Somehow

Life moves along. Here I am, early in the morning and not feeling too bad. The left heel pain is absent again this morning and yet the right hip pain remains. It's a 'deep' pain; one that can't be eased with warmth or cooling. I'm back to using ibuprofen regularly again and avoiding the Vicodin when I can.

I did a lot of standing yesterday and that didn't help at all. The hip pain did return quickly and stayed with me for an hour or so.

Here's my take on the epidural injection. It won't work. Yes, the left heel pain is gone and the right leg pain is moderated. But it feels tenuous. Maybe it's early yet and I should wait before making an decisions? What I do know for sure is the fact that I don't want any more epidural injections without sedation. Lots of sedation. Well, I have an appointment to meet with the doctor and review all of this on the 23^rd of this month. I'm sure we'll talk about it.

I found this bit of text written on the 23^rd of February. Back when I didn't know what was wrong with me and was getting ready for the Durham Almond Blossom 5K… "I have taken a dose of ibuprofen early this morning and I will take a few more just before I leave the house. I want to make sure I can avoid the sore hip that has been plaguing me for the past few weeks." The drugs must have worked as I ended up that morning with a plaque that says I was the fastest in my class. But who knows what I did to vertebrae while I was racing? The ibuprofen and the adrenaline masked my pain that morning.

Ha! If only that was all I needed. A few ibuprofen. Close to 9 months later and I still don't have a real solution for the pain of Stenosis. But I've met a lot of the members of the medical community here in the north state! And I feel that I will be meeting even more of them.

But…back to my marathon plans. Yes, I still have them. I still find it hard to describe the incredible feeling of accomplishment that comes with the crossing of the finish line after 26.2 miles. And I want that feeling again.

Update

Speaking of cures, as I was somewhere else… I will going in to the 'Pain Factory' around 9 this morning for an epidural steroid injection. This will place some cortisone around the irritated nerves passing through the spine at the juncture of vertebrae's L5 and S1. Not a cure. Not even close. But it will (hopefully) alleviate the pain for about a week. And it will also further define the irritated nerves; it's really more of a diagnostic procedure this time since the RF Ablation procedure didn't work as hoped for and the doctor wants to pinpoint the nerve if possible.

Then it will be time to move on to another 'specialist', a physiatrist this time. And I suppose I will have to wait 6 weeks for an appointment. That seems to be the medical standard these days. From tonsils to toenails…it's always 6 weeks.

And… if the epidural does give me some relief, I'm going to be watching the Wii Fit statistics to see how much it really does help. I've been watching the decline in stability/core strength for the past month and I would dearly love to get back on the scoreboard with some of my exercises. (Wii Fit only keeps the top 10 scores)

Give Me Some Air!

OK, I've done the Wii exercises for the day…35 minutes. Some days are good and I see an improvement. Today was not one of those days. I was shaking because of the hip pain/instability and unable to register a score in some of the balance poses. And I haven't even unlocked the poses that require me to stand on one leg. (I don't want to embarrass myself by falling down.) I'm not really expecting to see great things coming from these exercises, but it's a perfect way to make certain that I'm up and moving and not feeling sorry for myself. And the running in place does provide cardio exercise. Sorry, no fresh air!

I did add some weight training to my repertoire. Even if I can't do marathons any more, I should at least look healthy…

Facts and Tips about Spinal Stenosis

"Many years ago, spinal stenosis was called 'creeping paralysis' because it gradually gets worse as you get older."

I can understand why! But...there are possibilities today. This site was recommended by the surgeon I visited and it has a lot of resources. It will keep me busy for awhile...

One surgical procedure that I'm going to ask about is MEL

X-Stop Interactive Video

From Spine-Health

Update

I seem to be quite chatty this morning. A good thing. And I think it's because I have awakened with less pain than normal. Will it stay that way? I sure hope so, but I'm continuing with the ibuprofen therapy anyway. And I will do some more Wii Fit exercises. I am very unsteady because of a loss in core strength and I need to maintain what I can of it.

I went to my appointment with the doctor at the Chico Pain Clinic but I didn't see the doctor, I saw a nurse/practitioner instead. A good thing as he seemed to have the answers I was looking for and I really wasn't looking forward to what Dr. Lal might have said.

