An hour of Tai Chi in the morning, which really let me feel last night's leg and core workout, and a day of yardwork. Does this count as a well rounded workout for the day? No, it does not. Monday is typically a swim day, after a long day at work, so tonight will be upper body and a more serious core workout. I will say, pulling weeds and raking are great for chest, triceps, and shoulders.
I know I've mentioned it more than I should, but I feel like my training intensity isn't matching up to what it could/should be. I know this is only by comparison of what it was 2 years ago. Comparing to even 3 years ago I know my swimming, cycling, and strength training are way ahead of where I was. What makes the difference now is that a solid hour plus swim is par for the course and feels, dare I say it, Easy. A few years ago I was celebrating being able to swim a mile nonstop without wanting to die. Now I feel like a slacker if my swim is less that 1-1/2 miles, and shorter than 60 minutes.
If/when I get my running back on track then I can start really focusing on the half-Iron training for September. I need to get my leg strength to peak then as well, since the Firefighter Stairclimb is the following weekend, and that will be brutal on weary legs.
Just gotta keep training. Pushing forward bit by bit. Increasing strength and endurance in small careful increments. "Make haste slowly." Time for a spin.
Monday, May 30, 2016
Sunday, May 29, 2016
Mix It Up
I am nothing if not consistent. I have been maintaining some pretty specific training sessions repeatedly over the months (and years). The downside of this is that I can fall into a rut if I am not careful. Yes, I know that it is better to be steady and consistent than it is to be random. But it is also detrimental to be too repetitive. I am such a creature of habit that I fall into set patterns very easily. Too easily. With this in mind I make sure to mix up my workouts a bit. I am always conscious of this when I swim or cycle. I break my week's sessions into 3 main categories: speed work (sprints in the pool, Tabata on the bike), strength (hand paddles in the pool, high gears low cadence on the bike), and endurance (going long, with some speed tossed in). This also helps break the monotony a bit.
For the last few months I have been doing about 30 minutes of leg work in the pool after every swim, in an attempt to strengthen hips, knees, pelvic girdle, etc. I am hoping to avoid the injuries that have been sidelining my running for the better part of 11 months. Damn. Has it been that long? Yeah, sadly, it has. My water workout is a nice balance of high knee running and dryland training done with the added resistance of the water. I get the benefits of the muscle movements with resistance and none of the high impact. So far, this seems to be a good combination. I've been doing it long enough that I was starting to worry I would fall into too static of a routine. I've since added about 50 yards of side stepping, and 15 yards of "MonsterWalk" (walking forward with feet more than shoulder width apart) to each set. In addition to my concerns about recurring Runner's Knee and IT Band issues, I am also trying to shore up my hips which have been giving me grief the last few months. I am hoping that by addressing IT Band and pelvic girdle strength and flexibility, as well as potential pelvic tilt, that I might manage to run with minimal pain. I don't ever expect to run pain-free, that is unrealistic, but hopefully I can avoid injury.
I've also been mixing up my strength training. I have a solid upper body workout that is fairly specific for triathlon, especially swimming. Using resistance bands, hand weights, kettle bell, and barbell. I tend to do large supersets of about 8 exercises, repeating the set 3 times (I don't know why, but 3 sets has always kind of been my magic number), and working through about 16+ different exercises. Lately I am doing smaller supersets, mixing up the order, and tossing in a few extra exercises like pushups with one hand on a weighted ball. I've also done a few nights here and there when I have done fewer exercises, but increased the number of reps and sets, so that time spent is about the same, just more focused. Another of my favorite things to do is top off my Saturday evening swim with a pretty tough upper body workout. I really feel this on Sunday, believe me.
I still haven't signed up for any events this year. I am waiting to see if I will be able to run again. I admit, I am almost afraid to lace up my running shoes and hit the trail. I have done almost everything I can think of to prep my body to run again, and if I still wind up injured I think that will be the end of it. I don't know if I can mentally cope with the thought of never being able to do triathlon again. It would break my heart. But I will keep training anyway.
For the last few months I have been doing about 30 minutes of leg work in the pool after every swim, in an attempt to strengthen hips, knees, pelvic girdle, etc. I am hoping to avoid the injuries that have been sidelining my running for the better part of 11 months. Damn. Has it been that long? Yeah, sadly, it has. My water workout is a nice balance of high knee running and dryland training done with the added resistance of the water. I get the benefits of the muscle movements with resistance and none of the high impact. So far, this seems to be a good combination. I've been doing it long enough that I was starting to worry I would fall into too static of a routine. I've since added about 50 yards of side stepping, and 15 yards of "MonsterWalk" (walking forward with feet more than shoulder width apart) to each set. In addition to my concerns about recurring Runner's Knee and IT Band issues, I am also trying to shore up my hips which have been giving me grief the last few months. I am hoping that by addressing IT Band and pelvic girdle strength and flexibility, as well as potential pelvic tilt, that I might manage to run with minimal pain. I don't ever expect to run pain-free, that is unrealistic, but hopefully I can avoid injury.
