2017 sure has been a roller coaster for me. The highs and lows of injury…..Sigh!

First off, I think I’m going to have to accept that the posting frequency on this blog will have to be what it is for the time being. Every 10 days or so is about all I have time for. So thank you to my small circle of loyal readers who come back to read and don’t forget about me.

So here’s the funny, not funny story…

Last Monday I woke up with some general back/hip aching. I assumed it was because of how I slept combined with PMS. I always get low back pain around that time. I had also had a string of workouts including 2 bike rides the Friday and Sunday before.

Friday ride...high!

Friday ride…high!

Sunday ride with Mr. SOTSS-double high!

Sunday ride with Mr. SOTSS-double high!

The discomfort was mild and I just assumed it’d be gone by the next day. Later on in the evening I went to yoga. Had a great class, held crow for long time, managed a few wheels. Did some awesome hip opening pigeon pose stretches an left there feeling good. Next up was grocery shopping. I live in a 3 level townhouse and refuse to take multiple trips with my grocery bags up to the kitchen on the second floor so I grab them all and do the transport in one trip.

Random photo because I have no pics of yoga or the grocery bags.... I baked some brown butter cookie bars last weekend :)

Random photo because I have no pics of yoga or the grocery bags…. I baked some brown butter cookie bars last weekend 🙂

Tuesday morning I went to physical therapy for my last toe PT session with the same mild back/hip ache but still not thinking any big deal. My PT told me he thought I was ready for some more weight bearing exercises so he had me do some toe raises, lunges and press off from this machine that reminds me of a space shuttle. And then we did 3 sets of 10 jumps. Still, I felt fine. I actually was giddy at the progression to the final step before returning to running. I was instructed to do the lunges and jumps every other day and if after a week I still felt good I could start running again. Well, Wednesday morning I woke up feeling worse. My back was really hurting. Walking seemed to be the only thing that took the pressure/pain down so I went on my hike figuring the workout would keep the muscles warm and help me recover. Thursday I felt even worse and by the afternoon my back was full on in spasm mode. Tears started. Sleeping each night got worse and worse and by Friday morning I texted Mr. SOTSS with a desperate cry for help.

Well, one of us doesn't have any discomfort while trying to sleep

Well, one of us doesn’t have any discomfort while trying to sleep

I could barely walk down my stairs. He came over and took me to urgent care where I saw a wonderful doctor who helped a ton. He agreed it wasn’t one specific thing but the months of my lack of impact exercise and my compromised walking gait from the toe injury most definitely contributed. So maybe I overstretched in yoga or maybe those lunges or jumps in PT set me off but the weakness was brewing for some time. He prescribed 800mg of Ibuprofen along with a muscle relaxer to take for 10 days. He diagnosed me with back spasms with sacroiliac joint involvement. I spent the rest of Friday with the essentials, remote, coffee, heating pad, pb&j and meds…

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The spasms in my lower middle back have gone away but the sacroiliac hip pain is still there although after 5 full days of meds it’s definitely improving.

My back managed to hold it together barely going over the potholes in Brooklyn for a ride to Brooklyn Bridge Park on date night with Mr. SOTSS

My back managed to hold it together barely going over the potholes in Brooklyn for a ride to Brooklyn Bridge Park on date night with Mr. SOTSS

A tree really does grow in Brooklyn

A tree really does grow in Brooklyn

I went to what should have been my last PT appointment for my toe today and instead we jumped right into PT for my back. The usual, ultrasound, massage, electro-stim and some gentle stretches. If I’m feeling 100 percent by the weekend I’ll return to yoga on Saturday and then take it from there.IMG_2766

I can only laugh and hope that next year I’ll reminisce about that time I was just about to return to running when I got injured AGAIN!

I’m starting to realize that my desire to be active and “Sweat Out the Small Stuff” needs to sync up better to what my body is capable of. I’m almost 44 years old and all the years of running “stupidly” without cross training and strength training has caught up to me.

I’m optimistic about this back/hip thing not lasting so long. We’ll see. In the meantime at least the dogs are feeling just fine…

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“So long as your backache doesn’t interfere with my walks…”

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Have you ever had a second injury on the heels of recovering from the first?

Do you have a funny, not funny story to share?

Random question: What are your favorite crunchy snacks? I need some new options. Getting sick of baby carrots and potato chips. 🙂

It’s been almost 10 days since I wrote my post about being mostly uninspired and ironically that inspired me to write a post about 10 awesome things that have happened since that post. (I re-read this sentence 10 times and swear it doesn’t sound like it’s grammatically correct but I think my point came across)

 

Number 1: I picked fresh veggies from my parents’ garden

fresh-veggies

Number 2: I’ve been swimming, biking, hiking and practicing yoga on the regular.

Seen on my hike this week

Seen on my hike this week

Today's ride

Today’s ride

20 laps a la doggie paddle and apparently KT Tape isn't waterproof when cholorine is involved

20 laps a la doggie paddle and apparently KT Tape isn’t waterproof when cholorine is involved

Last Sunday's ride

Last Sunday’s ride

Number 3: I got 2 new projects that will secure my income goals for the next couple of months

werk-werk-werk

werk-werk-werk

Number 4: I’ve been able to add “walk briskly” back to my life. This is awesome because it’s the next step in my running comeback.

 

Number 5: To go along with my happier feet I re-discovered this 40th birthday “gag” gift in my closet that is now my latest favorite thing. Why didn’t I take this thing seriously before? LOVE!

It's a shiatsu foot massager with heat!

