SWIM: 3250m in 90 mins
BIKE: 15.5 in 60 mins (you didn't hear me say that)
The kinesio tape made it to this morning, but not then end of the swim. It was pretty much covering the ankle bone and I couldn't see it clearly. I had thought the swelling was done, but apparently not. It is not too discolored, actually there's not as much as I think there should be, but it is swollen. It kinda looks like a small golf ball in my ankle. But I'm walking OK, climbing stairs, and not very slowed down at all. Fully flexing to foot causes as non-pain feeling in my instep.
I was really really looking forward to this swim, it signaled a come-back of sorts. I know, I know, it was only 5 days off. But it seemed loooooooonggg! There's only so much time left to prepare! And I need to make the most of all of it!
I kicked and pushed off with my right foot only. I tried some kicking with the left foot when I realized just how off balance I was without the extra kick. It was a distracted swim, I could feel the tape on my foot coming looser and looser. It was a reminder of the injury, a reminder that I shouldn't kick, and a distraction.
On the way home I bought more paper tape like I was using in 2010. The goal was to test the taping so I could report back on Monday with all the info I could get, even though no one is asking for it. Once taped, it felt really good! The odd feeling in the instep was gone. I locked it down to where it didn't flex and decided to go ahead with a test of the ankle on the trainer. No standing, nothing fast, just an easy spin. Went great! But don't tell anyone :)
Saturday, March 31, 2012
Thursday, March 29, 2012
Thursday I'm a ball of energy with no swelling?
Call it what you will, placebo effect or the real thing, but I swear my swelling is gone after my k taping! Really, I think it's gone! Hard to tell under all that tape.
So after a few days of SLUGfesting I'm now a huge ball of energy. Today DH joked with me about being an Escalator Vigilante (he stood in front of me on the escalator so I couldn't climb it injured!) and I laughed for minutes. Minutes of giggling until I had tears running down my cheeks. LOL.
I'm surprisingly now too upset about this injury thing. It really helps to know I have CP. He sent a great email encouraging me to recover and assuring me that this won't fx TTT or CdA. And I believe him. He said something about using this time to recover and come back stronger for the Build. At first I was thinking Yeah Right cuz I felt like such a slug. But after today I can see the light pointing the way to a strong return.
And it helps to know that I have Drs M and H working with me. I have great confidence in them. Now if only I can keep myself from coming back too fast, it's gonna be hard because now the ankle feels 85% healed when walking around!
This training thing still sucks, but at least I have a good outlook on it.
So after a few days of SLUGfesting I'm now a huge ball of energy. Today DH joked with me about being an Escalator Vigilante (he stood in front of me on the escalator so I couldn't climb it injured!) and I laughed for minutes. Minutes of giggling until I had tears running down my cheeks. LOL.
I'm surprisingly now too upset about this injury thing. It really helps to know I have CP. He sent a great email encouraging me to recover and assuring me that this won't fx TTT or CdA. And I believe him. He said something about using this time to recover and come back stronger for the Build. At first I was thinking Yeah Right cuz I felt like such a slug. But after today I can see the light pointing the way to a strong return.
And it helps to know that I have Drs M and H working with me. I have great confidence in them. Now if only I can keep myself from coming back too fast, it's gonna be hard because now the ankle feels 85% healed when walking around!
This training thing still sucks, but at least I have a good outlook on it.
Wednesday, March 28, 2012
Weds to Dr H
Dr M referred me to Dr H for kinesio taping to reduce the edema. Once the edema is down they can start rehabilitative treatment.
Seeing Dr H was a blast. Turns out he has training in neurology! So we talked mitochondrial replication, neuronal budding, sensory to motor cortex signaling, arsenide lasers, and more. Oh, and how to tell a male fruit fly from a female fruit fly. I learned something today!
The plan is to wear the tape until it falls off, and come back Monday for the next round of treatments.
And did you know that the Autocorrect in the iPhone changes kinesio tape into libidinous? So I'm libido taped right now...LOL
This no training thing still sucks.
