thursday, february 23, 2012
Recovery Run
Distance: 6.0 milesTime: 54:36
Pace: 9:06
Comments: I have been very sore the last few days and didn't feel much better this morning. While I wanted to make this a recovery run, I also want to avoid taking the overslow type runs that don't do much good for building strength.
I've continued to focus on my stride and built another playlist that only included songs with 160 BPM. It turns out there are quite a few in my collection, the vast majority of which I really like. So I figured that was significantly less intense than the 180+ BPM effort but still pretty good.
It turns out that the 160 BPM turnover with a reasonable stride puts me right at about 9 minutes per mile. That's right in the ballpark of recovery/easy for me right now. It took the first mile to get reasonably warmed up (and not push it too fast) but after that it was a very solid run. read more
monday, february 09, 2009
Running Log/Easy Run
Distance: 6 milesTime: 47:36
Comments: Well, it's been awhile since I laced up. Work and all. So I just decided to shoot for six good miles and see what kind of progress or lack of I've made with the week off.
I ended up putting in just shy of the six mile mark but averaged about 8:10 per mi the whole way. Somehow I messed up the garmin so I've no idea of splits or any of that but I guess that's not important for this run.
The orthotics didn't hurt as much as they have done in the past but my legs are achy in the hips and hamstrings.
Conditions:
Hour: 4:50 p.m.
Surface: asphalt/concrete
Weather: cloudy/rain
Temperature: 63 degrees
Humidity: 38 percent
Wind: 10 mi/hr w/ strong gusts read morethursday, january 15, 2009
Physical Therapy
After throwing in the towel on the February marathon effort I figured it was an ideal time to step back, re-assess and get back to the fundamentals of my training. As part of that I decided it was time to figure out what the hell is up with my mechanics that keeps causing these hip issues.So I went over to Functional Performance Center in Tempe to get an evaluation. I’ve gone to these guys twice before and their analysis has proven a solid roadmap for my attempts to improve my running. Hoping for a silver bullet is a bit unrealistic but recurring issues like my hip are usually caused by something relatively specific. read more
friday, november 21, 2008
New Shoes/Therapy
I have been pretty busy this week dealing with the various ailments that have beset me here at the end of the training push.
First off has been the problem with the patellar tendon on my right leg. At this point, I'm pretty much resigned to having to run with pain in my knee but I don't want to do real injury or have it get at all worse.
I went on Monday and got acupuncture therapy on the knee at the suggestion of my sister. In honesty, it had felt somewhat better in the wake of the long run so my feeling is it has kind of stabilized. But at this point I'll try anything.
I also got a pretty thorough massage this afternoon that was... well, brutal is probably the best description. My quads were "like stone" starting out, according to my masseuse and we ended up making it a two-hour session. I felt like I had run another 20-miler afterward. read moretuesday, october 28, 2008
Running Log/Goal Pace Run
Distance: 8 miles
Time: 58:32
Garmin link
Comments: Due to work nonsense I didn't get out till pretty late in the morning. That meant it was a bit warmer than I would have liked for a goal-pace effort but there was nothing for it.
I just put on the Garmin and tried to keep it in the 7:20 ballpark which, somehow, I was able to do. The effort was pretty solid the whole way but definitely work the last few miles.
Yesterday I had a massage and my masseuse said my muscles are in the best shape she's seen me. Usually I'm a collection of tight spots and pain. The situation now is general overall fatigue. Which, I assume, is a testament to my progress strength-wise.
Conditions:Hour: 9:00 a.m. read moresaturday, april 19, 2008
Running Log
Distance: 8 kilometers
Time: 45:00
Comments: It has been a bit since I've run and there is a pretty good reason for that. My psoas situation evolved from 'annoying' to 'injury.'
I had to take a trip to the highlands last week and, when the extra days rest before that jaunt didn't seem to help much, Coach Dean and I decided bagging the whole week might be best.
But, when I got back the situation wasn't any better. In fact, I was in constant pain the whole time I was up in the mountains. That, coach said, is very not good. Bad enough, in fact, for Brazil to go off the schedule and put us in some degree of doubt about September.
Wonderful.
