The pool has been my escape and a balm for my soul this winter. it is also a good boost for my athletic ego since I have been steadily increasing my speed and endurance at a rate that far surpasses my ability to increase my run endurance. The cool water flowing over my body rinses the stress from every pore, and the post workout endorphins are the icing on the cake.
As I warmed up this evening I could still feel residual soreness and fatigue from Saturday's swim and strength training sessions. My 20 lap warmup was accompanied by the chaotic shrieks and shouts of the large, obnoxious family I had to share space with. Yes, I am the pool curmudgeon. But they finally left, just as I was hitting my main set. Tonight I wanted to do an endurance swim with varied pacing. Instead of the Broken Endurance set I went with the Endurance Ladder, a negative split training session: 8 laps (400 yards) each; Easy, Ironman Pace, Olympic Pace, 90%+. During the easy set I try to swim as smooth and silent as possible. The Ironman Pace is what I think of as "I can do this almost all day" pace. Olympic is a pretty decent effort, but one that should be sustainable for a mile. The final set I did at a pace that I almost couldn't maintain for that distance, the last 50 yards were pretty brutal. Then I did an abbreviated repeat of 100 yard sets. Followed it all with 50 yard sprints x 4, Finished up with 10 laps to cool down.
I have been trying to regain some run capabilities, so I topped off my 80 minute swim with 20 minutes of leg work in the pool. Single foot bounces to build foot, ankle and calf strength. High knees for core and quads. Leg swing for quad, hammies, core, and hip flexibility. Clamshell side leg raise for hips and quads. 4 sets of each. This is going to be the end of every swim session from here on out. I need to build as much strength in the supporting muscles and connective tissue as I can to help offset the joint pain and weakness. I will run again.
Of course I finished up with yoga in the jacuzzi to stretch out tight, tired, over-worked muscles. The piece de resistance lately has been the new post shower routine. While still wet from the shower I apply my own mix of body oil: extra virgin olive oil scented with patchouli, musk, and tea rose essential oils. Then, still wet, I hit the dry sauna for a bit. Just long enough to dry the excess water and let the oil soak in, but not long enough to break a sweat. I tell you it is Nirvana. I got dressed and was so relaxed and mellow I probably shouldn't have been driving.
Monday, March 7, 2016
Sunday, March 6, 2016
Whining, Just a Little
I know I have been whining about this all winter, but I cannot get my running back on track. I have been so prone to injury and every day pain that I haven't been able to spend much time in my running shoes. To say this is disheartening is sheer understatement. Deep in my heart I wish I could be an ultra-runner. I know that no matter how much I wish this could be, I know it is very unlikely. As they say, "The spirit is willing but the body is weak..." or some such prattle. I hold out hope that the right balance of anti-inflammatory diet, supplements, strength training, and the right shoes will create some sort of miracle cure.
I have been doing a considerable amount of run specific strength training. Working everything from my core, to hips, to quads, to calves, and even down to my toes. Plyometrics, body weight routines, lifting, stretching, even running in the pool. I am constantly on the lookout for strength training routines aimed at keeping runners' hips, knees, and feet strong, healthy, and injury free. My body is not being as coperative as I could wish. I am pretty sure I have developed rheumatoid arthritis in several joints in my feet. After a day at work, standing and walking on concrete, I feel as if I have broken bones in my feet. I can empathize with the little Mermaid (the original, not the Disney version), who, once she had feet, suffered the feeling of walking on broken glass with every step. See, like I said, I'm whining.
I follow the tenet, "What You Believe, You Will Achieve." I believe that I am a runner. I believe that I can learn to run relatively pain free. I don't know if my body is willing to cooperate with me at this point though. I do have my run bag in the car, complete with favorite hat, socks and trail shoes. Once the time change hits, and we have a little more light at the end of the day I am going to make sure I get out and trail run a few times a week. There are several good trails in easy range of work. The Eco Park in Canby has a nice little loop. Only a half mile, but it is paved with wood chips to keep the mud at a minimum, and has good terrain changes. Another good spot is the Molalla River State Park. I used to walk my dogs there religiously and it has a long path along the Willamette, but this time of year it is a bit swampy. There is another short trail along the Willamette just north of Canby at Coalca Landing. Another place I used to take my dogs. It has a narrow trail the follows the river bank for a mile or so. It is a beautiful spot, and lightly traveled. But also rather swampy this time of year.... but then honestly, what part of this region isn't swampy this time of year?