I've also been mixing up my strength training. I have a solid upper body workout that is fairly specific for triathlon, especially swimming. Using resistance bands, hand weights, kettle bell, and barbell. I tend to do large supersets of about 8 exercises, repeating the set 3 times (I don't know why, but 3 sets has always kind of been my magic number), and working through about 16+ different exercises. Lately I am doing smaller supersets, mixing up the order, and tossing in a few extra exercises like pushups with one hand on a weighted ball. I've also done a few nights here and there when I have done fewer exercises, but increased the number of reps and sets, so that time spent is about the same, just more focused. Another of my favorite things to do is top off my Saturday evening swim with a pretty tough upper body workout. I really feel this on Sunday, believe me.
I still haven't signed up for any events this year. I am waiting to see if I will be able to run again. I admit, I am almost afraid to lace up my running shoes and hit the trail. I have done almost everything I can think of to prep my body to run again, and if I still wind up injured I think that will be the end of it. I don't know if I can mentally cope with the thought of never being able to do triathlon again. It would break my heart. But I will keep training anyway.
Sunday, May 15, 2016
Focus
Yesterday was my typical, exciting Saturday night: Swim, legwork in the pool, followed by hard upper body strength training. Yes, I am a party animal. The result of this particular workout is, as you might expect, sore shoulders and chest. One of the best things I have found for this is my Tai Chi workout. It is a great whole body workout with fluid movement, controlled breathing, and lots of chest opening moves. So I started my day with an hour of Tai Chi with Scott Cole. If I had the time I would do Tai Chi every day. I have planted a special circle of grass in my backyard as an outdoor "Hall of Harmony" for summer use.
I am determined to increase my flexibility and strength, and am taking steps to this end. So today started with Tai Chi and ended with an hour on the bike, and an hour of leg work: step up, calf raises, hip raise, side lunge, dead lift, squat, split squat, bridge, bridge march, high knees, side leg raise, kettle bell swing. Three sets each in super sets of three exercises (my typical pattern). I am really focused on hip and glute strength, balance and flexibility.
I finally reassembled my treadmill. I tore it apart about two months ago to try and get it working right. For some reason it shuts off after about 1/4 mile. There is a fuse that is triggering and wont reset until the thing has been turned off, unplugged, and let rest for a few minutes. Not exactly conducive to a goo aerobic workout. I had hoped that a good cleaning and lube would set things to right. Trying to put it back together I got frustrated and just put it all away for a bit. Then trying to get motivated to spend a few precious hours putting the thing back together too a while. Finally, today, I had decided to take a day off from my usual hard work on home owner projects. I meant to have a lazy day, but got restless and decided to attack the treadmill again. It did take nearly two hours to reassemble and get the belt tension right. I eagerly started it up, and it was much quieter, and seemed to be running smoothly. I set it to a quick walking pace with high hopes. Not even a quarter mile into it and it shut down *heavy sigh*. So all my work was for nothing. I had really hoped to add it back into my weekly training regimen. I am tempted to sell it cheap and get an elliptical trainer.
But despite the disappointment of the treadmill I still got in two quality workouts today. That is the plan for my days off, as it used to be back when I was training with intent. I do need to get signed up for some kind of event so I can regain that intent. But I can't sign up until I know I can run again. It is the rock and a hard place: I want events so I can focus my training, I can't have an event until my focused training will let me run, but I can't sign up for an event unless I know I can run, and without events on the agenda it is hard to maintain my focus. I have vowed to myself that I will keep my focus, even if it just to maintain the level of fitness that I have come to expect from my body. Focus. Focus. Focus.
I am determined to increase my flexibility and strength, and am taking steps to this end. So today started with Tai Chi and ended with an hour on the bike, and an hour of leg work: step up, calf raises, hip raise, side lunge, dead lift, squat, split squat, bridge, bridge march, high knees, side leg raise, kettle bell swing. Three sets each in super sets of three exercises (my typical pattern). I am really focused on hip and glute strength, balance and flexibility.
I finally reassembled my treadmill. I tore it apart about two months ago to try and get it working right. For some reason it shuts off after about 1/4 mile. There is a fuse that is triggering and wont reset until the thing has been turned off, unplugged, and let rest for a few minutes. Not exactly conducive to a goo aerobic workout. I had hoped that a good cleaning and lube would set things to right. Trying to put it back together I got frustrated and just put it all away for a bit. Then trying to get motivated to spend a few precious hours putting the thing back together too a while. Finally, today, I had decided to take a day off from my usual hard work on home owner projects. I meant to have a lazy day, but got restless and decided to attack the treadmill again. It did take nearly two hours to reassemble and get the belt tension right. I eagerly started it up, and it was much quieter, and seemed to be running smoothly. I set it to a quick walking pace with high hopes. Not even a quarter mile into it and it shut down *heavy sigh*. So all my work was for nothing. I had really hoped to add it back into my weekly training regimen. I am tempted to sell it cheap and get an elliptical trainer.
But despite the disappointment of the treadmill I still got in two quality workouts today. That is the plan for my days off, as it used to be back when I was training with intent. I do need to get signed up for some kind of event so I can regain that intent. But I can't sign up until I know I can run again. It is the rock and a hard place: I want events so I can focus my training, I can't have an event until my focused training will let me run, but I can't sign up for an event unless I know I can run, and without events on the agenda it is hard to maintain my focus. I have vowed to myself that I will keep my focus, even if it just to maintain the level of fitness that I have come to expect from my body. Focus. Focus. Focus.
