A Workout You Should Do Because I CAN'T!

One thing I miss about really being able to push myself is designing fun, high intensity workouts for myself! Just to further torture myself, I made up one I wish I could do. I mean, I could do it, but my knee would be screaming at me later on! 

Since I can't join in on the fun, I think you should! Grab your jump rope... or just pretend you have a jump rope... and get going!

Note: You can alter the number of reps for the exercises to fit your fitness needs!

Enjoy!

Weekly Workout Recap!

Obviously this is not what I WISH my workouts were this week... but it is my reality!

On Friday, I discovered something that I sort of had the feeling of for awhile... running aggravates my knee WAY LESS than walking does! If I go for a walk in the morning, my knee feels so weak. But if I run, it doesn't feel perfect, but it doesn't feel nearly as bad as walking does.

5/23-  

5/24- 

5/25- 

 

5/26- Chest @ Home

5/27- 5 mile walk. Woop-dee-doo. Knee felt SO WEAK. It was horrible.

5/28- Back @ Planet Fitness. Knee continued to feel weak and horrible all day.

5/29- 4 mile run with a short walking warm up and cool down. Knee feels stronger running than it does walk. WTF!?

Any expert opinions on why walking makes my knee feel a lot weaker than running does?

Meg Go Run: Blogger Spotlight Series!

First of all, thanks everyone for your nice words and encouragement these past two days. I have a feeling I am going to be rereading your comments when I am feeling down and out! Okay, onward!

Last week I announced that I would be featuring some guest bloggers while I am on vacation in June. A couple of people were interested, so I am looking forward to sharing their posts with you!

Some people contacted me and were unsure of what to write about... so I am going to do something that was suggested to me by Susan and call it "Blogger Spotlight Series"

Throughout the month of June, I will be featuring other bloggers! Want to be featured on my blog in the "Blogger Spotlight Series"? Just answer the questions below (you can add/delete any questions you like). Also include your name, the name of your blog, and a picture(s) you would like me to include in the post. Send all of that to me- runningmeg82@yahoo.com. I will give you a heads up as to what day I will be featuring you!


Here are the questions for you to answer... Remember, you can add/delete questions as you see fit!


1. How long have you been blogging?
2. How did you come up with the title of your blog?
3. Describe your blogging style. Do you blog on a schedule? Do you write your posts ahead of time? How long does it take you to write a post?
4. What inspired you to start a blog?
5. What types of blogs do you enjoy reading?
6. Tell us your current fitness related goal(s).
7. What is your proudest running and/or fitness related accomplishment?
8. Do you race? Why or why not?
9. Where is the coolest place you have run?
10. And last... what picture sums you up in a nutshell? (provide the picture please!)


Looking forward to hearing from some of my readers!

What I WISH my weekly workouts looked like...

This is what my ideal workout schedule would look like. I feel like it would provide me with just the right amount of running, lifting, and rest, to keep me strong and healthy. It also includes two things I love- long runs and speed work!

Note: I like doing 9 day weeks... I can't fit everything in otherwise!

1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9
Easy Run- 4-6 miles	Speed, Tempo, or Hill Repeats	Lift Chest	Lift Back/ Legs	Easy Run- 4-6 miles	Long Run- 8-12 miles	Lift Chest	Lift Back/ Legs	Easy Run- 4-6 miles

Note: This is what I did last week. I think I did too much on Monday, but otherwise, it translates well to what I think I am capable of to keep pain at bay at the moment.

Mon	Tue	Wed	Thur	Fri	Sat	Sun
Walk/Run 6 miles	Walk 5 miles	Lift Chest	Walk/Lift Back	Walk/Run- 3 mi Walk 2 mi	Walk/Run- 4.25 mi	Walk/Lift Back

Are you able to do the workouts you want to do?

So I had a break down the other day...

I promised you all an update on my knee/hip situation. Seeing as how I had a breakdown on Monday night about the situation I am in, now is as good of a time as any to let you know what is going on.

**Sorry if there are errors in the post. I am only checking it once for mistakes because it is too depressing to read over and over again.**

The short story on my hip is that as long as I am careful, I am seeing an improvement in it, which is really good. I am hopefully about the hip.

Now, onto the knee...


