TexasLindsey

2.5 miles at 5:30 pm.  Weather= 96 degrees, 29% humidity, 15mph wind, sunny.

This is the first day of running in 5 weeks.  I took time off because of injury.  I think I got a stress fracture in my femur.  I didn't go to the doctor because of the cost and time and babysitting involved.  I made a deal with my husband that if I saved money by NOT going to the doctor and just taking time off from running... then I could buy a used treadmill off craigslist.  The only remedy for a stress fracture is time off anyways.  Everyone keeps telling me that a femur stress fracture is rare... but I couldn't even walk without pain for 3 weeks.  I suppose even if the pain is somehow related to a pulled or torn muscle, the remedy is still time off. 

So the run went very well.  No pain in the leg to speak of.  However, it was hotter than all hell.  I was pretty miserable.  I will not be running at this time of day again.  However, I just took a shower and I am feeling a slight pain in the right femur.  Nothing like 5 weeks ago though.  Still....  Jeeeeez....

I am so ready to be running again.  I've gained 5-10 pounds.  I put on my running shorts and I had the very beginnings of a muffin top!  Oh the hell no.  Also, I could tell that not having exercise endorphins was affecting my mood and stress levels... either that or my kids got way worse behaved after I stopped running.  Ha, ha!

I got a treadmill!!!!!   Finally!!!   I am so excited!   It's a Spirit Z100.   I read on some website that if you want to walk, you need a 2.0 hp, if you want to jog, you need 2.5 hp and if you want to RUN, you need 3.0 hp.  I have no idea if that is true, but it seemed reasonable to me. 

I've got it set up in my room in front of the tv.  I'm going to try it out tonight.  Still recovering from this right thigh injury.  All this time I've been thinking it was a stress fracture of the femur but now I'm starting to think maybe it's a hip flexor muscle strain of some kind.  It's getting better after 6 weeks of no running.  I ran a little on Wed and it didn't hurt during the run but it hurt the day afterwards.  I think running on the treadmill will be better than concrete for recovery. 

I can't wait to get back running with my group on Saturdays.  I want to train for Dallas White Rock Marathon on Dec 4th this year.  This gives me 6 months.  I'm thinking my goal is going to be 3:25... which is 7:50/m.  I plugged my most recent half marathon time into a race predictor and it said I should be able to do 3:23 marathon.  If I can get healthy enough to train well, I'm sure I could do it.  The only other marathon I ran was 3:35...  so this would be a 10 min PR.  Sounds like a fun challenge.