Returning to Running After Injury

We've received a number of questions related to how I'm planning to resume training as my knee heals. And though I'm definitely not back to normal yet -- still experiencing regular tightness and some slight pain on every run -- I'm better-ish enough to start seriously thinking about this issue myself.

Latest professional opinion on the matter (from my PT) is that it's alright for me to run. To hasten the healing process, we've decided on a course of hydrocortisone starting next week. This isn't a cortisone shot. Instead, it's a patch that is hooked up to a little machine that will use battery power to pulse the medicine into my knee. I didn't necessarily want this type of intervention, but after 10 weeks of dealing with this issue, I'm up for pretty much anything.

As for mileage: I'm focusing on between 15 and 20 miles for now, 3 to 4 days per week. A huge drop from my marathon schedule (regular weeks between 40 and 50 miles, 5 to 6 days per week). A big jump from what I've been doing (5 to 10 miles, depending).

See the difference?


Usually in the winter, I do scale my running back quite dramatically. I run maybe between 80 and 95 miles a month versus the 150+ during the heavy fall season. So, at 15 to 20 miles a week, that'll bring me in somewhere around 70 to 90.

If I can get back to this level soon-ish, I'll be thrilled!

Most of this mileage will be run indoors because I'm trying to watch my step. Run on even surfaces. Avoid ice and slipping. Regulate my pace (I'm running a full MPH slower on the treadmill than I normally do -- but that's OK. It's running!). And it's also nice if I do indeed need to stop, I'm able to quit without having to walk 2 miles home in the blustery weather.

In January, I'm hoping to participate in a 10K series, but only for fun. Racing isn't a priority right now. Nor is any specific training goal. I haven't been running, so despite how I may feel . . . my muscles/bones/etc. can't handle anything intense right now.


OTHER STUFF:

• I'm not signing up in advance for any spring races. In fact, I may only do smaller, local races where I can sign up the day of. I don't want to set my sights on something big with the possibility of being let down. That's happened too many times already! Nor do I need to race to be fit and happy. I'd like to do a few half marathons, but we'll see how my recovery goes before thinking that far ahead.
• I'm training like a triathlete. And though I doubt I'll get into the sport (it's a little too high-maintenance for me -- too much gear and other stuff to worry about -- I think) However, without even realizing it, I'm basically following a Half Ironman plan right now (I Googled it for fun this morning and was surprised that my training looked similar!). I've started hitting the pool 3 times a week at a mile each time. I've been indoor cycling at around 18 to 19 MPH 2 to 3 days per week for 45 minutes to an hour. And once my running gets back up, I'm hoping to soon build to 8 to 10 mile long runs. I'm in way better overall shape now than I was in the fall.
• I'm getting into strength training. Emily (Daily Garnish) wrote a great post about this topic the other day! Stephen has me lifting weights 2 to 3 times per week. I mostly focus on upper-body, 30 minute sessions. Starting with the bigger muscles (chest, back) and working to the smaller ones. I am also keeping up with regular push-ups (40 to 50 a set, 2 sets every other day) and chin-ups (up to doing 5!).
• I'm treating my workouts more like recreation than work. Usually when I train, there's an element of work to it. Not in a way that I don't enjoy, but now . . . if i miss a trip to the gym, I don't freak out. I take a walk later that day. Or if I don't have a great run, I hop on the bike or do something else. The Earth doesn't stop turning. I don't fall horribly behind on my training schedule.
• Did I mention I'm just trying to have fun? OK. I did. But REALLY! Tonight I'm going on a slow run with friends to look at all the pretty holiday lights around our neighborhood! I'm focusing less on pace and distance and more on moving my body and catching up with folks.

