It seems I’ve turned into a once-a-week blogger and I hope you’re ok with that. I just can’t seem to find the time (to check in more frequently). I’ve also become a once-a-weeker in running and hiking too. I’m trying to fix my hamstring (and now hip!) issues by easing up on anything too strenuous more than once or twice a week and adding in 2 scheduled rehab days of lots of hip and glute strengthening exercise and foam rolling until my fascia is happy. I’m currently trying to rehab on my own but I might be making an appointment to see a sports injury doc soon if I can’t make progress.
A much less strenous activity last week was taking the Staten Island Ferry into the city last Tuesday to meet some former coworkers for some much needed cocktails and conversation. The view of the NYC skyline really never gets old….especially in the early evening when the sun has just set.
It was FREEZING on the outer deck but I couldn’t take the picture through a dirty window now could I? 🙂
So these night hikes have led to meeting some new people who like running on the trails as well as hiking. Yesterday morning I met up with a couple of them for 4.25 miles. And, my next run will be next Saturday so that works out!
I love trails that are just named by colors. Easy to remember
when you discover a random chimney ruin in the woods you take a picture in front of it
Mr. SOTSS and I had some fun with his girls this weekend doing some “candy chemistry”. We watched what happened when you drop Mentos candy into a bottle of diet cola.
A video posted by Sally Stilwell (@sweatoutthesmallstuff) on
Oh and I signed up for another race…. I’ll be running the Spring Lake 5 miler Memorial Day weekend. After spectating in 2014 and 2015, I ran it last year. It was hot! Anyway, I’m excited to run again and have some yummy brunch after with friends.
Duncan and I did plenty of exploring in the woods last week too.
So you hike these trails in the dark ma? How can you see any squirrels?
And I got a bee in my bonnet to do my hair straight this weekend. But only for a day.
And just a couple of cute dog pics to share before I sign off:
cute dog on couch #1
cute dog on couch #2
Tell me what’s new in your life. Any good news to share?
This past Saturday I ran the most dreamy of logistical races. With a 10am start time for the Resolution Run, a local 4 mile trail race, I left my house at 9:25am, was parked at the race at 9:35am, got my number and shirt by 9:40am and sat in my car until 9:55am when I decided to join the rest of the crowd (about 75-80 runners total) at the start.
easy peasy in the logistics category!
A little about the course…Miles 1 and 4 were in Bloomingdale Park, the park I take Duncan to almost daily.
Here’s the same spot in the race….
and 2 days before with Duncan
These miles weren’t technical, they were either on the dirt paths or paved paths and I could keep my pace similar to road miles. Miles 2 and 3 were loops in the woods next to the park, so being aware of tree roots, and other potential hazards under the leaves meant slowing down the pace a bit.
crossing over a little stream
pink ribbons marked the course
I really love a good local race.
finish line goodies
Yes, it’s weird to fork over $35 to run on the same paths I can run for free any day that I wanted but I like the medal a whole bunch and I think there’s something about being part of an organized even that pushes me to work harder than if I was just on my own. Also, I feed off being around people with the same passion as me. This race was the first in a series of 3. The medals are made to interlock and create one big medal so that really incentivizes me to run the other 2….both of which are the same 10 min drive from my house.
Love the medal!
There’s a 5k next month and a 10k in April. Also, part of the proceeds of this race will support a local volunteer CERT (community emergency response team) organization. 🙂
OK, now on to my chronic hamstring pain situation. Not that I’m looking for advice, I just feel like venting but I wouldn’t refuse the advice 🙂
Hamstring pain situation:
So it started a few months ago….maybe September or October. Initially it was just that “sticky” tightness on the backs of my thighs right in the middle of my hamstring. Then I noticed especially in November during my road trip to North Carolina how painful it was to sit for long periods of time and that the pain had moved up more to the top of the hammy and where it attaches to the sit bones. I also started to get some pain in the groin. All mostly dull, achy pain. Running or even walking uphill and sitting happen to be the two things that irritate them the most.
After basically not running for 3 weeks (aside from my leisurely holiday run on New Year’s Eve) I really wasn’t feeling much relief. I noticed that all the hill climbing during my weekly night hikes were aggravating everything too. Well, after Saturday’s race the pain intensified. So running is still the main source of irritation for sure.
I’ve been researching and think it might be one of the following 2 things: High Hamstring Tendinopathy or possibly trigger point issue associated with my adductor magnus muscle.
Either way, it’s a surefire sign I need to strengthen my glutes and hips! When will I get it through my brain that I need to strength train to prevent injury? I’m a glutton for punishment for sure.
