Alternative Medicine

I have always kind of looked sideways at people that tell me about their herbalist, acupuncture guy, chiropractor, etc.  I guess it's the pessimist in me, "If REAL medicine can't fix it then how do you think that voodoo will help?!"  But since my last pregnancy I've started to realize there may be more to it than I know. 

Around 35 weeks into my pregnancy with Ashlyn I developed preeclampsia.  In a desperate effort to avoid induction I tried tinctures, old wives tales, recipes, and acupuncture to start labor naturally.  I actually did get some good contractions going a few times and, after the acupuncture, I contracted for three days.... until I went into the hospital for some good old fashioned Pitocin at 39 weeks.  DOH!

I figured since I did get SOME results from all those things during pregnancy I should be a bit more open minded post-baby.  After all marathon training is half faith right?  Faith in my body, faith in my training, and faith in my own inner strength.  So, after a few days of a nagging back ache I decided to use that open mindedness and make an appointment with a chiropractor. 

Well one hour and about 30 adjustments later, I feel great!  My chiropractor is a lot like myself, active with kids and largely dedicated to the areas trails and parks.  We discussed the best trails for running, hiking and children.  We talked about our kids who are similar in age.  We even realized we have the same degree of scoliosis (yes, I knew I had it already!).  And all the while I barely noticed that he was manipulating my spine into odd and crazy contortions.  After about 40 minutes of pushing, pulling, and stretching my back he hooked me up to a TENS machine and zapped those pesky, spasming latissimus dorsi into submission!

Walking out of the office I felt about an inch taller and I no longer felt like my legs were unequal.  My nagging runners knee wasn't screaming quite so loud and my SI joints didn't cry for mercy when I got into my Jeep.  On the drive home I felt relaxed, almost sleepy despite the huge amounts of caffeine I consumed this morning.  Maybe there is something to this alternative medicine stuff after all!  Or maybe it's just wishful thinking on my part.  Either way I'm going back Thursday for another dose!

Oh, and did I mention the chiropractors in this office are super cute?!

Burn Out

I took an unscheduled rest day today.  I know, I know... What's the big deal right?  Well to me it's a huge deal.  I feel antsy and wired even though I'm physically wiped.  Mentally I'm doing backflips and climbing the walls.  I did homework (and some of next week's homework), I did laundry, I cleaned, I watched TV....  Nothing takes the mental power that running and exercising does.  And now it's my bed time and I'm thinking, "Well I could just sneak down to the basement and knock out 30 minutes".  But I know that I won't feel physically better tomorrow if I do that.  I know that I won't make the gains in strength and speed that I need if I do that.  I NEED to go to sleep.  I need to down a glass of chocolate almond milk and cuddle up with my baby in front of the fireplace.  But my mind won't stop begging me to "Just do something"!  I never thought in a million years that I would be addicted to running.  I have always loved being active but I've also always loved my television and my couch.  I don't know what's changed over the last two years but I'm extremely proud of myself.  Now if I could just quiet that voice down so that my rest days (scheduled or not) could be as enjoyable as they used to be.  And then maybe my screaming quads would also take a rest!

I hate it but I love it...

I ordered the P90X workout DVD's and they arrived today.  I couldn't bear to pass up giving it a whirl right away so I skipped the fit test (I'm a runner, I have to be fit enough right?) and just took measurements and a before video (camera battery is dead) and then went straight into Day 1.  Day 1 is the Chest & Back DVD followed by the Ab Ripper X DVD. 

Now I never have had any upper body strength but I felt that my abs were pretty okay.  Wrong!  Apparently I'm even weaker post-baby then I remembered.  Push ups have always left me drained and gasping for air and I've never managed a pull up in my life so the chest and back workout completely shredded me.  It was 53 minutes of sheer torture.  And I loved it!  I've heard that some people think Tony is annoying but I didn't think so (of course, anyone is tolerable for one hour though).  I really enjoyed watching the Tony and his crew zip through exercises I can barely manage while daydreaming about being able to keep up.  I don't have much hope of ever looking like they do but I sure can aspire to perform like they do!