It’s a shiatsu foot massager with heat!

Number 6: I saw the eclipse sort of. I took a pic with my phone but at first saw nothing. Then I saw this adorable crescent shaped reflection/lens flare thingy on the photo

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Number 7: I had the best chocolate chip ice cream of my life and of all places right here on Staten Island. Egger’s has been around since 1932.

Reese's Pieces instead of sprinkles for the win

Reese’s Pieces instead of sprinkles for the win

Number 8: I had my first beer of 2017…I know that sounds crazy but i have been drinking wine, hard ciders and frozen daiquiris and margaritas and only had my first beer of the year a week ago. It was at a local brewery here on staten island. I was at a fundraiser for some runners who are running the NYC Marathon this year. They’re fundraising for the Greenbelt Conservancy which is the non-profit that organizes the hikes i go on. They’re also my client! I designed their annual report and some invitations and posters too.IMG_2475

Number 9: Duncan’s eye is all healed and he’s off all the meds and with his fresh haircut is looking as cute as ever.

dreaming that I'll finish working soon so we can go for a w-a-l-k!!!!

dreaming that I’ll finish working soon so we can go for a w-a-l-k!!!!

The best thing I learned in my college photography class was to shoot from different angles

The best thing I learned in my college photography class was to shoot from different angles

Fozzie Bear!

Fozzie Bear!

Number 10: Facebook memories reminded me this week of the time Mr. SOTSS and I saw a shooting star when we were in Jamaica for his cousin’s wedding! It was a magical evening and I couldn’t have asked for a better partner to share that experience with. memories

So there ya have it. From mostly uninspired to 10 awesome things!!!!

Tell me something awesome that happened to you this week. 

A little of this and a little of that

Hi there.

Happy Friday!

This photo popped up on my Facebook memories page. Baby Duncan! 8 years ago. He was only about 7 months old.baby-duncan

I’ve been home from Block Island now for over a week and trying to stay active without running as the toe slowly heals. I’ve been doing a little of this and a little of that. I made it to yoga 3 times in the last week and am loving it still. I’m working hard to hold that crow for a full 3 breaths. And I really think we all need to spend a few minutes every day inverted. (no pictures 🙁 I tend to shut my phone before I enter the studio.)

I live in a development with a community pool that I hardly ever use. I bought my home 17 years ago this month (I really can’t believe it’s been that long) and for the first 14 years I think I literally went once and only dipped my feet in. Then, in 2014 when my friend Jane talked me into doing that triathalon, I went twice to see if I could swim.

swim skirts are the bomb.

swim skirts are the bomb.

Well, this past week I have already gone twice and am discovering that it doesn’t matter that I’m not really a swimmer, I can stay afloat doing a doggie paddle/breast stroke hybrid and got 10 laps covered my first swim and 16 laps covered yesterday.

I have a silly shorts tan :)

I have a silly shorts tan 🙂

I definitely love to set goals and while I don’t love being out of my comfort zone, it feels great to get my heart rate up. If only the pool were deeper I’d try pool running. But it’s only 4ft 3in deep.

Dear toe: take your time healing. It's ok.

Dear toe: take your time healing. It’s ok.

I’m now 3 sessions into physical therapy and optimistic that this will help me heal faster.physical-therapy

I took my bike out once this week and it wasn’t until 10 minutes in that I realized I never reconnected the front brake after coming back from Block Island (the way the bike went into the bike rack meant removal of front wheel and that required the disconnection of the brake). OOpsie! Good thing I really use the back brake more than the front.biking-brake

I also managed one “power walk” this week. My toe felt really good on Sunday so I walked briskly for 3 miles.

Rocking the "shorts creep"

Rocking the “shorts creep”

And I went on a hike with my hiking group this past Wednesday.

we heard lots of frogs in this bog

we heard lots of frogs in this bog

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Getting ready to hike

Getting ready to hike

I keep fantasizing kayaking. I miss it. I wish I lived on a lake.

So a little yoga, a little swimming, a little walking, a little biking and a little hiking have helped me to Sweat Out the Small Stuff through the week.

Oh and I drove out to Pennsylvania to visit my dear friend Stef. We’ve known each other for 30+ years now! She has a labradoodle too—Bella. It was a great day of catching up.IMG_1430

And Duncan got a haircut!

I never grow weary of his before and after side-by-side photos

I never grow weary of his before and after side-by-side photos

I’m gearing to be back to running in the fall but for now I’ll keep doing a little of this and a little of that 🙂

How was your week?

How to Sweat Out the Small Stuff Block Island Style

I spent 5 days on Block Island. It small island off the coast of Rhode Island. And Mr. SOTSS’s daughter K-Corn (my nickname for her) drew it so accurately here. It kinda looks like a duck.block-island-chalk

We were there to celebrate Mr. SOTSS’s dad’s 70th birthday and the 4th of July.

J-Beans (my nickname for Mr. SOTSS' other daughter) wearing her patriotic blue cat ears.

J-Beans (my nickname for Mr. SOTSS’ other daughter) wearing her patriotic blue cat ears.

The one thing I can say for certain is that there are no bad views anywhere.

adorable houses with flowers and picket fences

adorable houses with flowers and picket fences

There is only beauty out of each and every vista.

Heaven

Heaven

I would go for walks and take in the view only to turn around and see something even more beautiful.

I want to marry these flowers!

I want to marry these flowers!

So I figured since this blog is supposed to be about running and stress relief (and doing any exercise that makes you feel less stress really especially when unable to run) I would design this post to highlight that stuff. More »