Building A Better Bumblebee

I like it, not sure how long it takes to recover the 50 miler so let's try another one.  

If recovery from an ultra is anything like recovery for a marathon, then the recovery should be shorter with the more that you do. I remember needing to take 4 weeks off after my first marathon, but now all I take is a week off and I am right back at it.

Jim Lentz wrote:

Mark B wrote:How long does it take to recover from a difficult ultra, especially when you're not habituated to doing them?

I have heard it takes a day of recovery for every mile of a race.

I've heard that, too. That'd be 50 days. I've also heard of a day per kilometer, or 80 days. Either way, I'm far past that now.

Julie wrote:I like it, not sure how long it takes to recover the 50 miler so let's try another one.  

Heh. Why am I reminded of wise Mr. Owl in the old Tootsie Pop commercials?


Hot damn! I found the original!

Try it again someday? Yeah, that's probably going to happen.

Nick Morris wrote:If recovery from an ultra is anything like recovery for a marathon, then the recovery should be shorter with the more that you do.  I remember needing to take 4 weeks off after my first marathon, but now all I take is a week off and I am right back at it.

I think you're right, Nick. I'm more inclined to chalk my inability to get going to bad luck more than anything systemic.

Once the life stress ebbs a bit, I bet there'll be fewer "mishaps" and tweaks. That may take a while, though. We still haven't heard from the insurance company on the claim, and that's required before our contractor can even schedule work to begin on restoration work. Oh well, it'll take as long as it takes. (And if you're thinking that this may be my family's ultra-endurance experience for the year, you're not alone.)

Classic with the owl!

I watched your video on FB last night. I can't believe how one little animal caused so much damage. Hopefully your claim will get approved and you will be able to get back to having a normal home before too long.

Nick Morris wrote:I watched your video on FB last night.  I can't believe how one little animal caused so much damage.  Hopefully your claim will get approved and you will be able to get back to having a normal home before too long.

Quite a sight, isn't it? Still, if I were Fluff's attorney, I'd point out that all the damage you see in the video (floors, walls, ceilings, etc.) was actually done by humans. All he did was get the house really, really wet.

I'll post the video again here:



It's amazing how much you take for granted in a well-designed and fully-operational house. We are very much looking forward to the point to when we get ours back.

Mark B wrote:

Nick Morris wrote:I watched your video on FB last night.  I can't believe how one little animal caused so much damage.  Hopefully your claim will get approved and you will be able to get back to having a normal home before too long.

Quite a sight, isn't it? Still, if I were Fluff's attorney, I'd point out that all the damage you see in the video (floors, walls, ceilings, etc.) was actually done by humans. All he did was get the house really, really wet.

I'll post the video again here:



It's amazing how much you take for granted in a well-designed and fully-operational house. We are very much looking forward to the point to when we get ours back.

And Fluff's attorney would make you supply affadavits of training with Fluff's paw print showing that he was trained on the proper use of faucets and what can happen when a minor thing will get blown all out of proportion by humans.

ounce wrote:And Fluff's attorney would make you supply affadavits of training with Fluff's paw print showing that he was trained on the proper use of faucets and what can happen when a minor thing will get blown all out of proportion by humans.

Yes, that sounds about right.

So, some somewhat unfortunate news...

At some point in the past week or so, either with a bad near-splits on a trail, by manhandling things in the garage, walking on an uneven surface -- or all that and more -- I seem to have tweaked something in my groin or upper right leg. I'll be taking a step, or bending over, when I get this sensation of being speared. It's so sudden and intense that I usually cry out in pain.

It's driving me crazy. Not only because it's keeping me benched for even more time, but because I can't nail down the exact source of the problem. I can't even replicate it. Hopefully, it'll settle down soon.

Mark B wrote:So, some somewhat unfortunate news...

At some point in the past week or so, either with a bad near-splits on a trail, by manhandling things in the garage, walking on an uneven surface -- or all that and more -- I seem to have tweaked something in my groin or upper right leg. I'll be taking a step, or bending over, when I get this sensation of being speared. It's so sudden and intense that I usually cry out in pain.

It's driving me crazy. Not only because it's keeping me benched for even more time, but because I can't nail down the exact source of the problem. I can't even replicate it. Hopefully, it'll settle down soon.

