Building A Better Bumblebee

Mark B wrote:

ounce wrote:Bummer.  Shit happens.  Go your sorrows.  And since the cat isn't there to kick, Alec might make an adequate substitute!

I really enjoyed your weather reports. We were south of Government Camp in a bit of a rain shadow. We had a little drizzle off and on, but that was it. Still, I am very glad I took my pack and stashed some just-in-case gear. I needed it when a moist wind started coming over the lake at me. If I'd just had my shorts and shirt, I would have had s problem.

We went to a brew pub next to our hotel. I got an extra  dark IPA, which, alas, didn't quite hit the spot.

nkrichards wrote:Sorry to hear Mark.

So what's next?  I know there will be something.  Mt. Hood next year?  The ultra near Yachats?  I know you and Alita both plan to do the 12 hour event next June.

Rest up and take care of that ankle and let us know when you chose your next goal.

Thanks, Nancy!

Next is seeing if the ankle responds to home treatment. If not, it's off to the doc I go.

The tendons all function and the bones don't respond painfully to pressure (medics worried about a calcaneal fracture but ruled it out). So probably a sprain, hopefully without much ligament or tendon damage.

The race in Yachats is sold out, so I'll have to find something else if I want to scratch that itch this year. I know next year, our plan is to do the 12-hour run together.

Yeah, the Timberline Magic Mile NWS station didn't have present temp readings, but the Mount Hood (mountain) station said it was 31 on top at 12:30 PT.  I recognized Timothy Lake from your earlier post so it seamed Timberline was the closest station.  I used my trusty radar website to figure out the Low's tendencies on rain.

Hope you get some sympathy at work for the ankle.  If you only knew how to treat a sprained ankle.

ounce wrote:

Mark B wrote:

ounce wrote:Bummer.  Shit happens.  Go your sorrows.  And since the cat isn't there to kick, Alec might make an adequate substitute!

I really enjoyed your weather reports. We were south of Government Camp in a bit of a rain shadow. We had a little drizzle off and on, but that was it. Still, I am very glad I took my pack and stashed some just-in-case gear. I needed it when a moist wind started coming over the lake at me. If I'd just had my shorts and shirt, I would have had s problem.

We went to a brew pub next to our hotel. I got an extra  dark IPA, which, alas, didn't quite hit the spot.

nkrichards wrote:Sorry to hear Mark.

So what's next?  I know there will be something.  Mt. Hood next year?  The ultra near Yachats?  I know you and Alita both plan to do the 12 hour event next June.

Rest up and take care of that ankle and let us know when you chose your next goal.

Thanks, Nancy!

Next is seeing if the ankle responds to home treatment. If not, it's off to the doc I go.

The tendons all function and the bones don't respond painfully to pressure (medics worried about a calcaneal fracture but ruled it out). So probably a sprain, hopefully without much ligament or tendon damage.

The race in Yachats is sold out, so I'll have to find something else if I want to scratch that itch this year. I know next year, our plan is to do the 12-hour run together.

Yeah, the Timberline Magic Mile NWS station didn't have present temp readings, but the Mount Hood (mountain) station said it was 31 on top at 12:30 PT.  I recognized Timothy Lake from your earlier post so it seamed Timberline was the closest station.  I used my trusty radar website to figure out the Low's tendencies on rain.

Hope you get some sympathy at work for the ankle.  If you only knew how to treat a sprained ankle.

The weather on the mountain was significantly crappier than it was on the race site. It was cool but mostly dry. We had some light mist, but it didn't penetrate the forest cover (nor did GPS signals). It only became a problem when I was limping around the lake and got hit with a cool, damp wind. Glad I'd been overcautious and hauled backup gear with me.

I suppose I'll get some sympathy at work, but they've seen me banged up enough they might just roll their eyes.

Mount Hood 50K - DNF at about 26.2 miles

Weather: Overcast, cool, with some mist. Gear: Lone Peaks, shorts, T. Jacket, hat, warm top stashed in pack (good thing, too). Carried fluids in handheld.

In a nutshell: I was doing pretty well in this race until about Mile 20, when I hurt my right ankle/foot on a root. I thought I could walk it off, and I passed an aid station where I could have pulled the plug. It wasn't until I'd gotten a mile or two farther down the trail when I realized that 1) I was screwed, and 2) limping it in was not going to work. Watching my walking pace fall from 20:48 to 22:21 to 26:12 to 39:46 make it pretty clear. I found a walking stick, and that helped a little, but not much.

