I run so I can eat Karelian Pies

As I am writing this, I am sitting at my desk at work with a “Venti iced skinny latte” whilst working those deep abdominal muscles (just call me the Queen of Multitasking). I swear that my stomach feels more taught already (I have only been doing them since Thursday – placebo anyone?).

Normally I would pick up a cappuccino from the coffee shop at the tube station on my way in but today I needed something cold and refreshing. I did a run this morning (I was out by 0515am) and I don’t think I rehydrated enough afterwards. So thirsty….

And oh my, things have changed in the weeks since I last did a run at dawn! First of all – the whole concept of “dawn” has moved hours into what I still consider to be the night. It was already light when I started running (I checked and the sunrise time in London today was 5am). What a treat! I love running in the (very) early morning light. But what I had forgotten to factor in was the fact that I was basically running on empty. I had pretty much nothing in my stomach – I skipped dinner and didn’t eat anything before the run. So I only managed a very slow 11.5km but at a run is a run. And I did 21km on Saturday again so I forgive myself for not pushing for another 5km at least.

The reason I had to squeeze this extra run in (Monday is usually my day off) is two-fold:

- my recovery runs on Sunday are banned for now. They have been pure misery with the bad leg so my physio recommended I skip them for now and just rest after the long run

- My son and I are flying to Finland on Thursday morning to see family (no time to run that day and who knows how running will pan out while we are there)

And to “get in the mood” for Finland, we had lunch at our favourite London cafe, The Nordic Bakery on Saturday. We always get odd looks when we waltz in (now, that should deserve odd looks) and order all the Karelian pies they have going. Most folks here seem to be happy with one but we need at least (!) 3 per adult and even my 4 year old has 2. I bet you are thinking they are actual pies but in fact they look like this:

Karelian pies, best served with egg butter

And then of course we had to have some cinnamon rolls and a blueberry bun… If I keep this up, I will have to book two seats for myself on that flight!

That has now made me hungry again…

So to distract myself from the rumbling stomach, an update on the “missing tip” fiasco. I haven’t yet received the new pair of Yurbud tips but I did finally manage to find the extra pair (in a larger size) that came with the headphones. They were in my sowing kit (duh, well of course!..)… They fit ok, so the disaster has been averted – for now. I still prefer the smaller size though (in the headphone tips only – get that mind out of the gutter!…).

So it is going to be a busy week. Tomorrow I will do a tempo run and have another physio appointment. I have been foam rolling like a madwoman to avoid the dreaded needles shoved into my thigh to “release the tension”.

And then there is the packing of course. ‘Cause that takes days, right? I am a little bit nervous about the trip – after all I haven’t been back for 7 years.. It’s the nerves, I hope, that count for the fact that my stomach has been a bit funny the past few days.

Yeah, definitely the nerves and not the norovirus that has been doing the rounds lately….

The tip that burst my bubble

Yesterday I had yet another session of physio. This was made interesting by the fact that we had a look at my abdominal muscles (or the lack thereof) with an ultrasound. The last time I had one of those was a good while back for a completely different reason. No – not a pregnancy scan but to check the uterus before my laparoscopy last year. This ultrasound is very different in that it doesn’t penetrate further than the layer of muscle and inevitable fat in the abdominal wall.

Unfortunately I don’t have any photos of my ultrasound but basically what you see is striations that show a clear division of three different muscle layers. And the darker the layer is, the more “worked” that muscle is. White stuff indicates the presence of water (and the need to flex that muscle a bit more). The layer that my physio was most interested in, was the deepest layer; the Transversus Abdominis muscle. This is the fecker I need to get working again in order to balance myself and to improve my core strength. The theory is that the hysterectomy; anaesthesia, the incisions, removal of the uterus, would have confused this muscle into redundancy. It no longer has to hold the internal structure in place the way it used to so it has been slacking off. I had to try and tighten the very deep muscles whilst on the ultrasound and it it was interesting to see the muscle being “pulled” when I finally engaged with it. So that is a huge part of my homework – working those deep transverse muscles.

Copyright to http://www.dynamicultrasound.org/

This isn’t my ultrasound but gives you an idea what you can see. “TRA” is the layer I need to work on 

The day was beautiful and I had a few hours between dropping the Monkey off to the nursery and the physio appointment so I decided to walk the 4 or so kilometers there. I was in my running gear as the plan was to run home after the hard work was done. Here is me eating a banana in Regents Park en route.

Ok, so you can’t see the banana, the park or me really so you’ll just have to take my word for it.

