The long 'off season'

This will be my longest 'off season' and who knows, it may be forever.  I don't expect to be on the track again til summer, depending on the knee fix.  It's hard to stay motivated for me without the metrics of sprint training... i.e. intervals at a specific time goal, timed rest.   There is NOTHING that burns the calories and is as intense as long sprint interval training.  There is nothing you can do in 6 minutes that compares to a 4 x 200m w/ 1 min rest set of intervals on the track.  However, I've settled into a regime of rowing on the Concept 2 machine and 'sprint intervals' on the stationary bike along with glute machine and various other exercises.  I'll do this likely until the surgery, depending on what Dr says Wed.

2000m row - 8:59  Concept 2 rower 

8 x 15 sec sprint w/ 45 sec rest - stationary bike 

50 x 250 lbs - glute machine

I'm exploring 3 possibilities for this meniscus root repair surgery, my local Dr. Elrod, probably the likely choice, the Steadman Clinic at Vail, CO, and the Mayo Clinic that is doing a clinical trial on this exact procedure  (they asked for my MRI after I inquired).  Sooner the better.  Before end of Feb., preferably sooner.

Looking back, I sure did a lot... 103 meets, probably 250+ races.  In a typical track career, most healthy college track athletes would only run 50 - 70 races in a 4 yr track career, running both indoor and outdoor seasons.  I've done triple that, after age 51.  So, a few injuries are to be expected I guess.

When I have a date for surgery, I need to try and get in as good shape as possible going in.

Out for the season

After review of my MRI, I've decided to not compete in the '19 indoor and outdoor track seasons.  Due to the fact that my knee is not painful, I assumed the damage would heal slowly, but it looks as if the best course for the long term would be to have a meniscus repair surgery.  Overall, except for the single break in the meniscus, the joint is in decent shape.  No ligament or tendon damage, only mild wear on the articular surfaces.  My Dr. initially was going to give me a steroid injection and a lubricant and send me on my way.  After researching this particular injury, that course of treatment would guarantee a rapid degeneration of the joint if I returned to training.  Repair seems to be the best course.

Right now, I can bike, hike, row, even stairmaster ... but I need to get this fixed if I want to train to run by 2020.  The specific surgery I'm looking for is not common.  My friend Alan, a orthopedic surgeon and world champion masters sprinter (member of my Gold relay teams in Lyon) told me he does this surgery only a few times a year.  If anyone in my network can do it, it would be my present Dr. who is THE Sr knee surgeon in Nashville, and it would save me a lot of money than going out of network.  However, I'm still in the decision making stage and considering options.  Two out of network options I'm considering are - 1) the Mayo Clinic that happens to be doing a clinical trial on this exact surgery - I just emailed the director; and 2) a Dr. in Colorado who seems to be the nation's expert on this procedure and is very much involved in treating elite athletes. 

Surgery is always a bitch because it's generally 'creating' an injury to fix one, and will require a lengthy rehab.  I would like to have this done by late Feb which would put me back to full strength by end of summer, plenty of time to get ready for 2020.

There is always the possibility that I won't 'sprint forever' and will walk away from training and competition.  That probably will be decided after I start to try and train again.  I'd be ok with walking away from this sport, I've accomplished a lot in 6 seasons... 5 USATF National Titles, a number of National Silver and Bronze, 4 individual World Medals and a World Championship, a USATF Age Group Athlete of the Year... so I can't complain.  I have a nice life and a lot of other interests, but... all that being said, I am seeking the treatment appropriate to allow me to train and race again.  A decade ago, I don't think this particular surgical procedure even existed.  I'm setting my sights for Nationals and Worlds in 2020.  So, this surgery and the rehab is going to be just another test...

I'll be updating this blog probably less regularly so thanks to all my regular readers who have visited here over the 8 yrs of these blog posts.  Assuming things go as planned, this will be about my journey to repair and rehab this injury, as it was back in '13 when I broke a bone in my foot.  The journey continues....

Here's a photo from the medal stand in Korea.  If I never race again, happy to be a World Champion.

2017 WMACi Masters World Championships - M55 200m medal ceremony

cross training

Decided to take a week off from the track and cross train.  I've been fairly active and getting control of my diet.  Woke up just under 150 lbs for the first time in a while.  Have been trying to do something active everyday.  Still haven't given up on this season, however, I do recognize that before you know it, summer will be here and I'll be looking toward my first M60 2020 season the following year.   I need to protect what I have and put recovery first while not falling too out of shape and continuing to strengthen. 

I've been biking every other day and at the gym.  Sat was my last day on the track and will likely wait until Sunday before trying to run again. 

Last night at the gym:

Concept 2 rower  - 2000m in 9:23 

Stationary bike - sprint interval program - 10 x 15 sec sprints w/ 45 sec rest 

leg extension, leg curl, adductors, abs, pushups, pullups

Today was freezing.  Sunny but upper 20ºs.  I did a 5 mile mountain bike ride with some good hills.  Should be back at the gym by Friday. 

