thinking about the race at hand and what I’m going to have to do to run my best. But after I cross that finish line… “shower, shower, shower…” I’m not kidding. It’s all I’m thinking about. An award is a pleasant surprise, and is just another thing I will think about when I finally get my treasured shower.

I ran the Sweethearts 12K this morning in Warner Robins, and can guarantee you that that entire last mile and a half I was thinking about my shower. And when I got home, and got in… it was everything I imagined it to be and more. Glorious clean, warm, soothing shower.

I love you, shower, I really do.

I have made a mention of the term “runner envy” in a pervious blog. It’s that sinking feeling you get when you see another person running along having a blast, and you’re not. It doesn’t really matter the reason you’re not running either, you still get it. Granted, we’re all eventually happy for that person because they’re able to enjoy a wonderful sport… but still.

Today, I have found a new side to this. As I mentioned in the post before this one, I am currently suffering with what seems to be a strained thigh muscle. Though it has become considerably better within the last 3 days, it still stiffens if not worked, and is rather painful at times. Despite being able to do my race this morning (Forsythia Festival 5K), I have been forced by my own common sense to scratch my second race of the day.

This is where that new runner envy lies. Even though, I will not be attending the race this evening so to prevent any further injury and to rest up for Sweethearts next weekend, I feel an incredible amount of jealousy/guilt for not going. I can just see everyone showing up, fit and ready to run. The pre-race excitement, the race adrenaline, and the euphoria of crossing the finish line! It’s so addicting. Then the commoradery afterwards and the feeling of success for your efforts. I am jealous. I have runner envy in every way shape and form.

I am aware that this will probably eat away at me for the rest of the day, but rest now, run later. This phrase being an overwhelming theme of this blog, it’s time for me to take my own advice. I know that when I show up for Sweethearts with little to no pain, I will be very glad I listened to myself.

Oh, runner envy. You’re a fickle thing. You make us jealous of others enjoying the same thing we’re able to enjoy ourselves. But, we must be strong and be happy for our fellow runners, because it’s almost certain they know exactly what we are feeling now.

So, have good races this weekend Tracksters, and some good training runs this week! See you at Sweethearts!

So, I ran the Geico 12K last Saturday (3/6), and had a total blast! It was great to see so many Tracks members there, as well as meet new people… even some who actually read this blog. I know, I was amazed as well. The race went great, and I ran strong even up the hills and against the wind. Just ask Tommy Union, we were battling it together in those last 2.5 miles. Coming in at 55:43, I ranked second overall female, and could not be happier.

Of course, it was after my race frivolities that I began to get nervous. Once that wonderful “runner’s high” had worn off and all the endorphines had gone away, the pain in my left thigh was unmistakable; right above my knee on the outside of my thigh. Though it’s an overall dull pain, it still hurts. Thinking it was simply a possible strained muscle from over training during the week, I took some Advil, R.I.C.E.d it for a little while, and went to bed early, confident that the pain would be much less if not gone Sunday morning. However, this was not the case. Sunday it still hurt, though worked out of it when I took a walk, and it was the same for Monday.

The problem came when I went to Run Fit Sports Monday afternoon to get a ew pair of shoes (since mine are like 200 miles overdue for replacement). Now, I don’t want to send the wrong impression, I had great service at Run Fit and got an AWESOME pair of new Saucony’s to run it. But, it’s that new pair of AWESOME Sauconys that has started me right back on the path I was on before Labor Day. The path that got me started with this blog in the first place. When I got home with my shiny new shoes, I couldn’t wait to get up super early Tuesday and take them for a test run. That was my mistake.

It is now Wednesday night and I have spent the first half of my Spring Break from MSC sitting on my butt (literally). I have spent more time researching leg/thigh pain then I’d even like to admit, and am so sick and tired of “R.I.C.E” I could just throw it up. The problem is, I was totally looking forward to running a complete Peidmont series this year, since I’ve been unable due to injury or absence. I’m trying to diagnose, treat and recover from whatever this is within a week. Forsythia Festival 5K is coming up, and then Sweethearts after that, and I know for a fact that I’m going to be there.

So, if you see me out this weekend (in my new kicks) please give me a slap on the hand and tell me that I should have stayed home and recovered. I thought I had learned something writing this, but I’m so eager to get back to what I love doing, that it’s just hard to think about being off again so soon after my comeback.

The first time, I thought it was a fluke.

The second time, however, I began to think it was something more.

On February 6, I traveled with Jim Baldwin to Albany to run the “Nun Run 5K.” Running an AMAZING race, I crossed the finish line at 21:50. I tapped my watch, and thought of all the things that must have gone wrong. There’s no way I could have run under 22 minutes. But, coming in 1st overall female and confirming my 21:50, I was ESTATIC!

Knowing that that was probably never to happen again, I placed my PR on the shelf to collect dust as the “glory day.”

But, that PR would barely have time to get settled with the Cantrel Center 5K today (2.27). Now, I had NO idea the turn out that Cantrel would gather. At 1500 people, I just looked in awe, and knew I had a LOT of competition. Starting off, I felt strong, and had my eye on the two women I had to beat. The first one I conquered in the first mile. The second alluded me until the 2.5 mile mark.

Running one of my strongest races since recovery, I turned the corner and saw the clock… that’s when I knew I had to sprint. My feet grew wings as I sprint into the finish. I sucked air trying to propell myself ever further, ever faster. And when I finally crossed the line… 21:41.

I still can’t seem to comprehend how in the world I achieved this time without my lungs falling out of my chest, but I did it, and it was a relatively comfortable run.

Though I missed out on 3rd overall female by 3 seconds, I know I could not have made up those 3 seconds, and I could not have run any better. Now it’s time for me to stick this one up there with the “unreachable” PR’s to collect the dust as we head into the warmer season.

So, I did say “adieu” to twenty-two today, but I’m sure this one will be the one to beat.