So, since the damn hip didn't feel much better this week I stayed off it. I've been pretty busy work-wise so I've been able to keep my mind off of it but I would be lying if I didn't say all this is a massive disappointment. read morethursday, december 20, 2007
Running Log
Distance: 5 miles
Time: 45:00
Comments: So I felt a bit better leg-wise this morning and definitely wanted to put a good run in. There is a little park not too far from the house that has a dirt track around it. I guess it's 3/4 mile around or so but it's level and it's as soft a surface as one can find in this pavement hell.
So I got out and got going pretty good. Not knowing the distance or quite what to expect made it a bit tough to fall into an easy pace but that wasn't much of a problem for long.
Overall, the run felt good. Still sore in the quads (top of the legs now, but see below) but nothing else really. Form feels good, strength feels good, all of it.
Conditions:Hour: 10 a.m.
Surface: dirt
Weather: sunny read morewednesday, december 19, 2007
Chiropractor
Went to see the chiropractor again. After hearing about my struggle with the quad pain she decided on electroshock therapy. Wired up my legs with these little electrodes and zapped them lightly for about a quarter-hour. Then the usual macabre routine.
Seemed to work later. The sorness was limited and I wasn't battling the ache every time I stood up. We'll see if that lasts through the first run.
She concured it's likely the quads and it's probably the hard surface aggrivating them (to have it in both legs is the tip-off, really). On the plus side, my alignment seems to be holding well and no other issues.friday, december 14, 2007
Chiropractor
After having various niggling problems across my hips since I got back into the groove I decided to take a visit to the chiropractor again. The verdict, as I expected, was that things were out of whack again and needed a good wrenching.
As usual, it was vastly unpleasant and I was extremely sore afterward. But it clearly addressed the points of difficulty I've been vexed with recently.
The plan is for me to run on it a bit more over the next few days and drop back in on Wednesday to get another go-over. From there we can probably figure out where I really stand and figure out the right strategy to move forward.tuesday, october 02, 2007
Masseuse
Back to see Meaghan at the Gladesville Wholistic Health Centre. The past few days have been marked by a bruise-like soreness in the inside left ankle and a persistant ache in both calves. Icing has helped and brought the initial swelling under control but this is still a concern.
Meaghan's call is that there is a bunch of issues in the lower calves on both sides causing the problem but she didn't think it was the hallmark of a major injury of some sort. And, thus, she abandoned any vestige of sympathy and gave the legs a brutal going over.
In the course of the massage it became clear that my hips are continuing to be a problem - so the stretching I always procrastinate from needs to be implemented without further ado - and my hamstrings are suprisingly sore as well. The latter probably the result of all the hill running I've been doing here in Sydney. read moretuesday, september 25, 2007
Race Recovery/Masseuse
Well, all things considered, I've bounced back from the race in pretty good shape. Of course, this has been facilitated somewhat by not running myself to injury like last time.
Immediately after the race I was taking in a heaping helping of "OW!" moving with that creaky gait of an octogenarian off his calcium tablets. Of course I wasn't exactly alone in this respect and - let's be honest here - it was a miracle to finish and be moving.
I gingerly trundled up the hill to the pub and sat my ass down for a good two or three hours before gingerly trundling my way back down to the car. We stopped at the gas station on the way back to pick up three bags of ice for... you guessed it, THE ICE BATH.
read moremonday, may 07, 2007
Running Log
Time: 30 min
Distance: unk
Pace: unk
Comments: A good tough run. But I should probably step back and set things up a bit.
After resolving to follow through with my constant vows to implement a stretching regimine, I went into it with gusto this weekend (the threat of a nagging injury is one hell of a motivator for these things).
I did three stretching routines each day this weekend concentrating on the hips. Before running today I did some light stretching, a bit of a pre-run walk and then an easy run up to the malencon itself - maybe three or four minutes.
Then I went through the entire stretching routine before the run itself. (I also made it a point to make sure I had my heel insert in as well) The result was zero hip pain (YAY!) but a persistant nagging stiffness in the right calf (BOO!). read moremonday, february 05, 2007
Masseuse/Chiropractor
In an effort to get a better bead on where my body is at I trundled off to the masseuse and chiropractor today. The good news is that my legs are recovering nicely, all the knotting and such brought on by training have eased off and I seem to be mostly recovered.
