NUMBERS SUCK!

 ALERT the press I am finally posting a new blog!!!! :)  WARNING it's more of a rambling/bitch fest than a fun blog so BEWARE!

Well it's here, October, the month I have been both looking forward to and dreading for the last few months. The Nike Women's Marathon is just 13 short days away. Boy, has this training been quite the ride. One word to sum it up---HARD But guess what? I CAN and will CONTINUE TO DO HARD THINGS!!!! 

First of all, I hate my knee. I have been dealing with knee problems since the first of May. 2 weeks before my first full marathon to be exact.  I had to get an injection for my pes anserine bursitis (One of my previous blogs explains all about it) just to run it. Once I got the injection I felt like a MILLION bucks! No knee pain during my marathon, or for several weeks after.  I continued to put the miles in and didn't let my body/knee have a well deserved rest..why ?? Oh yeah, because I signed up to run the NWM in San Fran before I even finished my first marathon :/

 Once I started getting into the higher mileage of my training it HURT. My knee slowed me down and that PISSED me off, which in turn made me want to push harder. I could only focus on my slower pace and how running was becoming more of a chore. Seeing my 8:30-8:45 miles become history absolutely defeated me. I was so focused on the "numbers" I was oblivious to the fact my knee was swelling and bruising after long runs and it really needed a little TLC. I kept going, and going, and getting slower, and slower, and then just plain BITTER.  Negativity took over me. I  starting wondering why the hell I am even running. The joy was gone. Yeah, runners high? WHAT THE HELL IS THAT?! I think even along the way I let my frustration interfere with my normal life and I think I maybe took it out on the people closest to me. NOT GOOD! It was literally all I could think about.

 I gave up. I stopped running for basically 3 full weeks. I maybe racked up a grand total of 15 miles in those three weeks. I felt awful! Completely sluggish, fat, lazy, and like a complete failure. I have wanted nothing more than to run this marathon and now I was giving up?! After a couple days of my pity party, I decided to get my big girl panties on and do something, ANYTHING, to give myself a chance to run this race. I was even thinking about dropping to the half. I mean I got into the lottery for this race, I have never been to San Fran, and DAMNIT I want that Tiffany's finishers necklace. I made an appt with an orthopedic doc I work with in the OR. I went for my appt and left in tears. Based on my exam and my described symptoms he was about 90% sure I had a torn meniscus. Which means SURGERY and no marathon. I had to go for an MRI the next tuesday which would seal my fate.

If you haven't figured it out by now-- NO TORN MENISCUS!! Once again, pes anserine bursitis and a very ANGRY inflamed MCL. I almost didn't know how to feel about it. On one hand I was ECSTATIC, this meant there was still a chance I could run this race. On the other hand surgery would fix the problem and I could go through rehab and be back at it for a spring race and be pain free. Bursitis just sort of made me feel like a pansy. But FYI, it's real and it HURTS! I went for my follow up appt, discussed running the marathon, and left with an injection a butt load of anti-inflammatory meds and a little bit of hope. Dr. Palmer thought I was crazy for wanting to run the marathon, but said I wasn't going to do any long term damage to my actual knee joint if I run this race. BUT that a lot of CROSS training should be in my near future after the race!!!! WAHOOOO!!!!!!

The rest is history! I have slowly come along and gotten my long training runs in. This training go around hasn't been quite what I had hoped for, but I have managed to get back on track and have had an 18 and a 20.5 mile run that went alright. That's all I can ask for at this point. Yes, I am at a slower pace but a run is a FREAKING run. TIME IS JUST A TIME... TIME IS JUST A DAMN NUMBER. 26.2 is 26.2 NO MATTER how you look at it. A lot of people would KILL to have the courage to run a marathon, and that's one of many reasons I want to keep running marathons--For those people, the OLD ME who never thought it was possible!!!

This whole marathon thing has really given me a chance to think. Why do I obsess with NUMBERS. What is it about pace, splits, and PR's?!? Why can't I be satisfied with running and DOING it. Doing it for me, my HEALTH, and my SANITY. When did I stop patting myself on the back for my accomplishments?

