"Once we accept our limits, we go beyond them"

RedRunner

3 pints after work with a colleague(it was his last day in the job) put an end to any run plans today but I did manage a decent workout on the static bike when I got home. 30 mins and 18km done.

Back felt a but niggly today. I'm blaming the two sets of 20 sit ups I did last night. Must have aggravated it slightly. Obviously not strong enough for that yet.

Off work tomorrow to go for my Cardiac MRI. 50mins in the chamber listening to robotic voice telling me when to breathe and when not to breathe! Oh what fun is ahead!:rolleyes:

HelenAnne

RedRunner wrote: »

Off work tomorrow to go for my Cardiac MRI. 50mins in the chamber listening to robotic voice telling me when to breathe and when not to breathe! Oh what fun is ahead!:rolleyes:

Best of luck with the MRI.

RedRunner

HelenAnne wrote: »

Best of luck with the MRI.

Thanks. All done now. Results in a week.

RedRunner

Impromptu Fitness Test

Back was feeling good today so decide to get out for a run. Plan was for 4 miles easy but while I was out was feeling good and enjoying it so decide to test myself out a bit and see where the fitness currently is have not run a whole lot in the last 5/6 weeks. It turned into a bit of a tempo progression type run and I'm really happy that I don't seem to have lost a whole lot. I definitely have something to work with over the winter at least assuming I can get back to normal training soon.

3.66mi @7:39avg (8:32,7:42,7:10,7:00)

followed by 0.62 mi cool down @8:54 pace. So that's my speedwork done for the week. Won't be running tomorrow. Different kind of session after work instead.

WTD|4.28
MTD|4.28
YTD|1244.65

tang1

You are CRAZY as AMK says!! Nice going.

Gavlor

RedRunner wrote: »

Thanks. All done now. Results in a week.

Cool, how did that champions league thing go for ya?!

Bahanaman

It turned into a bit of a tempo progression type run and I'm really happy that I don't seem to have lost a whole lot.

Hmmmmm.....Next Mon three weeks!!?????........ (sorry!)

RedRunner

Bahanaman wrote: »

It turned into a bit of a tempo progression type run and I'm really happy that I don't seem to have lost a whole lot.

Hmmmmm.....Next Mon three weeks!!?????........ (sorry!)

Ha ha...too late now anyhow as the deadline is gone!:)

Today was just a chink of light that temporarily lit up the darkness that is my running world right now;)

RedRunner

Gavlor wrote: »

Cool, how did that champions league thing go for ya?!

Jesus we were bad alright! It's going to be a long season.

Bahanaman

RedRunner wrote: »

Ha ha...too late now anyhow as the deadline is gone!:)

Today was just a chink of light that temporarily lit up the darkness that is my running world right now;)

Ha ha! thought you'd registered already! Anyway good to see a return to something like good form! Might be in trouble meself too. I've been training away trying to manage a dodgy achilles but now I was trying to ignore it really but things have come to a bit of a head. I've developed another problem in the other ankle and I was in bits after an eight miler last night. Things are not good. I'll have to stay off it for at least a couple of days to let things settle and even then I reckon It could be a lot of cycling and cross training from now until the 27th. The sub 3 attempt is looking very dodgy :mad: I reckon I could be carrying a few solpadeine with me on the day!

RedRunner

Bahanaman wrote: »

Ha ha! thought you'd registered already! Anyway good to see a return to something like good form! Might be in trouble meself too. I've been training away trying to manage a dodgy achilles but now I was trying to ignore it really but things have come to a bit of a head. I've developed another problem in the other ankle and I was in bits after an eight miler last night. Things are not good. I'll have to stay off it for at least a couple of days to let things settle and even then I reckon It could be a lot of cycling and cross training from now until the 27th. The sub 3 attempt is looking very dodgy :mad: I reckon I could be carrying a few solpadeine with me on the day!

