Training with Flies

ounce wrote:3 or 4 weeks ago, I was recruited to help a family member, who was not very able to adjust the sitting position to a more upright position.  So, I adjust the 200 pound person by being on the side of the couch with my arms under the armpits and lifted towards me to the more desired upright position.  Easy peasy.  Working out became useful!

About a week later, I was having some whining behind the knee, inside of that thick tendon on the lateral side.  It didn't hurt when I was running, but sitting at a desk or table for 30 minutes or so, it was acting like rigor mortis and took a bit to stretch it out by just walking.  The following week, the whining stretched across the whole back of the knee, but still no problem running on it.  This was the same week, when I had begun to walk backwards to unrelatedly build up the muscles around the knee.

Last week, I started considering going to the doc so he could prescribe some PT work on it.  Maybe even throw in some mobility work to be able to sit on my lower legs, again.  But over the weekend, I thought about not running this week and not walking backwards, but still lift weights.

So yesterday, I started that.  I lifted and was mindful of not engaging my knees in a manner that would engage the knee.  I didn't run this morning.  In fact, I didn't even set the alarm.  The whining has worked its way back to its origin of pain, although getting up this morning, the knee was a little tight, like rigor mortis.

However, there's a meteorological event that seems like it'll happen in the morning.  We have a cool front working through Texas that is supposed to pass through Houston, this afternoon.  It will result, if it comes true, in a dew point of 59 degrees, rather than 79.  The air temperature will still be in the upper 70s, but  , it'll be a dry upper 70s.   So, I expect a dew point of 65.  If that happens, I'm running in the morning.  Knee pain or not.

The High pressure that's been in Texas for most of the Summer will be heading to Julie's, next week, on its way to Chicago. Next week, we might even get some rain.

So, I may still go to the doc, next week.  It would be good to do the PT.  The guys that did work on my calves 10 years ago are still there, so they're a known quantity.

Don't let that weather event pass by without taking advantage of the prime running conditions!  
We've enjoyed relatively normal temperatures this summer.  Yes, it's summer and summers are hot but we haven't had to many really hot days...until this week.  We're under a heat advisory and an air quality advisory till the end of the week.  Temps in the triple digits with smoke thrown in.  We've been lucky with the smoke this year as well...only a few days of moderate smoke.  These conditions help me appreciate your dedication to running!  And I consider myself lucky that our heat is a dry heat and even our hot nights are cooler than yours.

I skimmed through your last few posts and would like to follow up and join the potassium/salt discussion.  My potassium is naturally always high.  So, how does that affect my sodium levels.  Will my sodium levels stay higher because my potassium is high.  Is that good or bad?  I do struggle with leg cramps as training ramps up...especially when it's warm.  

For a short time I tried to cut back on the salt I used in cooking but I realized that Marty was salting his food and I was taking salt tablets so I decided I would just add salt to our food during cooking.  It tastes better when salted during preparation. 

Happy running in cooler conditions. 

nkrichards wrote:

ounce wrote:3 or 4 weeks ago, I was recruited to help a family member, who was not very able to adjust the sitting position to a more upright position.  So, I adjust the 200 pound person by being on the side of the couch with my arms under the armpits and lifted towards me to the more desired upright position.  Easy peasy.  Working out became useful!

About a week later, I was having some whining behind the knee, inside of that thick tendon on the lateral side.  It didn't hurt when I was running, but sitting at a desk or table for 30 minutes or so, it was acting like rigor mortis and took a bit to stretch it out by just walking.  The following week, the whining stretched across the whole back of the knee, but still no problem running on it.  This was the same week, when I had begun to walk backwards to unrelatedly build up the muscles around the knee.

Last week, I started considering going to the doc so he could prescribe some PT work on it.  Maybe even throw in some mobility work to be able to sit on my lower legs, again.  But over the weekend, I thought about not running this week and not walking backwards, but still lift weights.

So yesterday, I started that.  I lifted and was mindful of not engaging my knees in a manner that would engage the knee.  I didn't run this morning.  In fact, I didn't even set the alarm.  The whining has worked its way back to its origin of pain, although getting up this morning, the knee was a little tight, like rigor mortis.

However, there's a meteorological event that seems like it'll happen in the morning.  We have a cool front working through Texas that is supposed to pass through Houston, this afternoon.  It will result, if it comes true, in a dew point of 59 degrees, rather than 79.  The air temperature will still be in the upper 70s, but  , it'll be a dry upper 70s.   So, I expect a dew point of 65.  If that happens, I'm running in the morning.  Knee pain or not.

The High pressure that's been in Texas for most of the Summer will be heading to Julie's, next week, on its way to Chicago. Next week, we might even get some rain.

So, I may still go to the doc, next week.  It would be good to do the PT.  The guys that did work on my calves 10 years ago are still there, so they're a known quantity.