Seeing Dr H was a blast. Turns out he has training in neurology! So we talked mitochondrial replication, neuronal budding, sensory to motor cortex signaling, arsenide lasers, and more. Oh, and how to tell a male fruit fly from a female fruit fly. I learned something today!
The plan is to wear the tape until it falls off, and come back Monday for the next round of treatments.
And did you know that the Autocorrect in the iPhone changes kinesio tape into libidinous? So I'm libido taped right now...LOL
This no training thing still sucks.
Tuesday, March 27, 2012
Tuesday to Dr M
Had a visit with Dr M today, and unlike yesterday's appt at urgent care I wasn't having doubts about whether or not I came to the right place. He had Ironman World Championship posters on his wall :)
He diagnosed a high ankle sprain. I talked to him about the repeat injuries and he pretty much said this is my 3rd strike. Time for strength and stability training for the ankles. And the possibility that whenever I go for a run, I'll need to use tape to keep my two calf bones in alignment, as that seems to be a major issue for me now.
Sad thing is, I'm walking around mostly OK. I'd guess that I'm 70% back to "normal" walking and standing.
And this no training thing sucks. I feel heavy, leaden, lazy, stiff, tight. Ugh.
He diagnosed a high ankle sprain. I talked to him about the repeat injuries and he pretty much said this is my 3rd strike. Time for strength and stability training for the ankles. And the possibility that whenever I go for a run, I'll need to use tape to keep my two calf bones in alignment, as that seems to be a major issue for me now.
Sad thing is, I'm walking around mostly OK. I'd guess that I'm 70% back to "normal" walking and standing.
And this no training thing sucks. I feel heavy, leaden, lazy, stiff, tight. Ugh.
Monday, March 26, 2012
What's tomorrow? Tuesday morning
Woke up Monday morning and decided against the swim. Although swimming is non-weight bearing, the pressure of the water during a kick would be painful. And I don’t know exactly what the injury is. Broken, strained? That’s what bothers me the most right now. Just not knowing.
So DH took me to urgent care. Lots of jokes about “here we are again” in a medical facility. I tried to stay positive, but that might have backfired a little. I don’t think DH took it as positive, I think he just didn’t know what to think. I was in a good but denial-driven mood.
The xrays didn’t seem to show the same avulsion fracture, but instead that 2 bones in the ankle mortise are touching. They aren’t supposed to be. The Dr’s recommendation was no running, no cycling, just swimming and upper body. I argued this point a bit. I could bike, I don’t use my ankle. He seemed to think that pedaling required the ankle to flex, but it doesn’t. Kind of a dumb point to argue, he’s trying to help me , not hurt me! He was torn between saying “no weight bearing” and just an Ace wrap. In the end, I walked out with an Ace bandage and instructions to do nothing until cleared by Dr M.
At one point during the exam I said I was hoping to run tomorrow. She asked, what's tomorrow. DH answer Tuesday morning. I was joking and I thought that was pretty funny, but he wasn't amused.
Making the call to Dr M was done as soon as possible. I go in tomorrow afternoon.
The next ASAP was looking at the xrays myself. I could see where the mortise had what looked like a problem. Comparing it to other google images, I could find the area where the bones were against each other. Thing is, that’s not where I hurt! I hurt on the outside of my foot! Not inside in the mortise joint. Or am I reading my pain wrong. I’ll pay attention the rest of the day to learn more.
So DH took me to urgent care. Lots of jokes about “here we are again” in a medical facility. I tried to stay positive, but that might have backfired a little. I don’t think DH took it as positive, I think he just didn’t know what to think. I was in a good but denial-driven mood.
The xrays didn’t seem to show the same avulsion fracture, but instead that 2 bones in the ankle mortise are touching. They aren’t supposed to be. The Dr’s recommendation was no running, no cycling, just swimming and upper body. I argued this point a bit. I could bike, I don’t use my ankle. He seemed to think that pedaling required the ankle to flex, but it doesn’t. Kind of a dumb point to argue, he’s trying to help me , not hurt me! He was torn between saying “no weight bearing” and just an Ace wrap. In the end, I walked out with an Ace bandage and instructions to do nothing until cleared by Dr M.
