Training Log Archive: Sandy

Very slow hill repeats. Usually can get them down to 2 minutes but I'm sore enough that I didn't want to push it so nothing under 2 1/2 minutes.

Brown course at Hay Creek.

Well today has certainly been an interesting day. Got up, felt great, left leg feeling a good bit better than it has recently and so I was all ready to hit Hay Creek. And then right before I was leaving, my right knee suddenly and with no apparent reason seized up. Bending it more than 5 degrees sent jolts of excruciating pain, lifting the leg more than a few inches off the ground the same. Totally blind sided by this. It has happened before but not in a long while. And usually when it does happen, I can get it to go away relatively quickly by bending and straightening the leg or stretching a bit but nothing I did helped. I couldn't lift my leg to get in the car and I just didn't know what to do. I was actually worried that if I had to move my leg fast to hit the brakes I might not be able to so wasn't sure if I should drive. Eventually I was able to get in the car by sliding my leg in relatively straight and once seated decided that I could move my foot enough to drive. And I figured the hour drive would probably be all I needed to fix it, since it has never not gone away before.

Got to the event without incident, but still could not bend the knee more than a little without serious pain. Took my planned turn on epunch and then had to decide whether I was going to be able to go out or not. My left hip was reasserting itself and I still couldn't bend my right knee much. But I thought that I could probably get through a course if I just was careful and went slowly.

Got out to the start - thanks for the lift, Mac! - and made my way to the first few controls, going pretty slowly. Every so often, I would test the right leg, but there was still something not aligned in the knee and bending more than needed for walking was a no-go. I even had to get creative to get over things - stepping over with my left leg and then swinging my right leg from the hip. And then there was an uphill leg to #4. And while my left leg wasn't so happy with that, suddenly my right knee was fine. Whatever had been going on, something realigned itself and bending, while a bit sore, no longer had pain shooting up my leg.

Didn't dare try jogging though, so continued just walking the course, but at least I was able to pick up the pace a bit. Didn't really have any navigational problems, but the map sure seemed screwy in a few places.

After a long, hot bath and some stretching when I got home, my left hip is a bit sore but better than it's been lately and my right knee is a tad swollen but seems okay.

I am determined to get myself back into some sort of shape so I can race some of the upcoming events this spring, summer and fall. But, when my knee went out this morning and wouldn't stop hurting, I started thinking maybe I was kidding myself. Best guess is that I'm compensating for my left hip somehow and it did something to my right leg. Fingers crossed that the PT will resolve all of it.

And that's probably more than anyone wanted to know!

C • I'm surprised you . . . 4

Brown - Splits

I've actually been pretty good about doing my PT exercises - did them Tuesday and Wednesday and had a PT appointment on Thursday. Just haven't felt like logging them.

I had a double PT appointment yesterday - first for my new leg issues and then for my shoulder.

We've decided that my shoulder is making good progress and I should just keep doing the PT exercises, building up to more resistance with the color coded bands. I'm having very few problems most days so this seems like a good plan. I was very sore on Monday, but I attribute it to the plain ride - it's just really hard not to slouch in airplane seats no matter how many articles of clothing I stuff behind my back. I even put my neck pillow in the small of my back but still the contours of the seats almost force my shoulders forward. I also think I lowered myself down a few rocky hillsides on the Long course using my arms and that probably put a bit of a strain on my shoulder as well. The soreness went away by Wednesday so I'm feeling really optimistic though that I've got the underlying issue under control and if I'm good about the exercises it will be less and less of an issue in time.

My leg is another story - it's not improving. I'm seeing a different therapist for that and she seems to know what she's doing and has some ideas on what she thinks the issue is. Thursday was just an evaluation, we start for real next week. She just gave me a few stretches to start with. I like her, too, and again, am pretty optimistic that it can be resolved.

I am going to go orienteering tomorrow. Since it's not getting better with rest, I figure I might as well. I'm not staying in very good condition these days so I have to do something.

C • Glad . . . 3

Am thinking about heading to the Western Canadian Champs and Canadian Champs this summer and making a 3 week road trip out of it (so 5 days of driving to get there and another 5 to get home). I have the time - yay for not having to work this summer - and it certainly wouldn't cost any more than flying and then renting a car and this way I could bring as much stuff as I wanted. Seems like a good idea...

