3/8- Lakeshore run with Jason progression style. Overall time of 76:55 (7:42 pace). 1st half in 39:01 (7:48), 2nd half in 37:54 (7:35). Needed chromium again. AAARRRGG! It won't be long until this stops working and I'll need taurine again. AAAARRRRGGG! If ING were held today, I would have had a decent showing. Solid performance and an improvement over yesterday. I wanted a long one today because the weather looks iffy later in the week and I'll be in Nashville on Friday and may be hurting a bit after the prolotherapy.
Grade:B+/2 credits/distance=10.0
3/9- Johnny's speed was rained out so I opted for an easy 3 on the 'mill in 24:30 (8:10 average pace). My knee was killing me during the day but no worse on the run. I'm not worried too much. The pain stems from tight groin and hamstring muscles and I've had it before. If I ever get my body chemistry in balance, it won't be an issue.
Grade:C-/1 credit/distance=3.0
3/10- Trak Shak 5 in the rain. Garmin died in Mile 2 but the first mile was 7:28 and I ran an even effort throughout. This was nearly effortless and it was the best I have felt since the injury. Tomorrow will be a long tempo then I have 1-2 days off. I hope that I can bounce back quickly from prolotherapy. I leave for Nashville after my workout so there will be no posts until this weekend.
Grade:A-/1 credit/distance=5.0
3/11- Lakeshore 5 in 35:44 (7:09 average pace and kept it pretty even). I bailed on the 6.5 and stopped for too long at the water stop. Felt a bit sluggish after taking the 2nd SBF. Can I cut that stuff out altogether? Best time of the year. Nearly an all out effort but I only managed tempo pace. My appetite has diminished considerably recently. I used to eat half a large pizza in one sitting. Now, I felt fine after just 2 pieces. I find it hard to believe that my thyroid/adrenals have reversed themselves to under-activity but my symptoms are consistent with this. I'll get some answers on the medical report. Drove up to Nashville that evening.
Grade:B-/2 credits/distance=5.0
3/12- Round 2 of prolotherapy. As much fun as it was to be examined for trigger points and being stuck with a large needle, I would prefer not to do it again unless it is clearly necessary to do so. The good news is that Dr. Johnson says that I may not need another treatment. My testosterone level is RIGHT WHERE IT SHOULD BE! YES!! I suppose that since I'm still young, it came back nicely. If I had developed adrenal fatigue in my 40s, it is harder to regain lost testosterone. Unfortunately, downtown was jammed because of the SEC basketball tournament so I couldn't go to the Wild Horse. I went to Opryland Mall instead then headed home before rush hour. Planned rest day.
3/13- Pretty strong inflammatory reaction. It is just beginning to diminish so I waited until the evening and ran an easy 3 progression style on the mill. Overall time was 24:42 (8:14 pace) after a 9:00 first mile. 51 degrees with wind and rain. Normal high is 66 here. Hopefully, I can do my LR tomorrow.
Grade:C/1 credit/distance=3.0
3/14- Hip soreness not completely gone and may remain for up to 5 days. I wound up at 13.1 in 1:42:56 (7:51 pace) plus a glacial warmdown. I was hoping to hit 15 but felt that the hip soreness was slowing me down towards the end. 12 of 13 miles were sub-8. Weather: 52 degrees with wind and drizzle. "It's raw, man!" Satisfactory workout. I'll do okay in Atlanta but won't come close to a PR. 1:40 could be a stretch on that course but I'll take a sub-1:45 and I should be able to do that especially if my hip/groin is pain free. Nashville next month should be better (1:35 range). Hopefully, this bad weather will clear out of here and next weekend will be nice.
Grade:B-/2 credits/distance=14.0
Weekly summary:
No real complaints about this week. Averaged a sub-8 over 40 miles. Not my best but far from my worst. I hit the mileage target despite cutting 2 workouts short. My body is acting weird but that's nothing new. I got about what I expected out of myself overall.
Distance=40.0/ GPA= 24.8/9=2.76
Monday, March 8, 2010
Registration for races that sell out
On March 21st at noon, online registration opens for the Peachtree 10K, which takes place on the 4th of July in Atlanta. Appropriately, I will be in Atlanta that day for the ING Georgia half marathon and can stop back at my buddy Nick’s place and sign up as soon as it opens. It may be necessary to do so because the race could be sold out within a few hours. Even in this economy, it seems that more and more big time races are reaching full capacity sooner and sooner. Some people see this as a problem and have proposed a variety of solutions. A few races have raised the entry fees, which has had little impact. Despite the availability of substitutes, the elasticity of demand seems to be very low for any big time race such as Peachtree, Cherry Blossom, NYC marathon etc. On the other hand, I’m sure that if a local 5K charged a $50 entry fee, its registration would plummet. Currently, there are 3 approaches to handling sell out races: 1) first come-first serve, 2) random lottery or 3) difficult qualifying standards. First come-first serve is the most common solution and I suppose that the rationale is that the race will accept those whose desire for entry is the greatest. I see this as a problem. Some races such as Houston and Chicago open registration more than 6 months in advance and both sell out within weeks so if you are banged up or do not wish to make definitive plans that far in advance, too bad. Peachtree, Cherry Blossom and the Boston half all sell out on the day registration opens and it may not be long before the sellout occurs in terms of minutes rather than hours. If for some reason you do not have internet access at that time, too bad.
To avoid this problem, a few marathons such as St. George have a lottery system in which registration is open for a set period of time and all have an equal chance of selection regardless of the day they applied. In most cases, if you are denied entry, 2 or 3 years in a row, you are guaranteed entry the next year. I dislike both solutions for one key reason. I would hate to tell an elite runner who runs a 30 minute 10K that he cannot run because a walker who is pushing a baby stroller wants to participate as well and either signed up earlier or was chosen in the lottery. Then, of course, there is the Boston marathon with a qualifying standard that is unattainable for the majority of runners. Even though I may not be capable of reaching those standards, I am okay with them just for that one race because they add to its prestige and mystique. Still, that said, I would be opposed to the idea of every big race imposing a similarly difficult standard such as a 40:00 10K for Peachtree and with the way registration has been increasing, even that may not be tough enough to prevent a sellout before race day. So, what is the best solution? Leave that to me.
My proposal is to impose relatively soft standard that will allow more serious and semi-serious runners in at the expense of walkers who may not exercise the other 364 days of the year. For those under 40, I’d set the men’s standard at 55:00 for 10K and 2:05 for the half marathon and the women’s at 60:00/2:15 with more time given for older athletes. I am of the opinion that barring obesity and serious medical problems, those standards should be attainable with 1-2 years of training at about 15-20 miles per week for a runner with average natural ability. Moreover, such a standard would give less talented runners a real goal and reason to feel proud when it is achieved. No, it probably would not prevent a race from selling out before race day but it would at least slow the process and in my view increase the quality of the event by focusing solely on runners rather than walkers. Still, as I have written before, I have tremendous respect for runners who get out there and train on a regular basis despite having little-no talent for the sport. I realize all too well that the standards that I proposed would be unattainable for those built like an NFL linemen and some have argued that it is not right to exclude them by imposing any kind of standard. That’s certainly a valid point but consider what would happen if well respected universities decided to scrap their standards of admission and simply let anyone in on either a first come first serve or lottery system. How about this for a compromise: Set up a tiered lottery system in which faster runners are given a greater chance of entry but does not exclude anyone because of slower qualifying times. You could also set it up to favor those who registered sooner rather than later. Thus, above-average runners have a good chance of getting in and less talented runners are not completely shut out. In conclusion, you can make valid arguments that there is no completely fair solution but I feel that the process certainly needs much improvement. Feel free to agree of disagree.
