Same stuff ... again

Same quick workout as last time.  Tied my 500m pr.  Short rest and a 2000m cool down.   Was still breathing hard when I started the 2000m.  The 500m rowing sprint is very much like running a 500m dash.   Comparable in time to a fast 600m.

Brief stretching 

Concept 2 rower 

500m - 1:39  45/spm 

3 min rest 

2000m - 8:54

Coach Page says my time gives me a respectable world 500m ranking but that is meaningless, Concept 2 rankings are meaningless to me, a scam.

Foot hurt a little after Wednesday's run to my car and to find my lost key.  The bone feels different than the bone on the left, more prominent.  I'm thinking it's going to take another 3 or 4 weeks.  April 19 will be 16 weeks.   I haven't been the best patient so, maybe the track by May?  Getting tired of this.

quick row

In Sewanee mid week for a concert, had just enough time afterward to put in a brief intense workout. I was the last person to leave the Fowler center at 11pm.

Did an all out 500m row followed by a short rest and a 2000m.

Concept 2 rower 

500m - 1:39  44/spm 

3 min rest 

2000m - 8:44

I used the 2000m as a cool down and my heart rate decreased as I got into it.  The 500m was intense, I felt the burning lungs and fatigue that I would being out of shape with a fast long sprint.  I had a hard time staying on the seat, I was pumping fast.

I did a fair amount of running to my car after the concert in hiking boots on grass as practical transportation to beat the crowd.  So.... I have confidence that I'll be running on grass and stairs in about 3 weeks.  I hope to be on the track by May.  I'm going to reschedule the next Xray/Dr. appt to sometime around April 19 - the 16 week post injury mark.

As I get back into running, I need to lose a bit of weight and I expect a lot of aches and pains til I get into it again.   I've been hovering around 148 lbs.

Dethroned and more rowing

Today, my reign as M50 Indoor National 400m champion came to an end, but I was surprised to see my last year's winning time (55.90) would have medaled at this year's event.  Even more surprising, it was faster than World Champion M. Sullivan ran today (56.40).

My foot is feeling better, I think I'm about 4 weeks out from a return to the track.  That would be 16 weeks since the injury - April 19.  I'm thinking about movng my apointment on April 9 back to near that 16 week mark.   It's going to be a long painful road back... October all over again ... 800s, 600s, foundation work.  Going to have to buy some new trainers.  Thinking about the Saucony Virrata.

Tonight, I took a different approach to the Concept 2 ... 500m sprints.  They were comperable to running fast 600s.  Totally exhausting, moreso than a 2000m and closer to the interval training I do on the track.

Dynamic stretches 

Concept 2 rower 

3 x 500m - 1:44, 1:47, 1:49  (43/42/42 spm)  3-5 min rest 

Stairmaster - 15 min hill program level 13

The rowing sprints left me very whipped.

ditto

Same workout at the Sewanee Fowler Center on Sunday.   I was buzzing on Paul's excellent coffee and ready to work but hadn't eaten much.

Dynamic stretches 

Concept 2 rower   

2000m - 8:07 34/spm 

Stair master - 15 minutes, hill program level 12

Felt fine.  I tested my foot running in place a few strides on a gym mat on my toes.  It felt fine.  It's been  11+ weeks since injury and I think I have at least 4 weeks to go, maybe longer.   I know it would have been sooner if I had been a 'good patient.'  Last week I felt a little twinge of pain when I was out spliting wood.   I need to avoid any such stresses in the next several weeks.

Same stuff

Rowing and stairmaster again.   I'm looking forward to the day I never see a rowing machine again.   Did get another pr today at the Fowler Center.   Dreamed last night of sprinting on the track.

concept 2 rower 

dynamic stretches 

2000m - 8:00.9 (pr)  / 33spm 

16 min stairmaster level 12 hill program

It was a good sweat.  Very quiet in Sewanee during the spring break.  Pool is closed for the week unfortunately.

I did enjoy watching a lacrosse game here on Wed. on a very cold windy day.  There were less than 10 people in the stands on each side.