At one point during the exam I said I was hoping to run tomorrow. She asked, what's tomorrow. DH answer Tuesday morning. I was joking and I thought that was pretty funny, but he wasn't amused.
Making the call to Dr M was done as soon as possible. I go in tomorrow afternoon.
The next ASAP was looking at the xrays myself. I could see where the mortise had what looked like a problem. Comparing it to other google images, I could find the area where the bones were against each other. Thing is, that’s not where I hurt! I hurt on the outside of my foot! Not inside in the mortise joint. Or am I reading my pain wrong. I’ll pay attention the rest of the day to learn more.
Sunday, March 25, 2012
100 SBR miles: Good, Better, and UGLY
Saturday SWIM 2 miles in 90 mins
Sunday BIKE 91 miles in about 5.5hrs
Sunday RUN 7 miles in 1:15 (more on this later.
I’ll put the whole weekend into one post, since the over-arching idea of doing 100 SBR miles was a driving force in it. Then I’ll get to the ugly shit last
The swim on Saturday was great, I focused on just one thing: feeling the resistance of the water against my hands. Forget most everything else, and try to feel the water. Where is that stopping point at which my hand hits the water, then slips under me? The point at which my hand flutters or at which I bend my elbow and decrease the resistance? The point at which I’m supposed to recognize that anchor and throw my body weight over it?
I felt it! Not every stroke, not every 50m, but there were a few sets in the morning that I did feel that STOP, mostly in my right hand. I tried to really identify the moment so I could define the anchor and throw my weight over it. But no luck there, I think I should be happy with that much progress. CHG was telling me Weds that this moment is what I need to find and use to my benefit. I got that much from that awful swim, anyway.
I was supposed to run Saturday, but had so much to do around the house that it didn’t happen. In retrospect, this was a bad thing (see below). But I did get to spend the day with DH—looking at patio furniture and enjoying a mutual day off.
Sunday was another ab-fab day: sunny, warm, light winds, unbelievably beautiful. The apple, cherry, and lilac trees are in full swing, the spring blooms are up, and the world is turning green again. We had a 7am start with about 10 riders doing a 60-mile loop. It started off cool but energetic. The jokes were flying left and right, everyone was loving it. We had duck-pigs that quoinked, piggies that wweeeeeee-weeeeeeeee-weeeeeee [pure adrenaline], and more laughs that I could track. I also tested my new energy bar recipes on this ride, and found success with them. All in all, a great first loop that I could write all day about.
The second loop was 30 miles for me. We had 20-ish riders! Some doing another 60, some doing only 30, and some others doing their first 60. It was great seeing a huge group for the ride (although we were running minutes behind our arrival schedule, not so great).
We took off in the second loop with the fresh legs off the front. This second loop was definitely harder, as measured by the fact that the same roads and hills weren’t quite as slick. But that’s not to say it was hard or bad. Just not as zippy.
I’m happy to say that my nutrition was spot on, hydration was easy (but it’s not hot out yet), the bike fit is dialed in, and I have nothing I need to change in the immediate future!
The run. So on the ride I came up with the crazy idea that I could do 100 SBR miles this weekend. I just needed to run the difference after the ride! By my calcs, that’s 7-8 miles. Since the ride ended at 91, I already had 2 swimming, I just needed 7 more! I could do an easy 7 miles, no problem. I’d eaten a gel very late in the ride to simulate my off the bike nutrition, didn’t hurry but didn’t dawdle for a “T2”, and took off out towards the flats. It was during this time I asked CP if he was running (I forgot that he can’t) because I saw him in running shoes, and he ribbed me for reminding him. Oh the foreshadowing…
The first 3.5 of the run was in just over 31 minutes. I was surprised to see a sub-9 pace and moderate HR of 140’s. I’d had more bad math in planning this. I thought the RR tracks were 4 miles out. Nope, they are 4 miles out-n-back! Oh well, just kept going.