To avoid this problem, a few marathons such as St. George have a lottery system in which registration is open for a set period of time and all have an equal chance of selection regardless of the day they applied. In most cases, if you are denied entry, 2 or 3 years in a row, you are guaranteed entry the next year. I dislike both solutions for one key reason. I would hate to tell an elite runner who runs a 30 minute 10K that he cannot run because a walker who is pushing a baby stroller wants to participate as well and either signed up earlier or was chosen in the lottery. Then, of course, there is the Boston marathon with a qualifying standard that is unattainable for the majority of runners. Even though I may not be capable of reaching those standards, I am okay with them just for that one race because they add to its prestige and mystique. Still, that said, I would be opposed to the idea of every big race imposing a similarly difficult standard such as a 40:00 10K for Peachtree and with the way registration has been increasing, even that may not be tough enough to prevent a sellout before race day. So, what is the best solution? Leave that to me.
My proposal is to impose relatively soft standard that will allow more serious and semi-serious runners in at the expense of walkers who may not exercise the other 364 days of the year. For those under 40, I’d set the men’s standard at 55:00 for 10K and 2:05 for the half marathon and the women’s at 60:00/2:15 with more time given for older athletes. I am of the opinion that barring obesity and serious medical problems, those standards should be attainable with 1-2 years of training at about 15-20 miles per week for a runner with average natural ability. Moreover, such a standard would give less talented runners a real goal and reason to feel proud when it is achieved. No, it probably would not prevent a race from selling out before race day but it would at least slow the process and in my view increase the quality of the event by focusing solely on runners rather than walkers. Still, as I have written before, I have tremendous respect for runners who get out there and train on a regular basis despite having little-no talent for the sport. I realize all too well that the standards that I proposed would be unattainable for those built like an NFL linemen and some have argued that it is not right to exclude them by imposing any kind of standard. That’s certainly a valid point but consider what would happen if well respected universities decided to scrap their standards of admission and simply let anyone in on either a first come first serve or lottery system. How about this for a compromise: Set up a tiered lottery system in which faster runners are given a greater chance of entry but does not exclude anyone because of slower qualifying times. You could also set it up to favor those who registered sooner rather than later. Thus, above-average runners have a good chance of getting in and less talented runners are not completely shut out. In conclusion, you can make valid arguments that there is no completely fair solution but I feel that the process certainly needs much improvement. Feel free to agree of disagree.
Thursday, March 4, 2010
Spring Training (baseball that is)
Football season is over and baseball doesn't start for another month. I don't follow basketball or hockey at all so this time is year is pretty barren except that it is the heart of racing season in the South. I used to be a pretty big baseball fan growing up but I don't follow it nearly as closely now. If the Braves are on TV or there is a good game on ESPN, I might watch some of it if I don't have anything better to do but I certainly won't plan my day around it. Like many fans, I was turned off by the Strike, the steroid scandal and the economics. Year after year, it seems that we see the same teams contending for the playoffs and the same teams as losers. Small market teams like Florida and Minnesota have been competitive in recent years but they are the exception and had plenty of leans years before that. The Yankees spent over $200 million on payroll, much of it on high priced veteran free agents while several teams spent less than $50 million. Yes, revenue sharing is a step in the right direction but I am of the opinion that we need a salary cap. It is a bit of a vicious circle too. A player who is among the best at his position may have a choice to play for a perennial contender such as New York, Boston or St. Louis in front of a packed house every night. He won't want to play in Pittsburgh or Washington for a team almost guaranteed to lose 90+ every year so these teams must overpay for mid-level free agents and hope that they pan out. Of course, there is the option of building through the draft but even that can be prohibitively expensive. A small market team may not want to pay a $10 million signing bonus to a player who won't see any major league action for 2-3 years. If he gets hurt or doesn't pan out, too bad. True, NFL players pay even more for their first round picks but in most cases, the pick will be an impact player in his rookie year. A typical scenario may involve a star rookie might coming up around 23 years of age then just as he is entering his peak, he will be eligible for free agency and is often traded before such time for a package of prospects, some of which turn out to be scrubs. That's why it's so hard to turn a bad baseball team around. Still, that said, I favor a fairly high cap on a team's payroll and do not favor a floor. I could see Pittsburgh overpaying veteran scrubs just to meet the minimum payroll and end up worse. In any business, if you produce a better product, revenues will grow in the form of increased tickets sales and new sponsors. A well managed small market team can be competitive for several years before having to rebuild and if everything falls into place, the playoffs are not out of the question. The new steroid policy is an improvement over the previous one but is still too soft. I can imagine a player taking a tainted supplement or even the very rare false positive test which is why I do not favor a ban longer than 80 games for a first offense (it's currently 50 for a 1st offense). A second offense carries a 100 game ban, which is far too soft.
I propose the following:
-$120 M cap on payroll (I think only 2-3 teams exceeded this last year)
- give teams the option of voiding the remaining contract of players caught using steroids.
-Impose a 2 year or lifetime ban for a 2nd offense.
As for the Hall of Fame, I strongly oppose the candidacies of McGwire, Sosa, Clemens, Bonds and Palmeiro. As for players who probably have used such as Piazza and I-Rod, innocent until proven guilty.
To make the HOF, you need to be either dominant (MVP-type) for 8-10 years before tailing off or be "very good" for 15-20 but never among the best. If you are a .285 hitter and manage to compile say 2800 hits and 400 HRs but never hit much higher than .300 but stay consistent, you should be rewarded for that but it seems voters are not as impressed.
As for the playoff system, I was and still am a proponent of the Wild Card. Prior to '94, if one division was up and the other down, a 100 win team could finish 2nd and be shut out while an 85 win team wins a weak division and is just 2 series wins away from a championship. I propose the following reforms:
-Give home field advantage to the team with the best regular season record, not the league that won the All-Star game (I should get agreement there.)
-Set the minimum standard for qualifying for the playoffs at 86-76. If the division winner doesn't make it, it goes to the team next in line for the wild card if their record is better. Goofy, I know but hear me out. It's conceivable that we could see a sub .500 playoff team. It would have happened in '94 if not for the strike. San Diego got in a few years ago at 82-80 while a 90 win team got shut out. St. Louis won the series despite going just 83-79 on the season. If only 3 one run victories had gone the other way, we would have seen a World Series champion with a sub .500 record. You can bet there would be calls for reform if that happened.
This will be my last sports post until the NFL draft.
I propose the following:
-$120 M cap on payroll (I think only 2-3 teams exceeded this last year)
- give teams the option of voiding the remaining contract of players caught using steroids.
-Impose a 2 year or lifetime ban for a 2nd offense.
As for the Hall of Fame, I strongly oppose the candidacies of McGwire, Sosa, Clemens, Bonds and Palmeiro. As for players who probably have used such as Piazza and I-Rod, innocent until proven guilty.
To make the HOF, you need to be either dominant (MVP-type) for 8-10 years before tailing off or be "very good" for 15-20 but never among the best. If you are a .285 hitter and manage to compile say 2800 hits and 400 HRs but never hit much higher than .300 but stay consistent, you should be rewarded for that but it seems voters are not as impressed.
As for the playoff system, I was and still am a proponent of the Wild Card. Prior to '94, if one division was up and the other down, a 100 win team could finish 2nd and be shut out while an 85 win team wins a weak division and is just 2 series wins away from a championship. I propose the following reforms:
-Give home field advantage to the team with the best regular season record, not the league that won the All-Star game (I should get agreement there.)
