My "Olympic" Training

While it is true that I have been glued to the TV every evening watching the Olympics, I have also been doing some of my own "Olympic level" training. Here is the last week’s summary of my efforts:

• Two one-hour sessions of deep water running
• Two physical therapy sessions involving running and intense strength training
• Two morning aerobic workouts, each of which involved an elliptical machine and some run/walking on the treadmill
• And the week’s finale—my “long run” (total of 4 hours and 15 minutes):
• 3 x 45 minutes + 1 x 30 minutes on the arc trainer
• 3 x 15 minutes of run/walking on the treadmill
• 1 x 45 minutes on the elliptical machine

As you can see from the above summary, I am slowly but surely starting to run. So now is a great time for you to enter my training mileage and race time contest for a chance to win a $25 Amazon gift certificates. Please look at this earlier post for more information on how to enter the contest.

It's Getting Better All The Time...

It has been two weeks since I have sprained my ankle. While I am not quite running yet, but I am happy to report (as I sit here with an ice pack strapped to my foot) that there is definite progress in the right direction.

I have been walking without crutches for over a week! I started physical therapy sessions last week, which have been extremely helpful.

Over all I have only missed about a week of training. I have started working out ever since the physical therapist has cleared me to go wild on a stationery bike or an elliptical machine last Tuesday. My scheduled 13 mile run last weekend became a 2 hour and 15 minute workout on a bike and an arc trainer. Boring--yes, but so worth it.

While my foot continues to display a wide range of blues and purples, I feel very optimistic!

Everyone around me--my family, my friends and my colleagues--has been extremely supportive, and I am infinitely thankful to you all! My blues is over. I am excited and optimistic. I hope to begin the transition back to running very soon.

The Gym Marathon

To make up for not running, I simulated my 3rd 20 mile run by doing 4 hours and 15 minutes worth of other aerobic exercises at the gym today--about an hour and a half on an arc trainer, followed by about an hour and 15 minutes on an elliptical machine, and then another hour and a half on the arc trainer. At first, I was beating my head against the wall, internally of course. People happily running on treadmills in the row in front of me were not too helpful. But by the 2 hour mark I have settled down. Perhaps it had something to do with being half way done. I have accepted my plight of working out without moving a yard. Gradually I have become somewhat amused by people like Jeremy "Twitcher" Something or Other jumping and twisting in the air together with his motorcycle on the mute TV on the wall. 4 hours 15 minutes is a good time--after all I only planned on going for 4 hours, but decided to push myself for 15 minutes extra. Very satisfying. Only 22 days to the marathon. I am psyched!

The Coming Weeks of Torture

Time has come to pay for my wonderful 20 mile run in DC. I was finally able to see a physical therapist about my aching IT band today. (With the marathon coming up in just 4 weeks, everyone in Boston seems to have lined up physical therapy appointments). And the verdict is (drumroll please):

• Yes, I will probably be able to complete the marathon--my chances are higher then 50%. (Am I supposed to be happy about that number? I suppose even a healthy person's chances to complete a marathon have to be somewhat less then 100%.)
• No, I should not run at all. While running 2 or 3 miles at a time will probably not hurt me, the risk of re-injury is higher then the potential benefit.

So from now on, potentially all the way to the marathon, I will be getting super intimate with the elliptical machines at the gym. I stand 0% chance to run my 3rd and last 20 mile run this weekend. While hordes of people will be scaling the grand hills of Newton, I will be sulking in the gym.

I thought 65 minutes on the elliptical was torture (after 7.5 miles on the treadmill) a week ago! Just you wait till I do it for 4 hours this coming weekend. I sympathize with the surrounding public. Any volunteers to spin your legs next to me and keep me company for at least part of the time?

Let me just say that advice is welcome, morale requires an uplift, and pity is intolerable. Good night.