I expected to see the other biking group on the run, so I perked up when I saw a group of cyclists coming my way. But there were in a tight group, a two-row paceline…and the group was smaller…nope! It was the BS team! Hi MW!!
Keep going, past the big ass turtle, past the tracks, past the muddy ditches. Hit 3.5 and turn around. Shortly after turning a red pickup came my way in a slight curve in the road. He wasn’t moving over fast, he moved over but not as much as they usually do. I stepped of the road into the gravel in the side. Looking more at the truck than the gravel……and then $%^&*%$#%&*(!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Rolled my left ankle. Hard. Really hard.
I tried to keep walking, and tried to stay calm. Here I am on a rural road with only 3-4 cars in the last 35 mins and I’m limping. Was the next group of cyclists coming up behind me? Just walk. Stay calm.
In fact if anything I was a little too calm. I tried a light job. No, not yet. Walk. The ankle was tingly and burny, but there was a focal center of pain, about in the same place as another injury some time ago. Walk, rest, try jogging again. Hurts like a mo’fo’, but since I needed to get back to the truck asap I had to make a choice: walk 60 mins or jog 30. I took jogging.
And it wasn’t terrible bad either. One the 1-10 pain scale…maybe a 4? But we all know my scale is all f’d up. I had to wait for a train, but in the end I was able to run home! Sure it hurt, but not so bad that I couldn’t keep moving. By the time I got back to the parking lot, it had swelled but not to the extent that the previous injury swelled. And there was no purpling like before. Maybe it’s not the same injury?
Got home, iced, elevated, and sort of sat in denial with it. I didn’t want to touch it (not because it hurt, but because I was in denial about it), didn’t want to look at it, didn’t want to think about it. I just tried to ignore it. Otherwise, I felt great after the ride. No soreness (although my right knee started bothering me again today…), hydrated, fed, and just tired. Awesome that I could jump from 60 miles to 90 miles cycling like that!
More news tomorrow, as it sounds like I’m going to an urgent care in the morning!
Sunday BIKE 91 miles in about 5.5hrs
Sunday RUN 7 miles in 1:15 (more on this later.
I’ll put the whole weekend into one post, since the over-arching idea of doing 100 SBR miles was a driving force in it. Then I’ll get to the ugly shit last
The swim on Saturday was great, I focused on just one thing: feeling the resistance of the water against my hands. Forget most everything else, and try to feel the water. Where is that stopping point at which my hand hits the water, then slips under me? The point at which my hand flutters or at which I bend my elbow and decrease the resistance? The point at which I’m supposed to recognize that anchor and throw my body weight over it?
I felt it! Not every stroke, not every 50m, but there were a few sets in the morning that I did feel that STOP, mostly in my right hand. I tried to really identify the moment so I could define the anchor and throw my weight over it. But no luck there, I think I should be happy with that much progress. CHG was telling me Weds that this moment is what I need to find and use to my benefit. I got that much from that awful swim, anyway.
I was supposed to run Saturday, but had so much to do around the house that it didn’t happen. In retrospect, this was a bad thing (see below). But I did get to spend the day with DH—looking at patio furniture and enjoying a mutual day off.
Sunday was another ab-fab day: sunny, warm, light winds, unbelievably beautiful. The apple, cherry, and lilac trees are in full swing, the spring blooms are up, and the world is turning green again. We had a 7am start with about 10 riders doing a 60-mile loop. It started off cool but energetic. The jokes were flying left and right, everyone was loving it. We had duck-pigs that quoinked, piggies that wweeeeeee-weeeeeeeee-weeeeeee [pure adrenaline], and more laughs that I could track. I also tested my new energy bar recipes on this ride, and found success with them. All in all, a great first loop that I could write all day about.
The second loop was 30 miles for me. We had 20-ish riders! Some doing another 60, some doing only 30, and some others doing their first 60. It was great seeing a huge group for the ride (although we were running minutes behind our arrival schedule, not so great).