Dang, that sucks...hopefully a few more days on the shelf will correct it. Stay patient...

Nick Morris wrote:

Mark B wrote:So, some somewhat unfortunate news...

At some point in the past week or so, either with a bad near-splits on a trail, by manhandling things in the garage, walking on an uneven surface -- or all that and more -- I seem to have tweaked something in my groin or upper right leg. I'll be taking a step, or bending over, when I get this sensation of being speared. It's so sudden and intense that I usually cry out in pain.

It's driving me crazy. Not only because it's keeping me benched for even more time, but because I can't nail down the exact source of the problem. I can't even replicate it. Hopefully, it'll settle down soon.

Dang, that sucks...hopefully a few more days on the shelf will correct it.  Stay patient...

Hope so! It's a pretty disconcerting sensation. Nothing, nothing, nothing... then WHAM!! So weird.

Mark B wrote:

Nick Morris wrote:

Mark B wrote:So, some somewhat unfortunate news...

At some point in the past week or so, either with a bad near-splits on a trail, by manhandling things in the garage, walking on an uneven surface -- or all that and more -- I seem to have tweaked something in my groin or upper right leg. I'll be taking a step, or bending over, when I get this sensation of being speared. It's so sudden and intense that I usually cry out in pain.

It's driving me crazy. Not only because it's keeping me benched for even more time, but because I can't nail down the exact source of the problem. I can't even replicate it. Hopefully, it'll settle down soon.

Dang, that sucks...hopefully a few more days on the shelf will correct it.  Stay patient...

Hope so! It's a pretty disconcerting sensation. Nothing, nothing, nothing... then WHAM!! So weird.

I wonder if it's that voodoo doll that Fluff requested I send to him.  He said to make it look like you.  I thought it was a touching gesture.  But I should've known something was up, when he said to send it to his lawyer.  Hmmm.     

ounce wrote:

Mark B wrote:

Nick Morris wrote:

Mark B wrote:So, some somewhat unfortunate news...

At some point in the past week or so, either with a bad near-splits on a trail, by manhandling things in the garage, walking on an uneven surface -- or all that and more -- I seem to have tweaked something in my groin or upper right leg. I'll be taking a step, or bending over, when I get this sensation of being speared. It's so sudden and intense that I usually cry out in pain.

It's driving me crazy. Not only because it's keeping me benched for even more time, but because I can't nail down the exact source of the problem. I can't even replicate it. Hopefully, it'll settle down soon.

Dang, that sucks...hopefully a few more days on the shelf will correct it.  Stay patient...

Hope so! It's a pretty disconcerting sensation. Nothing, nothing, nothing... then WHAM!! So weird.

I wonder if it's that voodoo doll that Fluff requested I send to him.  He said to make it look like you.  I thought it was a touching gesture.  But I should've known something was up, when he said to send it to his lawyer.  Hmmm.     

Hmm... That would seem suspicious, wouldn't it?

(Except that Fluff hasn't got a malicious bone in his body. He's more like a force of nature. You know, like a tornado.)

Eureka!

So, you know that TV show "House" where the irascible genius doctor has a flash of insight that reveals what bizarre ailment is killing his patient? Well, I had one of those moments today as I realized just what's going on with my groin/hip/leg.

I remembered that, just before this happened, I was stepping into the shower when I realized -- too late -- that the water was too hot. I leaned back to get out of the scalding stream, lost my balance and reached for something in the shower that looked solid to catch myself. Except that solid thing wasn't solid at all, so I lost my balance more and only through some pretty serious effort managed to not fall out of the tub on my head.

The part of my body that did the huge "save Mark's noggin" move was exactly the part that's so twitchy now. (Whether said noggin was worth saving is a matter best left for history to decide.)

It's all clear to me: It's some sort of a muscle strain affecting multiple muscles in my lower core and upper leg. Exactly which muscles aren't that important anymore, now that I know what they do. While that means it's going to take a while for it to settle down, at least I have the comfort in knowing that it's an acute traumatic injury and not some weird overuse/chronic problem that's manifesting itself. If that's as good as news as I'm going to get, I guess I'll take it.

