water running, guitar

4th day in a row at the lake.  After dodging strong storms all day that kept the temperature just perfect, there was an evening break and the lake was surreal, quiet, smooth.

Did a set of water running but no significant swimming, as the thunder was rumbling in the distance.   I really needed to burn some calories.  My diet has been bad.  Yesterday, just wasa crackers, fig jam, a banana sandwich and tea.  Today only slightly better, sardines, spring mix lettuce, wasa crackers, Royo bagel w/ almond butter and honey.  

Water running

6 x 60 strides with 1 min rest

Max HR 143

Spent 80 min at the cathedral practicing after midnight.  It was actually pretty taxing.  Got home, fell asleep in a chair and slept straight until 8 am.  Got up, did my usual bedtime regime and went back to bed for 90 min. 

I love the sound and the feel of playing music but, to pull off a concert of virtuoso repertoire, it takes an enormous amount of time and commitment, and even then, rarely is a performance perfect.  Not to mention the stress involved.  At this stage of my career, there actually seems to be more to lose than gain in some ways.   The stress involved, the risk of a substandard performance.   I never perform 'badly' but sometimes have had mistakes, memory slips, etc... and like a car wreck in an auto race, that's what people remember the most.  That's why I wonder sometimes if I should even do it.   Some of my colleagues have stopped or scaled back performing.   Years past there were rewards involving academic standing, tenure, money, career, etc... but now none of those things are at stake or an issue.  It's all personal.  Making video recordings for Youtube is actually a better way to reach the public instead of giving a guitar recital.  Rarely have I played a guitar recital for more than 80 people or so, typically it's like 40-50.  Social media reaches so many more.  But, to be a teacher and proponent of the rare art of solo classical guitar performance, since I can do it, I should do it.  I need to set an example and attempt to inspire students.  20+ yrs ago, I inspired a bright kid from East TN who was a heavy metal shredder.   Years later he was performing in Carnegie Hall and playing for ambassadors, now recognized as one of the best guitarists in the world. 

Been working on the Rameau variations again.   No one in the world played this piece but me until just the last few yrs, now a few have. Probably the single most important and unique piece I've ever played, but I stopped playing it in concerts about 15 yrs ago because of the difficulty.   I'm fairly sure I will perform it this fall.  Taking a fresh look at it.  Fingers are still working.  

Like racing a 400m... we do these things, not because they are easy, but because they are hard.   Beautiful and expressive as well.  

Back to the cathedral tonight.    

Rower, drills, more wood cutting

Seems like it's been a long time since I did anything.  Have been very focused on the music performance I did Thurs and now that it's over, I can focus a bit more on training.  

The performance went really well, and it had to.  For many new faculty, administrators, and students, it was the first time they'd ever heard me play.   I hadn't played solo on that stage in almost 6 yrs.  In 2021, I was completely obsessed with athletic training.  It produced an amazing yr and a world #1 ranking, and guitar took a back seat.   I worked really hard to get ready for this and it paid off.  It was a showcase concert of faculty and everyone played one piece.   I arranged a really slow romantic lyrical piece to start, then finished with my most fiery flamenco dance, with lots of fast arpeggios, scales, tremolo, and rasgueado.  I specifically wrote some fast picado scale passages for the ending. Really a plethora of techniques and expression, all I could fit into 7 min.  The students were screaming by the end.  All my colleagues played great.  Unfortunately, they apparently did not post the video. 

Friday, I did another hard session on the rower, one set of weights, some sprint drills and high knee running.   Definitely have lost fitness.  Also, gained a small amount of weight, mostly due to anxiety over health concerns.  But it seems that these concerns may have been a bit overblown. 

Stretches, drills 

Concept 2 rower - 4x500m w/ 1 min rest:  2:01, 2:04, 2:12, 2:09 (avg 2:07)

It must have been an anomalous reading but my HR monitor said 192 at one point.  

Saturday I cut more firewood but it wasn't as hard a workout as my last session of wood cutting because I handled less wood and lighter season oak.  Should be set for the rest of the winter.  Weather is now changing to warm. Possibly no freezing weather for the foreseeable future.  Into the 30ºs on some nights but not freezing.  Will take my plants out.  50ºs today.  Near 70º by Tues.  We'll probably have a few more blasts of cold before the winter is over, but we've probably seen the worst.   I really don't mind the cold, love the snow.  

Looking back at my previous knee surgery, it was a full 18 months before I competed again, largely due to the pandemic and some plantar fasciitis.  I feel I pushed too early too hard with this second surgery, with the idea of racing indoor within a year of my surgery.  Probably a bad idea that cost me.  

I am going to try and run a little on Tuesday, a full 4 weeks since my last attempt to run.  Just warmup and a few strides.  It was suggested that I could train for the short sprints and abandon the volume required to race the 400m.  Might be a viable option.   I can presently do strength work and even squat jumps without pain.  Someone also suggested longer distance which is completely crazy and out of the question because of the volume. 

Retirement from competition is definitely on the table.  I'm NOT the guy who wants to run in all ages local meets and pose on FB with generic medals designated for kids.   (I know masters like this).  If I can't contend at the national level, I don't want to do it.  I know one of these guys my age who is continuing to race on a badly damaged knee and posts photos at these meets with his medals, sometimes because he was the only one entered in his age group ... always 'praying' on his fitness and his knee.  Not the sharpest tool. 

Will go to the gym tonight.   Need to up the strength work.  Was thinking about a hill climb today but have house work to do.  Have really enjoyed watching the Olympics.  Especially the men and women's down hill races.  

Hanging at about 142 lbs.

UPDATE:

Someone suggested abandoning 400m training and focusing on short sprints.  That may be a viable option.  Easier on the body.    