Finally, after all the other runners had passed me by, the two sweepers showed up. One took off for the next aid station to see if they could get a medic to meet us at a campground about a quarter mile from the next aid station. The other sweeper and I proceeded along and were finally met by the medics (they actually contracted with a group of private medics for this event, which was impressive), and they got me evaluated and hauled back to the start/finish.

Looking at my Garmin data, it appears that I walked 2 hours and 24 minutes after the injury and managed to cover 4.76 miles. (I'd covered 11.2 miles in that time period earlier in the race.)

My Garmin data was pretty badly messed up by the forest, so the distance seems short, but it appears that I covered close to a full marathon or a little bit more. Well, that's something, anyway.

Disappointed? Of course. But resigned to it. These things can happen (and do happen) in trail racing. Just got unlucky.

Several lessons learned in this, regardless. More on that later.

Average HR for entire event: 140

Oh hey, somebody might want an update on how things are going. So...

I never got severe swelling or any bruising to speak of in the area where the greatest pain occurred. I can't walk on it normally, though I can manage to get around without pronounced limping. If I turn the wrong way or stride too long, it complains.

Here's the area that I injured:





It's in the diagonal area between the medial maleous (the inner ankle bone) and the top of the heel. There's also some swelling and tenderness directly below the medial maleous where the tendons run. I can poke around in my inner calf and find a very tender muscle running up the inside of my leg. When I poke it, I can feel it all the way to the knee. Not sure which one it is, but that's a likely injured party.

It's also possible that, due to the weird angle of landing, that I tweaked one of those ligaments that hold the rear foot bones together. Ah, if only Santa had delivered the home MRI kit I asked for last year...

Anyway, nothing seems horribly wrong. I'm betting it'll settle down fairly quickly. I'll just have to be even more mindful of working on ankle strength from here on out.

One kind of funny thing. I'm actually more traditionally "sore" from the run on my left side, probably because I was compensating so much to keep the weight off my right foot as I hobbled along for all those unnecessary miles. And doing one-legged standing and sitting.

As you can hopefully tell, I'm not terribly sad about this. Bummed that I couldn't run those last 10 miles, to be sure, but that just means I'll have to get back there and do Mount Hood properly*. Third time's a charm, right?

Mark B wrote:Oh hey, somebody might want an update on how things are going. So...

I never got severe swelling or any bruising to speak of in the area where the greatest pain occurred. I can't walk on it normally, though I can manage to get around without pronounced limping. If I turn the wrong way or stride too long, it complains.

Here's the area that I injured:





It's in the diagonal area between the medial maleous (the inner ankle bone) and the top of the heel. There's also some swelling and tenderness directly below the medial maleous where the tendons run. I can poke around in my inner calf and find a very tender muscle running up the inside of my leg. When I poke it, I can feel it all the way to the knee. Not sure which one it is, but that's a likely injured party.

It's also possible that, due to the weird angle of landing, that I tweaked one of those ligaments that hold the rear foot bones together. Ah, if only Santa had delivered the home MRI kit I asked for last year...

Anyway, nothing seems horribly wrong. I'm betting it'll settle down fairly quickly. I'll just have to be even more mindful of working on ankle strength from here on out.

One kind of funny thing. I'm actually more traditionally "sore" from the run on my left side, probably because I was compensating so much to keep the weight off my right foot as I hobbled along for all those unnecessary miles. And doing one-legged standing and sitting.

As you can hopefully tell, I'm not terribly sad about this. Bummed that I couldn't run those last 10 miles, to be sure, but that just means I'll have to get back there and do Mount Hood properly*. Third time's a charm, right?

Well, I figured when you quit sulking  that you'd do an update.  So, you turned your ankle IN and not out?  I understand most ankle sprains are turned out (laterally).  Good graphics.  I first thought that stick you were holding in the picture was your attempt at a fishing pole. 

I didn't bring the MRI kit because you weren't THAT good of a boy.  Remember that 'transistor radio' you threw into the trash?  That was a TENS unit, silly.  See if your PT can get you a TENS, once you hit the overall deductible.

