Achilles issue and Semi Hibernation over -- sort of.

Since my last post in July 2012, I had been battling Achilles tendinitis (incurred in April) and finally decided to stop running and get it looked at.  Since in a sense this blog is just a posting into the ether (unviewed) silence would not be a problem.   Any way, first it was 2 weeks of PT (eStim, ultrasound, and stretching exercises) and that got me back to at least being able to run some track at moderate speed (slow) without driving home in pain.  However, continued casual runs still resulted in tender to touch, so finally I went to a chiropractor.  Left side issues (calf in the past) said to me -- out of alignment or something.  Cutting to the chase, the most effective treatment for the Achilles was the Graston technique (scraping the effected area with an instrument of mild torture.) My Achilles had developed an extensive thickened bulge over the months of running and sports activities since the initial injury in April.   After 4 treatments the bulge was substantially reduced and I could run again.  Yea.

I returned to group runs a few weeks before Thanksgiving and ran my first race since September on Thanksgiving Day.  No Achilles problem!   I have done 3 more races since then, in not so hot speed, and figured I could work my way back.

Until the last race.  Reindeer Romp 5K in the midst of my herky jerky sprint - slow jog routine, something went awry at the back of my thigh -- it felt as if something was tangled ---- hurt below the knee, behind the knee, and in the hamstring area.  Ugh!



 Stopping and stretching did not help. I finished the race in a quite slow jog.  GRRR.  Did I mention I was freezing while waiting for the start of the race?  Actually shivering.

I did some slow jogging on the next day and it hurt a little.  Then, I blew it by playing pickleball and in the 4th game the hamstring had had enough when I once again lunged forward.  Back to square one.  So now I am somewhat back in a partial hibernation.  I will slow jog when I can. Stretch, use the roller, etc etc.

I'd say this was a crone issue -- aged tendons muscles and the like, except that younger folk also seem to incur these injuries.  Maybe they are really old people in young bodies?    

Dump those emotions: Run!

Dumping Bad Emotions through running -- Sprinting vs Road Racing

%$#@!!!

Anger - and the release of it or other negative emotion - and its relation to running.  I was thinking the other day about angry feelings.  Ordinary folks in Aurora CO. experienced many emotions upon hearing of the theater shooting. I was reminded of when I heard about 9/11/01.  After seeing the first plane hit, I put a flag out and went for a run. I was angry and could not do a damn thing about it except run. Running helped dissipate the "fight" adrenalin.  Running faster or longer used up energy that otherwise would have been diverted to emotion,

So, I was thinking about the difference between sprinting (short track events) versus road running.  Tactics and speed are essential in track.  Concentrated focus is required.  Awareness shrinks to your lane and sometimes a competitor just ahead or just behind. And the Finish line.  Outside of the 100m (which is just all out from the git go),sprinting involves strategy. There is only time to assess short term tactics -- back off to conserve for a final all out push or try to maintain to the Finish? Go out fast then back off until about 60m from the Finish?  Steady sprint at just under anaerobic condition so as not to run out of gas before the Finish?  There is no time for error.  At the end of a sprint competition or casual meet, you are either flooded with happy endorphins or kicking oneself for a poor strategy or just lack of conditioning.  Either way -- your mind has been diverted from any non-racing aspects of life.

Road (or trail) running -- any distance run -- allows for time to think or let the mind drift.  Something bothering you?  Run it off.  You may start out angry or hurt or sad, but as you run on, the act of physical movement is almost lolling in terms of emotion and thought.  Your mind may drift or be mesmerized by the scenery. If anger is present at the run start, it will be released.  Powerless anger, such as at something you have no control over, will be run out.  Emotional upheaval over personal situations will also be run out --  perhaps even a solution found as your mind drifts from thought to thought to no thought.  Being out there, just experiencing, is sometimes enough.  Bottom line, one almost always feels better at the end of a run (unless you did something silly like trip and bang up something vital!)

There you have it: another reason to run, either fast sprints or more leisurely (and exhausting) long runs.  You can be sure a sprinter gasping at the Finish or an ultra runner crossing the Finish has only room for thoughts of the next breath or impending relief from pain.      

misery run 2011

I have not posted in some time mainly because my race reports have been going to the running group newsletter. This particular report did not.

Godiva’s Misery Run 2011

Some like it rainy, cold, and sloppy. Fortunately for me, it wasn’t. Sunday November 13rh in Carrboro was sunny and just a bit cool. Nonetheless, I came prepared for the muck in long fast-dry pants, with snug cuffs also secured by rubber bands, long sleeve tech shirt, and green latex gloves. Bring it on! This event takes place at a home for Angus cattle. Dogs and people milled around. The resident three year old pointy eared female dog anxiously searched for a pal to play with while arrivals registered. At 2 p.m., off the runners went, across the field to the first obstacle: a hay roll. Running jumps were aided by bales in front of the roll, as well as bales on the other side for the landing... What a sight! People crawled all over the roll, legs and arms scrabbling for a hold. Let the fast ones battle it out. I waited and got over it on my second try. There were two of these hay rolls on the course, each to be conquered three times. If you were 60 and older you could bypass the hay and keep on going. Not me – this was the most fun part of the event.

After the hay roll, we followed a path to a field and along its perimeter into the cross country section. More fun. We were to keep right of the orange flags placed along the course. The path not having been cleared, we were forewarned that what was beneath was uinknown. The large fallen trees were easy to see and jump or step over. There were some rocks and a few roots, but nothing like Umstead single track trails. The leafy path was mostly clear. The course meandered through the woods giving us a scenic view if one dared to look away from a forward scan. There were little gullies to jump over, short up and down inclines, and, of course, the thick and thin tree debris. Maybe ¾ of the way through the 1.9 mile or so loop we came to another delight: the wider than a jumper’s leg span mud pond filled with who knows what and under constant water replenishment. You were going to get wet. An ankle deep splat, two or three steps, then up the opposite muddy slope onto the grassy path and onward to another hay roll. Joy! A trot along the perimeter of the field again and back to the first hay roll.

And so it went. At the end of the last go around, we had the bonus feature. Besides cows and hay, what else does a cattle farm have an abundance of? Bypassing the hay roll, we veered to the left, went down a sharp incline into some dried manure then took a bend to the left around a building. We faced a steep mound of wet cow manure. This was a climb (no touching of orange markers allowed) into the very best the Angus had to offer. For slower runners, being last has an advantage. Some of the mound has been packed down by those before you; and you can see deep imprints. I chose a fairly solid ridge and took that route to quickly exit the brown heaps.

Afterwards, first the hand sanitizer then queue up to wash off your legs, feet, and shoes. I’d already removed my pants (shorts beneath) socks (required an overnight soak in 60% bleach and machine wash) and shoes. The pants went into my garbage bag, the socks and shoes got a rinse before being dumped into the bag. A quick rinse of ankles. One apple and Misery was done-after not being so miserable.

Post script: I was fine that day but the next day or so and for a month afterwards, my right hamstring leading into the gluteus hurt. No doubt from extension while trying to conquer the hay rolls.