On going bonkers...

It's been an interesting few weeks over here. Basically, I was mentally ready to return to running and the weather was cooperating. But my body betrayed me. On April 1, like an evil April Fool's joke, something happened to something behind my knee. Yeah, it really is that vague and weird.

I rested 7 days, ran, and pulled up lame again. I rested 10 days and ran pain free for 3 miles. Healed, right?

So I rested 2 days, ran, and pulled up lame....again. Ugh. Fine, leg, I hear you. This time I'll rest longer: 12 days between runs. Not enough.

3 miles, 2 races scratches, and 1 excrutiatingly painful leg later, I conceded. I need to go to the doctor, but not before I rest even longer, say 3 weeks, and see what happens. 

I'm stubborn like that.

I haven't run since April 27.

In the meantime, I dusted off the ol' climbing shoes and harness and headed to the climbing gym for the first time in an embarrassingly long time. Twice in a 7-day period, in fact.

These things look practically new...

I've taught a ton of yoga classes over at Yoga District (but I haven't yet sampled anything in the tea lodge).

I even practiced Ashtanga yoga for the first time in over a year (and my hamstrings are feeling it!), and headed to Micheline Berry's workshop at Flow this weekend.

What I didn't do: I didn't run this 5K yesterday, even though I optimistically picked up my race packet on Friday.

I'm kind of going a little bonkers over here...

Fits, Starts, and (S)Puttering Along

First, the important stuff: I'm teaching a yoga for runners workshop on May 5th at Quiet Mind Yoga in Washington, DC. If you're in the area and have always wondered what yoga can do for your running, please stop by. Scroll down on the studio's "Workshops" page to register. Hope to see you there!

Now, on to my running.

Something is wrong with my right leg. It sucks.

Two weeks ago, it was deceptively warm after a couple of frigid weeks in D.C., so it seemed like a good idea to run home from work. Unbeknownst to me until I stepped out of my office, it was in the low 50˚s and winds were steady at 20mph, gusting to 30mph. Ugh. And brrr. Twenty steps in, my right ankle felt weird. I have freakishly flexible but strong ankles – the only time I've ever sprained one was when I tripped and tried to stay upright while running down stairs a decade ago. I actually tore a ligament there because you know, when it comes to me and soft tissue injuries, it's either go big or go home. Anyway, I figured the ankle would feel better over time. And it did.

But then the rest of the kinetic chain started falling apart. I circled the Washington Monument, a mere half mile into my run, and just hoped to get home because the headwind was pretty wicked. Then there was a twinge in my calf. Or my hamstring. I kept running. "It'll ease away if I ever warm up in this wind."

I went for about 2 more miles before calling it quits. By then, all the wrong muscles started compensating for whatever was wrong in my right leg, and my right knee was really, really unhappy. I limped home. Did I mention it was windy? 

Sigh.

Since then, I've been resting, mostly because every run I've attempted since then has resulted in a walk home. Even today. Not exactly inspring.

I've been trying to figure out if I pulled something or if something is weak. It's likely a combination of both, so I've headed back to Pilates. I've pulled out the foam roller. And the Yamuna Ball. I even picked up some calf compression sleeves.

It's slow going. The right leg and knee still feel pretty weird after about 2 miles, and now I'm seriously contemplating a DNS for the Pike's Peek 10K next week, which is a subpar way of starting off this year's races.

On the plus side, I'll be able to head to a yin yoga training that I had been trying to figure out how I'd be able to fit in to my schedule. Silver linings, right?

A Case of the Blahs

At the risk of sounding like the opening pages of either a self-help book or a memoir worthy of Oprah's attention, I've got the mid-March lack of running motivation blahs. The whole point of registering for the April 21 Pike's Peek 10K was to nip the blahs before they became full-blown, but the weather and daylight savings time have conspired against me. And so it's been 11 days between training runs. 

That's right. ELEVEN.

You wouldn't know it from this training cycle the last 4 months, but I'm a morning runner. And a morning yogini. And a morning skier, for that matter. Actually, the best way to get me out of bed in the morning is to tell me that conditions on the mountain are going to be stellar. 

When I was in Tahoe last month, my body was dialed into its circadian clock. I stayed awake for about four hours after the sun set and woke up as the ski lightened just before 7, all without an alarm. 

Then I came back east, where I'm at my desk at 8:30am and am still there at 6pm (and which is a whole other story).

And then daylight savings time started less than a week later. Remember back in the old days when daylight savings time started in April?? I do. I miss it. A lot.

I know a lot of people love that it's now light outside in the evenings when leaving work. But my body is pretty reluctant to wake up when it's dark after it's been growing accustomed to the sun rising before 7am. So for the month that it takes to regain what was lost with daylight savings time, I struggle to roll out of bed. Every. Day.

This means that my morning runs are non-existent. And the first 10K of the season is looming. The best I could garner this week was a cameo appearance at the Pilates studio during lunch on Wednesday, one active yoga class, and 4 miles in the Brooks.

*Big, huge, excuse-laden sigh (because, you know, there's nothing keeping me from running in the evenings).*

I need a running reboot. 

This week's workouts (to keep me honest):

Saturday - rest

Sunday - rest (see what I mean about the blahs? I can't even motivate on weekends!)

Monday - 90 minutes yoga

Tuesday - rest

Wednesday - 60 minutes Pilates

Thursday - 75 minutes yin yoga

Friday - 4 mile run