Stairmaster, thoughts, memories

Tired of the rowing so I did a stairmaster session last night at the gym.  Knee was ok, occasional slight pain but very minor.  Was able to complete a 16 min hill session on level 15 which is usually as high as I go.  The most important thing is no swelling or pain afterward or the next morning.

Stairmaster - hill program, level 15 - 16 min

Max HR - 169

Avg HR - 152

Ham curls and leg extension - light weight

Looking back, and forward.  

Looking back, 10 yrs ago today I raced Marvin Bracy, 2nd fastest man in the world (2022) in a 60m race.  He's a 9.85 sprinter.  To my right in that race was Adrian Griffith from the Bahamas, a 10.1 sprinter and national record holder.  It truly was a privilege to be doing this at age 55.  Looking at the video, I got out pretty well.  Was a full second behind Bracy but, hey.... 7.7 to his 6.7.  Great memory.   Takes me back to what was a great year.  I had just won my first outdoor national title the previous summer, and was running in a bunch of college meets that year to get ready for indoor nationals, where I had one of my greatest meets, winning the 400m in 55.22 unchallenged, and an indoor PR of 24.65 in the 200m. We also set a WR in the 4x200m relay.  That summer, went on to win my third consecutive 400m title in Grand Rapids, MI.

I guess I mention all this because it's a continuous adjustment to not be going to Indoor Nationals and possibly retiring from competition, although no firm decision on that.  In those semi-conscious moments when drifting off to sleep in the hot tub, I sometimes go back to that mindset, where I'm thinking about what workout I'm going to do, how much wind is there, how am I going to dress, the smell of the track, the training shoes and equipment bag, etc...   It's a transition to a different realm, then and now.

Reminds me of a few Olympian friends of mine, David - 400m hurdler and Kamari - long track speed skater.  I corresponded with both of them about their retirement from elite athletics, and they retired late 20s / early 30s.  Major transition.  I also used to follow the youtube channel of Olympian Natasha H., 400m sprinter who retired 2 yrs ago.  She had thousands of views on her channel and then, suddenly ... it ended.  No new posts.  Same thing with Derval O's blog, an Irish Olympic hurdler I was following.  One day her blog was all about training.  Then it was gone.  (She did come back to post later about motherhood and recipes). Now she's trying to sell workout plans as a 'fitness influencer.'    I don't want that to happen with this blog, whether I continue to compete or not.  I will continue to post here and keep up a wellness and fitness blog, even if I can't sprint forever.  

Looking forward, I haven't given up the idea of competing totally.  I could certainly compete relatively untrained and run slow, but that's not me.  It all comes down to how much and how quickly I can recover from a running workout.  I could probably be competitive even if I could do just 2x week, but that would be a minimum.  Maybe I'll set my goals for that.  I had really achieved quite a decent foundation by late Nov, running a 62 but all or most of that is lost now and I'll have to start from scratch.  

Almost 3 weeks since I've tried any running and maybe I'll give it another week.  Busy week and a performance coming up and so is warmer weather.  I'll probably wait til next week to give it a go.  Trying some new knee strengthening exercises.

few strides, bike

Tuesday was the nicest day of the week mid 50ºs and sunny, hit the track for the first time in 2 weeks.  Didn't do much, just testing the water a bit.  Just a warmup, some exercises and drills, and bike top half of Roark's cove road.

Stretches, drills, lunges

4 x 50m - high knee runs on turf

2 x 50m strides on turf

1.5 mile bike climb

Still not ready to resume any track training.  Who knows if I ever will be.  2 days later, a bit stiff and slight pain.  Sure, I could probably tolerate running with a few days of soreness and stiffness, but that won't work for the long term if it's not improving.  May need a longer reset.  In the meantime, I'll stick with the bike, rower, gym, and do the knee strengthening exercises ... while resisting the temptation to run for a while.

Have maintained a healthy weight.  Generally in the 141-143.5 range.  

More important is just staying alive and staying on top of health issues.  In addition to giving up caffeine and drinking lots of water, I'm also quitting eating almonds and almond butter, a high oxalate food that I had been eating daily.  (Can cause kidney issues and inflammation).  

It's going to be really a tough February with faculty senate, 3 audition days, and some medical appointments. Instead of my usual 2 half days a full day, first week I'll have only Friday and Sunday completely off.  I capped my Sewanee teaching at 4 hrs a week, don't want any more.  I'm full again this semester.  But looking forward to my sabbatical next year, where I'll be able to just go in one day/ week for the entire academic yr in most weeks.  

Been making the shed my practice home at night, it's going to be a test tonight to see if it stays warm enough, it's uninsulated but 2 x 1500w space heaters have been able to keep it toasty.  

What really sucks is that my main working laptop went down (black screen) less than a week before the semester starts, so I'm thankful this 14 yr old Macbook is still working.  Drove 75 miles to Huntsville Apple Store and they couldn't fix it because MTSU had an admin code they wouldn't give me.  Made the trip for nothing.   

Pulling back

5 weeks ago, I ran a 62.8 in my first attempt at a 400m in well over a yr.  It seemed that I was on target to compete this indoor season.  About that time I stopped cross training on the bike and went to 3 days a week of running, including those wicked hill workouts.  That was probably premature.  

It is a cycle that goes like: train, feel pain and stiffness next day, 3 days later the pain is gone and can run pain free, repeat.   This seems to indicate some healing is still taking place, but never allowed to progress to a permanent level.  The 'recovery' is fleeting and really false.  Like "your head feels better when you stop beating on it."  

I took a week off in mid Dec from running, then went to my parents house and trained once in 5 days.  I've definitely lost fitness that I worked hard for, doing those 4 and 5x150s w/ just 30 sec rest.  If I pressed on, I could probably tolerate such workouts on turf but at this point, it may harm potential wellness of the joint, expedite arthritis, etc...  I had read, it takes really a year to even come close to full weight bearing strength.  I've been doing stairs and weight pulls since the summer, only 5 1/2 mo post op.  My nature is always to push the envelope.  

