Now THAT was one hell of a birthday!!

This year it turned out that the Croatan 24 race was on November 9-10 and November 10th is my birthday!  Didn't take much for me to decide that this was going to be a great way to have some fun!

Actually the race was intended to honor the birthday of the Marine Corp and the race participants were urged to use the race as a means to support The MARSOC Foundation . . . "established to provide benevolent support to active duty and medically retired MARSOC personnel and their families as well as to the families of Marines and Sailors who have lost their lives in service to our Nation."  What a great thing to do!

Unfortunately . . . I had a group of people who had pledged their financial support to the American Cancer Society for my April Virginia 24 race.  I had an accident falling from a ladder (and later surgery on problems from that accident) and couldn't run that race.  Luckily all the folks had agreed to defer their support to the Croatan24.  I felt a little bad about that but Race Director Brandon Wilson told me not to worry.  So I didn't!


Birthdays . . . mile and the Marine Corp

So this was my birthday as well as the Marine Corp birthday!  Honestly, birthdays are no big deal to me at all  I drove my family crazy that I to me it's just another day!

Suzanne Ballard's birthday was also close as was one other lady whose name I missed, so Suzanne brought some "head thingys" to wear . . . don't be too envious!  Wore mine the first lap and the last!  Lots of fun!

Even Valmir Nunes was jealous and wanted a picture with Suzanne and me!

 
If you are a runner, you know how a kind word while you are running just plain lifts your spirits!  And in an ultra even, we all constantly are trying to lift the spirits of everyone around us!!  That's one of the main reasons I love ultrarunning and ultrarunners . . . honestly the most supportive group of folks I've ever been around!  So I decided to have some fun with them and had a special birthday shirt printed for the race.









 
Talk about an idea that worked!!  I had a blast with kidding around with everyone!  If you aren't an ultrarunner you may not full understand the BRILLIANCE of my idea!!  LOL!  First the shirt did give runners something to talk about!  But more than that it gave them something really hard to do and think about as they ran!  Math becomes quite hard to do as your mind just plain doesn't work so well as the miles add up.  And trying to do long division in your head is quite the challenging task!!  So for a long, long time I wouldn't tell people how old I was . . . I told them to figure it out themselves!!  While the answer is 64, I got some really funny answers!!  I thinks folks enjoyed it as much as I did!

Never in my life have I had so many people wish me a happy birthday!!!


The Course
I simply can't imagine a prettier place to run a 24 hour race.  The track was a 1.3 mile loop through coastal salt marshes and tidal forests.  You really just had to be there . . .

The Race
I had a great race.  Actually ran a PR (Personal Record for you non-runners!)  57.53 miles.  But one of the BAD things about 24 hour race is you can think about all the many things that happened and that you did that held you back from even higher miles!!  Secretly I had really, really hoped I could run my age . . . 64 miles!  Now THAT would have been awesome!  But stuff happened that kept me from doing it!  Still . . . I was very pleased.

Over a 24 hour period a whole lot happens!  You have peaks and you definitely have valleys!  The peaks are great but the valleys are the key.  They just challenge your mind . . . way more difficult than challenging your body.  I honestly came within a hair of quitting at about 8 miles!!!  My toe hurt soo bad!  But a friend messaged me and reminded me that there was a good chance that the pain might subside with time and miles . . . and it did! Thank God for technology and smart friends!  The pain was always there but manageable.  There were periods it would get bad . . . but then the pain would back off some.  That went on the whole 24 hours.

Running bends your foot way more than simply walking. And flexing my toes is what causes my pain.  So to ease the moving of my toe I quit running around noon Saturday and decide to simply walk.  A good and necessary call but not running held me back.  Walking just takes too long to cover the miles I had wanted to do.  When I did the math it was clear 64 miles was impossible without more running  But I could have done 60 miles if I hadn't slept for 1 1/2 hours!!  Damn!

But other than my foot issues and some blister problems, I felt great! Okay . . . great at the first and still motivated at the end!  I was still moving strong when the race ended.  I had more in me that I just didn't have time to let out!!

A few special memories from the day in no particular order:

• Just after midnight, I had an awesome version of "Today is Your Birthday Day" by the Dooms!!  They had obviously planned the song out as they each had their own parts!!  Loved it and I smiled a bunch of miles thinking about it!
• Just finished another lap past midnight and when I got to the aid station, Heather Wilson presented me with a birthday cake . . . picked out by her awesome daughter Rebekah!  Was a little disappointed that there was no dancing girl in popping out though . . .
• The eventual winner, Mosi Smith, just made my race!  What a cool Marine!  One of the nicest and most humble folks I've met!  He makes America proud!
• Marine Major General Mark Clark (Commander of MARSOC) joining the fun for his first ultra . . . running over 43 miles!  A fun guy too!
• Jonathan Savage is just an awesome guy!  Always trying to help and motivate others like it's his responsibility!  Just don't know of any other runner that has studied and knows that much about our sport.
• The opening ceremony for the race was honestly amazing!  Presenting the colors, the cake cutting, the playing of the National Anthem  . . . just a very, very special day.
• Had dinner Friday night with Valmir Nunes and Connie Gardner!  So much fun talking with those two!  Of course it took an interpreter to talk with Valmir as he speaks Portuguese!
• Caleb Wilson positioned himself after the first bridge and took it upon himself to "high five" everyone that passed . . . every time!!  He was so happy and enthusiastic!  Made me smile every lap he was there!  And when he finally left (after maybe 8-10 hours) I really missed seeing him!!!
• I love running miles with Susan Dummar!  Time just passes quickly . . . and I laugh a lot!!
• Was so impressed with another marine I sort of got to know during the race, Maj Jeff Harrison.  Seems like a great guy and was trying his first ultra . . . oh . . . and he completed over 50 miles!!
• Charles West just coming down to the race to help out and see friends!  Awesome!
• Getting to see two running friends do what in my mind is almost impossible (though there are plenty that do it!!) . . . running 100 miles + in the 24 hours!  This was a first for both John Dailey and Tim Scott - two more just plain awesome Marines I've gotten to sort of know.
• Also, getting to see Cam Kelly totally annihilate his best 100 mile race time by 6 FREAKIN' HOURS!!!!!  He finished in 21:17!!  Unbelievable!
• Loved that every time Cherie Yanek passed me she slapped my butt for my birthday spanking!!  And she passed me a lot as she completed about 110 miles!!!
• Ended up raising just over $2,700 for the American Cancer Society.  I thought about this the whole way.  I knew that each mile I did added over $47 to the contributions . . . so I REALLY wanted to go just as far as I possibly could.  The time I thought about quitting I thought of this!

