Running Chick

And just like that summer is over. I swear, the last time I remember, it was June and I was scratching around in Josh’s garden. Now, it’s cold & rainy, school is back in session and I’m wondering when I can mow my lawn for the last time this year.

What happened this summer? Let’s see, went camping a couple of times, was all HamSexy and did radio communications at the Kuparisaari Triathlon, took a trip to VA for Josh’s sister’s wedding, had a sick cat that almost gave me an emotional breakdown and rode my bike a lot.

I really didn’t run much between June & August. A few short ones here & there, nothing over 3 miles, most around 1 or 2. The myofascial release therapy seemed to be working, and then it just wasn’t. I was left with this mild to sharp pain behind my knee that just wouldn’t go away. Neither I nor the therapist could figure out if it was IT band or hamstring related because it seemed to keep on moving around in both areas. He worked on both, but nothing ever made it better. So, I basically stopped running for a few weeks and got on my bike.  I needed to get some miles in to prepare for my annual Ride Around Lake Gogebic, anyway, so it wasn’t a big deal.

A couple of weeks ago on a nice warm evening, I got the itch to do some trail running. I did 3.5 miles out on the trails in my old stomping grounds of Oskar Bay. I felt surprisingly fit and was pain-free. A few days later, I did six on the trails at High Cliff State Park in Sherwood, WI, still pain-free.  BTW, They have some seriously nice trails in that park, if you’re ever down there, check it out.

This week, I did a three and a five miler and had no issues. I have this crazy idea that it was the biking that helped me out. I’m sorta thinking that maybe I had a muscle imbalance and that biking ended up strengthening whatever weaker muscles I had and brought everything back into balance. Or, it could be because stopped using corrective devices (custom orthotics & stability shoes) and went back to neutral shoes (another post for another time). Or, maybe the Running Gods finally decided to take mercy on me.

Well, whatever it is that worked, I’m not going to take it for granted. I’m running and I’m happy to be doing so.