Denouement

December 28, 2024

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Location:

Kowloon Tong,Hong Kong

Member Since:

Jul 02, 2007

Gender:

Female

Goal Type:

Olympic Trials Qualifier

Running Accomplishments:

Unaided:

5K - 17:11 (track Pre-kids and at BYU) (1998)

10K - 35:48 (track Pre-kids and at BYU) (1998)

10K - 35:34 (road - Shek Mun 10k 12/12)

1/2 Marathon 1:19:44 (UNICEF HM 11/12)

Marathon 2:47:08 (ING Hartford Connecticut 10/10)

Aided:

St. George Marathon 2:50:40 (10/08)

1/2 marathon - Hobble Creek 1:17:14 (8/08)

10K - Deseret News 10K - 35:02 (7/08)

Short-Term Running Goals:

PR 1/2 marathon AGAIN


Long-Term Running Goals:

Break 2:46 in Boston!

Personal:

I used to run for BYU, but only after trying out three times and finally walking on, so I was never a star. However, it was wonderful to run with great people and under Coach Shane. When you run with fast people, you can't help to improve! I graduated BYU in 1998, and didn't run a race until 2002, after having my second child. My hiatus and other crazy life commitments have made my competitive running suffer, but the last couple of years I have tried to get back into it the best I can. I have been married since 1996, to Paul Lowry, who is a runner himself. I have three boys (my three rascals), ages 12, 10, and 8.

After a great 2008 season, I was injured and eventually diagnosed and cross-diagnosed with Ankylosing Spondylitis, a type of arthritis disease, which precludes running for all but the most stubborn.  So I am on medications, trying to stay healthy, and seeing my PT often.  And running!  Now beating the streets in Hong Kong.

Click to donate
to Ukraine's Armed Forces
Miles:This week: 0.00 Month: 0.00 Year: 0.00
NB RC900 Black/yellow Lifetime Miles: 183.31
NB RC1300 Red/Black Lifetime Miles: 195.31
2012 MTR Lifetime Miles: 4035.70
890 Blue Lifetime Miles: 310.55
NB RC 1600 Lifetime Miles: 96.76
RC 1400 Lifetime Miles: 90.60
NB 890 Baby Blue Lifetime Miles: 233.26
NB 890 Electric Blue Lifetime Miles: 319.67
NB 890 Tokyo Turquoise Lifetime Miles: 163.54
Easy MilesMarathon Pace MilesThreshold MilesVO2 Max MilesTrainer 1 MilesTrainer 2 MilesRacer MilesTotal Distance
0.000.000.000.000.000.000.000.00

Does walking count as cross training?

I had a follow up with Dr. McLane, felt better yesterday than I have for a couple of weeks, but this morning on the xray table I was in pain while rolling hips around, the table was really hard.  So then she wanted to have me replicate on the doctors table and I kept rolling around different ways and couldn't replicate the pain.  Soreness but no PAIN.  I felt like a moron, really.  We discussed where I hurt and what the PT said, and Dr. McLane doesn't think its that lower ligament, but my perioformis or whatever the name is muscle in my deep glute, and that perhaps my sciatic is running right through it, and there's scar tissue causing the sciatic to get tweaked.  But I got to witness her and her fellow doctor discuss my symptoms and they seemed highly uncertain and perplexed.  They are recommending graston, very deep, deep massage, stretching and cleared me to crosstrain.  She said soreness is not a problem with crosstraining, neither is me getting pain at other times in the day, but if I get the sharp pain or leg tightness while crosstraining or running to stop.  She seemed to even clear me for running but I am not falling for that.  I used to think that doctors were conservative and told us to not run at a drop of a hat.  Now I am wary when they say go ahead and run.

Anyway, I've been doing PT exercises 3x per day, plank ab position holds to ease my abs out of the atrophy spiral.  I'll add other ab plank variations that don't put pressure on one side of my body.  I am spending almost as much time between these things and doctors appointments (I have two PT and one dr appt this week).

I walked another mile with the kids later in the evening.

Night Sleep Time: 7.00Nap Time: 0.00Total Sleep Time: 7.00Weight: 130.00
Comments
From kellies on Thu, Apr 09, 2009 at 00:26:33 from 66.119.143.249

Wow, there is a lot of medical verbiage in that post, I am perplexed reading about it, I can not imagine what you must be going through. Hang in there, I am confident things will come around. And, just so you know, I am always up for a walk, bike ride, whatever if you need to get out just for the social release. Please let me know and we will plan a time! Good luck Michelle! :)

From Katie on Thu, Apr 09, 2009 at 11:15:02 from 208.31.41.66

Hi, Michelle. been a while! just popped on to check things out (kids left town w/their dad so have some time to spare).

I'm sorry to hear/read that you are dealing with injury. When doctors are perplexed I agree, one has to be themselves intuitive and do what you feel is best concerning the "to run or not to run" argument.

I'm wondering, have you tried any muscle relaxers? If it is nerve, relaxing the muscle that the nerve runs through (not an expert but i hear that some people have a nerve that runs outside the muscle and some run through the muscle) so, relaxing the muscle for a few days may reduce the inflammation in the nerve and allow some healing.

Also, I sit exclusively on a balance ball, rarely ever on a chair, and that seems to help my hips/back immensely.

Anyway, maybe i"m repeating something already said in your blog and if so, sorry. All the best to you!

From tarzan on Thu, Apr 09, 2009 at 15:39:18 from 63.255.172.2

I believe that walking counts as cross training when injured or recovering from hard races. As long as you are not lolling along. In fact, I speed walked my first few marathons.

Several of the running books I have read (not including Galloway's system) mention elite athletes (particularly the Japanese) using walking for their distance training when recovering from injuries. The muscles are used a bit differently - but it still works the big muscles.

If you are interested in some expensive compression shorts to see if that takes the pressure off your injury - I would be willing to give mine to you (CRX).

I also find that using a lacrosse ball and my body weight allows me to do some pretty deep supplemental massaging that I can't get to with softer objects. There is also a great tool of torture called a Theracane out there.

From Mckenzie on Thu, Apr 09, 2009 at 17:37:17 from 75.169.112.13

I have no suggestions for the cross training. I was awful at it. However, I am good at social release. Lets plan a walk, or movie...whatever. The run this saturday w/ Walter has been postponed due to the competitive nature of Easter Egg Hunts! :)

From paul on Thu, Apr 09, 2009 at 19:06:34 from 65.103.252.214

Keep the faith, and keep up with the work. Has anyone mentioned Active Release Therapty (ART) as an option? You mentioned scar tissue, and it made me think of ART. Graston is supposed to be good for that too.

From MichelleL on Thu, Apr 09, 2009 at 19:23:16 from 71.35.250.102

Dr Brady had been doing ART on it for months.

Dr. McLane wrote up a note to my PT (who I see tomorrow) "prescribing" very aggressive massage and graston, and I'll mention ART.

Katie - I've been on muscle relaxants for the past 9 days. I think I am supposed to take them until they're gone and I have a good months supply. I feel nice and relaxed. . . not really :)

Thanks Maurine for the encouragement on the walking. It's just refreshing to get outside and partake of the lovely weather. I'll pass on borrowing/taking your shorts for now, but I might mention it to the sports PT and see what they think.

Kellie - thanks, still out of commission but will let you know when I'm ready.

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