trying to stay positive

So, here I am... after attending a weekend racewalking clinic and completing another 50k trail race. My left leg is still aching, and I have yet to see anyone who can help me put it back in place. I took 9 days off from training after the 50k in Louisiana. During that rest period, I started taking ibuprophen in large enough doses to actually help reduce the inflamation that is associated with my hip problem. I also did lots of self massage. Nothing seemed to really help, as my leg continued to ache, especially while standing still.

The 10th day (Oct 28) rolled around and I was getting bitchier and bitchier... Finally Raymond suggested I go out for a walk. He usually does not encourage me to work out, so I thought, what the heck. I got dressed and headed over to the little league park, taking the route with the most grassy areas. Yes, the softer dirt and grass surfaces seemed to do the trick. The outing totalled 6.26 miles and I ran about 1 mile of the total. Running seems to work a different set of muscles and gives the rest kind of a break. And, yes, running in the mud and wet grass is fun.

We had terribly rainy weather the next couple of days. As a matter of fact, I had trouble getting home from work Thursday afternoon. The low hanging wall of dark clouds that evening were really ominous. The wind started gusting and the driving rain that tracks from southwest to northeast along cold fronts was really intense! All I could do was concentrate on the white line on the side of the road to see that I was still on the road. No workout Thursday. Friday evening I was just too late getting home from work to do anything.

Saturday October 31, I was out the door for a walk at about 7:51am. It was rather cool out, and my intention was to take the same route as I had on Wednesday afternoon. I was surprised to see the peewee football game going on in the wet grass as I walked toward the little league park. There was a lot more water laying in the low spots, so my shoes quickly filled with water. No problem, my feet just stayed cool. I had another good walk, about 6.5 miles with about 1.3 miles of running mixed in. I returned home, stretched, showered and went to work.

Now, it's Sunday. I plan to go out for a semi-long distance walk... somewhere between 12 and 15 miles after I get a little housework done. I have an armoire to empty in my bedroom so that I can finally put a larger tv in it. To date, it has held all of my workout STUFF. I think I finally have a system worked out so that I can store all that STUFF in a centralized location. My leg is still aching when I stand for any length of time. It also hurts when I stroll, such as a person does when shopping. As long as I am moving at a reasonably fast pace, I don't have any problems... Hopefully, I can get in to see my old doc this week. I know he is retired, but he is the only person who can get that leg back in place so that it will stay there for a while. If only I could find a chiropractor who would do the same, instead, they want you to come in 3 times a week for the rest of your life. Fine, if you are independantly wealthy. I am not blessed with unlimited funds.

Now, all the camping gear is airing out on the back porch in preperation for the weekend at Huntsville State Park. (Huntsville Texas) I am meeting up with some friends for the Rocky Raccoon 25k/50k trail race. I am walking (maybe doing some running on the down hills) the 50k, then spending an extra night to have more time on the trails on Sunday before I pack up and return home.

February 16, 2009 - Random Things

So, I haven’t been blogging regularly lately. The main reason for my blog is to track workouts, so that other interested parties know what I am up to in the workout department.

There hasn’t been much to tell the past couple of weeks. I took a few days to recover from my marathon on January 31, and then I did the 50 mile trail race on February 7. After that, I needed a few more days to recover. My legs were hurting a little after the 50, and I was contemplating changing my mind about the 100 miler in June. I even went so far as to tell my mom I wasn’t going to do it.

A few days passed, and Wednesday I went for a 3.19 mile walk. All right, I was feeling a little better. I walked 5 miles on Sunday, after a few more days of rest. I tried a little racewalking each day.

Sunday afternoon after I was finished with my 5 mile walk, I realized that the cutoff for early registration for the Mohican 100 was here. Either I was registering on Sunday, or I was going to pay $35.00 more. The prospect of wasting $35.00, and the encouragement of a lot of my online supporters, made me do it. When I told my mom I registered for the 100 miler, she said, I already called the family and told them we weren't coming. I told her to remember not to listen to anything I say immediately after I complete any race of 50 miles or more. She will just have to give me a few days to get my thoughts together.

I am also registered for a 5k on March 1. I won’t try to racewalk the whole 5k, but I will do my level best to make a good showing. My 5k pr is 35:25, and it would tickle the heck out of me to best that. I am not sure I have it in me, 3 weeks after a 50 mile trail race, but we shall see.

Rambling on, I am walking a half marathon on March 29 and a full marathon on April 26. This is all in training for the Mohican 100 mile race on June 20.

Bad thing: I never got any relief from my three visits to the chiropractor before my trip to Phoenix. My retired doctor had asked me to report back after seeing the chiropractor, so I called him. Good thing: The retired doctor is going to see me one day this week. I thanked him very much, and reminded him that I still feel like I am imposing on him. He said, “You are.” I told him it wouldn’t feel so much like I am imposing if he would let me pay for the treatment. I guess I’ll see what happens.

I guess that’s all for now.

My First Trip to the Chiropractor

So, I finally made it to the Chiropractor to have my back looked at. He did a physical exam after asking me lots of questions. Then his associate took x-rays of my spine. I had a heat treatment and electrical stimulation of the lumbar spinal muscles. He didn’t want to do an adjustment until after he had a chance to look at the x-rays, so I went back this afternoon for another consultation.

I had more heat and electrical muscle stimulation, then an adjustment. The right side that is giving me all the problems wouldn’t release at all. The left side went easily. After the adjustment, we looked at the x-rays together. He showed me where everything was wrong. I already knew about the lumbar spine, I have degenerative disc disease and the space between L4 and L5 is almost nonexistent, causing the sciatica in my right leg. My pelvis is out of position from walking on the cambered surface and he recommended I find a more flat surface to walk on, such as the park trail or high school track. He said that the reason I don’t experience more pain is the amount of exercise I do; the result being that I do more damage than someone who does little or no exercise and experiences the pain sooner. Nevertheless, he didn’t suggest that I cut back on my long distance walking, just that I get my spine back in order and keep it that way.

I can’t afford massage therapy once a month, and the chiropractic treatment costs less anyway. I will decide whether or not to continue on Monday, after I go in for another treatment. There is a possibility he will work something out for me since I am a cash customer, not filing insurance claims.

Disgusted.

Well, it’s my turn to be disgusted. Sciatica sucks. Today, my back is hurting worse. There are 17 days until the first day of the World Class Racewalking Clinic in Mesa Arizona, 18 days until the Desert Classic Marathon, and 25 days until the Rocky Raccoon 50 mile trail race in Huntsville Texas. My right leg is weak, my lower back hurts, and my whole right side is speaking words of discouragement. I can’t stretch my right hamstring properly, but the left one is ok. I have an appointment with a chiropractor on Friday. I am supposed to walk 20 miles on Saturday.

This has happened before. One or two adjustments usually puts things back where they belong and my flexibility returns.

I think this is all a result of too much walking on a cambered road. I usually always walk against traffic, so the right leg is always lower than the left one. The only time I feel comfortable walking with traffic is when the road is extra wide, or I am walking on a road with a full shoulder. Does this mean I have to start doing all of my racewalking at the high school track??? I sincerely hope not. It is not too much fun walking around in circles. The Garmin is not as accurate on a track because of the tight turns as it is out in the open on a long distance walk. I guess I could go back to using the split timer on the stop watch…