So there is nothing for me to do but keep doing what I am doing. Hope for a tiny miarcle that would let me run pain free, or relatively pain free. I need to set my fears aside and jut make it happen. No, I don't think I will ever be an ultra runner. An ultra swimmer? Yes. Runner? not so likely.
I have been doing a considerable amount of run specific strength training. Working everything from my core, to hips, to quads, to calves, and even down to my toes. Plyometrics, body weight routines, lifting, stretching, even running in the pool. I am constantly on the lookout for strength training routines aimed at keeping runners' hips, knees, and feet strong, healthy, and injury free. My body is not being as coperative as I could wish. I am pretty sure I have developed rheumatoid arthritis in several joints in my feet. After a day at work, standing and walking on concrete, I feel as if I have broken bones in my feet. I can empathize with the little Mermaid (the original, not the Disney version), who, once she had feet, suffered the feeling of walking on broken glass with every step. See, like I said, I'm whining.
I follow the tenet, "What You Believe, You Will Achieve." I believe that I am a runner. I believe that I can learn to run relatively pain free. I don't know if my body is willing to cooperate with me at this point though. I do have my run bag in the car, complete with favorite hat, socks and trail shoes. Once the time change hits, and we have a little more light at the end of the day I am going to make sure I get out and trail run a few times a week. There are several good trails in easy range of work. The Eco Park in Canby has a nice little loop. Only a half mile, but it is paved with wood chips to keep the mud at a minimum, and has good terrain changes. Another good spot is the Molalla River State Park. I used to walk my dogs there religiously and it has a long path along the Willamette, but this time of year it is a bit swampy. There is another short trail along the Willamette just north of Canby at Coalca Landing. Another place I used to take my dogs. It has a narrow trail the follows the river bank for a mile or so. It is a beautiful spot, and lightly traveled. But also rather swampy this time of year.... but then honestly, what part of this region isn't swampy this time of year?
So there is nothing for me to do but keep doing what I am doing. Hope for a tiny miarcle that would let me run pain free, or relatively pain free. I need to set my fears aside and jut make it happen. No, I don't think I will ever be an ultra runner. An ultra swimmer? Yes. Runner? not so likely.
Funk
We've all done it. I know I have. If you workout regularly, you have done it, too. You know, it's time for a workout, you can't find clean gear, your favorite workout shirt is laying there, in plain sight, on top of the dirty laundry. You think, "It'll be good for one more session. Besides, there's no one here to notice." Right? You pick it up, give it a delicate sniff, and are nearly knocked out of your sneakers by that all too familiar stench of fermented sweat. That odor you normally associate with an unbathed ogre at the gym. I've done this all too many times, because I go through at least a dozen shirts a week. At least. Every time I am astonished that my body is capable of putting off a funk that should be reserved for teenage boys. There is no denying, I sweat like hell. When I workout I have to change shirts after cardio and before I hit the weights because I am soaked. I sweat to the point that it will drip off the ends of my braids. True, it takes time for the stench to mature, ripen, reach its full potential. But there it is. I smell like a teenage boy.
Saturday, March 5, 2016
A Bit About Food
A little bit about food. Saturday evening is a double session: solid swim, followed by an upper body strength training session. There is food in the car so I can eat as soon as I leave the pool. When I get home I top off with a vegan protein smoothie before spending an hour abusing already tired muscles with 60 minutes of resistance bands, hand weights, and barbell work. Then the real feeding frenzy begins.
I think about food a lot. I am hungry all the damned time. I really think about food when I am swimming endless laps, and a hard swim will make me feel like a bottomless pit for about 24 hours. Tonight, during my two mile I.M swim (alternating 100 yards each breast stroke, backstroke, crawl) I was hit with a voracious hunger at about lap 65. That hunger you feel all the way from the pit of the stomach to the tips of your fingers. I was afraid I would actually bonk, but I didn't, I pushed through and finished strong. But it did lead to a vivid fantasy about barbecue black bean and roasted yam chili over buttered rice, which I happened to have waiting for me at home.
I have to plan ahead or I will hit the kitchen like a plague of locusts, devouring anything that I can get my hands on. I keep healthy food around and handy. There is always fruit (I eat a lot of damned bananas), right now I am on an orange binge. There is usually a loaf of home made gluten free, whole grain banana bread (my own recipe) in the cupboard, which makes epic peanut butter sandwiches, by the way. I usually have a pot of something in the fridge, ready to heat and eat. My vegetarian bbq chili has been a staple this winter. Other faves are Spanish rice made with a wild and brown rice blend and quinoa; mac and cheese made with high protein pasta; spaghetti sauce chock full of French green lentils (they have a spicy, hearty flavor and meaty texture). I mix and match with ferocity. The last two nights it was BBQ chili, layered with fresh corn tortillas, cheese and topped with two fried eggs. Let me stop here and say, I will put fried eggs on almost anything, and if not fried eggs, then I put peanut butter on it.
