Sucking Air

You know that deep, grumbly feeling you get in your stomach when you're suddenly really hungry?  After a good morning effort, it comes a little earlier than usual, and with slightly more vengeance.  You suddenly HAVE to eat.  You know that feeling?

I got it this morning...and I loved it because it meant that I ran! 

I love that feeling because it is always preceded by a run.  And today I ran for the first time since Rocky Raccoon 100, over two weeks ago.  It wasn't really pretty, per se, but I was moving, and that made me happy.  I saw my doc, Dr. N, and then my PT yesterday and both said I should try some running.  Albeit cautiously, and on a treadmill at first, but running nonetheless.  My PT had me run on the treadmill last night to see how things looked and it was fine, but I didn't count it because it was only 7 minutes :)  They had me run 30 seconds, walk 30 seconds, rinse and repeat, to see how everything felt.  Back of my knee felt fine, actually non-existant, so that was promising.  This morning, I woke up to the back of my knee feeling...sore?  I dunno, it felt like something, so I was a little concerned, but I'm thinking it was just soreness after being used for the first time in over two weeks :)  So, Geof and I headed down to the gym to play on the treadmills for a bit.  I followed the "rules" that PT gave me and did a walk run; Geof was running like he was on fire.  Starting with 30 seconds walking, 30 seconds running, I then moved up to 30 seconds walking, 2 minutes running.  I could feel the back of my knee creeping in while running and that was pissing me off, but it wasn't painful so I kept at it.  I was having flashbacks to RR100, and was getting sweaty palms worrying about my calf exploding to twice its size again.  Blech.  After 15 minutes I decided it was enough for me and I wasn't interested in causing any damage, so I switched to all walking.  But not just any walking...

Badass walking!  I wasn't doing some Sunday stroll on the 'mill, I cranked that puppy up to it's highest incline, 15%, and power-walked that biotch outta town!  I was huffing and puffing, and it felt amazing!  The knee was fine, non-existant once again, and I was breaking a nice little sweat.  It felt so good to move like that and really exorcise the demons.  I've decided that I want to add this into my Leadville training...put in an hour a couple days a week of straight speed-walking at 15% incline.  Take that, Hope Pass. 

My quads and glutes are doing a happy dance as I write this.  They are thanking me for taking them out and getting them moving.  You are very welcome, lower extremities :)

That's the story morning glory.  Hopefully, I can keep doing this and keep adding on and get back in the game sooner rather than later.  A muscle sprain is a weird thing, and a slow healing process, but I can't complain too much.  It's another excuse to get some ART :)

Crash, out.