2013 Mini Goals: March: Build an Injury-Proof Body

"March Comes In Like a Lion" and yes, the lion is here!  The Runner's World article "A Month-by-Month Guide to a Fitter, Faster You" lays out monthly mini goals for the year and March's is to Build an Injury-Proof Body.

MARCH: Build an Injury-Proof Body

"'The knee accounts for about half of all running injuries,' says Robert Gillanders, P.T., D.P.T., O.C.S., a physical therapist with Sports + Spinal Physical Therapy in Washington, D.C. 'But knee problems are usually indicative of a weakness in the hips, glutes, and core. If those areas aren't solid and able to stabilize you as your foot strikes, your knees take the brunt.' Gillanders is a fan of simple exercises you can do anywhere... "  Read the rest of the article here.

The one nagging joint problem I've always had was my knees, even before I became a runner - but once I started running, unbelievably my aching knees stopped aching!  Guess all that exercise really helped (this is also one of the reasons I scoff at people who tell me that running is bad for my knees - they were worse before I was a runner!)  As for other ailments, fortunately for me, I had a very minor stress fracture in my right foot that I got when I was training for my first half, but I haven't had a running-related injury since (knock on wood!).  And I definitely want to keep it that way!  So I'm a big proponent of cross-training and strength training to supplement my running schedule.

Last month I re-started one of my most effective/favorite exercise videos: Chalean Extreme which involves slow and heavy weight-lifting, and finished the "Burn" circuit at the end of the month.  The "Push" circuit is up next, and what I'll be concentrating on during March.  So it's my own way of strengthening my joints, my legs, and my core.

I'm also going to try to make up for missing February's mini goal and try the whole cooking thing again...hopefully I'll have a much better showing this time than last...smh.

Q4U: Do you supplement your running with cross training and/or strength training and/or core work?  What do you do?

Where to Begin?

I have so many things I'm excited about right now, I don't even know where to begin!

First, RunDisney revealed the new 20th Anniversary WDW Marathon medal today!  It's in color, it spins, and it has two great Walt Disney quotes etched into it.  I CANNOT wait to get my hands on this thing!  I'm already anticipating bawling like a baby when I cross the finish line and receive the medal.  So many of my ROTE friends are running Mickey this year, too, so we're basically planning one big rolling party at the "back of the pack."  It's going to be epic.  Only 152 days to go!

 As an additional bonus, they also updated the RunDisney website - go check it out!  The new pages are much better organized and intuitive, with all the info you could want/need within a few easy clicks!

Second, Marine Corps is now only 75 days away.  10 weeks from this Sunday.  I have to admit that my excitement over this one is definitely heightened by fear.  The time requirement is still scaring the bejeezus out of me...  But when I start freaking out about it, I try to calm myself down by repeating the mantra of the marines "Earned Never Given."  And I know that if I can stand in front of a marine at that finish line then that will be a defining moment in my life.  That knowledge makes me excited for a weekend that also terrifies me - oxymoronic, I know, but hey - that's pretty typical me.

Third, my online running group, Running of the Ears, just made a "gear" order, and I bought a new tech shirt, a tech tank, and a logo Tshirt.  They look so great!  I took the new tech shirt on a 9 mile test run on Saturday and it felt comfortable and wicked wonderfully!  Looking forward to being part of the "sea of red" that ROTE promises to be at all the Disney races this year! 

Lastly, I still have a little bit of a "happy hangover" from San Francisco.  Rather than hanging up my two half medals and the "Half It All Challenge" medal on my medal rack, they are still sitting out on my kitchen counter, where I can see them and smile every day.  I'll even pick up the challenge medal and spin it a bit and it gives me the warm fuzzies.  Can't believe it's been two and a half weeks already!  And yes, I know I still need to do a race report - I'm using waiting on pics from my mom as an excuse.

And, oh yeah!  Training's still going well.  Nine miles last Saturday morning (should've been 8.5 per the map, but we missed a turn and had to backtrack a bit...ooops).  Last week I got in 3 bootcamp strength training sessions, my two short runs, and my long run.  This week I seem to be on track for another successful completion of my weekday training plan.  And...Saturday has a 19-20 miler on tap.  Whew.  That'll be a big hurdle to get over!

Houston, We Have A Problem!

You know what they say about the best laid plans...  So, um, yeah.  It was a no-go for running this morning.  I made it as far as putting on running clothes, getting on the treadmill, and doing my warm-up walk.  30 seconds into the first run interval, I realized: 5am on a Monday?!?  It just wasn't happening. So I switched off the treadmill, and turned instead to my upper body/core strength training plan and did a circuit of weight training.

So, the plan to switch to Monday/Wednesday running is probably going to get scrapped.  I'm going to use the rest of the week to try to figure out a new approach, but for now, I'm back to Tuesday/Thursday runs.

However, I got in some strength training today, so it's hard to complain about that!  And I liked doing a little bit of cardio beforehand - I think I'll definitely incorporate 10-15 minutes of walking prior to pulling out the weights from now on!

Today's stats:

• 10 min. warm-up walk
• 35 min. upper body/core strength training

Yoga for Runners

I did my first yoga workout EVER tonight, and I liked it!  A friend recommended the DVD Yoga for Runners to me last year - I bought it in October and haven't touched it since it arrived.  My New Year's Resolution this year is to do more of the "Stretch & Strengthen" that is on my training schedule for every race.  So, for the next training cycle, it's going to be my "go to" activity on strength training days (we'll see how much of it actually gets done).  I really like the fact that it's specifically targeted for runners, and especially towards yoga newbies, so  here's hoping I'll get a little more flexibility and reduce the risk of injuries while running!

Today's stats:

• 45 minutes of Yoga for Runners