I am lucky to have Milk Creek Produce near to hand. I stop there at least once a week and stock up on yams, beets, bananas, local apples, oranges, cauliflower, spinach, avocados, and whatever is on special. During the summer I get their super sweet corn and put that shit in everything.
I am sleepy and rambling, as usual. I wanted to jot down the basics of my vegetarian chili, since I have been talking it up all winter. I think I have made and eaten more chili this winter than I have in the last decade.
Barbecue Black Bean and Roasted Veg Chili
Peel and cut into 3/4" cubes: 1 large yam, 2 medium beets, 2 medium Yukon Gold potatoes, 2 carrots, 1 small sweet onion. Toss with olive oil, sea salt and Smoked Hungarian Paprika and spread in a greased shallow pan. Roast at 375 until cooked through and well browned.
Meanwhile in a medium saucepan cook 1/2 cup red quinoa, 2 cups water, 1 Tbsp minced garlic, salt and pepper, chili powder to taste, and 1 tsp smoked Hungarian paprika.
Add the roasted veggies to the cooked quinoa, add just enough water to almost cover the veggies. Simmer for 15 minutes. Stir in 1 can organic black beans, rinsed and drained. Add about 1/4 cup good barbecue sauce ( not the stuff that is chock full of high fructose corn syrup), salt, pepper, and siracha to taste. Serve alone, or over rice, or layered with tortillas, or.... You can even mash this up like flavor packed refried beans, it makes a fabulous burrito.
Instead of BBQ sauce I have used a bit of tomato paste, a drizzle of molasses, a spoonful of dark brown sugar, smoked paprika, siracha, and a dash of rice vinegar.
I think about food a lot. I am hungry all the damned time. I really think about food when I am swimming endless laps, and a hard swim will make me feel like a bottomless pit for about 24 hours. Tonight, during my two mile I.M swim (alternating 100 yards each breast stroke, backstroke, crawl) I was hit with a voracious hunger at about lap 65. That hunger you feel all the way from the pit of the stomach to the tips of your fingers. I was afraid I would actually bonk, but I didn't, I pushed through and finished strong. But it did lead to a vivid fantasy about barbecue black bean and roasted yam chili over buttered rice, which I happened to have waiting for me at home.
I have to plan ahead or I will hit the kitchen like a plague of locusts, devouring anything that I can get my hands on. I keep healthy food around and handy. There is always fruit (I eat a lot of damned bananas), right now I am on an orange binge. There is usually a loaf of home made gluten free, whole grain banana bread (my own recipe) in the cupboard, which makes epic peanut butter sandwiches, by the way. I usually have a pot of something in the fridge, ready to heat and eat. My vegetarian bbq chili has been a staple this winter. Other faves are Spanish rice made with a wild and brown rice blend and quinoa; mac and cheese made with high protein pasta; spaghetti sauce chock full of French green lentils (they have a spicy, hearty flavor and meaty texture). I mix and match with ferocity. The last two nights it was BBQ chili, layered with fresh corn tortillas, cheese and topped with two fried eggs. Let me stop here and say, I will put fried eggs on almost anything, and if not fried eggs, then I put peanut butter on it.
I am lucky to have Milk Creek Produce near to hand. I stop there at least once a week and stock up on yams, beets, bananas, local apples, oranges, cauliflower, spinach, avocados, and whatever is on special. During the summer I get their super sweet corn and put that shit in everything.
I am sleepy and rambling, as usual. I wanted to jot down the basics of my vegetarian chili, since I have been talking it up all winter. I think I have made and eaten more chili this winter than I have in the last decade.
Barbecue Black Bean and Roasted Veg Chili
Peel and cut into 3/4" cubes: 1 large yam, 2 medium beets, 2 medium Yukon Gold potatoes, 2 carrots, 1 small sweet onion. Toss with olive oil, sea salt and Smoked Hungarian Paprika and spread in a greased shallow pan. Roast at 375 until cooked through and well browned.