Steve, the NP, said that it didn't make sense to pursue any more RF Ablation procedures. Mine didn't work and another one wouldn't help. He thought I should try another epidural steroid (cortisone) injection to get some temporary relief and then it was time for a referral to another surgeon for a second opinion and to a physiatrist. He wants to see me go to San Francisco for that. I'm not sure that I want to go all of that way and then be linked for future visits to the Bay area forever. I'm going to ask about some local doctors as well.

I spent some time browsing the net again after my meeting with the NP at the Pain Clinic and I found this link…

I've already talked to one surgeon about the X-Stop, an Interspinous Process Spacer. But I had no idea there were so many others! A good thing… as the surgeon I talked to said the X-Stop had a 40% failure rate. Yes, that does mean a 60% success rate, but with my recent luck…

So now I wait for the Pain Clinic to call and give me a date for the epidural. For some odd reason, they are unable to give you 'instant' appointments while you are at their office; it always requires a wait. A feature of modern medicine.

 

Yes, That’s Mii

I'm having another typical pain day today. Nothing special. I can probably get by with ibuprofen and avoid the Vicodin. And I will return to the Wii Fit and see if I have improved in any of the exercises. Some of them are very frustrating. But it's good frustration. They make me want to do them again and again.

Core strength exercises, which includes balance are the toughest for me. I have been trying the Tight Rope Walk and so far I've covered just a yard on the high wire before 'falling to my death'. But, oddly enough, I've been great on the Super Hula Hoops; 147 revs! And in real life, I can't keep a hula hoop going for over 10 seconds. And there's more to come! As you spend time exercising, Wii rewards you by opening new games for you to try.

Did I mention Soccer? You have to 'head' the balls as they are kicked at you. And they kick everything at you…even old soccer shoes and pigs! You are supposed to dodge those.

What?

I will mention that I have an appointment with Dr. Lal, the pain guy, on next Wednesday afternoon. No treatment, just another consultation. One where I will repeat myself, telling him once again, in detail, where it hurts. And he will look incredulous.

Sort of fit

I hadn't planned on making my racewalking blog a health issue blog, but there you are. Things happen. And although I haven't made it back to training yet, I still have hopes; sort of. Some days are positive and others not. But until I can make it past the Stenosis pain barrier, I'm somewhat stuck here in the middle, emotionally.

Yesterday, I made it through another milestone of sorts. The family physician had noted my irregular heartbeat and odd EKG and so he had referred me to a cardiologist for an echo stress test. The problem had been noted and resolved some ten years ago with a similar stress test, but no records exist locally. A benchmark needed to be established and so I was in the cardio lab for a stress echocardiogram.

It's a painless test where you get to pedal a 'bicycle' while laying on your back. And attached to the EKG machinery. Before and during this test they view your heart with an echo transducer that is moved to various spots on your chest to view the heart. Short story, it's hard work getting your heart rate up to the level they want and then it was all anticlimactic as the doctor pronounced me in fine health.

Yes, fine. Cardio fine. But the ten minutes of horizontal biking had me in pain later in the evening as the Stenosis problem reacted to the abuse. So it's back to the pain management doctor to see if he has any more tricks in his bag. It's obvious to me that the RF Lesioning procedure has failed…

Ps. The technician told me that I looked fit. I would have kissed him, but it seemed somewhat inappropriate.

How High?

It's close to 6 AM now and I'm feeling awake but not all that thrilled with the day. Of course it's the pain. And the fact that I may have made a mistake by reading through my journal for this year. I read where I first became aware that the pain was more than just a temporary setback to my marathon training. I called it Piriformis Syndrome because that was what I wanted it to be. It wasn't and that was back in March. And I read about the times that I had to wait to see a doctor. 3 months of simply waiting in 6 week segments. 6 weeks where nothing happened to improve my condition. An unknown condition? And more waiting, in 2 or 3 week segments this time.

As far as I can tell, my diagnosis is Stenosis of the L4-L5 vertebrae. An arthritic condition where the bony growth of arthritis presses on the nerves that pass through the holes (foramen) in those vertebrae. Surgery has been discussed after x-rays and an MRI were studied, and then the idea was dismissed because of the fact it would be like taking a sledge hammer to pound in a nail when a 20 oz framing hammer would work as well. So says the surgeon. (The sledge hammer is still an option)

I have been attempting to rid myself of the pain by going to a pain specialist, one who treats with steroid injections and other forms of 'magic'. The steroid injection worked; for a week. Then it was time for more rigorous treatment; RF Lesioning. And it is now almost 6 weeks since that treatment and I'm still in pain. After a treatment that was supposed to work within 4 weeks. And when I called the doctor, I was told to 'give it more time'. And next Wednesday is the end of the waiting. The 6 weeks are up. Then what?