Don't let that weather event pass by without taking advantage of the prime running conditions!  
We've enjoyed relatively normal temperatures this summer.  Yes, it's summer and summers are hot but we haven't had to many really hot days...until this week.  We're under a heat advisory and an air quality advisory till the end of the week.  Temps in the triple digits with smoke thrown in.  We've been lucky with the smoke this year as well...only a few days of moderate smoke.  These conditions help me appreciate your dedication to running!  And I consider myself lucky that our heat is a dry heat and even our hot nights are cooler than yours.

I skimmed through your last few posts and would like to follow up and join the potassium/salt discussion.  My potassium is naturally always high.  So, how does that affect my sodium levels.  Will my sodium levels stay higher because my potassium is high.  Is that good or bad?  I do struggle with leg cramps as training ramps up...especially when it's warm.  

For a short time I tried to cut back on the salt I used in cooking but I realized that Marty was salting his food and I was taking salt tablets so I decided I would just add salt to our food during cooking.  It tastes better when salted during preparation. 

Happy running in cooler conditions. 

Welcome back, ma'am!

It's been just plain hot 'n humid since around the 10th of June.  But this little, lost, cool front is making its way south.  The dew point in College Station (A&M) is 60 degrees (29% humidity) at 97 degrees with a Heat index of....97 degrees.  That's about 100 miles NW of me as the car drives.
Here, we're at 100 with a heat index of 106 and a dew point of 70.  So, we're not getting the drier air yet.  

Regarding your potassium, I'd say you can take more salt than I could.  Your sodium will not stay high because your potassium is high.  Your body will throw off salt, when it's too high (a real salt taste if you lick your skin after a long run).  You may naturally have more wiggle room for additional salt and see if that helps your cramps.  Now, if your BP becomes affected by the increase in salt intake, then you'll have to make a decision about which is more important.  Maybe up the salt during XX miles per week or XX miles in a long run in your training period.  So, early in the season maybe less salt.  You'll just have to tinker with it.

Shall enjoy the 1 morning of early May running.

I forgot to mention that Emma has accepted a full ride scholarship (livestock judging team) at University of Arkansas, Fayetteville.  She is headed off today to start this next adventure.

nkrichards wrote:I forgot to mention that Emma has accepted a full ride scholarship (livestock judging team) at University of Arkansas, Fayetteville.  She is headed off today to start this next adventure.

That's great!  She'll have a variety of weather, there.  Tornados, a possibility in Spring.  Never been there.  Look for your razorback hat come Christmas.


Sooey!

ounce wrote:

nkrichards wrote:I forgot to mention that Emma has accepted a full ride scholarship (livestock judging team) at University of Arkansas, Fayetteville.  She is headed off today to start this next adventure.

That's great!  She'll have a variety of weather, there.  Tornados, a possibility in Spring.  Never been there.  Look for your razorback hat come Christmas.


Sooey!

Katie is on the way home from Louisiana and stopped in Fayetteville to have dinner with Emma.  She wants to go back...when it's not so HOT.

We're waiting to see if/how Hurricane Hillary affects us.  Sounds like it will bring rain east of us but not here.

Are you in the path of the storms coming into Texas?

Stay safe out there!

nkrichards wrote:

ounce wrote:

nkrichards wrote:I forgot to mention that Emma has accepted a full ride scholarship (livestock judging team) at University of Arkansas, Fayetteville.  She is headed off today to start this next adventure.

That's great!  She'll have a variety of weather, there.  Tornados, a possibility in Spring.  Never been there.  Look for your razorback hat come Christmas.


Sooey!

Katie is on the way home from Louisiana and stopped in Fayetteville to have dinner with Emma.  She wants to go back...when it's not so HOT.

We're waiting to see if/how Hurricane Hillary affects us.  Sounds like it will bring rain east of us but not here.

Are you in the path of the storms coming into Texas?

Stay safe out there!

HOT has been the theme of the Summer.  We've hit 109 twice.  All time record is 111 from 2011.  I heard on PBS earlier in the week part of the cause for the High pressure dome to be so stuck is because the speed of the Jet Stream has reduced, so it's not able to push the High along.

As far as hurricanes, South Texas (just north of the Rio Grande) caught Tropical Storm Harold.  Because of that, we lost out on getting some soaking rains.  But it did break at 23 a 100 degree streak, with a high of 97.  2011 holds that streak at 24 days.  No other tropical systems coming our way, so far.

I imagine y'all didn't get a whole lot of action out of Hilary.

-30-

So, I took off most of last week from running and lifting because of my knee.  It appears the culprit is an inflammation of the right knee's bicep femoris tendon.  Where the hamstring attaches to that thick cord on the right, lateral side.  Then, the tendon attaches to the fibula.  I went to the doc, got my script for PT and went there Wednesday.  Did some exercises after the above assessment.  2x/wk for 4 weeks.