MORE ADVICE:

• Take each day at a time. I can't emphasize enough that if you're coming back from injury, you shouldn't start out doing too much. Set small goals, but not ones that require intense training (speed, distance, time, etc.). Half of getting better is healing from the mental letdown, so if you set yourself up for disappointment (because every injury and recovery is different), it'll be 10 times worse than it needs to be if you don't heal right away.
• Focus on overall health and fitness versus running alone (or whatever your primary sport may be). I never thought throughout this off-time I'd end up in better shape than when I began. But, here I am swimming miles in the pool, cranking out intervals on the spinning bike, and sporting a new pair of guns.
• Don't expect to be back where you were before your injury. You may be worse. You may even be better! After any time off, the game has changed. That's for sure. If you're not back to your old athlete-self, you'll get there eventually. If you're in better shape, don't leave all that cross-training behind just yet. Evaluate the good and bad and consider keeping some of those other activities in the mix.
• Remember that racing and events don't necessarily make you a better runner. I think a lot of emphasis is placed on them. And -- yes -- races are fun! However, before I got into marathoning, I did far fewer races than I do now. I think I have achieved some pretty respectable personal records . . . but racing too much can actually make me slower. In the future, I'm hoping to pick a few events and spend the rest of my time training smart for them.
  

This post is so long, I feel like I need some grand conclusion. Here's the short of it. I'm incredibly excited that I'm feeling somewhat better. I think I started my first week back (a couple week ago) a little too aggressively, so these tips are from what I learned in the process of finding my stride again. I want to get back to "normal" soon, but not at the risk of hurting myself more.

Plus, it seems there's a new "normal" for me. So, I'm happy to adapt and grow as an athlete!

Though I won't be logging 3-hour 20-milers anytime soon, with some careful attention to my body, cross-training, and positive attitude, I can see myself coming back from this whole ordeal a lot fitter and more balanced than before!

Of course, I'm not the only person in the history of running to be injured. Please share your recovery stories with us! What did you do to get back into the sport? What did you learn? Did you forever change the way you train? We want to hear it all!

Just leave a comment or email us at neverhomemaker [at] gmail [dot] com.

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I'd Like to Thank the Academy . . .

RUNNING:

You put one foot in front of the other. Bound from mid-foot to mid-foot. Right leg to left leg. Your feet pound the pavement or cement or dirt or grass. Your breath is strong and steady. Heart rate: Elevated, but controlled. It isn't supposed to hurt. Instead, it feels incredible.

Stuff that happens:

• Blood pumps throughout your entire body.
• Your leg/arm/core muscles tighten.
• Sweat pours out from your pores.
• You feel energy. Enthusiasm for life.
• You cry. Salty tears. (OK. Maybe YOU don't. But I did.)

I cried on my run last night. What's that? My RUN?!?! What may be even more surprising, considering the last seven weeks of sad, anti-running posts, is that those tears weren't from agony or frustration. Instead, they were out of pure bliss. My knee, you see, didn't hurt. It was slightly tight. Not a fan of uneven pavement or downhill jaunts. But no real pain plagued me.

I don't want to be premature with announcing my "return" to the world of the running. (As if my departure had any impact whatsoever on the sport.) In fact, I'm even hesitant to tell myself that bit of news. I started going to PT last Wednesday. Since, I've had only two sessions. The first did little to enthuse me. In fact, I considered not going back because I was convinced stretching, squats, and ice/heat wouldn't fix anything. I'd been icing and stretching on my own with little improvement at best.

I mean. Where were the big guns? The cortisone shots? The MRI scans? The intense discussions I had so anticipated dreaded about "cycling and swimming, perhaps, being a better option for long-term fitness?"

And then I tried running on Thanksgiving because I just needed to try. I tossed aside my Brooks, favoring an old pair of Nike fashion sneakers with no socks. They are somewhat like shoes in the Nike Free series. But completely flat. Basic. I ran 5 miles that night, stopping to stretch in the way the PT taught me a total of four times.