-Set the minimum standard for qualifying for the playoffs at 86-76. If the division winner doesn't make it, it goes to the team next in line for the wild card if their record is better. Goofy, I know but hear me out. It's conceivable that we could see a sub .500 playoff team. It would have happened in '94 if not for the strike. San Diego got in a few years ago at 82-80 while a 90 win team got shut out. St. Louis won the series despite going just 83-79 on the season. If only 3 one run victories had gone the other way, we would have seen a World Series champion with a sub .500 record. You can bet there would be calls for reform if that happened.
This will be my last sports post until the NFL draft.
Monday, March 1, 2010
training 3/1-3/7
3/1- Lakeshore 5 in 36:12 (7:15 pace). This was probably my best workout since the injury. Very even splits: 7:17-7:15-7:14-7:19-7:07. Put forth tempo effort and finished less than 3 minutes from a PR. Took no taurine during the day and was still hurting a little since yesterday's 1000 dosage. I'll be a little lenient with the grade. This would have been a low 35 in a race. I finished just seconds before the rain started. Yes.
Grade:B/2 credits/distance=5.0
3/2- Planned rest day. Forecast high of 39 degrees. When will this winter end?
3/3- Trak Shak 8 in 59:50 (7:29 pace). New course PR. This is the first time that I have broken 60 on this course. Yes! I know that I would not have broken 60 without the water stop but it still counts. Can I run with the fast group this summer? Temp about 40 with a 15 mph wind. The normal high in Birmingham this time of year is in the low 60s. In any event, Crazy J is back.
Grade:A-/2 credits/distance=8.0
3/4- Veteran's Park 4. Untimed at an easy effort. Felt pretty good during the day and about average during the run. My knee was a tad sore but I'm not worried. I have a day off tomorrow. The temp made it up to 50 today, which is still chilly for March but an improvement. I can't remember a winter in which we had so many days 10-15 degrees below average.
Grade:B-/1 credit/distance=4.0
3/5-Planned rest day. Planned for my first double digit run in almost 2 months tomorrow.
3/6- Planned a progression run but ended up running a steady pace throughout. After a slowish 8:22 first mile, the rest were all between 7:48-8:06. Finished the run in 95:42 (7:59 pace) which was about what I was hoping for. My only gripe was that when I tried to pick it up in the last mile, I had nothing left and was struggling just to maintain my average pace. I've got 2 weeks until Atlanta and I need to improve my fitness if I want a decent showing there. Longest run since the injury by a full 4 miles so I can't be too hard on myself. 1 mile cool down which left me even more beat up.
Grade:B-/2 credits/distance=13.0
3/7- Already hit my ceiling in terms of mileage. I doubt that I would have had much the day after the long run. Before I got hurt, I could do 10 milers the day after a 15.
Weekly summary:
I am clearly progressing but still don't feel as well as I did in December. I am off the taurine which is good. I ran the planned mileage on only 4 runs and survived the long run. I sent in my medical report but probably won't get the results until after Atlanta. The goal there is around 1:40 (7:37 pace on a tough course) and I am clearly not there yet. Next week is round 2 of prolotherapy so I may be hard pressed to get more miles next week.
Distance=30.0/GPA= 3.07
Grade:B/2 credits/distance=5.0
3/2- Planned rest day. Forecast high of 39 degrees. When will this winter end?
3/3- Trak Shak 8 in 59:50 (7:29 pace). New course PR. This is the first time that I have broken 60 on this course. Yes! I know that I would not have broken 60 without the water stop but it still counts. Can I run with the fast group this summer? Temp about 40 with a 15 mph wind. The normal high in Birmingham this time of year is in the low 60s. In any event, Crazy J is back.
Grade:A-/2 credits/distance=8.0
3/4- Veteran's Park 4. Untimed at an easy effort. Felt pretty good during the day and about average during the run. My knee was a tad sore but I'm not worried. I have a day off tomorrow. The temp made it up to 50 today, which is still chilly for March but an improvement. I can't remember a winter in which we had so many days 10-15 degrees below average.
Grade:B-/1 credit/distance=4.0
3/5-Planned rest day. Planned for my first double digit run in almost 2 months tomorrow.
3/6- Planned a progression run but ended up running a steady pace throughout. After a slowish 8:22 first mile, the rest were all between 7:48-8:06. Finished the run in 95:42 (7:59 pace) which was about what I was hoping for. My only gripe was that when I tried to pick it up in the last mile, I had nothing left and was struggling just to maintain my average pace. I've got 2 weeks until Atlanta and I need to improve my fitness if I want a decent showing there. Longest run since the injury by a full 4 miles so I can't be too hard on myself. 1 mile cool down which left me even more beat up.
Grade:B-/2 credits/distance=13.0
3/7- Already hit my ceiling in terms of mileage. I doubt that I would have had much the day after the long run. Before I got hurt, I could do 10 milers the day after a 15.
Weekly summary:
I am clearly progressing but still don't feel as well as I did in December. I am off the taurine which is good. I ran the planned mileage on only 4 runs and survived the long run. I sent in my medical report but probably won't get the results until after Atlanta. The goal there is around 1:40 (7:37 pace on a tough course) and I am clearly not there yet. Next week is round 2 of prolotherapy so I may be hard pressed to get more miles next week.
Distance=30.0/GPA= 3.07
Sunday, February 21, 2010
training 2/21-2/28
2/21- I really was planning on resting for 2 more weeks but I really believe that my Achilles is healed and the prolotherapy has worked. I am getting tested for low testosterone, which is a fairly common problem for someone who has had adrenal fatigue. I feel physically stronger since the initial treatment. Vestavia Mile in 6:49.2 (1:53-1:49-1:47-1:20). The final lap was my fastest 400 of the year and got on my toes without pain. I'm guessing that this would have been 30 seconds faster if I had gone out harder.
Grade:C-/1 credit/distance=1.5
2/22- Veteran's Park 2 untimed at a leisurely pace until a mild kick at the very end. My Achilles held up very well and I actually forgot about that injury. My hip pain was more annoying than usual and the location of the pain was higher on the leg than usual. I wish my next round of prolotherapy was sooner. Until then, I will reduce the taurine and hope that it doesn't make me feel jittery, which it probably will. Maybe the low testosterone is the reason why I am so sensitive to that supplement. The doc did say that it will feel better on some days than others. I can't take this much longer.
Grade:D+/1 credit/distance=2.0
2/23- Planned rest day. Hips are still quite sore.
2/24- Reduced taurine and the hip pain diminished but as expected, I got jittery and had to take some more then felt the hip pain again. It does seem that I am trending back down. Trak Shak 3 in 22:30 (7:30 pace). Splits: 7:48-7:28-7:14. I'll take it.
Grade:C/1 credit/distance=3.0
2/25- Vestavia Mile in 5:56.8 with no trace of Achilles pain. Best time of the year. I am clearly trending down regarding the taurine. I took 1/2 pill less today and still had some hip discomfort. I should do a hair test soon. Splits: 88-93-91-84. Can I run 40 seconds faster this summer?
Grade:C+/2 credits/distance=1.5
2/26-Planned rest day.
2/27- Brownell/Lakeshore run with Scott and Cary. Made it 6.5, which is my longest run since the injury. My injured Achilles was fine. I felt a trace of soreness in my non-injured one. I'm not too worried about it. Even if I do hurt it, I know that prolotherapy will fix it and round 2 is on 3/12 anyway. No taurine today before the run and no ill-effects. Overall pace was on the slow side at 8:14 but the final 1.5 was at 7:20 pace. I'll take it. Felt about average.