Not one of the doctors has been able to tell me how to keep myself fit during this time. Oh, the pain doctor told me to take up 'rock climbing', something he enjoys doing. Swimming was recommended as well. I guess I should join a fitness center that has a climbing wall and a pool.

I’m Back?

OK, I've been there and I've done that. That being a walk in the park. We drove to Bidwell where I planned on doing a one-mile walk at a comfortable pace, just to see what would happen.

We set off towards the ½ mile marker and I tried walking with a gait as close to normal as I could. But it wasn't very fast. It was also demoralizing as we were passed by people that I didn't consider fit 'looking'. A mistake on my part I'm sure. I watched runners and fast walkers with envy. And we returned to the car with a record breaking 22 minute/mile average. When I was racewalking I averaged 11 and sometimes 12 minute miles.

After a short amount of rest, we drove to the Farmer's Market and walked across the street and then up and down the two aisles before returning to the car. Maybe another ½ mile?

In any event, I have to say that the pain had increased, but it was still bearable. Now with a clear picture of that pain in my mind, I can go back to the doctor and report on it. Then we will see what he has to offer me.

Trying…testing

I do want to spend some time exercising today. Going walking. I want to know more about my capacity for exercise. I've spent so much time in pain that I've become worried about how to approach any kind of exercise. I certainly don't want to do something that will only hurt me more. So I will do a slow and measured walk and see what that does to my hip and heel. But, should I do it at Bidwell Park? That's the scene of so many of my favorite times; back in the day when I could racewalk. I don't know if I would enjoy seeing the park while I'm crippled. Too many memories.

Still There

Yes, the pain is still with me. It didn't go away as hoped for. And today is the end of the fourth week after the RF Lesioning procedure. Now what? I'm supposed to call the pain clinic after 4 weeks and tell them about my progress. But before I do that I have my annual physical to attend to tomorrow and I will ask that doctor for his input.

Not Yet

It's been a week since the last one and I suppose it's time for the pain report once again. I wish it weren't so but it's still with me. Last night, it was as bad as it has been in the past. More drugs. I'm taking ibuprofen first thing this morning and hoping to avoid Vicodin later in the day. In the back of my mind, I have to keep saying that the doctor told me 3 to 4 weeks. It's been 3 weeks…

Should I?

Do I write about the pain again? Sure, why not? That’s about all that’s happening in my life. Pain, Vicodin, pain, ibuprofen, pain, grin and bear it. What fun this is! I can’t stand for more than ten minutes and I can’t sit normally for more than ten minutes. The RF Lesioning treatment hasn’t given me any relief yet. But they say it takes 3-4 weeks and I’m only closing in on the second week.

And of course all of the other pains in my life continue. They certainly didn’t stop when Stenosis took center stage.

I was reading a good blog this morning, where the writer described her energy and good health at the age of 60 and then the slow decline. She is 80 now and wondering what happened. OK, I knew it was coming. I can’t claim ignorance. I just thought it would pass me by and I would be one of the exceptions. I really thought I would be walking marathons at the age of 80. And it’s still there; the hope, but it’s fading.

Progress?

Here’s the note that they sent home with me after the RF Lesioning treatment. “Frequently you will have INCREASED pain that can last up to two weeks after the procedure. This is NORMAL. Use ice on the area to reduce inflammation. No steroids are used. Please note: this procedure takes at LEAST 3-4 WEEKS before it works.”

OK, they were right. Must. Be. Patient.

Ok, it's time

Just a few more minutes and I will be going to Chico to have the RF Lesioning procedure done. By Dr. Lal.

With any luck at all, I will be home around 11 and with the pain reduced. I know that there is a possibility that the real relief may take up to two weeks before it kicks in and there is going to be some residual pain from the procedure itself. That's OK.

Time's Up!

And I'm back...Well, you've heard that old saying, 'better than a jab with a sharp stick'? OK, I've had the jab with a sharp stick now and I would say that almost anything has to be better than that.

The good news, is that once they have identified the nerve that is hurting you (by making it hurt!) the rest of the procedure is simply OK. And short.

