Like a Caged Animal

I admit, I have been feeling caged in and a little cranky. The kids have been out of school, it has been really cold out the last couple of days, and I think we are all a little cooped up feeling.

  I really miss cranking out 7-10 mile runs like it is my job.  I haven't really kept track but I think I ran outside maybe three times all of December and one of those times was yesterday when I ran/walked two miles in a desperate effort to get out of the house and do something.  Walking is such a frustrating form of exercise when all you really want to do is RUN.

The roads are pretty ice packed so I started out in my Yak Trax.  Cola was pretty happy to be out too, although I think he was annoyed with all the walking too. 

look at my pretty new shoes!  First time running in them.

I have been doing other things like low impact strength training, using my kettlebell, and using the elliptical.  I really need to get a tread mill.  Not that it would help me much right now.. 

I do have an appointment with a sports medicine doctor on Thursday and I am hoping he will get me set up with a physical therapist, definitively rule out a stress fracture (I really don't think I have one, but the injury is so chronic at this point I want it ruled out to make me feel better) and set me on the path to better running. 

I am not really setting any goals for 2014 at this point that have to do with running until I can get a handle on my issues.  I do resolve to do whatever they tell me I need to do in order to get all healed up.  At this point I wouldn't even whine much if they told me no running for 8 weeks.   I felt so good in November, it is annoying to be back here again.

I feel like I have lost a lot of muscle in my right leg.  Most people probably don't even notice it, but it's my leg and I notice it.  and I don't like it.

I did order a sandbag for working out from Amazon.com since I got an Amazon gift card for Christmas.  I am really excited to get it. I have been making do with a homemade one for about three years now and while it works pretty good, it doesn't have as many great handles as this one and I am about to wear my second homemade bag.

Normally I would think first of running shoes with I had a gift card to Amazon, but I am not running that much and I just got two new pairs of shoes. I am excited to be adding this to my home gym. 

 

What's the newest thing you added to your home gym?  Do you find walking frustrating when you really just want to run?  I do!