Hamstring Exercises and Stretches that work for me

                I have an injury and I've learned how to address it, on my own. Every time I'd sit for a long time I'd experience this dull pain in my hamstring and my upper back thigh of my right leg. 


           Two long runs ago, after 8 miles, I felt as if I ran any longer my hamstring would snap, and that is a scary feeling. I ended up walking the rest of that run. Then I remembered that this past year I had similar pain and it went away after I started stretching again. So, instead of running on one weekday runs I chose to go to the gym instead and after doing "arms" I did the hamstring machine:

and the squat machine to address this issue. 


As far as stretches, I love doing the hamstring stretch using a counter. 


and.....I also love the bend-over stretch using the same counter. 

 
I am very sure there are hundreds that address these issues but these are MY go-tos when this pain resurfaces. 

Grateful for the little aches and pains

                      We were driving to my sister-in-law's house to stay there for a few days for the holidays and I kept being distracted by the tightness on my back as I drove. The day before I had done weights again for the first time in weeks and my body was complaining. We were staying at my mom's and hubby and I had gone to use the gym near her house. But I don't ever mind my body's tightness after a run, or aches after a hard workout. It says that my body is working and that pain and discomfort are a sign that my body working hard to repair and strengthen those muscles I overworked the day before. More poignant, the pain and discomfort  also means I am alive, that I did something, that I got out. That is exactly why I names my Instagram account "Igettorun" because that is how I feel about it. The enormous gratefulness I feel by the fact that I GET TO move my legs, I get to move through the world, prancing around, like some young buck is a most wonderful, amazing gift. 

week 4, day 3...feeling strong baby

             It's sad when I think about how most women rarely get to feel the way I feel after a run. It's tough to describe the feeling exactly, but after a run, I feel a combination of utterly invincible, imperfectly beautiful, powerful beyond belief and just so blessed and joyful all around. Everything is right with the world right after a run, and one can think and make decisions with crystal clear clarity for several hours after. When people ask me about running, which RARELY happens by the way, but in the rare, rare occasions when they do ask me about it I always make sure to add in there that running is my anti-depressant, not only that, but I think of it as the love of my life. In describing it this way I can successfully communicate (in mainstream "America-speak") the importance and the intensity of the relationship. So yes, when asked about running I almost always bring out the intense, romance-speak to make sure to communicate just how essential this activity is in my life. 

      On that note, I had a GREAT run today. Not one part of my body hurt and no breaks were needed. It was a straight 6 miles, with the last two being much faster than the first 4. What more can one ask? 

             

Time off due to injury

              I am taking some time away from running. This is a first since I started running 2 and half years ago. It's a week long rest, that's what I decided. A week of 'just' going to the gym and letting my feet rest and heal a bit, while my heart still gets a good workout. No need to tell you all, it's not the same obviously. The feeling of pure triumph I feel after running is missing. I could walk out of that gym every day dripping wet and exhausted and I still will not feel 'triumphant' as I would running 5 miles. 

             I guess I could have just kept going. I mean, that is what I did last time I had some plantar fasciitis issues with my other foot.  I just ran right through the pain and came out the other end, a few months later, just fine. Since I began running it's been mind over body. But this year I am trying to have a different relationship with my body where the body has equal say over the mind. This year I want to stop making my body do stuff whether it want to or not, and instead I want to try to let my body actually have a say as to whether or not 'we' are ready. What does my body need. My body is screaming, "give me a rest!", all my major muscles have been permanently achy, my feet will not heal, and no amount of rolling, icing, massaging as been successful at getting me back to my happy runs. hence the week 'off'. As much as it pains me to miss out on my feelings of triumph from my post runs, I believe in the long run this approach will be better for my mind and my body. 

          So far it's been manageable. I let my hubby put the kids down while I run to the gym in my apartment building and work out my heart on those gliding machines for an hour. Most days I don't get wireless reception so I'm left starring at the screen count down (or up) as I try to avoid any and all eye contact the other people working out very very close to me on some other machine. The gym is a tiny gym. Literally about 6 machines in a 13'x13' room. The days I do get reception is a lot more manageable for I can watch a movie and before I know it the hour has passed. 

