Wednesday, July 22, 2009

ice ice baby

i have been telling myself i will take an ice bath after my run for 10 days or so now. problem is when i get back from my run i'm too lazy to drain the ice machine! (seriously, i'm the laziest distance runner ever.) i keep telling myself i need to work on actually stretching and icing after a run instead of just thinking about it during the run. some days i can feel the effects of running 7-days/week but a soak in the ice rejuvenates my legs and i can definitely feel a difference. for the record, i'm not trying to run straight-7's just yet, but i have been working on decreasing my off days in order to hopefully one day run mostly-7's.

a few twinges have made themselves present this week in both legs, but they only feel a little sore/stiff. all three runs this week have been easy and the legs felt fine throughout. i realized that today was 15 days straight for 133.55 miles. i'm fairly certain where the aches are coming from! rest day coming soon legs, you've earned it.

hard at work... using an enormous bolt from the warehouse as a foam roller/stick to massage a tender spot in my right quad. 'course then the bolt got some dirt/grease all over my jeans, not cool. however, it did feel pretty good to just roll it on my quad and let the weight of the bolt do the dirty work. i actually kind of preferred the bolt to my rolling pin.

monday (7/20) pm run: 9.25 miles, 1:20:47 (avg pace 8:44), avg hr (153), 77*
tuesday (7/21) pm run: 6 miles, 54:31 (avg pace 9:05), avg hr (141)
wednesday (7/22) pm run: 7.25 miles, 1:05:16 (avg pace 9:00), avg hr (146)

i postponed my wisdom extraction appointment for a few weeks, so hold onto your thoughts and well wishes please! i figured since the root canal tooth is the one that is bothering me i should probably get that taken care of first. certainly don't need to deal with extraction pain and this current tooth pain on top of that. i imagine if you aren't allowed to use a straw they probably don't want a dental-suction tool jammed in there huh? minor switcheroo, still not quite looking forward to it.

off for a late dinner and then an ice bath. i promise legs!

34 comments:

  1. yayyy ice bath! you should do it after a WARM run, then it feels so good... just remember dump the ice in AFTER you are in the cold water - makes it easier to get in :) eat some m&ms while you are in there too ;)

    nice job on the running!! i'd say your legs deserve a rest day after 15 days!

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  2. isn't this the second time you've done 15 days in a row? you're amazing. i do 3 days in a row, and i'm like, yep, i'm cooked.

    are those your work boots i see in that picture on the bottom left hand side? :-)

    you know you are a true runner if you are now using a bolt to roll out twinges in your legs.

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  3. Don't feel bad, I'm always too lazy for an ice bath too :)
    As for your 15 day streak? DAMN GIRL. amazing. maybe resort to cross-training every once in a while?

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  4. haha, i really like your bolt massage...have you ever tried "the stick"? it's kind of expensive, and i bet you could probably make your own for cheaper...but it might be better than a giant bolt! although i totally feel your pain about being at work and feeling a twinge - i have used dog toys (balls with spikes) to rub out my quads at work in the past...i won't lie.

    i totally agree on the ice baths...i always say to myself i should do one, but when it comes around to actually making it happen...well...that's less likely :P

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  5. Omigosh, poor legs! 15 days in a row...that's about 11 more than I'll ever do. Ice, ice, baby!

    After all those miles, I hope you give your legs a well-deserved day off!

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  6. I'm such a lazy stretcher and icer... But in my defense it is cold here so much that who needs an ice bath? Love your "stick"! Who needs to pay lots of money for the other one?

    By the way, meant to tell you. I had my wisdom out when I was 29. They weren't impacted at all, but the extraction was simple and straightforward. No swelling, super easy. Obviously not everyone is that lucky, but age doesn't necessarily factor in!

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  7. You have definitely earned a rest day! 15 days straight...my body would totally rebel. I have a hard time running three consecutive days straight. LOL. Nice mileage though. Wow.

    And I've never done an ice bath. I would sit in the tub with just cold water from the tap but was too lazy to throw ice in there. So you're not alone. Ha!

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  8. Wow, that many days without resting. You're hardcore.

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  9. If there's a pair of legs that deserve the rest, stretching & ice, it would be yours!

    I'm the same way though - my plans for ice bath rarely come through.

    BTW, I've had my wisdom teeth removed (all impacted). I honestly don't remember the procedure (laughing gas), nor do I remember a lot of pain/trouble afterwards.

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  10. I love ice baths. They make my legs feel so much better! I'm notorious about saying I'll stretch after a run and not doing it. You would think that after the amount of time we spend running, stretching for 10 minutes wouldn't be such a big deal. Haha. We should probably work on that!

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  11. I've never done an ice bath before, I don't think I would be able to do it. I can't even take an ice cold shower!

    Great runs so far! I always want to get those things I'm dreading over with right away. But I guess you have a few weeks to not worry about it.