Grade:B-/1 credit/distance=6.5
2/28- Planned rest day.
Weekly summary:
On the mend and it sure feels good to be back. It'll be even better if I can somehow get freedom from that taurine. I did order a hair test. No more than 30 next week then Crazy J will be back.
Distance= 14.5/ GPA= 12.3/6= 2.05
Grade:C-/1 credit/distance=1.5
2/22- Veteran's Park 2 untimed at a leisurely pace until a mild kick at the very end. My Achilles held up very well and I actually forgot about that injury. My hip pain was more annoying than usual and the location of the pain was higher on the leg than usual. I wish my next round of prolotherapy was sooner. Until then, I will reduce the taurine and hope that it doesn't make me feel jittery, which it probably will. Maybe the low testosterone is the reason why I am so sensitive to that supplement. The doc did say that it will feel better on some days than others. I can't take this much longer.
Grade:D+/1 credit/distance=2.0
2/23- Planned rest day. Hips are still quite sore.
2/24- Reduced taurine and the hip pain diminished but as expected, I got jittery and had to take some more then felt the hip pain again. It does seem that I am trending back down. Trak Shak 3 in 22:30 (7:30 pace). Splits: 7:48-7:28-7:14. I'll take it.
Grade:C/1 credit/distance=3.0
2/25- Vestavia Mile in 5:56.8 with no trace of Achilles pain. Best time of the year. I am clearly trending down regarding the taurine. I took 1/2 pill less today and still had some hip discomfort. I should do a hair test soon. Splits: 88-93-91-84. Can I run 40 seconds faster this summer?
Grade:C+/2 credits/distance=1.5
2/26-Planned rest day.
2/27- Brownell/Lakeshore run with Scott and Cary. Made it 6.5, which is my longest run since the injury. My injured Achilles was fine. I felt a trace of soreness in my non-injured one. I'm not too worried about it. Even if I do hurt it, I know that prolotherapy will fix it and round 2 is on 3/12 anyway. No taurine today before the run and no ill-effects. Overall pace was on the slow side at 8:14 but the final 1.5 was at 7:20 pace. I'll take it. Felt about average.
Grade:B-/1 credit/distance=6.5
2/28- Planned rest day.
Weekly summary:
On the mend and it sure feels good to be back. It'll be even better if I can somehow get freedom from that taurine. I did order a hair test. No more than 30 next week then Crazy J will be back.
Distance= 14.5/ GPA= 12.3/6= 2.05
Thursday, February 18, 2010
2 days after prolotherapy
Note: This is my my most widely read post on this blog so I want to thank y'all for your interest in the subject. The Achilles was cured within 1 treatment. The groin and hip required several visits because it was long standing low-grade pain but today I declare that to be cured as well. 3 weeks after the initial treatment, I finished the Georgia half marathon in 1:38. As of 2012, my PR is 1:28. I strongly endorse this treatment. My only caution is that hormonal or mineral imbalances may impede the healing process so I encourage testing prior to treatment
.
Disclaimer: A good doctor can be a great benefit or even a life saver and the prolotherapist that I am seeing is an MD and I trust him.
I posted a message on the subject on RWOL and predictably, it was met with skepticism or no response at all. One person said that it would do as much good as sticking a dry needle into the area. Another said that it is controversial and should only be used as a last resort. I'm sick of all the naysayers and people who are so close-minded regarding any form of alternative medicine.
I once posted a message about neurotransmitter testing to someone who was struggling with depression. Someone with a normal serotonin but low dopamine would not do well on a selective serotonin drug. Another poster replied that what I posted makes no sense. Okay, I suppose that giving a powerful drug to a vulnerable patient without regard his/her brain chemistry makes more sense. Are you kidding me? My friend Noel told me that a mainstream doctor suggested that he take a drug that is intended to boost noradrenaline even though a medical report showed that the level was already too high. He replied:"You guys don't know what you're doing." I'm sure that they really appreciated that. My friend Chase brought his tissue mineral analysis into a doctor's office and was greeted with laughter. Even if you don't agree with that treatment or feel that it is a waste, that type of disrespect really makes my blood boil. It is not only rude and condescending but extremely unprofessional.
As for my decision to go ahead with prolotherapy, I had not exhausted all of my other options with my Achilles. I had seen a podiatrist, who wasted my time and would not listen when I told him repeatedly that his orthotics made the pain worse. I had not tried running with heel seats and had only taken 2 1/2 weeks off before attempting to run again. Shutting it down for another 3-4 weeks may have done the trick but if I could speed the healing and end up less vulnerable to re-injury, I would do it.
As for the groin/hip, I had been to a mainstream doctor who brushed it off as not a big deal. I had taken NSAIDs, amino acids and OTC anti-inflammatories such as boswellian root extract and none were completely effective. Then a medical report showed that inflammation was not a problem for me. So why the heck was it still painful and what else could I do about it? Getting the thyroid/adrenals in balance may help but that's been a difficult battle. Again, the pain was usually mild and could be ignored on the run. Sometimes, it would actually feel better after I got warmed up. However, it was also annoying. Whenever I stretched it, I heard a loud pop or cracking sound and sometimes I would get a brief stabbing pain when I sneezed. Obviously, I wanted to be free from this pain. It probably would never require surgery but could inhibit my running down the road and could progress from merely an annoyance to a lifetime of mild to moderate pain. I could not think of a better option than prolotherapy.
Are there risks involved? No medical procedure is 100% percent guaranteed to be without complications but from what I've read, prolotherapy is among the safest treatments. There is a small risk of hitting a nerve or causing an infection but that happens in about 1 out of 1000 cases and permanent damage is extremely rare. NSAIDs and most other prescriptions have a much higher reported incidence of side effects. If you go to a highly skilled prolotherapist as I did, the risk is almost nill. There were no prolotherapists listed in Alabama but even if there were, I would gladly travel 3 hours to see the best in the field. I've said before that it's over 80% effective but the solution that was used in my case is close to 90% effective and consider that most patients choose prolotherapy only after conservative treatments and even physical therapy has failed. That number would be higher if mild cases were treated.
How am I doing 2 days later?
Pretty good right now. I was limping pretty badly immediately after getting the shots in the groin area but that pain faded within hours. The popping has not stopped but the tissues already feel smoother upon examination and the area seems to be a little stronger overall. More treatments can only mean more improvement. The Achilles felt fine after the shot but the inflammation kicked in and peaked about 12 hours later. I was a bit concerned about that at first but should not have been. Some soreness can persist for up to 5 days. A lack of a strong inflammatory reaction could mean that the body is not able to heal itself. I was limping around the office yesterday but am walking normally now. Tissues that were soft have hardened and thickened nicely. I did some stretching and the injured leg in some ways felt better than the non-injured one. I should not need any more shots in the Achilles. I feel tempted to test it out but will wait as planned until March 6. The first few workouts will be very easy so it will be 4 full weeks since my last semi-quality workout and 7 weeks since the initial injury.
Soapbox:
Unfortunately, most insurance plans do not cover this treatment but it is my hope that as it gains popularity, that will change. I read that NFL star Hines Ward had prolotherapy and was very pleased with the result. This blog is just one small attempt to spread the word and I am aware of others with the same purpose. If multiple sessions are required, the cost could be in excess of $1000. It's really a shame that money is preventing some from being free from chronic pain. Fortunately, I am in okay financial shape and my parents would step in if need be and I am grateful. I have offered to help people financially that cannot afford medical treatment and would do it again if the situation presented itself.
.