This past Tuesday, it was 84 degrees with a dew point of 75.  Awfully warm.  I could only do 2 miles.  But yesterday (Thursday), it was only 82 degrees with a dew point of 75.  Hard to believe, but I noticed the 2 degree difference.  At a 150 cadence, I had recorded running 1.93 miles of holding that cadence two weeks ago.  So trying to extend that is a motivation to counter the temps.  

Somehow, I managed to run the entire 3 miles at 150 cadence with a startling (to me) 15:16 average pace.  I was doing a lot of thinking during the run, which is always a good diversion.  The distance is pretty significant for me, under the conditions.  I remember back in June that I was acclimated to running 3 miles at 78 degrees.  Now, it's 82 degrees.

I didn't have any pain while running, but if I pitched a hair forward, then that tendon squawked.  This morning, I lifted and hadn't lost any strength in the 2 weeks of being idle.  I am curious how my knee reacts to standing up, after hitting SEND on this post.  It usually responds by a rigor mortis type stiffness that abates.

So, I go to PT in a minute, as well.  Thanks for looking.

That was a nice run on Thursday!  If if remember correctly it didn't even include any rest time.  

Did they mention the cause of the knee injury?  I know you were working on flexibility...did you over do it?
And what exercises are you doing for PT?  Do you have homework or just exercises during the PT appointments?

Hope it heals quickly...and the weather cools down...and all the tropical storms bypass you...

Do you need anything else to be added to the wish list?

Yes, Thursday's run was non-stop.  Nice eyes.

As far as the knee strain, a little over a month ago, I was volunteered to help a family member to get into a more upright position on the couch who was on a high dose of phenobarbital.  So I leaned over the side of the couch, got my forearms under the person's armpits and pulled the person towards the side of the couch and a little higher.  Worked perfectly.  All those workouts on the traps and lats really made it easy to move the 200 lb person.  My workout weight is 230 lbs.  But I figured out about a week later that my leaning way over the couch to pull probably strained the area where the hamstring knits into the tendon.  So, I'll have to be mindful of where I am planting my feet to keep from overextending.

As far as tropical systems, Hurricane Franklin is heading out into the open Atlantic going NE as a fish storm. 
However, soon-to-be-Hurricane Idalia is now a Tropical Storm off the western edge of Cuba.  It will be striking the west Florida coast somewhere between Tallahassee and Tampa as a major hurricane at Category 3 with winds at the center greater than 110 mph and a minimum 7' storm surge.  It will be heading NE into far SE Georgia by lunchtime Wednesday and into the Atlantic off the South Carolina coast by end of day Wednesday.  

It'll probably be a Category 4 in the Gulf, before landfall, but doesn't have enough remaining open water to make Cat 5 before landfall.

Our humidity is dropping today, tomorrow, and Wednesday for a front that's going through.  In fact, this same front is stretching east to Florida, which is the exact reason why Idalia is hitting the Gulf side of Florida.  The dew point, this morning, was only 70 degrees.

Our average high for the month is 103 degrees.  We've hit 109 twice in 7 days.  109 occurred back in 2011 and is the all time high for Houston.

-30-

Lifted today.  Did some good.  Re-started walking backwards after a 2 week pause.  Have an appt tomorrow afternoon with the vascular neurologist (stroke doc) to go over the MRI & MRA from June.  Will be interesting.  Have some questions.

Yesterday morning, it was 82 degrees with a 70 degree dew point, which is a little lower, but unnoticeable once the run started.  However, this morning it was 79 with 59 dew point, due to a wind shifting front.  It might even be like this tomorrow morning.  

I headed off yesterday morning for a run.  I'll tell you, the little change I made where I try to extend the distance on the pier at either 150 or 157 cadence with each run has really helped me to stay motivated to keep going, juuuuuust to get a little farther.  The classic carrot and stick application.  The record at 1.17 miles for 157 and 3.11 for 150 cadence, which was set yesterday morning.

I ran 4 miles, yesterday, at a 15:45 pace & a 131 avg HR.  The HR is a up, but is explained by maintaining a 15:45 pace at 82 degrees.  My, my.  The heart was out of the hammock!  That was my first 4 mile run since August 16 and August 3.

There was a spot during the run when I had to raise my right knee up to scale a curb.  The raising caused my knee to ache.  Otherwise, after a half mile in to the run, the knee right hamstring were functioning fine.

After that was PT, which didn't allow me to not do the 10 minute bike warmup, just because I I ran 4 miles.  So, I did the 10 minutes as slowly as possible.

-30-

This morning was the Shoulders workout.  I had not done it in a couple of weeks, and it showed.  There were a couple of the exercises where I went down in the weight, so I wouldn't overtax the shoulders.  But, everything else was fine.