           Not sure yet how long this break will be. I see people running and I just want to get out there, but I'm immediately reminded by some annoying ache that I am not ready.  The wiser side of me knows I need to wait until my feet feel normal again. Then again, trying to decide it all now is not advisable, seeing as I am likely to change my mind many times over. Would love to know anyone's experience in transitioning back to running after injury.

Chaffing.....OUCH!

                
         

               The heat is bringing in a new sort of misery, chaffing. During my half last week I got this long chaffing mark right where my job bra had its stretch band in front. I did not notice it until I was in the shower and almost screamed from the pain. Next, after a 4 mile speed workout I got another chaffing injury where my compression shorts rubbed each other above my knees. Today for my weekly weekend 13 mile run I lathered on Vaseline everywhere I thought I would get a burned, but missed a few inches below my armpits where my arms rubbed against my t-shirt. I will have to do some more reading on how to prevent and ease these injuries that are side affects of long runs. In the meantime, vaseline has been a lifesaver. 

How changing my arm swing helped my calves....

           I always knew that form was important. It only makes 120% sense that form can make or break a run, can cause injuries or help prevent them. A few days back I had to actually stop running because my calves were so painful I was afraid I'd have an injury if I did not stop, so I shamefully walked twice during what should have been an easy 5 miles. I came back home and on one of my running podcasts that I listen to every morning, The Natural Running Network, I heard the show titled, "If It Ain't Broke' and Richard Diaz, the host of the podcast, mentioned something about arm swing. I thought I was doing an effective arm swing this whole time. I have read CHI running and from that was aware that arms are to be at your sides, etc...But what I was doing wrong was that my shoulders were going back and forth more than my arm. I mindfully paid attention to my arms the whole run and surprisingly had no calf pain. I think in some ways they are related. The fact that my arms were not pumping sideways at the elbows made me less able to navigate easily thorough space, making my legs do more work. Once I added the correct form for my arm swing, my legs did not have to struggle so much, and therefore I felt fine the entire 4 miles. 

Reluctantly will try yoga.....

          I am not the cross training type. I simply love running and wish I could JUST do running. But yesterday's 4 mile run was very painful on my calves. I am willing to give yoga a try to perhaps stretch those injured muscles. Here are the two sample videos I will be trying before I actually go out and get a book. Will report back how this morning goes.

Why I love running so much!!

   I have been trying to figure out why it is that I love running so much. In my attempts to unravel this small personal mystery I have been watching all these movies about running and following people online who run, read articles, magazines...on and on. In one of the movies, I don't remember which, one runner hit the nail on the head. She mentioned how in today's world, there are very few true feelings of triumphs we get to experience on a daily basis and she added that to her, running a long run and actually completing it brings out that feeling of triumph each time. After hearing this, it all made sense and I was then able to clearly understand why I love running.

          To me, running is a metaphor for life, yet, one that's encapsulated in a tiny microscopic hour's run. Life in a bottle is you may. No doubt the run somewhat begins as a struggle. At almost 40, my knees complain as I begin my runs, my ankles take a few blocks to adjust and not feel so achy. Yet, the feeling of triumph experienced after the run has ended far surpasses any struggle experienced during the run that it makes it all worth it 1000%. This feeling has been so incredibly powerful that I don't see myself ever not running again. This thing, this habit, this tool is now mine and I am keeping it as part of my life as long as I live. In fact, the other day, I had gone two days without running, things got busy and life took hold of all free time. I did not worry for I knew it was not gone. Soon, I began having this incredible urge to run that came from deep inside and would not let me off the hook. The feeling could only be likened to a nagging craving for something you can almost taste it. This craving won't go away unless fulfilled. It's become a bit of an addiction I'd dare say, for it only takes for me to even see another runner to again feel the need to go out there myself and feel the pavement beneath my feet. I have never been happier and more balanced than these few months of (almost) daily running and most of it has to do with the benefits running has brought forth in my life. I feel strong, healthy, awake, alive.....who would want to go back to anything else?