Injured Runner: From FULL to Half to …..

March 31, 2015March 30, 2015 / Anna @ Piper's Run / 23 Comments

The title pretty much just sums up my running life.

I’ve been injured for 4 months, thought I was 100% and then ran outside a few weeks ago and hurt so much for a few days afterwards. Really, it was a blow I wasn’t prepared for.

Last year, I ran in 12 races! Twelve! I still can’t believe that. I also know each year is going to be different from the last.

All last year, I knew all that I wanted to run a FULL Marathon and would probably do so in 2015. January rolled around and I finally made the decision to run a spring marathon. That was quickly put off until the Fall since I injured my hamstring play soccer in December and have basically been in physiotherapy for 12 weeks. It’s hard not training for a goal you really wanted to do.

So, I decided to run the Bluenose Half Marathon as it was my first back in big race 2003 (10k) and first half in 2006. Since I injured my hamstring a few weeks ago, I’ve decided not to run the Half anymore and that just really sucks 😦

I was stressing over the training I missed and struggling to even catch up to where I should have been. After a good conversation with my husband, I decided 10k would be enough. It would be do-able. It would be stress-free. And more importantly (I hope), it would allow me a little more time to recover my injured hamstring.

Focusing on the “Just Never Give Up”.

I feel better about my decision to not run the Half and run the 10k. I still have a summer Half in mind and will look at that training plan soon. I have a double race in September – Tartan Twosome at the Maritime Race Weekend – 5k and Half Marathon. AND, I’m still hopeful that I will run the Prince Edward Island FULL Marathon mid October, if not the half.

I’m only allowed to run on the treadmill the last few weeks since we still have lots of snow and ice on our sidewalks and roads. There is no way I can run on the trails as they are covered in snow up to my head – this is no joke!

The plan is to start running outside again but do what I did back in January. 1-2km outside and then I run the rest inside on the treadmill. I will gradually get my hamstring back up to running 5 -10k outside between now and May 17th.

I’m planning on running a 5k in April so we’ll see how that goes. It will be more to test my leg and less time/PR focused.

Though I’m disappointed my running path has changed, I’m still running which is the important piece to remember. It’s hard watching others train for a half or full right now but I have to remember that if I don’t get my hamstring 100%….I won’t be running at all.

Plans change. Life happens. I just have to keep moving forward!

Ever change from one distance to another?

When’s the last time you felt behind in your training plan?

Would you push through the training plan and try to catch up OR re-evaluate and focus on a different distance?

Workouts and Running Life Lately

March 30, 2015 / Anna @ Piper's Run / 20 Comments

Guess What? We had yet ANOTHER SNOW STORM this past weekend! I know, it’s nuts! We went to Halifax to celebrate my Dad’s 69th birthday and arrived just before the storm hit. I used his snow blower which had a mind of its own, then had to shovel my driveway and my neighbour’s when I got home. Lovely.

ENOUGH WITH WINTER…….WE WANT SPRING IN NOVA SCOTIA, please and thank you.

Last week’s workouts:

Monday: 4 loads of laundry (What, folding that shit is an arm workout) – SICK KID 😦

Tuesday: 5k Great run on the treadmill, great pace 🙂

Wednesday: Nothing – Start of a head cold for me.

Thursday: Nothing. Super sick.

Friday: 7k on the treadmill – nice easy paced run at 8pm after the girls went to sleep. Head cold wasn’t awesome but I ran through it anyway.

Saturday: Nothing.

Sunday: Shoveled driveways…..YUCK. And ran 6k last night on the treadmill. My lungs weren’t too happy about it but it sure felt good!

My spring running plan has changed a lot. From wanting to run my first FULL Marathon to a Half and then re-evaluating that plan and making another hard decision. More to come on that in the next few days.

I still have pain in my hamstring. Never when I run or stretch but when I’m sitting too long. I bought an exercise ball for my desk at work but after pumping it up (sore triceps) it had a hole in it 😦 I took it back on the weekend and got a new one, hopefully it’s good to go!