This naturally got me thinking (NEWS FLASH---I THINK WAY TOO DAMN MUCH--about EVERYHING!) about other NUMBERS I obsess over in my life.  My pant SIZE, the NUMBER on the scale, the NUMBER in my bank account...NUMBERS, NUMBERS, NUMBERS....Yeah, I hate em.  I may never run a BQ marathon, I probably will never have the right number in my bank account, and the scale---HELL i'll never be satisfied. I'm currently at a weight I only dreamed of 2 years ago and yup, NOT good enough anymore. Life is a constant battle, but I'm choosing not to fight this one anymore. I'm lucky to be able to run, I'm lucky and fortunate to have a job, my health, my family, my friends---Yeah i'm friggin LUCKY and I'm runnin' the NWM in 13 days!!!! SAN FRAN OR BUST!!!!

TALK ABOUT A SCENIC COURSE!!!

A VERY FITTING QUOTE!!
There comes a time when you have to stand up and shout: This is me damn it! I look the way I look, think the way I think, feel the way I feel, love the way I love! I am a whole complex package. Take me... or leave me. Accept me - or walk away! Do not try to make me feel like less of a person, just because I don't fit your idea of who I should be and don't try to change me to fit your mold. If I need to change, I alone will make that decision. When you are strong enough to love yourself 100%, good and bad - you will be amazed at the opportunities that life presents you.

- Stacey Charter

WOOT WOOT!!!!

Here we go again!

Well running hasn't exactly been going so well for me lately.. I'm actually getting really FRUSTRATED with it, but the Nike Womens Marathon is a short 14 weeks away so I figure I should probably get serious again. Training plan CHECK, Motivational quotes plastered all over my room CHECK, Positive running attitude CHECK---No more negative thoughts! LET'S DO THIS!

NWM HERE I COME!!!! 10/16/2011

I'll begin my first week of training TOMORROW! I'm going to act like it's my first go around. Forget all my other races and training runs. If I run a 9:30 pace so what I'm going to put in the miles and be proud of it!

I'm going to start in week 4 of this program--Oops I'm a little late- BETTER LATE THAN NEVER!!

Marathon Training Schedule: Novice 2

Week	Mon	Tue	Wed	Thur	Fri	Sat	Sun
1	Rest	3 m run	5 m pace	3 m run	Rest	8	cross
2	Rest	3 m run	5 m run	3 m run	Rest	9	cross
3	Rest	3 m run	5 m pace	3 m run	Rest	6	cross
4	Rest	3 m run	6 m pace	3 m run	Rest	11	cross
5	Rest	3 m run	6 m run	3 m run	Rest	12	cross
6	Rest	3 m run	6 m pace	3 m run	Rest	9	cross
7	Rest	4 m run	7 m pace	4 m run	Rest	14	cross
8	Rest	4 m run	7 m run	4 m run	Rest	15	cross
9	Rest	4 m run	7 m pace	4 m run	Rest	Rest	Half Mar
10	Rest	4 m run	8 m pace	4 m run	Rest	17	cross
11	Rest	5 m run	8 m run	5 m run	Rest	18	cross
12	Rest	5 m run	8 m pace	5 m run	Rest	13	cross
13	Rest	5 m run	5 m pace	5 m run	Rest	19	cross
14	Rest	5 m run	8 m run	5 m run	Rest	12	cross
15	Rest	5 m run	5 m pace	5 m run	Rest	20	cross
16	Rest	5 m run	4 m pace	5 m run	Rest	12	cross
17	Rest	4 m run	3 m run	4 m run	Rest	8	cross
18	Rest	3 m run	2 m run	Rest	Rest	2 m run	Marathon

RANDOM discovery today..I'm almost to the 500 mile mark for the year. Since Jan 1st, I have run 492. 4 miles!!!! WOOT WOOT! Here is to 500 more! I may have to celebrate with some new running shoes once I actually hit the 500 this week!

I just got back from a week long visit to Utah! Had an awesome 12 mile group run through Provo Canyon! My garmin died about mile 4 and honestly, I think that is what helped me have a good run. I wasn't worrying about checking my pace or mileage, I just enjoyed running and the BEAUTIFUL scenery through the canyon. The first half I was a bit slower, then my second wind came on the way down! It felt AMAZING!! I'm soo glad I didn't wuss out and not run with everyone! Since I have been struggling with running I really wanted to stay in bed instead!
I also ran the Provo Freedom Run 10k on the 4th of July--HARD race for me! One of my SLOWEST 10k's. But it's always a good way to celebrate the 4th and I'm glad I did it!!