Ah feck....not good. Hope it settles down for you. I'm reading More Farah autobiography at moment. He had some achilles problems too that he still suffers with to this day. He described racing with it so it can be done although 10000m is bit different to marathon of course.

RedRunner

Sunday 5th October

LSR:pac: 6.31miles @8:52

Back was a little stiff before heading out for this as I spent a couple of hours this morning standing on two different sidelines as the two boys each had a football match. There was a big race on in St Annes (WARR). Had never heard of it until recently. (World Airlines Road Race) I believe Ryanair were taking part but they had a different start line and finish line to everyone else:pac:

Was freezing when I got home from standing around so as a result I overdid it on the layers . I definitely had one more than I needed. Enjoyed the run and no back pain during it. Going to try and get out at least every other day next week doing mostly easy runs.

WTD|10.59
MTD|10.59
YTD|1250.96

RedRunner

Monday 6th October

20km on the static bike watching True Detective

Foam rolling of the quads, hamstrings and glutes

3x10 squats

And some general stretching.

RedRunner

Tuesday 7th October

Easy run home from work. Felt grand save for a bit of a niggle in left calf/achilles. Longest run I've done in several weeks so felt good to get it done. Will rest tomorrow and continue with plan to run every second day.

The back in general is not 100% yet insofar as it still bothers me at work or if I'm driving or standing for long time. Otherwise if I'm moving or running it is fine. Hopefully it will fully settle over next while. Am eager to get back to normality and base building again.

7.16miles @ 9:03


WTD|7.16
MTD|17.75
YTD|1258.12

Murph_D

Sounds good R. On the mend. Don't know how you have the discipline for all that rolling, squatting and stretching though!

RedRunner

Murph_D wrote: »

Sounds good R. On the mend. Don't know how you have the discipline for all that rolling, squatting and stretching though!

Honestly I don't! Just every now and again I have a fit of discipline and do what I should be doing at least every other day! They are usually followed by several phases of indiscipline though:rolleyes::):)

RedRunner

Visit to Consultant re Back Problem

I was going into this somewhat nervous about what the MRI would show up and what the consultant would say about running etc. Would I need some kind of intervention or would a conservative approach be needed. Nothing I had run through in mind prepared me for what I was about to hear.....

I chose to see someone in Sports Surgery Clinic in Santry because a) it was fairly handy from where I live and b) i had a(probably misguided) notion that because of its title they might have a lean towards the sportsperson's needs and understand better what it means to participate in sport. Clutching at straws I know:rolleyes:

Anyhow , went to see a gent by the name of Mr Michael Kelleher , a neurosurgeon,specialising in the spine with my MRI dvd in hand. He had a quick look through the scan and sat back in his chair and looked at me. I could tell by the look on his face that he was about to share some interesting news and my gut was telling me that it might not be good.....

I was not expecting what he said at all! Now a lot of the conversation is a bit of a blur because I was a bit shocked to be honest but the jist of it is that I have two fractures in my spine/vertabrae which has caused accelerated wear and tear and thus causing some herniation of discs. The fractures have caused some misalignment also which causes the discs to be squeezed out.

Oh Christ I thought to myself...so that's the end of my running and possibly surgery now to fix fractures etc etc...but alas no. So apparently he reckons I've had these fractures since my late teen early twenties. Coincidentaly this is the time period when I began noticing lower back pain as something I thought I just had to live with because I was tall. Possibly I suffered this injury playing sport. I did play GAA since I was 8yrs old and only gave it up when I was 40. So its probably a good bet it happened during some junior football clash unbeknowns to me!

What next?

I really was expecting some radical operation to fix it but his recommendation is firstly a CT guided cortizone spinal injection into the area to sort out the pain I currently have (which I would rate at 5/10 at its worst at the moment). This is to be followed by an aggressive plan to strengthen my core with use of weights. Then come back to him in 3 months.

