Ok, I am starting to worry now.
As you know, I didn’t run all week to give my legs a break. Well, today I hopped on the treadmill for an easy 2-3 slow miles and I was shocked to find that my legs are STILL tired and slightly sore/uncomfortable. What the heck!?
I ran about 0.4 miles and I decided to stop and walk slowly for about 16-17 minutes because I started to worry.
I really don’t understand why my legs are feeling this way, but this is kind of freaking me out considering that my half is just 1 day away. My guess is that I have come down with something because my muscles in my back have been really stiff for no reason too.
I ended up getting off the treadmill after 20 minutes of light walking.
I am not sure what to think. I guess I will just keep resting until Sunday and hope that this just passes and I feel refreshed come race day.
I hate feeling stressed right before a race. :( I really don’t want to go into this half marathon feeling like I’m not loosened up!
In other non-running aspects, I have been trying to help my body with healthy eats.
Including lots of Green Monsters!
They always make me GLOW!
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Knee Sleeve Rash Update:
The other day Eric says to me, ‘You know you should really get that rash checked out, it is getting worse.” This is coming from a guy who never goes to the doctor when he is feeling sick. But, he was right. I needed to make the time to visit my doctor to get it checked out. I am the type of person that tends to put off doctor visits until I absolutely have to go!
Before I go to the Dr’s office, I always Google my symptoms first so I am prepared.
This is what the Internet told me it could be:
- Eczema
- Ring Worm (NOT an actual worm, just a type of fungal infection)
- Skin Cancer
Don’t you hate Googling things on the internet and you always get one really SCARY result? It makes me so paranoid! I had swollen glands under my arms once and I was convinced it was cancer. I was on edge for 3 days until I could see the doctor!
So anyways, I had my appointment this morning.
One quick look at it Doc said it is eczema!
Apparently my Knee Sleeves have caused the eczema and I now have these red, scaly, highly itchy circles about the size of a dime to a quarter around my knee sleeve zone. It has been driving me crazy the past 1-2 months.
Apparently this steroid cream that he gave me is supposed to clear it up in 10 days (3x daily application!!).
I would have loved to go the Project Natural Glow route with my treatment, but unfortunately the Coconut Oil did NOT help my condition. I was using it for a good two weeks with no relief. Sometimes a prescription is necessary. I can already tell that the cream is helping which is a good sign.
Doc actually suggested that I start taping my knees instead of wearing the sleeves.
As soon as I get some time I am going to make an appointment with a Physical Therapist. I’d like to learn how to tape my knees and hopefully not have to wear the sleeves anymore. Or better yet, strengthen my leg muscles so I don’t have knee pain at all!
He also reminded me not to over-train. He was happy with me when I told him that I haven’t been running more than 3 days a week most weeks. He said that is the way to go because running is hard on the body as we all know.
Cotton Knee Sleeves:
By the way, I ordered some DONJOY all cotton knee sleeves and they arrived this week. I was sooooo disappointed with them though. They are not even close to supportive enough like my current knee sleeves. In fact, I can barely tell that they are on because they do NOTHING! I have to send these back and get my money back. Which totally sucks because I had to order these from the US and they were NOT cheap!
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I’m off to work on the online shopping cart for a bit. Friday night will be spent cuddled up with Sketchie, Eric, and some TLC’s Say Yes To The Dress. Addicted to that show!!
Tomorrow will be another segment of my grad school saga as well as showing you my pre-race eats, outfit, and race-kit stuff.
By the way, you can follow me during my half marathon LIVE on Sunday! Go to the homepage on Sunday and look for the link. My race bib number “5443”. :) Oh and Race Time = 7:30am EST. Anyone going to be awake?? haha.
2 more sleeps, let’s hope these legs snap back into action!
Enjoy your night! :)
hi angela,
good luck tomorrow. I am pretty sure you will be just fine! I recommend taking ibuprofen the night before the race and bring 8 hour tylenol with you the day of. That is what my marathon coach recommends and he has seen thousands across the finish line.
You rock, you are gorgeous, and you are helping girls everywhere get the glow.
I hope your legs are okay for the half! Try to take it super easy and eat well, but you always do that.
Hope your rash clears up soon. My son has bad eczema and his hockey skates really aggravate it.
What about wearing the cotton knee sleeves under your regular ones? I would assume that your regular ones are neoprene or something so maybe having a more natural material right up against your skin would help with the eczema?
Good luck tomorrow! I’m sure that once you get out there you’ll be feeling great!