My knee was sore, but I definitely felt an improvement. I took another day off before my next attempt because I didn't want to push it. This time, I decided (because I've needed new running shoes anyway) to purchase some Nike Free sneaks. They're similar to the Kinvaras that Stephen wears, but I tried a pair of them . . . and they just didn't feel right on my feet. The Frees felt true to the name.

Anyway, armed with new shoes, stretching, and even a spanking new stride (which I'll cover in another post) -- as well as a beefed up left quad muscle -- I set out again on Sunday. I ran a 10K distance. It wasn't the best run EVER. I had some pain. Some soreness afterward.

But BETTER. (WHY DIDN'T I SEEK OUT PT BEFORE NOW?!)

I skipped into the PT on Tuesday morning and told him of my progress. He tweaked my program and added some electro-stimulation therapy for my pesky SI joint (that I apparently sprained last year bending over to take a photo. It continues to hurt like hell and is likely the cause of my knee woes) and some ultrasound/heat therapy for my IT-band and knee. More stretching. More strengthening. Some stabilization techniques and massage. I left the office feeling pretty sore. Worried I may not feel so much like running later on.

Ugh.

But day turned to evening, and I left work hankering for a run. I love running in the rain. It was probably 50 degrees. Lots of wind. I set out . . . and immediately felt tightness. But bearable tightness. I kept going. I kept going as the pain faded. The tightness came and went, came and went. My speed and endurance seem unaffected by my nearly 2-month hiatus.

And the only reason I returned home after 7.5 speedy miles is because I figured Stephen would be worried if I was gone longer than an hour. Before I left, I'd told him that I'd be back soon-ish (anticipating a flare-up). I thought maybe two miles was my destiny. On the other side of a near 8-miler, I was smiling so much that last half a mile, my cheeks became sore. I nearly shrieked with joy upon entering the house.

So, that's what's going on with the knee. I have another PT appointment on Friday. I'm hoping for even more improvement. What this all means, though, isn't much for my fitness routine. I'll slowly add back in the running. However, aqua jogging is like my new best friend. I can't BELIEVE how I feel with the running. Like no time at all has passed since I stopped. I know I couldn't bust out a 20-miler right now, but a strong half seems possible. (Not that I'm planning any, by the way.) Winter is time for cross-training, and I'm taking my recovery seriously.

Thanks for all your support through these last two months. It's been so incredibly hard (that's what she said?) for me (she did!). You may have noticed less posting, particularly in the running/fitness areas. I was in a bad mood. Now, I'm in a good one. Yes!

Have a happy Wednesday evening :)

PS: It has come to my attention that in this fabulous new format, our COMMENTS section isn't working as it used to. O.M.G. I don't know how to fix that. In the meantime, we've moved to a pop-up box for comments. Please let us know if you encounter any issues!

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Acceptance . . . Sort Of

Runners out there will know exactly what I'm talking about. The urge to test out injury at the very first sign that maybe -- just MAYBE -- it's getting better. No pain when walking is the first good feeling that sets everything in motion. Then a little jog (or two) down a hallway when no one's looking. Hey -- no pain! Green light. Right?

WRONG. (Always so very, very wrong!)

Of course, I promised myself a week of absolutely no running. However, when I got to the gym last night and found out I'd missed lap swim hours, I needed to do SOMEthing. My knee had been holding up the entire week on some 5K walks. The pain had been getting progressively less intense going up and down stairs. Maybe a couple miles on the treadmill wouldn't hurt, I thought.

The first mile was good. No pain at all. Cruising at 7 to 7.5 MPH most of the time (all the pool jogging intervals I've been doing have made me feel confident goes a steady -- and FAST -- pace!). The second mile, 7.5 to 7.8 MPH, was OK until the half-way point. Then I started to get the familiar twinge. Then sharpness. Ick. I decided to stop at 2 miles . . . and then experiment.

I grabbed the gym's foam roller and rolled the HECK out of my left IT band. When I stood up, my knee felt fine.


