I’ve got another week down! Yay! I’ve been dedicated to my training for 7 weeks now. Kind of makes me feel like a ‘real’ athlete. That could just be the post Olympics rush talking. I’m no elite athlete, but I’m doing great for what I’m training to do.
You know, I really appreciate all of your comments on my posts and my training posts. You all are the best and I appreciate your support and encouragement.
So many of you have commented that you think I am doing amazing and to consider how well I am doing. That there are many people who can’t do what I am doing. I am very aware of this, you see just a year ago, I couldn’t do what I am doing. It has been a long road of recovery for me and I am so thankful to be doing what I am. I am so thankful my body is allowing me to take this journey.
In November 2010, I pulled my hamstring. It must have been a fairly significant pulled muscle because even with physical therapy it still wasn’t fully healed in January of 2011. I started trying to get back to some simple exercise at that time. One of the things I tried was yoga. I love yoga and have practiced it for about 10 years now. It is nothing new to me. In early January, I was doing hip opening yoga and something didn’t feel right so I stopped. Fast forward through 2 months of awful pain and pretty much relying on my husband to do everything while I sat on the couch. I finally figured out what was wrong (by I, I mean Dr’s figured it out). I had torn cartilage in my hip. I found out I have hip dysplasia and never should have been doing that type of yoga (though I still do yoga, just not that type) The torn cartilage would require surgery. (You can read a more detailed version of this journey here)
Initially, it was supposed to be a simple surgery with a few weeks of physical therapy and I would be back on the road. Once they started the surgery, they realized they needed to do much more than anticipated. I ended up on crutches not allowed to put any weight on my left leg for 6 weeks. That was fun with 2 young kids. Months of therapy ensued and an emotional roller coaster like no other. What a ride injury and recovery is, I don’t really recommend it, but I and many others make it through it. Maybe that is something I can talk about another day. During the recovery process my physical therapy got cut off by the insurance company because initially, they said I hadn’t progressed enough and after my final appeal, they said I had progressed too much and could just be fine at home. That is a whole other topic. So, last year in August I think if I remember correctly, I was allowed to walk for 5 minutes on the treadmill.
Um, yeah, I am fully aware of what I am currently doing and still find it amazing to look back at a year ago. I don’t for one minute take this for granted. I also know that at any moment, life can change things for you.
On the one year anniversary of my surgery, I completed my first 10k. What a great moment of triumph that was! To say that I am hard working and persevere through adversity might possibly be an understatement! Watch out world, when I’ve got a goal in mind.
Anyway, I am getting long winded for my training update this week. It is just that I feel like I am getting to know some of you and thought you might like knowing my story.
So, here is this glorious week’s training:
The only other thing I can think of to report about this week’s training is that the weather has been a bit cooler here. It has been lovely for running! I see my times getting a little faster this week and it reminds me that I used to be a faster runner before the summer heat hit. It gives me hope that I may be able to finish this half in under two hours.
I hope you have a fantastic week. Thanks so much for stopping by to see how my training is going.
Happy running to you!
Your story is such an amazing story. I was sitting here smiling just thinking of how amazing your journey has been. I wish you continued success in your training process. 🙂
WAY TO GO!!!! Keep at it!!! 🙂
Thanks so much for sharing this at The DIY Dreamer.. From Dream To Reality!
Crivens you have been through a lot. I wonder if I’ll ever jog further than 5k… maybe one day!
Yes, I have. I bet if you want to run farther than a 5k…you will do it. But I don’t think the distance is really that important. It is what you want and what you get from it that is important. For me, it has in part been about the journey of seeing what I am capable of doing. Thanks for stopping by!
Thanks for filling us in on the surgery/recovery, I had nooo idea. Makes your running even more awe-inspiring! Thanks for linking up with TEAM Friday, Stacey-Lee 😀
Thanks so much! Sometimes I feel in awe myself of the last 2 years…I was having one of those moments when I wrote this. Thanks for the TEAM Friday link up.
good for you! best of luck with your training!
Thanks!
I’m so jealous that you’re running so far already – I have yet to do a long run since summer has been so busy and my hubby works every other weekend… yikes.
Interested to know if you run the entire time or run-walk? With those times, I’m assuming running only?
In answer to your question, on my long runs I mostly run. It has been so hot and humid here this summer that I have done more walking than I prefer. I also have to stop to refill my water bottle on the long runs.
My short runs (the 3.5 mile) I am usually running the whole thing, but again in the heat this summer, I did a lot more walking.
Hope that helps.
Good luck to you with your running.
Just came over from SixSistersStuff! Love to see other motivated runners. I LOVE running and try to do at least 3 races a year. This year it happened to be a relay, and two half marathons. Interestingly enough the relay was way harder than the halfs, even though the same distance was split into two legs!
That is surprising that the relay was harder than the halves. It seems like the halves would be harder, but maybe it is the rest time in between that makes it hard to get back out there – or if your relay is like some I have heard of friends doing, maybe it is because you are running in the middle of the night and such.
Good luck with your running!
The relay was harder because it was literally running up a mountain and down. I mean 7-10% grades where as most halves keep it gentle around 3%. What do you do for your speed training?
Oh geez, that does sound really hard! Way to go at finishing that relay…one tough chicka to finish that!
For speed training, right now, I am modifying things because of my IT band. I have a link in one of these posts to the book ‘Train Like a Mother,’ in it they talk about strides as well as the concept of running as hard as you can for 10 minutes toward the end of a run. I am kind of combining those things together. I have picked out 1, initially, now 2 places on my run. I run as fast as I can for those 2 times. They are toward the end of my run. It seems to be working and it is fun, too!