One of my friends who is not an athlete keeps telling me appropriately that my recovery is 'a marathon, not a sprint.'  He's right.  If I have any hope of returning to Daegu or WMACi in '27, I need to pull back.  I'm about 80% sure I will not compete this indoor season.  

Plan is to go back to strength and cross training but need to take a break from anything that challenges the knee for a while and start fresh.  

Award

This has nothing to do with track directly, but indirectly.  My award of a sabbatical for the 2026-27 academic year means 2 things:  most importantly a return to the concert stage a classical guitarist, and secondly, more time to devote to training and racing.  If I am healthy, which is a BIG IF, I should have no problem getting away to compete at WMAC in S. Korea in late Aug / Sept, and WMACi in March '27 in Gainesville.   Assuming fitness, these may be my last World meets.   

Considering that I plan to race on 12/14, it could be too long of a season without a break.  So maybe a bit of a break after Masters Indoor in Feb.  

The sabbatical award comes with a choice, one full semester off, or 2 semesters at half time.   I'm going to select the latter, which essentially means one workday per week (approx 6-8 hrs) for the entire year.   

Definitely couldn't come at a better time.  My studio is at an all-time low, and I need to rebuild.  Next season and maybe the following will probably be my last in track if I make it through, and I've not really performed much since before the pandemic so it's time.  Hoping my body, legs and hands hold out.  Guitaring on the classical concert level has an element of athleticism and requires actually far more training time than track.  

Looking back, peaking at the right time is hard.  In '23, before Poland, (where I should have medaled but fell after a collision at the finish) I was peaking in early March.  Was running crazy fast.  400m time trials of 57.72, and 56.81 on consecutive days.   Ran a 40.5 split 300m on the 2nd one, and was running easy sub 13 100s.   That was definitely a peak.  I struggled with pace in Poland and only mustered a few 58.9s.  Not bad and if I had run that time in the final, I would have won silver.   That year I did put it together at Nationals and was happy with a title in the 200m and a 57.59 Bronze in the 400m - one of the fastest M60 finals in USATF history.  Also, during that time in early March I got light, really light,  136.8 lbs after that 56.8 TT.  About 5 lbs less than I am now.  

 This is what I looked like:   

I wonder if I can ever get back to that level. Maybe by Daegu. All really depends on if the body can handle the training.

Tomorrow, hills.  Long hills like last time.  Cloudy, mid 30ºs.

Shake out

Went to the track this evening to assess my condition.  Did a full warmup, drills, and a very light workout of 1 set of bands, abs, single leg body weight squats, and push ups.   I can still feel some medial knee pain in both knees due to the rigorous hiking we did, but afterward it felt better.  The foot issue feels much better.  

Moving forward, I think I'll do these minimal shake out workouts frequently to promote mobility and flexibility, then start with hills or bleachers for the next week, some bike, and gym.  I don't want to be running if there is any pain, because pain = damage.  No rush.  Hoping to be doing 1x/week running on the flat on turf within a month.  

Despite the hiking, I think I've lost a bit of fitness.  High intensity stuff like bike sprints and hill running is way different than hiking.  

Woke up at 144 lbs.  

Tonight's sunset view at the track.  

Wed - Fri workouts, 2025 National Masters results so far

Doing something every day.  

Wed: Did a good resistance workout with hams and quads  - what I really need, plus 16 min on the Stairmaster.  Did seated leg curls and leg extensions - light weight, single leg squats, hip flexors, and adductors.

Thurs: I did my usual warmup and bands on the track and I also tried some short hill running on grass, just 4 or 5 steps. Felt fine, then did some high knee running.  Felt good. I will likely try to run stadium stairs on Aug 6 when I go to Murfreesboro.  Knee felt better than the last time I did this.

Fri:  Roark's Cove Rd climb.  After the brutal climb I did last time, I wasn't going to try and one up myself this time... but I did.  A big season PR - 22:23, 27 sec faster than previous PR and no where near as taxing on the heart, way less than last time, which was ridiculous.  Still very hard.  

I had read the final climb to La Plagne in stage 19 of the Tour de France (scheduled for Friday 7/25) has a similar grade to that of Roark's Cove Rd., 7.2%, but it goes for 12 miles instead of 2.4.   Pros can average 12-15 mph up these grades, compared with my 6.2 mph.  

Here's the data: 

Max HR - 181 

 HR over 170 - 13:05 

 HR over 180 - 1:37 

 Avg HR - 164 

 Avg speed - 6.2 mph 

 Total climb time - 22:23

Strange occurrence on the bike.  I had never had a flat tire in the yrs since I bought that bike.  I had 3 flats in 2 days.  First was because I drove across some grass and gravel.   Second was dramatic, I hit the largest pothole on Roark's Cove Rd going down at 25+ mph and it blew both.  Stupidly, I don't have a kit but thanks to a crack bike shop in Sewanee, I was back on the rd in 30 min... spent $75 on three new inner tubes and mounting.  

Body weight is good.  Down to 142.4 lbs after workout.  

USATF Nationals in Huntsville is halfway through.   Like my M60 year taken by Covid, my M65 was taken by this injury.   I don't like to make 'what if' statements but... if I had been able to train Dec - July, I'm fairly confident I would have done ok at Nationals.  The M65 400m National title was won in 62.69.  Considering I've never run an outdoor 400m in less than 61.00 in over 100 races, well ... 

M60 was won in 57.87.   Puts in perspective how fast that '23 race was when I ran 57.59 and only took Bronze ... and also my '21 title in 56.78.  Even my '24 indoor SB 58.84 would've taken Silver at this meet in M60.  None of these guys are moving up to M65 next yr, they're all age 60-62.   