I did my physio and got ready to run home when… PANIC!!! A disaster struck – I had lost one of the headphone tips to my Yurbuds! I cannot use them without so basically I had no means of having music on my run home. You might as well have sawn off a limb and told me to get on with it. I have no idea when or where the tip was lost – I didn’t have the headphones in when I walked to the physio, instead I held them in my hand. I was really thrown. Normally I am in my lovely, safe cocoon when I run. I am aware of my surroundings but at the same time cut off in a way I prefer. I actually felt destabilised and unsettled – it was like running naked. No music, no time/distance announcements.. I know a lot of runners prefer to run like this but I can safely say I am not a member of that club.

But the problem wasn’t just this run but all the runs to come. Until I replace the tip, I will be running without headphones. As soon as I was through the door I was frantically tweeting Yurbuds and Wiggle (where I bought the headphones from) asking if it was possible to buy replacement tips. Eventually the UK division of Yurbuds replied.

So I emailed them straight away and hopefully I will be sent a replacement tip. If this is really true then this company gets A+ for customer service from me. I will keep you posted. I doubt it will arrive by my long run on Saturday so I will have to do this.. naked. *gulp* I really feel like I would rather run without clothes than without my headphones. At least I wouldn’t be able to hear the comments about my jiggling butt!

Pins and Needles

Another day, another appointment with my physio lady (the one with the needles) – well yesterday. She thought the movement in my hips was better (yay!) but my quads were still very tight (boo!). She had me sitting on the edge of the treatment bed, pulling the left knee to my chest and then leaning back onto the bed. The right leg was supposed to stay on the bed. However – as everything in the leg was so tight, the leg lifted a good bit off the  bed and my knee was in agony. If I didn’t believe her about the diagnosis before that, I did then.

And this woman has the best motivator for me to get my foam roller out – she likes to treat the tightness with needles. I told you about this before and yesterday was the round 2 of the torture. 3 needles into the thigh – apparently the pain is due to the tightness but I think it is actually from having needles shoved into your LEG! After that she massaged the leg and whilst it was painful, it wasn’t as bad as last time. Could it be?.. Could it be progress?!

We had a chat about my running and I think she gets me when I say I really need that weekly long run. And as it wasn’t too painful last weekend, she’s allowed me to keep it in but just forget about the recovery run the next day (for now). Makes total sense since it is the recovery run that is effectively me limping for half an hour in near-tears.

Tomorrow I have my rehab physio. She mentioned last time that we would take a look at my core muscles with an ultrasound to see how they’re doing. Sounds cool! She won’t be seeing much though – my core needs some effective help to get back to what it was before my hysterectomy.

So all in all, I think we are getting somewhere. I did a tempo run yesterday – just a short 10 min warm-up, 15 min fast, 10 min cool-down – as I needed to hurry to the physio appointment. My legs felt very tired but I managed a pretty good pace which I am pleased about.

Something that I know I really need to open up to is cross-training. My brother-in-law has recently found swimming with the same zeal that a born-again embraces religion and is pushing me to take it up too. I would have to take lessons as my idea of a technique is “doggy paddle hard enough to stay afloat”. Not sure that will have the desired effect… And it just seems like such a faff – going to the pool, changing, showering  etc… My time is precious. I am, however, aware that I need to work muscles, other than those in my legs, as well. Also, like the BIL said: “running bulks you up, swimming makes you leaner”. Not sure how to take that..

In any case, I am confident that with a LOT of foam rolling and keeping up with my stability exercises I will get somewhere. My issues are greatly due to poor core so I need to add more exercises for that and soon I’ll be back to my best again. That’s the plan anyway

 

 

A Blistering Performance

My physiotherapists has given up on me. Well, not entirely – she is still treating me (or I should say “they” as there are two) but the recommendation has gone from “try not to run for now” to “just do short runs”. But do I listen to this advice – do I hell!

In the past six weeks I have done a long run each week that has been longer than 20km. Usually I try to make it to 21km at least with the longest run having been just over 25km. This in addition to some shorter runs over the week. It has become something that reassures me that I’ve still “got it” despite the injury. And yes, I have been doing the long runs even with my gammy hip. It seems that if I take Neurofen a while before the run I can shrug the pain off. The first 20mins or so are not much fun but after that things get better. I do pay the price though in the recovery run the next day – especially as I run these without the pain killers. 30 mins of slow slogging in absolute agony. When on the long runs my head tells me: “You have been doing a long run every week, you are not giving up now. Not today”, on the recovery run it chimes with “You are such an idiot, why did you do that yesterday? Trying to cripple yourself?”.

Still, I am not giving up my long runs. Just can’t.

My physio has me working on the small stabilising muscles in my glutes. It seems that when we previously worked together (to fix the other leg) we did a good job in strengthening the big muscles so whilst I have the power, I am a bit all over the place (technically speaking). I do also think there is something very wrong in the hip – as I run, each step feels like it’s driving the hip into the socket. So I am going to take it easy during the week, try to give the hip some rest whilst I work on the physio and my “Leg Workout”. I will do everything I can to balance things out so that I can allow myself the “luxury” of the distance in the weekends.