I’m running my first half marathon tomorrow, and I can’t wait for your recap on sunday so I can see your experience. I was really hesitant last weekend if I could do it but going to the convention center today and picking up my packet and feeling all the energy from the runners I KNEW that I had to do this. I’ve been training since May and I’m thankful to have the legs and health to do this! Good luck on your race!
Go Angela!! I have a 5K tomorrow and have had a very stressful week, but going to try and drill some of the stress into my run tomorrow! You have treated yourself so well in the lead up to this – now it’s time to have some fun! :) Am excited to read your report as I am doing my first 1/2 in two months. You will kick butt!
Good luck on Sunday! I will be doing my very first sprint triathlon at the same time you are doing your race!! My worst fear this week has been getting sick or somehow injuring myself since I sometimes am the most graceful! So far so good..but I still have tomorrow!!
I look forward to reading about your race results!! I will be posting my race recap on my blog on Sunday night if anyone wants to check it out!
http://courtlove111.wordpress.com
Courtney
Adventures in Tri-ing
What IS it about boys never going to the doc when they are sick? Good luck in the race!
sometimes when my legs are really heavy i take a hot bath (epsom salt is awesome too) and then stretch a lot and use my foam roller… it helps! BUT also during taper my legs dont always feel the greatest… kind of part of the taper madness :) you are going to do great!!
Positive thinking!
You will do great with your race…once you get there and are in race mode I am sure that things will fall into place for you.
You can do it and you WILL
HI Ange,
Rest up. What works for me is to soak in Epsom salts. The maganesium in it really relaxes the muscles. I always feel like a new person after a soak. Hope this helps.
Maybe try some good yoga stretches or easy yoga videos online. Good luck! You will be great!
Hi Angela,
I have been reading your blog for some time now and it’s part of my daily reads!!
I am the 5K race at the Scotiabank Toronto Waterfront Marathon this Sunday. I am so excited to “know” someone running the half. It’s my first race and I have only been running for 3.5 months and I’m so exited.
Good luck with everything for this race! It will be so much fun no matter what distance we’re running!
Kat
You really shouldn’t google your symptoms before you go to the doctors. It’ll just make you worry, and it’s annoying for the doctor too (My mum is a doctor, she has complained to me about it). Although I am kind of assuming that you didn’t go in and say “Oh I looked it up and the internet said it could be…”. I know it’s tempting, and it’s easy for me to say, because when anything goes wrong, I can call her and get her to tell me what she thinks it is, but still. I myself have googled symptoms in the past (I was coughing up blood, it was 3am and I didn’t want to wake my mum up!), and just ended up worrying that I was really really seriously ill and probably going to die, and therefore I wasn’t able to get the sleep that I needed to help to cure my chest infection, which I’m sure affected how long it took to get better. Nothing good comes of looking up symptoms on the internet!
Also, the skin cancer thing is crazy, because it’s obviously related to the knee sleeves, and I’m pretty sure that you can’t get cancer because of something rubbing against your skin.
I hope that the eczema clears up, and that you feel awesome for your half marathon!
Ange, I know you always have an amazing glow about your face but this picture of you is AMAZINGLY glowy!!
The hay is in the barn, so to speak, looooooooooong before race day. This is just your brain playing tricks on you… if you don’t pay attention to it, I promise, it’ll go away. Get lots of sleep, drink lots of water, and ignore the bad thoughts!
Good luck! I can’t wait to hear how you do!
You are sore because you HAVEN’T run all week.
Here is the analogy: You have a car that isn’t brand new. Its winter. And its well below freezing every day for weeks on end. If you start the car and drive it every day, chances are it’ll, well…actually START every day. If you let it sit for a week? It may start, but its gonna stall.
Simply put: when you are running every day or on most days…you’re using your muscles in the way they work when you run. You’re keeping them loose.
When you DON’T use them? They stiffen and its harder to get them moving.
You are a relatively new and inexperienced runner so this might sound weird, but in many ways you are far better doing even a very short run every day (or most days).
Also, eczema from a compression sleeve? Very normal; its because that area gets hotter than the rest of your body. Some people are more sensitive to it than others.
Enjoy the waterfront half. I ran the full last year and its a great course.
Good luck! You will rock it!
Good luck on Sunday!! You will do awesome! I was registered to run it but injured my hip on last week’s long run. :( I’ll be cheering everyone on instead!
You’ll do great! I know I’m always scared that I’ll go into a race and after a few miles not be able to go any further..it hasn’t happened, but that doesn’t stop me from stressing about it!
Best of luck!!!!!
Do you track your menstrual cycle? Possibly that is messing with you!