Be curious if any M65 breaks 27 in the 200m.  27.00 was my slowest time in a masters 200m, (last year after running a 100m in brutal 95º AL heat).  

Maybe next yr.

NY Bike Climb #3

Hot again and early in the afternoon, heat index of 107ºF.   Not quite as hot as yesterday.  I scouted Banta Rd. and decided against it because it didn't have one single piece of shade and looked more long than steep.  So I did the steeper shorter shadier road to the north.  From my brother's house on Conklin Rd. I went up Fallbrook Rd to Ross Hill Rd to State Line to Bradyville to Conklin Forks then back to Tom's house.   About 9 miles and a 650' (ish) climb.  The top of Fallbrook was formidable, and I did something I never do.  On the steep about 150m from the summit, I stopped and rested in shade.   This was my 3rd day in a row and I didn't want my HR over 180 for any length of time and it surely would have been if I hadn't stopped.  I was already in the mid 170s by that point.   After I got to the high point I stopped, and on the way down, took some photos.  The 'Conklin Forks' is beautiful, timeless, really pretty much unchanged since my youth, when I was bombing around these roads in a black '69 Cougar smoking dope in 1977.  Never in my wildest dreams as a kid would I have imagined doing what I've done in the past three days at age 65, with the heat index of 104 to 112ºF.... 48 yrs later.  

The initial climb is an estimate of 2 GPS data sets.  

HR was over 153 for 48 min, but not consecutively.    When I rested near the top, I let my HR recover to 140s before the final push, where I stopped again and took the photo.  Happy that the HR graph looks more like a set of intervals than my typical climb.  

The hybrid Cannondale bike was not real light, but it sure was a climber.  The low gear was a 28T crank and 34T sprocket.  On my road bike, it's 34/34T.  It's an older model, probably sold new for about $600.  

I'll be back in Sewanee late Wed, and looking forward to a late morning swim on Thurs, as it is now surely quite warm.  

Saw family and 3 HS friends - Bill C., Joe B., and Scott S, along with Sandy and Gary.  Good visit. 

I'm in decent shape but I haven't starved sufficiently yet to get to my race weight.  Still hanging around 144 lbs.  

Conservatively, I should be able to run hills in 3-4 weeks.

sprints on the bike and rower, accountability

Yesterday I went to the gym and did just 2 hard sprints on the rower.  I was going to do 3x500 w/ 1 min rest but after 2, I was spent and I though maybe I shouldn't bend my knee so deep. 

Concept 2 rower

2 x 500m w/ 1min rest - 2:02, 2:04

HR #1 - 167, #2 - 176

HR only recovered to 139 between reps.  

Bike 300m sprints w/ 2 min rest, pretty much all out and standing most if not all the way.

Bike 

4 x 300mw/ 2 min rest

max speed mph and max HR by rep:

#1 - 26.5,  159

#2 - 25.0, 167

#3 - 25.6, 169

#4 - 24.4, 169 

It was not much but better than nothing.   

I've been sleeping a huge amount, including naps, at least 9 hrs a day.  Had been staying up til dawn practicing music but am trying to normalize my schedule.  Went to bed 'earlier' about 3:30am, woke at 7:30, then went back to sleep til 11:30am.  Then took a short nap til 1:30pm.

I think the biggest thing I've lost without track competition is accountability.  For example, the lack of accountability I have with being dedicated to workouts and pushing it to the max.  The lack of accountability I have in my diet and the 5 lbs of stubborn fat I've gained around my mid section.  Competition and achievement demands accountability, and presently, I have none.   I need to get some.  There is being in shape, and there is being in elite 400m race shape.  I'm not even close and may never be again.  When I'm finally able to run, presumably in late Aug, it will take at least til late Nov to scale up to regular workout schedule.  Then it will take at least 6 months of hard work to get back, if my body can handle the training.  

IF

Not heroic

I have to wonder.  

When masters athletes go too far.  Pushing themselves for the sake of competition and damaging their bodies in the process, in some cases, beyond repair.  That said, I think I have been repaired, although the jury is still out on the ultimate success of my surgery.

I've been extremely careful and only now, beginning the 5th week post op, I'm gingerly and only occasionally putting weight on my affected leg.  It still hurts sometimes, but not badly or alarmingly.  Mostly a throbbing feeling.

I recently was featured in Ray's "Geezer Jock" blog.  One of my masters colleagues was also featured recently and praised as a hero for running injured in an effort to defend his title.  I'm not going to mention names but I feel really sorry for him.  He revealed his MRI on social media taken after his race (finished out of the medals, well back), and it was far worse than the knee I just had repaired.  It is almost certainly unrepairable, especially at his age.

Another colleague had been running bone on bone for yrs and has apparently finally retired.  He has literally dozens of National masters 400m titles.  I see some short sprinters gutting it out, running obviously injured, 'just one more race' and not anywhere near where they used to be, like one former world champion I raced at Penn.   World champ, Allan came out of retirement to race the 60m at Nationals, finished 3rd and said he "did not have a good time."  

Another stellar athlete, WR holder won the 400m nationals in her age group and is competing on a torn meniscus.  It doesn't bode well for her future.  Short term goals for long term damage.  People think they can overcome a torn meniscus with PT.  Some even use snake oil chiropractic treatments like red light, cold laser, etc...  Actually, probably no better than a soak in the hot tub and some gentle massage.  All these things are really bandaids and won't help long term.  

It makes me think real hard about ever training to compete again.  

Two kernels of wisdom that Dr. LaPrade's assistant, Dr. Cook gave me... 

1) There are two types of people.  People who learn from their mistakes and people who learn from other people's mistakes.  

2) You have one chance for a surgical repair, and you want to hit a home run.  

