2000Km-1243 mile club

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November check-in! (Read 360 times)

    I'm glad you had happy monkeys!

     

    Back from work trip/ fun trip/ recovery from trip - ran an easy 4 at lunch yesterday. Temps have dropped below 0*C so its time to locate the hats and gloves. I just learned that I'm invited to a wedding on my race weekend in May, I rescheduled for the Johnny Miles (winner of the 1926 Boston Marathon) Marathon (half for me) in his hometown New Glasgow, Nova Scotia in early June. Extra couple of weeks of cross training for me.

     

    Puke - careful! get some rest before the next trail run... A

    Recalculating...

     


    ...---...

      Temps have dropped below 0*C so its time to locate the hats and gloves.

       

       Wow - I feel like such a wimp. I've been wearing gloves all along. Smile

      -

      News from my sports Dr. Appt this morning - ultrasound revealed a lateral tear in my calf. The Dr. showed me a comparison of my healthy tissue and then the strained part. very different indeed. Anyway, no running for 2 additional weeks. I am to perform a number of rehab like exersices/treatments from now until the end of time (jk - I'm sure there's an end point). I'm curious if Brian ever had to do the Alfredson's Eccentric Patellar exercise? Anyway, the Dr. seemed to think that I would heal up enough in another 2 weeks to get back to low milage and then 4-6 weeks from now, start ramping up miles again. All in all, the Dr. seemed to think a 50K in March was still realistic. Sweet.

      -

      PS - Brian - your diagnosis was spot on, by the way. You have become calf Yoda.

      San Francisco - 7/29/12

      Warrior Dash Ohio II - 8/26/12

      Chicago - 10/7/12


        For once, I'm sorry to be right.  Interesting that they did an ultrasound.  I've been to my sports medicine guy and he just feels around and says, yes, there's a strain. Did he say if it was in the soleus or the gastrocnemius? Never heard of Alfredson's Eccentric Patellar exercise.  What is it? Googled it and the closest I could come was a one-legged squat on a downward slanting board. Is that the same thing? If it helps I'll do it.  

         

        For calf specifically, I've been doing "eccentric calf raises" on a step.  One set with straight leg and  one set with knees bent to engage the soleus (which takes some practice to keep your knees bent and then raise on your toes).  Used to do 2 count up and 4 count down, but today the PT switched me to 1 count up and 6 count down.  That's not going to be fun.  The other strengthening exercises have focused on the hip (lateral leg raise with exercise band and side steps with band tied around knees) and the ankle (4 way extensions with a band).  Stretching has been calf stretch using a strap (seated, leg straight out), hamstring stretch (on back, leg up) and "figure-4" piriformis stretch for the hips.

         

        I was told today, one more week without running, then we can start building up.  If you are given a training plan for easing back in, please share and I'll do the same.

        New Orleans Marathon - 2/24/2013  4:16:32

        Kentucky Derby Festival Marathon - 4/27/2013 4:09:56 PR!

        Honolulu Marathon - 12/8/2013


        ...---...

          For once, I'm sorry to be right.  Interesting that they did an ultrasound.  I've been to my sports medicine guy and he just feels around and says, yes, there's a strain. Did he say if it was in the soleus or the gastrocnemius? Never heard of Alfredson's Eccentric Patellar exercise.  What is it? Googled it and the closest I could come was a one-legged squat on a downward slanting board. Is that the same thing? If it helps I'll do it.  

           

          For calf specifically, I've been doing "eccentric calf raises" on a step.  One set with straight leg and  one set with knees bent to engage the soleus (which takes some practice to keep your knees bent and then raise on your toes).  Used to do 2 count up and 4 count down, but today the PT switched me to 1 count up and 6 count down.  That's not going to be fun.  The other strengthening exercises have focused on the hip (lateral leg raise with exercise band and side steps with band tied around knees) and the ankle (4 way extensions with a band).  Stretching has been calf stretch using a strap (seated, leg straight out), hamstring stretch (on back, leg up) and "figure-4" piriformis stretch for the hips.

           

          I was told today, one more week without running, then we can start building up.  If you are given a training plan for easing back in, please share and I'll do the same.

