Pain in my Butt

Yep, I've got another place that's hurting.  I don't understand how I could be injured when I have been doing hardly anything.  Can anyone explain that to me?  Last week seemed pretty good.  I was able to run 3 times (only 2 or 3 miles each time... but still it's something!) and did weights one day and yoga twice.  

I've been having these great ideas to help me maintain fitness since I can't run 10 miles at a time.  Like yoga, for example.  I have never been too limber and with those tight hamstrings, I seem to have this short stride that also contributes to my IT problems.  So yoga seems like the perfect cure.  I have to admit that I've always thought yoga was a little strange.  Not the whole connecting with the earth, relaxation part, but I mean, how could you possibly get a good workout by breathing and holding a pose.  Well, you can.  I stink at the flexibility poses but doing pretty well on the strength ones.  I'm hoping that elusive flexibility will come eventually.

  

For my next great idea I decided that I'd work as many hills into my 2 or 3 miles that I could.  I've been ending with this really long and pretty steep hill that kills my lungs about 3/4 of the way up.   I feel so accomplished each time I get to the top of that hill.  However, I think this is one of those "great" ideas that isn't working out to be so great because my rear is not happy with me.  

My lower back ached last week and I thought it was because I overdid it on my son's Ripstick.  I'm getting pretty good at this cross between a skate board/snowboard/ and surfing.  It requires a lot of balance, core strength and leg strength to just get on the thing much less trying to move yourself anywhere slightly uphill.  I spent over an hour on it one day riding up and down some gentle inclines.  It was so fun but I was sore the next couple of days in my whole core.  But now the pain from my lower back has moved into my butt and it has not been a fun day.  It really flared up on that big hill at the end of my run today.  I rolled it good with my foam roller while I did my IT bands, but I don't even know if that's going to help.  After sitting for a while, I'm pretty much limping back into a full walk.  Frustration doesn't even begin to define what I'm feeling.  Guess I better re think my "great" ideas.

This Report Sucks.

So I completely stunk it up last week and didn't do much.  I have this little boy who thinks he's my alarm clock only it's set to go off at midnight, then two and then be wide awake at seven.  I don't know quite what's happened but things have settled down.  What makes it twice as bad was that after a few nights I began to expect it, so I'd lay there awake until the first alarm went off and then still not be able to go back to sleep.  I was a walking zombie most of last week.  It's amazing how sleep deprivation sucks the life out of you and any desire to do anything other than conserve energy and find time to doze off.  So....as for last week, I jumped rope for 25 minutes, ran 2 miles, and then ran 3 miles all without pain.  It's a good sign.  But I didn't get in any weight training and planned to hike on Saturday but got rained out.  So I'd better do better this week or this pie I'm eating for breakfast is going to mold itself to the outside of my thighs.

Weekly Recap

Monday:  2 1/2 mile run.  Only slight pain in the knees.  Felt pretty good about the progress being made.  Plan to run every other day keeping the mileage about the same until there's no pain and then gently increasing.  Lifted weights.

Tuesday:  Used as a flexibility day.  Rolled the knees and hamstrings and glutes and quads and calves. 

Wed:  Ran 2 miles.  Lots of pain.  Walked quite a bit.  Was discouraged.  Lifted weights.

Thurs./Fri.:  Knees still bugging me.  Rested from everything except playing with the kids.  

Saturday:  Sat through a 2 hour meeting and knees didn't hurt.  Jump roped for 45 minutes and ran 2 miles in the mountains.  Only slight pain on the downhills.  Walked until it loosened up, never really hit the sharp pain mark.  Lifted weights.

All in all a good week.  I think I had pain Wed. because of rolling aggressively the day before.  I think I need to be more consistent rolling and not try to do it all in one day.  I need more patience, but I think those knees of mine are getting better.

Here's a shout out to my friend Angi who's running her first marathon this Saturday!  I'm so excited for her and I'm so proud of her.  She's a very busy mom who's really sacrificed to make this dream come true for herself!  Go on over and wish her luck! 

First Post surgery Workout

Since last week was all about recovery from my "minor" surgery, I didn't do a thing.  Maybe it was good I felt like I did because there was NO temptation to push the limits at all.  Housework was a challenge.  

So after two great days last weekend I ended up with the stomach bug on Monday.  Fun stuff.  Nothing like a gut ache after your stomach already aches.  Tuesday worked into being a good day and I jumped roped at night and played basketball and skateboarded a little with the kids.  I was so glad to be feeling good again.  I couldn't wait for the next day.  Wednesday I jumped rope for 5 minutes in between my sets of upper body.  I tried to take it easy but the whole day ended up being one of those non stop days and I knew by the night time that I'd overdone it.  My belly ached again that night.  Thursday I wanted to try running, just to see how my knee was.  But opted for a 6 mile power walk with a friend.  

So this morning was the day.  I ran for one mile, starting out slow and then pushed it the last 1/2 just to see what would happen.  Only a tiny amount of pain in the left knee.  I finished with weights and jump rope.  I've been rolling it out the last 3 days so I'll just keep going and hopefully it will work it out.  I've noticed the pain isn't as bad the last couple of times I've been on it.  I think the rest did me good.  

Now I've just got to decide how far to run in the meantime.  Do I go until it hurts and then stop?  Do I rest it completely and just focus on rolling it?  How do I work back into a normal routine again?  Anyone have any ideas?