Moving on to the abs was like a breath of fresh air.  The first 2 sets of moves I flew through.  I was starting to feel smug about my advanced core strength.  I will NEVER let myself believe that I can keep up with P90X again!  As soon as we moved into crunchy frogs and V-rollups I was mush, and it wasn't even half over.  The oblique V-ups cemented my place on the floor where I remained for several minutes after the 'completion' of Ab Ripper X. 

Thankfully running is always there to bring me back up when I'm down.  A slow (very slow) 2 miles on the treadmill perked me back up and helped me breath in a somewhat normal fashion again.  I hate to say it but I'm already looking forward to Day 2 and Plyometrics...

And in case you're curious, I promise to post my before pics/video and measurements once I have some results to post next to them!

The Beginning

I guess for my first post I should talk about how I got here. 

My life hasn't been anything special.  I haven't raised millions for charity, developed a cure for a debilitating disease, or set a world record.  I'm just your average American woman.  The best thing about me is my children (5 and 2 months) and for that I am truly blessed.

I started running in 2008 after the break up of a long term relationship.  I ran to feel better about myself.  I ran to gather my thoughts and find the woman inside I'd lost touch with.  I ran my first 5K and I was hooked.  I skipped the 10K and headed straight to a half marathon.  After that a marathon seemed like it was nothing more than doubling something I'd already accomplished so I set my sights on ultramarathons.  I picked a trail ultra with a course that was open extremely long.  I finished but just barely.  I couldn't walk for a few days and I waddled for weeks.  I loved every minute of it!

I promised myself I would be more prepared the next time and I set myself to a new challenge, my first road marathon.  By this time I had met my now-husband, Shane, and we had moved in together.  He supported my running and my goals.  I couldn't picture my life being more perfect but it was about to be.  On an 8 mile training run I felt oddly drained and walked more than usual.  My Australian Shepherd was looking at me like I was nuts every time I tugged his leash to slow him down.  I waited until Shane left for work and took a pregnancy test.  It was immediately positive and I almost lost my mind.  I went through every emotion possible in the span of about 10 seconds and was basically a heap on the bathroom floor.  I left the positive test on Shane's nightstand and went to bed but didn't sleep.  I should have known better than to worry.  He came home in the morning and saw the test.  We worried about how to work things out for about 24 hours and then gave in to our complete joy.  Shane put the icing on the cake when he proposed right before Christmas.  We originally planned to wait a year to have the wedding but we decided to just jump in head first and we were married on March 22, 2010. 

My pregnancy was picture perfect for the first 35 weeks.  I gained a good bit of weight but I was still running and then I kept walking after running became too hard.  At 33 weeks I began to swell noticeably.  My midwives told me everything was fine.  They reassured me every week that I was perfectly fine.  However, in my 38th week I started having regular contractions but nothing was actually happening.  After 70-some hours with no sleep and contractions 4 minutes apart I asked to be admitted to the hospital.  Once out of the care of my midwives I was diagnosed with preeclampsia.  I had to give up my dream of natural childbirth and accept Pitocin and Magnesium.  Thankfully I still was able to avoid pain medicine.  Nineteen long hours later our beautiful daughter was born.  I was in Heaven!

Around 1 week postpartum I started walking again and everything seemed perfect.  My midwife cleared me at my 2 week check up and at 3 weeks I started run/walking again.  I started to have some heavy bleeding and I backed off.  My midwives again told me I was fine so I ran through the pain and bleeding.  At almost 6 weeks postpartum I decided I wasn't fine and went to the local ER.  I am so thankful that I listened to my body this time!  I had retained a large piece of the placenta and that was the cause of the bleeding.  I was severely anemic and barely above needing a blood transfusion.  One day and one D&C later, I was on my way to recovery again.  I was sidelined for a week and then began running again.

I am now 9 weeks postpartum and I have gone from running 1 mile to being able to run 5 again.  I registered for the Pittsburgh Marathon in May and I plan to PR at the trail challenge again in June.  So this is my way to hold myself accountable with my training and share my trials and triumphs with those like me.  I hope you'll join me or at the very least cheer me on and maybe find it within yourself to take the steps to get healthy for the ones who matter in your life!