           

          Brian - the strain is in the gastroc. My Dr. said the soleus looked "pretty good actually." That's correct on the Alfredson's Eccentric. My Dr. told me she's found this to be helpful in gastroc strain recoveries. My notes here - the handout I got - shows the ideal slant of the block is 25 degrees - perform by slowly flexing the knee to 90 degrees with the entire weight on the injured leg. The step squat block (flat) is 4 inches high. Not sure if these angles and heights really matter, but there you go. I did not get any guidance on running plans when resuming other than to ease into it for the first couple weeks keeping mileage low and relatively consistent. Then 4- 6 weeks after resuming running, if all is well, I can begin ramping up mileage on long runs at the typical 10% weekly increase. They gave me a compression sleeve to wear - looks like a panty hose knee high which I immediately asked if I could replace with my Zensa sleeve - thumbs up on that. So, I have a single panty hose looking knee high if anyone wants it Wink My other rehab exercises are as you point out above. Hope you are good to go after this week. And yes, please if you have any guidance on training plans, I'd love to see it.

          San Francisco - 7/29/12

          Warrior Dash Ohio II - 8/26/12

          Chicago - 10/7/12



          Imminent Catastrophe

            Atlanta Half Marathon today, on a beautiful Fall morning. It's a nice hilly tour of Atlanta, about 10,000 runners. Well-done by Atlanta Track Club. Between Monkey on Sunday and PM40 next weekend I just wanted a nice hard steady tempo run. So I feel pretty good about it, 1:50:30 or so but more importantly even splits (8:19/8:21 pace halves) on a moderately hilly course and still felt pretty strong at the end. Also this put me in time group B for Peachtree so Yay! 

            I could still feel the leg fatigue from Monkey, now it's really time to cut back and do a real taper for PM40, I'm not really sure how ready I am for it.

            "Able to function despite imminent catastrophe"

             "To obtain the air that angels breathe you must come to Tahoe"--Mark Twain

            "The most common question from potential entrants is 'I do not know if I can do this' to which I usually answer, 'that's the whole point'.--Paul Charteris, Tarawera Ultramarathon RD.

             

            √ Javelina Jundred Jalloween 2015

            Cruel Jewel 50 mile May 2016

            Western States 100 June 2016


            Dog-Love

              Winter is a great time to heal!  Hope you are all doing your PT.  I sure am trying.

               

              Yesterday we had a blizzard and this morning we ran the Turkey Trot 5 K which required some postholing but molstly enjoying a moring run in fresh fallen snow.  It has warmed up to 28F andafter the 5 K it started dumping again.  Upper body workout includes snow shoveling.


              Enjoy your Thanksgiving everyone (in the USA) If you are in Nova Scotia...well you are lucky!

              Run like you are on fire! 5K goal 24:00 or less (PR 24:34) 10K goal 50:00 or less (PR 52:45) HM goal 1:55:00 or less (PR 2:03:02) Marathon Goal...Less than my PR (PR 4:33:23)
              HappyFeat


                Crabby, I definitely think you are having more fun than I am, and in the snow to boot!  Good going!

                 

                Yesterday and todays runs were complicated by sudden stabs of low back pain. Yesterday was a brief episode. Felt it again stacking firewood this morning and then multiple times during running whenever I engaged glute muscles. So I ran verrrry slow and relaxed to keep it at bay and still complete my run. Fortunately that worked - except for when I wasn't paying attention. Last week the massage therapist told me my low back pain right now is where the glutes attach to the spine. I guess I've now proved that. Just have to figure out how to fix it. Got an ice pack in place now. Still on track for 35 miles this week if Saturdays long run goes as planned.

                 

                As for Thanksgiving - nice to have the day off work. Baking stuffed red bell peppers and a peach pie. Nontraditional (and vegetarian) says it all. Family all live out of state - so no big get-together like in years past.

                 

                I actually ordered a new pair of shoes before I need them (proud of me?) because the new Brooks Addiction is soooo darn pretty! The new model has aqua color trim! The same color as the running I hat I got recently and the shorts of the black running skirt I just got from another RA gal. Color coordination - how great is that! 

