So I'm supposed to be conquering my running plan during a Minnesota winter. Trouble is, this hasn't been a typical winter, even for Minnesotans! This so-called Polar Vortex has killed me and my motivation. -25 temperatures with a wind chill of-45 to-60. It's so cold you don't even want to drive your car to the gym because it will ice over during the hour and half that you're in there working out. Then you come outside, damp from a workout, and literally could freeze and die if your car breaks down on the way home. Meanwhile, in my old home of California, it has been in the 70s and 80s and sunny. I try not to get home sick, but it's little hard when I can't even be outside here for 10 minutes. I feel very cooped up. I have actually day dreamed in the early morning hours of getting up and going outside for a run with the sun on my face, wearing just capris and a tank, down Apple Valley Road. It's an ugly running route to say the least, but at least it's warm.
It's been so great having all three kids here for the holidays, but we had two extra days of togetherness since school was cancelled for two days due to the crazy cold. Add to that the nagging hip pain I've been dealing with since before Thanksgiving, and you get a crazy mom who is cooped up in the house due to extreme temperatures and a sore hip. I've never dealt with a running injury before, and it totally sucks. I didn't realize how much I have taken for granted the fact that nothing hurt and I could just go out and run anytime. Of course, I hadn't taken advantage of that fact by actually running all the time. So now that I hardly have anything else to do, ironically, I can't do it.
So, that's it for the pity party, here are some solutions I have come up with:
1. I bought a foam roller. I have read online about runners treating sore hips by rolling them. I have to admit, it really does help. It's like having a message therapist at your beck and call. After using it for the last week, my hip isn't hurting now much at all. (occasionally twinges if I move a certain way)
2. I found a sports doctor. I have not made an appointment yet, because after using the foam roller and resting my injury (haha) it doesn't hurt anymore. However, I am prepared to accept the fact that it's likely to rear back up since I haven't actually done anything to change whatever caused it, just treated the symptom. And I'm afraid, treating the symptom. is the same thing the chiropractor does. Yes, I felt better after seeing him, but he didn't give me any answers on what to do to stop it from happening again, and even though it helped, he didn't actually make it totally go away. So, I did a little research, and I found a sports doctor that is in my medical group. It's a woman, a mom, who also runs and does a lot of activities. (according to her bio on the website) So, I'm armed with her info, and if it flares up again when I start training- I will call and make an appointment with her right away.
3. I found a training plan. Actually, I found two, but from the same source. I found the blog, Another Mother Runner and I liked the voices of the women who are behind it so much that I bought both of their books:
Run Like a Mother and
Train Like a Mother. They both offer a lot of good advice and information for a newbie like me, and I appreciate their honesty. In the training book, there are several training plans. I am considering the one for training for a 10k, and one for training for a half marathon (both have beginner and advance options, but it's the beginner options that I am looking at.)
The other plan I found is also through their blog, but it's an online group that you join with a live coach and other participants so you get feedback from real people as you go through the program. It also has a 10K and a half option, but it's not free. It's $110, but you do get some swag with it besides the valuable training advice, including a medal, tshirt and other goodies.
If I wasn't having hip problems I wouldn't mind putting down the money for the training advice and the accountability and support I'd get from the online plan. However, I'm nervous about putting down money and then finding out that I have to scale it back because of my hip and not be able to actually complete the training plan. Even worse, I don't want to join an online community, and then flake out because of an injury I had before it even started. I would rather join an online community when I can finish what I've started and possibly make some good connections with other mom runners in the process. I am sure they will do another online training session, and perhaps by the next one I'll be ready for the half marathon challenge, which is one I'd definitely want to pay money to get some coaching for. A 10K I can handle on my own (at least if I'm looking to finish- not necessarily PR). A half marathon- well, the word marathon is in the title, so I would need some hep with that.
4. I decided to go back to work (outside the home, and not including the work I do as a support manager for my husband's web company). I know this sounds contradictory to wanting to be in a training plan, but it really isn't. Truthfully, the more I have in my schedule, the more motivated I am and the more productive I am. I'm not looking to going back to teaching full time, they aren't hiring right now anyway. I am going to sign up to be a substitute. Frankly, I think it would do me some good to have more structure in my daily schedule, the money is always helpful, and I need to get out and see human beings. I am hoping subbing will work for me because I can turn down jobs on days that I don't want to go in, and I shouldn't have any work to bring home with me. I don't think subs do lesson planning or grading, I should be able to show up and do whatever plan the teacher left for me. I'll have some emergency lessons plans with me, maybe a file folder of word searches, but not the on-going lesson planning, disciplining, seating charts, meetings, BTSA, WASC, on and on and on. Just show up, do the lesson, go home and relax. I'll go sign up tomorrow and hopefully be able to start very soon.
I've also decided to get to the gym tomorrow morning and test out my hip. If it hurts after a treadmill run, then no bones about it, I'll call the sport doc. Here's hoping.