Remind me why we always seem to take pictures AFTER long runs..I look frightening!! It was good to see Rachelle and have a group run again! Thanks for the Yogurtland giftcard Rachelle!!! :) 

Here is a picture overload from my week!! Back to work and reality tomorrow! In the mean time, off to the pool! :)

Watching fireworks!

Playing with Abby!!!

HAPPY BIRTHDAY JOSH! Josh's bday at the track!

American Idol Concert! 

Some quotes I love! If you have facebook like I <3 to Run! They always post awesome quotes and pictures!!!

This ass ain't going to run itself off!!! :) 


Devote yourself to an idea, go make it happen, struggle on it, overcome your fears. SMILE,  don't you forget, THIS IS YOUR DREAM! 

I haven't posted a blog in FOREVER!

So it has been what, a MONTH since I have posted? Yeah, I'm basically the worst blogger ever!!!

Since my marathon I have really been struggling mentally/physically with running. My marathon was such a HUGE focus for so long that I didn't really know what to do or how to feel afterwards. How much time to take off? Keep training? ANOTHER RACE?

Mileage Breakdown: Post Marathon

Week 1: 13 miles *Felt pretty good, took it nice and easy

Week 2: 18 miles *Didn't feel too bad, started trying to do a little speed work since I was doing shorter runs

Week 3: 27 miles *My LEGS started to KILL...it just hurt to run. No endorphins or joy to be had from running :(

Week 4:  25 miles *Still hurting! Now my mind is going crazy and wondering why I'm slowing down, why it hurts, and why I can't push myself past a 10 mile LR!

** Ran a 5k race and had a PR 7:51 pace 23:41

Week 5: 13 miles *One run, One day, half marathon=FRUSTRATING!

See Jane Run Half Marathon/I run for chocolate and champagne- June 18th, 2011

Google this race series! It is WAY FUN! I mean a finish line where you are greeted with a champagne glass and CHOCOLATE, WHO WOULDN'T WANT TO RUN THIS RACE??! 

The race expo had a degree deodorant booth with a camera booth doing FREE photos that they printed out and put in a plastic cover for you, and you could email it to 3 people absolutely FREE! 

I had mixed emotions going into this half. Part of me was like, pshhh you got this you just ran a full marathon. You have put in the miles, you are just psyching yourself out. The other part of me was like, it has been HURTING to run, your pace has been SLOWER, and you have been sick the whole week leading up to the race (ear infections, sore throat, running nose--YUCK). So, I really had no idea what to expect. I knew I really wanted to a PR though, 1:55 nothing crazy fast (I'm realizing I don't think I will EVER BE FAST), but that didn't happen. Official time 2:00:13, and I'm lucky it was even that.

 This race was the HARDEST race I have ever ran both physically and mentally. I started out ok, I think all the hype of the race contributed to that. I ran my first mile at a 7:42 pace and my second mile at 7:50. Started to fast? THINK SO, I'm usually pretty good at keeping my starts under control, but today I had NO CONTROL! After mile two, I was ready to be done. I felt like I was going to collapse my legs ached so bad, and I couldn't think a positive thought for the life of me. I kept thinking to myself "You just hurt because you are kicking so much ass" and "Pain is just weakness leaving the body" yeah, didn't help. Just pissed me off more because it wasn't helping, YES, I'M A HEAD CASE!! I just kept getting down and all I could think of was where are the F@#$%&! endorphins and where is the joy running has always brought me? No song on my ipod could motivate me, my runny nose was absolutely RIDICULOUS, I kept feeling wet on my legs, don't worry it was just snot dripping down my legs (SORRY TMI). Basically I completely defeated myself on this race. I stopped probably 5 times and WALKED, I even wanted to stop and walk the last quarter mile. REALLY KATIE?! Where is the MOTIVATION!?!?! It was hard, I really had to fight back tears almost the whole way, what a long way to spend two hours huh? DISCOURAGING! WHAT IS MY PROBLEM! AHHH, well whatever the problem is, I am OVER IT, I can't run another race without FORGETTING this one! Consider it forgotten :)

I am going to take it super easy with running this week (10 mile max), FOAM ROLL like crazy, STRETCH, and focus on doing more bootcamps and cross training.

