Last weekend, I completed my third half-marathon. I couldn’t have asked for a better race. I ran a pace that was 10 seconds faster than I hoped for and was able to run nearly 5 minutes faster, overall, than I had in the fall. Major PR moment. But as empowering as this run was, it was equal parts humbling. Lets dive in!
About a month ago, right after that weird Ice Storm, I made the silly decision to go out for a run. My training calendar indicated that I needed to complete 10 miles that Sunday, and I had no intention of doing that on a treadmill. I bundled up and headed out.
The next day I could barely walk. My hips felt out of alignment and my shins were KILLING me. This set off a chain reaction of aches and pains in my body that I just couldn’t shake. The soreness plagued me for the next month.
As the race drew closer I started to get nervous. Would I be able to run?
Over the next week or so, I did something extremely challenging. Something completely foreign to me.
I took it easy.
It felt great, and my body responded.
Lesson learned.
In this post, I will share some of the self-care practices I utilized. But I also want to emphasize the benefits of just caring for yourself. This week of gentleness left its mark. It gave me a newfound respect for my body. Not only for the amazing things it can do….but for its intuitive ability to heal.
It’s Not Worth It
The first step to upgrading your self-care is to honor the phrase it’s not worth it. I feel like we really lose sight of this concept, especially when we are in a rush.
When I looked outside on the morning of the ice storm, I was impatient. I had blocked out this section of time, in between kids sports and grocery shopping, and I didn’t want to change it. I just wanted to get it done.
Looking back now, this was so not worth it! First of all, the run was not enjoyable. I spent the time dodging puddles, hopping curbs and avoiding slick spots. No wonder my body protested, it had run a ten mile obstacle course. And to make matters worse, the ice melted by midday. If I had waited, I could have avoided the agony.
I once saw a quote in a pilates studio that read; Flexibility is the key to Stability. Truer words have never been said. If you are wound too tight, you will inevitably snap.
Immediate Action
The second crazy twist in the Ice Storm saga, is the fact that I didn’t feel the effects right away. Again, crunched on time, quickly bouncing from one thing to the next, and not giving my body the attention that it needed. To be honest, this was the trajectory that I had been on for a few weeks. I wasn’t doing much stretching, wasn’t resting properly after long runs and wasn’t using ice or heat.
After limping around all day Monday, I decided my first stop on the way home was at Stewarts, for two bags of ice. I filled my bath tub with ice, turned on the cold water and began to steel myself. This was an old trick from college. Stay in the ice bath for as long as you can, and feel like a million bucks the next day.
Lets just say, I am not as brave as I was in college. I only made it to my ankles on the first attempt. It literally took my breath away…..and that was only my feet! I worked on it for about an hour and slowly worked more and more of my body in. The next day I felt better.
I kept working the ice baths, but cut back on the amount of ice, so that I could stay longer. The secret sauce moment came when I stacked a hot bath after the cold plunge. It felt so soothing, and my legs felt fresh the next day. My father claims that you should always finish with ice, but I think you have to do some trial and error and see what works best for you.
Because my body seemed to respond to this method, I additionally switched on and off with an ice pack and heating pad whenever I could.
If you are dealing with pain, stiffness or soreness, I highly recommend trying this method. Even if you don’t feel sore or tight yet. Contrast Water Therapy is proven to reduce exercise induced muscle pain. But it also gives you a few moments to be present with your body. Notice what hurts, notice how it feels after. Notice where you are holding tension and notice how it feels to release it.
My children even joined in! They took turns plunging in the icy baths and shrieking loudly. But interestingly, they also practiced deep breathing – just as I had done to calm my nervous system in the frigid water. It also gave them the opportunity to see what caring for your body looks like.
Maintenance and Mobility
Runners are notoriously tight! Due, not only to the mechanics of motion, but also because they “forget” to stretch.
I am definitely guilty of this.
Over the past week I utilized two programs on BODi to aid in my recovery.