I have 2 full weeks on crutches still left.  Last time I got off crutches and on to the underloader brace at 5 1/2 weeks.  I'm a bit behind that repair because I had 95% ROM by the end of 5th week.  I'm a ways away from that, at least 2 weeks I'd estimate.  Right now I can stand on it with full weight with no pain, but I am avoiding doing it.   Still wearing the brace all the time.  I still have a full 8 days before I have to work, which is great.

Staying at around 144 lbs.  Been eating a lot of fruit lately out of convenience.  

 

Brief exercise / lamentations

 I won't even call it a workout but...

5 x 50 bicycle crunches w/ 30 sec rest

16 pullups

25 pushups

9 pullups

It actually peaked my HR at 157.  Better than nothing.   

Just thinking about how this lapse in training is affecting my immediate and possibly future health.   If sprinting makes you young, not sprinting makes me old.  It has to affect my CV health and contribute to a susceptibility to CVD.  Due to my lipid profile, max HR sprint training was the only thing likely keeping me plaque free.  However, I got through it once and ate worse than I'm eating now.  I'm mostly vegan, the worst thing I eat is homemade granola bars.  I'm back on heavy collagen supplements, 2 types of peptides and capsules.   Eating about 22g day of collagen, couldn't hurt.  

The change was so abrupt.  I was struggling back after taking the summer off.  By 12/13, I was probably 2 months away from being back to elite level, or close.  Then, in one day, that Friday the 13th, my life changed, and maybe forever.   Now, forced to take 2 consecutive spring/summer seasons off, doesn't bode well for ever getting to competition level again.  I will likely start the same way, around the same time.  Run once a week Sept, then ramp up.  Sept would be 7 mo.  I may wait even longer.  This could take 9 mo to heal.  I'll be good to bike and swim all summer so looking forward to that.

There is very very little data on 60+ meniscus repair, certainly long term.  One small study of age 60+ with only 32 patients, showed a 78% success rate after 3 yrs, however only 13 of the 32 were body and horn repairs, the rest root repairs.  Anyway, it's a rare surgery for a 64 yr old and the healing time is going to be long.  Longer than last time.  

I don't expect to be doing any significant PT for 6 weeks other than mobility and quad isometrics.  I was really VERY happy to have found my PT protocol packet from the Steadman Clinic's Howard Head sports medicine institute!  PT will undoubtedly be very important to the future health of this knee, but even more, an abundance of caution and most of all ... time.  

PT protocol package from '19 - 

pool, orthos

I've settled on a short simple interval set.  I can be in and out of the pool in about 15 min, and I can do it everyday if I want.  Using watch is inaccurate for HR but I'll post it anyway.

Pool laps  6x50yd w/ ~1:10 rest - 40.3, 45.9, 45.2, 46.3, 49.2, 50

Max HR - 154 

          HR avg - 128 

HR< 128 - 5:09

HR 128-144 - 6:49

HR 145-152 - 1:15

Not exactly 'running the engine hot' like the anaerobic power of track sprinting... more like a zone 2-3 workout.  

At least I'm not heavy - 141. 3 lbs after workout.

About undertaking this surgery, I'm thinking it's going to be a helluva miserable inconvenience. Crutches to early/mid March.  With my time off and spring break, I'll only have to endure 3 weeks or so of crutches at work.  I'm going to follow Dr. LaPrade's more conservative protocol of 6 weeks non-weight since it worked before.  I asked Justin about it, he said I'm more than welcome to follow a more conservative protocol but he says 50% weight bearing ok.  I asked him why, and he said, 'because my stitches are strong.'  Not worried about the stitches breaking, but what they're holding.  Curiously, his radial tear protocol is more like LaPrade's, 6 weeks, no weight.  So, since I do have a radial tear, that's what I'll follow.  LaPrade's decision to not treat this doesn't bode well for my chances for a complete fix.  He saw the risk and chances of success, and at this stage of his career at age 67, didn't want to deal with it.  Justin however, I feel is at the top of game, only 50, and willing to take on the tough cases.  

Reviews and discussion

I was reading some online discussion on meniscus repair specialist, Dr. Saliman.  Seems like he is willing to tackle the tough and difficult repairs no one else will.  He has a technique called 'circumferential compression repair' which he wrote a paper on in '13.  

Here is some of the discussion I've read from his recent patients who've had surgery with Saliman in just the past few months:

"I had an extremely complex tear that was repaired by Dr. Saliman on September 5th (I’m 7 weeks post-op today). It required 11 stitches to repair and Dr. Saliman said he had to piece it together “like a puzzle.” I traveled from Virginia to see him after doing a second opinion with him because my local orthopedic doctors could only offer a meniscectomy... My physical therapist is super impressed with how I’m doing given being in a straight leg brace for so long. And after seeing the pics from my arthroscopy, she is also amazed that Dr. Saliman was able to repair my tear so well (she mentioned she had never seen a tear so “wavy” before)."

"He said same thing about my repair, it was “like a puzzle” :)))...   I counted 6 stitches. 

"08/26/24 had my ACL and meniscus repaired by Saliman. He really cares about ur success. Told me 85% chance of success.  He told me my meniscus was one of the worst torn ones he's ever seen ...so longer surgery (2 hrs). High character guy. BS free.  Used BioBrace Graft reinforcement & Regeneten reinforcement grafting to the medial meniscus repair."

I think Saliman is a good choice from what I've read but it won't be cheap.  I'll probably pay several $K out of pocket, but that's ok.  My insurance will still pay 60% (for out of network) and I have a $7200 out of pocket max.   His use of new technology (i.e. MISHA knee system, BioBrace, Regeneten, etc...) demonstrates he is very current, and he shows meticulous attention to detail.  So, I think he might be able to help me.   

Hope the new year brings a new knee.  Will be a long recovery.  

