Time to behave

After I do a race, particularly when I do well, I kind of, well, swagger a bit.

Just to myself... mostly.

I don't want to be one of those jerks who talks about running and races to folks who don't run or race and who would be bored to death to know my race splits (my pace for each mile) or that time when I had a, uh, mishap and I finished a race with blood smeared on my legs down to my socks. I mean, who would even blog about that????

Anywho, I didn't swagger much this week, even though I kicked some ass. I hobbled. A lot.

My quads screamed at me and I had to go down stairs sideways because it hurt too much to descend normally. My hips ached, my left calf ached. Someone at work asked me, um, are you OK, old lady? (OK, they did not say "old lady.")

My new physical therapist last week said, go ahead and race, but take the following week off. Of course by Thursday of this week I was like, oh, you know, just a little run... a wee five miles...

It didn't hurt but it didn't feel great. When I saw the PT today, my left hip was jacked up again. That seems to be the issue -- weakness in my hips and core, and my hips are no longer level, with my left hip hiked up and my poor leg complaining up a storm. Yes, my elusive, coy core is the problem. I do freaking work on it -- yoga, squats, lunges, etc, but apparently it's never, ever enough.

So now it's time to do the grownup runner thing. Take another week off. And put in the work.

We did a boatload of hip and core strengtheners today that kicked my butt. I've been doing my exercises every day for the last week. I'm going to go back to spinning classes this week, and do other stuff that is non-impact. Boo, I miss running already.

But...

I'm signed up for the Omaha marathon this fall. I want to be strong and healthy and run my ass off there, hills and humidity and all. My eye is on the prize.

***

... Just had to share this great email today I got from a former boss and a good friend. (When I started running a few years back, I told him I wanted to run a marathon when I was 40. He was incredulous, like, why would you wait till then??? Good advice -- don't wait to do stuff. Do it now.)

This was his response to my last blog post about my 2:03 half last weekend but missing my goal of breaking two hours:

"For what it is worth, youngster, my PR in the half marathon is 2:04:33 ... when I was 64... my last half marathon (at) age 66 (was) 2:37:45. Now THAT was a good indication that my PR days are behind me, and that's fine with me.

You, on the other hand, have plenty of races ahead before you look back on your PRs and determine that your personal record runs are behind you."

Yep, time to take the PT and the rest time seriously. I've got work to do, and lots of runs ahead of me. :) Thanks, friend!