BTW, I have been using the foam roll a couple times a week already and this week I ended up with massive BRUISES on my legs!! Anyone else ever gotten bruises from the foam roller??

I really think I need to remember why I started running in the first place..FOR MYSELF! I never was worried about time/speed, or PR's, or religously recording my daily/weekly/monthly mileage. I just wanted to RUN, plain and simple JUST RUN! Now, I catch myself getting mad when I am not running 100's of miles at a pace I think is "satisfactory." Really? I even catch myself getting discouraged when I see that other people run farther and faster than me... REALLY? I should be proud that others find the same pleasure in running that I do and they are GOOD AT IT! The fact that I get out and run is AWESOME. The fact that I ran my first full marathon this year is AWESOME. The fact that this time last year I had never run past 13 miles is AWESOME!!! I started running for ME. It's time to get back to that. :)

Whew, venting session is NOW OVER :)

I picked up an extra shift on labor and delivery today. Seeing the precious little newborns put me in such a good mood! Pretty bummed there wasn't a single delivery or c-section for me to assist on today though! Oh well, another day another dollar!!!

Last but not least, HAPPY FATHERS DAY to my dad!!! :)  I have also decided my dad and I need some new pictures. I could only find ONE picture of him and I on my computer, and boy is it old...from 2007 to be exact! LOVE YOU DAD! 

Yikes that's a horrible picture!!!!

Your biggest challenge isn't someone else. It's the ache in your lungs and the burning in your legs, and the voice inside you that yells 'CAN'T", but you don't listen. You just push harder. And then you hear the voice whisper 'Can'. And you discover that the person you thought you were is no match for the one you really are.

My first full marathon!!!!

Well it's done, it's over, I FREAKING DID IT!!!! I finished my FIRST FULL MARATHON yesterday!!! I can't tell you how good it feels to have accomplished my goal!! :) Before I say anymore, I have to give a big shout out to my boyfriend Josh for making this weekend all about me!!! THANK YOU!!!! AND---To everyone who called, text,  and showed facebook/blog love this week and on race day THANK YOU!! As if finishing my first marathon wasn't enough, seeing all the people that love and support made it  all even better! THANK YOU!!!

Josh got into town Friday afternoon and we were out running errands ALL DAY!!!! First stop, the running store. My sweet friend Ande called earlier that day and bought a gift card for me to use, how cool is that? THANKS ANDE.  I needed to stock up on Cliff Shot Blocks (Cran-Razz=DELICIOUS), gels, and find a pouch/belt to run with since I didn't want to wear my big fuel belt! After finding one I THOUGHT I liked and finishing my transaction, I noticed another one with potential---So of course I had to try it on in every color to see how it fit/looked haha...POOR Josh, we were there FOREVER! I ended up exchanging the one I originally bought and I'm soo glad I did. I loved the belt I wore for the race it fit great and held all my gels perfectly!!! The workers at Idaho Running Company also told me I should consider taking salt packets/or an electrolyte replacement capsule since the race day temp was supposed to reach 85!! I picked up some of those too and I'm convinced they helped a ton on saturday!
Next stop, LUNCH!! Can I just say how much I HATE CARB LOADING and TAPERING! I'm no good at it and it makes me CRAZY/CRANKY! But I did manage to scarf down this whole FRIED CHEESE COVERED (eww) honey chicken sandwich and baked potato!

After lunch we did a little shopping and picked up my race packet! We grabbed a course map too and drove to the starting line and along parts of the course so Josh knew where to go!! Picking up my packet and getting my number made it all soo real, this is really where my nerves started to calm and the EXCITEMENT set in!!!! I wanted to do a little 2 mile jog before dinner just to see how my knee felt and relax a bit, plus Josh hadn't ever run or seen much of the Greenbelt, so we jogged together (Can I just say how awesome it is we can jog/run together? LOVE IT)  then went to Walmart to LOAD up on goods to make dinner!!!

Yes, I am aware how much food is on that plate. But hey, a girls gotta do what a girls gotta do! 

After dinner I was READY FOR BED...I don't think I could have stuffed another carb in if I tried!! I set all my race day stuff out and hit the sack...

