Well, it was quite a week! My ongoing calf issue refused to let go; I basically threw everything but the kitchen sink at it, and apparently something stuck. Let’s see how it all played out. But first- thanks as always to Kim and Deborah for hosting the Weekly Rundown!
Monday
Sigh. This was a rough one. I walked for a mile and then started running… and after a few minutes my calf pain returned. I completed 2 miles of running, but it didn’t feel good, which made me depressed for the rest of the day. Will this EVER go away???
Later in the day I rallied and did the four hip stability exercises from Brad Beer’s book.
Tuesday
I started with a hard leg day, including squats and Bulgarian split squats. Later in the day I did the Caroline Girvan deadbug workout. I also noticed that, unlike previous experiences, the calf pain I felt in my run yesterday did not continue into the next day. I was able to do heel raises, run in place, and also stretch the muscle with no pain. Hmmm… maybe there IS hope, after all???
Wednesday
All right, this is it. No more messing around! I taped up my calf and went to the gym for a treadmill run. I wanted to put a lot of focus on my running form, and also be able to stop and do something different if my calf hurt.
I walked for half a mile, then cautiously, hopefully started to run very slowly, making sure to pick my heels up behind me and keep my lower legs relaxed. When that didn’t hurt, I gradually increased the speed to a normal running pace, and then ran 3 miles WITHOUT PAIN. VICTORY!!!
I followed this triumphant run with bench press and some abs. Later in the day I did my hip stability exercises again.
Thursday
I started the day with an upper body workout at home, focusing on back and biceps. Later I did one of the hip exercises. There are four of them- two are boring and tedious, one is challenging but rewarding, and the last one I hate with my entire heart and soul. This one, of course, is for the piriformis, which is the main thing my PT wanted me to work on. Of course.
A couple people asked about this exercise, and I’m just going to show the photo from the book, although I’m sure Brad Beer would prefer that you buy it (sorry, Brad!)
It’s hard to tell from the photos, but what you’re doing in this move is externally rotating your hip, which is the action of the piriformis. It is so, so hard. You’re supposed to do 100 reps- I get to 30 and want to start crying. I can get up to 50, with some rest breaks. Obviously I need this one so I keep doing it- but I dread it every single time.
Friday
Let’s try running again! This time, I have my RunFloat harness, which finally arrived in the mail. The idea is to keep your arms moving minimally, and only back and forth. If your arms are flailing around (like mine) your hips are probably as well, and that slows you down and leads to injuries.
The jury is still out on the harness, but I did run for 3 miles with no pain. I don’t want to jinx it, but I think this calf issue is finally, finally behind me.
Saturday
OFF- other than hip stability exercises, including the piriformis torture.
Sunday
On tap- It’s time to take my run harness and taped up calf outside for a run! I’m excited to get back out there. And then later in the day of course there’s the Olympics! Swimming! Gymnastics! Diving! So much to be happy about- this week is ending on a high note.
How was your week? Are you watching the Olympics?
Top photo by Nick Fewings on Unsplash
45 Responses
I’m glad to hear that your calf pain is gone–hopefully for good. I get your reluctance to stop running while it calms down. Hopefully for good!
Yes, HOPEFULLY FOR GOOD.
I’m glad you included a photo of the harness, I was wondering what it was like. I’m so glad you look to be good to get back to proper running. Yes, I am watching the Olympics and enjoying the short window when Australia is on top of the medal leader board.
Well your women swimmers kicked our team’s ass yesterday! I’m enjoying the Australian-American swimming rivalry.
I’ll write more about the harness when I’ve had more runs with it.
Yay! So glad you were able to run! I am sending good vibes for your run today, too. That piriformis exercise sounds hard! I should get that book!
We have been watching the Olympics. Paul has been really into it which is fun to see! He got to watch the opening ceremonies at his summer program and then he wanted to watch it again with us that evening. I am trying to stay offline so I don’t ruin things for myself but that is easier said than done!
I know Lisa! I’m trying to do the same, so I can watch everything at night. It’s going to be hard. That’s awesome that Paul is liking it! My sister and I always watched the Olympics with my mom when we were little.
Yay!!! Happy running!!!!!
Thank you Birchie!
Yay for pain free running! I’m so happy for you! Oof, that stretch looks so challenging – I can’t imagine doing 100?!? But that point he made on the page about what you’re asking the muscle to do during a run really hit home. We are watching the Olympics! Lil Momma is looking forward to women’s gymnastics tonight and the Mr and I caught women’s canoe slalom yesterday.
We’re watching the gymnastics right now! Go Simone! Watching the balance beam makes me extremely nervous though.
It sounds like you have reached a turning point with your calf. I hope today’s run goes well!
OMG 100 reps of anything would be tedious!
Yes that’s true. I can’t think of anything I want to do 100 reps of (but especially this, ha.)
So glad to hear that you are feeling better and back to running. That harness looks interesting (and annoying??) looking forward to hearing what you think. I am not sure I get the glute exercise but I do know that is an area I need to pay attention to as well. Hope this week is a strong one for you!
The harness actually is not annoying- if anything I wish it were tighter. I feel like I’m still bringing my left arm across the midline of my body. But, you’re supposed to use it for six weeks. So I’ll do that and then report back!
That hip movement (pictured from the book) looks a lot like a move my PT had me doing last year. She had me doing the top leg, though, to work the hip a little differently. It was nearly impossible to find a place in my house suitable for the necessary “drop” (to be lower than where the bottom leg would be positioned). I do have a set of three ottomans that are firm enough to hold me (my bed was too soft and I kept rolling off the edge, LOL), so I’m gonna try to make this work. Thanks for sharing!!! I’m glad you’re starting to feel some relief 😉
Yes, I do it on the side of my bed which fortunately is pretty firm. I’m going to try it at the gym on a firmer surface though to see if it makes a difference.
