One hour on the stationary bike at level 5 resistance. I've been thinking about MichelleL's hip/sciatic/Sacroiliac Ligaments. While I've worked only about half as hard, and have had nothing to lose but my personal enjoyment of running over the same kind of injury, reading hers, is like reading my own blog entries from Oct/ St. George Marathon. I hate to say it, but all those ligament tears, and hamstring attachment are still not healed 100%. I still have pain in my lower back/hip and the top and bottom of where the ham attaches at either end if I'm not careful to stretch or go too far/too fast. It's been a real learning process for me--The other day while peddling away at the stationary bike I declared out loud "I'm sick of being patient." Which made my daughter laugh out loud. "Well, that's oxymoronic" she said (what does she know? she's 12). I've decided though that I am certain that pool running is inferior to stationary biking where cardio is concerned. I have the crappiest stationary bike (a Reebok brand) I bought at this traveling 'used cardio' equipment tent sale in front of Food4Less or some idiotic location --but it was cheap, and it does work, and it has helped me keep my cardio agility during the days of only being able to run 3 miles. It has been a life saver. I've been reading Michelle's woes about going to the pool and having to play chicken with the swimmers in the swimming lane. I hate the gym, I hate the pool, I hate the chlorine, I hate to share my space --it's the antithesis of why one runs in the first place. It made me mad just to have to read her blog entry about it. It has been such a frustrating 6 months for me....the 7 pounds, the inability to take off when and for how long I want to, the alternating cardio, reduced impact work outs, the stretching, ohmygosh the hours and hours of painful PT stretching. I'm just glad I'm no on the other side of these 6 months. The body is amazing in it's ability to perform, and heal, and bounce back. But the mind and spirit--that's another challenge altogether. | 