Croatan 24 . . . a look forward

Okay . . . the inter-hypochondriac in me needs to just be still!

I'm in as good of physical shape as I've been in quite awhile.  My weight is down and my runs are stronger.  I honestly believe I am now in about as good of physical shape as I was last April when I had my accident.  I haven't done any really long runs, but my daily runs of 4-8 miles have been great . . . no walking at all!  So I'm expecting good things.

Last April I had a bunch of great friends that were supporting me by agreeing to donate money on a "per mile basis" to the American Cancer Society . . . one of the charities that I personally have decided to support.  Had I finished 50 miles, they would have contributed $2,360.  But . . . if I had finished 65 miles they would have forked over $3,033!  The more I do the more they pay!! 

But just before the Virginia 24 I had an accident and got hurt.

Most of my donors have agreed to defer their donation until later . . . and later is the Croatan 24!!

I kind of feel funny about this because the Croatan24 is raising money for MARSOC . . . but my donors are donating to the American Cancer Society.  RD says it's all good so I'm moving on!

So my physical condition is actually pretty good (assuming my hip and my toe agree!!) and I'm planning to go at this just as hard as I possibly can.  True . . . "as hard as I possibly can" isn't all that hard!!  And I have no idea how my training will work out (more running and less miles!).

But I'm planning to give this one all I've got.  I was disappointed in my Hinson Lake effort and this is my chance for redemption!!  Both my hip and my toe are potential issues, but I honestly believe they are as ready for this challenge as I am! Plus, I've got some personal reasons I just want to do good.  And if I can channel this inter frustration . . . . look out! 

So what will be good at the Croatan 24 Hour?

• 50 miles is a minimum level of acceptability.  MINIMUM.
• Could I do 70 miles?  I would sure like to think so but this would be a stretch goal for sure.  Any more is just not realistic.

So that is my bracket . . . 50-70.

Strategy?  Well . . . like Mike Morton said at about the 100 mile point at Badwater when ask about his strategy . . . "Well, I just going to run!"  So that is mine.

I plan to run intervals (maybe 3/1s) for as long as I can . . . and then walk what I have to!  The key is to just keep going.  It's a 24 hour race and I need to use all 24 hours!!  That is honestly the key for real success . . . staying out on the course, moving froward as I can.  Slow is better than "no"!!  Cold weather is always a challenge to mental toughness so I may have to face that one as well.

I don't have a crew or a support group to assist me.  A crew would really be awesome!  But I've never had one.  Realistically I should be okay all by myself.  I've pretty much learned I am my own most dependable friend and supporter anyway!!  LOL!!!!!  You never know where you stand with anyone else . . .but you KNOW where you stand with yourself.  So I have my best supporter with me!!  LOL!

So . . . if I can execute this strategy and my hip and toe cooperate . . . 70 miles is a possibility!!

And who knows . . . maybe the dollars I raise will be the dollars that will kick cancer's ass!  How cool would that be?

Sometimes I simply amaze myself...

I think I have a corner on the market for stupid!  But this time I outdid myself and even I am having trouble believing that I was this freaking stupid!

My training has been absolutely fantastic! One run after another was continuing to just get better and better.  Endurance was improving. Speed was improving. And my overall fitness level has been increasing significantly.  My pain was decreasing all the time.  Everything was getting better and better!

But I know for certain that my hip and my toe don't like uneven surfaces.  Even walking the trails at Medoc getting ready for the Medoc Trail Races let me know without a doubt that I should not be doing trails of any nature.  Be fine but then there would be one rock or one pine cone or one stick That I would step on and I would immediately feel pain.  Not a terrible pain but the pain that lets me know that I'm not anywhere close to 100%.

Actually my toe is doing fantastic!  The pain I'm feeling there is simply a "range of motion" pain that, while sharp, is not troublesome.  It's my hip that is actually my bigger problem.  Now been just over two years and my hip has not fully recovered . . . and maybe it will never be!

Me wrong . . . it's not bad.  When the hip starts hurting it's something between pain, a burning and an odd weakness that I feel.  Never terrible but when it starts it's doesn't get better during a run.

I've known I need to stay away from trails for a while.  Maybe even forever.  While trails were always my first love, I still enjoy running on the roads.  And having to give up trails is far from the end of the world!

So after marking all the trails for the Medoc Trail Races I knew that I needed to stay away from the trails for at least several months.  No walking or no running on trails.  Period.  Paragraph.  End of story!

Well it should have been the end of the story but this last weekend my stupidity took hold!

With all the improving I have been doing I was looking forward to getting out and trying to race again.  A real race!  So I found there was a 5K and 10K race last weekend near where I  live called "The Picasso Run."  The website showed people happily running on roads!  Perfect!!  So Saturday morning I drove to Roanoke Rapids for the race and entered the 10k. 

At the race briefing about five minutes before the start of the race I heard the race director mention "the condition of the trail was excellent but with some leaves down!"

