It's been a while - Writing to vent

I thought I was going to be really good about posting on my Chicago Marathon training every week. 3 months later....my next post! haha, oops. Life got in the way from posting I guess. But let me give you a quick summary of how my training went through the months of June, July and August.

June:
My miles were still at a very enjoyable level, I worked hard on my speed and strength training follow my schedule to a T every week - M-Strength training and stretching for 45-60 minutes. T - 3-5 miles of hills (bridges here in FL) rotated every week with 3-5 miles of tempo work. W - Easy 3-4 milers with Sarah. Th - 3-5 miles of speed work on the UNF track with my Absentee running group. F - REST. Sa - 5-7 mile long slow distances. Su - Yoga and/or swim/surf for 45 minutes.

I had no pains. I could noticeably start to see my muscles get more defined and I had high energy during the days.

July:
Miles picked up to a level where I really start to feel accomplished after my weekday tempo and weekend long runs but not so many miles that all I want to do on Saturday afternoon is sleep and lay around. I was still following my schedule to a T but mixing up what days I did what runs depending on when I had someone running with me. M - Strength and stretch still. T - 4-6 miles of bridges. W - 5-6.5 tempo. Th - 4-6 Speed work. F - rest. Sa - 9-13 mile long slow distances. Su - Yoga and/or swim/surf for 45.

My right hip flexor and gluteus started tightening up towards the end of the month but not much pain in the SI joint during or after workouts. My body felt great!

August:
Miles picked up to the difficult levels and hip/SI joint pain caused me to change my schedule around quite a bit and even cut back and take breaks. I also started coaching TNT so my easy runs were moved to Saturdays with them and long runs to Sundays. M - strength and stretch. T - 4-6 miles at whatever pace was comfortable. W - Strength and stretch. Th - 3-5 miles at whatever pace was comfortable. F - rest. Sa - 10-16 long slow miserably painful miles. Su - Yoga.

My SI joint started to be very painful during and after runs. I was going to the chiro/therapist and was very good at doing the exercises he was giving me. It started out not hurting tremendously till 8-9 miles, then it wouldn't hurt tremendously till the end of runs, then it started hurting after 6, 5, 4, 3 miles and the pain after runs would hurt for longer. I tried kinesiology tape which seemed to work for two runs with no pain at all. Then I ran an almost tempo paced 5 miles with TNT and the pain started around 3 or 4 miles but I didn't stop because I was trying to catch up with another group to encourage them on. I got home and the pain was horrible the rest of the day. When I tried to run across the street later that day, I almost didn't make it from the extreme pain. It hurt all night and the next day when I looked in the mirror I noticed it was very swollen and had some bruising right around the SI joint.  I iced, biofreeze, rest, repeat. Then ran an easy 2.75 miles on the bridges with TNT. It was hurting but not excruciating except for when I'd turn to look about for my Team. Immediately after it started hurting gradually more and then on the way home it was so bad I almost pulled over. The next day I went to my chiro/therapist and after I told him about the swelling and bruising, he immediately said, "you know I'm not one to take people off the playing field, but....it sounds like a bulge has formed and worst case a herniation." Either way, we'd treat it the same - Rest. The only way to tell the difference between the two is with an MRI. Doc said he isn't going to have me do that unless it starts affecting my every day life. Plus, treatment is the same, time to heal is the only difference. After much lecturing, I asked "So what you're saying is that I shouldn't run the marathon in a few weeks?" He said, have you not been listening?! (in a sarcastic polite away of course). He said continuing to run on it like this will only make it worse and possibly lead to me not being able to run ever again. Hmmmm. Guess I should listen to him!

So as of September 7th, I have not run, stretched, strengthed, cycled, swam, or zumbad (haha, ok I never do that!) and it has been 3 long aching days. Only 4 more days to go to re-evaluate doing any kind of activity for another week. But it could be worse, right?!