For better or worse...

Perhaps against my better judgement, today I started my online ChiRunning beginner run/walk 5K program. I say "against my better judgement" not because I think the program is a bad idea, but because my left leg is still hurting (even at rest). I also decided to be super dumb and take Tylenol and Advil before I ran. I know how dumb this is, so I really don't need a lecture. I was considering postponing my return to the trail, but I was getting down in the dumps about my lack of running and it's such a beautiful day here in PEI! Again, no lectures required... I already know better. Getting back into it while I'm nursing an injury may be a poor choice, but it's a choice I've made (for better or worse). 
Anyway, I'm kind of impressed with the chi program. I did a Running Room program a couple of years ago, and it wasn't nearly as interactive and educational.  The program has 4 phases. 
In the first phase, which is 4 weeks long, you focus on technique. So, the main lessons are about the Chi form (posture, lean, full foot strike) and things of that sort. It's aimed at learning an efficient way to run and not hurt yourself. Obviously, this is my primary goal (particularly the avoidance of injury part).
Phase two is the conditioning phase, and the goal is to keep building on your form skills while increasing aerobic capacity. This phase is also 4 weeks long.
Phase three is enveloped in the last week of phase two (week 8), and it's the "event". In my case, the event is simply running 5K and not breaking of inflaming anything. No races for me :)
Phase four is the rest and recovery phase where the focus is continuing to run with an easier week and refreshing your goals. 
Each week on the program's calendar is laid out very clearly with the week's workouts. For each run, you get a couple of form focuses with instructional videos, and when you log the workout you can add any notes or issues you had during your run. 
You can also log workouts outside of the training runs, so I've been adding my swims in as well, which is pretty handy. It's nice to see it all laid out on the screen so I can track my progress. 
There are a bunch of other features too, but I haven't played around too much yet. 
As for today, my run was okay! I started off with the Chi body looseners (not to be confused with stretches), and the prescribed 4 minute warm-up walk. Then had my super easy run, and ended with the 4 minute walk and post-run stretches. 
Today was a run 1min/walk 2 min easy run. My form focuses were the full foot strike, and balancing weight on my feet. I also counted my cadence and was happy to find it's about 85-87 right foot strikes per minute when I'm running pretty easy. Eventually the goal will be to keep this cadence no matter how fast I'm running. I stayed at a pace slow enough to breathe through my nose the entire time, and really enjoyed it!
Unfortunately I had some pains in my left leg despite my dumb pre-run pain meds, but when I really focused on what my feet were doing, the pain stopped. I wonder if I've been heel striking all this time and never knew it?? 
Anyway, today's run was completely delightful and felt more like a meditation than a workout. I'm feeling really hopeful that this will help if I can just stay focused and not get carried away.
Now I'm going to go ice my leg and get ready for another swim :)

Bumps in the Road

There is something wrong with my body. Is it true that we evolved as a running species? Did we rely on our natural abilities as endurance runners to attain food? If so, then I'm darn lucky that times have changed. Had I existed prior to the agricultural revolution, I wouldn't survive long at all. The tribe would surely realize what a liability I am and leave me behind to be eaten by large cats.

As I mentioned in my previous post, I've been working on building up my running base lately. I was feeling very positive starting out, thinking that by taking it gently and thinking positive, I would be able to avoid injury this time around. Unfortunately, my body still seems to be prone to injury, and I'm starting to feel the familiar sting of failure.

I officially started my 100-up challenge on April 25, and although I did my 30 days of 100-up, I haven't  done my follow-up "after" run due to a couple of set-backs. 

A run in mid-May set me up for an achilles flare-up that has since settled out quite well. I took a week off running then came back a little slower and re-vamped my running program. I'm chugging along now at a very slowly progressing program that I worked out myself. 

Things were going better until earlier this week when I started having some shin splints. They weren't too bad though, so I kept at the running, paying closer attention to my form, and practicing my "Chi Running" technique. A couple of days ago, I hopped down off a footstool and landed in such a way that a sharp pain shot through my whole leg, and things haven't been right since. I tried a little run yesterday just to see what would happen, and although the run itself didn't seem to cause too much pain, my leg THROBBED all day and night afterwards, and the pain was coming from the exact spot on my shin that I had hurt when I jumped off the stool.  Shoot.  No swelling though, so hopefully it'll be ok. Yikes. Obviously my big fear is that it's a stress fracture, but I don't really know how to tell if it is or isn't. 

My plan as of now is to take the next week off running and spend more time biking and learning to swim, then come back to running next week, a little farther back on my program. If the pain doesn't come back, I'll say a little prayer of thanks to the Gods of Running, perhaps sacrifice a goat, and keep on keepin on. If the pain returns, I suppose I'll have to seek the attention of some sort of professional.

I'm so glad I don't have to chase my food!