As I sit here watching game 4 of the World Series not feeling tired from running a marathon, not feeling aching muscles from having completed 26.2 miles, not feeling exhausted from exercising for roughly 3 or so hours, I could think of all the I'm-glad-I-didn't-run-today excuses. It was forecasted to be pouring wet (I think of Boston 2007) --- but the rain held off. It was forecasted to be gale force winds (again I think of Boston 2007) -- but the major winds will come tomorrow (not that a 10 - 15 mph headwind is fun, especially at the end of a marathon). I could be sitting here (while my wife sleeps the sound sleep of the marathoner) thinking I'm glad I didn't run because those grapes were probably sour anyway.
But I can't. I know those grapes are sour. Those grapes are tasty. I don't care what the conditions are -- I'm really bummed I wasn't out there running today. Or in early September at Parks Half. Or in late September at the Richmond Rox 1/2 Ironman. Or in November at the Potomac River Run Marathon. Or in December at the Seashore 50K. Jordana ran her 8th Marine Corps --- 7th in a row. Two away from getting her 10 timers patch. Me? I squeaked out my 5 timers patch last year -- no streak. I was hoping to run MCM #6 -- maybe start a streak of my own thinking my running injuries (at least serious injuries) were in the past.
Instead, I spent the morning doing laps. As I was going up and back 36 times (plus the 15 minutes of pool running), I was running the course in my mind. Thinking of where my running friends would be at that moment. I got back home and followed the runner tracking -- imagining where everyone was. Imagining how I felt running last year. Thinking of my crappy spring marathon performance and how I was hoping to redeem myself this fall. Definitely a bummer.
Meanwhile, assuming there is power, I have another DEXA scan scheduled for Tuesday. And another visit to the orthopedist next week. Part of my crappy mood is that at the beginning of last week, I was thinking to myself that everything was starting to feel pretty good and had been for a number of days and maybe I should be thinking about when I can start running. (As you may recall, I'm supposed to go 14 days pain free, then I can schedule a follow up orthopedist visit to discuss resuming running). But all week I felt a nagging pain in the groin area. Not as bad as in the summer. But definitely setting the clock back to zero when I should be not feeling this way. I've been good -- no running (I swear), no fast walks at lunch. Hell, I don't even run to catch the metro. Nothing but swimming with the pull buoy and pool running. So why is it hurting again.
Oh well.
To all my friends who ran Marine Corps today, well run. I don't care what the conditions were, I wish I could have joined you. I'm sure those grapes were sweet.
Sunday, October 28, 2012
Wednesday, October 10, 2012
Quiz
Three guesses as to what is in the orange container. And no, it's not lemonade.
Anyhow, in addition to the above container, went to the lab for a full work up to see what is causing these pesky stress reactions in the femur and pelvis.
Now it's wait and see what the test results say.
Stay tuned sports fans.
Monday, October 8, 2012
(still not) Running my Ashe Off
Quick update. Went to the endocrinologist on Thursday. Mostly a consult. We talked about my running history, in particular my injury history. Gave the doctor copies of my various MRI reports and DEXA scans. Her first reaction was that stress fractures and reactions, even in the femur, are a risk factor of marathon & beyond training. But she did agree that two in two years likely means some secondary cause. So, she ordered the battery of blood tests and my favorite, the 24 hour urine test. That's my favorite, because I get to store my urine in a bright orange jug in the fridge --- that's not lemonade, kids! I take the blood tests on Monday. So it will probably be another week before all the results are in and we can start figuring out if anything is wrong.
Part of me hopes there is some correctable problem. Correct it and get back to running. I don't want to be told that it's just too much running and that I need to cut back. I'm not ready for that yet.
Meanwhile, off to the pool for more laps.
Part of me hopes there is some correctable problem. Correct it and get back to running. I don't want to be told that it's just too much running and that I need to cut back. I'm not ready for that yet.
Meanwhile, off to the pool for more laps.
Thursday, October 4, 2012
Runner's Hell
It's been a couple of years, but I once again tasted runner's hell last night --- aquajogging!! Oh brother, I strapped on the big, pale-blue waist belt/float, waded into the "slow" lane of the pool, and started....what? not running, not really swimming either. Sort of running in place, in the deep end. Slowly going....nowhere. Welcome to aquajogging.
