Running again

It's months since my last post.

I'm running again. Over the past month and half I gradually worked up to 30 minutes running sandwiched in an hour of walking and running.

1. I'm wearing a unloader brace. It takes the pressure off the injured part of my femur and has allowed me to run while the contusion heals. The brace looks bulky and restrictive, but it's not. It is light and flexible. I hardly notice that it is on anymore.

http://www.braceshop.com/media/catalog/product/cache/2/image/9df78eab33525d08d6e5fb8d27136e95/f/u/fusionoaplus.jpg

2. I've purchased a Bionic Runner (BR). It's a seatless bike that replicates the motion and energy output of running. I'm only in my first week. "Bionic Running" puts stress on the quads while removing it from the back, hips and knees.  It's kind of an amazing piece of equipment. I can see over the long haul that it will strengthen my upper legs and allow me to train more.

https://run4.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/02/bionic-runner-min.png

I BR'd for 20 minutes this morning followed by 30 minutes of running. Walking accounted for another hour of movement. Long tough morning because of the BR. My quads are very tired. Otherwise, I'm fine.

MRI's

New set of MRI's this morning. My second opinion ortho wants to see if things are improving. It's been about 3 months since my last MRI.

He suspects wear and tear on the bottom of the femur are the culprit. My knee is FINE. I'll meet with him next Tuesday to discuss the results.

In my mind I'm already shifting. Starting in May I'll be riding the Bionic Runner and walking in between. No running for the near term.

Second opinions

I'm going to get a second opinion on my knee and femur today. I've been consistently walking every day. If I take ibuprofen I feel little discomfort. Mostly NO discomfort. I'm thinking about acupuncture as an alternative way of stimulating healing of the femur.

I threw in two one minute slow jogs during my 70 minute walk yesterday. I ran on the grass on the edge of the soccer field ar WVC. No problems so far.

I think I tried to come back too early and too fast in February. It's April now. Three months and some since my knee injury. I'm hoping that if I climb out of this real gradually I might run again.

Bionic Runner should be showing up in late April or early May.

R E S T

Decided not to get an injection. Synvisc or cortisone. Yeah, it'll make my knee more comfortable but it won't help cure it. It won't fix the issue which is an abrasion on my right femur just above the knee.

I'm taking the season off. As is no running for now or the immediate future,

R E S T gives me the best chance of coming back. Even then there is no guarantee.

Rest is walking and BRIng.m

Prognosis

Saw orthopedic doctor a week ago Thursday. He sent me in for an MRI on Monday. Results on Wednesday. Turns out I have a wear spot on my right femur where it joins the knee, but towards the back. We decided that rest was the best course. I can walk, but need to stay away from weight bearing exercise. If the inflammation subsides then I'll be able to avoid surgery ( scoping the femur ). Doc recommended 3-4 weeks in addition to the 2 weeks I had already taken off.

The knee is already much improved. Two weeks ago I had to abandon several dawg walks with Lucy due to pain. Now I can walk an hour easily.

Taking the following

Ibuprofen ( inflammation )
Glucosamine ( speculative )

Knee Issues

Tuesday: BIG DAY ! 60 minutes easy run with Tom in the morning. Came back in the evening and ran another 45 plus minutes with Brian including 8 x 100 fast strides. Some slight knee issues. Need to be careful.

Thursday: 70 minutes with Tom and Danny. My knee didn't bother me. Actually the soreness is right above the knee on the inside. Chiro and massage coming up. Ibuprofen, ice and leg lifts.

Saturday: 45 minutes moving along (for me).  Warmed up with Jeff and warmed down with Todd. My knee which has been adjusted and deep tissue massaged didn't bother me while running. It was a bit sore when I stopped. Iced when I got home.

Sunday: ran an hour. Knee or lower quad tightened up big time. I've decided to rest it and just walk for a week or two. I'm going to see an orthopedic doctor ( the same one who scoped my knee back in 2012 ).

Easy week

Tuesday: 70 minute chiller with Tom ( Danny had an excused absence....again ). Double gloves and ski cap. Campus and roads. My legs felt good. The pace was slow.

Thursday: Another 70 minute at an easy pace. Danny showed up so we're all present and accounted for.

Saturday: 45 minutes easy running with Tom. Low 40's.