Meanwhile in a medium saucepan cook 1/2 cup red quinoa, 2 cups water, 1 Tbsp minced garlic, salt and pepper, chili powder to taste, and 1 tsp smoked Hungarian paprika.
Add the roasted veggies to the cooked quinoa, add just enough water to almost cover the veggies. Simmer for 15 minutes. Stir in 1 can organic black beans, rinsed and drained. Add about 1/4 cup good barbecue sauce ( not the stuff that is chock full of high fructose corn syrup), salt, pepper, and siracha to taste. Serve alone, or over rice, or layered with tortillas, or.... You can even mash this up like flavor packed refried beans, it makes a fabulous burrito.
Instead of BBQ sauce I have used a bit of tomato paste, a drizzle of molasses, a spoonful of dark brown sugar, smoked paprika, siracha, and a dash of rice vinegar.
Thursday, March 3, 2016
A Special Kind of Crazy
It's been a while since I have posted. Life just seems to get in the way. Okay, really, winter fatigue seems to get in the way. This time of year my hibernation mode is in full swing, my favorite pastime is to curl up in bed with a ginormous cup of tea and a good book. Oddly, my workouts never seem to suffer. Frankly, besides the tea and book thing, my other top faves are working out and eating peanut butter, in no particular order.
With the Willamette Bridge Swim as a goal event for me I have been really focused on my swimming. Knowing that in 5 months I need to be able to swim non-stop for about 5 hours has me putting in plenty of extra effort in the pool. I rotate my swims, aiming for balance in strength and endurance. I have even added some speedwork, more for its ability to help with strength and stamina than for any desire for increased speed. I have a couple of new routines that I have added in.
One I wrote about earlier (I think) called the Broken Endurance Set. Start with a 20 lap warmup (I do an Individual Medley; 2 laps each breast, back, and crawl times 3). Main Set: First set is 150 yards each; easy, race pace, sprint the middle, and build to 95%. Second set is 125 yards each, then 100 yards, 75 yards, 50 yards, 25 yards. Finish with Sprints 4x25yds, and 8 to 10 laps with hand paddles, then a few laps to cool down. It is just over a 2 mile swim, with shoulder burning intensity. I love it.
A new one in the mix is an Endurance Ladder. 20 Lap I.M. warmup. Main Set: 200 yards easy with long strokes, 200 at Ironman pace (aka "I can do this all day, almost"), 200 yards at Olympic distance pace (pushing at a sustainable for 1 mile pace), then 200 at near max effort for that distance. Swim a few easy laps. Then Sprints 4x50 yards, and really push it. Cool down with 10 laps hand paddles, 5 laps I.M., 5 laps easy. Again, about a 2 mile swim. This swim helps train the body to be able to pick up the pace in the last half of a race, known as a Negative Split.
With a ultra distance event in my future I know that I have to spend a long time in the water. The latest and greatest addition to my swim rotation are the longer swims about ever 2 weeks. Two weeks ago I did a 3 mile swim and felt great. Tonight I bumped up my game and managed 3-1/2 miles without too much fuss. The downside of the long swim is that it can be a bit mind numbing. Think about it. Swim one lap and you have seen the entire course. There is no change of scenery, no change of terrain, no one to talk to, no iPod. Just the sound of your own breath as it bubbles past your ears, and the voices inside your own head. I get a lot of good thinking done when I swim. Granted, a lot of what I think about is food, but I come up with some fantastic recipes.
Another thing I do is star adding up the math of the long swim. It breaks down like this: 50 yards = 1 Lap. 1 mile = 36 Laps. It takes me about 22 strokes per Lap (counting just the right hand, like I count strides when I run). 1 mile = 800 strokes (more or less). So 3 miles = 2400 strokes with each arm. Then, figure the event I want to do is 11 miles with the current, so about 8000 strokes. That is a lot of damn strokes. And each stroke should be fundamentally the same as the last stroke. When working on stroke mechanics one thing to be mindful of is to make your very last stroke, no matter how tired you are, be as muck=h like the first stroke, of the 500th, or the 1000th. It is muscle memory. Stroke mechanics, cadence, rhythm. The catch, pull, and recovery, exactly the same every time. Every. Damned. Time. That is the beauty of swimming, and the insanity of it. It takes a special kind of crazy to get into the water and do the same thing over and over and over and over and.... well, you see what I mean.
I do have an advantage over a lot of people. I am a bit of an obsessive counter. Not like OCD must count everything, but damned close. So I count strokes, count laps, count yards. Number crunch in my head to the sound of bubbles rushing past my ears. Swimming is a special kind of crazy, but one I am well suited for.
