May 21st, Saturday,  7 p.m.

As I sit rolling……..

Spent this rainy day painting before I went to the clubhouse for a workout.  It was only a closet but has just as many corners as a full room.   LOL  But I did get in 40 minutes of pretty good work; ten on the elliptical, 10 on the bike, 10 swimming in the pool and 10 running in the pool.

Stats –

I-Mad – 2

AmHR – 54BPM

Weight – 152#

Sleep – 7.5

Workout – 40 minutes     10 minutes each; elliptical, bike ,swim, pool run,  + roll, roll, roll

On this beautiful May afternoon I had my first bike ride of the spring outdoors.  I pedaled for 30 minutes on the local roads in Jackson. Didn’t want to overdo it on the first time out.

My (Rob’s!) one speeder.

I have been rolling my calves quite frequently during this time off with my foam roller.  I am pretty amazed at how many hot spots I have found.  The literature on rolling procedures says to concentrate on those hot spots by keeping pressure on for from 30 to 90 seconds until the pain dissipates.  I’ve been trying that, and it seems to be working pretty well.  It’s possible there ware a lot more knots in my calf muscles than I ever realized.  What I’ve been reading suggests that these knots may be a contributing factor to problems with Achilles and further on down into the foot.  Maybe I can alleviate some of my nagging problems with more consistent rolling.  I will update.

Stats –

I-Mad – 2

AmHR – 54BPM

Sleep – 7 hours

Workout – 30 minutes  on the bike

Note- I respond to everyone who takes the time to leave a comment on this blog. So if you do leave a comment, I thank you. Plus if you check the box to receive my response to your comment in your email, you will know immediately when I respond. Then you will not have to return to the blog site to find a response to your comment.

I love comments!

“Start Me Up ”    Rolling Stones   1981

As per my last post, I am considering this the start of my new training season.  After 10 days off it was time to get my body in motion again.  My sore foot is not ready to put pressure on yet, so I spent an hour-and-a-half in the clubhouse doing a full body workout.  First I did 30 minutes on the elliptical machine.  Then I did 20 minutes of free weights.  Next I went in the pool for a 15 minute swim and 10 minutes running in the deep water. My body feels well rested.  Let’s hope that there is no negative impact on the left foot tomorrow.

Stats-

I-Mad – 2

AmHR – 51BPM        Well rested.

Weight-  153#

Workout – 80 mins full body

May 17th, Tuesday, 7 o’clock

” We were on a break!”  ROSS GELLER

Doing a lot of reading about running these days.  Found an interesting article from Runner’s World in my inbox this morning.  It was about what to do between training seasons.  It was directed at people who run longer races, half marathons and marathons, but I think it has a bearing on my situation right now also.  I believe I can treat my hiatus for injury as a between training season event.  I just came off a very difficult race.  My body does need rest.  It will be a slow and gradual return to full training for my next goal.  I will most likely run the 5K at Jason’s Memorial this summer or early fall.  I also plan to qualify in the 1500m and 800m again at the New Jersey Senior Games in September.  Somewhere along the way I may travel to another state to run a 5K in a state Senior Games because New Jersey does not have a 5K event.

So that article gave me some perspective and some goals for the next month and a half.

May 16th, Monday,  After midnight, so really Tuesday!

My sore left foot is healing slowly and steadily.  I have accepted the reality that my foot is going to take two, three, maybe even four weeks to totally heal.  I don’t like it, but I have accepted it.  What I didn’t expect was that it would create a blogging crisis.  I reasoned that I would be able to find interesting and exciting things to wow my loyal readers.  What I have realized, however, is that all I want to write about his running.  I have also realized what a prominent role running and blogging has been playing in my total existence for the last two months.  Planning  workouts, and carrying them out, and then talking to myself and anyone else who chooses to read about the effects, the joys and the problems of those workouts has been exhilarating.  I have also realized how lucky I am at age 73 to be able to function physically and mentally in a sport that I  so enjoy.

Wednesday I will be back in the pool, on the bike and in the weight room for sure.

I will mention two running related items.  The first is that I’m planning to attend the Somerset County championships tomorrow afternoon at Hillsborough to watch some very talented  athletes compete.  I look forward to an enjoyable afternoon meeting old friends and watching some good races.

The second is the reports I am getting from Liberty High School about the distance athletes I became so close to in Cross Country.  They are having a very nice season and I’m  looking forward to reconnecting with them for The Fall season .  The most prominent among them is a fine sophomore, Matt Duffy, who had a special  meet  on Thursday and Friday at the Ocean County championships.  Matt ran a 4:22 fot 1600 meters and a 1:57 in the 800 meters, two extraordinary PR’s.  I’m excited for Matt and for the upcoming cross-country season.

Stats –

I-Mad – 2

AmHR – 54BPM

Weight – 154#

Sleep – 8.5 hours

Workout – healing, rolling, blooging, housework, blah! !

Restless on a Sunday

Now it’s all about the wrap.

May 14th, Saturday,  2 p.m.

• This tape job has been on for about 24 hours now.
• The constant ache has disappeared.
• Walking has become much more comfortable.
• The area is still  Point tender

Will maintain for 24 hours more.