Now the recovery; I can expect two weeks of renewed pain because they have hurt the nerve and it's dying! And now that the Lidocaine has worn off...it's definitely back!

Good news/bad news. The bad first; it takes up to three weeks for the effects to be felt. The good; it can last for at least three months and up to eighteen months...

As for myself, I am planning on doing some walking within 3 weeks. Just a mile or so at first and no racewalking. This will take awhile to get back into shape.

Good news?

The 17th is the day and 9 AM is the hour. The nerves that are causing my pain will be zapped and killed. Dead. Until they grow again. But I will have some relief and that's what I'm looking forward to. (Image stolen from these guys)

More wondering

My morning has started in the usual way, with just enough pain to make me open the Vicodin bottle. I’m trying to avoid using more than one a day. And last night, just as I got up from my chair to turn out the lights, I had some severe pain. Ouch! But I was able to get to sleep without too much trouble.

And as was lying in bed, I started wondering about the long term effects of pain. I know that I sometimes think that I just need to suck it up. Stop being a wimp. C’mon! How bad is it? Or…maybe it’s not real? Is it imaginary?

Pain. A terribly difficult thing to understand. It doesn’t show up on an x-ray and a thermometer doesn’t indicate its presence. Totally subjective. As is our response to someone else’s pain. I can smile and laugh while in pain. But you don’t know that. So we are tempted to show people that we really are in pain. Grimace! See? We’re not faking!

OK, the prognosis is for more of the same pain and even increasing until…I can get the Radio Frequency Lesioning injection. Then it’s a period of decreasing pain (two weeks?) and finally, hopefully, an absence of pain. For anywhere from 3 months to 3 years. Not the best solution, but it’s apparently the only one available at this time.

With the pain gone, perhaps I can get back to racewalking. Not competitively, just plain old walking fast. For now, I have enough medals and t-shirts to satisfy my ego. Except, I should go ahead and get the tattoos. 5 ‘walking man’ images to represent the 5 marathons I’ve completed. Permanent ego boosters.

Times Up

It’s time to regroup and time to re-think my options. I’ve been to see the neurosurgeon and the news wasn’t all that good. He could fix my current problem and give me some new ones in return. And he doesn’t want to. I’m too young. And possibly too active. Or I could be active if I didn’t hurt all of the time. He was a good doctor and very thorough. But he said that what he would have to do to me (surgically) would ‘put a world of hurt on you.’ And so he is recommending that I pursue the epidural steroid injections for now.

Okay; maybe racewalking is out. Forever. I’ve seen the x-rays and the MRI. It’s not a pretty picture. In fact, I might even try to scan in one of the latest x-rays where it’s all too apparent that the nerves are being pinched. The MRI takes a lot more interpretative skills.

And somehow, with his leading the way, the conversation came around to bicycles and he said that he recommends recumbent bikes for his patients with similar problems. Except, he told me that they all had horror stories of almost being run over by negligent motorists. I can only imagine. Especially as it seems that so many motorists have a problem seeing a normal sized bike and rider.

Of course I like the idea of a bike and a chance to be out and moving. Somewhere. Anywhere. But there are all sorts of logistical problems with one. For instance, where do you put it in your car? On your car? Behind your car? And would I have to change the focus of this blog to cycling?

Bodybuilding

And Racewalking- The Ultimate Aerobic Activity!

True story!

Race Walking

A Record?

Lots of videos...

Jared Tallent

of Australia finishes first in the Men's 20km Walk -

2008 Beijing Blogging

2008 Racewalking

2008

Pictures | NBC Olympics

Yes! My sport...or it was once upon a time.

Focus on Athletes -

Eder Sanchez

Amazing! His 10K personal best of 39 minutes is an alright time for my 5K's...

Impressive

outing for Si Tianfeng in Beijing – IAAF Race Walking Challenge Day 2

Complaints

What kind of day will I have? The pain was moderate to severe as I got up and moved around the house first thing this morning. Now it has settled down to just ‘moderate’ while I sit here in the study. I need to take some more pills as usual. There are times when I think I’m just being a wimp and I only need to be strong and just ignore the pain. How bad can it be? Suck it up! But then I realize that it really does hurt…a lot. And how long will it continue? Will surgery do anything for me? What will I be able to do after surgery? Is there still a marathon in my future? There has to be.

