As I mentioned in my last post, I lost all motivation for the one activity I love. Running. Getting back to running would definitely help to lift my spirits. With one injury after another, though, I had to ask myself, what’s the point? The answer is that I have a long-term goal I can only accomplish by running. Boston! Do I give up, or do I keep trying? That’s the dilemma. I don’t have it in me to give up yet. But I also can’t do this alone anymore. I need help.
One day, while scrolling through Instagram, I came across a post from a dietician and running coach Brook (intentfulnutrition), who I follow on Instagram. She promoted a running, strengthening, and nutrition program with Spark Healthy Runner. From the criteria listed, I was concerned that I would not be a candidate for their running program due to my injury history and not even running. But, I filled out the application in hopes of joining their team.
The application required information about my running history, which took me on a fun trip down memory lane. What I was reminded of during this little journey was that my running took a slow and natural progression into the racing world. Once I could run a few miles consistently, a friend convinced me to run a 10k. Running that 10K changed everything. So much fun! And I kept running 10ks with an occasional 5k thrown in along the way. And a few years later, I transitioned to half marathons before advancing to a full marathon. During that time, I eventually ran a sub-20-minute 5k, a sub-40-minute 10k, and a sub-1:30 half marathon. My first marathon was a 3:04:21! This all took place back in the 90s, so being a bit younger had its advantages.
Before that first marathon, I had started running with Aurora striders. We would meet once a week for speed sessions. I never realized how much stronger I was during that time or what a difference speed work, when done right, could make. My last marathons (I was not being coached or running with a running group) ended up being in the 3:45 range until a few years ago when I slowed to 4:20. These slower marathons were the result of:
- Pushing too hard and not enough rest days
- Setting goals that I wasn’t properly trained for
- Lack of strengthening exercises
- Over pronating
- Over striding
- Injury after injury
And the list goes on and on…
Last year, I attempted a return to running program, which included mobility and strengthening exercises that I researched and put together on my own. Things went perfect for several months. Then, I had a little tightness in my ITB (iliotibial band) and decided to seek treatment before it got worse. Long story short, physical therapy fixed the ITB problem but decided I should add calf strengthening exercises. In hindsight, these exercises were probably a little advanced for my level of fitness. Within the month I had a left calf muscle strain and later developed achilles tendonitis in that same leg. After several weeks of treatment with no improvement, I finally gave up. We left for our trip to the lower 48, which was suppose to include the Chicago Marathon, (see post), and I didn’t try to run again until I started with Spark Healthy Runner in December of 2022.
Obviously, I was accepted into the Spark Healthy Runner Program with Duane as my coach. I wasn’t a candidate for the one Brooke was promoting but thankfully there was a program that I could get into. This running program is 16 weeks long, and I am currently in week 9. The first four weeks included run/walk intervals three days a week with restorative strengthening exercises three days a week. I continued run-walk intervals for the following two weeks but added a fourth day. I advanced from the restorative exercises to other forms of strengthening exercises which was decreased to two times a week. Finally, in week 7, I dropped the walking intervals and advanced to full running mode. I am up to running 11 miles a week at this time and by the end of this 16 week period, I will be running 18 miles per week if all goes well. I will also advance to other strengthening exercises throughout the rest of the program.
To start running again was a little concerning because I still had some mild Achilles pain/tenderness. Duane gave me specific exercises that would load and strengthen the tendon. Currently, I am running without Achilles pain or tenderness. I am feeling stronger, and my mobility and flexibility have greatly improved. Even my knee pain, which had increased while I wasn’t running, has been minimal on my runs. In comparison to last year, I am ahead of schedule. I am grateful for Coach Duane and The Spark Healthy Runner Team. I realize, though, that I have a long way to go and anything can happen, but I feel confident that having a coach that understands how to get runners out of the cycle of injuries is just what is going to keep me running right into my next marathon.
Until next time…
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