RACE DAY!!!!!! 

I woke up at 5am, had a bagel with PB, took my time getting ready, and took care of business :) lol---All you runners know that's a MUST before a race!!! We got up to the starting line about 7:15!!! The morning was a little chilly/windy so I sat in the car until about 7:45 then got ready to START!! The marathon started at 8am with only 200 total runners!

Miles 1-9
 WENT BY SOO QUICK! Josh was at the 5 mile mark cheering me on and taking pictures!! I ran with this guy until about mile 10 (never caught his name..OOPS) It was nice to have someone to pace with. I knew I wanted to start slow and we both wanted about a 4 hour time so we kept a pretty consistent pace 8:45-9:30.

Miles 5-13
 PRETTY UNEVENTFUL. One MAJOR COMPLAINT with this race was there was hardly any crowd support. I felt like I was on a normal Saturday run. With only 200 full marathon runners it was spread out and for a lot of the time and I was only running around 2 or 3 people?! Kinda weird... Oh and crazy how when I was at mile 10 the leader of the half marathon (which started half hour later) BREEZED by me..Holy hell?! I would kill to run that fast!


Miles 13-17
Once I passed the 13 mile mark I let my head get to me a little bit. I kept thinking, great I am starting to get tired and my feet are definitely starting to hurt and I STILL have 13 MILES to go. AHHH!! Then I remembered that If your feet hurt it's just because you are kicking ass :) I just kept running and eventually distracted myself enough from having any more negative thoughts! I stopped at the water station at mile 17 and afterwards got a HUGE burst of energy! Confession---think it came from a random song that came on my ipod. Remember Mrs. Doubtfire??? Well the song Dude (Looks Like a Lady) that Robin Williams dances while he's vacuuming???? Turns out it's a great motivator LOL...I think I played it like 10 more times during the race. Yes, I put terrible cheesy music on my running playlist...It's the best! I definitely needed a "pick me up here" because the course had us running to one point then turning around, so as I was passing mile marker 17 I could see mile 23 on the other side?! TALK ABOUT DISCOURAGING!

Miles 17-20
This is the point it really started to get hot outside! The weather had been perfect all morning. It was a little overcast and running along the greenbelt with all the trees kept it shaded and quite a bit cooler than I was expecting! But at mile 17 we got off the greenbelt for about 3.5 miles and the sun was just BEATING DOWN...ewww....Around mile 21 I ran for a bit with a nice guy from Sudan. He started chatting with me and asking me questions which helped distract me from the heat!!! Told him it was my first full and he was really encouraging, it made me feel really good! This is something I love about races, everyone is so friendly and positive.

Miles 21-26.2 (The most CHALLENGING)
The heat really got to me and I was tired, sore, and THIRSTY!! The water stations felt like they were all soooo far apart and when I finally got there the water was WARM! It definitely wasn't satisfying my thirst AT ALL. I had one last gel to do at mile 22 and it was an Accel raspberry with caffeine (to hopefully give me a final boost) that I hadn't ever tried before. Let's just say, NOT MY FAVORITE KIND. I couldn't even get it down. The combo of the WARM water and the gel made me want to PUKE!! YUCK!!! Mile 22 also happens to be where Josh was waiting to run the last few miles with me!! YAY! He ran with me for a bit and I kept having to stop and walk and I was just CRANKY, TIRED, THIRSTY, and READY TO BE DONE! In other words acting like a complete "terrorist" as he would say ;)  I told Josh to go ahead and wait for me at the finish, I needed to push through this on my own! I got it together to finish and once I hit the 25 mile mark I said NO MORE STOPPING....U are SOOO CLOSE!! I ended up stopping one last time then pushed through until the end. Turning the last corner and seeing the finish line was AMAZING!! I really did it?!

This picture cracks me up. Look how MISERABLE I look. This was right before the finish line, you think I would be ELATED at this point. No, instead I have the most horrendous look on my face EVER!!! 

I MADE IT!!!!!