What the hell?  Condition of the TRAIL?  What fucking trail????????

Ask one of the guys standing near me how much trailer was since we were starting on the road.  The first quarter of a mile was a road but then we entered the trail for the rest of the way!! I knew this trail well as I wanted many many times,  It's an extremely easy trail with fairly good footing and just minor hills. (In full disclosure I must say that on the website, it clearly said "5k & 10k Trail Race" . . . guess I just didn't read that close enough!!)

Right then I should have called it a day!

But since the trail was an easy trail I told myself that maybe I could do it and not hurt myself.  And actually during the run I did fairly well.  The pain wasn't bad at all and I thought I had dodged a bullet!  No residual pain!

That is until I went for my run this morning!  After taking Sunday off for rest I headed out for my run this morning and I instantly knew everything was NOT right!  Hip pain was there from the first stride!  And it just got worse and worse as a went so out about 1.5 miles I stopped running, turned around and walked home.

I'm fairly sure this is nothing really serious.  I'm almost 100% certain I did no real damage.  But what I did was just STUPID.  I'll take a couple of days off and I'll be fine.  Physically that is. 

Mentally . . . I don't think you can fix stupid!!

Picking up speed . . .

Okay . . . you all that know me are well aware that this blog entry is somehow misnamed!! 

"Triple F doesn't pick up any f'in' speed!  Hell . . . to him speed is an ugly word!!"

Well that is true . . . BUT it's also not true at all!  Guess that needs some explainin'!!!

So I'm not running faster.  In fact I'm running slower!!  That's right . . . slower! My run pace before was about 11 - 11:30 per mile . . . but I walked often!  That did slow my overall pace to around a 14:30 pace.  But recently I've been focusing on running as far as I can and then walking as I need to.  And the net effect is my overall times are improving!!  Maybe 13:50 or so now.  Magic!!  Faster by being slower!  Only I could come up with something like this!!

Now don't get me wrong!  I'm still not able to run all that far without having to walk.  Today was my furthest . . . a whopping 6.7 miles before I had to walk!  Ended up doing about 8.2 miles in 1:54.

My plan is to keep adding distance as I can.  And once I'm not feeling foot pain (if that ever happens!!) I'll start adding some intervals or "rocking chairs" to my weekly training.

The Rocking Chair - Steeper than it looks!

Intervals everyone understands but you may not be familiar with a "Rocking Chair" . . . okay . . . you probably ARE familiar with a rocking chair but not THAT kind!!!  Idiot!!  

My rocking chairs are really a run I do on a road near my house where the road drops steeply over maybe 60 yards and then climbs back up the essentially the same level over the next 60 yards.  So the road sort of looks like the rocker on a rocking chair. 



So you slowly run down the dip, run hard up the other side to the top, turn around and run back down slow and fast up the other side for one cycle!  It doesn't take too many of these to kick my ass!

So I'm seeing some good improvement in my running and I'm DEFINITELY going to be ready for Croatan 24.  There I'll revert to a very easy run / walk interval but I plan to keep moving the full 24 hours!  I'm excited!  I'm planning to kick some ass out there!!  LOL!

Doctor says I'm as "fixed" as he can make me!!

Had my final review complete with x-rays yesterday and basically the doctor says I'm as good as he can make me!!  LOL!

Dr. Purvis is first to say that the job he did putting my toe back together is no where near as good as what God did originally . . . but all bones appear to be properly aligned and functioning for the most part.  Still remaining range of motion issues in "the little piggy that when wee wee wee all the way home" . . . but no more surgical tweaking seems to be needed.  Honestly, my two damaged toes do just plain look weird and each one points in an odd direction!  But fundamentally . . . everything is okay!

I told the doctor that he must have put some sort of governor in my foot that goes off at 6-8 miles when it all starts to hurt and burn!!  He laughed and said I needed to "listen to my body!"  What the hell does that mean??  So I'm listening there body . . . now what the hell am I supposed to do!

We runners (especially ultra runners) are ALWAYS listening to our bodies . . . and we are constantly evaluating and trying to decide if the pain we feel is caused by increasing trauma . . . or is the pain just plain pain!!  If there is increasing trauma . . . we stop!  But if it's just pain . . . well . . . suck it up buttercup!!

The doctor finally agreed that if I was feeling pain, that pain was pain almost certainly from scar tissue and there should be no serious damage by continuing on!  So that is awesome news!  Real "piece of mind" when the burning starts!  He did warn me to be REALLY careful going up hills . . . the range of motion / bending issue is made worse going up hills.  He really urged me to walk hills slowly with as little bending as I can do.  THAT won't be a problem at all!!  LOL!!  He thinks I actually RUN everything!!

So I guess I'm good to go!

But I guess the question still does remain . . . can I "Suck it up Buttercup" when I need to???  Guess we'll have to see on that one!

I'm an ultra "runner" again! But a pissed off ultra runner. . .

Hinson Lake 24 Hour Ultra Classic . . . one of the premier 24 hour races in America!

 

 Goal achieved!  Guess I finished 35-36 miles . . . actually forgot to check!!  Doesn't matter . . . I was well above 26.2 and that is what I wanted!  Guess I "got my card back!"


If you were one of the 10 or so people that read my last blog, you know I had planned to walk at Hinson to see how my toe would do with no running.  At about mile 8 or so my toe REALLY started complaining.  So I went to see Denise Martin . . . our ultra masseuse to see if she could help . . . and help she did!  I was able to continue on.  The pain was significant but managable.  I had walked everything up until this point and continued walking only.

Mentally . . . I sort of gave up.  Honestly I just wanted to get to a marathon distance.  When I did . . . I quit.  It was probably about 9 pm and I decided to go to bed.  But honestly, something strange was happening . . . my toe was hurting LESS not MORE!  But I was so far behind I just quit.