Disclaimer: A good doctor can be a great benefit or even a life saver and the prolotherapist that I am seeing is an MD and I trust him.
I posted a message on the subject on RWOL and predictably, it was met with skepticism or no response at all. One person said that it would do as much good as sticking a dry needle into the area. Another said that it is controversial and should only be used as a last resort. I'm sick of all the naysayers and people who are so close-minded regarding any form of alternative medicine.
I once posted a message about neurotransmitter testing to someone who was struggling with depression. Someone with a normal serotonin but low dopamine would not do well on a selective serotonin drug. Another poster replied that what I posted makes no sense. Okay, I suppose that giving a powerful drug to a vulnerable patient without regard his/her brain chemistry makes more sense. Are you kidding me? My friend Noel told me that a mainstream doctor suggested that he take a drug that is intended to boost noradrenaline even though a medical report showed that the level was already too high. He replied:"You guys don't know what you're doing." I'm sure that they really appreciated that. My friend Chase brought his tissue mineral analysis into a doctor's office and was greeted with laughter. Even if you don't agree with that treatment or feel that it is a waste, that type of disrespect really makes my blood boil. It is not only rude and condescending but extremely unprofessional.
As for my decision to go ahead with prolotherapy, I had not exhausted all of my other options with my Achilles. I had seen a podiatrist, who wasted my time and would not listen when I told him repeatedly that his orthotics made the pain worse. I had not tried running with heel seats and had only taken 2 1/2 weeks off before attempting to run again. Shutting it down for another 3-4 weeks may have done the trick but if I could speed the healing and end up less vulnerable to re-injury, I would do it.
As for the groin/hip, I had been to a mainstream doctor who brushed it off as not a big deal. I had taken NSAIDs, amino acids and OTC anti-inflammatories such as boswellian root extract and none were completely effective. Then a medical report showed that inflammation was not a problem for me. So why the heck was it still painful and what else could I do about it? Getting the thyroid/adrenals in balance may help but that's been a difficult battle. Again, the pain was usually mild and could be ignored on the run. Sometimes, it would actually feel better after I got warmed up. However, it was also annoying. Whenever I stretched it, I heard a loud pop or cracking sound and sometimes I would get a brief stabbing pain when I sneezed. Obviously, I wanted to be free from this pain. It probably would never require surgery but could inhibit my running down the road and could progress from merely an annoyance to a lifetime of mild to moderate pain. I could not think of a better option than prolotherapy.
Are there risks involved? No medical procedure is 100% percent guaranteed to be without complications but from what I've read, prolotherapy is among the safest treatments. There is a small risk of hitting a nerve or causing an infection but that happens in about 1 out of 1000 cases and permanent damage is extremely rare. NSAIDs and most other prescriptions have a much higher reported incidence of side effects. If you go to a highly skilled prolotherapist as I did, the risk is almost nill. There were no prolotherapists listed in Alabama but even if there were, I would gladly travel 3 hours to see the best in the field. I've said before that it's over 80% effective but the solution that was used in my case is close to 90% effective and consider that most patients choose prolotherapy only after conservative treatments and even physical therapy has failed. That number would be higher if mild cases were treated.
How am I doing 2 days later?
Pretty good right now. I was limping pretty badly immediately after getting the shots in the groin area but that pain faded within hours. The popping has not stopped but the tissues already feel smoother upon examination and the area seems to be a little stronger overall. More treatments can only mean more improvement. The Achilles felt fine after the shot but the inflammation kicked in and peaked about 12 hours later. I was a bit concerned about that at first but should not have been. Some soreness can persist for up to 5 days. A lack of a strong inflammatory reaction could mean that the body is not able to heal itself. I was limping around the office yesterday but am walking normally now. Tissues that were soft have hardened and thickened nicely. I did some stretching and the injured leg in some ways felt better than the non-injured one. I should not need any more shots in the Achilles. I feel tempted to test it out but will wait as planned until March 6. The first few workouts will be very easy so it will be 4 full weeks since my last semi-quality workout and 7 weeks since the initial injury.
Soapbox:
Unfortunately, most insurance plans do not cover this treatment but it is my hope that as it gains popularity, that will change. I read that NFL star Hines Ward had prolotherapy and was very pleased with the result. This blog is just one small attempt to spread the word and I am aware of others with the same purpose. If multiple sessions are required, the cost could be in excess of $1000. It's really a shame that money is preventing some from being free from chronic pain. Fortunately, I am in okay financial shape and my parents would step in if need be and I am grateful. I have offered to help people financially that cannot afford medical treatment and would do it again if the situation presented itself.
Tuesday, February 16, 2010
Initial Prolotherarapy treatment
Sunday was the Mercedes Marathon and I was a spectator, which put me in a foul mood for most of the day. Fortunately, I had something in which to look forward. The next morning, I hit the road for Nashville, TN, which is one of my favorite cities, to see a doctor who has lots of experience with runners who have struggled with chronic pain. Have any of y'all heard of prolotherapy? I didn't think so. Then again, adrenal fatigue is not exactly well understood in the medical community and tests such as neurotransmitter and tissue mineral analysis are almost never done yet are far more effective than conventional treatments. I had heard about it through one of my alternative medicine contacts. Noel from California, a triathlete who is also being treated for adrenal fatigue. He really recommended it. Then a prolotherapy doctor who is also a runner found this blog and made a comment. After that point, I went with my gut. If I tweaked the Achilles tendon again, which I did, I would make the appointment for prolotherapy. Also, I wanted to get my hip/groin area examined. I hurt it when I was 19 and because of the hormonal imbalances (I was hyperthyroid at the time and that condition would worsen in subsequent years), I felt that it never properly healed. The pain was usually about a 2 on a scale of 1-10 and yes, it was there when I set my most recent 13.1 PR of 1:32:57. I could usually feel it during the day but it was never any worse when I ran. Amino acids would help but the fact that it never fully went away made me feel uneasy. I thought that it was an inflammatory condition but my latest medical report proved that it was not. Perhaps it would improve when I got my thyroid/adrenals in balance but that has not been an easy task so I listened to my gut and made the trip up to Nashville.
Monday- I slept in as long as I wanted and would not leave until about 9:30. For breakfast, I simply picked up a Special K protein bar at a gas station in Fultondale (just north of B'ham). From there, it was a smooth ride up I-65 to Nashville. It was in the 30s in B'ham and it would be even colder in Nashville. It never got out of the 20s and there was a couple of inches of snow on the ground when I arrived. As planned, I got there before 1:00 and hoped to have lunch at Nashville most famous bar and grill, the Wild Horse Saloon. Unfortunately, it was closed and I did not have many other options. I ended up going to a basic bar and grill and ordered a beer and a double cheeseburger. The place was almost empty so I chatted with the bartender for a bit then took a short tour of downtown to preview a night of fun after the Country Music half with my friend Nick (I hope). Broadway seems to have a lot of fun spots so I can look forward to that race and man, I better be healthy. For dinner, I stopped at a truck stop stop on the west side of town for fish and fries then headed back to my hotel in Brentwood, about 10 miles south of town and just a few minutes from the doctor's office.
Tuesday- The appointment was at 9:30 and I got there 15 minutes early. So, what is prolotherapy and when is it useful? The short answer is that it is an injection of a special solution into the site of the injury. The contents of the solution vary based on the nature of the injury and the doctor treating it but my doctor most often uses platelet rich plasma. It triggers an inflammatory reaction which "tricks the body" into treating it as if it's another injury, which frequently results in newer and stronger tendons, ligaments and connective tissue. My doctor claims a success rate of over 80%, which is well above the long term success of standard treatments such as NSAIDs, cortisone shots and physical therapy. If the problem is connective tissues, ligaments or degenerative wear on the tendons, not inflammation, it follows that treatments geared toward reducing inflammation will not produce the desired result.