Criminy. At least I waited until 8:30 pm when there were few people in the pool. I want to wear a sign that says I'm not really this lame! I can run marathons and ultramarathons and do triatlons, really, I'm just injured. But all I get is the occasional look from the lifeguard (probably the same look I know I'm guilty of giving), the look that says "is that all you can do?"
Fifteen minutes of runner's hell, I mean aquajogging. Then I swam a mile (36 fun filled laps), alternating 1/4 mile with the pull buoy, 1/4 mile without. And the cherry on top of my sundae? the steam room was closed for repairs.
Later today, I go to the endocrinologist. What goodies will be in store for me then?
Stay tuned. Same bat time, same bat channel...
Criminy. At least I waited until 8:30 pm when there were few people in the pool. I want to wear a sign that says I'm not really this lame! I can run marathons and ultramarathons and do triatlons, really, I'm just injured. But all I get is the occasional look from the lifeguard (probably the same look I know I'm guilty of giving), the look that says "is that all you can do?"
Fifteen minutes of runner's hell, I mean aquajogging. Then I swam a mile (36 fun filled laps), alternating 1/4 mile with the pull buoy, 1/4 mile without. And the cherry on top of my sundae? the steam room was closed for repairs.
Later today, I go to the endocrinologist. What goodies will be in store for me then?
Stay tuned. Same bat time, same bat channel...
Crap! Crap! and Double Crap!!
Here is my Facebook blogpost from September 7:
When we last left off, I was about to see the orthopedist for a follow up visit on August 30. He prescribed an MRI just to rule things out (like stress fracture or hernia). So on the 31st, I slid myself back into the MRI canister for another 45 minutes of claustrophobic high magnetic field fun.
Yesterday the doctor called with the diagnosis: bone edema in the tension side of the left femoral neck which he described a stress reaction (or pre-fracture, i.e., the stage just before a stress fracture) (the femoral neck is the base of the ball at the top of the femur). Wait, there's more. Bone edema in the pubic symphysis which is almost unchanged since my March 2010 MRI (i.e., original stress fracture never fully healed??)
Crap! Crap! and Double Crap!!
His recommenation (or rather order): no running for at least 4 weeks. He said I was lucky. Had the femoral neck actually developed a stress fracture, I would have needed major surgery to correct it. With a stress reaction, he thinks that just keeping away from impact sports for a time should allow for a complete recovery.
Anyhow, I have to wait until I go 14 days in a row with no pain when walking (so if I feel pain on day 11, the clock is reset to 0). He estimated that it would take at least around 4 weeks until I was able to go that 14 days pain free. What happens then? I begin recovery. The doctor did not go into details, but it sounded something like: go to the track and walk a lap and run a lap. WTF?????
What can I do? Swim and stationary bike. So I guess it's back to the pool and trainer for me. Oh well...
Needless to say no Parks Half Marathon on Sunday, no Richmond Rox half ironman on the 23rd, no Marine Corps Marathon in October, no Potomac River Run Marathon in November, no Seashore State Park 50K in December.
Crap! Crap! and Double Crap!!
Then comes the issue of why the hell is this happening? I would have thought that after all the shit I had to endure in 2009/2010 I would get a break (well, not literally a "break"). To quote Travis "why does it always rain on me?"
On the one hand it could just be overuse on a pelvis that was never fully healed (but the doctor was not sure if the femoral injury was related to the pubic injury). Or maybe, I have some deeper issue about not processing calcium that is making the bones more susceptible. Who knows? All I know is that it's back to the doctors to figure out what is going on and how I can prevent this from happening again.
Crap! Crap! and Double Crap!!
Yesterday the doctor called with the diagnosis: bone edema in the tension side of the left femoral neck which he described a stress reaction (or pre-fracture, i.e., the stage just before a stress fracture) (the femoral neck is the base of the ball at the top of the femur). Wait, there's more. Bone edema in the pubic symphysis which is almost unchanged since my March 2010 MRI (i.e., original stress fracture never fully healed??)
Crap! Crap! and Double Crap!!
His recommenation (or rather order): no running for at least 4 weeks. He said I was lucky. Had the femoral neck actually developed a stress fracture, I would have needed major surgery to correct it. With a stress reaction, he thinks that just keeping away from impact sports for a time should allow for a complete recovery.
