Running Chick

According to the sports doctor, I have gastrocnemius and soleus muscle strains in both legs.  "Your symptoms are classic" he told me.  I'm happy to finally have an answer.

I was pretty sure it was relating to biking, but the doctor didn't think that was much of a possibility.  So, now I'm back to blaming it on my Burma Road run as I noticed my pain the day after that.  Or, it could be from dragging my tube in the Otter River.  James said he had some calf soreness afterward.  In any event, it's nothing major and nothing that rest won't cure.

He recommended I use a compression sleeve when I run in order to keep the muscles warm and stable.  After dinner I'll head out to the shops to try and find one.

As for the half marathon, I'm going to go ahead and do it.  I'll start biking again tomorrow, but will lay off the running completely. 

The worst that could happen is that I completely overload the muscle causing it to separate from the tendon and require emergency surgery.  No big deal, I have really good health insurance.
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Just kidding Mom!  Hahahaha!!!

Some notes for my Dr. appointment on Wednesday.

	Run (miles)	Bike (miles)
July 7th	15	7
July 14th	16	8
July 21st	4	80
July 28th	17	24
Aug 4th	8	28
Aug 11th	9	0
Aug 18th	0	68
Aug 25th	17	58

pain first presents itself on Aug. 4 run. Aug. 2 run was on an uneven, rocky surface.


Symptoms (day after running):

• pain in base of mid-calf (both) to base of calf which radiates down to heel (does not venture past heel or into foot/arch)
  
• tenderness on the inside of calf where muscle narrows, including some swelling (right leg only)
  
• Pain highest upon waking, lessens after moving around
• up & down stairs causes pain
• currently (day 5 of rest) pain exists, but is in a low level controlled by Ibuprofin
  

Treatment

• Ibuprofin
• Ice (20 minutes every 2-3 hours for the first day after running)
• Heat (20 minutes each calf before running)
• new shoes & insoles
• calf & hamstring stretching
• foam roller
• deep tissue massage
• arnica gel
  

I was able to do my 9-mile run on Sunday after four day of rest. It was purposely slow - my average pace was 12 minute/mile. Cripes, I haven't been that slow in ages. Of course, I did stop and stretch every mile, so that probably added to my slowness factor. I was supposed to run seven miles last night, and I only made it to two before I stopped. My legs are in bad shape.

I have pain which starts mid-calf and radiates down to my ankle. It's manageable with Ibuprofen, but only rest seems to make it go away completely. The day after a run, I can barely walk.

I'm throwing everything I can think of at this injury. I'm using ice, heat, I'm stretching several times a day and massaging my calves regularly. I replaced my shoes. I replaced my insoles. I'm taking Ibuprofen and Tylenol.

Nothing has worked yet.

I'm getting a deep-tissue massage this afternoon and I have an appointment with the sports doctor next Wednesday.

As I see it, I have two options.

Pull out of the HM completely. An option that's not looking too bad as I sit here with throbbing, burning lower legs.

Last year, despite all the b.s. I went through with the twisted ankle and knee and being under-conditioned and wondering what the hell I'd gotten myself into half-way through the race, I had a blast.

I really want to run this race.

So, option two is to completely rest for the next 15 days and run it. That means no running or biking. For 15 days.

It also means that I must seriously monitor my calorie intake so I don't gain any weight. Adios, cerveza. *weep*

I'm fairly confident that with that much rest, I'll be able to run (heck, I was able to complete 9 miles on four days of rest), but I won't be setting any new personal records. I suppose I could just attempt to beat my time from last year's race, but I was really hoping to do better than Eagle River.

But, 15 days of not doing anything? I'll go crazy.

Maybe I should take up knitting. Basket weaving? Embroidery?

Maybe I should just give up running.

What a depressing thought.