I actually couldn't sleep much and finally about 4:15 am I decided to get up and go do a lap or two.  And oddly, my toe was still not all that bad!  In fact, it was actually pretty good!  I even did some running!  Not much . . . I was still being very careful!  But the toe was doing great!

And I was thinking and asking myself why I had quit at 9pm.  I could have kept going.  Easy.  I wasn't really sleepy.  I wasn't hurting.  I was a little tired.  But I knew my toe was actually improving!  And I still quit!  And if I had just kept going I could easily have finished 50 miles.  Damn.


But the next morning I did turn some good laps and ended on a positive note . . . running the banana lap to Mt Hinson!  Wooo Hoo!  Pretty lame I know, but it made me fell better doing it.

















These 24 hour races are just so mental!!!  Physically hard to a degree but the real challenge is the mental challenges you are faced with.  I've won some in the past and this time I lost the mental challenge.

But oddly I'm actually pretty excited that I folded!!  I know . . . you're thinking "what the fuck?"

Well, I had planned Hinson as only a test run . . . my first race since surgery.  Just a little test.  And I did okay!  Not great . . . especially mentally . . . but my toe held up!!  My focus race this year is the Croatan 24 in November.

I had pledges of over $3,000 for the miles I would run at the Virginia 24 to benefit the American Cancer Society.  But I had my accident the week before and most of the people who pledged to help me agreed to defer until the Croatan 24 race this November!!  Awesome!

So I still have training time.  And more healing time.  And now I have a "bee in my bonnet" about my mental collapse at Hinson!  The chances of me wimping out twice in a row . . . not good!  I'll be ready.  Physically AND mentally.

The folks pledging "per mile" better hold on to their checkbooks!!!  I'm going to cost them some money!!!

Hinson Lake 2013

A few of my 10s of readers have been asking what has been going on and why no "Hurry Slowly but Hurry" posts!  Okay . . . really only one person ask!  But that is probably 10% of my readers!!

Let me start out with two pieces of advice for you younger runners (anyone under 55 years old qualifies are younger!!).  Listen to the wise old man!

1. Don't grow old !  Period.  You think you have aches and pains now?  Bullshit!  You ain't seen nothing yet!  I simply can't wait to get up and get out of bed each morning to discover what new ailment I will have for that day!  Maybe it will be a brand new knee pain!  Or perhaps my hip will flair up for a few days.  Or maybe it will be that awesome lower back pain that visits about every week or so to keep me "stooped over!"  Yes folks!  Every day is a freakin' adventure in pain and suffering!!  But this leads to my second bit of advice . . .
2. Keep movin' !! Mechanics will tell you that one of the worst things you can do to an engine is to NOT start it!  Engines are made to run!  And I believe our bodies are made to move and definitely to not sit idle!  Starting back in April when I made my now famous "ladder dive" I was feeling pretty good and was in fairly good shape (for me!).  But from April 10th until early August I pretty much just had to sit in my recliner!  Hobble around (or "crutch" around) the house to try and fix dinner, shower or bed.  But that was pretty much it!  And just sitting around is the devil's prescription!  EVERYTHING becomes shit with disuse!  My back, my core, my legs, and even my mind!  And believe me . . . when you are 63 years old gaining back all the strength you've lost is not fun!  When your back hurts you can't do sit ups or crunches . . . hell . . . simply getting "on the ground" and getting back up becomes a frickin' challenge!  Do a plank?  No freakin' way!  You get the idea!

BUT . . .  there was one part of my body that seemed to benefit from my lack of activity!!  My hip!!  While my hip is WAY better since my hip surgery in October of 2011, it has never gotten really "well."  The labrum must still have a tear, as the hip locks up from time to time, and the damn thing just aches and fusses some days.  But since my accident, the hip has improved.  In fact, yesterday was the first day that my hip has ached in probably 2-3 months!!

So my "comeback" is coming along . . . but not very fast!  The first couple of weeks I saw pretty rapid improvement but that has pretty much stopped !!  I feel like maybe I've even done some "back-sliding" in my fitness level in spite of regular running and exercising!  Or at least I've hit a plateau or something.

But overall I am improving and we'll just have to see how far I will be able to come!  Three knee surgeries, a hip surgery and my toe surgery have taken a toll that I can't deny!  But I plan to follow Rule #2 . . . I'm going to just keep movin' as best as I can!

In my mind . . . I'm an ultra runner.  And since I've run a few ultras, I guess that does qualify me as a "card-carrying ultra runner club member!"  But there are just two problems in calling myself an ultra runner now:  1) the word "ultra" and the word "runner" . . . other that that I totally qualify!!!

So I'm NOT a current "card carrying ultra runner club member!"

• As far as the word "ultra" goes that means completing a distance of over 26.2 miles!  My longest distance since April has been a whopping 12 miles or so!!  Not even 1/2 the distance to qualify again!  

• And the word "runner" is the real problem!!  On my "runs" now it is always a run/walk interval.  Never really a "run" like in my younger years!  And on my distance "runs" . . . there is WAY more walking than running!  So t

And that brings me to Hinson Lake in two weeks!  Yea . . . I know . . . it took me awhile to get around to the subject of this post!  But when you get old, the mind just wanders around some . . . like I do when I get lost on a trail ultra!!

I'm want to be a current "card-carrying ultra runner club member" again.  Well . . . there we go with the frickin' words again!!!  Quite honestly I should try to either achieve the "ultra" part or the "runner" part.  But if I try to run very much, the ultra part will be impossible!  And since I run every day 3-6 miles or so, I think I've got the "runner" part covered but we'll have to see what the "Ultra Runners Club" admissions committee has to say about this!!!

So I'm going for the "ultra" part at Hinson Lake!  To maximize my chances I plan to run very, very little . . . if at all!

