Active without running

Hi there,

I’m emerging from my funk and lack of activity and have been active without running.

First there was the blizzard a week ago that dumped about a foot of snow here. I shoveled a ton. My arms got a very good workout!

shoveling is the new cross training

shoveling is the new cross training

Last weekend, Mr. SOTSS, his girls and I went sledding! Walking up to the top of the hill multiple times worked my leg muscles and sledding down worked my face muscles…I was laughing and smiling so much.

What a great invention

What a great invention

Working my face muscles

Working my face muscles

sledding-2

On Monday I took a brisk walk through the neighborhood while listening to podcasts.

On Tuesday I returned for a yoga class and last night I joined my hiking group for 2 solid hours of hiking in the snow. We covered about 4.75 miles and boy am I sore today.

It was 7:30 pm but the snow allowed us to see well even without our headlamps

It was 7:30 pm but the snow allowed us to see well even without our headlamps

I also dusted off the old Wii Fit and did some Hula Hooping. Geez, my abs are killing me after only 6 minutes, two days in a row.

wii-fit

Not activity related but Duncan is feeling better and got groomed too.

grooming

On a scale of 1-5 what’s your activity level like these days? Have you ever gone sledding? 

Whew!

After (mostly) resting my knee for 3 days (and icing it the first 24 hours) I bounced back! I can’t remember the last time I healed so fast. And I even went on that walk in the park with Mr. SOTSS and the pups on Saturday. Go figure.

two of my favorite boys

two of my favorite boys

I have had this sweatshirt for about 6 or 7 years and if it weren't for Facebook/Instagram and the blog I might not have realized how much I wear it!

I have had this sweatshirt for about 6 or 7 years and if it weren’t for Facebook/Instagram and the blog I might not have realized how much I wear it!

The magical state park a mile from Mr. SOTSS' house

The magical state park a mile from Mr. SOTSS’ house

Welcome to our "church"

Welcome to our “church”

We didn’t go for the walk until I got to watch Shalane Flanagan win the NYC Marathon.IMG_3799

Yesterday I got back to full activity level. I went for a 30 minute run earlier in the day AND hit up yoga at night.

This is the right place!

This is the right place!

another easy 30 minutes of healthy and happy running

another easy 30 minutes of healthy and happy running

Still loving these New Balance 1080s!

Still loving these New Balance 1080s!

And I found a new use for my old yoga mat. It’s now a great cushion for my feet when I stand at my standing desk a long time. Gotta keep those feet happy!

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This morning Duncan and I had a rough time getting going

Is it really time to get productive?

Is it really time to get productive?

So now you’re all caught up.

What’s new? What’s the weather like by you? 

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.