For Whom the Dogs Bark

Thanks to all for checking in.  Heel is still bad, though I have no clue what I did to cause this.  Today was race day but I decided early in the week not to do it.  I have been working out on a stationary bike and doing weights several times a week; but I need to mix in other routines as well.  Am looking into pool running, but don't know if I can put that together.  This morning I ran to my neighborhood facility, about a third of a mile, and spent an hour on the bike.  Walked back.  My legs felt strong but the pain was there immediately and never abated.  I went with the family to the rodeo and the heel hurt all day.  But it comes and goes.  It was gone after I laid down and took a nap.  My son thinks it might be a stress fracture.  Nothing to do but wait and try not to lose too much conditioning or get too fat.

More of the same this week, though I am cautiously optimistic I turned the corner.  I ran this morning to the clubhouse for some quality time on the bike then back, total of 1K.  Heel seems to be responding OK, but I know I couldn't have done an actual run on it, not yet anyway.  But if this happens too many weeks in a row I might write down one of the Ks.

56F, 95%, S 1 mph.  2.85 miles without watch or heart rate monitor.  Heel was more sore today than yesterday without running.

41F, 72%, N 6 mph.  5.35 miles without watch or heart rate monitor.  Rare running weather so I ran.  Foot was sore all day and part of the next.  Seemed worth it though.

Foot felt better today but didn't run.  I have done either the stationary bike or stretching/lifting sessions at the gym every day this week that I didn't run -- sometimes both.  Starting to gain a little weight, though, as I am only burning 600 calories per session, and I don't think the bike is going to cut it for maintaining conditioning, though it certainly helps.  So today I went down to the Y and joined.  The friendly rep gave me a tour -- I apologized at the end for being too easy.  They have a great pool for pool running, Deep, and flotation vests are included.  If I can manage the boredom I should be able to stay in shape this way, and get enough training that I am not tempted to run on the heel, and keep the weight off.  Lots of classes there too, most of them free, some might be fun.

I have been cross-training the last week.  Foot is improving quite a bit.  On Monday I went to a spin class at the Y, taught by Rosie, a 50-year old woman who helped me get set up on the bike, then reduced me to a quivering mass on the multi-purpose carpet.  She said don't worry, you need the right shoes, so I went and bought a pair, surprisingly expensive.  They have a certain type of cleat on them (SPD I think they call it) that clips to the pedal.  I never knew.  They are very stiff, almost like wearing ski boots.

So Thursday I went back for more.  The shoes helped, but this time unfortunately Rosie was doing interval training.  So difficult to stand up on a bike when legs are jello.  I stayed with Rosie for more of the session than on Monday, so progress.  Heart rate maxed out at 176, which is sky high for an activity like this where only a few muscles are being used compared to running. Possibly in a couple of more sessions I can keep up.

On the other days, other than normal weight training and stretching, I did water running.  Talk about low impact, I almost felt like I was doing nothing, yet my legs were tired afterward.  A little worried that I am not doing it hard enough.  I finally got the idea of bringing my heart rate monitor, tied it to the ladder and could get a reading if I pulled myself out of the water.  At first it was reading 87 or so, which I knew could not be right.  Figured out that if I stayed out of the water for 20 or 30 seconds it would get a true reading, came out to about 110.  So I wasn't working hard enough, but have learned this week that heart rates don't translate to cross-training activities.  Still, pool running is supposed to mimic the real thing pretty closely.  Rosie teaches a class on Thursday morning. I'll probably go if I dare.

55F, 88%, N 12 mph. 2.85 miles at 9:13/mile, average heart rate low 150s.  Foot was feeling pretty good all week so I tried out a run.  Not a disaster, but heel is back to hurting, at least for now. But this morning was good weather and there won't be many more like it, so I ran.  It felt great to get back to running, and I haven't lost a lot of fitness yet.  Heart rate was only 5 or 6 beats high.  I have been doing pool running, spin classes, stretching, core and weights. 1 to 2 hours a day.  Lots of new muscle groups coming into play.  This whole thing may be an entre into tris, but that is down the road.  First I have to get better.

54F, 94% and alm.  2.85 miles in 26:01, 9:08/mile, HR low 150s.