Well, a little better.
No, fine!
Eh, maybe some -- OUCH -- pain.
No, fine?
Fine.
Really, I'll be fine.
(Ouch!)

So, I did what any runner would do: I hopped back on the treadmill, like an idiot, to see if the rolling had worked.


Just over a quarter mile into my trial, I discovered that -- I was (surprise!) still in pain. And I'm almost certain it wasn't from my IT band. At least I don't think so. It's lower, on the outside on the knee . . . but close to the kneecap. Cartilage, maybe? Maybe. I finished out the mile. The pain didn't get much worse, but it didn't get any better. I have stopped playing doctor to myself, though, and I have a call into my GP for a referral to a sports physician.

I've now (however reluctantly) reached the acceptance stage with my injury. I courageously declared to you all last week that I would not try to run the full marathon at Philly this month. The half, instead, would be my race. I was excited -- and emotionally cool -- with taking my training down a notch. Now, I'm reconsidering (alright, pretty damned sure I won't be) lacing up at all that morning for anything more than a walk with my in-laws to the finish. As a spectator.

Ugh. REALLY?! THIS IS HOW IT'S GOING TO BE?! Two marathons . . . and awesome training season . . . and then DNFing at one and not even getting to the start at the other? Life, you're so very interesting sometimes.


R.U.N.N.E.R.

I've carved this word deeply into my identity. Deeper than any tattoo inked into my skin. More like chiseled in . . . stone. I know I'm many other things, but this runner part is something that has taken me on more ups and downs than anything else. I feel my best when I'm running. Period. Even a week off has me worried that I'll never run again. That some (HUGE) part of me will die away.

But when I found myself -- yet again -- in the pool this morning. For a 50-minute jog with my friend Nancy. I couldn't help but remember that I'm lucky. Later in my workout, this guy my age hopped into the pool, literally. I couldn't see very well because I had some water in my eyes, but he was an above-the-knee amputee on his left leg. He was also incredibly cut and in super great shape. He KILLED laps in the pool faster than I can ever imagine swimming. Ever. What he made me think about is . . . perspective. I have a mild knee problem. But I have my knee. I can walk. I'll be OK with rest and RICE.

Even if not, it's not the end of the freaking world. CHILL OUT.


Unless something's way out of whack, this injury is only a mere setback in my running career. (Never, ever thought I'd use the words running and career together when talking about myself. Woah.) There will be hundreds -- thousands -- of other races for me to finish, my friend Iris reminded me last night.

I've had a fantastic year of racing. (This list is more for me than for you. It will help me feel good about my year. And not totally defeated.)

• Philadelphia Marathon (2009): 4:10:40 (PR)
• Freeze 10K Series: Average finish at 2 races, 49:00
• St. Patty's 4-Miler: 29:58 (PR)
• Forks 15K: 1:14:00
• Skunk Cabbage Half Marathon: 1:50:47
• Lehigh Valley Half Marathon: 1:46:53
• Lake Placid Half Marathon: 1:46:31 (PR)
• Boilermaker 15K: 1:13:45 (PR)
• Laurel Festival 10K: 50:15
• Wineglass Marathon: DNF -- 17-miler
• Bread for Schools Half Marathon: 1:47:31

At this point, I imagine you are all getting a little sick of the knee updates. I'm going to try to lessen the talk on the site. Only let you know about it as I get new news. And get onto more interesting things, like the cross-training I'm doing (because I've been going nuts in the gym with fun stuff!), nutrition (stay tuned for an update on that later today), and other . . . more holistic stuff.


Because I'm more than just a runner, you know. I cook and bake. I play instruments and sing. I knit and take photos. I have friends and family. I like to dress up. I like to watch movies. Etc. So, less running is allowing me to flesh out the OTHER Ashleys. Perhaps the more interesting Ashleys. And it's not so bad.

