In Search of the Giant Ice Pancakes

I haven't run on the Lakefront Trail in over a month. Due to my injury, I was sidelined for over three weeks then last week I ran a total of 14 miles in 2 to 3 mile per day increments. That's not enough mileage for me to run to the lake and back. Then, yesterday, I read Xaarlin's blog entry and saw her awesome pictures and video of the "ice pancakes" that had formed along the shore of Lake Michigan. I knew that I just had to put some bigger miles in, so I could get back on the trail in search of these magical ice formations! So I took off for a long run with my camera to take some pictures and videos of my search for the elusive ice pancakes. That is, if I was lucky enough to come across some!

Once I reached the lake, the first thing I saw some ice fisherman in Belmont Harbor

and then I spotted something in the water...

My first Ice Pancake sighting! but they are kinda small and hard to see...

then I saw the skyline...

and the sun on the lake.

I also saw ice ladders...

and ice ladders and the skyline....

and even ice rocks.

Could these be ice marshmallows?

Then I saw waves and ice posts...

and more waves by the ice posts...

and even an ice cable, but still no pancakes...

What's this? Could it be an ice pancake field?!

Yes! A giant ice pancake field! Chock full o' ice pancakes!

Ice Pancakes as far as you can see..

I even took a video of the ice pancakes in motion:

After shooting that video, I went further north, and I came across this heart-shaped i.p.

Then I found a harbor full of giant ice pancakes. Wow!

My day was complete. I found the incredible ice pancakes!

The Plan is, There is No Plan

Things I did this week:

• Ran 13 miles outdoors
• Joined the Welles Park Fitness Center ($22 for March)
• Worked out on the machines and free weights twice
• Ran on a treadmill for about the fifth time in the last 10 years
• Swam laps at the Welles Park Pool for five hours

So, yes I have been running. Not much, but it's a start.  For now, my ankle can handle the low mileage. The big test will be to see if I can ramp up to something above 20 miles per week. If not, I will drop back down to 2 to 3 miles per day and just swim as much as possible to keep up my endurance. If my ankle doesn't agree to 20 miles/week, I will just lift weights and try to strengthen my ankle. 

So, my only goal is to not be injured on April 15th. I will arrive at the starting line of the Boston Marathon and when the gun sounds I will just try to finish the race by walking or running or a combination of both. 

I will endeavor to propel myself forward 26.2 miles collect my medal and then check the Boston Marathon off of my list. Then I will likely need a couple of weeks to recover!

Anyone doing the Get Lucky in two weeks? I am hoping I will be able to run/walk the half marathon to test my run/walk full marathon strategy. It may be a last minute decision.

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...