Tomorrow will be another run of 3 or 4 miles followed 2 hours later by PT.

That about does it.  toodles.

It was 80 degrees with a dew point of 64, this morning.  The usual 'swarming' of humidity, once I leave to do my walking warmup, was much less.  It was a tad warm.  (Here I am calling 80 degrees in a late August morning 'tad warm.')

I started off and there was a usual lower knee pain ('lower' as in not under (posterior to the knee cap) the knee.  Lately, this abates around a half mile and today was the same.

What WAS unique about today's weather happened when my forearms started to sweat.  Usually, the humidity runs across the skin and there's no effect.  Warm air against warm skin.  Today, the dryness caused a bit of coolness across the forearms.  Quite a shock.  There was zero breeze.

I ended up with 3 miles at a 15:42 pace at a 150 cadence.  I thought I wouldn't be able to run 4.  7 miles for the week is fine for the weather.

The humidity returns Saturday and we might even see some rain after Labor Day.  29 days out of 31, Houston was 100+.  We hit 109 twice.  2011 was the hottest Summer on record, but 2023 eeked ahead of 2011's August highs by 1 degree.  Next week might have 4 or 5 days at 100+.

Y'all have a nice, long weekend.

ounce wrote:  Have an appt tomorrow afternoon with the vascular neurologist (stroke doc) to go over the MRI & MRA from June.  Will be interesting.  Have some questions.

Didn't see this until just now...hope things went well and the answers to your questions were what you were hoping to hear

***
Great run today...keep up the good work!

How is knee PT going?  What is exercises are you doing?  Homework?

We cooled down significantly but didn't get the rain they predicted for today.  I'll send the cooler weather you way but it may bring some of our smoke along with it.  Sorry.

nkrichards wrote:

ounce wrote:  Have an appt tomorrow afternoon with the vascular neurologist (stroke doc) to go over the MRI & MRA from June.  Will be interesting.  Have some questions.

Didn't see this until just now...hope things went well and the answers to your questions were what you were hoping to hear

***
Great run today...keep up the good work!

How is knee PT going?  What is exercises are you doing?  Homework?

We cooled down significantly but didn't get the rain they predicted for today.  I'll send the cooler weather you way but it may bring some of our smoke along with it.  Sorry.

The stroke doc had a Fellow and I posed my questions to him.  Overall, considering my LDL was 170, on keto, and not willing to take a statin, I'm in a good spot.  I have immediate family history of strokes, so with the condition of the arteries lacking stenosis or even the mentioning of atherosclerosis, I'm pleased.  I go back in 6 months.

I found out that as people get older, the artery walls become harder, which lessens the possibility of aneurysms.

As far as the knee PT, I'm doing homework of stretching calves, holding up the right thigh for 10 seconds, rest a second, repeat 10 times.  Adductor and abductor holds with me on both sides.  When I do it, I do it bi-laterally so the left leg gets some loving.

I switched when I run and when I lift, so the in office PT can be when I lift.  It seems the therapist wants me to not run as much, so I just switched the days.  He seemed pleased.  I have 3 more PT sessions.  It was set up that Medicare pays for 2x/week for 4 weeks.  Then re-evaluate to see if more is needed.  If I'm not advancing, then a MRI would be the next step, which I would love to have happen.  But the knee is getting better.

I know that when I get up after typing this post, there will be some stiffness from sitting in a chair for this long.  So, I'll get up and walk around to loosen it up.

-30-

Tuesday, I went and lifted, then PT 2 hours later.  

Today, the idea for the run was 4 miles at 150 cadence with the idea to extend the distance at 150 past 3.11 miles on the pier.  I was thinking that not running since last Thursday would be a point in my favor.  It was 81 degrees with a dew point of 77.

I set out and had some infrequent and a variety of knee whinings for the first 3/4ers of a mile.  Then it settled down.  Throughout the run, I tested the knee when I raised my leg up for a curb or a slight change in elevation.  Only whine was at ground zero.  After finishing, I usually untie my laces outside from my door, by raising my foot up 2 steps on the flight of stairs.  THAT still aches.  A 2 on a scale of 10, which is where it's always been on pain.  Not enough pain to limp.

Anywho.

4 miles (non-stop), 1:02:49, 15:42 pace, 124 avg HR, 134 max HR, 149 avg cadence, 0.69 avg stride length.
1.  15:52, 149 spm
2.  15:47, 149 spm
3.  15:41, 149 spm
4.  15:36, 149 spm

So it's a red letter day for distance at 150 because I ran the whole 4 at 150.  However, I was starting to falter at 3.64, but decided to engage the brain for the last third to maintain the 150.  Had it been a 5 mile run, I would've faltered.