I will be heading to Princeton soon to check out a new pair of Kayano 22.  My friend and former athlete Brian Harris is the manager at Pacers Princeton running store.  I expect that he can hook me up. @pacersprinceton.com

Stats-

• I-Mad-   2.5
• amHR-  54B PM
• Weight-   154. 6 #    ( not running for a week = plus 3#)
• Sleep-  9 hours
• Workout-   resting, healing

May 13th, Friday,  2 p.m.

Visited Dr. Greg Bordiuk this morning for consultation regarding my sore foot.  The doctor says that I have a strained muscle along the plantar facia on bottom of my foot.  He made no mention of stress fracture at all.  After feeling around the area he seemed pretty positive of his diagnosis. The doctor put a tape wrap on my instep.  I have not had my foot wrapped since way back in college days.  He says to leave the wrap on for two days, and if I need another one to come back.  Since the tape has been on, I feel a constant dull ache in the area that has been hurting all along.  I’m not sure if that’s a good thing or a bad thing.  It didn’t ache constantly before it was taped.  I will follow the doctor’s instructions for the next two days if the pain does not become too bothersome.  Dr. Bordiuk says the usual time of healing for such an injury is two to four weeks.

When I asked him about causes for this injury, he responded that the usual cause is lack of support for the foot.  He suggested maybe a pair of more supportive running shoes.  I am considering buying another pair of Asics Kayano shoes. The doctor says he actually has a pair of Asics Kayano 21 and that there is a new 22 Model.  My last pair were number 17.  I don’t know if I mentioned the problem I had with my Kayanos.  Asics was very helpful and very supportive when I told them of the deterioration of the material inside the heel of the shoe.  I actually sent two pair back to them for which they  sent me 2 new replacement pairs.  But all three  of the shoes on both feet suffered this breakdown of the material on the inside of the back of the shoe.  For that reason I stopped buying them even though I loved the support they gave my feet.  So, I may give it another shot now that they have introduced 5 new models since I last tried them.

My personal experiences with taping  and distance running;

I experienced some lower leg injuries during my college running days.  We had a very fine trainer at Seton Hall University who was an expert at taping.  I can’t remember his name now, but I liked him a lot.  He taped many people on many different sporting teams.  He taped my foot many times.  Each time the tape felt great for about 15 minutes and then started to ache.  After running for more than 20 minutes the tape always came loose and I had to rip it off.  It was  completely ineffective.  I have had the same experience with Runners who have received tape jobs from trainers while I was coaching.  Perhaps for an explosive event like the high jump or pole vault these procedures have a positive affect.  But for distance runners I’ve never seen any benefit of tape.

Regarding my current injury I have no intention of running while this tape is on. The doctor told me not to engage in any running or even  long-term walking while the tape is in place.  Its design and purpose is simply to support the area so that the muscle is not injured further while I am healing.

PS- I am very happy and excited to announce that the National Senior Games Association (NSGA ) has accepted and posted my blog their official site.

Stats –

I-Mad – 2

Weight – 153#

a.m HR-  54BPM

Sleep – 8 hours

Workout – none, healing

May 12th, Thursday,  about midnight

Just finished playing cards with the boys.  Almost forgot to blog today because I have not been running or doing any workout.   I have not missed a day of blogging since I began early in March.  I didn’t want to end my streak.  However, I do not wish to bore the reader with nothing to write.  So here is a simple injury update.

Sore left foot continues to display pain when walking.  Area is still tender to the touch and has not improved in six days.  I have a doctor’s appointment Friday morning and will report afterward.

May 11th,  Wednesday,  10 p.m.

Err on the side of caution.

After working out in the clubhouse; swimming, biking, and running in the water,  my foot hurt even more today.  I took another day off and did a lot of reading about stress fractures and stress reactions.  The article listed below gives a comprehensive overview of the newest research on Bone Stress Injuries.  BSI is the new phraseology  for stress fractures and stress reactions.  The authors of the study prefer to look at bone injuries on a Continuum of the bones reactions to excessive stress.  Wolff’s law states that a bone that is subject to stress will experience breakdown and then recover stronger than before the stress.  However, if the stress is repeated before the bone has completely healed the bone will begin to developed a stress reaction.  This is not damage to the bone structure will cause some swelling and pain in the area.  If the stress is discontinued the bone can continue healing and the pain  will disappear.  If the stress is continued even further, the bone will develop a stress fracture which is a break in the structure of the bone.  This approach concludes that pain, not time, is the key element in recovery from a bone stress injury.  Pain is the barometer that indicates whether the bone has fully recovered from the stress placed upon it.  So the athlete can use pain to gauge the progress of recovery.  The first stage is to remain totally stressless until there is absolutely no pain for 7 days.  After that the athlete can begin walking and normal daily activities until that can be done for seven days without pain.  In each stage of recovery the seven days of no pain as the key factor to determine whether to move to an increased level of stress.  One could move from walking with a few minutes of jogging,  walking and jogging 50/50, to finally  all jogging if along the way that pain does not return.  This is in keeping with Dr. Mirkin’s recommendations that I take off completely until my foot is totally pain free.  I plan to follow the BSI recommended programs until I can get back to full running.

All runners, please be aware of pain in your lower leg, especially plus70runners.  A day or two of recovery can save a lot of anxiety and stress.

The bone stress injury model: a new way to deal with stress fractures and stress reactions in runners

I am getting a doctor’s appointment tomorrow to verify my diagnosis.

Stats –

I-Mad   – 1

Am heart rate-  54 b. p.m.

Sleep-  9 hours

Weight – 153#

Workout –  rest