But can I run Mr Kelleher, can I run,???? I asked..." Well running alone will not help you..." So I can run then , phew!:D So effectively he didnt tell me to stop running, but it is hugely important that I do the core work because if I don't the problem will continue to recur and could eventually end up needing surgery.

So I've decided against running the Teachers XC race in Catleknock at the weekend;).. Seriously I was thinking of running it for a bit of fun and some speedwork not race it all out. Instead I'll just wait for the call from the radiographers to see when I can get this CT and injections done and take it from there.

It's a lot to take in right now but I'm glad I've had the MRI and know now how to avert possible future disaster. Interestingly this means I've run three marathons and thousands of miles now with both a heart defect and a fractured spine..pretty cool eh:cool:

A bit shellshocked at the moment but positive that with the right discipline in the core work I can resume my quest to reach my running goals again. A bit of a way to go yet but the diagnosis today I guess could have been worse.

yaboya1

Keep the chin up RR.
You'll be back soon

menoscemo

Wow :eek:!! Not sure a bit of massage will sort that out. Hope you can work your way through this one RR and it sounds like you will be able to. Best of luck with the rehab...

Gavlor

So you're running dcm then yeah?!

tang1

You've gotten through it before, every faith you'll get over this bump in the road RR. As you said with the right discipline you'll be back chasing that 3.30 in no time.

Bahanaman

Jaysus!! :eek: A lot to take in but the bit that stands out is that the running is not finished! Every cloud.....
You'll be back alright! :mad: (Determined face!)

Murph_D

Whoa! What do you mean heart defect? Did I miss something?

The back diagnosis is hard to take in alright but it sounds like there's light at the end of it. No better man for the core work which always requires a bit of discipline.

Keep the faith!

Duanington

could be a blessing in disguise really - seems like the cure is to build up your core and get on with your running? Looks like you'll be back stronger as a result so !

best of luck with it :-)

Pacing Mule

Well that's you cemented in the tough bastard category !

RedRunner

Murph_D wrote: »

Whoa! What do you mean heart defect? Did I miss something?

The back diagnosis is hard to take in alright but it sounds like there's light at the end of it. No better man for the core work which always requires a bit of discipline.

Keep the faith!

Nothing major D. Just something they picked up on in routine Health Check last year. Something call a Bicuspid Aortic Valve. Effectively it impacts on the flow of blood to and from the heart. When the heart pumps blood to the rest of the body a small of amount of it in my case is leaking back into the heart. This can cause some complications, particularly later in life.

It's just a case of , we know it is there , so we'll keep an eye on it. Annual check up required now.

RedRunner

Welcome to my training logmedical journal.

Some updates:

Results in from my Cardiac MRI. The Prof is happy with results and just recommends an annual echocardiogram by way of ongoing surveillance. Happy days.

CT Scan Confirmed : Appointment for next week for an X-ray, followed by CT scan incorporating 2 injections to facet joints and 2 injections to nerve root. Something to look forward to :eek:...not.

Will probably knock the running on the head for next week and stick to bike work just until I know what I should or shouldn't be doing exercise wise for the next few weeks.

blockic

RedRunner wrote: »

Nothing major D. Just something they picked up on in routine Health Check last year. Something call a Bicuspid Aortic Valve. Effectively it impacts on the flow of blood to and from the heart. When the heart pumps blood to the rest of the body a small of amount of it in my case is leaking back into the heart. This can cause some complications, particularly later in life.

It's just a case of , we know it is there , so we'll keep an eye on it. Annual check up required now.

Interestingly I have something similar when I got checked! I think mine is the aortic or mitral valve. Again just an eye to be kept on it.

RedRunner

blockic wrote: »

Interestingly I have something similar when I got checked! I think mine is the aortic or mitral valve. Again just an eye to be kept on it.

Interesting alright J. Must be be an affliction common to elite athletes ;-)

Pacing Mule

RedRunner wrote: »

Interesting alright J. Must be be an affliction common to elite athletes ;-)

Or to skinny feckers in general.