I believe it's taking me so long to heal because I refuse to be sedentary.  I guess that's the price I pay.  Eating less and a little lighter today.  147.

Monday workout and Dr. comments

Today, I did cardio again at the mostly deserted Sewanee Fowler Center - rowing and Stairmaster.  I spent a good amount of time stretching.

short jog warm up, dynamic and static stretches 

Concept 2 rower  

2000m - 8:06   /  34 spm 

20min - Stairmaster hill program, level 11 of 20

It was a really good sweat.  The rowing was exhausting but no PR.

My appointment Friday with Dr. Willers went as expected.   He had a pretty young intern who seemed to keep him smiling, especially noting my continuous questions about "when"... "how long" .. "what about stairs?"   I said I was getting frustrated and was gaining weight, he smiled as said, "yeah, you're huge."  His intern laughed.

He said "you're not ready to run a 400m ... there has been some healing, and we knew it was going to take a long time when we decided not to go the surgical route.  You'll continue to heal if you behave yourself.   No running, only exercises that keep your foot in contact with a surface. See me again in 4 weeks."

I don't think I've behaved myself completely.  Doing a lot of things on my feet.  I feel that this breaks a little everyday and heals a little every night.  Eventually, it will heal.

Dr. Matt, a Sewanee friend (who looked at the xrays today) says it looks like good bone is being layed in and will certainly be healed in 8 weeks, and that is a little overkill.  He said that if I wait 8 weeks, I should be done with it once and for all.  He said I don't want to create a chronic injury that will involve surgery to remove necrotic bone.

Xray comparisons

First set ....

1/18/13 (3 weeks post injury)

2/8/13 (6 weeks post injury)

3/8/13 (10 weeks post injury)

----------------------------------------------------------

2nd set:

1/18/13 (3 weeks post injury)

2/8/13 (6 weeks post injury)

3/8/13 (10 weeks post injury)

Fri night workout

With spring break underway, Sewanee's Fowler Center was really quiet... I counted a total of 7 people in that big facility.   Nice.

I did another PR in the rowing machine, 15 minutes of stairmaster, and some weights.

Short jog, dynamic stretches 

Concept 2 rower 

2000m - 8:01.5 (pr) 36 spm

15 min hill program, stair master

It looks as if my foot is healing ever so slowly.  Even if I could run by the end of the college season, I wouldn't have enough fitness to make a good showing.   Never thought I'd lose the whole season.

ditto workout

Same workout as before, 2000m row and 20 min stationary bike.

160m jog warmup, dynamic stretches 

concept 2 rower 

2000m - 8:03 (pr)  35 spm

stationary bike - 20min - interval program

Feel like I could be running stairs in a few weeks.  Hopeful about the xrays.  Saw Dr. Matt at the Fowler center.   He told me to send him my xrays for a second opinion.

Rowing and stationary bike

I love working out in Sewanee on Saturday evening.  Very relaxed atmosphere, probably only a dozen people at the entire facility.   Pretty women on the cardio machines and kids playing basketball to watch as I row.  Another PR in the 2000m rower.   Wanted to break 8 but gave up near the end and it cost me 1 or 2 seconds.  I pushed my heart rate to about 164.

160m warmup jog, dynamic stretches 

Concept 2 rower  

2000m - 8:04 (pr) - 35 spm  

20 min stationary bike interval workout 

resistance

My foot feels fine except for some pain when I was doing leg swings while the foot was planted.  Have an appointment on Fri for more xrays - that will be the 10 week mark since the injury.   I remember the Dr saying it would be 12-16 weeks to heal.    I want to ask him if I could expect it to heal while I train lightly, like running once a week on grass.  Thinking about getting a second opinion.  I really feel I could be running stairs in a few weeks.  Very low impact.

Was looking at the Sewanee sprinters workouts.  Sheesh.... they did intervals on the track just once this week - 6 x 300.   I was doing workouts like that 3 to 4x a week.    Probably why I smoked them all in last year's TSU Boston Moon Invite. 

My weight is better, 144.0 on Sat. morning.  Proves that diet is far more important than exercise in maintaining a healthy weight.