I thought I would get really emotional when I crossed the finish line. I didn't?? Which was surprising to me because I had been pretty emotional about the race all week.  One of my favorite quotes I came across during my training was "The hardest part of a marathon is getting to the starting line. Marathons don't start at the starting line. They are almost done when you get this far. What you do now is largely preordained by what you did in the months that brought you here. Some runners even call the race itself a victory lap" I think this really sums it up for me. I had already experienced all the emotions before I even got to race day---whether I realized it or not!
 I finished 38th place overall and 6th in my age group with a time of 4:26. I told myself I would be happy with anything between 4 and 4.5 hours. So I really can't complain!!! Even though it's easy to look back now and say if only I wouldn't have walked or stopped so much the last few miles I could have finished SOO MUCH faster!! But time doesn't matter. I finished!! I had the courage to start and I accomplished a goal that I NEVER thought I could!!!

The finish line festivities were pretty dead once I got in. The race had a 5k, 10k, half marathon, and a full marathon. So by the time I came through A LOT of the runners had already came and gone. So there was minimal food left and once again WARM WATER.. can you tell I was a little bugged? lol?!

I was soo lucky to have Josh here this weekend and throughout the race!! :)

I do have to say the race shirts are quite possibly the ugliest color ever?! Lol Mustard yellow? EWWW---AND The race medals were the same for the 5k and MARATHON?! REally?! Ok..there is my bratty moment. Sorry for that!

This whole experience has been life changing for me. The 4 months I dedicated to training I really learned a lot about myself. I gained a lot of self confidence and developed a true love for running. I have always enjoyed running, but it took this experience for me to really realize what a big part of my life running has become. I don't just do it now to stay in shape, I do it because I LOVE IT, and it's a part of who I am.

Now the question is-----When is my next??! No way can I wait until October to run my next marathon!!!!

UPDATE! P.S. My marathon is in 4 DAYS!!!!! YIKES!!

Well, lets just say today started out a little CRAZY!! My cat Gracie stayed out all night and came in my room this morning and dropped a MOUSE right next to me as I was putting on my makeup!!!  I have NEVER screamed so loud or moved SO FAST in my life!! Hey that gives me an idea...Josh will u chase me with a mouse for 26.2 miles on Saturday? I for sure would get a kick ass time!

 Somehow I had to finish getting ready for work... but  let's get real, I could barely step in my room without freaking out and running out screaming!!! Long story short, I had to have my roommate Kristin (whom I woke up at 530 am due to my blood curdling scream) go in my room and grab my makeup because I'm a pansy, and I had to pick up my gym bag and purse with the BROOM :) I made Jon (my other roomie) aka  JR the mouse hunter promise me PROOF of a DEAD MOUSE when I got home from work!

WELL......No such luck, my cat stayed in my room most the day, but never chased out the mouse for Jon to catch and GET THE HECK OUTTA MY BEDROOM!!! I got my big girl panties on and went in to hunt for the mouse with Jon. I held up my bed while he was ready with a frying pan. NO MOUSE under the bed...It was in my closet...YUCK, I'm convinced I need all new shoes because it laid little baby mice in every single pair..lol---We (Jon) chased it out of the closet, I screamed some more and BAM..death by frying pan. Traumatic day for me, and I'm guessing the poor little mouse too.

I mean how could something so cute...

BRING IN THIS....EWWW!!

Now for the  knee update...Today my knee has felt the BEST it has since all this stupid pain started up. Went to the doctor and no meniscal or MCL tear. THANK GOD. Maybe I should stop assuming the worst and spend the whole weekend in deep dark depression!!! My knee STILL definitely hurts, and my diagnosis is Pes Anserinus Bursitis/Tendonitis---What the heck is that??

There are 4 major bursa in your knee including the prepatellar bursa, suprapatellar bursa, infrapatellar bursa, and pes anserine bursa; the prepatellar and pes anserine bursae are most often affected by bursitis.

Pes Anserine Bursitis

Pes anserine bursitis (often coupled with tendonitis) is a painful, inflammatory condition affecting the pes anserine bursa (and pes anserine tendon) between your shinbone (tibia) and the hamstring tendons at the inside of your knee; typically caused by stress to the area.

Specifically, the pes anserinus is the area where the tendons of 3 muscles (sartorius, gracilis, and semitendinosus) come together. The three tendons merge together in the skin of the bone on the inside surface of the shinbone. These three muscles are the dominant knee flexors that function to allow movement of the leg towards the body, influence rotation of the tibia and the external rotation of the hip, protecting the knee against rotary stress.

