Hubby had pneumonia. Baby girl just left for the doctors after throwing up on the bathroom floor - due to her high temps and lethargy (flu??). That stupid mouse is still here - I've named him "Smokey" for his dark gray color. He avoids every mouse trap in the house - goes around them all. He SO lives here. And we had tornadoes and hail and thunderstorms off and on all day yesterday. Oh, and I haven't ran since Wednesday.
I returned to Shelby Bottoms last Sunday to do my 8 miles again - it was GORGEOUS out! I did the 8 miles in 1 hr and 27 minutes and I did the previous 8 miles at Shelby Bottoms in 1 hr and 34 minutes - PR!! I rested Monday. Tuesday I went out at 6:30 A.M. to do my run (it was a new weekly goal to go run one of my short runs right after my coffee - to burn the calories left in the tank) and it was a bit chilly. I felt like I was dragging sand bags around my ankles - I could not get going. My CardioTrainer totally screwed up again (I so need a Garmin!!!) and I realized that I better just get done what I could because I still needed to eat, get dressed and get Lucy to school. I ended up doing 2.25. Better than nothing, right? Until I realized that I was actually supposed to do 4 miles - not 3. Oh well. Wednesday I woke up with sore knees and a little pain in my left knee - right below it to be exact. Right where my stress fracture happened 6 years ago to be very exact. So, I went to the gym, did 1.5 miles on the elliptical, 2 miles on the TM and that's all I could do. I ended up taking not one, but two naps that afternoon. I was exhausted. So by Wednesday I was supposed to have logged 9 miles but was at 6. Thursday I went to Wayne and did a light strength training and then rolled out my ITB areas really good. YOWZERS! They are really tight and they are still painfully sore as I type this. Yesterday, Friday, I was supposed to do another "easy" 3 but ended up taking a rest day on purpose. I am taking another rest day today in hopes of being able to do my 9 miles tomorrow. However, the first words out of my mouth to my husband this morning were 'I think I have a stress fracture.' Really? Please no. I will head out tomorrow and see what happens.
I think today may be the day to take the plunge (pun intended) and do the ice bath. Or maybe tomorrow since today is a rest day. Here are some do's and don'ts I found on ice baths - didn't know there was such a thing:
- DO: Be conservative with water temperature as you get started. Most rehabilitation specialists recommend a water temperature between 54-60 degrees Fahrenheit. Consider starting a bit higher and inch this downward a degree or two each exposure.
- DO: Recognize that each individual will have his or her own cold threshold. Play within your personal comfort zone, and consider investing in booties (toe warmers made of wetsuit material) as your toes are likely the most sensitive body part to be submerged.
- DON'T: Overexpose! At the recommended temperature range above, 6-8 minutes should be sufficient. Unless supervised or you have history with ice baths, do not exceed 10 minutes.
- DON'T: Assume colder is better. Spending a prolonged period of time in water colder than 54 degrees could be dangerous.
- DO: Be aware that moving water is colder water. Much like the wind chill created when you ride, if there are jets in your ice bath and the water that is warmed at the skin's surface gets pushed away, the resulting impact of the water will be cooler than measured by the thermometer.
- DON'T: Assume 54-60 degrees or bust. Cool water (say, 60-75 degrees) can still be beneficial -- as can active recovery (very light exercise to facilitate blood flow to musculature)
- DO: Seek to simplify. Building a personal ice bath daily can be a daunting task. Look for a gym that has a cold plunge, or if you live close to a river, lake or the ocean, keep tabs on the current water temperature.
- DON'T: Rush to take a warm shower immediately after the ice bath. The residual cooling effect and gradual warming are ideal. Consider initial warming options of a sweatshirt, blanket and/or warm drink... but DO take the shower if you are unable to warm yourself.
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