What makes you . . . YOU? We're all multi-faceted with many interests and talents. We also all have stuff we're maybe no-so good at. For me, I'm terrible at keeping plants alive. I'm not terribly organized. And I'm a bit of a slob. There, I said it. But what makes you . . . YOU? Just leave a comment or email us at neverhomemaker [at] gmail [dot] com.

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Protein-Packed Green Smoothie and KT Tape

Happy Friday and Happy 600th Post to us! We can't believe it's been nearly a year since we began (never home)maker. That's right: We're nearing our 1st blogiversary on November 11th. We haven't yet decided how we're going to celebrate. Just know it's going to be BIG. Or maybe not-so big. Special is a better word, I guess.

If you're nostalgic like me, check out our very first post: Easy Tofu Marinade. Since then we've certainly added a lot of recipes to the site. And now that we've completed our handy Recipe Index, you can find them all easily!


We knew it'd be a milestone day, so we celebrated a bit last night. Then I fueled myself the best way I know how this morning: With a protein-packed green smoothie. After a (very) unsuccessful attempt to incorporate protein powder into my coffee yesterday, I needed a success. If you're still grossed out thinking about thick soy powder clumping into coffee -- creating a brick, please keep reading.

It will get better.


I love piling all the ingredients next to the finished product. I also love when there are only a few, simple ingredients that create something healthy, delicious, and gorgeous.

SOY PROTEIN-ENHANCED GREEN SMOOTHIE

What you'll need . . .

• 1 banana
• 2 handfuls of kale, rinsed
• 1 to 1-1/2 cups almond milk (or other substitute)
• 1 scoop of chocolate PhytoSoy (or your favorite protein powder)
• 1 tablespoon homemade peanut butter (or store-bought)

Method . . .

1. Toss everything into your blender and blend.
2. Note: You may want to start out using just 1 cup of almond milk and if your blender is having trouble, add more 1/4 cup at a time. Mine did well with 1 cup and a splash. Some of you have asked, and I don't have a fancy VitaMix since it doesn't fit into my budget right now. So, you need only a blender capable of crushing ice to make this green smoothie.
3. Trust me: The kale WILL incorporate. Just let it go for a couple minutes. Three should do it.

KNEE UPDATE

I ran on Tuesday and Wednesday. 4 and then 5.2 miles. On Tuesday, I didn't have pain until mile 3, when rolling hills kicked in. Expected. And even then, what I felt wasn't pain. Just sensation that something isn't quite right. I iced. And iced again. And I iced in the morning, too. Then Wednesday, I was feeling great until mile 4. Again, it wasn't pain, just tightness, maybe. I iced and then we went to Wegmans. What happened on the walk from our car to the store? OUCH. My knee started to REALLY hurt.

While. WALKING?! OK. Sooo, I bought one of those knee straps (image source).


I have yet to use it because I decided I'd take Thursday off. And aside: It's funny, but when I feel tired or drained during training, I have no problem taking a day off. However, when I'm injured, I fight it and try to complete every workout. Testing myself. Weird. Bad habit. I'm also taking today off. Will run tomorrow, likely 6 miles with Dani (from the Bread for Schools Half Marathon).

Something that's helped, at least I think, is KT Tape. My friend Andy told me about it. During lunch yesterday, I hunted around and found a roll at a local sports supply store (sadly, the store doesn't carry fun colors. I wanted blue or pink -- they only had beige).


I followed the taping instructions for runner's knee . . . and my knee actually feels slightly better. Almost like magic, really. We'll put it to the test tomorrow. And Sunday's 12-miler should tell me a lot about my ability to finish the Philly Marathon next month.

I'm hoping I've applied it correctly. I feel light support. Less pain while walking down stairs, especially. It is supposed to stay on for days . . . and successfully survived my shower this morning. I'm wondering if the KT Tape people are planning to be at the Expo. I'd love to have a professional tape me up so I know what is right and what is wrong! However, I'm sure I'll get better at it myself.