Sunday: 75 minutes easy running with Dimitri.

Rain coming in next week!

Never ran in Santa Cruz

Tuesday: The return of Danny. We ran 60 minutes together. I was happy to run slowly. Drizzle. No wind. Quiet morning at the college. Good recovery run.

Thursday: 70 minutes with Tom. Supposed to rain, but it never really did. Cool and drizzle. Coffee afterwards.

Drove over to Santa Cruz that afternoon.

Saturday: We had to head home from Santa Cruz because the thermostat went on the blitz yesterday afternoon and unfortunately it was pretty cold in the house. I hadn't run today so I decided to go out and do my local 3.5 mile course at 68-70% of Max. A few months ago I ran it in just over 34 minutes at the same heart rate. It's kinda rolling with a nice hill coming back towards the end. So two and half miles slight rolling and flat and one mile of down or up hill.

Today I ran it in 30:11 or a 8:37 pace. 

Look! I don't train at a 8:37 pace. At least not in recently memory and certainly not at 70%. The course has been GPS measured so it could be short. I guess the fact that it 12% faster than two months ago is significant enough. 

I was going to add in another easy calorie burning mile afterwards but then I thought. You've had a great run. Stop now!

Sunday: Very easy 70 minute run with walk breaks every ten minutes. Lucy joined me for the first 25 minutes. Cool (low 30's) windless conditions. 

I think I'm a miler

Tuesday and Thursday: 70 minutes both days running off Tom's shoulder. Both days were clear and cold.

Saturday: easy 35 minute run. Drizzle.

Sunday: 60 minutes of easy running with some strides at the end. Then ran 3 x .33 mile at 2:12-07-07. Half tennis court loop (.33) walk jog in between.

RAIN!!!!

Tuesday: Tom and I ran 70 minutes slow (Hey, I'm recovering here). We GPS measured Sunday's AT run course. Looks like 2.3 is too far. Closer to 2.21.

Thursday: Tom was headed back east. Danny was sick so I ran 65 minutes at 130-140 heart rate. Felt good throughout.

Saturday: 30 minutes job including warm down loop with the serious runners.

Sunday: rain and wind!!!☔️☔️ Dimitri and I ran 70 minutes around the gym buildings at WVC. The overhangs kept us dry. Got wet going back to the car, so no avoiding it.

Tempo flies

Tuesday and Thursday: 70 minutes each day. Clear and cold on Tuesday. Windy and warmer on Thursday. Rain was coming Thursday in. but we avoided getting wet.

Saturday: 35 minutes jogging. Ran and talked with Brian.

Sunday: Ran a 7:48 pace for a 2.3 mile tempo effort. 17:55!

It was a 85-90% heart rate run. Got off fast and tried to work my heart rate up into range quickly and then hold it. The first 3/4ths of a mile was rolling and hilly and the last half mile was gradual uphill. Gradual downhill or flat in the middle.

35 minute easy warmup before and a ten minute easy warm down. 

Cold Mornings

Tuesday: Tom and I ran several campus loops and then did Peach Hill ( the hill that never ends ). 74 minutes in all. Have to admit that I felt strong. Heart rate was in the 130-140 range going uphill. Hit 70% towards the end of the run.

Thursday: 69 minutes. Cool, crisp, slight breeze. Did double Black Berry Farm Trail with a loop around Deep Cliff's parking lot to add another five minutes. 35 minutes on the first out and back with Lucy in tow. Second out and back included Deep Cliff and totaled 34 minutes with a half mile further.
Ran naked (as in no HRM). Once again: Felt strong.

Saturday: 45 minute easy, so slow jog. High 30's. No wind. Bright sunshine.

Sunday: 84 minutes (long day). Cold morning. 20 minute jog with Lucy followed by and hour slog with Tom and Dimitri. Finale was 5 x 200 in 48 (200 walk). Kept the 200's at a very controlled effort. Did not push.

Another Douglas 9

Tuesday: Strong 70 minute run with Tom. 130-140.

Thursday: Same as Tuesday, but my heart rate was 125-135. Ran around campus and did extended Valley Vista. Felt stronger as the run progressed.

Saturday: 38 minute easy run.

Sunday: 30 minute warmup. Progressive tempo: Douglas 9 in 24:31. 10 minute jog. Several strides.