Here are some links of interest:
www.prolotherapy.com
www.getprolo.com
www.prolotherapynashville.com
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BWX4uCSIwck
Prognosis:
I probably would not have gone for prolotherapy if I had not injured my Achilles. I found out that Achilles injuries are usually not tendinitis but tendinosis, or micro tears in the tendon which cause degeneration. Still, most Achilles injuries heal on their own through a rest period of 4-6 weeks followed by a gradual build up but there is a higher risk than most injuries that it develops into a chronic condition. Because of my imbalances, I felt that my risk was higher than most. I take Sam-e to fight the low dopamine associated with not running and it helps but I still don't feel as well plus most of my social life revolves around group runs so stopping running is not a good option. The doctor found little tenderness upon examination and gave me a shot in the affected area. I'm not worried at all about the Achilles. Even now, I can handle a 3 mile run. I just can't go longer or run on back to back days. I had planned on resting for another 3 full weeks and my doctor actually cautioned me against resting for too long. He expects that I will have full connective tissue healing within 3-4 weeks and I can and should be running with decent intensity by then. I'll set my comeback date at Saturday March 6 with a gradual buildup.
Sat- 1 mile, Mon- 2, Weds-4, Fri-6, etc.
As for the groin/hip area, the doc found significant tissue damage to the point in which it could develop into a serious degenerative condition if left untreated for a few more years. I will spare my readers the grisly details about getting multiple shots near a very sensitive area but let's say that it was about as painful going to the dentist for a root canal. I asked if the tissue damage could be hurting my performance and the answer was "I would not be surprised." Could I develop into a stronger runner after all of this is over? Only time will tell.
I liked my doctor from the get go and he even prayed for me before he started the treatment. I told him about my adrenal fatigue website and my devotionals and he said the he would "definitely check it out." I hope I can lead other runners to healing and if I do, then missing 2 races is a small price to pay.
Monday- I slept in as long as I wanted and would not leave until about 9:30. For breakfast, I simply picked up a Special K protein bar at a gas station in Fultondale (just north of B'ham). From there, it was a smooth ride up I-65 to Nashville. It was in the 30s in B'ham and it would be even colder in Nashville. It never got out of the 20s and there was a couple of inches of snow on the ground when I arrived. As planned, I got there before 1:00 and hoped to have lunch at Nashville most famous bar and grill, the Wild Horse Saloon. Unfortunately, it was closed and I did not have many other options. I ended up going to a basic bar and grill and ordered a beer and a double cheeseburger. The place was almost empty so I chatted with the bartender for a bit then took a short tour of downtown to preview a night of fun after the Country Music half with my friend Nick (I hope). Broadway seems to have a lot of fun spots so I can look forward to that race and man, I better be healthy. For dinner, I stopped at a truck stop stop on the west side of town for fish and fries then headed back to my hotel in Brentwood, about 10 miles south of town and just a few minutes from the doctor's office.
Tuesday- The appointment was at 9:30 and I got there 15 minutes early. So, what is prolotherapy and when is it useful? The short answer is that it is an injection of a special solution into the site of the injury. The contents of the solution vary based on the nature of the injury and the doctor treating it but my doctor most often uses platelet rich plasma. It triggers an inflammatory reaction which "tricks the body" into treating it as if it's another injury, which frequently results in newer and stronger tendons, ligaments and connective tissue. My doctor claims a success rate of over 80%, which is well above the long term success of standard treatments such as NSAIDs, cortisone shots and physical therapy. If the problem is connective tissues, ligaments or degenerative wear on the tendons, not inflammation, it follows that treatments geared toward reducing inflammation will not produce the desired result.
Here are some links of interest:
www.prolotherapy.com
www.getprolo.com
www.prolotherapynashville.com
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BWX4uCSIwck
Prognosis:
I probably would not have gone for prolotherapy if I had not injured my Achilles. I found out that Achilles injuries are usually not tendinitis but tendinosis, or micro tears in the tendon which cause degeneration. Still, most Achilles injuries heal on their own through a rest period of 4-6 weeks followed by a gradual build up but there is a higher risk than most injuries that it develops into a chronic condition. Because of my imbalances, I felt that my risk was higher than most. I take Sam-e to fight the low dopamine associated with not running and it helps but I still don't feel as well plus most of my social life revolves around group runs so stopping running is not a good option. The doctor found little tenderness upon examination and gave me a shot in the affected area. I'm not worried at all about the Achilles. Even now, I can handle a 3 mile run. I just can't go longer or run on back to back days. I had planned on resting for another 3 full weeks and my doctor actually cautioned me against resting for too long. He expects that I will have full connective tissue healing within 3-4 weeks and I can and should be running with decent intensity by then. I'll set my comeback date at Saturday March 6 with a gradual buildup.
Sat- 1 mile, Mon- 2, Weds-4, Fri-6, etc.
As for the groin/hip area, the doc found significant tissue damage to the point in which it could develop into a serious degenerative condition if left untreated for a few more years. I will spare my readers the grisly details about getting multiple shots near a very sensitive area but let's say that it was about as painful going to the dentist for a root canal. I asked if the tissue damage could be hurting my performance and the answer was "I would not be surprised." Could I develop into a stronger runner after all of this is over? Only time will tell.
I liked my doctor from the get go and he even prayed for me before he started the treatment. I told him about my adrenal fatigue website and my devotionals and he said the he would "definitely check it out." I hope I can lead other runners to healing and if I do, then missing 2 races is a small price to pay.
Monday, February 8, 2010
training 2/8-2/14 race week after all.. NOT!
2/8- Vestavia Mile. Time was 6:10.5 (best time of the year). Ran in racing flats and had no pain until I got on my toes and tried to sprint home. The pain went away as soon as I went back to flat footed running. Again, I will not yet declare myself healthy but I am optimistic this time around.
Splits: 1:32-1:35-1:33-1:30.
Grade:C+/1 credit/distance=1.5
2/9- Veterans Park 4 in 29:19 (7:20 pace). Ran in my normal training shoes without orthotics. I had no trace of tarsal tunnel pain and minimal Achilles pain. Faded badly in the 2nd half. Splits were 14:15-15:04. That's still 18 seconds per mile better than last week. Can I hold up for another 9 miles? I don't know. We'll see how the rest of the week goes. I will come to a "go/no go" decision by Friday.
Grade:C/2 credits/distance=4.0
2/10- Trak Shak 3.5 in 27:35 (7:53 pace). I slowed down today but it wasn't enough. I felt the pain towards the end of Mile 3 and it gradually got worse so I shut it down and completed the demoralizing 1.5 mile walk back. I am out for Mercedes and Atlanta is questionable. Groin was sore as well. I'm going for prolotherapy in Nashville on Tuesday.
Grade:F+/1 credit/distance=3.5
2/11- Planned rest day
2/12- Unplanned rest day.
Grade:F/1 credit/distance=0
2/13- Rest day before my scheduled marathon PR attempt. I would have broken 3:25. What a bust! I did get some new orthotics at the expo. They're not custom made but supposedly suitable for my foot type. Hopefully, they will do. A podiatrist is liable to tell me to use his orthotics even though I will tell him explicitly that they won't work. Not a total waste.
2/14- Mercedes Marathon- 2nd DNS in as many races. It's bad enough that I'm lonely on this day. This is a double whammy.
