hi guys!     a little catchup , again, as usual.

Brian, thanks for popping in... really helpful stuff!   especially using your strides to see if strides are a good idea.  ;-).   And even the race application, for me I could just use them to make it easier to get around people when there's an opening. 

LInda, how are you?   What did the massage person say?   what are you doing to strengthen your neck?  hey how is your posture?  am thinking particularly about the s/i joint alignment (yes I know, I am like a broken record)... I ask because some things I was given in pt,  when I do them!   really change the way I stand, & changes ..oh, it's hard to explain.   center of gravity shifts, it's easier to breathe, & it puts much less pressure on my neck.

hi Frances!   good to see you back.   good luck on your fresh start, I know you'll do well.    Exciting you're going to do a half!

well, it's been a long day & I have a lot to do yet, so I'll stop.    hi Bob!   & hi everybody else.    my running is going fairly well, I'm dealing with a few issues but they're less than usual, for the most part.       Amy!  I forgot to mention, I think you might have been right about the abdominal adhesion thing.  I read about it when you mentioned it, it sounded right but I didn't know what to do about it .   It's still there, & I was talking to a spin instructor at the gym last week & the subject came up...  she immediately said that's what it is.   She's a vet, & sees it in animals when she performs surgery.      she said they have some kind of special laser that they use... & they use it on themselves!  maybe I'll put on a disguise & see if they'll take me. 

14.53 today, the first 8 felt great!  but then it got really hard.   I didn't fuel enough, I think that was the biggest problem. 

pretty tired now.

take care of yourselves.   

Debbie - very interesting on what the vet said... yes think you should call the doctor & see what they say.  I am hanging in there.  I have been walking everyday (they are doing a wellness thing at work, and lots of people are walking.. but I found one coworker who goes on a fast 30 minute walk everyday - very nice!).  Just doing the walking seems to be helping neck and back muscles, then the massage (I"ve done 3 of them now - every 2 weeks).  Also have been going to the gym doing the elliptical and some weight machines.  All this seems to be be helping.  I actually went for a couple of runwalks at my dad's last weekend (on flat ground) and it seemed okay.

The masseuse does a lot of rehab massages & says sometimes its like taking one layer off at a time.  She gives me exercises I can do too.. I have been incredibly tight in the neck & upper back area.. but its getting better.   Just taking it slow and being patient!!! I know so shocking, lol.   Oh also signed up for a 5K on 4/9, but was planning to walk (part of the wellness work thing).  Now I'm thinking I might actually be able to run some  

.   Oh also signed up for a 5K on 4/9

,

Linda -- How did your 5K go?  I hope you enjoyed it!

Everyone - Hello!  anyone else out there?  I am happy to report I've been at this Four Weeks now.  I think I'm back in the habit

Congrats!

 That's a really good pace.

Wow.!

Laurie, good for you.   I hope it works this time.  I was wondering the other day (found some papers I'd lost) if that yoga rehab thing I sent once might help you.  I never did have the patience to work through it... might try it a little now because I'm on the fringe of sore...  but you've had to go through this so many times!  maybe it's worth a try?  I just looked & found the link.   the 'insert link' button isn't active, but here is is anyway.  http://www.yogajournal.com/for_teachers/985.   you could be our guinea pig.  or sorts.  ;-). 

Amy, thanks for your input!  no, I never did ask the surgeon.  I was so frustrated by the whole process the last time I went.  And, everything I've read says there's no way to treat it, esp. surgically.   There are 2 places someplace that treat it somehow...probably massage of a sort . I have been trying some trigger point things.   I think you're right about the laser... the problem would be the expense.  Especially because I think they'd have to know just what they were treating, which would require an mri or something.    so I could ask my pcp can I get an mri so I can go to the vet?   . 

Linda.... I'm sorry you've had a setback but i'm still excited about you 5K!!!     & you had so much fun.   shows what you've got in you.     I'll try to find the print out that I have from pt, scan & send it to you, as far as the postural things I think might help your neck.   A quick description, so that you can try it if you want, is that it's a combination of things that align & stabilize your pelvis.   it takes a while to get a feel for it, at least it did for me.  & I have to relearn it every so often. should do so now... but (grr) activating the abs too much hurts the post hernia stuff & inflames everything.  it's always something.  so, again a balance.  Anyway!   try it first just standing (I do it while brushing my teeth, things like that) then they move you on to other activities. is really simple, but I hadn't run into this combination before.   so, check for proper pelvic tilt.  then, you activate the muscles you use for kegels, & your transversus abdominus (their suggestion, gently try to pull the front of your hip bones together.  they won't, of course. it just activates the muscles)   & the multifidus.  you activate those by starting to arch your back, but stopping short of actually arching it.   all of these activated together shifts your center of gravity & balance, & when you get it right at least for me... I notice my shoulders relax & broaden, I breathe more easily, and just am held up & supported differently.  taking pressure off the neck.  & this in itself wont' hurt your neck in the process of strengthening other things.              like my short version?   sheesh.

ok, gotta get going.   Hi Frances.   glad to see that things are going well.   I'm doing ok.   not thrilled with my training but still all things considered it's not bad.   I did 8.4 or so of a hilly route by my house this morning.  I keep working on that, adding more hills gradually because I need to get better at that.   will do the best I can through the next month to be ready for the marathon.   wish I was so much more ahead, but I've done my best.  

hi to everyone else... check in when you can.    fines for non posting (except for me, I get an exemption :-) ) 

Deb, if youre running injury and pain free then you are doing well. Dont push the miles or the hills too fast. Thats why I ended up on the DL again.

Anyone hear from Eliz anymore?

Deb, I do a lot of yoga and it helps a lot. I dont remember the yoga thing you sent me though.

laurie