First is an oldie but goodie, “Yoga for Runners,” in the BeachBody Yoga Studio. This is a slow and simple Yoga flow to address hips, hamstrings, calves and achilles. Being a somewhat seasoned Yoga practitioner, I am always impressed with how effective this sequence is. Ted takes you through about 5 different poses and emphasizes “working” while in these poses. Sometimes you have to find the spot, or work into the pose to really reap the benefit. Again, it gives you time to notice the subtleties. For example; the way a slight pelvic tilt may deepen a stretch.
The second recovery workout comes from the program 645. If you are new to lifting this program is a must. The trainer, Amoila Cesar, is so knowledgeable and literally teaches you how to use your body. He slows things down so that you can complete each exercise with amazing form. Even better, there is a mobility day once a week. That means there are 13 different mobility flows to choose from.
It is important to note that stretching and mobility are two different things. When stretching, you are targeting muscle issue. More specifically you are working to lengthen the muscle tissue. When completing mobility exercises you are targeting the joint. The goal here, is to increase your range of motion.
They are also different because of how they are performed. When stretching it is recommended that you hold the position for 90 seconds. Mobility, on the other hand, is done through movement.
Both forms of recovery are important.
Roll Out
If you don’t have a foam roller….what are you waiting for? There is so much you can do with this one little piece of equipment! In my Glow and Flow routine I provide a quick sequence utilizing the foam roller. I will link it below.
Foam rolling has many benefits, but for me it is the immediate relief of localized pain. You can find the actual spot and break up some of the tightness. It can actually be a bit painful, but feels good at the same time. At times it is hard to know what muscle is actually causing the pain. For a long time, I assumed that my hamstrings were really tight. But after foam rolling during this injury, I noticed that it was my hips that held the most pain.
Foam rolling can also reduce inflammation, and increase blood flow which will speed up recovery.
Massage Therapy
About a week out from the race, I followed the advice of some fellow runners, and booked a massage. I don’t have much experience with massage, aside from a few I received as part of Spa appointments.
Word of mouth is the best way to find a good Massage Therapist. Bonus points if someone has similar issues and have experienced some relief! It is also important to know what your goals are for the massage. I sought out someone who specialized in sports massage, and I made sure to let them know that I didn’t want any deep tissue work. This might have left me sore.
The therapist was extremely thorough. He asked a lot of questions and talked to me about a “game plan,” for the appointment. I felt like I was in good hands, but still didn’t have very high expectations.
I was blown away by the results. I felt immediate relief upon leaving the appointment! He pointed out areas that felt really tight and that helped me zero in on the areas I still needed to work on. Particularly the piriformis. I was also surprised to hear that my upper body was equally tense. I didn’t realize I was holding tension there. He said that it might seem weird to be working on the upper back, but reminded me that tension anywhere could effect the entire body.
I will definitely go back!
H2O
“Make sure you are drinking tons of water.”
A great reminder I received from a co-worker. I kind of rolled my eyes, “of course, I know.” But they reminded me how important it was for recovery. It was a nudge that I needed.
Optimal hydration reduces inflammation and swelling and increases blood flow, which in turn helps to efficiently deliver nutrients to the body. It is so interesting to me, that drinking plain old water has the same benefits as some of the more intensive therapies I have mentioned! Drink up!
I am loving this new water bottle! You can even buy a “sling” for it, which I am eyeing for summer!
Onward and Upward
If you follow me on Instagram, you have most likely heard me use the phrase there is no bad weather. It has been my mantra as I started this new journey with running. After the Ice Storm of 2024 it took on a whole new meaning! Things got real! But it is all about perspective. Despite the hardship, I surpassed my goal. I didn’t give up. My body didn’t give up.
I told myself that I would go easy for a few weeks – but that’s not my style. Instead I am going full force on a new plan. But there is a catch….
I am working on a plan that makes room for everything that my body needs. Flexibility, Mobility, Stability, Strength and of course….a healthy does of running.
See you soon!