I honestly have no idea if my foot / toe will allow me to do this!  I KNOW the toe simply HATES trails.  And while Hinson Lake is not really much of a trail, the uneven-ness (if that's a word!!) of the surface will cause me issues.  And the sand going up "Mount Hinson" will be a huge problem too.  Even walking and doing trail maintenance at Medoc REALLY hurts my toe and I can only do about 3 miles a trip before the toe pain becomes excruciating.

So we'll see.  I have 24 hours to cover 18 laps around the lake or 27.36 miles!  That is my minimum goal.  Of course I would love to finish at least 33 laps which would be 50.16 miles!  That would be freakin' FANTASTIC!

The key will be my foot / toe and maybe my hip.  Neither one is going to be happy with this or with me giving it a go!!  So we'll see . . .

Maybe I can get my card back . . .

I'mmmmm BBBBBaaaccccckkkkk!!

Hell yes!!!   I'm a "runner" again!

Okay nothing crazy.  Wednesday, I was walking with my Y buddies in Rocky Mount . . . they agreed to walk with me instead of their normal routine!  At the end of our 3.1 mile walk my foot was still feeling good so I decided to run just a little and see how it did.  I only ran maybe 100 - 150 yards.  But no pain at all!  I couldn't quit smiling the rest of the day!!

So Thursday I again did 3.1 miles but walked 3 minutes / ran 1.  I was tired by the end but no foot pain!  Friday I went 2.7 miles walking 2 minutes and running 1 minute.  Very hard to finish the interval but I did!  And still no foot pain.  And that same day my PT and I agreed that I had progressed far enough that I could do the rest on my own!

My legs were tired so I decided to take today off running (Saturday) but I plan what I believe will be a hard Sunday . . . planning to try 6 miles!  I will start doing the 2/1 and I know there is no way I could do that for the full six miles.  So I'll just adjust the intervals on the fly!  Also, all my runs have been in the heat of the day, so my Sunday run will be in the morning before things heat up!

I am so excited and feel like that finally "the shit is over" and now it is simply a process to rebuild my fitness.  Is everything perfect?  Well, no.  Foot is still swollen and discolored.  But walking and running seem to have no impact on it . . . positive or negative.  So I'm just not worrying about it anymore! 

I see my doctor Monday and get to tell him what I'm doing!  Maybe I won't even come clean!  I do think I am going to have him fit me for another pair of orthodics . . . I'm thinking that my right foot is now quite different than it was before.  Doctor may want to wait a few months to see if the swelling goes down before he does do any fitting.  Guess we'll see.

Oh . . . one positive by-product of this foot problem is that my hip pain seems to have almost gone away!!  Guess it needed time to heal! I am totally amazed!  Every once in awhile it feels like it's slipping out of joint (really a minor labrum issue), but not much and the pain doesn't last!

In the mean time I'm feeling like a kid again!  Okay . . . maybe not quite that good!  But I'm feeling GREAT!  And I'm in the best mental place I've been in quite awhile!

Better . . . but progress is slow.

I am improving!!

When I think about have I improved from yesterday . . . well . . . I don't see progress.  But when I think about how I've improved over the last two weeks I can see progress!

As you would expect, the mobility of my foot and ankle suffered greatly through the 10 weeks on inactivity due to the dislocations and then 6 weeks in a cast on crutches.  So I have a long way to go the get back my flexibility and a full range of motion.  But I am starting to see progress likely due to my physical therapy . . . Elaine Weisner has been great.  Lots of different exercises and things to try.

Both the swelling and the discoloration have improved marginally.  I can see and feel a difference but both remain.  Elaine has given me several things that hopefully will assist here.

Pain on the bottom of my foot continues with virtually no improvement.  That's a little discouraging but honestly the pain is just a 2 or 3.  I can deal with that . . . though it would be nice to leave the pain behind!

Over the last three weeks I have been working on my overall fitness and here I am definitely seeing the most progress.  I started swimming.  My first swim kicked my butt!  I could only make it about 25 yards and I was totally out of breath.  I rested and swam another 25 yards!  I was DONE!

Now I swimming maybe 1,000 yards or more and only resting a little.  It was really cool to see the quick progress!  Made me feel a little better about myself!

I'm also doing other exercises and progressing there too!  So I'm feeling much better about myself finally!

I have done several ~1 mile walks and tomorrow I will be doing even more as I mark part of the Medoc Meltdown 50k course!  I'm excited to see how my walking progress is.  Even if the doctor said it was okay, I don't believe I would be running quite yet.  But once he gives me the "green light" I plan to start testing the waters.  But I'll have to watch the pain pretty closely.

With the Meltdown, I'll be spending a lot of time on my feet so this will be a GREAT test!

I honestly thought I would be running by now . . . but I'm guessing my age is playing a factor here (my physical age . . . not my mental age!!).  Maybe that's not the reason - I don't know for sure.  But progress is slow . . . BUT THERE IS PROGRESS!!!

Gout? Maybe not . . .

After over a week on gout medication there is no noticeable change in my foot!  Still swollen and discolored.  No better but no worse either!

My doctor says my uric acid level is high.  That seems to mean this MAY be gout.  But it is not proof that it is.  And he feels like the medicine I've been taking should have had an effect by now if it was gout . . . but he still wants me to continue taking the gout meds!

So honestly he really just doesn't know what's wrong.  So he is sending me to physical therapy!  I guess this makes sense!!

So tomorrow I find a PT and give him my doctor's orders (heck . . . I can't read them!).

But I'm thinking it is getting close to time that I take over responsibility for my recovery.  I won't do anything crazy  But I'm going to really listen to all the aches and pains and figure out how to get back into walking . . . and then running.  I have a way to go.  But right now I'm just sort of stuck at wherever it is I am in my recovery.  Time to move forward.

And speaking of moving forward, I have begun exercising and I can already see positive differences!  Very exciting to me!

