Friday, September 24, 2010

Lazy Stretcher

There is nothing like a little knee pain to make me bring out my foam roller and stretch like crazy! I always seem to avoid stretching and strengthening when I am feeling good. In the back of my mind I know I should be doing preventative maintenance on my legs but I usually have an excuse - I will be late to work, I am too sweaty from the run, etc etc.

The knee pain, although still lingering, has gotten better. I can walk up and down the stairs without looking like an old person or a cripple. It has been weird "sleeping in" every morning and I know that my cat, who I usually let out at 5am, is really missing my early wake ups as well! Plus the moon has been brilliant this week and although I have been able to catch a glimpse of it while I drive to work, there is nothing like staring at a beautiful moon while you are running. Plus it helps to light the way and its not getting any lighter in the mornings so I need all the help I can get!

My new goal will be to continue to stretch even after I am back to running. We will see how long I can keep that up! A couple more rest days and then I think I will take the legs for a test run.

It's finally FRIDAY!! Have a great weekend!

14 comments:

Anonymous said...

very good goal to keep up the stretching consistently. i need to do that too. i have all the excuses in the world as well. even if i'm just bumming around on the couch

No Longer Using said...

haha!! you are so right!! i don't really stretch or even foam roll anymore. i was rolling all the time back in marathon training. and now i haven't in... forever. and i do yoga- pretty infrequently- so not much actual stretching going on either. the one thing i have incorporated into my daily routine is icing. considering how i feel/ etc. i think it must be working!!! i believe in it over stretching. and i prefer dynamic stretching if/when i stretch, such as before a run, or in between intervals or after a warm up before a workout.

glad to hear the knee feels better!!!!

Indi said...

I'm totally the same way. TRy to incorporate Yoga into your routine. I've found that i takes of a few things simultaneously.
Which remind me..i better foam roll too.

Molly said...

enjoy your rest! I love my foam roller, I'm on that thing every night after I put the kids to bed! Have a great weekend...

Jeri said...

I think I'm giving my knee a go tomorrow (no running since last Thursday). Fingers crossed the stretching/xtraining/foam rolling have worked!

Jamie said...

I'm bad at keeping up with the stretching too. Hope your knee gets better soon!

teacherwoman said...

I have learned over time, very SLOWLY, that my body thrives on stretching and strengthening. Now, I make sure I have time to stretch after every workout, even if it's only 5 minutes. Going to yoga or pilates has really helped as well!

Marlene said...

I'm the same when it comes to stretching... lazy until I realize how badly I need it. Hope you can keep it up, and get out there for some moonlit runs soon!

Lisa from Lisa's Yarns said...

I am the same way about stretching.. I am good about it, and then I feel good and let it slide. Then I get achey and have pain in my knee and I get better about it again... But I have been better about it during marathon training!

Hope you feel good as new when you start running again. Good for you for listening to your body and taking some time to rest!

Amy said...

Even though I *know* stretching is important, somehow I decide after running that I don't need to do it! It feels so much better when you do though!

Fruit Fly said...

I've been terrible at stretching lately, too! I must get on that. And I really want a foam roller. They look kind of fun!
~RR

Middle Name Marie said...

I am the same way: I only remember to stretch when I feel a little pain. You think I would learn!

Nicole said...

i'm terrible at stretching too! have a great weekend!

Anonymous said...

I am the same way- always more vigilant when I am feeling something! Will we ever learn?!?!