Week off running

Ozzy approves of naps and running less

Well, it's been a good few months of upping my miles, but I'm taking the next week off running. I've got the beginnings of shin splints so I want to see if a week off helps.

I've been worried about them for a few weeks.

I got the first pain a month ago. It was the first week I ran 30 miles—and probably too many miles on road. So I've been running more trail miles and decreasing my miles. It's not horribly painful yet, but I don't want it to get worse, so time off. I won't lose fitness in a week (I think) so I'll take the week off, and go to the doctor if necessary.

I blogged about a little bit of pain after the week I was in Florida. I had some pain after my nine mile run.

And last week, I ran 7 miles in the morning and then noticed the pain while walking around shopping afterwards. I took it so easy this week. I ran 10 miles. I scaled my miles way back. There was a little bit of pain during my five mile run, mild and at the beginning. But that's the only time it's hurt during my run. It usually hurts after my run.

Rest, Ice, Compress, Elevate. Or is that C for cat?

It's just an ache. I can take anti-inflammatories and I don't notice it at all.

I ran a race yesterday. No pain during the run. Some afterwards. It's achey. I feel like the front of my leg is bruised.

I feel like I did what I should have
• I run in new shoes from the running store (gait analysis done. I love the shoes!) So it's not worn out shoes.
• I followed the 10% rule ramping up my mileage. I was very deliberate (so hopefully not too much, too soon)

I do worry about calcium. I take a calcium supplement, but I worry about my bones since I don't eat dairy and haven't for 5 years. (I faithfully take a supplement.) I usually drink soy milk so I make but I've been extra diligent to make sure I drink a glass a day and get 100% of the calcium I need.

It could be road running? That I just need a break? Who knows?

In the mean time, I'm looking forward to a lazy week. And if it's still bad, I'll go see the doctor and see if I can use an anti gravity treadmill. At least if I miss running this summer, it's during the hottest part of the summer!

Fall tumbling

Being bendy on the trampoline.

Today was the first tumbling class of the fall semester. There were so many people in the class. During the summer it was usually 5-6 people. Twelve people was a big class. I think there were 17 people there tonight: some of the regulars, 4-5 acro people, a few cheerleaders, some college dancer/gymnast type people and a few guys who must do acro, parkour cheer or something, because they were flipping impressively.  

I had to redo paper work. Then it was stretching and drills (forward rolls, handstands, cartwheels, round offs). We did these in lines three people deep—there were so many there.

When it was time for stations:

I worked on my bridge kick over. I've been stuck on two rainbow mats, or about 3-4 inches for a month. Today, I tried on one mat, about 2 inches and finally got that. Hooray! Progress! I tried a kick over on the ground—and got it twice with a tiny push from Coach Megan. I guess next week, I'll see if I can do it without her. And then I need to work on going back to a bridge instead of coming up from one. 

I did some handstand drills.

Then I worked on my front tuck. Robert (one of the new instructors) piled the mats up to my chest and had me practice getting UP and getting my hips over. I think this is exactly what I needed to work on. So I did this, and did it and did it. He wanted to build muscle memory. Hopefully, this is exactly what I need. 

Goal: Front tuck by the end of the year, if not sooner.

I was a little overwhelmed by all of the people in the class, but I got to work on what I wanted to work on. I got some time with the coaches (there were 3-4 there).

Tumbling is my favorite class of the week. I wish I could do it a few more times.  And I'm thinking about buying a tumbling mat. If only there weren't so expensive. #takinguptumblingat31