4 miles at 150 in 81 degree weather.  That's good.  September brings cooler temperatures, but just don't know when.  I'll need to start going farther with the Half race in 4-1/2 months.  

I don't know if I have mentioned this but, I went the whole Summer lifting 3 days a week and running 2 days a week.  I was curious if I would or not.  My cadence is at a great place because at 150, I can run 4 miles non-stop at similar splits.  And I've lost 15 pounds.  The only thing not as good when compared to last year was distance.  I was running farther last year, but not at the same cadence.  Lots of diving off the pier.

On the tropical system front, you will hear about Tropical Storm, then Hurricane, Lee.  It's out in the Atlantic and won't be a threat to any sort of land for a week.  It will reach category 4 and probably 5 before making a right turn WAY before South Carolina.  Bermuda is probably a sitting duck.  No threat to the Gulf of Mexico.

That bees it!  Thanks.

It was 82 degrees with a dewpoint of 77.  Yesterday, I was reviewing the pros and cons of running 5 miles this morning.  I justified it by saying that I ran 4 miles on Wednesday at 150 the whole way.  That sold it.

Everything was going splendidly until my right shoe didn't clear the less than 1/2 inch change in height of the sidewalk at mile 2.11.  I ker-splatted.  Outreached hands hit first and my left foot pushed off so I could land on my right side in a roll.  It's how my body reacts to a fall, rather than a face plant.  Right hip socket first, then upper right forearm.  Got a strawberry on the right, lateral side of the knee.

Stopped my watch, stood up and things seemed to be in the right place at the right angles. And I kept going for another half mile (a tenth before the turnaround) when something new not related to me popped up.  There were 2 guys pushing an older Lexus mid-size SUV to a gas station.  Again, I stopped my watch to assist these two who were out of gas.  I helped push it about 150 feet.  One of them asked if I had a couple of bucks for gas.  I did not.

I said goodbye and they thanked me.  Restarted the watch and ran that tenth to the turnaround spot.  

At 3.11, the legs were losing cadence and I went ahead and stopped, even though it meant walking 2 miles.  But the various bobos were whining some.  So, I walked 2 miles home.

I was really doing fine, until I fell.  That's the breaks!

I iced the hip, when I got home.  Then later, I wrapped a bag of lima beans around my forearm, so it would not bruise as badly.  I've had 2 prior experiences of forearm bruising while taking 'teflon coating' platelet meds that make for big and long bruising.

I'm not in too bad of shape, as I write this.  The prior injury of the inflamed tendon where it attaches to the hammie seems to be affected only in the rigor mortis type stiffness that abates with a little walking.

While we have had 100+ temps all September, Monday and the subsequent days are supposed to be in 90s.  We have a 'cool' front coming to us which is supposed to eventually get temps to 92 degrees, which just happens to be the seasonal temp.  If the cool front does happen, it's the usual sign that hurricane season for us is generally over as subsequent cold fronts will block any tropical system to the Mississippi area and east of there.  I'll be happy with that.  Oh, and 92-96 degree afternoons means morning temps in the mid-70s.  

Yippee!!

Y'all behave and have a good weekend.

ounce wrote:It was 82 degrees with a dewpoint of 77.  Yesterday, I was reviewing the pros and cons of running 5 miles this morning.  I justified it by saying that I ran 4 miles on Wednesday at 150 the whole way.  That sold it.

Everything was going splendidly until my right shoe didn't clear the less than 1/2 inch change in height of the sidewalk at mile 2.11.  I ker-splatted.  Outreached hands hit first and my left foot pushed off so I could land on my right side in a roll.  It's how my body reacts to a fall, rather than a face plant.  Right hip socket first, then upper right forearm.  Got a strawberry on the right, lateral side of the knee.

Stopped my watch, stood up and things seemed to be in the right place at the right angles. And I kept going for another half mile (a tenth before the turnaround) when something new not related to me popped up.  There were 2 guys pushing an older Lexus mid-size SUV to a gas station.  Again, I stopped my watch to assist these two who were out of gas.  I helped push it about 150 feet.  One of them asked if I had a couple of bucks for gas.  I did not.

I said goodbye and they thanked me.  Restarted the watch and ran that tenth to the turnaround spot.  

At 3.11, the legs were losing cadence and I went ahead and stopped, even though it meant walking 2 miles.  But the various bobos were whining some.  So, I walked 2 miles home.

I was really doing fine, until I fell.  That's the breaks!

I iced the hip, when I got home.  Then later, I wrapped a bag of lima beans around my forearm, so it would not bruise as badly.  I've had 2 prior experiences of forearm bruising while taking 'teflon coating' platelet meds that make for big and long bruising.

I'm not in too bad of shape, as I write this.  The prior injury of the inflamed tendon where it attaches to the hammie seems to be affected only in the rigor mortis type stiffness that abates with a little walking.