Plan of Attack
I realized yesterday that I have been focusing too much on what I can't do, instead of what I can, and how far I have come over the last 4 years. I have been down on myself because my fitness level isn't what it was 1-1/2 years ago when I did the 250k. Well, no shit. True, I have been having a lot of trouble with pain from injuries and arthritis, not to mention that nasty (and very painful) little bout with cellulitus that required 10 days of antibiotics. True, I've been having a lot of fatigue the last month or two that has made my motivation slip, I think part of this is residual from the infection and antibiotics. So this is me, pulling myself up by my boot straps, slapping myself upside the head, giving myself a good shake, and yelling, "Get over it!!" Yeah, it's like that.
I have been approaching a lot of my leg training as physical therapy in an attempt to be able to run again. This will continue, and get a bit more intense. I've been spending about 30 minutes after each swim (so, three days a week) doing leg work in the water. This has been great. I'm really trying to strengthen my hip abductors and pelvic girdle to give me more stability when I run and cycle. I have been cognizant of stretching in an attempt to loosen up my hips, to decrease my chances of more IT Band issues. I have to interject one thing here, cycling makes for tight hip flexors. I mean stiff, tight, old lady hip flexors. I also have a good, solid leg routine that I do 2-3 times a week of weights, strength training, body weight work, and plyometrics. I am adding to this routine with more stability work to try and better activate small muscles and kinetic chain. Because I don't workout enough, I need to add more. Really though, more dryland training is needed if I am ever going to be able to run at anything more than a hobble for 5K.
I am back in the running shoe market. Damn shoes. I have some that I really love, but with chronic foot pain I think I need to add more padding than my beloved minimal shoes offer. Especially on pavement. No, I don't plan on running on pavement much, but it is a necessary evil. Even on trails I think that increasing the cushioning in my shoes won't be a bad thing. Honestly, I can't even begin to tell you just how much my feet hurt. Getting older sucks. Now I know why old people move so stiff and slow, it is because everything hurts.
I am adding meditation to try and move past the aches and pains that are from a body well used, as well as continue a search for supplements, diet tweaks, and physical therapy to reduce the pain as much as I can. I need to be able to function, and a body that hurts doesn't want to train. You wouldn't believe the conversations I have with myself trying to convince me to work past the pain. No, I am not talking about injury pain, just the day to day discomfort that has increased considerably this year.
That is the current plan of attack. Basically keep doing what I am doing, but do more of it. Remind myself of what I can do and how far I have come, not what my limitations are.
I have been approaching a lot of my leg training as physical therapy in an attempt to be able to run again. This will continue, and get a bit more intense. I've been spending about 30 minutes after each swim (so, three days a week) doing leg work in the water. This has been great. I'm really trying to strengthen my hip abductors and pelvic girdle to give me more stability when I run and cycle. I have been cognizant of stretching in an attempt to loosen up my hips, to decrease my chances of more IT Band issues. I have to interject one thing here, cycling makes for tight hip flexors. I mean stiff, tight, old lady hip flexors. I also have a good, solid leg routine that I do 2-3 times a week of weights, strength training, body weight work, and plyometrics. I am adding to this routine with more stability work to try and better activate small muscles and kinetic chain. Because I don't workout enough, I need to add more. Really though, more dryland training is needed if I am ever going to be able to run at anything more than a hobble for 5K.
I am back in the running shoe market. Damn shoes. I have some that I really love, but with chronic foot pain I think I need to add more padding than my beloved minimal shoes offer. Especially on pavement. No, I don't plan on running on pavement much, but it is a necessary evil. Even on trails I think that increasing the cushioning in my shoes won't be a bad thing. Honestly, I can't even begin to tell you just how much my feet hurt. Getting older sucks. Now I know why old people move so stiff and slow, it is because everything hurts.
I am adding meditation to try and move past the aches and pains that are from a body well used, as well as continue a search for supplements, diet tweaks, and physical therapy to reduce the pain as much as I can. I need to be able to function, and a body that hurts doesn't want to train. You wouldn't believe the conversations I have with myself trying to convince me to work past the pain. No, I am not talking about injury pain, just the day to day discomfort that has increased considerably this year.
That is the current plan of attack. Basically keep doing what I am doing, but do more of it. Remind myself of what I can do and how far I have come, not what my limitations are.
Wednesday, May 11, 2016
Reactive Arthritis
Although I hate the term, it is so cliche, I had an "Ah ha! Moment" the other day. I listen to the news on the radio on my way to work in the mornings. It is just enough to reassure me that our country didn't go to war over night, we are still a "democracy," and what to expect from the weather. There is also a little medical blip once a week on some illness or syndrome. Last week it was IBS (irritable bowel syndrome). I have made no effort to hide the fact that I have a delicate digestive system. Oh, nothing as bad as IBS, or Crohn's, or Leaky Gut. Mostly I just have to be careful of what I eat, and understand the ramifications if I throw caution to the wind (like last Sunday... read my previous post). Anyhoo, enough rambling, IBS radio blip. The woman being interviewed was a specialist on IBS and other gastrointestinal maladies, so I paid attention to what she was saying. Here was my Ah Ha! She said that IBS can be triggered by bacteria such as E-coli or Salmonella. Nearly 5 years ago I had an up close and personal experience with Salmonella. It wasn't severe enough that I sought medial treatment, choosing homeopathic and natural treatment (bland diet, plenty of clear liquids, etc). But it was quite literally gut wrenching. I had nearly two weeks of cramping, diarrhea, and eventually even blood in my stool. I lost 10 pounds, and it made me feel weak as a kitten. But it passed, and I got better.