Douglas 9

Tuesday: ran 70 minutes easy with Tom. Clear, sunny, cool.

Thursday: 60 minutes of steady running. Cut trail on the new Douglas 9 course.

Saturday: 50 minutes easy running.

Sunday: 70 minutes of varied running. Tom, Dimitri and I ran the Saratoga 9 course at a good pace.  Ended up coming in strong. All out for Tom. Then Dimitri and I ran 2 x downhill 400's. 1:38-1:36.

Five day running week

Monday: Ran an easy 31 minutes this afternoon with Lucy in tow. Usually take Monday's off, but it rained this morning and Lucy and I didn't get out for our walk. We did our 55 walk in 31 minutes plus got a chance to chat with Oscar, one of the park maintenance crew who has become a friend.

Lucy was zonked. Went to her bed early.

Tuesday: Ultra slow 70 minute run with Tom. Only a few walk breaks. Did I say how slow we ran? 😃

Thursday: redux of Tuesday. Danny missed both days. Made breakfast on Thursday.

Saturday: 46 minutes naked ( no HRM ). Ran around WVC while the club did its workout.

Sunday: 75 minutes with 6 x 400 towards the end. Up and down the tennis court loop. Jog in between. Kept my effort at 80-85%.

Scottsdale

Tuesday: Ran true MAFEVA today. Started out very slowly ( MAF ) and gradually worked into EVA. Lazy but felt good. My buddy who had a minor groin pull told me he couldn't run so he was gonna walk. 

Well, we started together, he walking, me running, and we were shoulder to shoulder. So he tried running at 14 minutes a mile ( YES! ) and felt no pain. After about 20 minutes we were in the 11's and gradually worked into the tens. 

We ended up going 70 minutes.

Thursday: 65 naked minutes. Naked referring to sans HRM. Did a double BB Farm loop out and back. First loop with Lucy. Second by myself. Flying to Scottsdale in several hours.

Friday: Scottsdale. Had every intention of walking but after 5 minutes of that I started to run and pretty much hit the bricks for the next 65 minutes. So back to back runs, no HRM and I felt good. However on Saturday I walked for an hour so that I recovered

Sunday: Decided to run when we got back home. I went out around 1 pm and put in 50 minutes of 140-150 work. Warmish for a guy who runs early, but only in the 70's. I ran down to the Blackberry Farm Trail, repeated the course four times and then ran back to the house.

Slow Week

Tuesday: 70 minutes progression. Started with Tom running 45 minutes easy with walks (4-1). I ran the last 25 minutes alone pushing up into the 135-145 range. Checked pace and found that I was running 9:30's which while woefully slow, age graded to under 7 minutes a mile.

Thursday: 75 minutes super slow. 115-120 heart rate. Tom and Danny rode in the posse.

Saturday: 38 minutes easy running. Tom told me he has a groin pull.

Sunday: 70 minutes very slow. Dimitri back running after tendinitis scare.

A strong week...tired at the end

Tuesday: 65 minutes running. First 20 was walk jog with Tom. The last 45 minutes was 135-145 HR effort. Warm day even in the morning.

Thursday: 70 minutes 135-145. Strong effort.

Saturday: 45 minutes easy running. 130-140.

Sunday: 65 minutes of running. 130-140 with four hill charges. Actually I didn't really charge them as much as I ran them at higher tempo. My legs were slightly tired. Thursday maybe?

My partner in Sunday running, Dimitri is out of action. Sore foot.

Getting faster

Tuesday-Thursday: 60 minutes each day. Danny ran the last half with me. Tom walked. No news is good news...I guess.

Saturday: Naked run meaning no HRM. 40 minutes moving along. Part of it with Lucy.

Sunday: 72 minutes with most of it very easy. 2 x .33 down and up. 2.12-2.16.

Lotsa traffic around west valley college. Soccer, girls softball.

First Fast

Tuesday and Thursday: 60 minute easy runs both days. Danny joined me. Tom off in Wisconsin.

Saturday: 45 minute unremarkable slow run. Pat...pat...pat...down the track.

Sunday: 70 minutes of easy running with a .33 uphill half tennis court loop in  2:22. Dimitri joined me. First Fast workout in a while. No AC issues.