Back on my feet again

I ended up going to an orthopaedic surgeon, who recommended an MRI. I got quite an extensive MRI on 2/2/2012 and after the follow up visit to the doctor last Thursday afternoon, he assured me that there was no stress fracture and nor was there any tendon tear. He showed me quite a few of the MRI prints. I was very relieved. He said it was primarily a very aggrevated case of tendonitis right at the lower left ankle. Well on Friday I stretched nicely and went out for a slow 4 mile run. The today - with Saturday and Sunday resting - I went out for a 5 mile run. Man, I'm looking forward to getting the base 7.6 back again! I'll have to keep the pace down for a while I think - at least initially, but boy does it feel good to run again!

I will continue to periodically ice the left lower leg - more out of precaution and 'maintenance' so to speak. I had asked for prayer for this on quite a few occasions, so I also see this as an answer to prayer along with the natural healing process which I believe God created anyway and works in and through as well.

Stress Fracture - and disappointment

My last run was on Feb 10, 2012. I was planning on the customary 7.6 miler. I got to about the 2 mile point - just before the Community Boating House on the Charles and my left ankle really didn't feel right. Though not a severe pain - it had an instinctive 'bad feel' to it - as if some real damage was being done. I scrapped the rest of the run and headed up to Planet Fitness - about another mile away. When I got there I worked on the eliptical trainer. However, my left leg shin area felt very sore after. I also jogged back. The next day I didn't run at all and just went to the gym. The lower leg was quite sore. At the gym I stayed off of the eliptical trainer and stuck with upper body work - using Nautilus and weights. However I noticed one machine - a fateful choice - that allowed one to exercise their calves. I went at it quite vigorously but I think this caused the most damage of the weekend. Afterwards, later that evening I could hardly walk.

New Compadres

 On Monday I was limping badly and got to see Dr. Smith. He didn't send me to a sports doctor right away, but wanted me to give the physical therapy a shot. I went to the Harmeling center on Thursday. Tom tried to diagnose it as best as he could and did some ultra sound - some massage - - and some heated water pressure treatment. - some electrical stimulation with an ice pack. After all that, for most of the day I was seriously hurting - it really ached. I had to walk extremely slowly and limp. Sometimes after resting things felt fine after I got up to walk - I'd walk down the hallway - thinking I was all set only for it to suddenly starting hurting real bad - and I was back to a total limp. Friday was the worst. I was at the Costa's conference and was going back to my car at 8:30 pm. I felt fine and was walking at a decent pace - normal it seemed. Suddenly the pain shot through my left leg - I was stopped in my tracks. I couldn't even walk limping. I just stood there for a while and ever so slowly moved forward -doing my utmost to stay off of my left foot. If only I had a cane or crutch right now I thought. Just as I got to my car I hopped the last 10 yards or so on my right foot it was that bad. I was heading back to Boston - and just as I got to close to Route 1 South, I decided to go back north to GCTS - Florina had brought in a set of crutches for me and Security put them in my office. I drove up there to get these - I was at the point where I didn't want to get stuck again. Today is Saturday and the foot has felt fine. However, I haven't been out walking at all. I'm about to do so and we'll see!

This is a huge setback for running. Today it is 47 and sunny - perhaps my complete favorite conditions for a run. Overall, I'm going to have to work through this disappointment. However, I am also not giving up and my dreams of more long distance running. I hope to be able to restart someday. Right now I have a scheduled appointment with an orthopaedic surgeon on Wednesday. My goal at this point is to get an accurate diagnosis. I personally believe it is a stress fracture - mainly because of the increasing pain all week though I stayed off of it pretty much completely. Also, how it hurt so much after PT and then how I seemed to be walking fine yesterday only to have my left lower leg be riveted suddenly with quite intense pain that made even limping almost unbearable. Getting an accurate diagnosis is my first goal and then getting on the best possible treatment plan (and sticking to it) is my next one. To be continued :-)

Long run - no lock up

Today was a perfect day for a long run. 31 F, light wind, 6 SE, and sunny. I didn't take any watch and didn't look at what time it was exactly before I left. My goal was to do the 10.4 route (up to the Cambridge bridge and back) without my left ankle locking up. I figured a light jog - just to see if I could 10 and a half without locking up would be a milestone. Even with a light jog I found myself passing people a lot. Once I got to the Mass Ave bridge I heard a runner coming up on me from behind, so I sped up a bit - it's funny, I kept on increasing my pace bit by bit, until I was moving at as fast as a jog that I could really keep up at - and only for a couple of miles! The runner behind me also increased his pace. It was on the stretch beyond the BU boat house heading toward the Cambridge bridge that we were running beside each other. I said to him 'man, we're moving at a good pace!' - he said 'Yeah, I think the last mile was a 6:07'. I told him I was planning on doing an 8.5 - referring to pace - but he said he was planning on a twenty, so I realized he thoughts i was talking about distance and not pace. I let him move ahead. He turned around and gave me a fist pump. I always enjoy those kind of runners - they really help pace you for a bit. It was fun and he sure gave me a run for my money!

On the way back I did take it easy, and though I thought I felt a lock up coming on, nothing ever happened. I was very fortunate! I got home still running fine and no major pains or aches. I'm very grateful for today's good run.

Back on track

I just completed a 7.6 mile in 57 mins 48 secs (nets a 7:36 pace) Wow - I feel incredibly fortunate. I thought I was going to be out of commission for a couple of weeks what with last Sunday's injury. I can't help but feel that this was an answer to prayer too and that I got healed of whatever ailed me last week.