The pes anserine bursa lies beneath these tendons close to the shinbone, providing cushioning between the tendons and the tibia. The term, pes anserinus means "goose's foot" in Latin - owing to the webbed-foot pattern the three tendons make when they meet.

Inflammation of the pes anserine bursae or tendons usually develops due to overuse, trauma, or degradation. The most common cause of pes anserine bursitis is hamstring tightness due to a lack of warming up and stretching properly before activity, particularly LONG DISTANCE RUNNING or excessive climbing.

Causes of pes anserine bursitis include:

• Poor sport technique or improper warm-up
• Repetitive knee bending
• Carrying excess load due to obesity overstressing the knee joint
• Arthritis or osteoarthritis
• Biomechanical issues, such as foot rolling, out-turned knees, or limping
• A medial meniscus tear
• Overuse or traumatic injury during athletics

What can I do to miraculously heal my knee in 4 days??

Treating Bursitis in Your Knee

Relieving the symptoms of bursitis initially focuses on taking the pressure of the bursa. This can be done with proper cushioning and equipment during activities and sports. If your bursitis is caused by an infection (septic bursitis), the doctor will probably drain the bursa sac with a needle and perscribe antibiotics to treat the infection.

For bursitis that is not caused by infection, the preliminary treatment starts with non-invasive treatments such as ultrasound thereapy, cold therapy and Blood Flow Stimulation Therapy. Surgery to remove the inflamed bursa is normally not required for bursitis, however if you fail to see improvement with the conservative treatments, your physician may recommend surgery to remove the bursa completely. Although this removes the problem of an inflamed bursa, you are left with less cushioning in your joint which can lead to a host of other joint conditions.

The most important factor in healing bursitis (and tendonitis) is resting your knee to reduce the pressure on the bursa. This can be difficult when you have to carry on with daily activities, but resting and elevating your knee whenever you can is recommended. During your recovery you will probably have to modify or avoid the activities that stress your bursa until your pain and inflammation settle. Scar tissue can often develop with tendinitis and/or bursitis. As your damaged tissues heal this dead, fibrotic tissue is naturally produced instead of forming brand new healthy tissue. This scar tissue adheres to your muscle fibers, tendons, ligaments, and nerves causing pain and preventing them from moving properly (this limits your range of motion, flexibility and strength). However, the more diligent you are with your treatment and rehabilitation, the faster you will see successful results.

Treatments should involve decreasing swelling, relieving pain and stress on the knee, correcting any biomechanical dysfunction that may be causing a shift in your gait, and then restoring strength and mobility to your knee. It is important to follow any instructions you receive from your physician. If you are performing an activity that could cause further trauma to the bursa, it is recommended that you protect the area with padding and/or proper equipment to prevent further irritation or damage.

To decrease inflammation and relieve pain caused by pes anserine or patellar bursitis rest your knee and limit activity to reduce pressure on the inflamed bursa. Then use cold therapy, ultrasound therapy and Blood Flow Stimulation Therapy (BFST) to rid yourself of bursitis.

 http://www.aidmybursa.com/pes_anserine_tendonitis.php 

SOOO...
Today I had ultrasound therapy, massage, electrotherapy, a lot of icing, and some pool time. I wanted to try the pool all weekend but had major anxiety about looking like "that girl" at the gym who frolics in the pool rather than working up a sweat on the tredmill. Yes, I'm aware of how stupid that sounds. It actually turned out to be kinda fun and felt  really good.. I'm going back in the morning for another pool session before work :) and maybe just MAYBE a little run.. Getting a little injection then back to therapy again tomorrow at 5.... THEN....LET THE 3 DAY CARB LOADING BEGIN.....

"There will be days you don't think you can run a marathon. But there will be a lifetime knowing that u have"

Happy Mothers Day!

Happy Mothers day to the best mom EVER!!!! 

Hot momma runnin!!

A new Grandma! The day Niaya was born!

hAhA Sorry mom had to post this! :) Mom being funny, as always!

Mom is the BEST GRANDMA ever!

The day miss Brylee was born!!

Love ya mom! Also, Happy Mothers day to my sister Jessica, and sister in laws Areel and Sisha!!!

Areel and Miss Addy Bug!

Areel and Mr. Jordan!!

Jessica and Kason!