Lumbar Spinal Stenosis

"a common cause of back problems in adults over 55 years old."

Common? There's nothing common about it when it happens to you. Three weeks to go before I see the neurosurgeon on the 28th.

No Training Today...or tomorrow

My morning has not started as well as I hoped for. The pain was immediate and sharp, even before I rolled out of bed and tried to get on my feet gracefully. (Graceful? Not any more.) It’s now an hour later and the pain has abated somewhat because of the ibuprofen; a double dose. And I suppose the coffee has helped a little bit as well. Must give credit where credit is due. But…attitude adjustment is needed; I’m definitely depressed. As I was waiting in the car at the post office yesterday, I watched an elder exit his car slowly and then hobble into the building, his cane tap, tap, tapping. Is that me? It’s at times like this that the thought of my completing another marathon seems as unlikely as my visiting the moon.

It only hurts when I laugh

I’m sorry that this blog has degenerated into a health issue blog. I’m still hoping for a happy ending to all of this and a return to posting about my latest race and my training progress as I head for my sixth marathon.

But, in the meantime, I wait. And wait some more. I was contacted by the neurosurgeon, Dr. J. Mimbs, and I now have an appointment for a consultation. 5 weeks from now. OK, I give. I used to think that perhaps the scenarios in the movie Sicko were ‘enhanced’ just a little bit to add some flair to the movie. Not.

So it’s back to a steady diet of ibuprofen for me. But, I will also try some bicycle exercise and even some walking during the next 5 weeks. I have to do something, even if it hurts.

All New to Me

Now that I have the news and the morning Projections postings out of the way, I guess I can go back to writing all about me. My favorite subject. Or I could write a story to post on another blog; perhaps my Working blog? But first, all about me. The hip and foot pain returns every day. Gathering in intensity. Some days are better than others, but still the slide is downwards. I have asked for a referral to a neurosurgeon and now I am waiting for that office to call. I had no idea that modern medicine involved so much ‘waiting’. But, then again, I’ve had very little contact with modern medicine. Until now. I don’t think I like it.

I must now talk to a neurosurgeon as I have to explore all of my options. The cortisone injection worked for a week or so and then the slide began. And when I talked to the pain clinic last week, they recommended? two procedures; my choice – cortisone again, good for a week or? Or radiofrequency lesioning. That’s a heating of the nerve to form scar tissue which will block pain signals for up to 3 years. Up to. That’s the kicker. I want it gone forever. I want to do another marathon. Heck, I want to do a simple 5K! And what’s with this giving me all of these options? I want someone to tell me what’s best. I didn’t go to medical school. I’m not qualified to decide what’s best in all cases. And so I wander from doctor to doctor, looking for an answer.

Exercise?

I suppose it would be in order for me report how I am feeling these days after the cortisone injection. Better is the key word. Most of the plantar fasciitis pain is gone and I can say that the hip pain is better. Not gone, but bearable. There is some sharp pain when I first wake and stand up and I have been experiencing that for quite some time; I think it’s an elder thing anyway. The only real pain occurs at the end of the day, especially when I have been enjoying some pool time with the kids and overdo the exercise. I also think that’s to be expected and if I were smart I would just take it easy. For pain, I am still taking ibuprofen and acetaminophen but staying away from the Vicodin for now. I want to save that for the morning of the next scheduled injection. The pain relief drug they injected me with was insufficient for the task last time and I want to be better prepared.

Could it be that I am getting close to getting in some real exercise? I'm afraid to try any real walking; no training! But perhaps if someone helps me get the bicycle down, I could try that?

As Promised

After having that cortisone injection in my back yesterday, I’m feeling a little better this morning. The plantar fasciitis symptoms in my left foot are down to a pain level of 2 where they were at a 6 or 7 up to the time of the injection. That is so good! The right hip pains have moderated as well.

Isn’t that odd that arthritic compression around the nerves in the spinal column can cause pain of two different types and on opposite sides? Am I cured? Not yet. The cortisone was given to try and identify the nerve that was causing the problem. Another visit will be required to actually block the signal from that nerve. Despite the pain from the actual injection, I'm looking forward to it. But that's 2 weeks away at least.

In the meantime, my right hip feels 'fragile', as if I shouldn't strain it. So I will avoid the temptation to see just how far I could walk. There will be a marathon next year. But, to be on the safe side, I really need to get my 5 marathon tattoos done; I'll get the 6th one afterward.

