Coming Out of a Running Rut?

So, lately, racing and/or group runs have been some of the furthest things from my mind, ever since suffering from my weird, enthusiasm-busting shin insult.  (I am now not even sure that I should call it an "injury," since it seems to defy everyone's understanding of acceptable injuries.)  I have shied away from signing up for races or committing to even run with friends, because I have felt I couldn't trust that I would be well enough to run when said events rolled around.  Lately, however, I find myself getting excited again.

I wouldn't say the shin is 100-percent, however I do feel I have a better understanding of how to manage it.  The past couple of weeks, I have successfully gone on eight- and nine-mile runs, done speed work, and enjoyed some group runs without any long-lasting fallout from my efforts.  The shin is still sore afterward, but not lingeringly so.  I can even kneel on the floor without it bothering me.

I don't know what has changed, but a few things do come to mind:

1. I did start that hot yoga class, taking my yoga up to twice a week.  
2. I have been more committed to wearing the calf sleeves while running and for recovery after.  
3. I got the new shoes - the Cortanas - which I am really liking.  
4. And, ... I have discovered the softball.

This is the newest tool in my injury management tool belt.  My massage therapist was the first one to recommend it a while back while she was torturing me soothing my overtight muscles.  She is a huge fan of using a tennis ball or softball to work some of the deeper muscles and thought if I rolled one along my hamstring it might help with everything.  Well, not knowing which would be better - the tennis ball or the softball - I bought both.  As it turns out, the softball worked better for me.  (My dog really appreciated the tennis balls, though.)  I find it has been useful for rolling around on the hamstring - just like she recommended - and the calves.  However, I also find it useful for rolling my shin muscle.

So, rolling a shin muscle with a softball is not easy.  (Kids, you may not want to try this at home.)  However, I am finding that it really makes a big difference.  After my nine-miler on the trails last Sunday, I noticed the sore spot along my shin was really bothering me.  I grabbed my trusty softball (whose other great benefit is that it is HIGHLY PORTABLE) and decided to give the shin rolling thing a whirl.  Now, I didn't come up with the idea of rolling this particular body part myself.  PT #2 actually recommended I try it a while back with a foam roller.  (That was a funny appointment, as she got down on a foam roller to try it herself before asking me to do it.  She had to make sure it was even possible.)  Well, I did roll my shin with a foam roller a couple of times, but I didn't find it that helpful.  Sunday, though, with the softball, it was like magic!  It seemed to release whatever tightness was pulling on my shin (just below the knee), and I felt relief almost immediately.  Even pressing on the sore spot, it didn't seem so sore anymore.

I don't know.  Maybe it is just my attitude that has changed, but whatever it is I will take it.  I am getting excited about runs again!  In fact, I have three in particular that I am looking forward to in the next couple of weeks:

• This weekend, I am signed up for the Scheels Run for Home.  It's a home-grown event that is in its 11th year.  I'll be doing the 10K, but I haven't decided yet if I will do it slowly (a la long run pace) or try to kill it (inasmuch as I can kill anything).  It all probably depends on how I feel Sunday morning.  Being in early April, this race has run the gamut as far as weather is concerned, but this Sunday promises to be in the 70s and partly cloudy.  Regardless of how I run, it should be an enjoyable day.

• Next on tap will be a friend's birthday run.  She's turning 42 and has invited folks to join her for all or part of a 42K jaunt around a Green Bay trail.  I've never run up there and was hoping for ten miles that weekend anyway, so I thought I would go join her for some of her run.  I love celebrating birthdays anyway, and this seems like an awesome way to do it!  (Hmm, I turn 42 later this year as well...)

• Finally, the opportunity fell into my lap to join a team for the inaugural Run Away to the Bay relay event in a couple of weeks.  Originally, I didn't plan on doing it because of my leg, but now that my confidence is creeping up there, I am excited to give it a go.  This 55-mile relay should be a lot of fun, and I am really looking forward to it.  

Happy Running (again)!

So, what runs are you looking forward to in the near future? Far future?

Have you ever tried rolling a body part with a tennis ball, softball, foam roller, anything else?  What works for you?

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My feet have (finally!) found a new home AND Bondi Band Giveaway

And, we have a winner!  (Drumroll, maestro, if you please................)

Saucony Cortanas!

