Training Log Archive: cmpbllv

Walked around the lake at Ft. Steilacoom with Petie while Anna was supposedly orienteering with Kevin and Hannah. She was apparently more interested in playing around and being a general nuisance. Funny, I would have thought she would listen better without me. Who knew?

I found my walk disturbing. Petie was cold, so there was a fair amount of dragging involved since I didn't bring bribes. That's normal. What wasn't normal was the soreness of my lower leg muscles and the general fatigue. The less I do, the weaker I feel. It's not supposed to work that way. It somewhat reminds me of the calcium deficiency I had in Iraq - I even had muscle twitches last night in my quads. However, I'm definitely up on calcium.

Magnesium was also on the doc's list of things he wanted to boost, along with omega-3s and glucosamine. We'll see what happens. I generally eat well and enthusiastically, so I don't like taking all this extra junk, but if it might help I suppose it's worth a shot.

Slept in this morning. I have done well catching up on sleep this week and for once I am not exhausted at the end. Back to heels being tender first thing, but not bothering me much at all during the day. Calves - actually, legs and even lower back - were super tight yesterday, though. Typical reaction to doing nothing?

The pool was fairly packed. I shared a lane with the super-fast triathlete. I asked him afterward if he had any insight about getting a good bike shoe fit around here, and he suggested the local pool manager who is a very competitive amateur triathlete. I think I know who he's talking about, so hopefully he can point me in the right direction.

Swam well. I timed the last two 500s, with 9:30 for the first and 10:00 on the second, 90 seconds rest in between. I'm pretty happy with that, it's my normal distance pace. It felt good to push hard for that long a set, too, and I had that "I did some serious swimming" feeling to carry me through the afternoon.

I've scheduled the podiatry appt, but not for another 3 1/2 weeks. Eeek. Hoping to be back in the saddle by then! Sports med is next on my list.

Interrupted by a Petie emergency (another roll of TP in jeopardy of getting flushed), but good to continue to work this. Did full situps instead of the second crunch set.

My meeting with the surgeon was interesting. He's still quite certain that I've pounded myself into this mess on foot, and even hearing that I haven't really run all that much didn't really make much difference. Ok, maybe...but I didn't have pain until I started doing major cycling and included a few significant events on foot (rogaine, carrying Petie hiking, APFT) that I had problems.

He did conclude that I have more stress reactions (plural) than stress fractures. That, at least, is good. And recommended that if the podiatrist or sports med guys suggest cortisone injections, I should probably take them since he doesn't want any NSAIDs.

Which stinks right now, because I have a headache!

Anyway, I think he's sending me to sports med because I was pretty insistent we get me back on the bike, especially since we all agree that should not be contributing to bone stress. Months of no running I can handle. Nothing besides yoga and swimming will make me insane.

Feet sore most of the day, with my entire lower leg sore and fatigued by the end. A lot of soreness for not a whole lot of effort on my part. Quite irritating. This aspect reminds me of my electrolyte imbalance a few years ago.

Headed in with lots of shoes / boots to see the surgeon tomorrow. He was not happy that I'd been out on the bike, although he doesn't think the bike has anything to do with my stress fracture. He's pulling my chart and figuring out what else we need to know the get me back on the path to healthy.

I am going to get some decent sleep tonight.

Good to get out on this gorgeous day, but discouraged by the results. Didn't push it, kept an easy spin, but had a few twinges that told me cycling was the problem - or at least the major aggravation. I felt ok after finishing, but it got worse. By 1700 I didn't want to stand, and by 1900 I didn't want to walk anymore.

How could cycling cause this much of a problem? I'm following a beginner plan, my bike has been fit to me, and I've been resting weekends.

A little digging tonight suggests that shoes and cleat position may be the culprit, especially since both feet hurt (although left is still worse). Too far forward with the cleat and the lower leg has to work harder to stabilize the ankle. I remember the tech asking if I'd had ankle sprains when we started the bone scan, since I was showing a lot of soft tissue irritation in stabilization muscles. I said no, I ran a lot cross country, although I hadn't done much lately.

But I have been cycling hard, with shoes not exactly tightened down since I hate my feet falling asleep, and I haven't been stretching the muscles that get worn out doing that, plus my down days have featured cross-country, trail, or minimalist running. And I don't think I ever had my cleats really looked at hard...

I think I'm going to the bike shop to talk shoes. And not getting back on the bike for a few more weeks.