Anyhow, I have to wait until I go 14 days in a row with no pain when walking (so if I feel pain on day 11, the clock is reset to 0). He estimated that it would take at least around 4 weeks until I was able to go that 14 days pain free. What happens then? I begin recovery. The doctor did not go into details, but it sounded something like: go to the track and walk a lap and run a lap. WTF?????
What can I do? Swim and stationary bike. So I guess it's back to the pool and trainer for me. Oh well...
Needless to say no Parks Half Marathon on Sunday, no Richmond Rox half ironman on the 23rd, no Marine Corps Marathon in October, no Potomac River Run Marathon in November, no Seashore State Park 50K in December.
Crap! Crap! and Double Crap!!
Then comes the issue of why the hell is this happening? I would have thought that after all the shit I had to endure in 2009/2010 I would get a break (well, not literally a "break"). To quote Travis "why does it always rain on me?"
On the one hand it could just be overuse on a pelvis that was never fully healed (but the doctor was not sure if the femoral injury was related to the pubic injury). Or maybe, I have some deeper issue about not processing calcium that is making the bones more susceptible. Who knows? All I know is that it's back to the doctors to figure out what is going on and how I can prevent this from happening again.
Crap! Crap! and Double Crap!!
The best laid plans
I've been a bit behind in reposting my Facebook blogs to this blog. Here is the entry from August 27:
Howdy sports fans, been a while since my last post. This is one of high hopes that, while not being dashed on the shores of reality, have required a major mid-course correction.
The summer started off OK. After Eagleman, I think I finally stumbled upon the correct formula to deal with my electrolyte depletion issues. As an aside, I decided to be scientific about my sweat rate during exercise. For a couple of days post-Eagleman, I weighed myself naked before and then after my run. Since I do not drink any fluid during my noontime runs, the difference in weight is how much I sweat out. And since my daily run is about 1 hour in length, that number is also my sweat rate per hour. Well, it seems that I sweat anywhere from 3 to 5 pounds per hour, averaging around 4 (and since a pint of water is about one pound, that translates to about 1 quart to over half gallon of sweat per hour). So I've been sweating a lot.
As I said, I seem to have found the right formula for keeping my electrolytes in balance: every morning I take 500mg of magnesium supplement and 595mg of potassium supplement. Before my runs, I take a Succeed S!Cap (341mg of sodium) and if the run is over 1 hour, I usually take another half way. With this supplement to my diet, I had no trouble running through this past summer's heat wave (both my shorter daily runs as well as my weekend long runs and Tuesday evening speedwork workouts).
Meanwhile, I was doing well on mileage throughout the remainder of June and most of July. As I have mentioned previously, I have an aggressive fall racing schedule -- Parks Half Marathon and Richmond Rox Half-Ironman in September, Marine Corps Marathon in October, Potomac River Run Marathon in November, and Seashore Trails 50K in December. Mid July I was already at 1414 total miles for the year (about 100 miles more than the same time in 2011), so I was on track to break my total yearly mileage record as well. And my early speedwork runs were putting me on target to repeat a sub-3 either at Marine Corps or at Potomac River Run.
Then, my ego got in the way. We were running an 18 mile long run (CCT to Beach Drive to Pierce Mill and back). The scheduled run had 3 sets of hills (Wise Rd/Bingham box, Ross Road, and ending with the Leland hills). Well, we started out at a pretty good clip. LSD should be between 7:45 and 7:30 per mile, but we were averaging 7:15 to 7:20. I knew I should have slowed down, but it felt good. The group was engaged in good conversation. The temperature was surprisingly cool and rainy. We got to Pierce Mill (at the base of the Ross Road hills) and instead of heading back along Beach Drive, we decided to head back going back up the Ross Road hills. The grade was a bit steeper in the this direction and I could tell mid-way through this 3rd set of hills that (in the words of Miss Clavelle) "something was not right." I started to drop back, running several paces behind the group, occaisonally picking up the pace to catch back up. By the team we reached the Leland hills, I was spent. My groin was aching, my legs were heavy. I plodded my way up the five sets of hills, several minutes behind everyone else.
