For the first time in at least 3 weeks, my legs actually feel almost normal! I did not realize how much they hurt until they pretty much stopped hurting. I wonder if I just got so used to constant pain that I didn't realize how much it was hurting. I say that it's pretty much stopped hurting- my right leg seems to be fine but my left calf still has a knot in it. So I'm still wearing compression socks a few hours a day.
So this is how I worked through this. (I'm writing this mostly for future reference, for myself.)
3 weeks ago: Ran 10.35 miles due to injury- couldn't do a long run
2 weeks ago: Ran 9.87 miles due to injury - couldn't do a long run
Last week: Took 7 days in a row off (Sunday-Saturday) and ran on Sunday 5.00 miles with a lot of breaks to stretch and walk around off the treadmill
I went to Mojo Running after work on Monday and talked to the people there. This is where I bought my Brooks Ravenna shoes. At first he said it shouldn't be the change in shoes to cause the calf pain. But as we talked he did mention that if you pronate that actually absorbs some of the shock, and flattening out my foot strike could affect the muscles.
He recommended compression sleeves, and I bought the CEP brand right there. He also recommended something called the stick, which apparently is better for calves than a foam roller. This is what it looks like:
After that I went to the Mars High School track with Colleen and we did something she called a ladder exercise. We warmed up with a lap of walking around the track. Then we did a lap alternating running 100m and walking 100m (so run/walk twice). Then we ran 200m and walked 200m. After that we ran an entire lap and walked a lap. I think we repeated that again and then ramped back down- ran 200m, walked 200m, ran 100m, walked 100m, ran 100m, walked 100m. We were between an 8:00 and 9:00 pace for most of the runs. I had the compression sleeves on throughout this as well. But by that point, including our warmup walk, we had gone 2.75 miles and my calves were hurting so I said I had to stop. I used the stick to roll out my calves and drove home with the compression sleeves on.
When I got home, I used the stick again right away- driving in the car seems to tighten everything up. I left the compression sleeves on for an hour or so after that and also iced each calf for 20 minutes. I told Dave my legs/feet felt tingly and that felt really good.
But when I woke up Tuesday morning, I was still in pain. Honestly, I was pretty disappointed. I hoped this would do the trick. As I walked around at work, though, things started feeling better. I also wore the compression sleeves for about 5 hours at work. When I got home, I ended up walking one mile on the treadmill as I watched something on tv. I also used the stick on my calves in the morning before I left for work, after I got home, and after walking on the treadmill.
With all of that, I'm finally feeling better this morning. Yay!!! I can't repeat over and over how much better I feel. Not I just need to work this kink out in my left calf and I'll be golden!!! I still need to figure out what I should be doing as far as ramping up running to get ready for the half marathon. I'm really bummed this sidetracked me for 3 weeks.
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