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That’s Why It’s Called a “Pain” Stick

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Running is dumb.  Ok, it isn’t really dumb.  Maybe just marathon training is dumb.  In any event, it totally stinks when you have to start from the beginning, which we are doing due to my recent illness.  Getting back into it is really difficult and I understand why some people quit at this point in the game.

Billy and I are getting back into it.  More consistent runs, trying to increase mileage and, of course, TRACK!!!!

Now, I love track workouts.  LOVE THEM!!  It is exactly what it sounds like:  we go to the track, with a coach, and he gives us workouts of progressively harder intervals.  He uses some method of calculating the weeks until the marathon vs our marathon goal pace vs where we currently are to try to help us hit our goal when we run the race. So you may be running around the track 8 times or 10 times or 20 times.  It’s basically a lot of laps.  But it’s a great workout and super tough but I love running a 200 at a pace much faster than I am capable of because I’m only running half of a lap.  And just when I think that coach isn’t paying attention to me because I am the slowest person on the track I will hear his voice carry over the field, usually saying something like “Shannon!  I saw that!”

Runners at track
Our friend, Lisa Kelly, is a great photographer, even when she is just using her phone. And it was fun to have her at track!

The downside of track is how hard it is.  Thursday night at 6:00 PM is tough for this morning runner girl.  I much prefer 6:00 AM!  So on Friday, I am tired, sore and starving.  As my quads continued to be tight and sore all day, and into Saturday, I told Billy that he’d have to give me the pain stick.  This is what it looks like:

pain stickWhen I sustained a knee injury in the Baltimore Marathon, I was in PT for months and a lot of it consisted of using the pain stick on my quad and IT band.  So I bought one and use it as a part of my routine.  Well, when I didn’t run for 3 weeks, I kinda didn’t do my routine for three weeks.  When Billy when to do it on Saturday it hurt.  A LOT! When I whined (a favorite form of communication), Billy’s response was, “Well, that’s why they call it a pain stick.  It’s not called a “comfortable” stick!”

He has a point.

In any event, we are getting back.  Slowly. Had a fantastic long run last week (just 5+ miles) but this past Sunday was crappy.  But we still got out there.  That’s all we can do at this point.  We need to muddle through consistently and hopefully in a few weeks we will feel stronger and more confident.

running in the sun
Happy runners!

Tomorrow would be Patrick’s 49th birthday.  He will be gone for 10 years in October, just a few weeks before we run this awesome race for this awesome cause, the DeGregorio Family Foundation.  I will remember that as I get up to run again tomorrow.

Thank you for your support!!  Below are our donation links.  Since I have a bigger network than Billy, I would ask that if you are going to donate to see which of us needs the money more and donate there.  It’s all the same cause and will help us to keep our minimum.

Shannon:  https://www.crowdrise.com/the-degregorio-family-foundation-nyc-2017/fundraiser/shannondowney3

Billy:  https://www.crowdrise.com/the-degregorio-family-foundation-nyc-2017/fundraiser/billyhutchinson

38 Comments on “That’s Why It’s Called a “Pain” Stick”

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  37. The dedication to track intervals really shows your commitment to progress. That coaching feedback when you think no one’s watching? That’s where real growth happens. Consistency beats intensity every time – reminds me how strategic planning in a phkkk game rewards patience too. Keep pushing!

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