Running and Swimming: Personal Journeys Continue

If you've been reading this blog for a while, then you know that I sustained an IT band injury to my right leg around my knee while completing my first-ever marathon run on January 15. And that I aggravated the injury by not recognizing it and instead running much more, even participating in the Ocala Marathon on January 23 (and completing it largely through walking). Also, you would know that I am in the process of reinventing myself as a swimmer, studying and trying to imitate swimming instructor Terry McLaughlin's Total Immersion method. So how am I doing in mid-March with my running and swimming?

I have been cautiously going out on short runs, being attentive to the first signs of pain in my right knee. This past week has been very encouraging: at the YMCA workout room on Tuesday, I was able to run 4 miles on the treadmill with no pain. Then, on Thursday I ran 3.54 miles on the road around my neighborhood. Again, no pain. So tomorrow, I plan to increase the distance a little while being cognizant of that area of interest just below my right knee. But so far I am very happy with my recovery!

As for swimming, I have to take my "progress" with a liberal dose of humor. I keep looking at other swimmers at my YMCA pool and shake my head: over and over again, sickly, overweight elderly people limp and struggle to get to their lane and...once they're in the pool, they swim lap after lap after lap, you get the picture. Meanwhile, I am still in the shallow part of the pool swimming fractions of their laps and struggling with my breathing. But I have no intentions of giving up or taking the easy way out by using buoyancy devices, snorkels, or flippers. After all, I am still giving myself a great workout each time I get in the pool, even if I look and feel clumsy and inadequate as a swimmer.

So there you are. My ideal scenario has me alternating my swimming and running days while developing similar endurance capabilities in each. I intend...no, I INSIST that this will work!