We took off in the second loop with the fresh legs off the front. This second loop was definitely harder, as measured by the fact that the same roads and hills weren’t quite as slick. But that’s not to say it was hard or bad. Just not as zippy.
I’m happy to say that my nutrition was spot on, hydration was easy (but it’s not hot out yet), the bike fit is dialed in, and I have nothing I need to change in the immediate future!
The run. So on the ride I came up with the crazy idea that I could do 100 SBR miles this weekend. I just needed to run the difference after the ride! By my calcs, that’s 7-8 miles. Since the ride ended at 91, I already had 2 swimming, I just needed 7 more! I could do an easy 7 miles, no problem. I’d eaten a gel very late in the ride to simulate my off the bike nutrition, didn’t hurry but didn’t dawdle for a “T2”, and took off out towards the flats. It was during this time I asked CP if he was running (I forgot that he can’t) because I saw him in running shoes, and he ribbed me for reminding him. Oh the foreshadowing…
The first 3.5 of the run was in just over 31 minutes. I was surprised to see a sub-9 pace and moderate HR of 140’s. I’d had more bad math in planning this. I thought the RR tracks were 4 miles out. Nope, they are 4 miles out-n-back! Oh well, just kept going.
I expected to see the other biking group on the run, so I perked up when I saw a group of cyclists coming my way. But there were in a tight group, a two-row paceline…and the group was smaller…nope! It was the BS team! Hi MW!!
Keep going, past the big ass turtle, past the tracks, past the muddy ditches. Hit 3.5 and turn around. Shortly after turning a red pickup came my way in a slight curve in the road. He wasn’t moving over fast, he moved over but not as much as they usually do. I stepped of the road into the gravel in the side. Looking more at the truck than the gravel……and then $%^&*%$#%&*(!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Rolled my left ankle. Hard. Really hard.
I tried to keep walking, and tried to stay calm. Here I am on a rural road with only 3-4 cars in the last 35 mins and I’m limping. Was the next group of cyclists coming up behind me? Just walk. Stay calm.
In fact if anything I was a little too calm. I tried a light job. No, not yet. Walk. The ankle was tingly and burny, but there was a focal center of pain, about in the same place as another injury some time ago. Walk, rest, try jogging again. Hurts like a mo’fo’, but since I needed to get back to the truck asap I had to make a choice: walk 60 mins or jog 30. I took jogging.
And it wasn’t terrible bad either. One the 1-10 pain scale…maybe a 4? But we all know my scale is all f’d up. I had to wait for a train, but in the end I was able to run home! Sure it hurt, but not so bad that I couldn’t keep moving. By the time I got back to the parking lot, it had swelled but not to the extent that the previous injury swelled. And there was no purpling like before. Maybe it’s not the same injury?
Got home, iced, elevated, and sort of sat in denial with it. I didn’t want to touch it (not because it hurt, but because I was in denial about it), didn’t want to look at it, didn’t want to think about it. I just tried to ignore it. Otherwise, I felt great after the ride. No soreness (although my right knee started bothering me again today…), hydrated, fed, and just tired. Awesome that I could jump from 60 miles to 90 miles cycling like that!
More news tomorrow, as it sounds like I’m going to an urgent care in the morning!
Wednesday, March 21, 2012
Awful swim, so-so bike
SWIM: 60 mins and 1950 y (and that's maybe being generous)
BIKE: 23.25 miles in 90 mins, hill hunting in FP
Last night I was feeling nearly normal, still very fatigued but at least I could eat something. I'd resolved to get back on track this morning by doing the swim and bike. What feels better in the end--resting and recovering; or hitting goals of "doing my workouts"?
Today was breaststroke day (I keep typing breaststork) and so I convinced myself that this would be a less-freestyle "easy" day. HA! Today SUCKED! The only think that made it "easy" was that I was hanging on the wall half the time! ARHG!! At one point CHG called for 2x50 breaststroke and "TJ can go first with freestyle". Everyone looked at me. I shook my head. So they went first, and I went last, and I did freestyle, and I still came in last. But I didn't go "fast". I just went.