Grade:F/4 credits/distance=0
Weekly summary:
I hardly overdid it on the training. My body has failed me again. What a roller coaster! After Monday, I felt vindicated then got knocked down again. Regardless of whether the orthotics played a role in the AT or not, I have to deal with this injury. I will post a report on prolotherapy next week but there will be no more training log posts for another 4 weeks regardless of the outcome. After that point, I have 2 weeks to get ready to suck in Atlanta but I just want to participate. I don't care if it takes me 2 hours to finish as long as it is injury free.
Distance= 9.0/ GPA= 6.6/9= 0.73
Splits: 1:32-1:35-1:33-1:30.
Grade:C+/1 credit/distance=1.5
2/9- Veterans Park 4 in 29:19 (7:20 pace). Ran in my normal training shoes without orthotics. I had no trace of tarsal tunnel pain and minimal Achilles pain. Faded badly in the 2nd half. Splits were 14:15-15:04. That's still 18 seconds per mile better than last week. Can I hold up for another 9 miles? I don't know. We'll see how the rest of the week goes. I will come to a "go/no go" decision by Friday.
Grade:C/2 credits/distance=4.0
2/10- Trak Shak 3.5 in 27:35 (7:53 pace). I slowed down today but it wasn't enough. I felt the pain towards the end of Mile 3 and it gradually got worse so I shut it down and completed the demoralizing 1.5 mile walk back. I am out for Mercedes and Atlanta is questionable. Groin was sore as well. I'm going for prolotherapy in Nashville on Tuesday.
Grade:F+/1 credit/distance=3.5
2/11- Planned rest day
2/12- Unplanned rest day.
Grade:F/1 credit/distance=0
2/13- Rest day before my scheduled marathon PR attempt. I would have broken 3:25. What a bust! I did get some new orthotics at the expo. They're not custom made but supposedly suitable for my foot type. Hopefully, they will do. A podiatrist is liable to tell me to use his orthotics even though I will tell him explicitly that they won't work. Not a total waste.
2/14- Mercedes Marathon- 2nd DNS in as many races. It's bad enough that I'm lonely on this day. This is a double whammy.
Grade:F/4 credits/distance=0
Weekly summary:
I hardly overdid it on the training. My body has failed me again. What a roller coaster! After Monday, I felt vindicated then got knocked down again. Regardless of whether the orthotics played a role in the AT or not, I have to deal with this injury. I will post a report on prolotherapy next week but there will be no more training log posts for another 4 weeks regardless of the outcome. After that point, I have 2 weeks to get ready to suck in Atlanta but I just want to participate. I don't care if it takes me 2 hours to finish as long as it is injury free.
Distance= 9.0/ GPA= 6.6/9= 0.73
Rant: Visit to podiatrist
One thing about which I can be proud is that I do not give up easily. Anyone who knows me will attest to that fact. This episode is no exception. When I am faced with certain symptoms, I spend hours online doing research in search of the answer and this research will continue no matter how long it takes until the problem is solved. Some people say that there is no way that anyone who has had adrenal fatigue can finish a marathon let alone run one in 3:35. I am living proof that it is possible.
Back in 2001, I was diagnosed with tarsal tunnel syndrome, an irritation of the post tibial nerve, by a bone and joint surgeon. My symptoms including numbness, burning, tingling and worse, shooting pain in the area between my ankle bone and achilles tendon. It was the official end to my days as a competitor in my first running life. More than a year later, my continued research led me to believe that my taking Synthroid, which I never should have been prescribed, was a major contributing factor to my development of TTS. I proved to be right. Fortunately, thanks to custom made orthotics and reduced mileage, I was able to continue running. Once I began treating my adrenals, my connective tissue healing improved and I had no significant problems with TTS from 2004-2009 despite the fact that my mileage was higher than ever in '09. I did continue wearing the orthotics as a precaution and found that I might have a mild flare up if I went too long without using the orthotics. Usually, I wore orthotics on my long runs and weekday easy runs. For speed workouts, races and some tempo runs, I opted for racing flats with no orthotics.
Unfortunately, the man who designed my first orthotics went out of business in 2008 so on the advice of a coworker, I went to a local podiatrist who designed a new pair of orthotics made with a material that was harder and more rigid than my old pair. Until about a month ago, I did not have any real problems. When my TTS flared up, I initially wrote it off as being related to my hyperthyroid condition. Maybe it did play a role but my current thyroid function is not half as bad as it was when I was on Synthroid. You know the rest. A few days later, I went down with an Achilles tendon injury. I wondered if the conditions were inter-related.
About 3 weeks after I began researching Achilles tendon injuries and tarsal tunnel syndrome, I finally came across something that was intriguing about TTS. An article stated that yes, orthotics are recommend as a treatment for TTS BUT you may develop TTS by using the wrong type of orthotics, particularly those which are hard and rigid rather than soft and flexible! Bingo! That makes a lot of sense to me. On my first run back, I ran a mile in racing flats with no orthotics with a last 200 at sub-6:00 pace without any significant pain. The next day, I wore the orthotics on a 4 mile Trak Shak run. The TTS flared up in Mile 2 and it wasn't long until I felt some Achilles pain as well. True, 4 miles is a lot harder on the body than 1 mile but on the Trak Shak run, I never ran faster than a 7:20 pace at any time on the course.
Today, I went down to Monty to see the podiatrist in hopes of getting some answers. I had to wait an hour to see him then he told me that under Alabama law, he is not allowed to examine my Achilles tendon. I'll let my readers choose the properly offensive adjective to describe that policy. Yes, I did say that the Achilles was the problem when I scheduled the appointment so the doctor essentially wasted my time and charged me $30. He also that the orthotics were still good!!?? If I can handle a longer run with the racing flats, that will vindicate me. I asked him if there is a chance that the TTS contributed to my strained Achilles. He replied that it is possible just as I suspected. I may have altered my running gait to minimize my TTS pain, which may have put extra stress on my AT. In short, the whole point of this post is that this injury may never have happened if I was given proper orthotics. I am angry as I should be. Good doctors do exist but they sure are hard to find. This is not the first time that I've been burned by a doctor on a matter directly related to my running. I once had a stress fracture misdiagnosed as shin splints despite the fact that I had clear symptoms of a fracture including a lump that was painful to the touch. I was told to start again gradually and turned a 6 week injury into a 3 month layoff.
I will try not to dwell on this. I am happy that I may be able to salvage a racing season this Spring after all. I won't do well at Mercedes but just finishing will be a major victory. I should do fairly well in Atlanta then by the time Nashville rolls around, I could be back to PR shape. By Wednesday, I will be back to running moderate mileage. Despite my nearly painless 6:10 mile tonight, I will not declare victory yet but it sure is looking better than it was 5 days ago.
Back in 2001, I was diagnosed with tarsal tunnel syndrome, an irritation of the post tibial nerve, by a bone and joint surgeon. My symptoms including numbness, burning, tingling and worse, shooting pain in the area between my ankle bone and achilles tendon. It was the official end to my days as a competitor in my first running life. More than a year later, my continued research led me to believe that my taking Synthroid, which I never should have been prescribed, was a major contributing factor to my development of TTS. I proved to be right. Fortunately, thanks to custom made orthotics and reduced mileage, I was able to continue running. Once I began treating my adrenals, my connective tissue healing improved and I had no significant problems with TTS from 2004-2009 despite the fact that my mileage was higher than ever in '09. I did continue wearing the orthotics as a precaution and found that I might have a mild flare up if I went too long without using the orthotics. Usually, I wore orthotics on my long runs and weekday easy runs. For speed workouts, races and some tempo runs, I opted for racing flats with no orthotics.