---

Update on the house: The insurance adjustor is back from vacation and made contact with us yesterday. We still aren't farther along in the process, but at least we know what's coming up next. (A furniture restoration guy is supposed to come and inspect stuff.) Again, still not great news, because we don't know when he's coming -- but again, I'll take what I can get.

The first step is identifying the issue. The second step is making sure it heals.

Glad to hear that it is something that a little rest will cure.

Nick Morris wrote:The first step is identifying the issue.  The second step is making sure it heals.

Glad to hear that it is something that a little rest will cure.

Agreed. Now I just need to see what sort of things can help promote recovery. But even if it's just a "wait it out" sort of situation, at least I think I know what's going on.

Mark B wrote:

Nick Morris wrote:The first step is identifying the issue.  The second step is making sure it heals.

Glad to hear that it is something that a little rest will cure.

Agreed. Now I just need to see what sort of things can help promote recovery. But even if it's just a "wait it out" sort of situation, at least I think I know what's going on.

Yes, glad the cause was identified.  I have 2 possible solutions.  Since it would not be a good idea to skip taking a shower, I recommend that Alita gives you a bath OR she steadies you in the shower, while you bathe yourself. 

No extra charge for the solutions.  What are friends for, after all?

ounce wrote:

Mark B wrote:

Nick Morris wrote:The first step is identifying the issue.  The second step is making sure it heals.

Glad to hear that it is something that a little rest will cure.

Agreed. Now I just need to see what sort of things can help promote recovery. But even if it's just a "wait it out" sort of situation, at least I think I know what's going on.

Yes, glad the cause was identified.  I have 2 possible solutions.  Since it would not be a good idea to skip taking a shower, I recommend that Alita gives you a bath OR she steadies you in the shower, while you bathe yourself. 

No extra charge for the solutions.  What are friends for, after all?

Um, yeah. I'll pass on the suggestion, Ounce. Thanks!

I'm thinking rest may be the only viable solution for that type of injury. Not sure you be comfortable with massage therapy   

Sorry to hear about your latest setback, Mark.  Is it in the range of the stabilizing muscles (inner thigh) that pull your leg in?  If so, stay off unsteady surfaces (trails, hills, etc.) for a while when you come back.  Also, yeah, massage is iffy with those muscles.  Can easily make it worse.

Nick Morris wrote:I'm thinking rest may be the only viable solution for that type of injury.  Not sure you be comfortable with massage therapy   

Considering the massage suggested to me involved rolling around on a tennis ball, you may be right, Nick. I think that would at the very least result in me making some very loud and alarming noises. Definitely not something to try at work, or with the windows open at home.

I haven't had a full spasm in a day or so, but I've had several small ones and a growing tightness. Bah.

It's probably too late for icing, and a dose of ibu doesn't seem to be helping, either.

Sigh. At least I'm mostly sure of how I did it. And I'd rather have a groin pull than a concussion. So there's that.

Mike MacLellan wrote:Sorry to hear about your latest setback, Mark.  Is it in the range of the stabilizing muscles (inner thigh) that pull your leg in?  If so, stay off unsteady surfaces (trails, hills, etc.) for a while when you come back.  Also, yeah, massage is iffy with those muscles.  Can easily make it worse.

Hi, Mike. Yeah, I think it's probably in the adductor group. Maybe the adductor brevis or pectineus. It's fairly high up, close to the leg crease, and I can feel it deep in the groin as well as near the femur.

As far as avoiding uneven terrain goes, that's going to be trickier than you might think, considering what's under the cardboard covering much of the first floor of my house...



Every step puts my legs and hips at a different angle. Whee! Fun.

Welcome to the 50's.   

So what you are saying is that they have not gotten all of the compressed board up yet...

ounce wrote:Welcome to the 50's.   

Rub it in, grandpa, rub it in...

Nick Morris wrote:So what you are saying is that they have not gotten all of the compressed board up yet...

Uh, not quite. In fact, since we moved back in and stopped costing the insurance company so much in hotel bills, we've not seen hide nor hair of anybody who can get our house back together again. What a coincidence!

Mark B wrote:

Nick Morris wrote:So what you are saying is that they have not gotten all of the compressed board up yet...

Uh, not quite. In fact, since we moved back in and stopped costing the insurance company so much in hotel bills, we've not seen hide nor hair of anybody who can get our house back together again. What a coincidence!

It's weird how that happens, huh?