                 

                Russ, great to hear about the Monkey Marathon from you - sounds like it was a good experience. Good luck with this weekends HM.

                 

                Hi Ayola, Puke, Trey, Dutchie, Brian, Jeff, and anyone else looking in....Happy Thanksgiving all.

                Don't make excuses for why you can't get it done. 

                Focus on all the reasons why you must make it happen.

                  I am lucky...I do love it here...he hee!  Snow here has turned to mush. Although forecast says this weekend's runs should be warm and dry. For T-day in Halifax I served shrimp, rice noodles and homemade spicy thai curry to myself on the couch with PBS "Fabric of the Cosmos"

                   

                  Happy - hey a back little rest for you!

                   

                  Have a great long weekend fellow Americans, A

                  Recalculating...

                   

                    I got to try some new trails the last couple of days on our Thanksgiving travels.  I ran the Mill Creek Metropark Bike trail in Youngstown OH yesterday.  Very nice rails to trails asphalt bike path that goes for about 20 miles (I only did 5 miles of it).  Today was the Battelle Darby Creek Trail in Columbus OH.  I like that even more.  The trail I took is about 4 miles of crushed gravel that wind through some nice fields with deer and bison (the bison are fenced).  15 miles of running the last 2 days and I need it to counter the excessive eating this weekend from 2 seperate Thanksgiving dinners.

                      Hope you all had a good thanksgiving up North.  In NZ we had our general election.

                      Ran to the polling booth, cast my vote and then ran home. Only 10km all up, but still good for the body and the conscience.

                      Just got a new pair of road shoes and a couple of hand held water bottles (thanks Santa), so gave the shoes a bit of an easy introduction to my feet.

                      Just like a pair of slippers....

                       “Attitude is the Difference Between an Ordeal and an Adventure”

                       

                      Goals 2016

                      Do stuff

                       


                      ...---...

                        Hi all - hope you all managed to avoid getting tazzed or pepper sprayed in the chaos following Thanksgiving day. What a disaster. Anyway, I rehabed on Friday INSTEAD of going out shopping and then hiked a fairly steep technical trail along some beautiful rock ledges on Saturday. All this time I thought all of Cuyahoga County was flat. I was kind of sore on Sunday so if nothing else, I seem to be cross training pretty well.

                        -

                        Russ: sounds like Monkey was epic this year. Good luck with Pine Mountain! You're probably more ready than you think.

                        -

                        Also - Has anyone given the new Brooks Pure Project a run? I'm curious about them. Have a great week!!!

                        San Francisco - 7/29/12

                        Warrior Dash Ohio II - 8/26/12

                        Chicago - 10/7/12



                        Imminent Catastrophe

                          I haven't run much since Monkey, my legs felt kind of dead after that so I'm giving them a rest. Just a few miles here and there. I did run a nice 2.5 in St. Louis, when I was SO TIRED and just wanted to sit at the bar, drink a couple of beers and eat, but I threw on the running shorts and did a quickie run across the river in a cold wind. Man, that was exhilirating, and afterward I was so glad I did it. Then I went and sat at the bar and drank a couple of beers and ate. 

                          Anyway, the Pine Mountain 40 is Sunday and I feel pretty good about it but OTOH I haven't done a trail ultra for a long time so I don't know how it will go. My goal will be to finish, then to beat last year's time of 9:30, where I ran pretty conservatively because it was my longest race ever up till then. Now, with a couple longer races under my belt I feel more confident about it but, still, I"m pretty nervous about it because it's a pretty tough course with very rocky, rooty trails covered with fallen leaves. It's a sprained ankle waiting to happen. 14 minutes per mile might seem slow but on these trails it's respectable. 

                          "Able to function despite imminent catastrophe"

                           "To obtain the air that angels breathe you must come to Tahoe"--Mark Twain

                          "The most common question from potential entrants is 'I do not know if I can do this' to which I usually answer, 'that's the whole point'.--Paul Charteris, Tarawera Ultramarathon RD.

                           

                          √ Javelina Jundred Jalloween 2015

                          Cruel Jewel 50 mile May 2016

                          Western States 100 June 2016

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