After listening to the radio interview I started thinking, and realized that most of my digestive started about 4 months after the Salmonella Incident. True, I had stopped eating wheat more than a year before that, and my 20 year case of heartburn finally cleared up, so that is a whole different story. I started looking into the relationship between Salmonella and chronic digestive issues. Now, here is where it gets a bit weird. Salmonella is also a trigger for what is now called "Reactive Arthritis," previously known as "Reiter's Syndrome." I was familiar with Reiter's Syndrome, a doctor suggested my younger son had it back when he was about 10. The common symptoms are joint pain that is asymmetrical and often in the ankles and feet, conjunctivitis (eye inflammation), and urethritis, as well as gut issues, and ulcerations of the mucous membrane. The doctor said at the time, "You can have a bout once or twice and never again, but if you have a bout more than 3 times it is likely to effect you the rest of your life." Fortunately, my son only had the one bout. In the last few years I have looked at Reiter's as a possible explanation of all the weird shit my body does, but then I also thought maybe I was hearing hooves and thinking Zebra instead of the simple explanation of Horse. Know what I mean?
So, back to Salmonella and Reactive Arthritis. Reiter's has been renamed, since Dr. Reiter was a Nazi therefore not PC to have a syndrome named after him. It was when I was clicking through links on Salmonella that I found that it is a common trigger for Reactive Arthritis. I hadn't heard this in relation to Reiter's, but then I wasn't thinking along these lines. Now I am beginning to wonder.
Now, here is another weird little coincidence. A few weeks ago I cut my shin with a scythe. Yeah, I know, pretty stoopid. The cut ended up getting infected with cellulitis, a bacteria that infects the tissue just beneath the skin, and if left untreated can get nasty enough that you can lose a limb. Not cool. As much as I hate taking antibiotics I went on a 10 day course of Oxytetracycline. This is the first antibiotic I've taken in decades. Honestly. Here is the weird part, Oxytetracycline is used to treat Salmonella in pigs, who's physiology closely resembles a human. But wait, there's more. Usually antibiotics screw up the gut flora, so you need to take some probiotics to try and rebalance the whole thing. Getting to the weird part now, since being on the antibiotic I haven't had nearly the weird digestive issues that I normally do. Seriously. Coincidence? I don't know. Have I been suffering the effects of dragging around some residual Salmonella in my system for the last 5 years?
Now I am wondering if I will have any clearing of arthritis issues? That would be awesome, though not likely. All the research on Reactive Arthritis says that once you have it you have it, it isn't going away. Oddly enough though, I am a little encouraged by all of this. Why? You may well ask. Because Reactive Arthritis isn't nearly as degenerative as Rheumatoid Arthritis. These last few months I have been pretty sure that I have Rheumatoid Arthritis, and it has been depressing as hell. One way or another, I will be dealing with the chronic pain for the rest of my life, I just need to learn better ways to manage it.
The thing is, I could go to a rheumatologist, have a slew of tests done, and still likely not have any answers. The recommendation would likely be pharmaceuticals, very expensive pharmaceuticals. Instead I will continue to do what I do: eat healthy, take appropriate supplements, try new things now and then, keep researching, keep working out despite pain, and hope that it is is merely pain and not something degenerative. As painful as things are now, I can deal with it. What I fear is if it is this bad now, what will it be like in 10 years? 20 years? I have been looking into stem cell treatment for joint tissue regrowth, hoping to find some clinical trials that might need a vigorous test subject. I just need to grow some new soft tissue, that's all. That's all.
After listening to the radio interview I started thinking, and realized that most of my digestive started about 4 months after the Salmonella Incident. True, I had stopped eating wheat more than a year before that, and my 20 year case of heartburn finally cleared up, so that is a whole different story. I started looking into the relationship between Salmonella and chronic digestive issues. Now, here is where it gets a bit weird. Salmonella is also a trigger for what is now called "Reactive Arthritis," previously known as "Reiter's Syndrome." I was familiar with Reiter's Syndrome, a doctor suggested my younger son had it back when he was about 10. The common symptoms are joint pain that is asymmetrical and often in the ankles and feet, conjunctivitis (eye inflammation), and urethritis, as well as gut issues, and ulcerations of the mucous membrane. The doctor said at the time, "You can have a bout once or twice and never again, but if you have a bout more than 3 times it is likely to effect you the rest of your life." Fortunately, my son only had the one bout. In the last few years I have looked at Reiter's as a possible explanation of all the weird shit my body does, but then I also thought maybe I was hearing hooves and thinking Zebra instead of the simple explanation of Horse. Know what I mean?
So, back to Salmonella and Reactive Arthritis. Reiter's has been renamed, since Dr. Reiter was a Nazi therefore not PC to have a syndrome named after him. It was when I was clicking through links on Salmonella that I found that it is a common trigger for Reactive Arthritis. I hadn't heard this in relation to Reiter's, but then I wasn't thinking along these lines. Now I am beginning to wonder.