Turning point

Here it is, New Years eve.  Later I'll write up my season summary, and wonder if it will be my last.  It very likely could be.   To my surprise, Dr. LaPrade responded sooner than expected today saying that he doesn't think he can do a complete repair of my meniscus.   It was devastating news.  

But, I scheduled an appointment with whom many say is the #1 surgeon in the country for this injury, Justin Saliman, inventor of the Novostitch device specifically for complex meniscus repair.  His practice is called the "Knee Preservation Center."   Check out his website.    mailed him my MRI today, and my zoom appointment with him is Jan 15.  So, I haven't given up completely.  Even if it can not be repaired, I'm sure it will heal to the point that will allow some occasional running on turf, maybe track.  I know of masters with knees far worse than mine who have competed for yrs, bone on bone.  Seriously.  (Ben J.)  A few who have resurfaced and replaced joints.  Even as it is now, I could probably get a season out of it, but that wouldn't be good long term.  I really don't want to compete if I can't train 100%.  But, not yet ready to announce my retirement from masters track.  I can still carry 60 lbs of firewood up the stairs with no pain... so there's that.  My legs are still strong.  

There is the question, even if I can sprint, and I can compete, should I?  Probably not.  My dad had his knee replaced at age 71, but he was sedentary and overweight through much of his 60s.  It's pretty routine procedure now.  I'm assuming that it will be in my future.  

But, if it's my last yr, stings that I didn't win Indoor Nationals as I should have, but I ranked #5 in the world indoors, #1 US indoor (by a lot), top 15 in the world overall outdoor and indoor combined, and #2 in the US.  Not bad for the last yr in my age group.  I ran under 60 five times before the outdoor season really started.   I even won my first and only individual Penn Relays Championship in the 100m.  Masters Rankings maintains a world list of the top 25 performances of all time by age group and event.   My 2021 56.23 ranks 21st world wide in M60, 11th for 61 and older, 8th in the USA in M60 and 4th in the USA over 61.   I'm in good company, people like Collins and Allie. 

If I leave, I will leave the sport with 9 USATF National Championships, a World title, and 4 individual world medals.   Regardless, it was a good run.   Me and Francois were only M60 in the US to run under 59 this yr.  (Francois had an amazing yr, Silver at worlds, WL in 2 events).    Just thinking about how hard I was training a year ago and how quickly life can change.  2024 would have been even better if that proximal ham didn't pop on 2/2, although it didn't really manifest for a month.  At least I stayed competitive til the end if this is it.

I guess I should perhaps be happy to hang up the spikes and just run once a week some intervals on turf and focus more on longevity.  I wonder where I'd be if I didn't feel that snap in my knee on Friday the 13th?  Would it have happened eventually?  Is it really just a pain management issue like my foot that should dictate?  Or should I anticipate far worse issues?

My main fear is that without the motivation of track competition, it will compromise my health and life.  Causing me to age quicker, live shorter, be less deliberate in how I live my life.   It took a great deal of sacrifice for someone who has to stretch to measure 5'7" ... a bowlegged white guy with not real good running form to become the fastest 400m runner in the world over 60.  I was literally pushing to the extreme edge.  The lifestyle, keeping the regimented schedule, food and supplement choices, weight, strength, etc...etc.. etc...   I look over to that chair where sits boxes of training shoes, racing spikes, bags of spikes-risers-wrenches, my rollers, tubing, massager, back pack with timers, tape, training clothes for all conditions, the weight dragging harness, orange marker cones, measuring wheel, starting blocks, and the trusty water bottle that has layers and layers of tape with pen scrawled interval times collected over weeks and months up to and including that last 3x300 on Friday the 13th.   

I should know more after Jan 15 and later in the spring.  

Wow, can't believe I made my first post on this blog on April 16, 2011.   Between then and now, that's a big chunk of my life.  I want to thank all those readers that have been with me for so long, you know who you are.  This is post # 2362 on this blog since it all began.  

Even if I retire from track competition, I'll probably keep this blog going because I do believe in sprint interval training, even if it's not running on the track.   

My last healthy workout where I ran a 13.32 100m.

Weight just under 140 lbs.

Dec. 9, 2024. 

bike climb/ training methods debate

After Monday's speed session, I felt soreness in my lower back, hams, and in the right proximal ham, which is new, (it had always previously been the left).  Nothing serious but it made me think of the two basic rules in the Bill Collins masters training book that strongly guided my entry into masters track:

1. Don't train in spikes

2. Don't run 100% all out in training 

What I take #2 to mean is all out top speed like 40m - 100m.   Allan recently criticized me for not doing both of the above, but to me, getting to the start line healthy is #1.  Allan is the fastest man in the world over 60, but I have run literally more races in one season than he has run in his master career.  Also, my injury to race ratio is at least 20X better than his.  As I age, I think I need to stick closely to these 2 rules.  I've ignored both and they have come back to bite me.   Running at 400m race pace is not 100% all out running, so that is fine.  It's ridiculous to believe that running a half or 3/4 second off your 100m PR in training shoes is going to adversely affect your top speed development.   The strength derived from submaximal tempo training certainly will increase speed.  But, then again, I'm not a 100m specialist like Allan.  

The newest "fad diet" of training methods is Tony Holler's "Feed the Cats" regime that is basically a training method emphasizing a high percentage of all-out short sprint training.  Flying 30s, 60s, etc...  Now this can make sense for a high schooler, as he is a HS coach, but NOT for the aging masters.  A lot of masters subscribe to this and I see it as risky and of limited effect, especially for anything longer than 100m.  Frankly, I find it an attempt at a 'shortcut' to doing the hard intensive tempo interval work that has been proven successful in elites from Michael Johnson to Jeremy Wariner, or anyone who trained under Clyde Hart.  Face it, not many masters have the stones to do intensive tempo 200m and 300m repeats, especially week in and week out.  However, I do understand that the best speed reserve is top speed, and if you don't have it, it's hard to get it.   But at the very least, top short speed work should be used sparingly toward mid and championship season.  And, there is a difference between 98% and all out 100%.   I've found many times I've run faster at an apparent 98% effort as opposed to 100%.   Bottom line is that no masters over 60 is going to run a faster 200m or 400m if all they do is 30s and 60s.  

