Joined My Local Running Club

I decided to join my local running club, mainly to get some companionship during my long runs.  I'm a loner mostly, and do all my runs on my own.  I have no problem with that, other than the fact that my long runs are now starting to increase into the mid teens, and eventually will head toward 20-22 miles by the end of my training plan.  While I know I can continue to do it on my own, I also question whether it might not be helpful to join the distance training club, in hopes that they will help pull me along.

The club has been meeting every Wednesday night for midweek runs, and every Sunday morning for long runs since April, and will continue through the fall.  Even though I'm a couple of months late, it will still be beneficial as we move through the remainder of the summer and into fall, and it might be good to connect with some local folks to make some new friendships.

The Wednesday night meetings typically include a guest speaker, providing various running-related topics of discussion.  While I've learned a great deal about running over the previous 6 months, I'm still a newb, and there's always something more to pick up on.  Membership to the Omaha Running Club is $20 per year, not a bad deal at all.

Last PT Visit

Today was my last PT visit I think.  After the Okoboji HM yesterday, my knee is a little sore, but essentially, I believe that additional PT visits won't be that productive.  I know what to do and how to manage the pain.  Although, I may consider purchasing a home-use ultrasound unit, as I feel that really helps to knock out the inflammation, on a microscopic cellular level.  They seem to be somewhat affordable, and given my recent experience with no-pain runs after the ultrasound therapy, it's worth a shot.  I also opted to get fitted for custom orthotics today. The PT feels that it would only help, to make sure that my feet are in proper alignment, which will help with any pains I might have elsewhere.  Plus, insurance will cover 85% of the cost, so I might as well take advantage of that benefit while I've got the chance.  The orthotics used here are made by Sole Supports and utilize the MASS approach (Maximum Arch Supination Stablization).  I think they will really help me in the long run, and are worth a shot in my opinion.

2009 University of Okoboji Half Marathon

I did the University of Okoboji Iowa (mythical) half marathon today on the spur on the moment, signing up just a couple of days ago.  They also run a full marathon, a 10k, and a triathalon.  It's mostly a no-frills event with a cheap registration fee.  This was my 4th HM this year, but I just wanted to run this as a long run as part of my marathon training for Des Moines.  Mostly during July, the humidity can be very oppressive in the Midwest, and it can be horribly hot in this part of the country, but this weekend provided record low temps with race-start readings in the mid to upper 40s.  Wow!

Short version.  I finished, with a time of 2:11:48.  While this is no where my PR of 1:59:29, it's also a lot better than my PW of 2:24 from last month.

Long version:  I'm in the midst of a training plan to run a full marathon (maybe, we'll see), but hurt my ITB a couple of months ago, and have been slowly battling back ever since.  And, I've been making slow progress (see previous blog entries), and have shaved 13 minutes off my injured time of 2:24, with a race finish time today of 2:11:48.  I'm OK with that, it was good for me since I was just using this as a long training run anyhow.

The race today took place around Lake Okoboji, in northwest Iowa.  The race itself is extremely no frills.  Only the marathoners get finisher's medals (did not know that going in).  No bathrooms on the course, water stops are served off card tables and out of the back of pickup trucks, no post-race food.  The course was very scenic though, going through Iowa farmland, then through the neighborhoods surrounding the lake, with beautiful vistas of the lake, tons of boats, etc.  But the rolling hills were constant, and made the course pretty challenging.  I was a little worried about the race-start temperatures being pretty chilly in the upper 40s, and originally was going to wear a long sleeve running shirt, but a RW forum post steered me in the right direction.  Dress for mid and post race temps, not start race temps!  Thanks RW Beginner's forumites for the great advice!!

I only stopped once to stretch my ITB and hamstring around mile 9, and otherwise, ran the whole thing.  I also wore new Balaga socks during the race, and this was also the first race that I've run in the green Superfeet insoles.  My feet were killing me around mile 11, and I thought I was getting a huge blister, but no blisters when I was done, phew.