Now, here is another weird little coincidence. A few weeks ago I cut my shin with a scythe. Yeah, I know, pretty stoopid. The cut ended up getting infected with cellulitis, a bacteria that infects the tissue just beneath the skin, and if left untreated can get nasty enough that you can lose a limb. Not cool. As much as I hate taking antibiotics I went on a 10 day course of Oxytetracycline. This is the first antibiotic I've taken in decades. Honestly. Here is the weird part, Oxytetracycline is used to treat Salmonella in pigs, who's physiology closely resembles a human. But wait, there's more. Usually antibiotics screw up the gut flora, so you need to take some probiotics to try and rebalance the whole thing. Getting to the weird part now, since being on the antibiotic I haven't had nearly the weird digestive issues that I normally do. Seriously. Coincidence? I don't know. Have I been suffering the effects of dragging around some residual Salmonella in my system for the last 5 years?
Now I am wondering if I will have any clearing of arthritis issues? That would be awesome, though not likely. All the research on Reactive Arthritis says that once you have it you have it, it isn't going away. Oddly enough though, I am a little encouraged by all of this. Why? You may well ask. Because Reactive Arthritis isn't nearly as degenerative as Rheumatoid Arthritis. These last few months I have been pretty sure that I have Rheumatoid Arthritis, and it has been depressing as hell. One way or another, I will be dealing with the chronic pain for the rest of my life, I just need to learn better ways to manage it.
The thing is, I could go to a rheumatologist, have a slew of tests done, and still likely not have any answers. The recommendation would likely be pharmaceuticals, very expensive pharmaceuticals. Instead I will continue to do what I do: eat healthy, take appropriate supplements, try new things now and then, keep researching, keep working out despite pain, and hope that it is is merely pain and not something degenerative. As painful as things are now, I can deal with it. What I fear is if it is this bad now, what will it be like in 10 years? 20 years? I have been looking into stem cell treatment for joint tissue regrowth, hoping to find some clinical trials that might need a vigorous test subject. I just need to grow some new soft tissue, that's all. That's all.
Monday, May 9, 2016
Lesson Learned
Wow, if I wasn't too sure about avoiding wheat and sugar the last 24 hours have reinforced my dietary restrictions. Yesterday was Mother's Day. We had a potluck picnic at the local mini-train park where the train rides are free, to the delight of my train freak grandson. I decided to indulge my sweet tooth and made some epic sugar cookies complete with pink frosting. They were amazing, if I do say so myself. Of course that meant snacking on cookie dough, a few spoonfuls of the buttery icing, and then way more cookies than I should have. I felt fine last night. if a trifle guilty for my overindulgence. But hey, I don't do it often. Right?
Today was a different story. For starters, I had a helluva time waking up, fighting off the fog, and getting out the door on time. At work my brain was so addled that anything remotely resembling multi-tasking was a recipe for abject failure. I made more mistakes today than I normally would in a 6 month period. I was short tempered, and overly sensitive. I had volcanic heartburn that was unaffected by antacids, and radically effected by stress. The arthritis in my ankles and feet flared up so much that a young coworker asked if I had injured myself.
I was so worn out after work that I almost skipped my swim, but knew if I did I would just come home and park myself at the computer feeling miserable. My energy level was low, and my muscles felt fatigued. But I swam a 50 lap individual medley swim, swimming for about 65 minutes, despite heartburn and acid reflux that made me feel like I was going to ralph during most of my swim. Let me interject here, this particular swim set is my favorite when I am tired and brain dead because I don't have to work too hard to keep track of sets: 2 laps breast stroke, 2 laps backstroke, 4 laps crawl equals one set. Easy-peasy. Today I was having a hard time keeping track, I couldn't remember what my previous lap had been unless I really focused. It was a bit unsettling actually, and made me wonder if early onset Alzheimer's might feel a bit like this. I was so easily distracted I didn't worry so much about the lap count and decided to just aim for an hour swim. I followed with my usual 30 minute leg workout. Sitting in the Jacuzzi I downed a liter of water hoping to help flush the sugar and wheat from my system.
Dinner started with a gigantic salad from greens cut fresh from my garden and topped with an avocado dressing. Then I had black bean and yam chili tacos with fresh spinach and guacamole. Dessert was a fabulous tree ripened navel orange, and 2 medjool dates. Now I'm sipping a giant mug of herbal tea, listening to Pink Floyd's Animals, and feeling a bit more like my normal self.
The lesson here is clear: Indulge a bit now and then, but don't over-indulge. I had a helluva a food hangover today. I paid the price for injudicious choices. This has nothing to do with worry about calories, or fat, or "cheat foods." (I don't believe in Cheat foods, or Cheat days... I eat what feels right). It's not about jumping on the Gluten-Free Bandwagon. This is all about listening to my body, understanding that some foods are toxic to me, and paying attention to the signs. The funny thing is that I didn't really make the connection between all of today's weirdness and what I ate 24 hours earlier until mid afternoon. Now, full of fresh greens and herbal tea I am definitely feeling better. My brain is more functional, and my gut doesn't hurt. I am hoping I don't repeat this particular idiocy any time soon.
