Friday, March 30, 2012

Walk, Jog, Limp, Run

I'm BAAAACK in the saddle again ...
After at least 2 months off from the gym I am now signed up at a new gym and running regularly again.

Well, I call it running, but it involves more rapid walking than it used to. I start my runs walking faster and faster until I'm running. After that I speed up steadily until I reach a speed I feel good about. Then I just hold that speed until I hit the 3 mile mark and try to focus on good form and holding a steady pace.

I know, super exciting, right?

But tonight I added a new twist of super excitement. I pulled a muscle in my calf. It cramped up on me during the first mile. But I'm stubborn. And stupid. And a relatively attractive woman was on the treadmill next to me. So I gutted it out, running over two miles with a heroic limp. Very impressive, eh?

Look at my awesome shoes ... ow, I hurt my calf!
I have steadily increased my speed in each workout so far, which is helpful since I'm trying to prepare for a race, but now I have an injury because I didn't stop running when I should have. Dumb.

So now I'm icing my calf and reading "Runners World" in hopes of finding some good advice for how to deal with this injury and get back to training. My first race is in three weeks.

Why am I so stupid?!
I'm also still blogging from my phone, so this is a real pain. You don't even know until you've tried it. Blah!

This works great!

3 comments:

  1. How freaking impressive is that?! You're doing so well.
    I don't exercise, so any time I read about people's exploits in the gym or running, I feel pooped...

    Blogging via mobile. Damn, I gotta try me some of that.

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  2. You're blogging from your phone? I can't even text successfully from mine, so kudos!
    As for the injury, I want to say "That'll teach ya for trying to impress sweaty treadmill girl next to you!" but I can't, not after the kind comments you left over at my blog.
    Feel better soon, hope the calf injury is one which heals very quickly!

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  3. Sandra, it's totally out of necessity. I don't really recommend it unless you just have no other choice. And I couldn't help trying to impress the girl. I'm a guy and that's just how we are. Also, I had come there specifically to run in preparation for a race so I was really unhappy about having this cramp during the first mile. I guess I was just stubborn. And for what it's worth, I have seen the photos you post of yourself and if it had been you on the treadmill next to me I would have tried to run twice as fast to show off. I'd like to think that I wouldn't, but I know I would. You look fantastic. I need to hire you to train me.

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