Attempt #2

All signed up.  Second attempt at first marathon:

Getting it all wrapped up before the end of the world. Don't want to leave any loose ends.

I was very happy with last week's runs.

 I ran 22 miles total and felt great and pain free in all parts.  The week ended with a 7 mile run at Rancho San Antonio park and it was just wonderful.  I should hit 25 miles this week and 5 of it already happened last night again out at Rancho -- we have this mile hill that we run up as fast as we can, then back down and repeat.  So I guess it is mile hill repeats -- a workout that I'm still feeling in my legs -- definitely need hill training.  But this is a great work out to get in shape so I'm working it in once a week.

All fun and games.

PS.  I just realized the header I pulled from the website didn't list the name -- but in case there was a question it is CIM.  They need an easy logo to steal.  

The Update Post

Goodness, been awhile since I've been around these parts.  Actually I've been keeping up with the reading of blogs, I've just not had a chance to write something of my own.

Lets see....where was I?

Ah yes, the 16 year old's birthday weekend.  It went fantastically.  She proclaimed it The Best Weekend Ever so that was good.  The quick rundown (and very pictureless which is sad really since we were in San Francisco on one of the most beautiful weekends imaginable):  Walt Disney Family Museum (recommend), high tea at The Fairmont (recommend), wander around the Fairmont looking into all the ballrooms to see how they are decorated for the evening (recommend), follow wedding party around and blatantly stare as they are getting their pictures made (recommend), walk through Chinatown and buy mug with dragon on it (did I mention I'm a dragon and it is the year of the dragon??), go to Union Square and discover that unbeknownst to either one of you, you are both shoppers (recommend) and then proceed to spend money (don't recommend) on lots of goodies and then get back to hotel at 9:30 and fall instantly in bed.

That was day one.  Day two:  Eat breakfast at cute cafe (recommend), go back to Union Square and realize that you a aren't shoppers after all (thank goodness) however, play around Crate and Barrel sitting on EVERY couch in the store to see which one is the best (recommend), go pick up car and drive (don't recommend) to the Haight but find it is overwhelmed with music festival and the music sounds a bit scary (from the drive by) and there are a million people and no parking so decide to go see the Golden Gate bridge, realize that the worst weekend in SF is a warm weekend (don't ever recommend driving in SF on a nice weekend) so finally get to bridge, cross it and then come back and drive through Sea Cliff which is where the fancy schmancy houses are (recommend), get to the coast  to come home that way and realize part of Hwy 1 is closed (really?) and then finally get home.

Whew.

Then last weekend was spent in Phoenix (yes hot) at a friends fancy schmancy house (yes, really) and just having a plain ole good time.

Work's been crazy busy but the in between has been fun.

Oh yeah -- this is supposedly a running blog.  Well lets talk about that then.

Shortly before the SF weekend the chiropractor told me to just relax.  It seemed that my back was hurting worse than before but I was trying to ramp miles and he was basically adjusting me all over the place and it wasn't pleasant.  In fact, it was quite painful.  Apparently when he told me I could still run, he didn't realize I would.  HA!  So he said to just take it easy and make no run over 2 miles.  Well, with two busy weekends away (no running either one) and a crazy work schedule, I just took the running down to a bare minimum and sort of chilled.  And who knew, he was right.  It seems all his crazy talk about fixing me is coming true and it is nothing short of amazing (for me anyway).  The thing is I've never talked about much is that I've had constant low grade back pain since forever.  It was just something I accepted -- but it was getting worse last fall and early winter and then when I started back after the foot fiasco it was very very bad.  But I figured I'd just have to live with it -- but I don't think I do.  So between his Cox table, ART, regular adjustments and me doing some actual core work, I actually feel a ton better.  Like amazingly better.  Not perfect, but different and better. So it would seem entirely pain free might be doable.

Cool.  So.....

I'm a little nervous but I'm going to sign up this week for CIM -- it's official.  Attempt #2 at Marathon #1.  I even have gone so far as to resurrect the McMillan plan I purchased for Eugene and plug in dates to see when I start.  The plan is time based (except for long runs) vs miles based so it seems to make sense to use it.  I paid for it after all.  So that begins on 8/13 and my goal until then is to build back up the miles base.