I’m off to physio today and am thinking that it will be my last appointment. I figure after 12 or more sessions (12 weeks too), physiotherapy isn’t getting me to the 100% mark. I’m still in pain and it affects me daily. Yeah, I’m still bummed about that. So we’ll see what form of “treatment” I do next; Osteopath, Chiropractor ? I dunno….any suggestions?

How was your weekend?

Tell me your SPRING temperatures, please 🙂

What kind of treatments have you tried out for injury pain?

Physical Activity Break at Work

March 26, 2015March 26, 2015 / Anna @ Piper's Run / 25 Comments

One of my many hamstring problems is sitting. The longer I sit the more my hamstring hurts. It no longer hurts when I run or when I stretch but I can’t sit for more than an hour.

That can be challenging when you sit at a desk all day, have a three-four (or longer) hour meetings or travel for work. I’m trying to utilize our stand up desk every so often or I sometimes turn my desk into a stand up desk, which helps. Ideally, I would love to have a permanent stand up desk that is fully functional (moves up and down as needed).

Since I don’t currently have that at work, I’m trying to adapt my work space. I put soft foam balls under my hamstring to elevate it, stand up, set up a make-shift stand up desk and sometimes do little work outs.

Besides going for a walk to the library and getting the office post today, I’m giving this one a go!

I found this on Pinterest but it’s from Skinny Mom. It is more focused on burning calories at work but for me it’s a chance to get up from my desk, move a bit, stretch my lets and hopefully…HOPEFULLY, avoid any hamstring pain.

Do you have a stand up desk at work?

Ever do these types of workouts AT WORK?

How do you break up sitting all day at work?

That Time My Husband Convinced Me….

March 25, 2015March 24, 2015 / Anna @ Piper's Run / 20 Comments

To give his Vega protein shake a try!

Last Saturday I planned on running my “long run” once the girls got to bed. Hilary decided she wanted to party just a little longer and didn’t fall asleep until 8:15pm which meant my run started later than I wanted. C’est la vie!

I jumped on the treadmill and knocked out 8 kilometers. Yeah, I know, 8 might not be that much but with my injured hamstring that’s a lot for me.

My whole run I felt strong. I felt like I was running tall, you know…like I had really good posture. I was able to pick up my speed and slow down when I felt I pushed enough. I always try to run the last kilometer faster than any other, even if it’s just the last .5km and that felt great. Maybe it was my new pumps, who knows?!?!

Prior to the run I thought about making a smoothie as I bought lots of fresh fruit earlier in the day. Blueberries, raspberries, strawberries and bananas – yum. Honestly, I think that’s what motivated me to get through my run.

When I finished I message Sai and told him I finished 8k. He suggested I make a protein shake with his Vega powder. Hummmm….I dunno about that one, Sai. I really wanted my smoothie. After a solid 10 minute conversation back and forth I decided I’d go with the shake.

I’ve tried it before I really didn’t like it. Pretty much one of the only Vega products I didn’t like which was disappointing. Having said that I made a protein shake with the following:

Soy Chocolate Milk (Silk brand) – 60%
Skim Milk – Lactose Free – 20%
Vega Chocolate Protein Powder – 20%

Why did I break it up like that? Well, I ran out of chocolate milk and I didn’t want to water it down so I figured my lactose free milk would “fill it up”. With a gulp of it in my mouth, I found it wasn’t too bad! I actually liked it and couldn’t notice the flavour of the grainy-like powder. I liked it so much that I drank the WHOLE THING…600ml of protein shake!

Then I proceeded to lay on the floor for a while because I was SO overfull of liquid I couldn’t move. Lesson learned…don’t make so much.

Since we are heading to the city for my Dad’s birthday this weekend, I’m hoping to hit up GoodLife Fitness and might bring along my new favourite Vega chocolate protein powder with me. I will just remember to not make so much 😉

Do you drink protein drinks after running/working out?

What’s your favourite and why?

What’s the worst one you’ve ever tried?

{Note – Not a sponsored post by Vega. I just took the Chocolate Vega Powder from my husband’s stash, Thanks Sai!}