I'm swimming.  First day I about died and swam maybe 100 yards with a good rest at halfway!!!!  Today, about 1 week later, I swam probably close to 800-900 yards (5 laps across the cove) and I know I could have done more . . . just got bored!

Also I'm doing crunches, various leg lifts with resistance bands, and arm exercises.  Have to be careful as my left wrist is now healing since I'm off crutches.  And I really can't use my toes yet.  So things like pushups and planks will have to wait.

So at least I feel like I'm moving forward rather than backwards.  And soon I'm hoping I'll be walking for actual exercise!!

Bucket List

Maybe I shouldn't call this "My Bucket List!  It's really just simply things I want to do!  And since this blog is supposed to be focused on running it would make sense for me to keep things centered there.

So following the Stephen Covy approach with dealing with the "Big Rocks" first and then fill in with lesser important things . . . here are my two "Big Rocks."

Thru-hike the Appalachian Trail
One thing that has been on my list for years and years and years is to thru-hike the Appalachian Trail!  Back when I was in high school I first learned about the trail and hike a little of it and it was love at first sight!  In college I helped maintain a trail section and enjoyed that.  Quite frankly I read everything I can find about the AT and always have.

In the past I just wanted to make my thru-hike an un-hurried adventure taking 4-6 months.  Literally stopping when I wanted to stop.  No rushing.  No schedule.  Just enjoy the hike.  But now I'm re-thinking this some.  I might just try and see how fast I can do it!  Not sure . . . but thru-hiking the AT is one of the highest priority goals I have. 

The Last Annual Volunteer State Road Race
The next goal that I've set is to complete The Last Annual Volunteer State Road Race held in July of each year (yes . . . every year is "The Last Annual . . .").  This is quite a challenge.  The race is 314 miles, starting in Missouri, crossing the Mississippi River and entering Kentucky for about 10 miles.  Then, you cross into Tennessee and go diagonally southeast.  Tennessee is a loooong state!  Cross over into Alabama for a short while and finish up in Georgia!  You have 10 day to finish which equals a 50k each day.  Sounds easy.  Try it!  Oh . . . and I forgot . . . there is no aid provided!  You are on you own!  You simply can't imagine how much no aid and no crew add to the difficulty!

I was scheduled for Vol State this year . . . but had to pull out due to my foot issue. My training had been going extremely well up to my accident and it was my focus race of 2013.  This is simply unfinished business.

My problem is these two things are the two big things on my list but realistically I don't think I could do both in the same year.  If I did the AT thru-hike I would probably start in April or May.  Not sure just how long it would realistically.  The AT distance is constantly changing as trail relocations take place but it is about 2,180 miles or so.  If you could average 20 miles a day that would take 109 days so if I started May1st I would finish around mid-August.  So Vol State would be out until 2015.  And if I decide to do Vol State, there really isn't time to do the thru-hike.

So basically I need to decide between these two goals.  I'm not getting any younger!

Then there are lots of things of lessor importance.  All the "Little Rocks."  These are not in any special order . . .

• Leadville Marathon . . . one of two marathon DNFs.  This one bugs me.  For some reason I have no desire to try the Leadville 100.  Probably couldn't make the time cut-offs anyway!
• Big Sur Marathon . . . just sounds beautiful.  Period.
• Keys 100 . . . really have no idea why this is on the list.  It's just too hot to run in the Keys in the summer!  And I hate the heat!  But I've never been to Key West!!
• Run Across VA . . . this isn't a race really.  But I would love to run US 58 starting at Cumberland Gap and end at the beach in Norfolk.  520 miles of beauty and hell!  I toyed with trying to make this into race but I believe it is just too long.  But it would be an awesome challenge!
• Run a 23 minute 5k . . . not sure why this is included . . . but it is something I've considered trying to do.  My PR at 5k is 20:01 and I was about 40 years old at the time.  Lot's has changed since then!!

Update #128 - What the F&@K is GOUT?

Things are getting better . . .

But the ride back up is definitely not a smooth one!  Ever since about a day after I got my cast off the surgery foot has been all swollen and discolored . . .  plus it just continues to hurt!!  And not just were I had the surgery . . . the whole freakin' foot!

Actually, the "hurt" is lessening and I can walk some . . . maybe a couple of hundred yards or so.  But this "recovery thing" isn't going quite like I planned.

Now . . . the doctor thinks I have "gout" in my foot from all the surgery trauma!  WTF?  I don't even know what gout is!  How can I have it?  Just makes no sense to me!

I've never had "gout" before so I really don't know quite what to expect!  The doctor said sometimes gout is REALLY, REALLY painful . . . like if someone even "looks" at it it hurts!!  Mine isn't like that at all.  It hurts but the hurt is very manageable.  I have some pill now so hopefully they will knock this shit out quickly!

But at least I've started back exercising.  I can't do a lot of things yet, but there are some things I can do!  Crunches, resistance band lifts from many directions, curls, etc.  But things like planks, puchups, etc. are out.

One thing I never mentioned much about was my wrist!  When I fell from the ladder a screwed up my left wrist!  I think that injury is what made using the crutches so hard!  But now that I'm off crutches, the wrist is starting to heal.  But things like pushups are in the distant future for me.  Heck . . . when I'm on the floor and need to get up it is a REAL ordeal!  Just barely can . . .

Plus I've started swimming even though kicking in the water does hurt.  I suck at swimming . . . and swimming itself just sucks!  But I'm going to do it.  Today I swam maybe 300 yards . . .  swim 50 . . . rest . . . swim another 50 . . . but it's a start and it is an aerobic thing which I need desperately.