Pain Updates

I’m back from my first trip to the pain clinic. What fun! What pain! (Is this what old age is all about?) Dr. Lal is quite young and obviously fit; he is a rock climber. I envy him. He also has quite a practice; he’s a very busy man. I joined half a dozen others that were being processed through the back room where the treatment table with a fluoroscope is located. Up on the table, a quick IV shot of pain meds; roll over onto your stomach and then a local anesthetic. Wait just a second and then the search for the offending nerve, using a much larger needle. JEEKERS! He found it…twice. Then it’s about 30 minutes before I could walk again. Now that I’m home, I’m waiting for a miracle. I’ve been told that it could take a few weeks. Grrr!

What was the absolute worst part? The fact that they put me into a wheelchair until I recovered enough to walk. I had this vision of myself being in such a chair forever. I didn’t like it. At heart I'm still a marathoner.

Darn it!

I’m still wondering about my future. Will I ever do another marathon? Should I get an opinion from a surgeon? Should I give up the acupuncture and go for pain relief by more traditional methods? Here’s my problem; I’ve defined who I am by what I do. I became an athlete, a racewalker. I did 5 full marathons and dozens of shorter races, ranging from 1 mile to half marathon distances. I trained for ¾ of each year and loved the thought that I was going to be a different kind of elder citizen. An active one that defied the conventional beliefs about elderhood. I wanted to be racing at the age of 90. But now…who am I? I have no identity. I’m just another old guy who’s in a lot of pain and walks slowly.

OK, it’s just a moment or two of pessimism. I will get over it.

What's happening...revised

Update: I now have a very much revised diagnosis for that hip pain and so my marathon plans are changing. After three weeks of physical therapy with only minor improvement, I went back to the doctor and asked for another evaluation. An MRI revealed that I had arthritic deterioration of the lumbar and sacral vertebrae at L4, L5 and S1. All of which was narrowing the channel, the foramen, where the sacral nerve is located. My original thought that the pain was caused by my recent training activity was all wrong. The pain was caused by an activity that happened 40+ years ago, when I was a ‘sheetrocker’. All of those 4’x12’ sheets of drywall that I used to lift have come back to haunt me.

I can’t undo the past. Apparently, I’m stuck with just a few options; surgery or pain management. For the moment, I’ve decided that pain management is the route I want to take while I explore the surgery options. Apparently, there are all sorts of surgical methods to fix this. (Radiculopathy) But it’s hard to think clearly about them when you’re in pain. In the meantime, while I wait for an appointment with the pain doctor, I’m taking acetaminophen and Vicodin, neither one of which does much for the pain.

Back to the subject of marathons; this year’s marathon is not going to happen for me. I’m sad about it, but I’m trying hard to visualize myself in Portland next year. It can happen.

Here's what's happening...

OK, I have been to the doctor and he agrees with my self diagnosis; I have Piriformis Syndrome. Now I have to see the physical therapist and I'm hoping that will be soon. Very soon. I went directly from the doctors office to the therapists and got the papers to fill out. Now I have to wait for a phone call this morning. I can't begin to tell you how much this hurts and how badly I want to be rid of it!

It's all very frustrating, but if I can obtain a fairly rapid 'cure', I'm still on for the Portland Marathon. It's been just a little over two weeks since I gave up training and if I can get back onto the path in a another two weeks, I think I will be good to go for a late September marathon.

The good news from the doctor was the fact that I had lowered my cholesterol levels dramatically. Exercise and oatmeal. It's the "Secret".

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Oh, no!

I’m going to be out and walking again this morning. I’m on a roll now and I have a new spreadsheet to help me keep track of my progress. I wish I didn’t need to be motivated by Excel; it would be great if it just came naturally. If I would wake up in the morning and really want to get out in the cold and do 10 miles! But… that doesn’t happen; I actually limp; moaning and groaning, feeling the pain and hoping that it’s raining too hard to go out. Or too foggy. Or too sunny.

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Now that's fast!

I have finished a good 5.75 mile practice session in the park and I did it in 78 minutes; a 13.56 minute/mile average. Not the fastest, but certainly good enough for early training. And I did it without a lot of the pain that I’ve been experiencing lately. I have self diagnosed the problem as piriformis syndrome. “Some physicians believe that piriformis syndrome is the name given to hip/buttock pain that cannot be otherwise diagnosed.” Well, that’s sufficiently vague! And it sounds like I need a second or third opinion.