Yay! This sounds like a week of very good progress, Jenny! I hope your run today went/goes perfectly.
Thank you Suzanne! I can’t say my run was perfect but it was good enough and I was RUNNING. Yay!
Hooray for getting in some pain free running- hopefully it stays that way. That hip exercise looks like something I need to try but i may need a video to explain what to do- not quite sure from the photo!
I’ll try to explain it better, and maybe do it at the gym and take a video of myself. That reminds me, I still have to do it tonight- ugh.
Yay for pain free run! something you are doing is right for sure, keep it up and hopefully it fixes the issue so you can return to running for good.
i am intrigued about the harness…. is it supposed to help to minimize upper body movement?
Yes, minimize upper body movement, and the idea is that your lower body will mirror what the upper is doing. It sounds good- we’ll see how it works.
That’s great that you are finally able to run without pain! What a relief.
So far I’m binging on equestrian sports for the Olympics. Other than that, we’ve watched the opening ceremony and some men’s gymnastics. I’m looking forward to watching women’s gymnastics once the whole family is watching.
We’re watching women’s gymnastics right now! I wish they would show more athletes in addition to just the Americans. But I’m enjoying it.
ALWAYS a big issue, right? I want to see more.
Yay for some pain free runs! Hopefully that continues for you!
I feel so behind on the Olympics because my race was yesterday so I missed the opening ceremony on Friday to go to bed early and haven’t been able to watch any of the events on my trip but I get back tomorrow so hopefully I can catch up. But I’m so glad I was able to race because it was up in the air for a couple of weeks due to a wildfire and the course had to change about a week and a half out from the race so I wasn’t sure what to expect but it went well and was a very tough but fun day!
Hooray! Congratulations- I want more details! About the Olympics- all you’ve really missed is some swimming and some gymnastics- there’s still plenty of that left. And track and field hasn’t started yet. You haven’t really missed anything.
I had no idea that a harness existed.
I am so happy that the calf pain is gone… fingers crossed.
I think this harness is pretty new. At least I had never heard of it until I read about it on Hungry Runner Girl’s blog a couple months ago.
I sure do hope that your calf pain is behind you!
We didn’t plan very well and are missing most of the Olympics due to our road trip.
Yes, I’m actually mad because my son and I will be driving all day this coming Saturday and Sunday- I’m going to try to get us started early enough in the morning to get to our hotel in time to watch some Olympics at night!
I am sorry you’re still dealing with calf pain but I am glad that the taping seems to help. I am also super-intrigued by the Float Harness. I had not heard of it. I am curious if you feel that it works/improves your form over time.
I had a pretty good week. I also had a long run (9+ miles, the longest in a while) and I participated in PeloFondo this weekend. So much fun.
Ooh, that does sound like quite a weekend! And- I’ll definitely be giving updates on the harness. They say you should use it for 6 weeks to change your form.
Oh yay that you’ve been able to run and found something that works! I’ve heard of arm movements making a difference for your form, but I had never heard about the float harness- very interesting. Your piriformis exercise looks like what my trainer told me to do, but mine is standing up. But 100 reps?! That’s a lot!!
I need to get my **** together about watching the Olympics. I love watching the gymnastics! But here we just got something that looks like summer weather of sorts, so I want to take advantage on that instead of watching TV.
I guess the logic is, you can’t put a harness on our legs, but you can on your arms, and if you control your arm movements it will change everything else as well.
I always watch waaay too much TV during the two weeks of the Olympics.
I’m going to order that book! So Brad should be happy, free advertising, but seems like a great resource to have on-hand!
Yes, it’s a great resource to have. I bought it years ago and still pull it out periodically.
That harness looks fascinating. I love how committed you are to tweaking your running form.
Yay for no calf pain. What a hassle that has been for you. Argh.
The Olympics!!! I am obsessed. Currently watching it while I type this comment actually (beach volleyball).
Elisabeth, I just watched Summer McIntosh (Canadian!) win a gold medal in swimming! I thought of you.
HOORAY for no calf pain! When I read Monday’s entry, I wanted to reassure you so badly that it would go away just to be reassuring… I’m so glad it actually did.
Thanks for the photo with the harness on–it seems like such a simple hack and so stabilizing.
Have been away over the weekend, so have not checked in on the Olympics like at all… but we’ll probably fix that today.
i feel like I’ve been watching SO much of the Olympics- but there’s still a ton of stuff I’m missing. Still lots of excitement coming up, like gymnastics and track and field!!!
JENNY!!! I did nothing but watch the Olympics all weekend. We watched gymnastics, a bit of diving, and the women’s street skateboarding finals. I am ALL IN. The opening ceremonies were weird, but then I got all choked up when they were lighting the cauldron (the old dude in the wheelchair – someone get him an UMBRELLA) and Celine Dion was strangely moving and woot woot! I will not be working out or reading for the next two weeks, obviously.
Hooray!!! Yes, it really is so much fun. And I’ve still been working out and reading a little, but sleeping less. Which is probably not good, oh well.
YES YES YES! I am so happy for you! You have done everything, and i am so glad something worked!
Here’s to many more apin gree runs!
Your perseverance and patience! Wow – so glad the calf pain is finally gone! I absolutely love the Olympics so I’ve been glued to the TV in the evenings – I’ve also folded more laundry as a result!