I was so worn out after work that I almost skipped my swim, but knew if I did I would just come home and park myself at the computer feeling miserable. My energy level was low, and my muscles felt fatigued. But I swam a 50 lap individual medley swim, swimming for about 65 minutes, despite heartburn and acid reflux that made me feel like I was going to ralph during most of my swim. Let me interject here, this particular swim set is my favorite when I am tired and brain dead because I don't have to work too hard to keep track of sets: 2 laps breast stroke, 2 laps backstroke, 4 laps crawl equals one set. Easy-peasy. Today I was having a hard time keeping track, I couldn't remember what my previous lap had been unless I really focused. It was a bit unsettling actually, and made me wonder if early onset Alzheimer's might feel a bit like this. I was so easily distracted I didn't worry so much about the lap count and decided to just aim for an hour swim. I followed with my usual 30 minute leg workout. Sitting in the Jacuzzi I downed a liter of water hoping to help flush the sugar and wheat from my system.
Dinner started with a gigantic salad from greens cut fresh from my garden and topped with an avocado dressing. Then I had black bean and yam chili tacos with fresh spinach and guacamole. Dessert was a fabulous tree ripened navel orange, and 2 medjool dates. Now I'm sipping a giant mug of herbal tea, listening to Pink Floyd's Animals, and feeling a bit more like my normal self.
The lesson here is clear: Indulge a bit now and then, but don't over-indulge. I had a helluva a food hangover today. I paid the price for injudicious choices. This has nothing to do with worry about calories, or fat, or "cheat foods." (I don't believe in Cheat foods, or Cheat days... I eat what feels right). It's not about jumping on the Gluten-Free Bandwagon. This is all about listening to my body, understanding that some foods are toxic to me, and paying attention to the signs. The funny thing is that I didn't really make the connection between all of today's weirdness and what I ate 24 hours earlier until mid afternoon. Now, full of fresh greens and herbal tea I am definitely feeling better. My brain is more functional, and my gut doesn't hurt. I am hoping I don't repeat this particular idiocy any time soon.
Wednesday, May 4, 2016
New Bike Seat. Jury's Still Out.
Last week I got my new bike seat delivered to my door. The ISM Adamo Century. This is one of the split "noseless" seats that are supposed to help take pressure off the perineum aka my delicate girly bits. I have read in reviews that it is important to keep tweaking the positioning to get it right and then it works like a dream. I must not be tweaking correctly.
The reason I got this particular seat is that with all the time I have spent in the saddle over the last few years I have been experiencing some nerve damage to the aforementioned delicate girly bits. Not to mention the numbness that occurs when I ride more than an hour or so. I don't want to have my bike seat be the cause of incontinence later in life. No sport is worth having to wear a diaper, just sayin'.
So as always, when a problem arises I search and research. I find reputable sources for information and product reviews and spend a lot of time and effort to learn all I can before making a decision. Partly because I am poor, and a tightwad, so I don't want to be throwing money at a problem and hope that eventually I will stumble upon the right answer. This is how I found the ISM Adamo series of seats. I had seen them before, and have wanted one, but they are pricey. The Century retails for about $200, but thanks to Amazon and last year's model, I got mine for $82 and free shipping. Cheap for a good bike seat, but still more than I like to spend on anything except my mortgage (which is way more than $82, btw).
Putting a lot of thought into bike set and position I have been thinking that one problem is that my bike frame may be too big for me. Not the height, I have long legs, but the length since I have a short torso. This makes me have to roll forward through the pelvis more so I can't curl back onto my "sit-bones" like I should. Adding to this is the fact that I have what is called a "tipped pelvis." Meaning my pelvis tips forward causing me to have a deeper curve in the small of my back that makes it physically impossible to really roll back onto my sit-bones like I wish I could. This all means that when I ride the bulk of my weight is resting on my pubis bone and the perineum, and these areas are delicate and easily smashed.
I am still holding out hope that the new Century saddle will be the answer to numbness and nerve damage. I will keep tweaking. I am trying to not think of what it would cost for me to get another bike. besides, I love Joshua and don't want to give up on him, we have had some excellent adventures together.
The reason I got this particular seat is that with all the time I have spent in the saddle over the last few years I have been experiencing some nerve damage to the aforementioned delicate girly bits. Not to mention the numbness that occurs when I ride more than an hour or so. I don't want to have my bike seat be the cause of incontinence later in life. No sport is worth having to wear a diaper, just sayin'.
So as always, when a problem arises I search and research. I find reputable sources for information and product reviews and spend a lot of time and effort to learn all I can before making a decision. Partly because I am poor, and a tightwad, so I don't want to be throwing money at a problem and hope that eventually I will stumble upon the right answer. This is how I found the ISM Adamo series of seats. I had seen them before, and have wanted one, but they are pricey. The Century retails for about $200, but thanks to Amazon and last year's model, I got mine for $82 and free shipping. Cheap for a good bike seat, but still more than I like to spend on anything except my mortgage (which is way more than $82, btw).
Putting a lot of thought into bike set and position I have been thinking that one problem is that my bike frame may be too big for me. Not the height, I have long legs, but the length since I have a short torso. This makes me have to roll forward through the pelvis more so I can't curl back onto my "sit-bones" like I should. Adding to this is the fact that I have what is called a "tipped pelvis." Meaning my pelvis tips forward causing me to have a deeper curve in the small of my back that makes it physically impossible to really roll back onto my sit-bones like I wish I could. This all means that when I ride the bulk of my weight is resting on my pubis bone and the perineum, and these areas are delicate and easily smashed.
