Run faster, use less energy

Yesterday's workout:

.5 mile warm up

20 minutes cadence drills/speedwork

.5 mile cool down

Total = 1.5 miles + general PT workout, + resistance band work

It's been a really long time since I've posted my workout on here, partially because I haven't had any to post and partially because I was embarrassed by my minimal workouts.  I figured out why, but we'll talk about that later.

Big news of the week:  I'm cleared to run on my own again.  Not much to start, but I am cleared.  In my PT session last night, we did many drills to reset my footwork, my arms, my shoulders, and my overall stride.  My PT gave me a really good way to fix a lot of the things I had done wrong before.  First and foremost, let your body kind of fall forward at the waist because we waste a lot of energy trying to stay straight upright.  She explained it to pretend I am in a really low tunnel and don't have much space above me for my head.  By leaning just slightly forward (at the waist), I could actually feel myself moving faster and expelling less energy.  My foot strike was smoother and quieter, and the turnover of my feet was quicker.  I've been meaning to change my stride for a couple years but never had reason to...until now.  

I get to start from scratch.   I get to put my Brooks' Adrenalin GTS 14s back on and use them for their originally intended purpose - to run.

I was talking to my friend Elizabeth last night, and first let me say that this girl was in the middle of a run and slowed down so she could answer my call.  Now THAT is a friend.  Anywho...I told her that I never thought I'd be excited to train for a 5k.  She said, yeah, but you get to train for a 5k.  So true.  Perspective.  She immediately changed my perspective.  3 months and 4 days ago, I was in the recovery room, still loopy from anesthesia and couldn't get to the bathroom by myself.  Now I get to train for a 5k, which I will complete in March.  After that, in May, I'm running a marathon relay with a couple of my Ragnar teammates.  I'm also revisiting Ragnar in June with some teammates from last year, and a few new additions.  

I will most likely be taking the summer off from racing, because I'm signed up to attempt to achieve my greatest running goal in October....the marathon.  This one is a point to point race put on by the running club I am a longtime member of, Badgerland Striders.  They do build up runs early every Saturday morning in the summer and I'm hoping to do those as I've heard it's a great way to train and get motivated.  I'm not training with a goal time in mind, I'm training to finish, less than a year after my reconstruction.  I'm hoping to replace the memory of a really bad Fall season, with a really good Fall season.  Physically, I have a long way to go to run 26.2 miles.  Mentally, I am ready to try do what it takes to cross that marathon finish line.  

Also, hello to my buddy, Hunter :)