With the Willamette Bridge Swim as a goal event for me I have been really focused on my swimming. Knowing that in 5 months I need to be able to swim non-stop for about 5 hours has me putting in plenty of extra effort in the pool. I rotate my swims, aiming for balance in strength and endurance. I have even added some speedwork, more for its ability to help with strength and stamina than for any desire for increased speed. I have a couple of new routines that I have added in.
One I wrote about earlier (I think) called the Broken Endurance Set. Start with a 20 lap warmup (I do an Individual Medley; 2 laps each breast, back, and crawl times 3). Main Set: First set is 150 yards each; easy, race pace, sprint the middle, and build to 95%. Second set is 125 yards each, then 100 yards, 75 yards, 50 yards, 25 yards. Finish with Sprints 4x25yds, and 8 to 10 laps with hand paddles, then a few laps to cool down. It is just over a 2 mile swim, with shoulder burning intensity. I love it.
A new one in the mix is an Endurance Ladder. 20 Lap I.M. warmup. Main Set: 200 yards easy with long strokes, 200 at Ironman pace (aka "I can do this all day, almost"), 200 yards at Olympic distance pace (pushing at a sustainable for 1 mile pace), then 200 at near max effort for that distance. Swim a few easy laps. Then Sprints 4x50 yards, and really push it. Cool down with 10 laps hand paddles, 5 laps I.M., 5 laps easy. Again, about a 2 mile swim. This swim helps train the body to be able to pick up the pace in the last half of a race, known as a Negative Split.
With a ultra distance event in my future I know that I have to spend a long time in the water. The latest and greatest addition to my swim rotation are the longer swims about ever 2 weeks. Two weeks ago I did a 3 mile swim and felt great. Tonight I bumped up my game and managed 3-1/2 miles without too much fuss. The downside of the long swim is that it can be a bit mind numbing. Think about it. Swim one lap and you have seen the entire course. There is no change of scenery, no change of terrain, no one to talk to, no iPod. Just the sound of your own breath as it bubbles past your ears, and the voices inside your own head. I get a lot of good thinking done when I swim. Granted, a lot of what I think about is food, but I come up with some fantastic recipes.
Another thing I do is star adding up the math of the long swim. It breaks down like this: 50 yards = 1 Lap. 1 mile = 36 Laps. It takes me about 22 strokes per Lap (counting just the right hand, like I count strides when I run). 1 mile = 800 strokes (more or less). So 3 miles = 2400 strokes with each arm. Then, figure the event I want to do is 11 miles with the current, so about 8000 strokes. That is a lot of damn strokes. And each stroke should be fundamentally the same as the last stroke. When working on stroke mechanics one thing to be mindful of is to make your very last stroke, no matter how tired you are, be as muck=h like the first stroke, of the 500th, or the 1000th. It is muscle memory. Stroke mechanics, cadence, rhythm. The catch, pull, and recovery, exactly the same every time. Every. Damned. Time. That is the beauty of swimming, and the insanity of it. It takes a special kind of crazy to get into the water and do the same thing over and over and over and over and.... well, you see what I mean.
I do have an advantage over a lot of people. I am a bit of an obsessive counter. Not like OCD must count everything, but damned close. So I count strokes, count laps, count yards. Number crunch in my head to the sound of bubbles rushing past my ears. Swimming is a special kind of crazy, but one I am well suited for.
Thursday, February 18, 2016
Annual Birthday Assessment
This is intended as my birthday post, I'm a wee bit late, as I seem to be time warping this month, and am amazed that February is more than half over already. About a decade ago, I've lost track of exactly when, I made a vow to myself that every year on my birthday I would be healthier than I was the previous year. The more years that pass, the more difficult this becomes. Not because I am losing the desire, or slacking, or throwing in the towel. To the contrary, it is because I am damned healthy, and the fitter I get, the smaller the gains are. I keep tweaking my life and lifestyle, dialing it in, seeking perfection, always aiming high.
I will start with the physical aspects. This year one of the easiest, most visible gains has been in the swimming pool. I know, it just goes to show what a jock I am. I have been increasing my swim fitness to a level higher than it was at my peak for the 5k swim of my long triathlon. I'm easily swimming 2+ miles every time I am at the pool, which is at least 3 times a week. On my birthday I cut it short, aiming for 1-1/2 miles so I could get to dinner with my boys and their families. I swam that 1-1/2 at a goodly pace, Olympic distance Tri pace, and it felt good. As I climbed out of the pool I realized that 1-1/2 miles = 54 laps, on my 54th birthday. Accidental though it was it seemed appropriate. Today I hit the pool and went for steady rate distance, getting in 100 laps in 1 hour 40 minutes. Not too shabby. One goal this year is to swim the Portland Bridge Swim: 11 miles down the Willamette River. I have a lot of training to do. One benefit is that swimming hard lets me eat damned near as much as I want.