I am still holding out hope that the new Century saddle will be the answer to numbness and nerve damage. I will keep tweaking. I am trying to not think of what it would cost for me to get another bike. besides, I love Joshua and don't want to give up on him, we have had some excellent adventures together.
Tuesday, May 3, 2016
Lead Legs, Fatigue, Normal Weirdness
My legs have felt like lead the last few days. I am not sure WTH is up with them, but it has been a bit disconcerting. Today should have been Leg Day, but I know better than to push muscles that are asking for a bit of rest. Okay, sometimes I am good at knowing better, often I really suck at it. Tonight I decided I needed to listen to my body. I did 45 minutes on the bike, high cadence, easy-ish gear. I started into my leg workout, but got halfway through my first set of high knees and decided it was not going to end well. Instead, I opted for an hour of intense core work. Funny how my legs can feel tired and puny, and yet my abs were ready to be punished and rose to the occasion.
I have been doing 20-30 minutes of leg work in the pool after every swim, basically physical therapy to try to get my running back on track. So maybe today was a combination of multiple trips up and down stairs and hills on Sunday, leg work at the pool yesterday, and a job that has me on my feet on concrete all day.
I have been feeling ridiculously fatigued, and voraciously hungry lately. Almost as if I was pregnant. But I can assure you, I am not. Immaculate conception aside, it can't happen. But the feeling is similar. I have been so very tired, my energy level is whacked (manic cleaning one minute, absolute lethargy the next), hungry all the time yet with an undercurrent of unhappy stomach, sleep quality isn't great, and I have been a bit emotional lately. See? Sounds like first trimester.
Maybe what I really need is to readjust my eating, get more rest (stop writing when I should be in bed), and alter my training program a bit. Not that I am training all that hard right now, but I have increased my strength training since I haven't been able to run. I guess I should stop being at all surprised when my body is acting weird. Weird is the norm for me.
Now, I will put words to action, stop writing, and get my tired ass to bed.
I have been doing 20-30 minutes of leg work in the pool after every swim, basically physical therapy to try to get my running back on track. So maybe today was a combination of multiple trips up and down stairs and hills on Sunday, leg work at the pool yesterday, and a job that has me on my feet on concrete all day.
I have been feeling ridiculously fatigued, and voraciously hungry lately. Almost as if I was pregnant. But I can assure you, I am not. Immaculate conception aside, it can't happen. But the feeling is similar. I have been so very tired, my energy level is whacked (manic cleaning one minute, absolute lethargy the next), hungry all the time yet with an undercurrent of unhappy stomach, sleep quality isn't great, and I have been a bit emotional lately. See? Sounds like first trimester.
Maybe what I really need is to readjust my eating, get more rest (stop writing when I should be in bed), and alter my training program a bit. Not that I am training all that hard right now, but I have increased my strength training since I haven't been able to run. I guess I should stop being at all surprised when my body is acting weird. Weird is the norm for me.
Sunday, May 1, 2016
2-Click Shopping
I almost hate how easy it is to buy on Amazon and eBay. I am a 2-click shopper: Find a desired item, click "Buy," click "Confirm." Done. Easy-peasy. Almost too easy. It does save me countless hours of bargain hunting at stores or on Craigslist. It also saves me the grief of having to deal with people out in the real world.
My reason for this particular ramble? It just took me all of 4 minutes to hunt down, research, and buy a new trainer stand for my bike. I had browsed Craigslist a few times over the last year, knowing that my trainer is on its last leg. I have been dismayed that most people are wanting $100 or more. Not that they aren't worth it, but I really don't want to spend that much on a used piece of equipment, as well as having to deal with the person selling it. My total price for a brand new, in the box, decent model from a reputable dealer: $63.99 including shipping, and it will be on my doorstep in a week. I am totally okay with that. No muss, no fuss, and I won't even have to talk to the UPS driver.
A few weeks ago I decided it was time to buy a new bike seat. I had gotten a little windfall and decided that I wanted to spend it on something I needed, not just paying a bill.. My seat has been been causing a variety of problems over the hours and hours I spend on it. I don't mind discomfort, but I was having issues with numbness and nerve damage to my delicate girly bit. It really had become a health issue. That is not cool. It had reached a point that I had cut back on my bike training. Also, not cool. I researched heavily, via the interwebs. I kept coming back to the split saddle, nose-less style that take pressure off of the perineum. The brand of choice is the ISM Adamo. After much back and forth on my part I decided on the Century model. New, this seat has a msrp of $189. I found it on eBay, in various bidding wars for about half of that. Being too impatient to work my way through various such bidding wars I went on Amazon and found one for $79 including S&H. 2-Click shopping. Done. The seat was on my front porch in 6 days. I will say, although installation is as easy as it comes, adjusting this thing has been a bit of a beast. The style is so different that I am having to tweak and tweak to get my seating position right. And then, it alters my bike position enough that it is making me have to do shorter rides as my muscles adapt. This is where my bike trainer issues are coming to the fore.
