Hey all - day 2 of the running program - first week, still run 2/walk 3 4 times is done & then I did some weights. BTB - yep in the morning still Mr White - ahhh those youngin's... take it slow & easy. Eliz - Wicked was AWESOME!!!! It was so worth the flight to LA. Laurie - starting over was starting my beginning running program again - instead of just trying to run. The doc runs marathons.. he was completely right, I kept trying to run more than I was able to do at this point. This way I should be able to take it slow & easy ( & not push myself and keep the bronchials from getting irritated).

jemmama, what symptoms did you experience with your AT problem? And have you done anyother treatments besides the "magic noodle'? thanks

Todays suppose to be a rest day, but I'm really itching to get on the treadmill. Its been awhile since I felt like that. So this is a good thing Jem - good to hear from you. Sorry you're still not running, but sounds like you're being smart about the rest. Hope you're healed up soon!! Laurie - I'm the one who lives in Oregon. Bummer on the new shoes

Managed to push through 30 BORING minutes on the elliptical last night. If biking and KAYAKING (!) season weren't so close and I thought I'd be doing this gym thing as cross-training for much longer, I'd definitely need to pull out the iPod. Reading the same captions on CNN and ESPN over and over again at the gym just doesn't do it for me. Also did some strength/stretching at the gym. Walked/ran 4 miles today in the beautiful sunshine with temps in the high 50s. Ran 2-1/2 minutes and walked 1 minute the whole way, keeping AHR within range. Also walked 1/2 mile before and after the "run" portion. Right foot a little sore. I REALLY want those orthotics back, but that might not happen until a week from Monday. Teresa - the way you've been training, I think you'll be in great shape for a HM in September. Mike - I'm thinking of trying my bike this week as well. Not sure whether I'll bring it home from the shore - I get soooooo nervous just driving the few miles from the house to the boardwalk with the bike on the back of the car, I'd probably be a mess driving it the 70 miles all the way home! Linda - I feel like I'm starting over in a lot of ways, too. So glad you're running again and that your doc is so supportive. Jem - is that noodle still working its magic on you? Hope so. Here are some ankle strengthening exercises I learned at PT last spring. Hope you can figure them out from the descriptions. (1) Stand with feet parallel; stretch up onto toes then to heels; I do 2 sets of 15 reps; (2) balance on 1 foot; stretch the other leg to the front, to the back, to the side; switch legs; 2 sets of 15 reps; (3) stand on a step, parallel to the "landing" part of the stair, leg your other foot sort of hang in mid-air, bend your knee so that your other foot drops below the stair, keeping your "mid-air" heel below the toes on that foot; switch legs. Disclaimer: I'm not a doc or a PT, nor do I play one on TV!!!! Laurie - sorry to hear about your shoe, numb toes, and soreness issues. Here's a quote from John Bingham's Penguin Brigade Training Log that seems to apply to so many of us right now: "Three steps forward, two steps back. I thought that I would continue to get better and better. I thought my progress would be linear. . . . . . Long term improvement is a constant cycle of getting faster, hitting a plateau, slipping backwards, regrouping, and then getting faster again." Here's to patience as so many of us are regrouping and getting back to those "three steps forward" soon and in good health! Eliz

jemmama, what symptoms did you experience with your AT problem? And have you done anyother treatments besides the "magic noodle'? thanks

evryday - symptoms: feeling of strain or soreness at the back of my ankle just above my heel, doesn't hurt much if at all when running, but aches later in the day after inactivity, and certainly the next morning. I can feel it especially when walking up stairs, and often hear a snapping sound with each step. Longer runs make it worse. Also sometimes feel a "cold rush" hard to describe, but a feeling of coolness in the affected area. I felt this years ago after I tore a ligament in my ankle and it was healing (same ankle, but near the front). I'm afraid I'm aggravating things by stretching my calf, which has been tight off and on and must be part of the problem. Maybe the calf-stretches are stretching the sore achilles? Treatment: ha ha. I've taken breaks from running, run less, avoided hills. Found an exercise done on the stairs, printed it out, but the ankle felt better, and I misplaced the piece of paper. I should find that again. Occasionally I've taken ibu but never regularly. Eliz, sounds like a nice run. Thanks for the ankle exercises. Laurie, is May 11 Mother's Day? Springfield is a bit of a hike, but we'll see. Would love a run together Happy Sunday to all. We'll be doing some palm-weaving here this afternoon. My older dd's are good at this. Jem

Jem, thanks for describing the symptoms. I've not yet figured out what's going on with my calf/leg. Thought maybe it could be the same as your's. My symptoms are much different. I'm thinking maybe my calf is all knotted up putting pressure on a nerve or something. Anyway, continued success with dealing with your AT. Glad the noodle is working for you.

Jem - I vote for a doctor's visit. It couldn't hurt, you know? You could be right about the stretching. I know when I had my foot injury, I made it worse by doing the PF stretching exercises. My doc gave me different stretching exercises, it is for the calf, ankle, foot. Let me know if you want it. Mike - Are you still injured? Whatever you start doing, just remember slow & easy. I think that's part of my problem, I always go to my limits. Thanks, yes I'm feeling better - week 1 of the running program is done Problem is meds alone just don't work & that's what the last doctor tried. This doc's goal is to get me running like before & down to just an albuterol reliever. Not sure that will ever happen with the bad bronchiospasms I get - but you never know. All I know is I'm so much better than before I started seeing him last July. So, I'm sticking with him & actually listening to him. I did the day 3 of the first week of the running program & I wanted to run more. Really had to control to follow the program.. just kept remembering, its not what I can do, but what the bronchials need me to do. I did the program on my treadmill at home today - 15 minutes walking first, then the 20 minute 2/3 run walk & 5 minutes c/d. Then did 50 crunches on the ablounger, some leg stretches & PT arm exercises. Next week is 3R/3W 4 times - so that brings me up to 24 minutes. I'm completely ready for it & start on Tuesday. CYL!