Anyway... 

Very cold today, mid 30ºs with gusty winds.  Light snow dusting overnight.   Quite a change from the low 60ºs yesterday.   If the weather were better I might go to the track, but with some lingering soreness, I'm going to pass and do some strength today.  

Yesterday, I did a Roarks cove bike climb.  Modest pace, just under 25 min.  HR stayed under 170 for the whole climb except for 30 sec at the end.  It was under 164 for most of the climb despite the fact I was breathing pretty hard at times.  

I was given a Cervelo biking kit with pants, shirt, cap by my tenant, so I tried out my first pair of bicycle pants on this ride.  I guess they were too big as I was always pulling the padding back up from the rear as it kept getting pushed forward.  Probably won't wear them again.  

Tomorrow, I am going for my appointment with the oral surgeon.  The tooth feels better, almost normal now.  I wonder if I should even get the surg
ery?  Probably so.  Since I will be in town, I'm going to get a blood draw for some of my tests purchased from Ulta.  

Yesterday, I ate some boiled hulled barley for variety.  It was ok.  Nutritionally, oat bran seems superior having less carb and calories, more protein.

About 141 lbs this morning.   
 

4x100m tempo, 100, 60

Same as last time.  Not much different.  Still out of shape, about the same weight.  Felt hot in the sun,  86º, dry.  

Hoka trainers on

Stretches, drills, bands, 100m

Hoka rocket x2s on

100m on turf - 17

4x100m on turf w/ 30 sec rest ~ 17.5 avg

100m - 14.40

60m - 8.53

 

Still disappointing.  Can't run fast or far.  HR hit 180 after #3 of the tempo set so 5X was out.  I can't believe how slow I'm running but the foot isn't much better yet.  

144.2 lbs after workout.  If I'm able to lose 4 lbs, it will gets easier. 

Did nothing Wed-Sat, then on Sun, did a circuit of 5x10 burpees with a pushup and leap and some bicycle crunches.  Guess what was the sorest after?  My lats!  Surprised.  Not that many pushups but the lats were so sore today.  

Need to ramp up my cross training later this month.  Traveling this weekend to my home town so will not do much this weekend either.

On a side note.... our world changed on Monday when Roya was the victim of a corporate layoff, sudden and unjustified after 24 yrs of hard work for the ungrateful failing POS company, UPS.   4 days notice.  That's corporate America.  So glad not to be a part.  Really happy with my 15 hr/ 2 day per week low stress job at the college. Been playing more guitar lately, maybe work toward a performance.   Things could be worse.   One of my colleagues suffered a massive stroke while teaching this week.  Not a healthy individual, probably career ending and certainly life altering.  He's only 71.  I think blood vessels are like rubber tubing.  If you leave them sit long enough, they lose elasticity, dry rot and break.  If you stress them and stretch them routinely, they remain flexible, perhaps less likely to have ruptures, strokes, etc...  I think pushing to max HR for short duration a few times a week can be good in accomplishing CV health.  You can clearly see the 4 lbs of fat around my waist.  Not so good.  

 

 

still not ready to run, bike sprints, WMAC concludes.

Went to the new track and did my standard warmup including a ginger 100m jog on the turf.  Thought I might be ready to run, but no.  Can't even support my body weight on the ball of my right foot without significant pain, let alone run on it.  So, it may be a while.  8 days prior, I did my second consecutive hike in the Alps with not really well cushioned shoes (Hoka Rincons) and just 4 days prior, had run some 150s on the track in Chamonix.  So, I need more recovery.  I may try again on Mon or Tues.   May wait til late next week.  No rush, but eager to get back in it.

On the bike yesterday, I did something different which I may begin doing more of.  Level sprints.  I did 4 sprints on the level were I accelerated to 27.5 mph but sustained it for only a very brief time.  I really felt the pump and it pushed my HR to 170+.   This may be better or at least a good supplement to the bike climbs I've been doing.  

World Masters Championships in Sweden have ended.

And the level keeps getting higher.  I remember running a WL M60 400m time of 56.23 in '21.  All three medalists in M60 this year were faster.  Bernardo (Denmark) 55.56,  Francois (USA) 55.40,  and astonishingly, Roland (Germany) with the second fastest M60 400m in history at an amazing 53.93, fastest since Ralph Romain set the WR at 53.88 29 yrs ago.  All those guys were a few yrs younger than I except Peter (Germany) who finished 5th in 56.90 at near age 64 (not sure of his birthdate).   

I was more interested in the M65 age group which I'll be going into.  John W (Australia) WR holder in the indoor 200m, was the class of the field winning all 3 sprints.  56.22 in the 400m.  Gerhard (Germany), whom I narrowly beat in Lyon in '15, got silver running 58.24 at age 68!  Ron, my chief competition in the USA, won the bronze in 58.69.   

I really hope my body can adapt to the training as I was doing in Jan of this year when I ran 58.84 early in the indoor season.  Even with the injury on 2/2, I still ran a 57.9 time trial in early March.   

It's worrying that the host (Mt. Sacs) has withdrawn from hosting the '25 USATF outdoor Masters Nationals.  If by some really bad turn of events, that they decide to have it earlier than usual, beginning before my birthday in early July, I'd be out of luck and still barely in M60 age group.  Unlikely but possible.   Masters National Outdoor '25 is my primary goal right now and it's unusual to not have that date firm at this time.