While we have had 100+ temps all September, Monday and the subsequent days are supposed to be in 90s.  We have a 'cool' front coming to us which is supposed to eventually get temps to 92 degrees, which just happens to be the seasonal temp.  If the cool front does happen, it's the usual sign that hurricane season for us is generally over as subsequent cold fronts will block any tropical system to the Mississippi area and east of there.  I'll be happy with that.  Oh, and 92-96 degree afternoons means morning temps in the mid-70s.  

Yippee!!

Y'all behave and have a good weekend.

Hope the bruising doesn't get to bad and the injuries heal quickly.  It was an eventful run!

Enjoy the cooler temps...

Thanks, Nancy.  The bruise on my forearm hasn't become purple, yet, but I can feel the bruise under the skin.  It's about 2" x 1/2".  I walk around to see if anything hurts.  The shin muscle on the lateral side is sore after a few minutes of walking.  The hip is bruised and sore to touch, but is walkable without any discomfort and not purple.

Tuesday and Thursday are my last 2 days of PT.  I would love to get a MRI of the knee, just to have the baseline.  And I'll ask the doc for it, the next time I go in.

Good otherwise.  Thanks.

ounce wrote:Thanks, Nancy.  The bruise on my forearm hasn't become purple, yet, but I can feel the bruise under the skin.  It's about 2" x 1/2".  I walk around to see if anything hurts.  The shin muscle on the lateral side is sore after a few minutes of walking.  The hip is bruised and sore to touch, but is walkable without any discomfort and not purple.

Tuesday and Thursday are my last 2 days of PT.  I would love to get a MRI of the knee, just to have the baseline.  And I'll ask the doc for it, the next time I go in.

Good otherwise.  Thanks.

Hope the last few days of PT went well and the knee is feeling better.  And that the bruising and soreness from the fall has all subsided.

Any luck getting the MRI?

Are you still making good progress with your lifting?

Sending cooler weather your way. 

nkrichards wrote:

ounce wrote:Thanks, Nancy.  The bruise on my forearm hasn't become purple, yet, but I can feel the bruise under the skin.  It's about 2" x 1/2".  I walk around to see if anything hurts.  The shin muscle on the lateral side is sore after a few minutes of walking.  The hip is bruised and sore to touch, but is walkable without any discomfort and not purple.

Tuesday and Thursday are my last 2 days of PT.  I would love to get a MRI of the knee, just to have the baseline.  And I'll ask the doc for it, the next time I go in.

Good otherwise.  Thanks.

Hope the last few days of PT went well and the knee is feeling better.  And that the bruising and soreness from the fall has all subsided.

Any luck getting the MRI?

Are you still making good progress with your lifting?

Sending cooler weather your way. 

Swapping running to MWF has helped the PT on TTh due to the legs not being as tired before PT.  

This is the last week of PT.  I asked the doc about the MRI for both knees, but since I only have the affliction in the right knee, that's where the MRI will be imaged.  The MRI place hasn't called, yet, so I don't have an appointment, right now.

The knee works well when running, but it takes about a half mile for all the pieces to settle down.  Last Wednesday's run was barely over a mile because of the muscle that's lateral to the shin bone from the splat on Sept 8.  The ground zero lateral to the shin is about the size of a quarter.

Friday, it was whining some.  Typically with me, if the legs are hurting a bit early in a run, I can stop for 30-60 seconds, restart, and the pain is gone.  Friday, the pain pretty much stopped after the stop for a pee, shortly after mile 1.  I went on to finish 4, not knowing when I left home if it was going to be 2, 3, or 4.  I mostly was thinking 3, until an idea popped in my head for work.  That little distraction got me to 4 and the idea has legs, maybe big legs.

After a run, I have some residual whining.  Mostly because I'll sit at the computer for an hour and some rigor mortis sets in.  Also, inferior to the knee cap takes a while to become transparent.  My biggest fight is trying not to compensate for the inferior to the knee cap looseness to other locations, like the hip joint or the ankle.  It's almost like the right leg is an inch shorter than the left and I don't have a 1 inch spacer (an illustration).  So, I walk slower because it enables me to not compensate and walk a normal stride.  Today, I was able to walk a normal stride at my normal pace.  Tomorrow, I run.  The cycle repeats.

My arm bruise looks more like a wimpy, 'you must've worn a pad over your arm' bruise.  However, the hip joint bruise is a mighty, purple bruise the size of your hand.  Only sensitive to a push, but is invisible in a run.

Lifting is kind of odd.  I lost 10 pounds doing the sitting bench press.  I can't imagine why.  Other machines are either stable or increasing a tad.  So, I increased protein intake, which is a 6 week process or November 1.  That just might be a very good strategic move because by November 1, I should be in the mid-teens per week or even more.  After PT is over, I'll revert to the running TTh/lift MWF until the time when I need to run MWF.