I have torn apart and cleaned my trainer a few times, trying to keep it smooth. Over this last winter that has not been enough. I can feel it binding just a bit, so the spin is uneven. I can deal with that, mostly, I try to think of it as training for the unevenness of road riding. But it is getting worse over time. And then there is the squeal. Yeah, a continuous squeaking that can be hard to ignore sometimes. It has made my indoor training less that optimal at a time when I need to be increasing my hours in the saddle.
I know that most people prefer to train outdoors. So do I, in most regards. But in my area I can't just hop on the bike and head out. The roads are too narrow, and heavily trafficked by log trucks, dump trucks, farm equipment, big 4x4s, and impatient commuters. There have been a number of cyclists hit on the roads around my house. So to ride, I load my bike and gear up in my car and drive about 15 miles to safer roads. Not possible on most days. And then there is the weather: rain and slick roads... not so much fun. Add in my my previous diagnosis of malignant melanoma (cut away and okay now, by the way), and I try to limit my time out in the sun if possible. All this being said, having a bike trainer that works well is paramount to my cycling success.
Now comes the clincher: Meredith Kessler, Ironman Champion, cut 50 minutes off of her bike split when she switched to 90% indoor training. Seriously. She only does an outdoor ride "every other week." Yes, it is more fun to ride outside. The fresh air and varying terrain make for a great workout. Yes, outdoor training sessions are vital to success. But indoor training can be the best way to build cycling base, strength, and speed. A controlled environment with no distractions, specific workouts, and no life threatening hazards (you wouldn't believe the stories I have heard of triathletes getting hit by cars on training rides, losing limbs, head injuries, etc.... Not my gig, you know what I mean?).
So, the new trainer is on the way. It should be here in a week. Until then I will continue with the grinding, squealing, old faithful that has seen me through thousands of hours of training. Yay for eBay and Amazon.
My reason for this particular ramble? It just took me all of 4 minutes to hunt down, research, and buy a new trainer stand for my bike. I had browsed Craigslist a few times over the last year, knowing that my trainer is on its last leg. I have been dismayed that most people are wanting $100 or more. Not that they aren't worth it, but I really don't want to spend that much on a used piece of equipment, as well as having to deal with the person selling it. My total price for a brand new, in the box, decent model from a reputable dealer: $63.99 including shipping, and it will be on my doorstep in a week. I am totally okay with that. No muss, no fuss, and I won't even have to talk to the UPS driver.
A few weeks ago I decided it was time to buy a new bike seat. I had gotten a little windfall and decided that I wanted to spend it on something I needed, not just paying a bill.. My seat has been been causing a variety of problems over the hours and hours I spend on it. I don't mind discomfort, but I was having issues with numbness and nerve damage to my delicate girly bit. It really had become a health issue. That is not cool. It had reached a point that I had cut back on my bike training. Also, not cool. I researched heavily, via the interwebs. I kept coming back to the split saddle, nose-less style that take pressure off of the perineum. The brand of choice is the ISM Adamo. After much back and forth on my part I decided on the Century model. New, this seat has a msrp of $189. I found it on eBay, in various bidding wars for about half of that. Being too impatient to work my way through various such bidding wars I went on Amazon and found one for $79 including S&H. 2-Click shopping. Done. The seat was on my front porch in 6 days. I will say, although installation is as easy as it comes, adjusting this thing has been a bit of a beast. The style is so different that I am having to tweak and tweak to get my seating position right. And then, it alters my bike position enough that it is making me have to do shorter rides as my muscles adapt. This is where my bike trainer issues are coming to the fore.
I have torn apart and cleaned my trainer a few times, trying to keep it smooth. Over this last winter that has not been enough. I can feel it binding just a bit, so the spin is uneven. I can deal with that, mostly, I try to think of it as training for the unevenness of road riding. But it is getting worse over time. And then there is the squeal. Yeah, a continuous squeaking that can be hard to ignore sometimes. It has made my indoor training less that optimal at a time when I need to be increasing my hours in the saddle.
I know that most people prefer to train outdoors. So do I, in most regards. But in my area I can't just hop on the bike and head out. The roads are too narrow, and heavily trafficked by log trucks, dump trucks, farm equipment, big 4x4s, and impatient commuters. There have been a number of cyclists hit on the roads around my house. So to ride, I load my bike and gear up in my car and drive about 15 miles to safer roads. Not possible on most days. And then there is the weather: rain and slick roads... not so much fun. Add in my my previous diagnosis of malignant melanoma (cut away and okay now, by the way), and I try to limit my time out in the sun if possible. All this being said, having a bike trainer that works well is paramount to my cycling success.
Now comes the clincher: Meredith Kessler, Ironman Champion, cut 50 minutes off of her bike split when she switched to 90% indoor training. Seriously. She only does an outdoor ride "every other week." Yes, it is more fun to ride outside. The fresh air and varying terrain make for a great workout. Yes, outdoor training sessions are vital to success. But indoor training can be the best way to build cycling base, strength, and speed. A controlled environment with no distractions, specific workouts, and no life threatening hazards (you wouldn't believe the stories I have heard of triathletes getting hit by cars on training rides, losing limbs, head injuries, etc.... Not my gig, you know what I mean?).
So, the new trainer is on the way. It should be here in a week. Until then I will continue with the grinding, squealing, old faithful that has seen me through thousands of hours of training. Yay for eBay and Amazon.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)