That's right. Finish. Not 3:50:00. Not "anything sub-4." With all this injury crap, I can't concentrate on keeping pace right now. And if I don't get well enough to run, we'll deal with that later. Ugh. Please keep your fingers crossed for me!


So, you can see I've had to change my new marathon plan just a bit. So far, so good. Caitlin has also dealt with major runner's knee issues, and she suggested I possibly take an entire week and cross-train only. It's a good idea. If I keep experiencing pain, I'll definitely heed her advice. Ashley, too, says I should lay off. What a good friend. A voice of reason, really. I'll listen to her eventually. However reluctantly so :)

For now, I'm putting my faith in the tape.


How do you deal with disappointment? Any kind, not just sports-related. After my D(id) N(ot) F(inish) at the Wineglass Marathon, I didn't think things could get worse. But the possibility I may not be able to run the marathon next month has me down in the dumps. If I indeed need to take time off, I'll embrace cross-training, but will definitely still feel disappointed. Just leave a comment or email us at neverhomemaker [at] gmail [dot] com.

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Weekend Recap: The Fun Never Ends . . .

Oh, the saga with Ashley and the big, bad marathon continues. A 20-miler turned 18.5. Which really isn't too shabby, but I'm now left wondering if I may have a problem on my hands. Or, rather, on my left knee. But before we get into all of that, here's a brief rundown of the weekend's events:

Friday night was rainy and awful. So, we stayed in and watched all our favorite TV shows on Hulu. Stephen was nice enough to brave the elements and get us food from Wegmans. I had my classic Friday night favorite: a simple tomato-basil-mozzarella sandwich. Stephen munched on sushi and soup. And some of my bread. Grey's Anatomy is great this season, don't you think?


We woke up on Saturday morning at 9AM. For us, that's insanely late. We have no idea how it happened, but all that sleep felt great. However, I'm not a fan of feeling like I'm behind all day. Ugh. Soon after, we began the day with a brisk run through our neighborhood (I did 5.2 miles, Stephen did about 7.5).

I didn't at all feel like running, but the wind was pretty awesome (I love running in crazy wind), so I didn't want to let the opportunity to be blown away breeze by.


Then, we spent way too much money at Wegmans Saturday afternoon. We bought yummy cheeses (including an incredible applewood smoked cheddar covered in paprika!) and all kinds of other ingredients to make a feast. We'll get to the specific foods of that feast in another post.

But here's a preview:


I spent the rest of Saturday night -- after my cooking and baking fest -- dreading my 20-miler on Sunday morning. I just didn't want to do it. I wanted to sleep in again, I guess!

But Sunday morning arrived. I got out the door for my run around 9AM, which is the latest I've started a long run in a while. My objective was to go SLOW. To feel like I was totally, completely, 100% comfortable. Holding back, even. I took my watch, but resisted looking at it. We'll get back to my time. But miles 1 through 6 went great. I was a bit bored, but that's to be expected. It was my 4th 20 mile run this season! Just after mile 6, I felt this abrupt, SHARP pain on the outside of my left knee. It made me yell out "OWWW" . . . though it lasted only a second. Like I was jabbed with a knife.

Then went away.
20 seconds later. It happened again.
Went away.
Another 20 or so seconds later, again.


At that point, I started to get really freaked out. I mean, c'mon! Really?! Only one week ago, I had rocked a half marathon race. This weekend, I was nearly crying at a 9+ minute pace?

I haven't had problems like these in a while. My training motto has been "everything in moderation" and "gradual, gradual, gradual" . . . how could I be developing some sort of IT band issue, when that's usually from over-use? ANYWAY, I told myself if I felt the pain once more, I'd turn back (I was near this turn where I could get home in like 3 miles). The pain stopped. So, I continued on.

I stopped (as per usual) at mile 8ish at Wegmans for water. And I also needed to pee (which never happens on my runs either -- weird day!). When I walked inside, I quickly realized they had closed the entire hallway leading to the public restrooms for cleaning! I couldn't even walk past the barrier/rope to get a quick drink of H2O.