We all know that running at least 3 days a week is best for training for a half or full.  Well, let's see how 2 days goes.  I have figured out that I have the energy for what exercising I'm doing plus a regular week's work & life.  I'll keep watching how that all changes (or doesn't) through Thanksgiving.

Thanks, Nancy.

Hope the transition to running 2 days a week and then back to 3 days goes well.  What distances are you targeting while running 2 days per week?  Our weather has cooled a bit...hope you also are experiencing better running conditions.

I keep forgetting to ask how the weight loss goals are progressing.

Have they scheduled the MRI yet?  I always get impatient.  I want verifiable information!

Enjoy the rest of your week.

Monday it was 75 degrees with a dew point of 63.  Relative to August, it was quite pleasant outside.

The back of the knee hasn't been an issue in 99% of the situations.  That's reserved for post-run rigor mortis, compensating on a walk for the rigor mortis, and the whining at the knee cap's inferior area.

The cooler weather (since 84 was very warm) contributed to the increase in pace.  My knee and little shin muscle problem settled down after a little more than a half mile.  Friday was the last running day, prior to Monday.  So, I kept on running.  During mile 3, I started thinking about bumping the cadence from 151 to 152 for the last mile.  After all, I've been holding cadence at 150 and 151 pretty well.

The 4th mile was at 152 and was, happily, the fastest split and...AND hardly noticeable.  Afterwards, I stripped down and stuck a package of frozen peas under my right knee tendon and watched the news.

4 miles, 1:02:17, 15:29 pace, 122 avg HR, 134 max HR, 150 avg cadence.
1.  15:41, 151 spm
2.  15:30, 150 spm
3.  15:36, 151 spm
4.  15:14, 152 spm

Nifty!

-30-

This morning was lifting and PT.  The lifting went very well, especially since it had been last Thursday since my last lift.  I guess the 4 days rest was well received.  Guess I'll find out Thursday the real effect of Tuesday's 4 day rest.

At PT, I was informed that I should not come on Thursday (the last day) and not come back until I've had my MRI.  That evidently leaves the door open for the knowledge of the MRI to play a roll in extending the PT for another 4 weeks.  I could've just said that I want another 4 weeks and they probably could write it that way to make it happen.  But I'm not really fond of doing the PT.  I'm sure the work on balance, abductors, and adductors would have marginal benefit.

Tomorrow will have me running.  It'll be the return of humidity with a SE breeze en force.  Could be 75 degrees with a 70 dewpoint.  STILL better than August.

nkrichards wrote:Hope the transition to running 2 days a week and then back to 3 days goes well.  What distances are you targeting while running 2 days per week?  Our weather has cooled a bit...hope you also are experiencing better running conditions.

I keep forgetting to ask how the weight loss goals are progressing.

Have they scheduled the MRI yet?  I always get impatient.  I want verifiable information!

Enjoy the rest of your week.

Howdy, Nancy.

The MRI hasn't been scheduled.  In fact, I called the MRI place and they didn't even have the orders from a week ago.  So, I have cattle prodded the doc.  Hopefully, I can get it scheduled for next week.  I, too, want the information.  I just want to keep running.  I'm particularly curious about the shape of the medial part of the meniscus.  When my shoes get old, that medial part alerts me that it's time to pitch them.  During PT, there are a couple of routines that really makes that medial part angry.

The weight loss has plateaued and I'm working on changing up what I do to jar the system.  I tried eating a few carbs.  That had the opposite effect.  Now, I'm going to try one meal a day (OMAD), with a snack to see if that'll jar the system.  Still at net 13-15 pounds lost.

As far as running 2 days/week, I would probably do a long run on Tuesdays and a sorta long run on Thursdays.  So next week, I'd do a 6 followed by a 4.  

Another alternative would be to alternate running and lifting on different days.  For example, next week lift 3/run 2.  The following week run 3/lift 2 and so on.  That might be able to serve the 2 masters.

Mornings are cooler.  Maybe a 76 degree morning, but no.  more.  80s.

I know you'd like to lose more weight but a 13-15 lb loss is a very good start.  You're good at trying different approaches...to weight loss, your training schedule etc.  I tend to get stuck in a rut and keep doing the same over and over and wondering why I'm not getting the results I want!  Hope you get the results you're looking for.

Hope they get your MRI on the schedule.

I listened to "You're not the best".  And laughed.  Your songs seem to have a theme.  The comment on the YouTube that popped up on Google was from a guy who played the song at his wedding...15 years later his wife was still reminding him. 

Sending our cooler weather your way...

nkrichards wrote:I know you'd like to lose more weight but a 13-15 lb loss is a very good start.  You're good at trying different approaches...to weight loss, your training schedule etc.  I tend to get stuck in a rut and keep doing the same over and over and wondering why I'm not getting the results I want!  Hope you get the results you're looking for.

