One Small Step

Today I got through a few miles combined on an eliptical and treadmill, but I had to pause and walk for a bit because I heard my ligaments speaking to me. “We’re not keen on runnin’ right now. Hows about a breather, yeah?”
(they’re British)
I politely obliged and tried to relax. So we went along together for about half a mile. I ran another several minutes before they started whining again.
That’s gratitude for you. You take them out for some nice massages & physical therapy, let them go swimming, feed them some nice vitamins, but they still complain.
Brats.

New Challenge = New Theme Song

Well, I've decided to lace up the ol' shoes and try again -- this time for the hometown LaSalle Bank Chicago Marathon. This time, I turn to Whitesnake for inspiration, and if you can't get inspired by Whitesnake. . .

Here I Go Again

I don't know where I'm going
But, I sure know where I've been
Hanging on the promises
In songs of yesterday
An' I've made up my mind,
I ain't wasting no more time
But, here I go again
Here I go again

Tho' I keep searching for an answer,
I never seem to find what I'm looking for
Oh Lord, I pray
You give me strength to carry on,
'Cos I know what it means
To walk along the lonely street of dreams

An' here I go again on my own
Goin' down the only road I've ever known,
Like a drifter I was born to walk alone
An' I've made up my mind
I ain't wasting no more time

I'm just another heart in need of rescue,
Waiting on love's sweet charity
An' I'm gonna hold on
For the rest of my days,
'Cos I know what it means
To walk along the lonely street of dreams

An' here I go again on my own
Goin' down the only road I've ever known,
Like a drifter I was born to walk alone
An' I've made up my mind
I ain't wasting no more time

But, here I go again,
Here I go again,
Here I go again,
Here I go...
An' I've made up my mind,
I ain't wasting no more time

An' here I go again on my own
Goin' down the only road I've ever known,
Like a drifter I was born to walk alone
'Cos I know what it means
To walk along the lonely street of dreams

An' here I go again on my own
Goin' down the only road I've ever known,
Like a drifter I was born to walk alone
An' I've made up my mind
I ain't wasting no more time...

But, here I go again,
Here I go again,
Here I go again,
Here I go,
Here I go again...

Back to the Drawing Board

So the good news is that I may yet be able to run a marathon this year. The not-so-exciting-but good-for-my-injury-healing-process news is that it will likley be in October, almost exactly one year after I pledged to run a marathon in the first place.
Essentially, I must start over. I'm too rested (and not healed enough) to pick up training in order to run in San Diego in June. The next avaliable races are in the fall.
So what does this mean?

Pro: I get rest up stress-free
Con: I get resetless while resting

Pro: I can start running slowly with short distances
Con: Slow running is frustrating

Pro: I'll stay in shape this summer
Con: Bye-bye Friday nights (again)

Pro: Running in warmer weather loosens muscles
Con: Longest distances scheduled for hot & humid August/September

Well, we've done extreme cold. Let's see what the heat does for us.

Grasping at Straws

I'm a little superstitious.
I think that there are signs everywhere, I just don't know how to read them.

I was driving to work today and noticed that the car I was driving (rental) was getting exactly 26.2 miles to the gallon.
There were 2 gas stations on my route. Can anyone guess which?
If you said, "Marathon," give yourself a gold star.

Maybe this is a sign of hope.
Maybe I'm being tormented.
Maybe I just read too much into things.

And the MRI says. . .

"Happy Birthday! You do not have a torn meniscus!"
Oh joy of joys! When can we start running again?
"Two weeks minimum - and then only short distances."

What the MRI revealed, is that I aggrevated an old injury I never knew I had - and that I have ITBS fo sho.
This lovely couple will have me in a pool struggling through laps (thank God its only 3 feet of water) and doing rehab on a stair climber. Given my previous posts, it was only a matter of time before I was in rehab.

In the news department, this is a gray area. I'm glad its nothing too serious and that its "healing like it should," but I'm still pissed off I got injured in the first place.

So, dear readers (all 2 of you), I'm SOL for Nashville. The next possible event is in San Diego.

Hmm. . . Nashville is a little bit Country, but San Diego is a "Rock and Roll Marathon."

What does it all mean?!?
Whatever it means, I'll have my T-shirt yet!

This Sucks

I feel like the kid who knows someone's throwing a party, but hasn't been invited.
Running season officially began in Chicago today with the Shamrock Shuffle. I signed up for the event back in January. Needless to say, I did not participate today.
I went grocery shopping - just about the time all of the runners were finished with the race and going about a few errands on the way home.
There I was, pushing a cart around the supermarket and I see this disgustingly cute couple who still had their bib numbers pinned to their shirts.
I didn't think I'd be going this stir-crazy.
More recent evaluations of my injury point to ITBS: Excessive friction between your Iliotibial Band and your knee (or hip) bone. This causes a sharp pain at either the side of your knee or the side of your hip.
I hate this. I was always the kid who found any excuse not to participate in gym class and now that I have no choice but not to run an insanely long distance, its all I want to do.
Who knew?