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  12. Ice bath?! Brrrrrrrrr. I know they're good for you, but I'll sure be putting it off!

    Great mileage this week, Lindsay - well done!

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  13. i am also insanely lazy when it comes to stretching, but i've gotten pretty good at throwing an ice pack on whatever happens to be hurting on any given day. ice baths are a different story. i've only ever taken ONE - after a half marathon last year. the issue for me is that my bathtub is separate from my shower and my cats always hang out in it so there's always cat hair in it and i never want to bother to clean it after a run! man i'm gross.

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  14. I agree with Aron, you need a treat connected to the ice bath. Some positive reinforcement. I always drink my yummy recovery shake in my icebath. By now, I've gotten used to them as I take them after every tough run (3 times a week). Your brain and body get used to them. You can do it!!!!! Ana-Maria

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  15. Awesome mileage, ice baths...brrrrrr...I'm really lazy about those!!:)

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  16. I think about ice baths, but haven't worked up the nerve to actually do it. I had my mind set to sit in one after the marathon in December, but I was too cold.

    Great job with the 15 days straight. I don't know how you do it. Enjoy a rest day.

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  17. nice job on the mileage!! 15 days! Wow, my body certainly wouldn't let me do that.... lol. The only time I really have a problem with an ice bath is during winter... cold enough outside, might as well have a seat in a snowbank :) LOL

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  18. I have come to love my ice baths!

    Hubby is away on business this week and had to share a hotel room with another guy. The guy thinks he's just plain nuts for making several trips from the ice machine to the bathroom!

    You're a running machine these days. I'm impressed!

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  19. That is some bolt! And, yes, ice water baths are the great for staving off injuries, esp. when you know you are putting your legs through a lot. On occasion, though, I've thought that a neoprene thong may be useful :-)

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  20. I am the laziest distance runner, too! Why is it that we can run for so long but then not want to put in any effort to ice?

    But I must say, you are hardcore for using a bolt at work to massage your legs! haha. Pretty creative.

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  21. You don't HAVE to ice. Just jump in the tub with the water on the coldest setting, that will work just as well.

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  22. Ah, the glorious pain of the ice bath! This speeds recovery faster than anything else I've done following a long run, or even a hard speed workout. But man, is it hard to get in! I wear a sweatshirt (my old high-school cross-country hoodie, for the good vibes) and sip tea. Helps a little. :)

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  23. Lol I am pretty lazy too. I am planning on an ice bath after my 20 miler Sunday!

    Sounds like you need a rest day! Don't turn into me!

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  24. Lazy distance runner. That is an oxy moron for sure. I feel you on the ice baths. I have to do them as soon as I get home or I am too lazy to set it up.

    Way to be inventive with that bar. I may use a water bottle later! LOL

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  25. very mcgyver of you! did i already tell you how much i like your header photo? love it. gotta get one of those some day...
    you're a powerhouse!

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  26. I have only done a couple of ice baths, but they help so much. I am just like you though, I am all gung ho to do it until I get home and then I get lazy.

    15 days with no rest? How do you show up for work in the morning?! Lord, woman!

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  27. I do ice baths after long runs if I'm at home and have time...which is not often enough.

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  28. I love the ice bath; however, like you too lazy to get the ice! Usually on the days I need it most I can't bring myself to stop and get ice. It is such torture but so good... I like ARON's idea of dumping the ice in after you are in that might make it easier to adjust - oh that and M&MS. Why didn't I think of that???

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  29. Thanks for getting that song stuck in my head. You are still my idol with your speed, mileage, and days run. Just wait until you're 52...you'll be doing the run-walk-run too...LOL. Great job, Lindsay. By the way, I don't think I'll ever be brave enough to have an ice bath. I'll stick to using my whirlpool, thank-you!

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  30. Where do you do your ice baths, in the tub? The last time I did an ice bath was in high school. With so much mileage, I'm curious what you're doing for calorie intake to keep up. Do you also use energy gels?

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  31. Wow- ur doing some serious mileage lately! way to go. and that 14 miler with 9 at 7:20 pace is a really tough workout- yikes.

    Never did a tru ice bath, altho have sat in a tub of cold water. Something about ice on my cubes just doesn't do it for me! ;)

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  32. Ice those legs! And rest 'em! They are doing a lot of work.

    I had to laugh at you using a bolt as a stick! That is ingenuity at its finest!

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  33. Hahah way to be innovative in finding a substitute for the Stick lol!

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  34. First time I've run across your blog, I'll have to add it. I like your quad massage bolt - I use a baseball bat which seems to do the trick. I've never taken a real ice bath, but after reading about it in runners world so often I have taken several cold water baths in the tub post run and that feels great. I'm not sure I've felt any difference in recovery but its very pleasant after the first minute or two.

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