When I got home to shower, the left side of the groin area was aching. Standing in the shower, I found it difficult to put weight on the left leg. Oh crap! I thought, this had better not be a stress fracture. I ruled that out, though, because I found I could hop up and down on the left leg without difficulty. Maybe just overuse I thought.
On Monday, it was painful to begin running but the pain went away after about a mile or so, so I figured I must be OK. Indeed, on Tuesday night, I was running marathon pace miles for 4 miles at the XMP workout. But...that first mile or so was very painful. It hurt when I sneezed or coughed. It hurt when I got out of bed. Instead of stress fracture, now I was thinking hernia and surgery -- yikes!
I kept thinking things would get better. But I seemed to be stuck in a repeat-loop. I could run (even do marathon pace miles) but it was sore.
The beginning of August, I went to the orthopedist. Strained hip flexor (to be specific, the left psoas major). On the plus side, I could run through this injury. On the negative side, no hills, no speed, no long distance for a month. Sort of puts the damper on my racing schedule. To quote a fellow injured runner, "this may not be a PR season." I also started doing physical therapy again -- ultrasound, deep tissue massage, and electic stimulation of the muscle group.
Meanwhile, I've stuck to running my daily 8 miler at LSD pace. Three weeks ago, the physical therapist thought I could start gradually upping my weekend long run mileage. Luckily, XMP has been running some relatively flat courses lately, so I could run out with my group but just turn around early. So three weeks ago, I did 10 miles on the C&O Canal. Then I did 12 miles on the CCT, and this past weekend was able to do 14 miles. Same routine -- very sore for the first mile or so, then I can just "feel" the muscle.
Interesting phenomena as I've been upping the long run mileage -- when I did the 10 miler, it felt OK for the first 8 miles but was a struggle for the last 2. When I did the 12 miler, it felt OK for the first 10, then struggle for the last 2. And, that's right sports fans, when I did the 14 miler, it was the last 2 that were the struggle. Not sure what to make of that, but I hope you can see the pattern that has developed.
So here I am, last week of August. I have yet to do any 20 milers. No speedwork beyond running marathon pace. Parks Half Marathon is on Sep 9. I hope to just run that as an extended marathon pace tempo run.
Don't get me started on the triathlon --- when I tried to swim laps earlier in August, I could not flutter kick without the hip flexor hurting so had to swim with the pull buoy. Luckily, the muscle does not hurt on the bike (although, unrelated to running, I have tendonitis in the elbow making riding in aero position for extended periods of time discomfortable -- thankfully the orthopedist intends to give me a cortisone shot in the elbow later this week). My hope for the tri is that the James River will be cold enough to be wet suit legal -- the buoyancy of the wetsuit mimics the pull buoy allowing me to minimize kicking.
So there you have it sports fans. The best laid plans.... Oh well. I'm hoping to be able to run LSD or bit a faster at Marine Corps to at least run a Boston qualifying time.
I go back to the orthopedist for a follow up on Thursday. Until then....
The summer started off OK. After Eagleman, I think I finally stumbled upon the correct formula to deal with my electrolyte depletion issues. As an aside, I decided to be scientific about my sweat rate during exercise. For a couple of days post-Eagleman, I weighed myself naked before and then after my run. Since I do not drink any fluid during my noontime runs, the difference in weight is how much I sweat out. And since my daily run is about 1 hour in length, that number is also my sweat rate per hour. Well, it seems that I sweat anywhere from 3 to 5 pounds per hour, averaging around 4 (and since a pint of water is about one pound, that translates to about 1 quart to over half gallon of sweat per hour). So I've been sweating a lot.
As I said, I seem to have found the right formula for keeping my electrolytes in balance: every morning I take 500mg of magnesium supplement and 595mg of potassium supplement. Before my runs, I take a Succeed S!Cap (341mg of sodium) and if the run is over 1 hour, I usually take another half way. With this supplement to my diet, I had no trouble running through this past summer's heat wave (both my shorter daily runs as well as my weekend long runs and Tuesday evening speedwork workouts).
