"I've Become So Numb"

Saturday's Workout:
                  Course:   The Jack & Summit Fair Loop - Lee's Summit,  MO
               Workout:   Long Run
                     Miles:    25.3          
            Total Time:   3:21:53
              Avg Pace:   7:59/overall & last 10 miles@7:35
                  Avg HR:   145
     Elevation Gain:   1.087 ft
 Calories Burned:   3,618
                     Temp:   60 Degrees, Humidity 75%, Wind 5NE
 Miles This Week:   86

Before today's workout log - a HUGE SHOUT OUT (Nelly-style) to Rachelle of Running For Trevor and her HUGE race she had at the Top Of Utah Marathon in Logan, Utah.  If you don't follow her ... you're  missing out.  She is the most positive, inspirational, and kindest blogger out there - and she is quickly becoming the best runner!  Not female runner ... RUNNER!!!  She only started running a few years ago and is already doing amazing things!  The Top of Utah Marathon is special to me because in 2010, it was my first Boston Qualifier ... but this gal just smoked my time by more than 20 minutes!!!  Congrats Rachelle on a great race, but mostly on being such a great person!

I had a really good, and very enjoyable run on Saturday morning.   It was my last "super long run" before the Prairie Fire Marathon on 10/14/12, and it felt great to get a nice smooth relaxed pace 25 miles in.  I'll probably do another 20 or 22, but nothing more than that. At no point on Saturday did I feel like I was  working, it all just flowed really well, and my average heart rate reflects that.   It was only 145 for the day - pretty low for such a long run.  I'm really trying to slow my long runs down, which I've never done before.  Partly based on all of the extra research I've done for this marathon ... but also so Jill of Run With Jill won't yell at me about pace - ha!  It seems with the more relaxed pace on non-workout days, and slower paces on long runs, I've just had much more energy for the tougher workouts during the week.  Hopefully it will pay off on race day.

One weird thing happened this week though.  I've been icing my groin from time to time when it gets tight and a little sore.  The other night I think I iced it a little too long (about 22 minutes) because when I went to bed, I noticed my groin area was still numb, and when I woke up the next morning - my right thigh was a little numb.  Nothing serious, but on most of the front of my right thigh, I'm experiencing a little minor numbness.  It hasn't seemed to affect my running - but I'm less than thrilled with any part of my body being numb.

I did the standard internet medical search and I think I might have freezer burned the Femoral Nerve a little.  It seems to be a pretty common answer, and the prognosis's range from "nothing major" to an apparent impending amputation. Over icing the Femoral Nerve can result in temporary numbness in the front or side of the quad muscles - so it seems like no big deal.  It didn't seem to bother me today - but I'll definitely keep an eye on it.  Hope your running going well!
... be great today!