The bad news is this left hip issue is still very much in play. Working my lower back I didn't get a lot of the achy soreness I associated with the fatigued psoas so the hypothosis of a stress fracture is sounding more and more realistic.
The chiropractor agreed. While it isn't sure, continuing to lay off training simply is not a bad idea. Getting a proper diagnosis certainly won't change the fact that staying off it is the only treatment.
So I will stay off the pavement except for these short runs ever two or three days to get a feel of how it is doing. And, if there is any issue with it, I'll simply stay off it completely. read morewednesday, january 17, 2007
Masseuse
Today was much better. Pain levels have dropped to normal "hard training" levels and I'm able to get around the house relatively normally. I didn't need the medication anymore and I treated myself to no less than three salt baths. I went to my masseuse in the late evening.
It turns out I have healed up better than expected. The masseuse said that she was surprised at the lack of inflammation in my legs given the outcome of my race.
She and my chiropractor both felt I may be right with my hypothesis concerning the race and the affect of heavily working on the hip muscles and not running at all just prior to the event.
Both were concerned that one of my calf muscles on my right leg seems to atrophied a bit. It's unclear if that is due to the stress of the race or some other cause. I'm not experiencing any specific pain there so I'm not too upset about it. ...yet. read morefriday, january 12, 2007
Chiropractor
And one final visit to the chiropractor...
Once again we hit the left hip with ultrasonic therapy. Twenty minutes of having a metal disk rubbed over my loin. Such fun.
But, at this point, I'm open to just about anything within reason.
After that, the usual adjustment and that's it. I'm about as good as I'm going to get. Now it's all just mental.thursday, january 11, 2007
Masseuse
And back to the applied torture. One day I'm going to be able to get a massage for relaxation but I can only dream about such things right now.
The work consisted mostly of trying to bring down the inflammation and irritation that is causing this nagging hip issue. A lot of the work was on the hip and lower back muscles and trying to get them to loosen up.
Not surprisingly, my right side seems pretty good it's the left that's a mess. We made an attempt to get at the Psoas again with better luck but not exactly success. The maseusse said she was able to get 50 percent further in and, although it was very uncomfortable, it wasn't actual livid pain like last time.
Is it better? I don't know. At this point, between it's longevity and my mounting frustration, all I can say for sure is it ain't gone.monday, january 08, 2007
Chiropractor/Masseuse
So I showed up at the chiropractor's office this morning and announced "I'm a desperate man!" And, as one might expect, serious situations call for serious measures.
The new option is ultrasound. The idea is that the focused application of high frequency sound waves will cause deep tissue vibration. That should, in turn, stimulate blood flow in the area helping relieve the inflammation and elminiating the scar tissue.
It also is a touch controversial. A Google search will quickly pull up a host of sites arguing it effectiveness and just as many insisting it is bunk.
Personally, I could care less. The basic theory makes sense and I'm at the point of trying anything to get this hip issue sorted in the handful of days left before the race.
After that I had my ass massaged. Sounds wonderfully deviant, doesn't it? Actually it was one of the most excruciating things I have endured during the total of my training. read moretuesday, january 02, 2007
Chiropractor/Masseuse
My visit to the chiropractor and to the masseuse today were very positive - painful as hell, but positive. It seems all the abuse I delivered to my legs during the peak weeks of the training had really screwed up my mechanics. That's working out now and my muscles are recovering.But that also means we are only now getting to the REALLY sore muscles at the root of the problem. The continual stress on the quads had simply abused my psoas muscle where it crosses the pelvis. (labeled as the 'lliopsoas' on this handy interactive diagram of the leg muscles). read more
tuesday, december 05, 2006
Chiropractor/Masseuse
I didn't feel as beaten up today as I was expecting due to the effort of the race but the real issue was this ankle/calf thing. The good news is that it looked "much much better" according to the masseuse but that whole area needed a lot more work than the rest of the legs.
For some reason, my left leg is just a bunch of issues. There was a cruel knot in the right calf muscle and the hamstrings also uncomfortably tight. The mechanics of my legs - particularly the hips - obviously causes a lot of this but when the hell is it going to get better?