I also need to develop a "Lilley-style" Paleo diet that maybe I can live with.  Trying to do some research but a lot of the recipes I'm reading just suck!  A "smoothie" with coconut milk, hard boiled eggs, pork rinds (I actually should probably like them but I don't!), Raw veggies /w guacamole . . .  I'm sorry but I'm not willing to live like that!  So I've got to adapt something I can live with but I really don't know where to start.  Got to figure this out!!

Next up . . . it's time to re-do my list of things I want to do.  This will take some thought!  I think I'll have another glass of wine . . .

Next Status Update!

Some really good news . . . I am now officially out of my cast!  And the pin is out of my toe!

Huge step for me!  And I'm really excited.  The cast removal is nothing and the removal of the pin from my toe was 100% painless!  Honestly!  Want to see it removed??

But the news wasn't 100% positive.  My doctor said he was a little disappointed in how straight the bone alignment was.  He had hoped for better.  But . . . like he said . . . God does it right and he just tried to get as close to that as he can!!

Looking at it now there doesn't appear to be an issue . . . for instance the toe isn't just sticking out to the side or anything!!  It really looks good to me!

But Dr. Purvis worries that if I try and do too much it could just slip back out of place.  Not a good thing for sure!

So my directions are to just keep everything to simple walking around . . . no fitness walking at all for the next 3 weeks.  And no exercises that would cause my toes to bend (pushups, planks, etc.).  He is hoping that in these three weeks scar tissue etc. will develop to hold everything together and in place.

I'm good with that!

Another quick update . . .

After 5 days wearing that boot I had had enough!

The lack of support allowed my toes to move around and every time my little toe moved it simply hurt like hell!  I was having three very different kinds of pain: 

1. A burning literally all the time.  Not terrible, but it just burned.  I guess it was the pin getting moved around some.
2. the ball of my foot hurt anytime I put weight on the foot.  Didn't matter if all the weight was on the heel . . . the ball of my foot hurt!  So I lost the ability to carry stuff around the house!
3. When my toe moved it it REALLY hurt.

I had started back taking acetaminophen for some relief.


So during the weekend I had had enough!  Called the doctor early Monday morning and by noon I had another cast on!

Virtually instant pain relief!!  And the pain has stayed away.  Guess the movement allowed by the boot was the problem.

So now just 10 more days on no weight bearing and this cast and they'll remove the pin.  Not sure want happens after that.  I'm pretty sure there will be some PT.  Maybe a boot . . . just not sure.

But I'm pretty sure I'll be off crutches and THAT will be awesome!!

Quick update

Just a quick update . . .

Last Monday they removed my cast and took out my stitches.  Everything is looking good!

Here is a picture while the cast was off . . .

Toes still a tad swollen but lookin' good!

The doctor had told me that we would put another cast back on for another 2 weeks.  Well . . . he changed his mind some.  He decided to let me try using a special surgical boot that will only allow me to put weight on my heel.  Totally impossible to walk in, but it does make life WAY easier!  Now I can do a weird 1/2 step and carry a glass or a plate from my kitchen to my den!!  Woo Hoo!  Can't go far but this is a nice bit of freedom!

The bad news is the doctor wants me to stay this way for three weeks instead of two.

I had to go back and see him on Thursday.  The pin in my toe must have twisted some and it was rubbing on "the little piggy that had none" making him quite unhappy!  But they twisted the pin some and re-wrapped everything with more padding and that took care of it!

Quite honestly, I wish I had a cast on instead of this boot.  The boot does allow my toes to move some and whenever that happens the pin in my toe complains!!  Loudly!  I believe a cast would support my toe better which would make these 3 weeks less painful.  But now one of those three weeks is almost over and only two weeks to go!  Not sure what will happen then . . .  PT I guess.

But in spite of this whining I'm really doing fine!  Honestly.

On a side note I mailed a letter to the doctor that missed the second dislocation.  Not surprised that I haven't heard a word from him.  Most doctors just seem to find it almost impossible to admit that they made a mistake.  Guess he thinks if he admits he made a mistake I would sue him.  But if he would admit it and apologize . . . it sure would make it easier for me to forgive him!  And I really would like to get past this.  I admit that right now I'm having trouble moving on.  Just angry that I'm having to go through all this extra pain and downtime.

But on a positive note I was already such a slow runner that this probably won't even make a noticeable difference in my pace!!

Just a little TMI

Just back from my 1st follow-up visit after my foot surgery.

Doctor believes everything is looking really good!  Bone alignments look good!  So here is the plan of action:

• Another week in this crazy cast.  Doctor did confirm that my weird foot position is intentional so that I never bear weight on my right foot.  Damn effective in my opinion! NO WAY I could put any weight to speak of on this foot!!
• Next Monday they will take this cast off and remove my stitches.  Then . . . unfortunately put on another cast, just like this one!  Damn . . . not what I was hoping for!  Two more weeks without any weight-bearing . . . ugh!
• Then I go back to the doctor and they will remove the second cast and may remove the pin holding everything together . . . or not.  Either way the may put another cast on for another 2 weeks but they may not!

One other bit of information . . . the doctor had a chance to look at my original x-rays and talked me through them.  Clearly my first doctor just simply missed the second dislocation.  It showed up on every x-ray.  If you look at the x-ray in the previous post and look at the little toe you can see there is not a clear definition of each bone like there is with every other toe bone.  The end of the smaller bone is actually riding below the longer metatarsal bone.

Have no idea right now as to when I may be able to run again but I'm pretty sure I'll be running again!  And that is the important thing!

But for right now and for at least three more weeks I'll be pretty much sitting in my chair.

Okay . . . I need a new plan!

As if you couldn't tell . . . Vol State to totally out for the this year!

I must have pissed off the running gods or something, but my fitness today is honestly equal to your normal couch potato.  I haven't run in so long I feel like a "poser" when I wear one of my running shirts!  I'm honestly certain I could not run 1/2 mile right now . . . seriously!  And that is assuming my foot would be okay!
 
