Sunday, December 07, 2008

Recovery and a little Planning

Recovery has gone well this week. I had a sub in Pilates Monday, and slept in till 7:00. I slept in on Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday too. I went for my first run - 4.5 miles - Thursday night and felt pretty good, though my legs felt heavy. I also had a nagging butt cramp that Lorri told me was my piriformus. I didn't feel it at all on Monday, woke up with it on Tuesday and it bothered me for the rest of the week. Friday morning it was back to Pilates and Saturday morning another 4.5 with the Run Club. I mentioned my piriformus and Jenny showed me a wonderful stretch for it. I did it twice right after the run, and no joke, the cramp was gone! I ran five miles today and didn't feel a thing! All in all, recovery is well on it's way.

I've decided to let teaching Pilates go for now. I've been a volunteer instructor for almost four years - one year in the mid-morning class, then moving to the 6 am class. I've enjoyed it, but with the advent of a couple new classes at that time of morning, attendance has dropped off. I've had one or two regulars that I could always count on, and some days they were the only ones there. When the Y mandated an eight hour training for all instructors, I started thinking I might be done. I'm not willing to attend an eight hour class, on a weekend, in order to continue volunteering for a class I've been teaching for so long. Kind of grouchy I guess, but that's the way I feel. The deadline for attending the training is the end of the month, so I'm done. I enjoyed it, and I might want to do it again some day, but for now I am looking forward to having those mornings free. My plan is to do the workouts on my own, or maybe, if they find another instructor, to attend the class. Attending would be easier - I wouldn't have to get there early to set up the room, instead I could walk in the door at a few minutes to six. We'll see...

My big goal for spring is to run a 100K at Pac Rim - the same place I did the 50 miler last year. One mile loops, as far as you can go - or want to - in 24 hours. (By the way, this is nothing compared to Jenny's new goal). Rob has been nudging me to start planning for it. I haven't really committed to anything beyond the Orcas Island Half Ass in February, so I need to start looking at the race calendar. Keep an eye on my sidebar - I'll be adding races here and there. At the moment, I'm seriously considering a double - two marathons, two days - on the 31st and 1st. I'm still pondering it, but for some reason it seems like the thing to do...

13 comments:

Unknown said...

Of course the double is the thing to do. All the cool people will be doing it. Come on, don't you wanna be cool?

wendy said...

uh ooh, of course Rob has to post first on THIS one.

My input: only if you're back by the 2nd to visit with Tammy!

Yay for Pac Rim! when is that one?

Legs and Wings said...

Yeah, all the really cool people will be doing the double. You may as well sign up.

Anne said...

I think you'll find plenty of ways to fill that 6 a.m. void once the classes end. And four years of volunteer work there is impressive. Continue with those stretches -- the piraformis is a very stubborn muscle. If it gets worse, sit and roll your butt on a tennis ball to massage it. That worked for me!

Wes said...

You have mastered the art of balance :-) Everything has its time and place!!! except maybe a double, or triple :-D

Olga said...

I hear you on volunteering teaching - and taking classes for it? Kind of weird, esp. after 4 years.
I hope to see you at PacRim, as for Jenny - tell her, way to go, crazy girl!

Janice {Run Far} said...

way to take it easy, you deserve it. After I ran the Boston this year, I went through some major Post-Race blues. I quickly registered for a marathon less then 4 weeks after the Boston. It helped me.

Joe said...

Great post, Michelle...you capture the ebb and flow of committments well.

Glad you could rest up. Yes, the mind now moves to the future...and the next adventures!!

Sarah Elaine said...

OK, you people in the PNW are craaaazay! I love it!

As for teaching, sometimes you just know when it is right to move on. :-)

Darrell said...

"Of course the double is the thing to do. All the cool people will be doing it. Come on, don't you wanna be cool?"

Well don't ya?

Sounds like you did the right things to recover from your little three day adventure. Now its time to plan the next one, heh?

Jenny, Maniac #401 said...

I'd probably "do it" if I knew I could run the Last Chance. So I guess it's a maybe for me...a last minute thing. I am looking forward to Pacrim!
Jenny

Anonymous said...

Wow, wow, wow! You never settle do you? That's so awesome. What a goal you have in your sights. Enjoy your time off from teaching Pilates - who knows what that may allow you to do! :)

Meghan said...

Oh I am such a bad blogging friend, but lookit' me, finally commenting after so long!

I HAVE to comment on the piriformis issue, because I've suffered so much with this teensy muscle over the last 2 years. Be careful with it, because it can get bad, and fast. There's a happy medium, too, of stretching and overstretching. :)

So good to be able to stop by and read. I hope you're doing great, Michelle!

Meghan