10/14/2010

Three Things Thursday - the 'I'm falling apart' post

1. Your PT telling you that it's okay to run 50% of your planned weekly mileage (in the last week) with The Knee is a good thing. No pain during those runs is an even better thing. However...running - even when sticking to 50% and a slower pace - with an injury will automatically change your form to striding in a way where you avoid to put too much weight on the injured leg. More weight on the 'healthy' leg = that leg gets overtrained. This 'wisdom' hit me on last night's 8 miler. Great! And now my left knee has IT Band issues (shooting pain IT Band issues), and the right knee is still a bit wobbly (not too bad, though, the left knee is worse!). Yeah, guys, I'm pretty sure that my body is slowly falling apart!



Good news: this week is the last 'high mileage' week of marathon training, and after this week I get into tapermode. Unless this weekend's 22 miler doesn't work out, in which case I will give the 22 miler another shot next Saturday.

I never liked tapermode, but now I'm looking forward to it. Ahhhhh...

2. I don't know if I should love or hate the www.runnersworld.com forum. I really don't. Do you want to know why? All these runners saying that averaging 41 miles/66K per week in these last 12 weeks (peaking at 42-48 miles/week) is too low on mileage to even run a sub-4 hour marathon just make me feel bad. They even refer to 'averaging 40 miles/week runners' as runners that should consider themself lucky to even finish a marathon, because they consider averaging 40 miles/week barely enough to finish a marathon. All these negative responds are so depressing!

When did runners stop cheering for each other and stop congratulating a fellow runner for giving it a shot? Because, honestly, personally I feel this way: it wouldn't even come to mind to consider a 5-hour marathoner less of a runner than a 3-hour marathoner.

3. Days left till the New York City Marathon:


17 comments:

T said...

#1: Running is intensely personal and individual, and so much of it is genetic. Yeah, higher mileage makes you faster, but low mileage does NOT correspond with being slow.

#2: I don't know where these people get the time to run 80mpw *and* work full-time *and* post discouraging comments on message boards.

#3: Something we have to keep reminding ourselves of...: You are running *your* race. Hate to break it to you, but you're not going to win :) You are, though, going to run the best race you can run. You've trained, Christel, and you're ready, whether by their standards or not. Make 'em jealous!

Silly Girl Running said...

@ T: Bummer, I had my hopes set on winning. ;) And your right about the forum. So right. They must all be super humans. I can't come up with any other explanation.

Jen Feeny said...

Don't let those forum fiends get you down! Plenty of people run less than that and Sub-4. Ever heard of the FIRST program? Harder, Faster Workouts with minimal days training. I think it's like 3 days a week! Don't listen to them listen to your body and if it ain't broke, don't fix it!!!!

23 days! So exciting!!! Better start making dates with that foam roller and that ITB will be gone stat!

Silly Girl Running said...

@ Morgan: Getting myself a foam roller stat!

Kevin said...

Your ears must be burning because this morning I added a post about my knee issues. Maybe it will help you.

Kevin
http://halftriing.blogspot.com/2010/10/reducing-knee-pain.html

Silly Girl Running said...

Thanks, Kevin! Great post!

Clarkie said...

Here, here! Runners are a community to encourage, well said.

Anonymous said...

*poof*! I got the 403 error and there went my comment. Let me try this again....

My brother had IT band issues right around the time in his training that you are, missed his 22 mile run, finished his 1st marathon in sub-4 hours. You can totally do it, get a foam roller! He swears by it.

The Runners World forum is so disappointing to me, I was really happy to find a community where I could discuss my training, running, race, jitters, etc... but the negative remarks there (and they come super fast too, like vultures!) are out of line. I know the thread you are talking about, they really didn't hold back and it's almost like they don't care who they offend at times. My local running group though, they are so awesome!!! So I have hope that these forum people don't act like that when they are face to face with other runners at events.

Good luck in NYC!!! I can't wait to read all about it!

Emz said...

Love the 23 shoe photo.

I hate knee issues too. big fat bummer. This is why I treadmill run!

I always keep my miles between 40-52/week and I got my 3:20. To HELL with RW! ;)

hang in there - taper is coming soon!!!

Becka said...

Oh no... I'm sorry to hear that about your other knee :(

Um, I still have not done my 20+ mile run, and I'm certainly not averaging over 40 miles a week. Guess I'll happy dance across the line in Greece (if I make it there).

You're going to be fine... rest, rest, rest.

23 days??? Realy???

Zaneta @ Runner's Luck said...

I actually feel the same way about runners world forums! So glad it's a different atmosphere in the blogisphere! :D

23 days?!! Time flies!! I'm sure you're very excited!! :D Love the shoe pic ;)

misszippy said...

SO bummed for you on the knee issues. I hope it improves with rest and PT!!

One comment on those mileage comments on the forums--I have friends who have rocked marathons--like 3:15s, on only around 40/week. It all depends on the person.

Shellyrm ~ just a country runner said...

I hope the knee settles down with the rest-ishy week of running.

There are people who think only "fast" marathon finishing times count. To those people I say that anyone who puts in the time and dedication and courage it takes to run over the start line deserves to cross that finish line no matter how long it take them!

3 days...go by in a blink!

RunningRonald said...

van tapering wordt je groot en sterk.. dus happy taperdays

Silly Girl Running said...

@ Clarkie: Thanks! :) And thanks for commenting on my blog. :)

@ winelush: Will get myself a foam roller asap! I'm already using the Stick, and that kind of makes it feel better already.

@ Emz: I'm counting the days till taper starts! :)

Silly Girl Running said...

@ Becka: You're going to rock Athens! I'm sure! :)

@ Zaneta: You're right: the blogosphere has a positive vibe to it!

@ MissZippy: Thanks, that's what I needed to hear! :)

Silly Girl Running said...

@ Shelly: I hear you! It's the dedication and courage that make running marathons so special! :)

@ RunningRonald: Yep, I know! Zit me er nu al op te verheugen! :)