I'm sort of scared to commit.  The ONLY goal (and I mean it) is to make it to the start line -- nothing like a 5 month drama of foot/back issues to put a little perspective on things.  I'm erring on the side of caution in all situations (I promise) and start line is my primary focus.  I'll worry about finishing after I get going.  ;)

So there we have it -- all caught up.  This week will be around 20 miles -- so you can see, I've got a bit of work to do.

And just because -- here's a picture of my newly minted 16 year old.  If I could just convey how sweet she is...she is such a doll.

Diagnosis and fun 16th Birthday weekend plans

It is quite exciting -- I now know what is wrong with me.  Well, what is wrong that relates to my back anyway -- no telling about anything else.  From the doc's write up (italics are my comments):

"Right inferior pelvic unleveling 8mm.  Right short leg 4mm.  No sacral unleveling (whew as everything else is unlevel(.  15 degree scoliosis to the right, apex at L2.  Lovett negative spinous rotation (I've not idea what this is and a quick google search tells me I need a more time to figure this one out).  Weight bearing line normal.  Disc spaces appear adequate exept mild loss of disc height at L3 and L4.  Facetal arthrosis is mild at L5-S1.  Bone density commensurate with patient's age."

So there we go.  Apparently we are going to fix me -- how exciting is that.  I always assumed that the scoliosis wasn't fixable as no one has ever mentioned fixing it before but apparently it is and that's what we are doing.  So I have to visit the chiropractor a million times in June (maybe really only 10 but when I was scheduling the visits it felt like a million) and then he'll give me some exercises to do to maintain whatever he does.  

I guess it is time to stop paying lip service to core work and actually do it regularly.  At least at this point I'll have some specific exercises to do that relate to the problems -- most that my right side is weaker because of the scoliosis.  

All this being said, damn, it hurts like hell right now.  Ever visit he says he is he is relieving pain but the funny thing is, I wasn't in pain.  I had had had some pain -- but I went to him for my foot.  Now I'm not complaining because before foot injury, my back would just kill me after a run.  And when I was starting back a few weeks ago, I'd have some runs where my back hurt.  But now it hurts crazy like and I'm not sure it is supposed to - he did some adjustments on Wed, I ran like a superstar for 4 miles on Thursday.  I went back on Friday and now yesterday and today's runs were misery.  This is baffling -- but possibly with all the movement going on in my lower back it has to hurt to get better?  I've no idea but it is the ultimate irony -- my foot is finally ready to go and now I can't make it past 4.5 miles because of my back.

If it isn't one thing...

If only I wasn't so attached to this running thing....

Anyway, in much more fun news, my little one turns 16 next Sunday.  I thought she was just born but apparently it was 16 years ago -- unbelievable if you ask me.  But get this -- she doesn't want a party with friends, she wants a weekend in SF with her mom.  How freaking cool is that.  So I've sort of planned out her birthday weekend:

Sat the 9th:

Head to city in morning. 

Walt Disney Museum 

Afternoon tea at The Fairmont

We are staying near Union Square (actually closer to China town in this small hotel I've stayed at before and like) so we'll wonder there and eat somewhere.  But she's excited to stay in nice hotel so I imagine we'll go back to room fairly early to soak up room.  

Sunday the 10th:

Breakfast somewhere -- need to figure that out

There are no shows that I want to see playing so I'm thinking of Beach Blanket Babylon.  It is a fun musical revue that I think she'll get a kick out of.  She can't go to the Sat night one (adult content) so the matinee will be fun.  But not really sure and open for suggestions on a Sunday afternoon outing.  

Then back home for birthday dinner with her dad and brother.  

We'll have fun no matter what -- she's pretty darned easy going.  And how sweet that this is what she wanted.  

All righty -- must go make dinner.  

Update

I'm here.  I'm here.  I did disappear a bit and I do appreciate you guys checking on me.  I'd like to say I was just busy, which I was, but really I could have made time. I was just a bit discouraged about my stupid foot and didn't feel like talking about it.

But alas -- there's been some good news so I'm here to share.

Catching up -- we last left off where I thought I was back in the game.  A bit premature but there's my optimism for you.  I thought I was being very smart and careful but I still managed to overdo and then couldn't hardly even walk on my foot for about 4 days.  Silly me.  About that time (just a couple weeks ago), my body decided to stop sleeping again (I'd been doing fairly well) so I wasn't coping and took the week off of everything and just felt sorry for myself. Not particularly productive but there you go.  And actually, I did start back at the running bit towards the end of the week.  