Here is some quick history about my knee...

July, 2013- I started to have on again/off again pain around my knee. It would ache when sitting, driving, etc.

October, 2013- Sought help from a doctor at OIP. Had an x-ray and MRI. Diagnosis: I had inflammation in my knee. Was given a brace, went to PT for a few weeks, and used anti inflammation cream. Doctor thought I had plica syndrome, and you could actually feel the tissue moving over the bone around my knee. The plica could be causing inflammation.

December, 2013- Quit PT because my PT was useless. Went to see a different PT who knew more about runners. Had my gait analyzed. I went there for several weeks but it didn't really help.

January, 2014- Nothing was working. Knee was in a perpetual state of aching. Running bothered it. Lifting bothered it. Went back to my doctor at OIP. Had surgery scheduled for less than a week away to remove the plica.

January 30th, 2014- Had my knee scoped to remove the plica. My doctor told me I'd be 100% in 6 weeks and that I wouldn't need PT. He did arthroscopic surgery to remove the plica. He also ended up removing scar tissue from below my kneecap- something that had never bothered me before, but they did it anyone since they were in there. The aching went away for awhile.

February, 2013- The aching was back.

March, 2014 - December 2014- Managed the pain. Had good days and bad days. Was in no way able to run/lift the way I wanted to. I went to my chiro. I rested. I stopped lifting. I stopped doing speed work. I stopped doing double digit runs.

January, 2015- I committed myself to rehabbing my knee and doing exercises and stretches for my hips/glutes in effort to take the load of my IT band and knee. 

February, 2015 - April, 2015- I saw a marked improvement during this time, but then things came to a standstill. And with the hip pain I started to experience in April, my knee went downhill- even though I took a substantial amount of time off of running and decreased my mileage to anywhere from 0-6 miles per week.

May 25. 2015- BREAKDOWN. I finally broke down and cried to Paul. My knee has been a problem for me for almost two years. EVERYTHING bothers it. Even resting bothers it. I can't lift. I can't run hills. I can't do speed work. I can't do long runs. Even WALKING bothers it some days. I lay on the couch and it PULSATES for no freaking reason. It even pulsates under my kneecap. My doctor told me I'd be better in 6 weeks. It's almost a year later and I am struggling even more than I was struggling before my surgery.

I wish I had never gotten surgery.

I wish my knee was better.

I wish I could do all the things I really want to do.

I am really sad.

I made an appointment with the doctor who did my surgery. It is on June 8th. I am pretty sure they will X-ray it right there on the spot and then schedule me for an MRI. Whatever my doctor says, I am going to get a second opinion.

I'm so frustrated, guys. I miss squatting and sprinting and freaking being able to drive without my knee hurting. Even as I sit here at my desk typing, my knee hurts. I didn't even run or walk today.

Swimsuit Shopping & a Fishing/Running Date

On Monday, neither Paul nor I had any plans besides starting a new season of Survivor. We made the most of having no agenda by sleeping in past 10 am! It was wonderful.

We wanted to make sure we did something fun and outdoorsy before we became couch potatoes. The weather was beautiful- really hot, but I like that! 

Paul recently got his fishing license, but hadn't been fishing on his own yet. He found a spot off Lamb's Gap Road at the Conodoguinet Creek. It just so happened to be right by Target!

 

The plan was to drop Paul off to fish, do a little shopping/browsing at the stores nearby, and then do a run/walk until he was done. For some reason, I got it in my head that I was going to find some bathing suit bottoms!

For a couple years, I have had a black swimsuit top that I didn't have bottoms for. It was one of those things I picked up for like $5 off the sale rack and thought, surely some day I will have some cool swimsuit bottoms to pair this with. But the day never came! Until today...

Everyone had their bathing suit woes. My woe is I can't find bottoms that COVER MY ASS. It seems like all of the bottoms nowadays are cut in a way in which half of each of my butt cheeks come out the side of the suit. The only brand I have ever had luck with in the past several years is Mossimo, which they sell at Target. They have fun, stylish suits that aren't completely modest, but they do manage to cover my bum.

These are the bottoms I got. That is not my body. (Duh.)

Here are my bottoms paired with the black top I have had for a couple years. I think it will look cute!