Hope they get your MRI on the schedule.

I listened to "You're not the best".  And laughed.  Your songs seem to have a theme.  The comment on the YouTube that popped up on Google was from a guy who played the song at his wedding...15 years later his wife was still reminding him. 

Sending our cooler weather your way...

Well, it might be construed as 'consistency' and not a rut.  A 'routine' maybe.  I have a routine lifting.  The first two things I do set me up for the rest of the lifts.  It's a warm up, even though they have their purpose and I wouldn't drop them from the routine.  Once, I went straight to the bench press on cold muscles because the bicep chair I use was being used.  I had a lot of trouble getting the 3 sets on the bench press done.  I learned.

Yeah, that song does have a few surprises in it.

The MRI is schedule for the 27th at 1 p.m. CT.

Your cooler weather is stuck up in the panhandle of Texas.  Thanks, though.

Yesterday morning, it was 75 degrees with a dew point of 72.  Back to June, but it wasn't even close to the 84 degrees of August.  

Again, it took a half mile for the area inferior to the kneecap to settle in for what ended up being 4 miles.  I ran 3 at 151 and the 4th at 152.  I was a little slower by less than a minute.  I'm not concerned about that difference.  If I was to run again, this week, I would split half at 151 and the other half at 152.  

This morning, I lifted.  Some routines I was able to match Tuesday's reps, some not.  I'm working on the theory that I need to consume more protein because the body is unable to be consistent on what I am lifting on different days.  Interesting that I'll be increasing mileage for the month of October.  But maybe the utilization of leg muscle cells is lower than the upper body, specifically biceps.  Which would mean more muscle cell manufacturing could be dedicated to the biceps.  Who the hell knows???

I think Monday, I'll return to Memorial Park and its 3 mile loop to run 6 miles.  Wednesday, I'll run 4, then get the MRI in the early afternoon.  Tomorrow, I have to meet someone at the hospital for a minor surgery around sunrise.  I hope that person doesn't chicken out.  Y'all have a good weekend!

Thanks.

p.s.  Lost 3 pounds more.  18 total, 232 pounds.  It's really sad when you can't find something that you've lost.

ounce wrote:Yesterday morning, it was 75 degrees with a dew point of 72.  Back to June, but it wasn't even close to the 84 degrees of August.  

Again, it took a half mile for the area inferior to the kneecap to settle in for what ended up being 4 miles.  I ran 3 at 151 and the 4th at 152.  I was a little slower by less than a minute.  I'm not concerned about that difference.  If I was to run again, this week, I would split half at 151 and the other half at 152.  

This morning, I lifted.  Some routines I was able to match Tuesday's reps, some not.  I'm working on the theory that I need to consume more protein because the body is unable to be consistent on what I am lifting on different days.  Interesting that I'll be increasing mileage for the month of October.  But maybe the utilization of leg muscle cells is lower than the upper body, specifically biceps.  Which would mean more muscle cell manufacturing could be dedicated to the biceps.  Who the hell knows???

I think Monday, I'll return to Memorial Park and its 3 mile loop to run 6 miles.  Wednesday, I'll run 4, then get the MRI in the early afternoon.  Tomorrow, I have to meet someone at the hospital for a minor surgery around sunrise.  I hope that person doesn't chicken out.  Y'all have a good weekend!

Thanks.

p.s.  Lost 3 pounds more.  18 total, 232 pounds.  It's really sad when you can't find something that you've lost.

I'm not going to help you look...

  Fine help YOU are.

-30-

Monday, it was 82 degrees with a dew point of 75.  Rain was coming, but I had plenty of time to get the run in and drive back home.  Evidently, the mission of attempting a 6 mile run overshadowed the muggy conditions.  I drove up to Memorial Park and ran 2 loops.  I set the cadence at 150, which I figured would be an appropriate long run cadence over the usual 151 or 152.

I was concentrating on every step past 4 miles, since it'd been May or April since the last 6 mile run.  The fact it was 82 degrees was irrelevant for this run.  That, in and of itself, was weird.  Running at the 150 cadence would mean that times would be in the 16's, which turned out accurate.

6 miles, 1:36:30, 16:05 pace, 148 avg cadence.

I really thought I was bleeding cadence in the last 2 miles.  However, that turned out inaccurate.  The cadence was 4 at 148 and 2 at 149, with the mile 6 split at 149.

The knee was really compliant on this run.  That was the cherry on top of this surprisingly good plod.  I iced the back of my right knee, just as a preventative because I still get that rigor mortis feeling throughout the day when I have sat for a while.

-30-

Tuesday had me lifting.  That went well, too.  Afterwards in the morning, I noticed I wasn't favoring the right knee.  In fact, it didn't even hurt!

Oh, happy day!