Just a little running

Very quiet on Thanksgiving weekend at the Sewanee track.  Partly sunny about 50º.    A short warmup run revealed my knee is still an issue.  I felt the familiar pain behind the knee, not too bad to get a little running in.

Hoka trainer on 

250m warmup, stretches, drills 

25 single leg squat jumps each leg 

4 x 100m w/ 1 min rest - avg 14.5

A little faster than last time but still not able to really train with any meaningful volume.   I had 2 days rest since last track workout, maybe I'll give it three before next, maybe do some hills too.   The knee pain is not too bad and it doesn't persist after running.  So maybe there's some improvement. 

Been doing something active everyday and have cleaned up my diet but still hovering around 151 lbs.  Hard to be fit without training full scale.  Yesterday, I just did a simple single set workout of abs, upper body and squats.  The day before I rode my bike several miles, and the day before that I cut and split a half face cord of wood.  Trying to stay off my butt. 

100s

On the track today, nice weather but cool.  45º and sunny.  

I wanted to do a little endurance while keeping volume low.  This was the 3rd time in 6 days I've been on the track.  Did stair master on Monday.  Rode the bike up the big hill at Roarks Cove on Sat.

Hoka trainers on  

400m warmup, stretches, drills 

5 x 100m w/ 1 min rest  ~ 15 - 15.5 sec

This wasn't much but all I could do.  I felt a little short lived pain in the usual place on the back lateral part of my knee.  The feet hurt a little a first but were ok after warm up.

Starting to eat right so hopefully will shed some of this weight.  Tomorrow looks nice, mid 50ºs and sunny so maybe a good long bike ride.   Not being able to sprint train hard makes it easy to gain weight.  

Back out on the track

Just did a little today, nice weather 58º and mostly sunny late afternoon.  Feeling OK and I've decided to forego any needles in my knee and cancel my appointment tomorrow.  If if was really important to me to compete this season, and if I hadn't shown improvement, I would get the steroid and Euflexxa injections.  But it seems to be improving slowly.  I can sprint nearly full speed from a 3 point stance, it's only full stride when my leg is fully extended where I feel any problem.  

I'm going to get my mri report and send it to Alan T., a fellow sprinter who is also a knee surgeon.  He said one steroid shot wouldn't hurt and the Euflexxa wouldn't either, but since I'm in no hurry, I'll continue on as I am.  Since I can run 15 sec. 100s, if I can string a bunch of them together with 1 min rest, that's a workout.  

I was just on the track 2 days ago so I didn't do much today.  

Hoka trainers on 

100m warmup, stretches, drills 

2 x 100m - 14.43, 14.34 

2 x 50m - 7.00, 7.03

25 x single leg squat hops 

Four sprints from a 3 point stance.  No problem accelerating.  I think if things keep going as they are, I should be able to do some meaningful volume in 2 weeks.  

Really heavy though, 151.5 lbs this morning.  Need to work on that.  I'm going to do something physical everyday.  I think being on the track more than once a week is ok with such low volume.  

Looks like fair weather Tues - Thurs so I'll be back out to run some track or hills.  Still not ruling out Poland.  Will make a decision by 12/15.

Improvement

Today I saw the first improvement in a while on the track.  46º and sunny near sunset at the Sewanee track.  I did pretty much the same things but added a second set of single leg squat jumps, and I interspersed my runs between strength exercises.

Hoka trainers on 

2 x 100m warmup, stretches, drills 

100m - 15.65 

2 x 25 x single leg squat jumps 

25 x single leg step up jump 

3 x 100m - 15. 69, 14.90, 14.62

This is not exactly fast, but it's much faster than I've able to run in weeks.  I do feel terribly out of shape.  Just running a brisk 100m tires me and I feel out of breath, which is silly for a 100m.  I am almost able to run with normal stride and I didn't feel any swelling afterward.  100m though, is about the furthest I can run right now without a small amount of pain.

Treatment
My MRI showed some wear on meniscus and articular cartilage, but apparently not requiring surgery.  They recommended a steroid injection followed later by a lubricant injection, probably Euflexxa.  With my knee beginning to improve, and the likely possibility I may sit out the '19 season, I wonder if I should go through with these injections?  I have an appointment Monday.  I think it's important to my health to be able to do track workouts even if I am going to sit out, so I guess I will.  I still haven't definitively ruled out Poland, but I would have to see some pretty immediate improvement.  I'm in a pretty deep hole right now in regards to fitness.  People talk about cross training, but there is nothing like a sprint interval workout on the track.  It's good to be able to sprint. 

I requested the MRI report but they didn't send it.

I'm fat, probably over 150lbs.  Seeking to reduce.