UGGGGHHHH. I needed water. Badly!


Thankfully, I remember that there are water coolers for staff in the front of the store. I decided I could live without a bathroom break . . . but I had to steal a bit of water. I got a dirty look from a cashier, but didn't care one bit. I still had 12 miles to go!

Once I was back outside, I headed for another leg of my adventure. Just an out-and-back, around 5 miles total . . . and I could then return to Wegmans to see if the bathrooms had opened up. That part of my run was relatively uneventful. But I kept thinking about how much I wasn't enjoying myself. I was bored. My heart wasn't in it. Thankfully, I had no pain. Cruising along. A hill, but I killed it.

After my second pit-stop at the big W, I headed for what I thought would be the last 7 miles of my run. I was OK for about three of those miles. Then my knee started to hurt again. Not as acutely as it had before, just a soreness. Tightness. Weirdness that made me decided to end at 18.5 miles instead of 20. With a brief walk break of about 2 minutes in there, too.


I got home, completely discouraged, cursing and telling Stephen that I'll NEVER run another marathon. I'm not built for it. That I HATE distance running. That I HATE training. I drank some water, showered, and calmed down. My knee was tender. It was hard to go down the stairs. And my knee is still somewhat sore and not its usual, healthy self. I'm trying not to completely scare myself by saying I have ITBS. But it is the IT band area that hurts. I have been massaging the area and many have suggested I invest in a foam roller. I'm on a mission to find one this evening.

I'm planning to monitor the pain for a week. I get weird injuries all the time that I think are a huge big deal and end up resolving themselves in a matter of a few days. Though, some of my friends have told me that this pain isn't anything I should treat on my own. We'll see. At this point, I'm just trying to keep my cool. I want to run Philly . . . badly. But this new development has made me think. Marathon training certainly doesn't seem like it's my thing. Very frustrated right now.

Regardless: 18.5 miles in 2:48:30. 9:06 pace. It felt slow to me. So, if I can ever run again, I'm on track to finish in under 4:00:00.

On a happy note. My friend Elizabeth (from Elizathon) has graciously offered to run the last 6 miles of Philly with me, provided I'm able to do the race. She's a sweetheart. Elizabeth: YOU ARE AWESOME! I can't even begin to explain how her offer has brightened my day. So, we'll hope for health. I have one more 20-miler before the big race. But at this point, I'm just hoping to be able to run tomorrow, relatively pain-free. I may just take the day off for rest, too.

Positive thoughts are appreciated. You guys and gals have been so great through my rough training patch.


I had a great post-run smoothie. Some of those hundreds of dollars we spent at Wegmans went toward soy protein powder. We don't normally do too many supplements. But we're glad we tried this stuff.

What you'll need . . .

• 1 cup frozen blueberries
• 1 cup almond milk
• 1 banana
• 1 cup vegan protein powder (like PhytoSoy), chocolate variety

Method . . .

Toss everything in a blender and blend. Enjoy it. It's good for you!


Sunday we were also planning to see Phoenix at Cornell. But between my mood and Stephen's mounds of schoolwork, we just couldn't swing it. My friend Mark (the only guy in the photo below -- from music camp -- because we're cool like that) came down and treated us to dinner instead. It was so great catching up with him!


So, that's what we did this weekend. Feels like it went by fast! And to those of you who were interested in the change post, I did indeed dye my hair this morning. But it wasn't terribly shocking. Just refreshing the color I already had. While I'm out tonight looking for a foam roller, I may just have to sneak in a haircut. We'll see!

What did YOU do this weekend? Any great workouts or race times to report? Concerts or other events attended? Projects completed? We'd love to hear about 'em. As well, if you have experience with IT-band issues, I'd love to know how you've managed them. Just leave a comment or email us at neverhomemaker [at] gmail [dot] com.

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