So, back to the foot.  In the midst of not running (much) nor sleeping and feeling sorry for myself, I had several people suggest I go to a chiropractor and I finally agreed if only because when I was able to even go out for a small run, my lower back started killing me within about a half a mile.  I knew I was compensating and could even hear how uneven my gait was but couldn't correct it.  Also, I wasn't and still am not convinced my continuing foot pain is all a result of the stress fracture because of where some of the pain located.  And finally, I had already considered looking into a chiropractor (or PT or someone) because I was having lower back trouble after most run back in the winter.

I've learned a ton:

1.  Metatarsal stress fractures, especially the ones on the 5th metatarsal can take a long time to heal.  Apparently circulation plays a key role in healing these types of injuries and the foot typically has less circulation.

2.  The fracture site can be laser-ed to speed circulation and healing.

3.  A chiropractor can do this.

4.  Wow.

It gets better (or more enlightening anyway).

I have scoliosis.

Which I knew.  I've known since I was in 6th grade and they did that bend over test and then I'm told fairly regularly by different doctors.  I assumed it didn't matter -- but this guy was shocked I knew.  Does it matter?  Apparently.

And of course it matters, right?  I think I'm mostly fairly intelligent but sometimes I even surprise myself by how unaware of my body I can be.  I never ever ever even looked up scoliosis online and read about it nor even considered how it would impact running.  Honestly I don't think there was any impact at the 20 to 25 miles per week range but definitely when I started increasing the miles, the irregular curve in my spine started causing trouble.  I've now done some reading online and well DUH. So many of my minor aches and pains are caused by this condition.

All this is really actually quite good news.

The doc (are chiropractors doctors?) proved to me a bunch of different ways how uneven I am -- and how my right side is much weaker than my left.  He even made me get on the floor, with my legs bent perpendicular and resting on my elbow and had me lift my hip -- I can hardly do it on my right side but on my left it is easy (so I have a new exercise to do daily).  He also did some adjusting which I immediately noticed later that day when I went running completely back pain free!   And finally, he did some laser therapy on my foot.

I go back on Wednesday and he tells me he's going to have an entire write up of my condition and a plan.  His approach is to give his clients the tools to manage themselves and then be there for support or when things go wrong.  I suspect I'll have a bunch of exercises I can do to strengthen my right side and then a few visits with him to get this foot thing under control.

All in all quite positive.  I have to think now that this might have been the underlying cause of the stress fracture so I'm pleased to have figured it out now before it happened again with another miles ramp up.  Feeling a little silly I never had considered that scoliosis might matter but I'll get over that part.

In actual running news, I did 15 miles this week in 5, 3 mile runs.  I've dubbed myself the Queen of the Three Mile run and am going to go with that for awhile.  It seems to be a good balance and I can do it every day without any additional foot pain.  This and one spin will be the routine for at least another couple of weeks.

There we have it!  Happy Memorial Day!



  

Back in the game

Okay -- time to get the fussy, whiny, dramatic post down from the #1 spot.

It's official, I'm back in the game.

That doesn't mean I'm totally pain free though so I'm taking it easy.  However, I did visit my doc and he said it was okay to run but take it VERY SLOW and to make sure I was recovered (back to the same level of pain I have all the time -- very manageable) within 24 hours and call him if it gets worse instead of better.

So for the past two weeks I logged 5 running miles and then 9 running miles.  It makes me laugh but hey, I have to start somewhere.  I was going to go for 15 this week but the doc said I was lucky to make the 5 to 9 increase and it was too much. So I've scaled back my goals and I'm going to shoot for 12 miles this week in three 4 mile runs.  That seems reasonable.

I'd been toying with the idea of a half around the end of July (the SF Marathon conveniently has two half marathons that day so I am playing around with the idea of running one of those).  Then I start in on official marathon training again.  Doing the half right at the beginning gives me something to work towards and to gauge fitness right before I try again to make it to the starting line of a marathon.

So I've been toying with an actual training plan -- obviously with lots more cross training right now but a definitely ramp up of running.  Let me say, just writing down each weeks ramp of mileage was exciting.  Made it all real.

I'm not forking over any cash quite yet -- I need to regain a bit of confidence.  But I'm close.

And thank god.