Probably never, according to my chiropractor. This is just the way I'm built and I'll have to deal with it in one form or another.
For now, she advised, I should probably stick with my new shoes instead of buying a new pair of the motion-control ones I used for most of the year. A lot of the calf pains are due to my leg getting used to the new stresses and going back will only make things more complicated. read morefriday, december 01, 2006
Massage
I made an appointment with the masseuse to deal with this calf issue. Although it felt better when I got up, it was clearly there and clearly just waiting for any excuse to get ornery again.
Running the planned six miles was not an option.
The half-hour session was, by far, the most painful I have ever had. She just focused on the left calf for the whole time and when she hit the problem spots it was bad. The pain referred all the way up to my groin.
According to the masseuse, the whole shank of my leg was pretty "ropy" and strained - particularly on the outside of the lower part. That includes the achilles tendon. Her assessment was that something was causing it to overwork and the strain had localized in one or two spots real deep.
When she hit those two spots - one about the size of a pea and the other the size of a grape - it was not fun. But, after the session, the leg was noticably improved. I'll give it an easy go tomorrow and see how things proceed.monday, november 06, 2006
Chiropractor
The usual routine. Unnerving wrenching of the back and neck in the name of good posture and performance. For some reason, my middle back was extremely tight and unrelenting. We had to just let it go till next time.
The hips and legs are starting to get a bit more in line without the struggle from before. My neck issues have ceded to the category of 'background noise.' While my massage time has been focused on leg due to mileage, we agreed the back needs some work next appointment.
I felt pretty positive after the visit but, later, it hit me like a ton of bricks. I felt dragged pretty bad and weirdly thirsty (although I was drinking a lot all day). At about 2 p.m. I quit struggling with it an lay down and was out cold for more than an hour.
monday, october 30, 2006
Chiropractor/Massage
And to add a bit more to today's agony, I went and got the back wrenched. To lessen the discomfort, I had a massage beforehand.
Well, half a massage. I had signed up for an hour but a personal emergency forced me to miss half the appointment. That said, the work on my legs was severely needed. My masseuse said the sides of my legs were "ropy," which - you might imagine - is not a really good thing.
The muscles were pretty sore due to my run but not overly so following the ice bath treatment. The tough spots I've identified in my daily stretching were exactly the areas that needed work.
Due to the shortened session, I've signed on for another later this week.
As for the chiropractor, things were "better than last week" in her assessment but there wasn't much difference from my point of view. My back hasn't been a problem (well, the lower left got weird on me two times yesterday afternoon) but as long as this keeps my legs working as they should, I'm happy with it.saturday, october 28, 2006
Running Log
Distance: 17 miles
Time: 148:51 minutes
Pace: 8:45/mi
Comments: A long, tough run but a good effort, overall.
I did some stretching before heading out and walked at least half-a-mile to the start point as a warm-up. I knew I wanted a better pace than last week but not so much it made the run impossible.
The weather, overcast and a touch chilly to start out, was perfect for this run. I just concentrated on the pace and keeping things under control. Knowing the route helped a great deal, I must admit.
Overall I felt good almost the whole way. Early on I had some feelings of wanting to give in, but that seems to have been laziness rather than any specific problem.
So now it is a pull-back week and, after that, preparing for the 10K race in Phoenix. Then I have a half-marathon a few weeks later. So this run is the longest distance I will run for at least a month. read moremonday, october 23, 2006
Chiropractor
The wrenching went relatively well today. It seems things seem a bit more in place following last week's adjustment and the ensuing workouts.
And we did the 'gait analysis' as well. Turns out this is simply a scan of the foot that gives a reading on the amount of pressure being applied across the sole.
Mine was relatively even across both feet but with an emphasis on the heel of the right foot. Which suggests the thin orthopedic in the left shoe is still advisable.
The key for continuing the development of my mechanics is to complete the evening out of my slightly awry hips via adjustment and a strengthening of the lower quads to assist in their keeping-stuff-in-place duties.
Likely, the latter will require a bit of weight lifting at a gym. I'd like to find one with a pool to add that as well. read moresaturday, october 21, 2006
The Ice Bath
Many years ago I saw a routine by comedian Billy Connolly where he recounted an episode from his childhood in Scotland.