Meanwhile, I was doing well on mileage throughout the remainder of June and most of July. As I have mentioned previously, I have an aggressive fall racing schedule -- Parks Half Marathon and Richmond Rox Half-Ironman in September, Marine Corps Marathon in October, Potomac River Run Marathon in November, and Seashore Trails 50K in December. Mid July I was already at 1414 total miles for the year (about 100 miles more than the same time in 2011), so I was on track to break my total yearly mileage record as well. And my early speedwork runs were putting me on target to repeat a sub-3 either at Marine Corps or at Potomac River Run.
Then, my ego got in the way. We were running an 18 mile long run (CCT to Beach Drive to Pierce Mill and back). The scheduled run had 3 sets of hills (Wise Rd/Bingham box, Ross Road, and ending with the Leland hills). Well, we started out at a pretty good clip. LSD should be between 7:45 and 7:30 per mile, but we were averaging 7:15 to 7:20. I knew I should have slowed down, but it felt good. The group was engaged in good conversation. The temperature was surprisingly cool and rainy. We got to Pierce Mill (at the base of the Ross Road hills) and instead of heading back along Beach Drive, we decided to head back going back up the Ross Road hills. The grade was a bit steeper in the this direction and I could tell mid-way through this 3rd set of hills that (in the words of Miss Clavelle) "something was not right." I started to drop back, running several paces behind the group, occaisonally picking up the pace to catch back up. By the team we reached the Leland hills, I was spent. My groin was aching, my legs were heavy. I plodded my way up the five sets of hills, several minutes behind everyone else.
When I got home to shower, the left side of the groin area was aching. Standing in the shower, I found it difficult to put weight on the left leg. Oh crap! I thought, this had better not be a stress fracture. I ruled that out, though, because I found I could hop up and down on the left leg without difficulty. Maybe just overuse I thought.
On Monday, it was painful to begin running but the pain went away after about a mile or so, so I figured I must be OK. Indeed, on Tuesday night, I was running marathon pace miles for 4 miles at the XMP workout. But...that first mile or so was very painful. It hurt when I sneezed or coughed. It hurt when I got out of bed. Instead of stress fracture, now I was thinking hernia and surgery -- yikes!
I kept thinking things would get better. But I seemed to be stuck in a repeat-loop. I could run (even do marathon pace miles) but it was sore.
The beginning of August, I went to the orthopedist. Strained hip flexor (to be specific, the left psoas major). On the plus side, I could run through this injury. On the negative side, no hills, no speed, no long distance for a month. Sort of puts the damper on my racing schedule. To quote a fellow injured runner, "this may not be a PR season." I also started doing physical therapy again -- ultrasound, deep tissue massage, and electic stimulation of the muscle group.
Meanwhile, I've stuck to running my daily 8 miler at LSD pace. Three weeks ago, the physical therapist thought I could start gradually upping my weekend long run mileage. Luckily, XMP has been running some relatively flat courses lately, so I could run out with my group but just turn around early. So three weeks ago, I did 10 miles on the C&O Canal. Then I did 12 miles on the CCT, and this past weekend was able to do 14 miles. Same routine -- very sore for the first mile or so, then I can just "feel" the muscle.
Interesting phenomena as I've been upping the long run mileage -- when I did the 10 miler, it felt OK for the first 8 miles but was a struggle for the last 2. When I did the 12 miler, it felt OK for the first 10, then struggle for the last 2. And, that's right sports fans, when I did the 14 miler, it was the last 2 that were the struggle. Not sure what to make of that, but I hope you can see the pattern that has developed.
So here I am, last week of August. I have yet to do any 20 milers. No speedwork beyond running marathon pace. Parks Half Marathon is on Sep 9. I hope to just run that as an extended marathon pace tempo run.
Don't get me started on the triathlon --- when I tried to swim laps earlier in August, I could not flutter kick without the hip flexor hurting so had to swim with the pull buoy. Luckily, the muscle does not hurt on the bike (although, unrelated to running, I have tendonitis in the elbow making riding in aero position for extended periods of time discomfortable -- thankfully the orthopedist intends to give me a cortisone shot in the elbow later this week). My hope for the tri is that the James River will be cold enough to be wet suit legal -- the buoyancy of the wetsuit mimics the pull buoy allowing me to minimize kicking.
So there you have it sports fans. The best laid plans.... Oh well. I'm hoping to be able to run LSD or bit a faster at Marine Corps to at least run a Boston qualifying time.
I go back to the orthopedist for a follow up on Thursday. Until then....
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