So that’s that. I spent the rest of the weekend with Mr. SOTSS. We saw Patriots Day yesterday and allowed ourselves a little flexibility in our diet for some popcorn.
Patriots Day and Popcorn
The movie was really good but left me feeling such sadness all over again as I thought about the Boston Marathon bombings. I remember that afternoon so vividly. I was at my desk at work watching on my computer and tracking my friend Carey. She was a few miles from the finish and my boss and I went out to the ice cream truck quickly for an ice cream cone. As we were walking back into the office a co-worker came running up to me to say there was a bomb that exploded at the finish. My heart sank! I knew Carey was so close. She was probably still about a mile or so away from the finish when they stopped her and said the race was over. She didn’t know why at first. Once I realized she was safe I just refreshed CNN constantly for the rest of the day and the next few days too as I watched everything unfold. It is beyond my comprehension how anyone could cause such harm to innocent people. I had nightmares last night. 🙁
Yesterday was a day of simple pleasures. We started with a 2 mile walk, letting the dogs frolic for a bit and then we just ran some errands and cooked healthy meals for the week. We walked the dogs again at night and Mr. SOTSS caught some of the Playoffs Football action too.
The face he gave when I asked what Chester had in his mouth 🙂 “Um, you don’t want to know”
So my toe was feeling better on Tuesday morning. I was so happy! Then, after our morning walk, Duncan ran up the stairs and was doing what I call “the zoomies” around the living room and next thing I know he was limping. Geez….really? He wouldn’t put any pressure on his right foot at all at first. But by later in the afternoon he was doing better and by yesterday he was back to normal. Whew! We avoided a trip to the vet.
We made up for lost time today with a stroll together….no coats/no limp for both of us!
🙂
Where’d all the snow go?
It was 63 degrees and I actually had the sunroof open.
My “sunroof is open” smile!
I was plowing through work for a client yesterday and at one point he sent me this message:
Made me feel so good. When you work for yourself you need some validation every now and again 🙂
Last night, since my toe seemed good I decided to go on that night hike again. They go out every Wednesday evening from about 6-8pm. This was my 3rd hike and I love how each time there’s something else that is unique. Last week I could see a sky full of stars and a whole lot of deer. My headlamp would reflect into the This week there was still some patches of snow around and there was an almost full moon in the sky. It was cloudy but you could see the diffused light in the sky anyway.
a silhouette Sally selfie
It was unseasonably warm too. There were about 8 of us. There were times we were all chatty and other times all you could hear was the sound of our feet.
I registered for a local 4 mile trail run called the Resolution Run this weekend. This will be my first running miles and first race of 2017. And it’s the first of 3 trail runs in the series and each individual race medal interlocks to create one larger medal.
Between the hikes and the trail races I think I’m going to get much more acquainted with my local trails this year and this makes me happy!
Hope you had a good week. After Monday night’s run I took off 3 days from running although I did walk plenty. I even took a few walks without Duncan including one after work at that park by my office.
Changed in the car. This is now becoming my new life.
While I love running, there’s something so effortless about walking. Not to mention I can multi-task while walking. I replied to some emails, scrolled through Instagram, made a shopping list and talked on the phone.
Tonight however I was ready for a run and in keeping my streak going I ran along the tow path for the 4th time.
First skirt appearance this year.
Each time is as awesome as the previous (although the honeysuckles are not really in full bloom anymore so the glorious aroma has faded—leSigh!) Oh and today I saw this little snake.
But I also saw these cute mini daisies.
The tow path is mostly crushed red clay gravel/dirt and I took a lot of it home with me on my sneakers and my ankles…
I tried to take a real action running shot but it was too blurry
I ended up getting 6 miles in before heading home to silly puppy head doodle bug shmoopsie poo
Nothing better than coming home to this boy
I’m trying to make a conscious decision each day to not waste the day worrying about the future. It’s so natural for me to worry about things that might happen years from now and it’s wasting my energy that could be spent right this minute. Today was a great day….I’m off to a great start!
Random: I’ve been driving so many highway miles lately that my Subaru is now getting a Marathon (+.2) Per Gallon. And you thought MPG stood for Miles Per Gallon. HA!
I made it through the week without any cookies, cake, pastries, ice cream or chocolate. But I did allow myself some lemon flavored sucking candies each day as my “dessert” and tonight after my run I got an iced caramel latte.
So what does your weekend look like? Busy? Chill? Whatcha doin?
After spectating in 2014 and 2015, I ran it last year. It was hot! Anyway, I’m excited to run again and have some yummy brunch after with friends.
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