You know how sometimes, you know you should be practicing gratitude but you’re secretly seething over the injustices of life? Well, last week I managed to truly be grateful and stop seething. Maybe it was because I was feeling sentimental over my son’s graduation, an event that shook up my world a little. Anyway, I’m linking up with Kim and Deborah for this weekly rundown- here’s how the week went!
Monday
Always a day off.
Tuesday
Ah. Since I thought my hip was feeling better I did a thirty minute walk and threw in a couple minutes of running, just to check it out.
Ouch. It was apparent that my hip wasn’t well enough to run. I didn’t have much time to dwell on it though. I came home, did a quick core workout, and got ready for graduation day.
Wednesday
Back to the pool for a 45 minute “run.”
Thursday
Here’s where I had a revelation- I’m actually kind of enjoying pool running. I don’t love it, the way I love running (I mean, I’m not insane) but it’s not so bad. This was my strength day, and I wished that I could do a pool run instead.
I had another revelation, which was that some of my strength work was stressing my hip. Actually most of the things I was doing- squats, deadlifts, anything where I balance on one leg, and also planks and pushups. I’m calling this a “hip” issue, but where it actually hurts is in the front of my leg, around the hip flexors. So pushups and planks were putting too much pressure on the area.
Friday
Back to the pool, hooray! I have all sorts of workouts now- I called this one a tempo “run.”
Also on Friday I made the decision to fire my doctor (the one who said this hip issue was nothing serious) and I called a new one, someone who was recommended by another runner. I made an appointment for next Tuesday, and felt like the problem was practically solved already.
Saturday
For something completely different, I did a 45 minute pool run. Ha ha. For this one, after a warmup, I did a workout of one lap (a circle around the deep end of my pool) sprinting, followed by one lap slightly slower, reducing the speed by a bit but still fast, then repeated that five times, followed by one recovery lap, and repeated that sequence four times. It sounds tedious, but actually made the time pass quickly.
Sunday
Long run day! In the pool, of course. I “ran” for 90 minutes, and really mixed it up speed-wise. I found a new gear I never knew I had in the pool, an all-out sprint that really got my heart hammering. I listened to a podcast for the first hour, then put on music for the last thirty minutes- kind of like I do for a regular long run. This was the best pool workout I’ve ever had!
All week long I’ve been thinking about how frickin lucky I am to have a pool. Seriously, I don’t know what I’d be doing right now if I didn’t have it. It’s pretty common to have a pool in Florida, but if you take all the runners in the world, the percentage of them who can strap on a flotation belt and step into the pool in their backyard is pretty low. No complaints here.
Anything special you’re feeling grateful for this week?
26 Responses
There’s nothing worse than having a doc who doesn’t “get” you or just tells you that everything is fine when it isn’t. I’m glad that you’re on your way to someone who can help.
And yay for pool running! I’ve never done it and probably wouldn’t try it unless I was injured, simply because I don’t have access to a pool. But it sounds like the closest thing to real running that an injured runner can get, and I’ve heard many success stories of having maintained fitness. Plus now that you’ve come to enjoy it, Murphy’s Law says that your hip is going to get better soon;-)
AH! GOOD POINT! Yay for Murphy’s Law! 🙂
Sounds like a good plan to find a new doctor. Especially if you’re not getting better! I hope the new one can give you some insight and help you figure out what to do. It really is nice that you have a pool to run in!
Yes, especially since pool running is the one thing that doesn’t bother my hip at all. Fingers crossed about my appointment this week.
You nailed it with that first statement. Yeah, I should be grateful that I can still run but inside, I’m seething…lol. Love when other people get how it feels to be injured. I am so glad you are getting a second opinion. Trust me when I tell you that most doctors will just take you out of your sport and not address the issue causing the pain. Fingers crossed you get answers.
Ha ha, I’ve spent plenty of time seething, believe me. Life is more fun when you’re not though!
So glad to hear that you are getting a second opinion. It can be frustrating when you feel like you’re getting the brush off, especially from a doctor. Happy to hear that pool running is still going well.
Thanks Kim! Yes, I’m looking forward to meeting the new doctor!
I love this gratitude post, Jenny! So much, I LOVE it!! It definitely sounds like the revelations made a huge difference in your attitude for the pool running. As you probably know, revelations like those have to happen on their own time table (for lack of a better analogy), but they make a lot of things crystal clear. Good for you 😉 I grew to love walking and biking (for very similar reasons) when I was sidelined from running…totally made those recoveries go much better (physically and emotionally) to have gratitude on my side. Keep on healing!!!
Yes, doing any kind of cross training (when you would really prefer to be running) is completely different when you’re actually able to enjoy it, rather than doing it begrudgingly. Hmm, I guess that’s true with anything in life! Running teaches us so much.
I have had this same hip issue before. I got prolotherapy and it really took care of it. Ask your new dr about it. Feel free to message me if you want to hear more. Pool running really is not that back in the heat of the summer but I get you it’s not the same. HOpe you feel better soon
Okay, I’m going to look that up and I’ll mention it to the doctor! Thank you!!!
You’re so luck to have access to a pool to do 90 minutes! That’s amazing. Good idea to shop around for a new doctor, there’s nothing wrong with that! Particularly for sports injuries, I feel like it really matters. Good luck with the new one!
Thank you Jessie! It was a tough decision to get a new doctor but this one comes with a great recommendation. We’ll see!
So glad you’ve found the up side to all of this. And I can’t imagine Florida summer without a pool.
Hope the new doc is great. Congrats to your son!
Yes, you know what Florida is like. Pools are essential!
You’re doing so great with your pool running. Love the creativity of your workouts. What a bummer about the doc you fired. I hope you get an answer soon. Congrats to your son! Such an exciting time!
Thank you Marcia! It is an exciting time (as you know.) I’m hoping the new doctor will have some answers for me this week!
I’m with ya – I’m grateful to have my bike when I can’t run. I saw a floatation belt at a garage sale this weekend – I should have bought it, just in case. I’m glad you are enjoying your pool work. I know what you mean – just going to see the Dr just seems to be healing a lot of times even if they only gave you a diagnosis!
Ha, I would love to know the history of that flotation belt- I jus picture someone getting totally fed up and shouting “I’m selling this stupid thing!” Hopefully I’ll be running again before I get to that point.
yeah having a pool is a real thing !! not many people have them here in NL (only pretty rich people with relatively huge amounts of land) so it’s really a great thing that you have it and can do pool running! I’m so happy that you have it!!
sometimes you have to fire your doctors. especially when it really doesn’t feel right anymore. glad you have a new one!!
Thank you Renee! I appreciate your support. I have high hopes for the new doctor!
Intervals in the pool = genius! Intervals always make the time go by more quickly so why not come up with pool intervals! I’m so sorry your hip has become such an issue and that you got bad advice from your previous doctor. I hope the new one can diagnose it correctly and get you on a speedy road to recovery!
Thank you Debbie! Intervals in the pool are a must.
I am honestly jealous of your pool! I am glad to hear it’s been useful during this time. Good for you for getting anew doctor. A doctor should be able to hear us and feel our concerns instead of brushing them aside.
Yes, I guess you would have been liking a pool last week- you’ve had a super hot start to the summer!