Taken to swim in the North Sea for the first time he made an interesting discovery... when the cold water hits your testicles it feels like "a hot potato being shoved right up your ass."
That colorful vignette was made vividly clear to me today when I decided to try taking my first ice bath.
The concept here is pretty simple, as a recent Running Times article explains.
Hard running results in the buildup of toxins and lactic acid in your muscles. The cold causes your blood vessels to constrict and your body creates a "blood rush" to force more blood into the region. The sudden rapid transmission circulation flushes the damage-inflicting waste from your system. read moremonday, october 16, 2006
Chiropractor
Well, the first time having my back wrenched went as well as I could have hoped. Unpleasant but not nearly as bad as it once was.
More importantly, my chat with the doctor was very positive as well.
While I still have a weird twist in my hips that puts too much stress on my left leg, it's much less exaggerated now. Moreover, my leg strength is enough to correct the more egregious effects.
The trick now is to stay on top of all the new stresses the mileage will be putting on things.
In addition, her assessment of my neck was positive. She gave it the usual distressing wrench and then said ice the sucker a few times each day. It had been feeling better today so I can't tell any immediate effect but tomorrow will make things clearer.
I have another appointment for Friday where she wants to try some kind of 'gait analysis.' Not sure what that is but why the heck not? read moresaturday, october 14, 2006
Masseuse/New Shoes
Having gotten back to the states relatively unscathed, my first order of business was getting started on the upkeep of my poor suffuring bod. I hit the masseuse who gave me a good 90 minute workout.
The situation with my neck has gotten extremely bad and the 20-plus hours of travel did little to help matters. As a result, much of her effort focused on that. While it seemed to help somewhat after, the pain returned again full force today.
So I have an appointment with the chiropractor Monday and we shall see...
Next up, equipment. I headed over to see my friend Erin and the good folks at Performance Footwear in Tempe. I took to the treadmill to get a look to see what we could see and the results were surprising.
It seems the pronation on my left foot is almost completely absent now. It still gives a bit more roll than the right but the exaggerated slant inward is pretty much gone. The reccomendation was switch from a motion control shoe to one that simply provides stability. read moremonday, february 20, 2006
Chiropractor
My last visit to the chiropractor was pretty positive. The situation with my back looks much better, there is a greater degree of flexibility that should give me the opportunity to focus strength work on the problem now.
The uneven tilt of my pelvis is progressing well but will take much longer to work itself out. As much as a year, she projects. Which means the knee issues will probably continue for that long as well. But the insert in the heel of my shoe seems to be about right. It kept things aligned after a good week of miles (although I would have liked to have had a few more days in for her to assess).
Since I doubt I can pick one up in Peru, I stopped by the sporting goods store and purchased a McDavid Jumper's Knee Strap for addtional support for my left knee. The device is targeted for handling patellar tendinitis, which isn't exactly what I am dealing with. But it is another method of stablizing excess motion in the knee so, in that respect, it could be another tool for if my knee issues recur down the road.monday, february 06, 2006
Chiropractor
The morning chiropractor visit was as excruiating as always. Some folks love it but I always feel schelacked afterward. Doesn't hurt really, I just feel abused. But there is progress, the hips seem to be in better alignment and my back compression was good in light of the mileage I put in last week.
The heel insert for my left shoe came in as well. We decided to use the shorter setting of cushion and keep the shoe insert (which I like for comfort's sake). I will try and put similar mileage in this week to get a read on the effect and at my final appointment next week we will make a decision on adding an additional layer of cushion or not.
With this insert I should have wonderful new vistas of soreness in my hips and back, she warned. Joy.monday, january 30, 2006
Chiropractor
My chiropractor said the shoes looked good and that they fit well. My posture issues seem to shorten my left leg slightly when I stand in them (the difference isn't evident when I am lying down) so she is going to order a thin heel insert to compensate for it. This insert is much less than those provided at the running specialist.
She still urged a strength workout to develop the portion of my thighs near the knee. That will probably do the most to aid my ability to control motion of my knee during my running - the primary culprit of the knee problem. Upper body work will also help with my posture, another key reason for the disimbalance between the two legs.
