Chicago Running Bloggers Beer Run Pictures

Today was the first annual Chicago Running Bloggers Beer Run and it was a blast. I got to meet many other bloggers for the first time and enjoy a run and a brisk hour in the cold wind talking to Maureen. That was followed up by some delicious Half Acre beer.  I ran 2.5 miles on my ankle and although is still not quite perfect, but I am glad that I did the run portion of the Beer Run. I think I'll swim tomorrow and reassess where the ankle is on Monday. No need to stress about it until then...

Anyway, it's getting late, so I'm just gonna post the pics I took. Feel free to repost!

We should do this again soon! 

Skiing This Morning

We finally got enough snow in the city for me to finally break out the cross country skis!  I had to get out early before too much of the sidewalk was plowed.

Skiing Down Montrose Ave.

Ski Tips on Montrose Ave Bridge

Horner Park Concession Stand

Chicago River

     

Horner Park

Ski Tracks

It was a great workout, on the level of a good run. I'm hoping for a little more snow over the weekend so I can get back out there!

As the Injury Fades Away...

It's been over two weeks since I last ran. Although it really feels like it's been over two months, since I keep missing all of my Boston Marathon workouts. I have been trying to distract myself from focusing every second on my right ankle, testing it every few seconds to see if it has improved. This has made the waiting worse.

The electric tingling and pains in my ankle have slowly been fading. I am thinking this improvement correlates to the loss of strength in my legs. After the tension in my muscles dissipates from under-use, my ankle is not under as much strain and feels better.

Nowadays, I mostly notice pains in other areas of my legs, such as the bottom of my foot, my shins, and my other ankle. I wonder if my high mileage was "masking" these other injuries which are now revealing themselves? Anyway, it is probably best for all of my joints and tendons that I am taking this time off. That way, 99% of me will be near 100% when I start running again.

I've been doing ankle exercises and swimming laps at the public swimming pool. Swimming is not like running in that you have to follow a tight schedule for lap swimming that the Chicago Park District decides upon four times a year. You just can't say, "I feel like I'll go for a swim", because the lap swim only happens about three hours a day on weekdays and two hours on the weekend. If you happen to be busy during those hours, than you are out of luck! However, a runner can decide to run at any moment in the day and just run. That's one of the reasons that running is the perfect workout.

I am resigned to not making a definite decision on Boston for a couple of weeks. I am just focusing on recovery right now. I just read a Runner's World article on training for a marathon in four weeks. I have a little more time than that, so there is still hope!

I hope to stop by the Chicago Running Bloggers Beer Run this weekend as it is only five blocks from my house.

Source: https://www.facebook.com/events/141602489329464/

I am toying with the idea of testing out the ankle on the three mile run. Otherwise it will be just beer. We shall see...

2013 Chicago Marathon Registration Fail

Have been trying to register for the last 10 minutes, and if I am lucky enough to enter my info, the next screen always looks like this!

Will I be shut out of 2013?

**** Update: As of 12:30pm the server is down. See below:

Looks like they were over-loaded, or they sold out and are blocking the rest of us from registering!

***** Update #2: Success! Registered at 12:50pm! Yay!!

Feels Like I Only Go Backwards

"Feels like I only go backwards baby, every part of me says 'go ahead',

 I got my hopes up again, oh no not again..." - Tame Impala

My Boston Marathon training has taken a few steps backwards. In January, I had taken almost 10 days off from training, thinking that that was sufficient time to heal my ankle. However it wasn't. I had to stop running completely because after I finish a run, there are tingling sensations in the entire left side of my right calf all the way down to the bottom of my foot. The issues are likely caused by an ankle injury I got when experimenting with new running shoes way back in December. My failed comeback attempt,taught me a few things:

1. Just because there is no pain, doesn't mean you've healed. Or, in the words of an athletic training director at UNC: “The pain of an ankle sprain can subside fairly quickly, but that does not mean the injured ligaments have healed.”
2. You don't have to stick to the plan. Just because I need to run to get miles in, doesn't mean it's a good idea.
3. There are no quick fixes. "Ankle sprains usually need more rehabilitation and take longer to heal than most people allow for." The NY Times.
4. Healing time is frustratingly open ended. Arbitrarily setting a definite time to return to normal training should not be part of any discussion. Derrick Rose was quoted in today's SI about his return to playing (after his knee injury): “I’m not coming back until I’m 110%. Who knows when that can be? It can be within a couple of weeks. It could be next year. It could be any day. It could be any time. It’s just that I’m not coming back until I’m ready.” Well said Mr. Rose. It's sad but true.

On the plus side, I am not in pain, and I am doing laps in the pool like they are going out of style. Unfortunately, the Boston Marathon is not held in a pool or even a lake. So, with each passing day my Boston race strategy is changing from a hard charging one, to a possible a run/walk combo strategy.  I am not ready to rule out my attempt, but I can cancel and be eligible for 2014 using my Chicago 2012 finish time. 

I am probably 50/50 right now. I won't make the call for a couple more weeks, but I won't resume running until I feel 110% (Just like D Rose). It could be in a few days or a few months. I can't do anything but wait...