C • So jealous. That sounds lik... 2

US Champs Long Course: This was a great course and I only wish I had been in some sort of condition to actual race it and not just survive it. I probably did not chose the best routes to #1 and #8 most likely but they made sense at the time. Probably could have saved several minutes on each leg but hard to know for sure.

While I normally don't mind climb, I am enough out of shape that I found myself having to stop a couple times. I was a little light headed in a couple places where the climb was really bad but there really weren't alternatives. I also had to slide on my butt a few times to get down some hills and was on all fours to get up some others. I was afraid if I lost my balance I would roll down a hill for hundreds of meters before stopping.

But every flag was right where I expected it to be and there was only one control where I had to stop and think carefully about where it was going to be.

I've decided to skip the sprint tomorrow and fly home early. My leg is really sore and tight and walking is painful so I can't see how I'd enjoy it. And this way I won't be taking a red eye and be useless on Monday. I was glad it was relatively easy to get on an earlier flight. But I am sad to leave California - the terrain was quite spectacular and despite everything I'm glad I came.

C • sprint 3

Funny encounter. I was climbing a hill and I decided to climb to the top of a ridge and then go down the reentrant I needed instead of contouring. So I'm climbing up and I'm huffing and puffing and see a boulder out of the corner of my eye and think okay, just get to the boulder and as I get close it suddenly stands up and snorts and moves and it's a humongous cow with big horns and I let out a little screech. I quickly moved away from it and didn't look back and didn't hear anything so I can only surmise it either sat back down or moseyed on in the other direction. But boy did that give me an adrenaline rush!

C • Oh my , too funny!! 4

Brown X Long - Splits

Event: US Individual Championships (M/L/S)
 

Very mixed feelings about this.

On the one hand, it's kind of cool to be out in California. It's been a while since I've been in the San Francisco area - I think I was at a math conference about 12 years ago. It's so different than the east coast that it's just fun to be somewhere else.

On the other, my leg/hip is definitely not doing well. i tried to jog a couple of times but just a few steps let me know that it wasn't a good idea. Even walking was uncomfortable. So I'm a bit disappointed by the result.

But, I was relatively clean so I suppose I shouldn't complain. Just frustrating after feeling pretty good in Georgia.

C • I think 2

Brown-X Middle - Splits

Heat and stretching continuing to improve things, but still not pain free. I'm somewhat concerned about this weekend but I'll give it my best.

Did the shoulder stuff plus the knees and ankle and neck and core stuff I stopped doing the last few days.

Stopped the naproxyn so at least the GI issues are gone. Leg still pretty bad. But, figured out that heat followed by some stretches the therapist showed me is helping. Finally saw some lessening of the pain this evening. Walking around campus today was brutal.

Just the shoulder stuff. Leg still sore & stomach a mess from the naproxyn.

Had planned to go to the Water Gap to start streamering rogaine controls but my hip is way too painful. I think I need to take a day off. Maybe several. Poo.

C • Darn! 5

PT appointment.

Meadow loop with Sandy. Jogged a good bit.

Probably wasn't a good idea though since my leg is really bad this evening.

PT, abbreviated version

Garmin was happy to talk to my laptop today so re-entered this one.

PT

Saw a doctor today about the pain in my butt. He thinks bursitis and ordered x-rays and PT. He was someone at the Family Practice I hadn't seen before and I liked him so that was good. He was all for sending me to the sports specialists if the PT doesn't work, so at least he gets that I need solutions that aren't just rest and pain relievers.

Only did some...

Very happy with this outing. I was afraid I wouldn't be able to do it. Now to see if my hip flares up. Stretching tonight for sure.

C • Good one! 3

PT+

with Sandy

PT - added in some core exercises and leg stretches on top of all the shoulder stuff.

Hill repeats. Haven't done them in a while and it felt like it.

PT (appt)

A nice outing with Sandy. It had been a while and it was great to catch up.

PT

PT

A quick hike around the meadow loop.