Ok, so anyone who has been following my blog of late knows that I have struggled with finding some new shoes.  I don't know why this has to be so hard, but it is.  After years of being told that I am a neutral runner who overpronates ever so slightly on one side - and, ergo, should wear neutral shoes - the most recent round of shoe buying necessity has found the situation changed. Now it seems everyone from my PT to the sales folks at the local running stores are telling me essentially that maybe I should do something about that overpronating-ever-so-slightly thing.  Huh?  Welcome to the search for mild stability, folks.

After over a year in the Nike Pegasus - the marshmallow of running shoes as I have come to know them - not to mention a year of trying to go more minimal, I was tasked with finding a shoe that offers mild support.  

I guess I could see the point.  There is that lingering injury thing, and I do overpronate a bit.  While this should not be a problem on most shorter runs, I want to go looooooooooong.  When I go long, my form suffers, and everything starts to collapse.  

Anyway, the search began, and, as it turns out, the tricky part has been that I only need mild stability - not full-blown stability.  I guess I would incur other problems with that.  To complicate matters, since I have been having issues with my right foot as well (my bigger foot as it turns out), I needed to find a shoe with a wide toe box, too.  Ugh.  

I ended up going to the local running store probably three different times to try on shoes.  Each time, the salesperson pulled out at least nine different boxes of shoes for me to try on.  With every one there was a problem - either I didn't like them or the salesperson didn't like them on me. Go figure.  Then came the Cortanas.  (Cue choir of angels singing.) As soon as I slipped these puppies on, I knew there was potential. Even initially, when the shoes I tried on were a half size too small (because that is all they had), they felt right on my feet.   So, I waited patiently for the correct size to come in, and I went to try them on again.  Again, my feet seemed to like them.  There was hope.  However, I made myself walk away for a few days.  I didn't want to rush into anything.  These are not cheap shoes, people!  In fact, my stomach still clenches a bit when I think about the price.  The company will tell you that the shoes will last 500-600 miles (so longer than your typical running shoe), and I have to say that is the ONLY thing that makes this acceptable to me - well, that, and they were the only shoes that felt good after weeks of searching.  

So, now I have worn the Cortanas four times, and I am happy.  The first two times I wore them for two miles each day and really noticed my lower legs working.  It was hard getting used to the 4 mm drop. The third day I threw caution to the wind and wore them for eight miles and felt great.  Yesterday, I wore them for four miles and barely noticed them.  We have a winner!

So, what are the particulars?  Well, they are technically considered a neutral shoe, but they have enough support to cross over into the mild stability category.  They are firm feeling underneath (so quite different from the Pegasus), but with a slightly cushiony feel to them over the firmness.  There are no overlays across the toe box, so I don't feel like my toes are strapped down when I run. (I haven't noticed my foot issue this past week!)  If I have any complaints, it would be that they seem to hug the ankle a little more than I would like, and on the right foot there is a piece of fabric that is poking down a bit near the base of my little toe.  I guess I'll have to see if that becomes an issue or not.  If it does, I feel confident that a piece of duct tape will do the trick.  So, we'll see.  So far, I am happy with these.  Hopefully, my body will be too.  Time will tell.

But wait, there may be another!  In the throes of my shoe-buying odyssey, I also tried on - just for giggles, you understand - this shoe:

Altra Intuition

The Altra Intuition is a zero-drop shoe that feels amazing on my feet.  It's not as cushiony comfy as the Cortanas by any stretch of the imagination, but it feels like it was cut to the shape of my foot.  Talk about room to spread the toes.  I actually tried these on in a full size too small, but the correct size is heading my way, and I can't wait to give them a whirl.  They are definitely not a stability shoe, but for shorter runs, I think they would feel amazing.  Anyway, I'll know more later.

So, now all that's left is to search for a good trail shoe.  (Deep breath.)  I think I'll wait a couple of weeks before starting that.

To finally wrap things up, here's a shot after a very hot, sweaty four-mile run yesterday.  

I don't know what is going on, but weather in Northeast Wisconsin should NOT be 80 degrees in March.  I guess I'll come clean and admit it - I like winter and I feel like I missed out this year.  Oh well.  

You'll notice that I am sporting a brand new Bondi Band.  I am not kidding, folks, I really like these.  Have you signed up for the Bondi Band giveaway?  It's still going on until March 24!  Sign up now!