Love Hate Ice Baths

October 8, 2012

I think I have a love hate relationship with ice baths.  I HATE being cold.  I don’t even want to put ice on an isolated area to relieve pain.  When I had my ankle surgery and my WAY too tight cast, the ice was brutal.  Especially in December when I’m already shivering. How much colder could my toes have possibly gotten?!

After my birthday run, I felt miserable – hung over, hot, sore, ready to toss cookies- you name it.  I complained and shivered and would only squat in the ice bath.  I’ve heard they are wonderful, but this was my first experience.  I suppose it helped, but the hang over was a thousand times worse than any muscle aches I was experiencing.  Yeah, yeah – my bad for getting that tipsy the night before a run.  I just can’t turn down a drink though and I certainly can’t waste one!  It was my birthday.  I’ll drink and run like a crazy person if I want to!

Over the weekend, as part of my Goofy Challenge training, I needed to complete 7 miles Saturday and 17 on Sunday.  After doing the 7 miles, I’d also signed up for an evening 5k.  Not only can I NOT turn down a drink, I also can’t resist a LOCAL 5k with a medal.  After the 5k I was convinced I wasn’t going to make the 17 miles.  So I stopped at the store for my favorite beer and a bag of ice.  I filled the tub with cold water,  tied my shirt in a knot so it stayed out of the water,  plopped in the cold water in all of my clothes with a bit of mild squealing and then dumped the bag of ice in the water.  I was pretty miserable after, but I’m pretty sure it helped my shins so that I could complete the 17 miles the next day.

So, yes, I managed to complete the 17 miles on Sunday.  I was rather pleased with my 4 hour time because it also included a pit stop by the house to refill my Camelbak and take some meds for my bursistis.  It even got a bit warm because I failed to get out of bed in a timely manner (mmmmm, bed….it loves me and I love it).  When I got home, I jumped in the car to buy more ice (because it is easier to fight with a bag of ice rather than my ice maker box dohicky thingie).  Another miserable 20 minutes, but I wasn’t terribly sore the rest of the day.  More tired than sore I suppose.

Now it’s Monday.  I want to go run some more.  Not bad for the 40ish combined minutes of misery in the tub.  I WILL force myself to take the day off though!