Lessons Learned: I was a little bummed when I learned that only the marathoners received a finisher's medal. I'm not a fast runner, and for this mid-to-back-of-the-packer, it's all about the t-shirt and medal for me.  LOL.  I know that sounds crazy, and it doesn't really mean anything, but I legitamately was let down when they had nothing to give me at the end of the race.  I guess it's my little momento of the race to add to my collection, and I couldn't believe I could get so hung up something so trivial.  I felt like a kid with no present under the tree at Christmas.  Geesh, am I that shallow?  LOL, I guess so.  So, I intend to buy my own running medal and have it engraved for this race.  You can buy generic ones on the Internet for $3, so not sure why the race directors couldn't pony up for one for the halfers too.

Second, when I run something like a half marathon, I feel a real sense of accomplishment.  Running 13.1 miles is not easy.  I felt so proud, as I have the previous 3 races.  That is, until I looked at my standings compared to everyone else.  I've openly admitted that I'm a pretty slow runner and I thought I was OK with that, but when I compared myself to all the other faster runners, it kind of makes you question why you're doing this.  I have to learn that it's not about the desination, but the journey (hence the name of the blog).  After every race, I have to learn to relearn that lesson. It's the journey.  Doesn't matter where you're at when you finished, the most important part is that you finished and put in your best effort.  I still ran 13.1 miles, even if I was in the bottom of the pack.  I'm a slow runner, but da#%@t, I'm still a runner.  Period.

Here are a couple of pictures:  The first is immediately post race, while waiting to catch the shuttle back to my car.  The second is an elevation profile of the race.  Rolling hills throughout.  I might have nightmares about those hills, we'll see.








Race on!

Another PT Visit

Another PT visit today, same routine, just a different day.  Full round of ionophoresis (ultrasound), an Empi patch (iontophoresis), and out the door.  Since the pain is nearly gone, I don't think I'll have many more visits, at least that's what I'm thinking right now.  It seems that I'm getting a real handle on the pain, what caused it, how to treat it, and how to manage it.  When I'm running, if I feel the pain coming on in the insertion point on the lateral (outside) of my knee, I just stop and stretch my left hamstring, and also do an ITB stretch for my left hip.  That usually helps keep the pain at a minimum during my run, and I can keep going.  The pain is much, much better than it has been, but still there from time to time.  I also ice my knee after every run, no matter what!  Keeping the inflammation to a manageable point is the most important thing.  There is no pain during normal activities, like bike riding, walking, etc, so as long as I just keep doing what I'm doing, I think I'll be OK!

Wow, Knee Pain is Much Better

I have to admit, my knee pain is improving greatly!  I think a combination of everything is working!  I was able to run this evening, 8 miles, without any pain until near the end.  Amazing!  Woohoo, finally on the road to recovery.

Today was also Independence Day.  I did have to work, and we had no solid plans for the evening.  It was a cloudy, drizzly, cool day today, so we decided to just do a BBQ at home, then go to a movie.  After work, I decided to "run" to the movie theater to buy tickets, then run home.  The round-trip was 8 miles.  We then had a great BBQ, and we all enjoyed, as a family, Ice Age 3.

Bottom line, I'm a firm believer in both phonophoresis and iontophoresis as treatments for ITBS.  They work!

Second PT Visit, Pain Improving

Had my second PT visit today.  Today, she did a round of phonophoresis with dexamethasone, which uses ultrasound (sound waves) to inject or enhance the delivery of the medicine into my ITB insertion point. She also gave me another Empi patch with dex too.  The Empi patch is a multi-hour therapy, which electrically injects the anti-inflammatory into my joint over a 5 hour period (it's powered by a  ring of watch batteries).  This, in combination of Aleve twice a day, along with the various stretches that she has given me, and continued icing of the knee after every run is really helping with the pain. I feel that I might actually me making a significant improvement.