Old Man Still running

Tapering for RR100, which is funny because I've hardly run at all this month.  Let's see if I can heal some more.  I'll still work the muscles but give the knee joint and tibia a rest.  Looks like this will be my lowest mileage month since 2004.  But considering the pool and other crosstraining, it probalby will be similar in effort to a 200-mile month which should be about right.  I've proved to myself that I can get through RR100 and at least go under 24 hours.   At this point rest is better than training.

Attention turning to Rocky Raccoon 100.  This will be my 5th year there and the quest is for the 500-mile jacket.  Last year I had my best race going but fell apart during that last 20-mile loop, too much walking and long aid-station stops.  I was under-dressed and got cold.  Here is my scatter chart for the loop times.   Last year's 6-hour last loop was pathetic.  Can't do that again.   2005 was my very first 100-mile finish.

For a 20-hour finish, a good strategy for loop times is:  3:00, 3:30, 4:00, 4:30, 5:00.   I was close to that last year except for the last loop.

I may finally be turning the corner.  Last evening I noticed that the pain was significantly down in my leg.  Same thing this morning.   I'll stay the course and just work the muscles. For the last few days been using compression with an ace bandage around the bone.  Seems to be helping.  The pain point on the bone is nearly gone.  Now suspecting some sort of shin splint.  That would be good news.  But the main thing is the nearly bone-on-bone joint pain.  Seems to be calming down.

Pool workout, resistance training for quads, hamstrings.  Toe lifts for calves.  1/2 mile swim for cardio and upper body.  Situps for core.

Tough pool workout, Swam a mile and then hard pool running and kicking.

I still feel pain with every step, but it is less.   I don't have to wrap the leg anymore, but each step I feel pain shooting down the bone.  I'm guessing this just is taking about 8 weeks to really heal up.   Oh well.  No swelling, no unusual popping, so I think the structure is still fine.

I'm tempted to run again to test things out, but I'll stick with the plan until at least Saturday.  I am working the legs pretty hard.  Also doing lunges, toe lifts, leg lifts, etc.  Just not jamming the knee down on the tibia.

Thinking about buying some trekking poles for RR100.  I used them in my first four ultras, back in 2004.  I finally ditched them in 2005 RR100.  They really helped keep weight off the knee. I got pretty good at using them.  Downside is I'd have to wear a waist pack or cammelback.  I haven't worn either in a race for at least a couple years.  I don't like wearing them, they slow me down.

My Rocky pace for my four times there.  A little more detail last year for the first 60 miles because I had my Garmin going.  Right now long-range forecast calls for 60% chance of showers.  My kind of weather if I get the right shoes, can't wear Bondi B's in that kind of weather.

I just could not face doing the pool again this morming, so when I got up I went to run the treadmill instead.  The first three miles were a painful limp run, no improvement seen at all.  Bummer.

But, after five miles, things calmed down.  The joint does seem better, but I still have a sharp pain on the Tibia.  It could just be some nerves that binding together.  If I really want to find out I'll get an X-ray.   Funny thing is, once my foot started to cramp up a little, all the pain shifted from the leg to the foot.  Very strange.  This all might be in my head.   I figure what I might do at Rocky is have Mike Place wind up and punch me in the face.  That way I'll have something that hurts more and my leg won't hurt.

My mile six, I was feeling pretty good.

So, I'm sick of resting since that isn't working.  Time to get running again.  Usually with increase blood flow, things heal faster.  I'll go get some trekking poles and get some practice with those.  Time to get off the treadmill and hit the trails.

I finally found an exact description of the tibia pain I'm feeling:  http://www.physiobob.com/forum/patient-corner-questions-answers/9115-pain-upper-tibia.html

So, if this is just a muscle insertion point, by mile 10, I shouldn't feel anything there.  I've felt pain in the past there while tapering and it always goes away in two days.  But this time it is staying.

I did more harm than good today.  Leg felt OK after seven miles and running fast, but all days has ached. My hope that I could just start running and everything would tighten up and get better isn't working. Oh well. I suspect next month I'll go through the MRI routine. It usually takes 2-3 weeks to get in.  I can hear my Orthopedic surgeon now, "You have done what since I fixed your knee in 2003?" "Uhhh...I ran nearly 23,000 miles....is that bad?"  "Didn't I tell you to give up running?" "I thought you said give up biking, I did."

I'll run RR100, or at least start it.  If the knee starts swelling up or hurts too bad, I'll stop and enjoy cheering on friends.  So far there hasn't been any swelling.   I'll shut down the running again after tomorrow.   Tomorrow, I'll get in some practice with trekking poles and I should have new shoes to run in.

Bought some trekking poles.  Tried them out this morning.  In 2004 I used them as I was starting out with ultrarunning.  I had a lot of experience with them, but I haven't used them since early 2005.  I've forgotten how helpful they are on climbs, wow!   They also did help keep weight off my leg.   But, running with them at a pace faster than 10:00 is annoying.  Not worth it.  What I'll probably do is start our without them.  Once I slow to about 12:00 pace, if needed, can run with one pole.   If I slow to a walking pace, two poles are nice to keep up the pace.

A run/hike I would like to do is go the entire length of Lake Mountain, north to south on the ridges.   This morning, I climbed up the ridge from the north for the first couple miles until the top of Lot Canyon.  This is a nice big climb, but not too steep.  Most of it is in a burned area from a fire a few years ago so it is a pretty easy bushwack.   After Lott Canyon would be the most difficult part of the north/south journey.  No trail, just much steeper bushwacks for a couple more miles before finally meeting up with the ridge roads.  I would save that for another day.   Having a few inches of snow makes the traveling easier and softer.  

The sunrise was spectacular above the fog below.   It was just so nice to be out again, away from the treadmill.  Perhaps I can't run fast now, but I can still hike.   I ran down, did a loop and returned home, feeling like a cripple.  I got some good experience with the poles.

My new Stinson Hokas helped my leg but were a bother becuase of all the Hoka models, these have the worst support against over-pronation. At times my left heel would turn inside badly.   Once I returned home, I went to work on it and built up the shoe under the insole with tape.  I'm suspecting that shoe may be a little defective, but I think solved the problem.  I went out for several one-mile test runs.   The leg felt pretty good on those short runs.