I felt relieved to have found what I was looking for. I'm looking forward to not having to swimsuit shop for another couple years!

OH! I didn't wear makeup when I went out shopping, and normally, if I don't have make up on, I am guaranteed to at least see two people I know. But today, I didn't see anyone! Woohoo!

After I was done shopping, I parked in a neighborhood near where Paul was fishing. I changed into my running clothes and set off for a scorching hot run/walk. This was by far the hottest temps I have run in since... September?

I ran in a ritzy neighborhood in Mechanicsburg off Creekview Road. Everyone in the neighborhood was really friendly. Everyone I passed waved to me and said hi. It was weird! People don't normally say hi to me when I'm running.

I found a cute paved path along the creek.

No snakes!

Can you tell I have committed to the visor? Every year I get a visor and say, "I'm going to wear visors now," but I never do. This year, I am actually DOING IT!

This was the hottest, hilliest run I have done in months. It is also the longest continuous run I have done since I have been trying to rehab my hip! 4 MILES STRAIGHT AND I FELT GREAT! I dare say I felt like my old self. Don't worry, I know my next run will prob be HORRIBLE, so I soaked in the wonder that I felt today. I have learned that a good run means a bad run is right around the corner.

I found Paul's little fishing spot and dropped him a visit. He started off having a lot of fun, but then he got frustrated when he didn't catch anything and his fishing line kept getting knotted and twisted. He says he needs a better reel.

 

I didn't see any snakes but Paul said he saw one that swam by him in the water. Eek!!!!

I started with 1/4 mile walk, ran 4 miles, then ended with a 1/4 mile walk.

When I got home, I stretched for quite a long time and hoped that my knee and hip would feel strong the rest of the day.

Yeah, I guess I need to updates yas all on my knee/hip woes. I just don't feel like it! I will bite the bullet and post about it this week. See, now that I said I would, I have to! 

What did you do on Memorial Day?

Weekend Wrap Up!

In some ways, it seems like the end of the school year is dragging. In other ways, I can't believe there are only 7.5 student days left! (9.5 teacher days!) Last week was definitely I week that dragged, so I was very happy when Friday rolled around. Especially since we had a lot of fun things planned!

I did something very strange after work... I cleaned the whole house! It needed cleaned, but I also needed to do something to keep myself awake because we were meeting our friends Randy & Mike for a late dinner in Harrisburg. Late, meaning, 8:30. For me, 8:30 is go HOME time, not go OUT time. But anything for our Randy!

Harrisburg can be very beautiful. Pictures like this almost make you

forget that it costs a fortune to actually PARK in the city.

We ate at Cork and Fork. They made me a VERY strong Dirty Martini with blue cheese stuffed olives. A-FREAKIN-MAZING!

I had to share this pic because I love what my hair decided to do on Friday night!

My Saturday was hopping! It started with a 5 mile walk/run.

That shirt is from my very first marathon!

Then I trucked up to Millersburg to a baby shower for my friend, Emily. She is having twins! The shower was such a happy occasion. I even got to see several of my high school friends.

This is over 10% of our high school class. I'm not kidding!

My dear friend Emily! Can you find her in this Throwback Thursday post!?

I'm always happy when my friends have babies, 

but let's just say I am especially happy for Emily and Jake!

On my way home from the shower, I had to stop at Dollar General to see if they had any new puzzles...

But I ended up getting so much more! You just can't beat the prices!

By the time I got home, it was time to head to my Uncle Rick's and Aunt Jane's Memorial Day Picnic/Party/Extravagaaaaanza!

Uncle Rick vs. Clementine

Pappy woos Ellie with ice cream.

This is the view of my Aunt and Uncle's property. Beautiful, isn't it?

It's where we got married almost 7 years ago!

I did not feel like going to Planet Fitness to lift, but once I was there, I'm glad I did it. I'm a homebody and would prefer to lift at home, but they have heavier weights than I have at home.

Then we headed out for a day of picnics!

Spending time with Paul's side of the fam!

We forgot to take a pic at the picnic we went to later in the evening... so we took a picnic pic when we got home....

Did you get any family time this weekend?
What's your favorite bargain store?
Do you get invited to a lot of baby showers? (I don't!)