I am being consistent with my triathlon training, despite not being able to run for a while due to injuries, and what seems to be the onset of rheumatoid arthritis in several joints in my feet (those bastards hurt like hell, by the way). But, I am religiously keeping up with strength training and plyometrics, in conjunction with cycling workouts at least 5 times a week. My current weight is hovering around 162, which has been my happy weight now for almost 2 years. Oddly, I am at the same weight I was in highschool. at 5'10" this gives me a BMI of 23, which is considered "normal." One of the few times I like being called normal.
I will say, this last year my arthritis has reared its ugly head more and more. Hands, elbows, ankles, and feet being the most noticeable targets. I still avoid pain meds for the most part, just popping the rare Nsaid if something is really hurting. I notice that there is a weird ache that lives in the long bones of my arms, especially along the full length of the ulna. The same weird ache lives along both collar bones and likes to remind me of it when I swim. I do look at other people and wonder what it would be like to live relatively pain-free. But it is a reminder of a life well lived, I think. And as long as I can manage it with nutrition and exercise I plan on doing what I do until I'm 100 or so.
One key in much of what I have been yammering about has been the continual tweaking of my diet. Honestly, I hate the word "diet" as it always conjures up images of proscribed foods and gimmicky fads. I have been vegetarian now for about 2 years. In the few years before that I was rarely eating meat. I am mostly dairy free, cheese being the only exception. I rarely eat wheat, avoid all processed foods, and consider high fructose corn syrup to be the devil incarnate. My original reasons for giving up wheat and meat was quite simply to attempt to get my joint inflammation under control. It seems to help, and it has rid me of the chronic heartburn I had for 20 years.
The one thing that has me most pleased this year is that I am free of all prescription meds. I had kicked the anti-depressants to the curb over a year ago, but was still reliant on a sleep aid. Honestly, I think this is the best sign of continued great health that I could have. Yes, being fit, strong, slender, and might I say, sexy, is all good an well, but feeling of sound mind is far better. It is a gift to feel stable, relaxed, and confident. Of course there are days when I let the lunatic out into the sunlight, but now she is more of a Muse, a companion, and half of the balance of light and dark, Yin and Yang.
This last year I have built some cool shit, had some fun, damn near wrecked myself on a trail run, gimped through the summer, enjoyed my life as it is, made plans to keep increasing the pleasure of my life, added to the value of my home, set goals both small and large. I have built a solid foundation of health and wellness in all aspects of my life, and I aim to keep building, bit by bit. I can only imagine where I will be this time next year.
I will start with the physical aspects. This year one of the easiest, most visible gains has been in the swimming pool. I know, it just goes to show what a jock I am. I have been increasing my swim fitness to a level higher than it was at my peak for the 5k swim of my long triathlon. I'm easily swimming 2+ miles every time I am at the pool, which is at least 3 times a week. On my birthday I cut it short, aiming for 1-1/2 miles so I could get to dinner with my boys and their families. I swam that 1-1/2 at a goodly pace, Olympic distance Tri pace, and it felt good. As I climbed out of the pool I realized that 1-1/2 miles = 54 laps, on my 54th birthday. Accidental though it was it seemed appropriate. Today I hit the pool and went for steady rate distance, getting in 100 laps in 1 hour 40 minutes. Not too shabby. One goal this year is to swim the Portland Bridge Swim: 11 miles down the Willamette River. I have a lot of training to do. One benefit is that swimming hard lets me eat damned near as much as I want.
I am being consistent with my triathlon training, despite not being able to run for a while due to injuries, and what seems to be the onset of rheumatoid arthritis in several joints in my feet (those bastards hurt like hell, by the way). But, I am religiously keeping up with strength training and plyometrics, in conjunction with cycling workouts at least 5 times a week. My current weight is hovering around 162, which has been my happy weight now for almost 2 years. Oddly, I am at the same weight I was in highschool. at 5'10" this gives me a BMI of 23, which is considered "normal." One of the few times I like being called normal.
