Week in Review:  I love me a recovery week!

December 5-11^th

Absolutely no fast this week (hey I just ran a marathon) and maybe a little pretty, but overall it was a rather grey recovery week in the beautiful Emerald City.

Normally after a marathon I don’t run a step for a week, but since I hadn’t ‘raced’ on Sunday I’d planned on an aerobic week (coach approved).

I started the week off right on Monday with and Epsom salt soak and the not-so latest US Weekly (is there always a Kardashian on the cover?).

Happy to report the foot was feeling pretty good.  The bad news?  My quads pretty much locked in a contraction every time I took a step.  I looked like a zombie walking.  I don’t remember my quads ever hurting this bad after a marathon (with the exception of the Boston one I ran while anemic).

Tuesday I was still sporting the zombie walk so I opted for the IMA.  I couldn’t bear the thought of aqua jogging for 45 minutes, so I started on the bike for 30 and finished in the pool for 15.  I was SO, and I mean SO thankful I was only in the pool for 15 minutes, and frankly I’m lucky to be alive.

There must have been a full moon at the IMA that night because there was a whole lot more crazy than normal, especially in the diving well.  There were these 2 college guys performing their super sweet tricks off the diving board.  I’m thankful they didn’t drown me, but I was soaked from all the splashing (multiple belly and back flops).  I thought they were working on their snowboarding jumps into the water, but I think I was just justifying their craziness.

I tried to escape to the wider side of the diving well but there were these other two guys swimming the slowest lap (singular) ever and then sitting on the side of the pool.  This left me with the lane-line dividing the diving well from the lap swimmers (who also managed to be extra splashy that night).

I was happy to head home and take Epsom salt bath number two of the week.  The good news is that my quads felt amazing after the aqua jog and I realize this may be my new key to recovery.

I opted for the bike on Wednesday.  I was trying to pick the perfect bike when I heard someone yelling my name.  It was my coach sprinting on the treadmill before the track work (the one I was not attending per his advice).  We talked marathon goals, he told me I had a weak core and weak hip-flexers.  But more importantly I discovered we were in fact still doing workouts through the end of the month (to my surprise).  Apparently “down time” just means 20 minute tempo runs at 6:45 pace, guess you know where I will be on Wednesday night.

I managed a nice easy 4 miler on the grayest day ever in Seattle.  Foot was okay, but still felt it a bit and I still can’t describe the pain/discomfort.

Friday I (surprisingly) slept in too late, so I ended-up sprinting my last two miles (by sprinting I mean 7:30 pace) I was running too fast and it was too cold to really tell how my foot felt.

Saturday was an epic run.  Legs felt great, amazing grey morning.

I only ran 6 but was planning on 8 the following morning.

But sad to say the 8 was not in the cards, sore tonsil on Saturday night meant me fighting off head cold number one million of the fall.  Yay.

On a good note I started Pilates again this week and have been pretty faithful with my PT. On and even better note, I got fitted for new shoes again and the foot feels great.  I’m back in a pair of Nike Structures.

I purchased them at my local running store (Every Day Athlete) and the guy fitted me with a custom orthodic.  Guess he had metatarsal issues too and this extra padding takes the pressure off the metatarsals.

The result?  AMAZING!  No pain!  My foot feels completely normal, NO discomfort, NO weird feeling I can’t describe.  I’m trying to figure out why I spent $500 on custom orthodics (don’t feel too bad for me my insurance covered most of the $500).

Can’t wait to get out the door this week if I can shake this cold, but this last week?  Well it was a good one; nice and recovered and good to go!

run pretty run fast