Jessica, Jaxson, and Brylee, the day after she was born!

Dillon, Sisha, and Niaya!

Hope everyone has a great Mothers Day! Even if it is RAINING!!! :)

Tapering---not my favorite and PICTURE OVERLOAD!

gRRR It's been quite the week for me. I started tapering  for my marathon next Saturday and I have discovered IT'S HARD!!! I hate to feel restricted and having to slow down.  I have felt so lazy and YUCKY all week!! So that in combination with work has put me in quite the mood! I acquired the nickname TERRORIST this week if that gives you any clues on my mood! Sorry Josh ;)

This week I have only done 2 runs, one 5 miler and one 3 miler.  I am supposed to have one more of each for a weekly total of 16 miles. Tomorrow is the Race for the Cure that I planned on doing but my lovely knee issue is causing me to sit this one out!!!

SOOOO the knee issue....I woke up Monday with the side of my knee sore and SWOLLEN?!  WHAT THE HECK?! I figured I was just sore from my run on Sunday. Work was crazy and I was on my feet non stop so by the time I left my legs were tired and killing me..All I wanted was to eat dinner and SLEEP. That's exactly what I did. Food and bed at 8pm, yes I am more like a grandma than a 24 year old. I'm fully aware! Tuesday, my knee wasn't swollen but I felt a little more pain/soreness than usual. I did my run, 5 miles, which felt fine. Then I went to my softball game. The rest of the week my knee really started to hurt and I woke up Wednesday with a swollen knee AGAIN! I pushed through a short 3 miles and once I got going it didn't feel too bad. Thursday, I let my bad attitude with work and my knee get the best of me...Didn't work out AT ALL--OOPS!! TODAY, I woke up to run and got started on the tredmill and after 2 minutes my knee COMPLETELY gave out and I basically tripped off the tredmill (Yes, it's ok if you laugh here, the visual is pretty funny haha). I left the gym in tears...my marathon is 8 DAYS AWAY!!! I have trained for 4 months for this. I have NEVER wanted something so bad. The thought of MAYBE not being able to do it totally has me feeling defeated. I went to get Biofreeze thinking maybe that will at least help with inflammation and a little of the pain....Ended up seeing a doc and he sent me for an xray (just to rule out a stress fracture, even though he was doubtful that's what it was) I see him again on Monday and will most likely go for an MRI. When the doc did my exam he was a little worried it could be a medial meniscal tear or worse my  MCL (medial collateral ligament). The swelling and the soreness to the touch was what made him think it could be something more. When I went and got my xray, my xray tech was a girl I work with quite often in the OR. She said she could see a lot of fluid build up in my knee---which is a sign of a soft tissue injury aka  injury to meniscus/or ligaments...YIKES, again I left in tears....WHY NOW?!?!??!! All I can do now is RICE rest, ice, compression, elevate...and eat massive amounts of U-swirl to drowned away my sorrows LOL..I'm going to stay positive and plan on running UNLESS the MRI shows something seriously wrong. I'm hoping maybe a cortisone injection could help and get me through my marathon then I can take some time off and figure everything out. 

OK----Enough of my negativity and complaining...SORRY, sometimes a girl just needs to VENT...So here are pictures of good memories and the POSITIVE things in my life that are easy to forget when life gets tough! 

Jaxson-This was on a fam trip @ the zoo :)

Family!! This is the day after my niece Brylee was born

Hawaii!!! A great trip with a great friends and made some great ones there!

SUNSETS on the beach

Finishing my first half marathon in Las Vegas 2007

Me and my momma before a 10k

My cute cat Gracie (No, I'm not a cat lady, I only have 1 ppl) 

Santa's Lap! Home for Xmas 2010

Before a half marathon October 2010

Friends and College football :)

FALL, and carving pumpkins

 JOsh :) 

Niece and Nephews

Summer and good Country Concerts! 

Photography/Antelope Island...took this the last weekend I lived in Utah!

Lifelong friends! Known this girl since 3rd grade!

Well that turned into MAJOR picture OVERLOAD! But it's a good reminder of all the good things/people I have in my life!!!! Oh and to all my family I didn't have a SINGLE picture of all of us!!! Time for a family picture...I THINK SO!!!

Happy MOthers day weekend! LOve you Momma!