My splits were as follows - up to the Storrow drive bridge (1.5) 11:40, Mass Ave (3.2 mile) 24:22 - end point (3.8 mile) 28:52, Mass Ave 33:52, Storrow 46:22, Home 57:48.

I had good energy all the way. Particularly on the way back. I didn't push it at any point, at the same time though I wanted to go at an 8 min pace to avoid any injury it would have taken effort to slow down out of my natural pace, so I simply kept with that and it seems like I kept aroudn a 7:36 pace most of the time.

Another Spring Day in Winter

It felt like another Spring day today - the temperature was 45 F outside, but sunny so it felt warmer. And with little wind the conditions were perfect for running. I did a 7.6 in 56:37, which comes out to a pace of 7:27. My splits were 12:04 up to the Storrow Foot bridge, 24:02 to Mass Ave, 29:18 to half way point, 46:00 back to Storrow Footbridge, and 56:37 home. 

 

The below is a fast motion video of the run I usually take. I filmed this from a bike as I rode along the route I usually take. It's the first leg of the short 6.4 run - only up to the Mass Ave bridge - not the extra 0.6 mile up to the BU footbridge.

On today's run, starting out the left shin was very sore - close to 85% pain level - but after going very light starting out it quickly eased off, and around mile 2 was not noticeable. Coming back I was able to increase the pace nicely. I did the first 3.8 in 29:18 and the second 3.8 in  27:19 - almost 2 minutes quicker. I nearly always increase the pace on the way back - seems like I've warmed up nicely by then. .

Temp: 44
Pressure: 29.91
Dewpoint: 30
Humidity: 52%
Wind: SSW 7
Conditions: Sunny


Distance run: 7.6 miles
Total since 10/16/2011: 293.6 miles

Spring Time in Winter

The temperature and conditions were perfect - 54 F outside - little wind - sunny. I did my second 7.6 short run - increased it from 6.4. I got a nice time of 55'41" - 55 mins 41 seconds, which comes out to 7:19.605 pace. - sweet! Yeah, definitely got a little bit of the runners high on the way back. The energy was there and the pace picked up. Splits were 11:15 to the base of the footbridge, 24:04 to Mass Ave, 28:27 to BU footbridge, 33:35 back to Mass Ave, 50:10 to Commercial/Washington crossover and 55:41 back home.

Shins were cool - a little sore starting out. The flexibility roller that Sarah Lang recommended to me years ago has made a huge difference. I use this pretty intensely both before and after each run. I find the deep tissue massage it gives on the muscles of the calves and on the sides of the lower leg very therapeutic and helpful. Today I did fee a little heavy starting out - and felt the need to shed a few pounds - however once I got to the footbridge where I always see what time I'm at, I realized I was moving pretty fast - I'm often there at 12:30 but it was 11:15 time wise. Tremendous run overall - exhilarating! Thank you God for the privilege of these runs! What a blessing!

Ligthen up dude

1 lb of weight loss translates into 4 lbs less of knee pressure. I assume it's about 4lbs too on the shins and calves. There is an article on this at Lance Armstrongs website. Weight Loss Reduces Knee Pressure. I also heard (but couldn't verify this - I have searched the web pretty thoroughly for it) that 1 lb of weight loss also translates into 10 seconds less of oxygen usage per mile. If you're doing an 8 minute mile - and if you are 1 lb lighter now - you'll use up a little less oxygen for that mile - that's about 2%. Anyway, it certainly is a motivator to lose some more pounds!

Todays run was great! I got some good advice from a friend David Miles about loading up on carbs before a long run. Yesterday evening I had plenty of good pasta - and a light breakfast this morning. So when I started out I gotta say I was a bit surprised at the good feeling of strength and energy. It's kind of like when you get the highest octane fuel in your car - you notice the difference when accelerating etc.It was cold - 30 F, so I had the full extra gear, 5 lbs of sweats, jacket, gloves and hat. Hat's off to Boston Park services - every path along the river, the walk bridges - you name it - were all snow free. It enabled me to run an uninterrupted run - and at a good pace.

Courtesy Please!
At one point, on the return run - around mile 4.3 - there was a bit of a snow patch - maybe 20 yards of it - on the main path, but a narrow path of clearance right through the middle of it. As I was converging on it, two other runners also were converging on it. I wanted to get that narrow passage, but decided to be polite in advance and concede. It got me to thinking how the small gestures in life can make all the difference. What do you do when you're making a coffee and someone comes along and says - 'Oh, I need to get me a coffee' - once yours is all done, you can say 'It's all yours now to make one' - or you can say 'Hey, here you go' and then go and make another one for yourself.

What do you do if you walk by a bike on the road locked to a post but it's down on the ground. Walk by - not your responsibility. Or - hey, why not pick it up - a lot nicer for the owner when he/she comes on by to get their bike. Small stuff, but when a society at large embraces such practices and attitudes, it improves the over all well being ofthe society. 

What do you do if you walk by a bike on the road locked to a post but it's down on the ground. Walk by - not your responsibility. Or - hey, why not pick it up - a lot nicer for the owner when he/she comes on by to get their bike. Small stuff, but when a society at large embraces such practices and attitudes, it improves the over all well being ofthe society. 

 I guess as I train and seek to get 'fitter' - it's just as important to seek ways to grow in character, and to grow spiritually - this too takes effort and work.


Pace Stats
Distance: 6.4
Time: 48:57"
Pace: 7:30

Weather Stats
Today it was 30 F outside, 68% humidity, 30.45 pressure and a NW wind of 10.