It’s probably frustrating to read that (if you are injured you should REST so that you can recover – stop being so stupid!) so maybe I can lighten things up with a small product review:

I have a thing for running socks. They are relatively cheap to buy but can make all the difference whilst running. Usually it’s just about how “wicking” they actually are and if they are too padded for the shoes. Until I bought Nike Anti-blister socks last week and tried them on when I did my 21km run on Saturday. The result:

Sorry, I probably should have warned you. Foot shots at their best are unappetising but this one is in a whole other league. Not only do you get the mother of all blisters but also the scar from my bunion operation. (Bunions, hysterectomy – you’d think I was 74, not 34!)

I could feel something hurting in the foot as I was running but I thought that maybe the sock was a bit bunched up. I got home and did my physio, squats and planking and nearly fell on my arse when I finally took off my shoes and socks. I have never had a blister on this part of my foot before, and definitely not such a beauty of a blood blister. I can only pin it on the “anti-blister” socks. Ha – thanks but no thanks. And as luck would have it – it’s on the same leg as the bad hip. Whoopedoo! So folks – I would recommend you stay AWAY from these socks. (Not to be confused with the double layer ones Nike does, I haven’t tried those yet)

The season for insults

It seems that bare arms (shoulders especially) are provocative. That’s the only conclusion I can draw from the fact that since I started running in a sleeveless running top I have been suddenly subjected to honks, whistles and shouts. What is it with the arms? Are arms to the modern man what ankles were to the Victorians?  Or maybe the warming weather has turned all the men into feral beasts who think it is ok to subject female runners to their comments.

I am normally left pretty much alone when I run. I run in the morning and just tie my hair back into Pippi Longstocking style pigtails and my face is as it was when I got out of bed – bare, blotchy and pillow marked. I sweat and I curse. In no means am I an attractive sight but even then I have been safe from insults and howls of appreciation alike. Until the arms came out.

I know women who routinely have people slowing their cars when passing them, just to be sure that the runner can hear how the person in the car thinks they are “fat cows”. Why? WHY? What is it that these people think gives them the right to behaving like this? I assume they are sober since they are driving – so it isn’t a case of inhibitions diminished by drink.  Do women run with an invisible signs on their back that say “please shout abuse”?

I have spent some time thinking about what I would say to someone who had the nerve to shout abuse at me when I was out running. It is hard to respond in anyway as a) I wear headphones and have trouble hearing exactly what was said and b) the assholes drive away (cowards in their cars) before you even open your mouth to say something back.  BUT – in my head I challenge the butthead to run with me. Since they think my running is worthy of commenting on, then surely they can do it better? Come one, run with me, just for a kilometer and if you can do it you can shout abuse all you want. Just note that I will be running about twenty times that distance. Though anyone who has tried to run will never abuse another runner. They would know what it takes to get out there and to keep going. They would know the demons you have to overcome to put on those running tights instead of a pair of baggy pants and not care if your ass jiggles as you run.

Do you ever get shouted at when you run? Would you want to hear positive comments on your training runs or do you prefer people just kept all their opinions to themselves?

No pain, no gain?

I am so sorry for having gone AWOL again. I just hate it when life gets in the way of moaning about running injuries.

Where was I?… Oh yes, whinging about my banjaxed right leg. So since then I have seen a physiotherapist twice. There are two different types of physio at the clinic I go to; initially you see a manual therapist who will try to fix the issue and then (if you need it) you see a rehab therapist who will (try to) teach you to move better and avoid future injuries. They, and the concept, are actually brilliant.

Manual Therapist

As I said, I have seen the manual therapist twice now (last Thursday and yesterday). Annoyingly I limp into the clinic and then when she has me trying to move to incite the pain I can never feel it. My theory is that this is due to adrenalin as I am so nervous. At the first appointment she massaged my right leg and tried to release the tension that I seem to have there. And holy cow – it is TIGHT! She had trouble figuring out where the pain is coming from but it was quite clear that my hip isn’t doing too well. It keeps popping anyway and during one of the “manoeuvres”  you could hear this hollow “plop” every time I lifted my leg up. I believe she mentioned that she suspected an issue with the labrum but could be wrong. All I know is that ever since I had to do PE in primary school, my hips have given me trouble – they lock, pop and crackle. I am 34 going on 80.