I will say, this last year my arthritis has reared its ugly head more and more. Hands, elbows, ankles, and feet being the most noticeable targets. I still avoid pain meds for the most part, just popping the rare Nsaid if something is really hurting. I notice that there is a weird ache that lives in the long bones of my arms, especially along the full length of the ulna. The same weird ache lives along both collar bones and likes to remind me of it when I swim. I do look at other people and wonder what it would be like to live relatively pain-free. But it is a reminder of a life well lived, I think. And as long as I can manage it with nutrition and exercise I plan on doing what I do until I'm 100 or so.
One key in much of what I have been yammering about has been the continual tweaking of my diet. Honestly, I hate the word "diet" as it always conjures up images of proscribed foods and gimmicky fads. I have been vegetarian now for about 2 years. In the few years before that I was rarely eating meat. I am mostly dairy free, cheese being the only exception. I rarely eat wheat, avoid all processed foods, and consider high fructose corn syrup to be the devil incarnate. My original reasons for giving up wheat and meat was quite simply to attempt to get my joint inflammation under control. It seems to help, and it has rid me of the chronic heartburn I had for 20 years.
The one thing that has me most pleased this year is that I am free of all prescription meds. I had kicked the anti-depressants to the curb over a year ago, but was still reliant on a sleep aid. Honestly, I think this is the best sign of continued great health that I could have. Yes, being fit, strong, slender, and might I say, sexy, is all good an well, but feeling of sound mind is far better. It is a gift to feel stable, relaxed, and confident. Of course there are days when I let the lunatic out into the sunlight, but now she is more of a Muse, a companion, and half of the balance of light and dark, Yin and Yang.
This last year I have built some cool shit, had some fun, damn near wrecked myself on a trail run, gimped through the summer, enjoyed my life as it is, made plans to keep increasing the pleasure of my life, added to the value of my home, set goals both small and large. I have built a solid foundation of health and wellness in all aspects of my life, and I aim to keep building, bit by bit. I can only imagine where I will be this time next year.
Sunday, February 14, 2016
Winter, Arthritis, Supplements, and Always Training
I have been remiss in my writing lately. Not that I have been slacking on my training, far from it. I still haven't been able to get my running back on track (no pun intended)). It was a long recovery from the knee overuse injury last summer. Then I rolled my ankle, for the millionth time, but it was months before the pain and swelling stopped cropping up randomly. Lately it has been my feet. It is as if the pain and problems are working their way down my legs. Hey, maybe that means they will move on from my feet and out into the earth (I know, I am a bit delusional, but it is my crazy time of year).
I am worried that I am developing rheumatoid arthritis. My hands have hurt for years, but that rarely effects my training and I can work around it. For a long time I have had problems with the joint between my big toe and the foot bone of my left foot. The last few months I now have a joint on the outside of my right foot that swells and is amazingly painful. So, what to do? What else, keep training, adjust supplements, hope for the best. My biggest concern is that other joints may become effected. But I won't let myself worry about what I cannot control.
The new regiment includes additional stretching of my feet and toes, running sets in the pool a few times a week, continued leg work with an increase in heavy lifting. I have been working my way through all of my shoes in search of a few pair that don't put pressure on the effected joints, trying to minimize aggravating the issue.
I have added a few more supplements. I recently started taking MSM. I know it is an effective anti-inflammatory. When I worked for a veterinarian about 20 years ago, he prescribed MSM to geriatric dogs with achy joints. It was only a horse med at the time, most small animal vets hadn't even heard of it. But I have to tell you, it made an amazing difference for the dogs. Just a few days on it and they regained a considerable amount of mobility. And dogs don't lie, they are not susceptible to a placebo effect, so I know it works for some conditions. Our clients thought it was a miracle drug. As for me? I don't know if the inflammation is any less, but I am sticking with it.
Also on the list is Turmeric. I have used it off and on over the last few years, but not as consistently as I should. A few months ago I started making a concoction of turmeric, a bit of black pepper (which when heated with turmeric makes the active ingredient curcumin much more effective), and cinnamon for flavor, heated in olive oil or water to make a paste. I put a nice teaspoonful in my morning smoothie every day. I should be taking it at night too, but tend to forget. I started being interested in turmeric as a cancer fighting addition to my diet, since I always have the malignant melanoma threat hanging over my head. Better safe than sorry.