Which I guess it is . . . now.  Once everything heals up.  I believe the doctors have finally identified my remaining problem . . . a second bone in my foot (5th metatarsal) was dislocated in the ladder accident but the doctor couldn't / didn't see the second dislocation!

I finally got a second opinion and the new doctor found the dislocation immediately!  So last Monday I had surgery to repair all the damage, scar tissue, etc. due to the bone being dislocated for almost 9 weeks.  Doctor said my foot was "really, really messed up."   He had to "pin" my toe/s and I've been in a cast where I cannot do any weight-bearing.

Tomorrow I have my follow-up visit to find out details about all that he had to do and what the future looks like.  I'm very excited to get some information!!  And hopefully I'll get a new cast where the foot is in a "natural" position and I maybe can walk some!!  Got to admit that using crutches 100% and essentially just sitting in a chair with my foot elevated is getting boring!!!

Plus, using a cast with no weight-bearing is just plain HARD!  Back when I was in my 30s, 40s and even 50s, this wouldn't be so hard.  But now that I'm in my mid-60s my body just doesn't respond like it use to.  Damn body!

So once I start to get some idea about how long it will likely be until I can start training again, I can scope out a plan of action.

At least I can drive (using my left foot only) and yesterday I went to the 2013  Boogie 50 miler, one of my favorite races!  I had originally signed up to run the 50 but that was now impossible.  But I did start the race on my crutches and went for maybe 20 yards . . . then I DNFed (Did Not Finish)!  But ultra runners say any DNF is better than a DNS (Did Not Start)!

It was great getting out and see so many of my running friends!








By the way, I thought some of you might like to the the first dislocation.  See if you can see the 4th metatarsal dislocation!!   I'm guessing you could!!  You are better than Halifax Regional Hospital ER . . . they didn't see it!!  Idiots!

Vol State Training - "Lilley-style" (Part 3)

Well . . . this one is getting interesting!

It's beginning to look like 2014 may be my year for Vol State rather than 2013.

While I do want to be sure I don't "over-train" for an event like this it appears my training just may not be adequate.  I'll explain . . .

Met with my doctor today and there was good news and bad news.  The 'good news" was I could start very short runs just as soon as my pain was almost totally gone (90%),  But he made me promise to stop if the pain increased or if there was increased pain the next day.

The "bad news" was he said that while he couldn't put any timetable on my recovery, he guessed it would likely be "in July" before I would feel like starting to run again.

Not exactly what I wanted to hear!

Assuming I did start running July 1st, I just don't think 9 days of training (2 travel days needed) would be enough . . . even doing this one "Lilley-style."  I mean . . . Vol State is no joke!

Not officially bailing for 2013 yet 'cause I just might feel like starting before July!  But it's not looking good.

Vol State Training - "Lilley-style" Part 2

T - 72 days until race day and counting.

Everything is going PERFECTLY!  Training could not be going any better!

Three weeks plus in and I'm hopefully in the mid to latter stages of the REST phase of the plan. 

I've ditched the crutches . . . I believe for good!  I used them a few hours on Saturday so my foot would be okay to go Saturday night on it's own!  And it did really well . . . pain is reducing every day.  I can see that maybe in a week or two more I may be able to move into Phase 2 training - actually walking normally for some distance!  Probably start with a mile or two and see how it goes.  I'm walking now . . . but 100 yards is about all I really want to do!

And this is great mental training . . . almost like meditation.  You know - "Take a deeeeeep breath and slowly  leeeeet it ooooout!  Picture a beautiful flower in a green field.  Notice its deeep yellow color . . . "  crap like that!

 Only I'm thinking things like . . . "Calm down.  It will only be a few more days.  This will pass.  You will soon be back walking again . . . and even running soon . . ."  crap like THAT!!

Just one little bothersome thing . . . there seems to be a lump or something where the dislocation occurred.  Wasn't there before for sure!  That seems to be the primary pain point unless I start moving my toes around . . . then the pain more wide-spread!  :-)

Sitting around doing nothing has several outgrowths . . . not the least of which weight gain!  Again . . . this is all part of the master training plan.  This additional weight will make the early training all that more intensive and thus speeding up the training effect!

Brilliant!

Vol State . . . "Lilley-style"

Preparations are well underway for the "Last Annual Volunteer State Run" to be held in July.  As you can probably imagine, I'll be doing this race "Lilley-style."

For those of you that are not familiar with the concepts surrounding "Lilley-style" running, you probably should read this blog entry last year that explains exactly what "Lilley-style" running is all about.

As I said, preparations are well underway.  And the first step is to make positively sure I have all my excuses in place for the assault.  I'm proud to say I am rising to the occasion with this race.  I was a tad concerned that my "hip arthroscopy" excuse was getting a little thread-bare, so I've been working on enhancements.

This year, I added a 4th metatarsal dislocation and resulting ligament damage as an excuse.  This was begun by doing what is called a "Ladder Dive."  Sometimes these are done on blacktop or concrete, but my "dive" was done on a deck . . .  much softer!!.  This whole plan is actually quite brilliant! 

The hospital ER missed the foot dislocation and sent me home to deal with the "afterglow" from the dive!  I tried walking a few days before I went to another doctor who discovered the dislocation and later identified the ligament issues.   Those walking attempts (limping actually) caused a very odd gait as you can imagine and as a result, the new leg motion irritated my hip joint!!  See . . . I told you this was brilliant!  My excuses are SET!!  I hate to brag . . . but DAMN I'm good!

So I'm getting a chance to conserve a massive amount of energy by not even being able walk.  Not sure how long but I plan to milk one this all I can!

But once I'm able to walk without crutches and without pain . . . it will be time to move on into the actual TRAINING portion of the "Lilley-style" plan. 

Stay tuned!