Fourth time for good luck.

ounce wrote:

Mark B wrote:Oh hey, somebody might want an update on how things are going. So...

I never got severe swelling or any bruising to speak of in the area where the greatest pain occurred. I can't walk on it normally, though I can manage to get around without pronounced limping. If I turn the wrong way or stride too long, it complains.

Here's the area that I injured:





It's in the diagonal area between the medial maleous (the inner ankle bone) and the top of the heel. There's also some swelling and tenderness directly below the medial maleous where the tendons run. I can poke around in my inner calf and find a very tender muscle running up the inside of my leg. When I poke it, I can feel it all the way to the knee. Not sure which one it is, but that's a likely injured party.

It's also possible that, due to the weird angle of landing, that I tweaked one of those ligaments that hold the rear foot bones together. Ah, if only Santa had delivered the home MRI kit I asked for last year...

Anyway, nothing seems horribly wrong. I'm betting it'll settle down fairly quickly. I'll just have to be even more mindful of working on ankle strength from here on out.

One kind of funny thing. I'm actually more traditionally "sore" from the run on my left side, probably because I was compensating so much to keep the weight off my right foot as I hobbled along for all those unnecessary miles. And doing one-legged standing and sitting.

As you can hopefully tell, I'm not terribly sad about this. Bummed that I couldn't run those last 10 miles, to be sure, but that just means I'll have to get back there and do Mount Hood properly*. Third time's a charm, right?

Well, I figured when you quit sulking  that you'd do an update.  So, you turned your ankle IN and not out?  I understand most ankle sprains are turned out (laterally).  Good graphics.  I first thought that stick you were holding in the picture was your attempt at a fishing pole. 

I didn't bring the MRI kit because you weren't THAT good of a boy.  Remember that 'transistor radio' you threw into the trash?  That was a TENS unit, silly.  See if your PT can get you a TENS, once you hit the overall deductible.

Fourth time for good luck.

So here's the weird part. I didn't roll my ankle. It was more of an odd-angle jam.

I caught my toe on the root as I was moving forward. My foot plantar flexed then instantly dorsiflexed to allow me to land. But the tip of my heel caught the top edge of the root coming down, which sort of stretch-snapped my foot into the ground. The heel landed like a pile driver on a straight leg and an off centered and ever so slightly everted heel. Hurts just thinking of it.

I've done something similar to this before, when I almost missed a step on the stairs and caught the back of my heel on the way down. That part of the foot isn't built to absorb shock like that.

Oh why trails and i often disagree.  Maybe back to the roads - at least dirt ones for you for a while!

Michele \"1L" Keane wrote:Oh why trails and i often disagree.  Maybe back to the roads - at least dirt ones for you for a while!

Hey, Michele! I hear ya. Trails are tricky. Especially with lots of roots and rocks just waiting to lay you out.

But I'm happy to report that the ankle is healing rapidly. Still a bit stiff and a little sore, but it's starting to work more like a normal ankle again (well, "my" normal). Whew!

I've been mulling over the race, and I think it actually went pretty well. And better yet, I think I learned a lot about what did and didn't work for me this time. I'll help me tremendously for next time. More on that later.

Mark B wrote:

Michele \"1L" Keane wrote:Oh why trails and i often disagree.  Maybe back to the roads - at least dirt ones for you for a while!

Hey, Michele! I hear ya. Trails are tricky. Especially with lots of roots and rocks just waiting to lay you out.

But I'm happy to report that the ankle is healing rapidly. Still a bit stiff and a little sore, but it's starting to work more like a normal ankle again (well, "my" normal). Whew!

I've been mulling over the race, and I think it actually went pretty well. And better yet, I think I learned a lot about what did and didn't work for me this time. I'll help me tremendously for next time. More on that later.

Oh yeah, the race.  Um, would you have made it to the end, had not that root changed your outlook on the race?

ounce wrote:Oh yeah, the race.  Um, would you have made it to the end, had not that root changed your outlook on the race?

Short answer? Yes.

Longer answer: Yeeesss.

I'm still debating whether to do a big race report with all the bells and whistles, but I'll jot down some thoughts here to hit on the main training-and-racing related lessons learned.