Weight is starting to get down 145.4 this morning.

Back in TN on the bike, possible genetic related heart issues

 Was harder today with the extra weight I've gained.  Warm, in the 80ºs but not hot.  A pretty hard effort with a high HR.

Roark's cove bike climb 

23:05 min

Avg HR - 173

Max HR - 189

HR over 170 - 17:14

Avg speed - 6.10 mph 

Second highest max HR I've recorded.  It felt ok.  I had pushed hard early and hit 170 before the big hill and started the steep at 163.  I hit 180 with 250m to go.  So it was a solid effort.  

-----

Heart health and family history are a cause for concern.  I have a history of high LDL and so does my family.  I have never had any heart issues to my knowledge, chest pain, or shortness of breath.

Both my parents have been treated with statins and BP medication for many years.  Both have cardiac stents.  Neither has had a bypass and both seem ok at age 82 and 84.

My brother was recently diagnosed with a rare spinal stroke, (originally misdiagnosed with demyelinating disease), resulting in MS type symptoms.   According to specialists, this is a clear cardiac related issue.   Having the same genes as my brother, it's certainly a cause for concern.  He was hospitalized with chest pain last night and BP fluctuating to high levels.    Hard to know what the exact cause of such problems are, but genetics certainly play a role.  Also, lifestyle, I have to think, is also a factor.  My brother, like the rest of my family, is not a 'label reader' when it comes to food, and is almost totally without conscience or education in regard to eating, and clearly has dad's 'sense of entitlement' when it comes to food.   Despite my occasional binges, I always snap back before I become overweight.  My brother has been into the overweight BMI range, weighing as much as in the 190s at 5'9", but often fluctuating widely.  Even 175 lbs for a 5'9" person is BMI overweight, which I think has been the low end of his weight range.   My dad has held an obese level of BMI for most of the past 2 decades although recently graduated to merely 'overweight' (below 209 lbs.).  I've never been BMI overweight, except for a few brief periods 20 yrs ago where I once reached 160.  

The thing with my brother is that he hasn't had even the first frontline image test on his heart, a coronary calcium scan.  My dad has, and it was astonishingly bad.  I can't remember the score but I'm sure it was over 1000, and that was 10+ yrs ago.  The fact is, you can have plaque, but if it's not in the wrong place, you can live with it.  Just like you can have high LDL, but if it doesn't 'stick', then you're ok.  

My genome test said I have a very high susceptibility to high Apolipoprotein B level  - which is related to high LDL.  However, the Genome test has been a bit underwhelming, delivering conflicting results, etc...  But I take this as a warning, nevertheless: 

LDL cholesterol, the “bad” cholesterol, relies on transport by apolipoprotein B (apoB). As a result of this connection, elevated levels of apolipoprotein B are linked to elevated LDL cholesterol and an increased risk of coronary heart disease.

I just don't know how lifestyle factors are going to help or hurt.  I do remember times at dinner when I looked at what my brother was eating with a bit of disdain, and he'd alway look at me and smirk, saying, "what's it going to do to me, Bill?"  Maybe these recent health issues with my brother are a manifestation?  Who knows?  He's always been a big meat, carb, and sugar eater, habitually eating large bowls of popcorn with butter before bed.  Maybe there's something to be learned here.  I hope he is ok and perhaps he can improve his longevity with medication and improved lifestyle choices.  Medication has seemed to have served my parents well.  

As for me, so far so good.  No issues.

Done ... for a while

Photo:  injured guy being assisted off the track who fell into my lane on the turn.  

I'm definitely done competing this year on the track.  This last race was a bust, I didn't get a good time mostly because I was interfered with.  At yesterday's all ages meet in ATL, they combined masters and open and I was by far the oldest and slowest in my heat, although I had a good lane (#5) in my 200m race.  The guy in lane 4 took a lead into the turn, easily making up the stagger on me in 50m.  He then pulled a hamstring on the turn, fell into my lane causing me to break stride and go into the outer lane to avoid stepping on him.  I probably cost me at least half a second and I finished in a miserable 27.4.  

I was feeling ok before the race, a normal aches and pains but afterward and by this morning, a definite pain in my left knee.  I had felt that this week after workouts but it went away in 2 days.  Today it was worse, so a definite sign to wrap it up for the year.   This was my 4th of 7 days on track doing high intensity sprints, and it's taken a bit of a toll.  I probably shouldn't have raced Saturday.  It was mid 80's and I had to wait hours before racing.  

It was cool to be in the race though, and was happy to race with fellow masters Sean B., an elite 43 yr old masters sprinter.  He ran great, 22.91, probably about the most I was capable at my peak in college.  All lanes full, I was the only white guy in the race, the rest were 19-22 yr olds, running 21-22.  Sean was right there with them.  I'm really envious of those kids speed and physiques.  So lean, light, and muscular. 

Moving forward, I'm going to stop running altogether for while.  This break is long in coming.  The last bit of training showed me that doing high intensity (98%+) all the time is risky and hard on the body, maybe even more so than doing 85% intensive tempo.  

I'm a decent weight, probably raced about 142.  Was 143.5 this morning after a large meal last night, so my objectives in the near future are to work on strength, maintain flexibility, get back on the bike and rowing machine to maintain some semblance of V02 max, work on core and upper body, and most of all ... heal up.  I also want to remain under 145 lbs.   And, I certainly don't want to make this knee issue worse.  It's recoverable now and I want to be able to hike in the Alps this summer if we can arrange it.  Perhaps in a month or 2, I can start again by running again once a week, low impact, turf or some hills / bleachers.  Not running is going to be quite an adjustment since I've been on the track pretty much 3X a week for the last 7+ months.  I can see why the pros do so few meets.  I did 11 meets this year.  More than most pros.

So, a few weeks away from M64, I'm looking ahead to M65.