The second appointment was… interesting. And when I say that, I mean bloody painful.  It started innocently enough with me doing one legged squats and her stating that my knee doesn’t track properly. Then she started massaging the leg and I started begging for drugs. She used her forearm to push down the side and front of the thigh.. hard. The she did some nice “elbow into the glutes” action. By now I was turning grey. But ha, the crafty woman had another weapon in her arsenal – needles!! I have had some acupuncture before at my chiropractor – it was painless if not a bit weird. But this time I had the needles (“only” 2) stuck to what felt like the muscle on the side of my thigh. Realistically I know the needles aren’t pushed that deep but I could have sworn they were jammed right into the muscle. My whole lower leg was in agony. And then she turned the needles – I started seeing a tunnel with a light at the end of it… It all lasted about 30 seconds but it was painful. Luckily she decided not to needle my inner thigh, she just “pinched” it (well, massaged but it felt like pinching).  I am normally pretty good with pain so I am have no idea why all this felt so unbearable – giving birth seemed preferable! After she had taped my thigh I was urged to book another appointment with the rehab therapist for later this week and another one for the torture next – like a calf to slaughter…

I left the clinic feeling like I needed a sweet tea for the shock but decided to treat myself to some new shoes instead – it has the same, soothing effect.

Running

After I saw the therapist on Thursday, she did tell me to take it easy with the running. I ran home from the physio, which is a very short 4km run so was taking her advice. As we had a long weekend here in the UK with the Monday off, I then did 5km on Saturday, 20km on Sunday and 5km on Monday. Well, I did kind of take it easy. My head needed that long run so I risked the body. I wasn’t even planning to go out for that long; it was a warm morning and I don’t normally do well in the heat. I went out first thing in the morning and didn’t even eat anything before – not. a. thing.  Luckily I had my water. By the time I had hit 20km I was beginning to feel like there was absolutely nada in the tank. The last time I had eaten was the previous day, not even that late. In a way it was interesting as I kind of understand now what happens to people running marathons – obviously they get it later in the game and have eaten before the run but sheesh – that wall hurts!

Also – my second toe keeps giving me hassle. About 5km into the run it goes numb but in a painful way. It helps if I curl my toes in the shoes but it isn’t really easy to run like that. I have no idea what is causing this.

My next run is planned for tomorrow, Thursday. I think I will do a tempo run on the track. That will ensure I keep the distance down but I will still feel like I have done a “proper” run if I can keep going hard enough during the fast run.

I have been discharged

By my gyno surgeon. He did a quick internal on Thursday last week and apparently things are healing well so he won’t need to see me again. He sends a letter to my GP after each appointment and I am always copied into them. In the last one he said

“I was delighted to see XXX today. I understand she did a 10K run only 16 days after her hysterectomy and was exercising only a few days after her hysterectomy. However, this is probably a reflection on fitness rather than anything else and she has done extremely well”

Made me giggle.

He did remind me of something that I had hoped was a joke – no sex until 12 weeks after the operation. 12 weeks!!!! 12! I am just under 9 weeks post-op. Three more weeks. That made me stop giggling. I suppose you really don’t want to mess with having the top of your vagina being held together by about 3 stitches so I won’t fight him on this one.

 

I think that just about brings us up to date. In other news, spring has arrived to London and we have had a gorgous, sunny and warm week. T-shirts, skirts and flip flops are out – though I wish people wouldn’t wear the latter (I am not a fan of feet).

Hope the sun has reached you where ever you are and running is going well.

And now for something completely different – music!

Just thought I would share a few songs that always manage to get my spirits up. Personally I cannot run without music. Sometimes it is about the lyrics and other times about the music itself.

Sufjan Stevens – Super Sexy Woman (A Sun Came!)

Sufjan rocks, he really does. The song is goofy and I love it for the lyrics. He has better songs though and especially the album “The Age of Adz” is pure gold.

Foals – My Number (Holy Fire)

I hate to admit it but I seem to have a very commercial taste in music. Well, sometimes the songs I like are a bit marmite and I am in a very small minority in liking them. But this song by Foals seems to be a hit and I loved it from the first listen. It gets my pace up when pounding the pavements.

Bruce Peninsula – Crabapples (Small Town Murder Songs Soundtrack)

The movie was… interesting.. but I loooved the music in it and before the credits were rolling I had bought the soundtrack on iTunes. Love it. Need to look more in to Bruce Peninsula.

Jookabox – Light (Dead Zone Boys)

“Dead Zone Boys” album by Jookabox – my best find ever. It is pure marmite though; you either love it or hate it. I love it. When I first heard “Light” I couldn’t stop listening to it. The album is full of great songs.

Iron Maiden – Aces High (Powerslave)

Oh, how I love Iron Maiden. Yes, admitting that is probably very uncool but this is my kind of music. The first band I EVER listened to was Guns ‘N Roses so what did you expect. This song is amazing for running. Another good running song (well, they all work) is “Run to the Hills” from “Number of the Beast”