Work It Out Wednesday: I think I'm going to puke...

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So today I started out with my very first trip to the chiropractor. I was nervous as I've never been to a chiropractor before but this particular doctor had been to the Running Room and just about every runner I know has visited his clinic in the past. I wanted to go because I've experienced a lot of lower back pain recently, well even since being pregnant and constantly lifting Griffin up. I also want to prevent my knee from becoming further injured since I have so many races coming up. It turned out really well actually. He says that my back isn't too bad and that in about 5 treatments I should be feeling a lot better. This particular chiropractor uses the Active Release Technique so there is no "cracking" of the joints, sometimes you're not even sure they're doing anything. I was very comfortable and I don't feel very sore. He did some investigating with my left knee, where I have Runner's Knee, he thinks I may have also torn my Meniscus at some point. Of course I came straight home and looked up what that meant, nothing too serious but it was interesting to get a more definitive of answer of what might have happened to my knee.

I came home and did some spinning and then this evening I headed to hill training. I felt/feel disgusting, I was so ready to puke after the first 30 seconds up the hill but I did it. I'm not sure if it's the lingering flu or just the hill training itself but I still don't feel 100%. After hill training I headed over to Equilibria for my workout, it was a great workout despite how I was feeling post-hills. We did lots of legwork so I think I might be a little sore tomorrow. I feel my strength and endurance improving and I'm still losing weight. Of course I finished off my evening with some chocolate milk and now I'm more than ready to turn in for the night and get a good sleep!

GOOD NIGHT.

Runner's Knee

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It's been an off week for me, I can't believe it's already Friday and my first run of the year in Vancouver is the day after tomorrow. Hmm that sounds ominous. So yesterday I was at the doctors and I finally decided to have my knee looked at. Way back in October of 2010 when I ran my very first half marathon I injured it, I was never really sure what I did, I just knew it hurt like hell and I wasn't able to run with the strength I had in my training. Ever since then when I've been running, particularly during the months when my mileage has increased like last November, it starts to get pretty sore and sometimes I'm unable to run at all. Anyways, the doctor has diagnosed it as Patella Femoral Syndrome also known as "Runner's Knee". It will most likely always be like this and the only thing I can do is run less and change the surface on which I run. Well running less is just not an option, so I'm left with the second option and that is to change the surface I run on, well I can't do much about the races, those are all on the roads. She suggested running on a trail or the treadmill for my training... During the summer months, running on the trail is no problem, it's right outside my front door and the days are longer so I won't have to worry about being in the dark. As for right now, it's winter, it's pitch black by 6:00pm, and Griffin doesn't go to bed till 8:00pm which is when I run. At that point in the evening it just isn't safe to go venturing out on the trails. So the last option, get a treadmill or "dreadmill" as my fellow fitness bloggers call it. I'd actually really like a treadmill but now is just not the time for that, I've just spent a large amount of money signing up for all these races so there really can't be anymore running related purchases in the near future. So, I guess the aches and pains will just be something I will have to live with for now. It's not that big of a deal, I've survived the last 7 months of running pretty unscathed. However, I sort of wasn't expecting those recommendations, I figured she would suggest a brace and everything would be all better, I guess not. On the bright side, I don't have to wear a brace, one less thing to forget on race day!

I had some time earlier in the day before my doctor's appointment and I happened to be baby-free so I decided to take a walk as I have been really sore from training at Equilibria on Wednesday night. I happened to be in our old neighborhood and took a stroll by our apartment, it wasn't until I was standing in front of it that I realized I hadn't been there since the day we moved 3 years ago.

Sometimes I miss living there, looking out at the boats every morning. At times it was so quiet and serene and at others it was noisy and bustling, I guess that's what you get living in the middle of a city. I miss it but I don't at the same time. I look at how far I've come since that time, since my first training run on the seawall, my life has completely changed; I'm married, I have a son, things in many ways that I never thought would happen, not this soon anyway. 

So as I embark on a race weekend with the diagnosis of so-called "Runner's Knee" looming overhead I'd like to remember this: