Course pédestre de Renens 2011

After a couple of pain free 5-kilometer training runs, I decided to enter last Saturday's 10K in the neighboring town of Renens. The course's four 2.5K laps suited me perfectly. If I felt any pain, I could just stop after the first lap; but I didn't need to! I must have repeated "baby steps" to myself a thousand times to help me concentrate on shortening my stride to avoid more shin splints. That meant I couldn't barrel down the hills as I like to. One woman in my age group had a bit of trouble keeping up with me going up the hill on the first half of each lap, then she would pass me going down hill. I decided to accelerate on the fourth lap to see if she could follow. She couldn't. I was able to leave her too far behind to catch up on the last downhill stretch. Thanks to that tactical move, I finished on the podium in my age group!

Gotta run...

Tables turned

This is the first year ever that Husband has run more races than I have. The last three Wednesday evenings I was the one looking for good spots to cheer from on the course. The first Wednesday was the hardest because I was feeling discouraged about being injured, the the next times it got easier. This week in Saint-Prex I clapped for all 1000 runners at the 1 kilometer mark, then for most of them again at 5 kilometers. Yesterday I got a phone call from one runner thanking me for the encouragement. It was the least I could do. Or I should say it was the most I could do.

Just what I kneaded

La Sarraz, Chavornay, Bussigny, Penthaz; all races I've had to sit out over the last few weeks due to the dreaded shin splints. I'm still not healed enough to run tomorrow evening at Saint-Prex, but I have hopes for Renens at the end of the month because of a conversation I had with a runner at Penthaz last. She told me her dad had read that you can speed shin splint recovery by vigorously massaging your shin with a rolling pin several times a day. It worked for him, so I decided it couldn't hurt to try (well, I guess it could...). After three days I started feeling the difference!

Hoping to run soon!

Now what?

It's been three and a half weeks since I last ran; probably my longest non-running stretch since Daughter (age 21) was born! Other times when I was sidelined I was able to do some sort of cross training, but not this time. This week I attempted rowing, which caused immediate pain, so I gave up on that pretty quick. I manged to ride my stationary bike without pain, but that evening I had to break out the ice pack again. So far, the only exercising I've been able to do safely involves a half liter water bottle held in each hand.

Anybody want to arm wrestle?