My problem with these kinds of sports injuries is the fact that most doctors (And physical therapists) have little or no knowledge of the dynamics of racewalking. It’s not running. And it’s not walking.

I did find a good racewalking site for exercise and stretching instruction and stretching is something that I usually skip, I better not. Also on the site are the results of the Olympic trials last month. That’s a 50K race and the winner did it in 4 hours and 13 minutes. Equivalent miles; 50K = 31.06856 miles. Or 8.14 minute/miles for the entire 31 miles!

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Train!

My plans for the day include the usual walk/run in the park. I must keep training if I want to be able to do the Portland marathon once again. But I am not going to be as rigid as I once was about the ‘racewalking only’ training. Right now, the mix of walking and running is working for me and I’ll take whatever successes I can. It all adds up to more endurance and better health.

But after this marathon; what then? Right now I’m used to the fact that I will be doing the race by myself and it’s simply the goal of doing 6 marathons in my life that keeps me at it. Maybe I shouldn’t worry about it and just see what happens.

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No Utterz

Not today... Oh, I did go walking and got in 4 miles. All for the good, of course. But, it wasn't the fastest and I even 'walked' for a portion of the time. I'm still dealing with aches and pains so it made sense to take it easy this morning. I do have a fairly long training time for this next marathon; perhaps I should look up the actual date for the Portland marathon? I'd hate to miss it!

I'm really looking forward to the spring and summer months of training as that is where I will be able to shed some weight. And although I won't share my current weight...I can tell you that my BP and pulse are back in the 'Good' range.

129/64 59

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A Smart Move

I decided to go ahead and race this morning and I was at the registration table early. I paid my money and got a shirt and a number; then it was back to the car to put the shirt away for another day. OK, I’m ready and have about 45 minutes to burn before the start.

I noted that there seemed to be less of a crowd than in years past and I suppose the threat of a storm has kept the fair weather racers away and that was fine with me.

After doing lots of stretches and sprints to warm up, I was ready for the race to begin, but as usual, it was about 10 minutes after 9 before the pistol was fired. And this time I kept my focus on me and not on the others surrounding me as we left the schoolyard and headed onto the course. I was racing for myself and not competing against anyone. Good move, as pretty soon I was all by myself. Runners ahead of me and slow walkers behind.

Although I brought my GPS unit with me, I didn’t bother looking at it, preferring to enjoy the rhythm of my own race. And pretty soon I was past the half way mark and heading home. It was about then that I felt I might be slowing some, so I decided to move the pace up a little. It’s really hard to estimate your performance when you’re all by yourself.

Finally I saw the entrance to the school parking lot and so I gave it a little boost and walked across the finish line in an estimated 39:44. I was fairly certain that I was the first walker across, but who knows? There might have been someone I missed seeing.

After a bottle of water and a banana, I sat down in the auditorium to await the official results and was quite happy to find out that they would announce the walking events first. Sure enough, I was winner (for the third year in a row) and added a medal and plaque to my stash. And while they were handing me the goodies, I tried to read the official time on the clipboard and it looked like 39:33, which would be even better. The paper will have the official results tomorrow. Either way, it was under 13 minute miles and I like that!

Let's see...last year's time was...37:20 and the year before that was 37:49. Ya know, if I had had some competition today, I would have done as well or better than last year...I know it!

Almond Blossom

I haven't seen the weather forecast yet, but I'm still planning on racing in the Durham Almond Blossom 5K this morning. I've been debating daily, and with this decision to go, I have either won or lost the debate...the results will tell me.

My hip wasn't bothering me as much as usual last night, so I'm optimistic about the day. And my granddaughter Meghan will be there to run. OK! And who knows, I may surprise myself with a decent time.

(The weather? Mostly cloudy with a slight chance of rain in the morning...then rain in the afternoon. Highs 48 to 53. Southeast winds 15 to 30 mph with gusts increasing to 40 to 50 mph by late in the afternoon.)

Mobile post sent by Steven using Utterz.  Replies.  mp3

Mobile post sent by Steven using Utterz.  Replies.  mp3

Mobile post sent by Steven using Utterz.  Replies.  mp3

Mobile post sent by Steven using Utterz.  Replies.  mp3

Mobile post sent by Steven using Utterz.  Replies.  mp3