And that might be the best way to describe the entire hour. I just went.
At one point I came to a realization about something that I've been very unhappy about (nothing to do with training, btw). That realization was like a light bulb moment: I realized WHY I was unhappy. It was crushing. How can I stay happy when the things I enjoy are taken away from me over and over? What should I do when I've built up a base only to have it killed off? (being purposefully vague here...). I couldn't see an easy way around it, except to suck it up and make the best of it. With that, I managed to find even LESS motivation to swim.
Afterwards CHG came up to talk about my technique. I really appreciated that he's trying and that he hasn't given up on me, but today just wasn't the day. I felt like one of those whiney-ass toddlers in the tiara show. All talk about a big game but then a whiney cry baby when the game time comes. UGH, if I could just re-do those few minutes...I'd do it better.
The ride was shortly thereafter, DC wanted to ride together but I told him via text that I was in a bad mood and better off alone. And I was. Really, who wants to be around a moody cry-baby? The plan today called for a Hilly Ass Ride. I stayed in FoPa the entire time (bad mood also means avoid cars!) and did my hill hunting. I alternated on the hills--one hill seated with low gear and fast turn-over; next hill standing in a middle gear but strong to the top; next hill steated, etc. I tried to keep from looking at the clock but I did anyway and just hated how slow time went by.
It was such a gorgeous morning. Oh, you really couldnt ask for better! Why am I in such a shitty mood? I'm still recovering, still fatigued, and just not "there" yet. But when I have workouts To Do, they become more important.
So going back to my question above, what feels better in the end? Hitting the goals of doing my workouts.
BIKE: 23.25 miles in 90 mins, hill hunting in FP
Last night I was feeling nearly normal, still very fatigued but at least I could eat something. I'd resolved to get back on track this morning by doing the swim and bike. What feels better in the end--resting and recovering; or hitting goals of "doing my workouts"?
Today was breaststroke day (I keep typing breaststork) and so I convinced myself that this would be a less-freestyle "easy" day. HA! Today SUCKED! The only think that made it "easy" was that I was hanging on the wall half the time! ARHG!! At one point CHG called for 2x50 breaststroke and "TJ can go first with freestyle". Everyone looked at me. I shook my head. So they went first, and I went last, and I did freestyle, and I still came in last. But I didn't go "fast". I just went.
And that might be the best way to describe the entire hour. I just went.
At one point I came to a realization about something that I've been very unhappy about (nothing to do with training, btw). That realization was like a light bulb moment: I realized WHY I was unhappy. It was crushing. How can I stay happy when the things I enjoy are taken away from me over and over? What should I do when I've built up a base only to have it killed off? (being purposefully vague here...). I couldn't see an easy way around it, except to suck it up and make the best of it. With that, I managed to find even LESS motivation to swim.
Afterwards CHG came up to talk about my technique. I really appreciated that he's trying and that he hasn't given up on me, but today just wasn't the day. I felt like one of those whiney-ass toddlers in the tiara show. All talk about a big game but then a whiney cry baby when the game time comes. UGH, if I could just re-do those few minutes...I'd do it better.
The ride was shortly thereafter, DC wanted to ride together but I told him via text that I was in a bad mood and better off alone. And I was. Really, who wants to be around a moody cry-baby? The plan today called for a Hilly Ass Ride. I stayed in FoPa the entire time (bad mood also means avoid cars!) and did my hill hunting. I alternated on the hills--one hill seated with low gear and fast turn-over; next hill standing in a middle gear but strong to the top; next hill steated, etc. I tried to keep from looking at the clock but I did anyway and just hated how slow time went by.
It was such a gorgeous morning. Oh, you really couldnt ask for better! Why am I in such a shitty mood? I'm still recovering, still fatigued, and just not "there" yet. But when I have workouts To Do, they become more important.
So going back to my question above, what feels better in the end? Hitting the goals of doing my workouts.
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