I am revisiting running shoes, again. I didn't have knee issues when I ran in minimal, zero rise shoes. I accidently changed this when I started training for longer distance, when I bought my first pair of Sauconys. I wanted more cushioning for pavement pounding runs, I thought they were zero rise, but they had a 4mm drop. Not much, but That seems to be when knee problems began.It could be a coincidence, but since I will be basically starting all over, I am going to go back to minimal shoe trail running for a while and see if I can get my mojo back.
So, other than whining about my feet, there isn't much new to report. I am kicking ass in the pool, kicking my own ass anyway. My regular swim is now two miles, and with warmups I am swimming nonstop for 90 minutes at least 3 times a week. Twice a week I follow my swim with an hour of strength training. I've been really enjoying the Broken Endurance set, I've found I love sprint (even if I am not that fast, it is fun).
Cycling has been my constant, even if the weather prevents me getting outside. I am on my bike at least 4 times a week, usually more. I couple of times a week I do back-to-back spins; one in the morning, one in the evening, for about 90 minutes each. I do know that if I want to increase my speed I think I need a smaller bike frame. Which makes me sad, since I love Joshua. I don't know though, they say, "It's not the bike, it's the rider," so I will just soldier on. Especially since there is no way I can afford another bike.
Speaking of cycling, I need to get in my Sunday morning spin. And since it is grey, wet, cold, and blustery outside Joshua and I will stream some Netflix and get busy. No rest for the wicked.
I am worried that I am developing rheumatoid arthritis. My hands have hurt for years, but that rarely effects my training and I can work around it. For a long time I have had problems with the joint between my big toe and the foot bone of my left foot. The last few months I now have a joint on the outside of my right foot that swells and is amazingly painful. So, what to do? What else, keep training, adjust supplements, hope for the best. My biggest concern is that other joints may become effected. But I won't let myself worry about what I cannot control.
The new regiment includes additional stretching of my feet and toes, running sets in the pool a few times a week, continued leg work with an increase in heavy lifting. I have been working my way through all of my shoes in search of a few pair that don't put pressure on the effected joints, trying to minimize aggravating the issue.
I have added a few more supplements. I recently started taking MSM. I know it is an effective anti-inflammatory. When I worked for a veterinarian about 20 years ago, he prescribed MSM to geriatric dogs with achy joints. It was only a horse med at the time, most small animal vets hadn't even heard of it. But I have to tell you, it made an amazing difference for the dogs. Just a few days on it and they regained a considerable amount of mobility. And dogs don't lie, they are not susceptible to a placebo effect, so I know it works for some conditions. Our clients thought it was a miracle drug. As for me? I don't know if the inflammation is any less, but I am sticking with it.
Also on the list is Turmeric. I have used it off and on over the last few years, but not as consistently as I should. A few months ago I started making a concoction of turmeric, a bit of black pepper (which when heated with turmeric makes the active ingredient curcumin much more effective), and cinnamon for flavor, heated in olive oil or water to make a paste. I put a nice teaspoonful in my morning smoothie every day. I should be taking it at night too, but tend to forget. I started being interested in turmeric as a cancer fighting addition to my diet, since I always have the malignant melanoma threat hanging over my head. Better safe than sorry.
I am revisiting running shoes, again. I didn't have knee issues when I ran in minimal, zero rise shoes. I accidently changed this when I started training for longer distance, when I bought my first pair of Sauconys. I wanted more cushioning for pavement pounding runs, I thought they were zero rise, but they had a 4mm drop. Not much, but That seems to be when knee problems began.It could be a coincidence, but since I will be basically starting all over, I am going to go back to minimal shoe trail running for a while and see if I can get my mojo back.
So, other than whining about my feet, there isn't much new to report. I am kicking ass in the pool, kicking my own ass anyway. My regular swim is now two miles, and with warmups I am swimming nonstop for 90 minutes at least 3 times a week. Twice a week I follow my swim with an hour of strength training. I've been really enjoying the Broken Endurance set, I've found I love sprint (even if I am not that fast, it is fun).
Cycling has been my constant, even if the weather prevents me getting outside. I am on my bike at least 4 times a week, usually more. I couple of times a week I do back-to-back spins; one in the morning, one in the evening, for about 90 minutes each. I do know that if I want to increase my speed I think I need a smaller bike frame. Which makes me sad, since I love Joshua. I don't know though, they say, "It's not the bike, it's the rider," so I will just soldier on. Especially since there is no way I can afford another bike.
Speaking of cycling, I need to get in my Sunday morning spin. And since it is grey, wet, cold, and blustery outside Joshua and I will stream some Netflix and get busy. No rest for the wicked.
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