Harsh Run Clinic

Tuesday's run clinic was harsh.  I sort of know why, and after our guest speaker after our run, I know what I did wrong.  In order to get to Run Clinic, I have to be up by 430am, so I can catch the first train into work, so I can be on the first train coming home from work in order to make it back and be ready to go at 6pm.

I didn't sleep well Monday night, so I was really tired Tuesday morning.  I went to work and I ate my lunch early as I was hungry so it was only 1130 when I had my soup and salad.  I ate my veggies and hummus at 130 and left work at 330 to head for run clinic.  I also didn't drink a lot of water after 12 or so.  Last week I drank my water as usual and half way through our run I was dying to use a washroom, so I figured I would avoid that this week by cutting down on my water intake after I had lunch.

I was tired when I got to run clinic at 6pm and on the schedule was 1:2 for 5 and then .30:1 for 5 until we made our way back to our start point.  I started out all right, and did pretty good for the first three intervals but I started to get a cramp along my shin.  That was not fun.  It hurt like the dickens and every step hurt.  I struggled through the fourth interval stopping just short of the 1 minute to start walking as my shin kept cramping.  When we hit the fifth interval I only lasted about 30 seconds.  I couldn't do it.  Kobie who is the assistant leader was hanging towards the back and asked if I was all right.  I told her my shin was cramping for some reason.  She said immediately, you're probably dehydrated.  Listen to your body and walk the rest if you need to.  I didn't really want to I did the first couple of the 30:1 but then decided that I did indeed have to listen to my body.  The cramp that had started to subside came back full throttle.  I also had no energy.  It was like I was moving through molasses.  I couldn't seem to get my body moving no matter how hard I tried.  As the group looped around to keep going, I turned around and headed back towards our start point, I walked up and down a couple of times until I saw the group heading towards me and then I re joined them for the cool down walk.

When we got back to the Store, Yoshi, our guest speaker was there to talk to us about proper nutrition.  What he had to say totally made sense and I knew why my body had slowed down, it was out of fuel. I had not had anything to eat in more than 6 hours, and your body can't exercise that way.  You need to fuel your body with simple carbs about 2 hours prior to exercise and that will carry you through about 1 hour of intense activity.

So what did I learn from this weeks harsh run?

1) I need to eat a piece of fruit on the train when I'm heading home, my body needs the fuel to keep going.

2) I need to keep drinking water during the day, and if I have to make a pit stop on my run, oh well, I make a pit stop.

6 ounces!

A couple of months ago I seemed to be playing around with 2oz, I would lose 2 oz, gain 2 oz, lose 2 oz and on and on it went.  Well....this time around it's 6 oz.  Since my weigh in June 21st to Friday's weigh in on July 26, 6 oz keep showing up, getting lost and reappearing!

I was up 6 oz this week!  I had a massive loss two weeks ago, followed by a little loss last week, so I was expecting to be either the same or a smidge down or a smidge up so I'm not too worried about the 6oz.  Add into the whole mix a lunch out at a restaurant on Thursday afternoon with some awesome volunteers, and having no ankles due to the heat and I'm actually glad that it was only 6oz.

I've always retained water easily.  Eat a pickle gain 3 pounds of water weight.  Get hot, lose my ankles and my fingers swell up.  It has been something I've been dealing with since high school when my feet swelled so much inside my boots that two of my friends had to cut the boots off of my feet for me!    A few weeks ago, the swelling in my feet got to be too much, I couldn't get a pair of shoes on to save my life and the water retention was causing pretty painful leg cramps.

My family doctor suggested compression socks as a resolution/aid in the whole thing.  I went to my local running store and picked up this snazzy pair of compression socks.

I love how they put a grey L and R at the toes so you would put them on the right foot!

I can honestly say I think it is the best money I have spent in a long time.  My feet have been so bad this past week, that I'm coming home from work and fighting to get them on, and once they are on I instantly feel relief.  The burning stinging sensation leaves and I'm actually comfortable again within an hour.  The other night in the middle of the night, my feet were swollen, my ankles were gone and my feet hurt so badly that I was in tears.  I managed to get the compression socks on at 2am in the dark and after about an hour was comfortable enough that I was able to finally go to sleep.

Today is another of those days.  I woke up this morning with sore feet and legs but I wanted to go for my walk with Angus, so on went the compression socks and I had a great walk.  We didn't break any speed records as Angus was not in the mood to do intervals today, although I did drag him along with me when I tried to run (tried being the operative word when you have a dog trotting along behind you moaning and groaning with every step).  After getting home and showering I was heading over to take my mom shopping and decided to just wear my regular old socks.  I don't mind the bright pink socks, but they didn't quite go with the blue shirt I was going to wear :)

Half way through our running around I told my mom that I had to stop by my house and pick up my socks for when I took her home.  My legs and feet were killing me and were so sensitive to the socks I was wearing that it was painful to walk. When we got back to my parents house, after hauling all the shopping in, the very next thing I did was put my compression socks on.  It was struggle as my feet were swollen but after a few minutes of grunting and tugging I finally had them on.  Within an hour, the horrendous ache in my feet and legs was gone.  I am so thankful that I finally found something to give me a little bit of relief.  I fully realize I need to go to the doctor to let him know that the socks are helping but that the swelling and the pain are getting worse.  It's been about a month since the severe pain started.  I just need to figure out what's happening with my poor tender tootsies!