Monday, December 6, 2010

Aqua Jogging

I started my morning off like this today:
Source

And when I say I started my morning, I mean at 10 am.  Prior to the 10 am hour I was a pile of PJs on the couch.  I did manage to accomplish two loads of laundry today and babysitting, as well as the aqua jogging...but not much else.  I think I have finally snapped out of my funk, but I am still not feeling very energized.  In fact, this morning I really thought I was coming down with a cold.  I couldn't even muster enough energy to drive to Charlotte to make my 10 am appointment.  So instead I decided to try out some aqua jogging to wake me up.

Here are my thoughts on aqua jogging:

  • It really does feel like running
  • It is actually a decent workout
  • It can help you realize if you really are injured

It is pretty obvious that I have been battling pain in my knees and foot for quite some time (obvious because I complain about it almost every day!)  Well, I have been considering aqua jogging for some time, and given the bitter cold temps today, it was a perfect opportunity.  I checked out a class at the Lake Norman Y, and to my surprise, I knew the instructor.  She did a great job explaining aqua jogging and leading me through the intervals.  The rest of the class were older women and I felt a little awkward at first.  But once my heart rate went up and I started sweating (yes, even though I was submerged in water) I quickly forgot I was the youngest in the class.

Within 5 minutes of beginning, I felt my knee tighten up and I could feel the muscles below and above strain.  My foot never specifically hurt, but was achy after my workout.  These things lead me to believe that I really need to take some time off the road.  If a low-impact workout such as aqua jogging irritated my injuries, pounding on the pavement cannot be good. 

I have resigned to taking this week off the road...and to tell you the truth I am actually relieved.  It really isn't fun to run in pain.  After a week of cycling and jogging in the water, I may make one final attempt at a long run next weekend.  But I am going to wait until next weekend to make that decision. 

At least if I make a decision to run this marathon or not, then I can quit obsessing over all of this!  After all, this will not be the only marathon in the world.  If I really want to run one, I will have plenty of opportunities in the future.  I must remember that!


Have you ever had a running injury?  How did you heal?

1 comment:

  1. that's really interesting about being able to tell if something is injured more easily. It does sound like some rest from the road would be a good thing for you. Stinks, though.

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