Steep Ravine

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Well, except for forking over the money to register, I've chosen my next running challenge and my first exciting goal for 2016: A Steep Ravine 10K trail run. It's a brutal 3 miles up, so the 3 miles back down can only be delightful. My practice races during my half-marathon training were trail runs and I loved them. I had wanted to do this same course several weeks ago, but I wasn't running consistently and I knew I couldn't be ready in time. At least not to my liking. Lo and behold, here's a repeat event and I think I better do it. What a way to start the new year! I better pay the money and commit. Next? Choose a training program to keep me on target! I may repeat some early weeks of my No BS Run Club schedule since I KNOW that works for me. 

This post first appeared on Running Commentary

Running Commentary

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At the beginning of March I wrote THIS post about my false start with running. Well, I was a good girl and I did my PT and started feeling stronger, but some of the exercises caused me extra knee pain, and it all began to feel like a chore. So, I switched to a regimen of yoga+hiking+cycling and felt happy and athletic again. My knee was not so grumpy. I felt like I wanted to set a big fitness goal and get involved with some sort of group training or coaching. Originally I thought about a triathlon since I am having so much fun riding my bike, but then I decided to keep it simple. I would start with just running, make sure my knee was on board, and get reacquainted with racing. Maybe a little 5K or two. That was the vague idea in March, and now that my injuries were on the mend, I could stick to the plan...

Then I read about The No BS Run Club.

I always sort of blew off the idea of a half marathon because it seems soooo long. I wasn't sure I could do it, or that I wanted to do it, or that I should do it. I didn't even consider it until a few of my people started running them. And then it became something that I shouldn't do because everyone else was doing it. But something about that No BS Run Club hit me in the heart at just the right time. 

So I signed up, and it's going so well. I'm running a 5K next weekend. I'm running my first half marathon in July. I want all the running clothes and all the running everything. I want to be a runner. I AM a runner. 

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Kicking Myself

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I got new "kicks"! Get it? Kicking myself? Groan. Long story short, I have some minimalist trail runners that I love wearing..they are light and I feel quick in them. But I convinced myself they were making a knee problem worse. The more likely truth is that I have been rather complacent about some physical therapy exercises I was given back in November to combat my knee problem...patellofemoral syndrome, a vague but promising diagnosis. But a diagnosis doesn't fix it, especially when you don't follow instructions. For that, I really am kicking myself.

Long, long ago, when I was a consistent runner (which I'm aiming to be again...I think), I preferred trail runners because they were a little more rugged and seemed to protect me from rolling my ankle so often. I picked up these Montrail FluidFlex II because they were on sale, cool looking, and had good reviews. I thought they'd solve all my problems and my months of not doing the proper knee work would be irrelevant. So, of course, on my first time out with these, I did a major ankle roll while trying to fight through the worst, sharp knee pain. It wasn't an EPIC fail, but it was disappointing and frustrating. Problems decidedly not solved, with no one to blame but myself. So, it's ice packs, stretches, and strengthening for me...EVERY NIGHT. I think I'll reward myself with a run next week. In the meantime, walking, hiking, and biking, stiff ankle and achey knee be damned.

Anything you're kicking yourself for this week?