Sometimes resting is training

Not much new on the running front, just working through my back/leg pain. I've been seeing my chiropractor at City Center Chiropractic, and I can't say enough good things about them. I've been seeing their new chiropractor, who is training for an Ironman triathlon the same day as my next half marathon. (Ironman = 2.4 mile swim, 112 mile bike, 26.2 mile run, usually within a 17 hr time limit.) Clearly she understands about training! It seems that I no longer have much back pain, but more soreness and tightness in my hips, probably from the limping I was doing during the back pain. She's been helping me with adjustments and stretching, and I have a lot more confidence, even if my legs are sore and tired. The good news is that it's not stopping me from running, I'm just running much more slowly. 

Last Saturday was extremely hot for our 12 miler. As one of my training partners said, "It was a character building run." I couldn't agree more. Waking up at 4:45 am (the day after my birthday) to get downtown to run 12 miles in 90deg+ heat takes some dedication. Our trainer also had us weigh ourselves before and after the run to gauge our hydration. I usually don't carry water with me, I just stop at the water fountains, but I figured this week since I was going slowly I would bring it. Even with all the refills of my 12 oz bottle, and stopping at the water/Gatorade stops on the lake, I still registered -3 lb on the scale after the run. That's a lot of sweating. I did have some pain, but it actually seems to get better once I'm warmed up. I walked a whole lot and I went pretty slowly, but I finished the miles and that's all I can ask for. I had an epiphany somewhere along the run where I stopped beating myself up for walking and just focused on covering the mileage. If I have to walk during the marathon, who cares? I'd love to run the whole thing, but crossing the finish line is more important to me than seeing what time is up there. And there's still 8 weeks of training, so if all goes well, I'll be back at my best soon. 

Earlier this week I traveled to North Carolina for work. I woke up early Tuesday and did 5 miles between the elliptical/treadmill. I would have preferred to run outside, but it was too dark and I had to make it to a jobsite. I was very close to rolling over and going back to bed, so I'm just glad I didn't skip it. I have to admit after the past week, where I've been really busy at work and struggling with walking, nevermind running, I've been pretty exhausted. Last night I had planned to go to the gym after work for some time on the elliptical and light weights, but I was just pooped so I went home, sat on the couch with Penny, knit, and watched the Olympics. I felt bad at first but if my body is exhausted, resting is probably just as good for me as any training. 

Taking tips from Penny, she sure knows how to rest!

Then this morning I saw some timely advice from an Active.com email, 10 Tips for Running Your Strongest Marathon. The tip on rest: "Some runners think they're being a wimp if they take a rest day. Or they think that somehow they're going to lose some ground. Nothing could be further from the truth. One or two rest days during your training week is vital and as important as your run days. If you don't allow the body some days to rest and repair, you'll risk overtraining and increase your chance of injury." Sounds good to me!

So tonight I'll do some stretching and Pilates, ready to tackle 14 miles tomorrow. The forecast looks amazing, clear with a high of 79 (FINALLY!), and I'm looking forward to a great run.