Unfortunately, the man who designed my first orthotics went out of business in 2008 so on the advice of a coworker, I went to a local podiatrist who designed a new pair of orthotics made with a material that was harder and more rigid than my old pair. Until about a month ago, I did not have any real problems. When my TTS flared up, I initially wrote it off as being related to my hyperthyroid condition. Maybe it did play a role but my current thyroid function is not half as bad as it was when I was on Synthroid. You know the rest. A few days later, I went down with an Achilles tendon injury. I wondered if the conditions were inter-related.
About 3 weeks after I began researching Achilles tendon injuries and tarsal tunnel syndrome, I finally came across something that was intriguing about TTS. An article stated that yes, orthotics are recommend as a treatment for TTS BUT you may develop TTS by using the wrong type of orthotics, particularly those which are hard and rigid rather than soft and flexible! Bingo! That makes a lot of sense to me. On my first run back, I ran a mile in racing flats with no orthotics with a last 200 at sub-6:00 pace without any significant pain. The next day, I wore the orthotics on a 4 mile Trak Shak run. The TTS flared up in Mile 2 and it wasn't long until I felt some Achilles pain as well. True, 4 miles is a lot harder on the body than 1 mile but on the Trak Shak run, I never ran faster than a 7:20 pace at any time on the course.
Today, I went down to Monty to see the podiatrist in hopes of getting some answers. I had to wait an hour to see him then he told me that under Alabama law, he is not allowed to examine my Achilles tendon. I'll let my readers choose the properly offensive adjective to describe that policy. Yes, I did say that the Achilles was the problem when I scheduled the appointment so the doctor essentially wasted my time and charged me $30. He also that the orthotics were still good!!?? If I can handle a longer run with the racing flats, that will vindicate me. I asked him if there is a chance that the TTS contributed to my strained Achilles. He replied that it is possible just as I suspected. I may have altered my running gait to minimize my TTS pain, which may have put extra stress on my AT. In short, the whole point of this post is that this injury may never have happened if I was given proper orthotics. I am angry as I should be. Good doctors do exist but they sure are hard to find. This is not the first time that I've been burned by a doctor on a matter directly related to my running. I once had a stress fracture misdiagnosed as shin splints despite the fact that I had clear symptoms of a fracture including a lump that was painful to the touch. I was told to start again gradually and turned a 6 week injury into a 3 month layoff.
I will try not to dwell on this. I am happy that I may be able to salvage a racing season this Spring after all. I won't do well at Mercedes but just finishing will be a major victory. I should do fairly well in Atlanta then by the time Nashville rolls around, I could be back to PR shape. By Wednesday, I will be back to running moderate mileage. Despite my nearly painless 6:10 mile tonight, I will not declare victory yet but it sure is looking better than it was 5 days ago.
Monday, February 1, 2010
Rehab 2/1-2/7
2/1- Slight discomfort when walking for the first time in more than a week. Did my normal stretches and it felt about the same. It looks iffy that my next attempt to run will be successful. I am worried that my imbalances will impede my tendon and connective tissue healing. No running today. Tomorrow will be no more than 1 mile very easy.
Grade:F/1 credit/distance=0
2/2- Vestavia Mile. I ran this faster than I planned. Time was 6:43.9, which is about 90 seconds slower than my goal. The good news is that my Achilles held up during the run and the cool down. My groin was sore during the run but I know that's a symptom of low adrenaline levels, not an injury. Splits: 1:43-1:46-1:42-1:32. That's a new 2010 best for the Mile. I did have minimal pain just after I finished so it's too soon to declare myself healthy. I will continue my stretching exercises. The pace will be slower tomorrow. It will be a Trak Shak run but I am unsure of the distance. My dopamine is rising and that sure feels good.
Grade:C-/1 credit/distance=1.5
2/3- Trak Shak 4 in 30:32 (7:38 pace). I felt great in the first mile then it was downhill from there. 1st half @ 7:27, 2nd half @ 7:49. I felt my first trace of achilles pain around Mile 1.5 but it never got any worse. If I keep building gradually and keep doing my exercises, my achilles might be okay. The tarsal tunnel pain was a different story. It was much worse and I really don't have any explanation. This injury hasn't given me any serious trouble since early 2003. WTH? I will call my podiatrist in Monty tomorrow and hope to get an appointment ASAP. My orthotics are about a year old. We'll see what he says. I'm worried. If this doesn't go away, I will be relegated to being a recreational runner limited to 5Ks and 10Ks.
Grade:D/1 credit/distance=4.0
2/4- Turn for the worse a few hours after the run. The achilles hurts nearly as much as it did when I first hurt it. I am out for a month or more. AAARG! I am getting desperate and will try some ultrasound treatments even if I have to pay through the nose. If I still can't run in a month, I will seriously consider prolotherapy. I am out of Mercedes and Atlanta looks questionable at best.
Grade:F/1 credit/distance=0
2/5-2/7- Disabled list. I need some type of antidepressant to counteract crashing dopamine levels and I'm going with Sam-e, which was effective in the past
Grade: Automatic F.
Weekly summary:
You already know how I feel. I'll post about the doctor's appointment but after that, this blog shuts down until further notice.
Distance=5.5/ GPA= 2.7/6= 0.45 (all time low)
I am going to Monty on Monday to see the podiatrist and we'll see about the prognosis.
Grade:F/1 credit/distance=0
2/2- Vestavia Mile. I ran this faster than I planned. Time was 6:43.9, which is about 90 seconds slower than my goal. The good news is that my Achilles held up during the run and the cool down. My groin was sore during the run but I know that's a symptom of low adrenaline levels, not an injury. Splits: 1:43-1:46-1:42-1:32. That's a new 2010 best for the Mile. I did have minimal pain just after I finished so it's too soon to declare myself healthy. I will continue my stretching exercises. The pace will be slower tomorrow. It will be a Trak Shak run but I am unsure of the distance. My dopamine is rising and that sure feels good.
Grade:C-/1 credit/distance=1.5
2/3- Trak Shak 4 in 30:32 (7:38 pace). I felt great in the first mile then it was downhill from there. 1st half @ 7:27, 2nd half @ 7:49. I felt my first trace of achilles pain around Mile 1.5 but it never got any worse. If I keep building gradually and keep doing my exercises, my achilles might be okay. The tarsal tunnel pain was a different story. It was much worse and I really don't have any explanation. This injury hasn't given me any serious trouble since early 2003. WTH? I will call my podiatrist in Monty tomorrow and hope to get an appointment ASAP. My orthotics are about a year old. We'll see what he says. I'm worried. If this doesn't go away, I will be relegated to being a recreational runner limited to 5Ks and 10Ks.
Grade:D/1 credit/distance=4.0
2/4- Turn for the worse a few hours after the run. The achilles hurts nearly as much as it did when I first hurt it. I am out for a month or more. AAARG! I am getting desperate and will try some ultrasound treatments even if I have to pay through the nose. If I still can't run in a month, I will seriously consider prolotherapy. I am out of Mercedes and Atlanta looks questionable at best.
Grade:F/1 credit/distance=0
2/5-2/7- Disabled list. I need some type of antidepressant to counteract crashing dopamine levels and I'm going with Sam-e, which was effective in the past
Grade: Automatic F.
Weekly summary:
You already know how I feel. I'll post about the doctor's appointment but after that, this blog shuts down until further notice.
Distance=5.5/ GPA= 2.7/6= 0.45 (all time low)
I am going to Monty on Monday to see the podiatrist and we'll see about the prognosis.
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