I was doing pretty well when the root incident happened at about Mile 20. I had started off a bit more aggressively than I'd expected (at least, looking at the HR data), but I seemed to be moving pretty easily and not working too hard. I got to the first three aid stations faster than I had when I did the 50-miler three years ago. It was nice still having runners around me for that part, and I knew it was a calculated risk.

On the return from the turnaround, I slowed a bit. I wasn't able to get my HR back up to the levels on the outbound trip, which suggested to me that I'd sucked out the glycogen and was left with mostly fat metabolism. I was probably needing a few more calories, too. I was getting rather annoyed with the rocky and rooty nature of the course, and annoyance usually relates to lowered fuel levels. I'd lost a few positions in the race during that period, but I was still going steadily. I'd figured I'd settle into a slower pace once I hit the mostly flat lap around the lake but be able to grind it out even if it wasn't comfortable. I'd be toward the back of the pack but finish in maybe seven hours, maybe a little less.

What I didn't account for was the freaking root and what it did to me. That ankle -- the one that had worried me so much beforehand -- hadn't bothered me a bit in the race. So that made it so much more aggravating. Still, I'd hoped I could walk it off and keep going, so I passed the aid station where I could have easily dropped. Another calculated risk. That one turned out to be a mistake, but I didn't know that until a few miles down the trail.

So in all, some good lessons. Here are my takeaways:

1) My training concept and race strategy worked better than I'd hoped. Mixing slow and fast and hills and trails the way I did paid off. I was in better shape than I have been in years.

2) While it worked, it wasn't enough. I'll need more miles, more fast, more hills and more trails next time.

3) Especially more hills and trails. I need to get better at running up moderate hills of extended length, and I need to get used to more technical trails. Practice, practice, practice!

4) Core work! And ankle strengthening. Yup. Gotta do more, more, more.

5) Even taking into account the aggravating injury, this may have been one of my better races. I've learned a great deal, enjoyed most of it and ended up more excited than before about the possibilities for the future.

And yes, I'll do this race again. That trail around the lake was very nice, and I want to run it next time!

So, here's the Garmin data.



And charts!



Not sure how illustrative it is, but you can see the fade pretty obviously. Got a little gassed on the climbs, but I think I probably would have been able to do 13-ish mile splits on the last 10 miles had I not nailed that root.

Glad to hear you're mending well and as expected already thinking about training changes for the next event.

nkrichards wrote:Glad to hear you're mending well and as expected already thinking about training changes for the next event.

Thanks! And yes, I'm looking forward. (And one of the things I need to do is drop some weight. It sneaked back up on me over the past few years.)

Also, from Wednesday:

Walk: 1 mile

Out hunting Pokemon with wife and child (well, they were hunting, I was observing) and testing out my ankle. It was pretty good at first but got sore after about .7 miles. I'll need to not push it, though it is generally doing much better.

And this evening, I did some heel lifts to see how the tendons and ligaments reacted.

They didn't mind. Huh? Hm. What, then, did I ding up?

Mark B wrote:

nkrichards wrote:Glad to hear you're mending well and as expected already thinking about training changes for the next event.

Thanks! And yes, I'm looking forward. (And one of the things I need to do is drop some weight. It sneaked back up on me over the past few years.)

Also, from Wednesday:

Walk: 1 mile

Out hunting Pokemon with wife and child (well, they were hunting, I was observing) and testing out my ankle. It was pretty good at first but got sore after about .7 miles. I'll need to not push it, though it is generally doing much better.

And this evening, I did some heel lifts to see how the tendons and ligaments reacted.

They didn't mind. Huh? Hm. What, then, did I ding up?

Jedi mind trick.     "You look like a root will spring up and twist your ankle!"  

ounce wrote:

Mark B wrote:

nkrichards wrote:Glad to hear you're mending well and as expected already thinking about training changes for the next event.

Thanks! And yes, I'm looking forward. (And one of the things I need to do is drop some weight. It sneaked back up on me over the past few years.)

Also, from Wednesday:

Walk: 1 mile

Out hunting Pokemon with wife and child (well, they were hunting, I was observing) and testing out my ankle. It was pretty good at first but got sore after about .7 miles. I'll need to not push it, though it is generally doing much better.

And this evening, I did some heel lifts to see how the tendons and ligaments reacted.

They didn't mind. Huh? Hm. What, then, did I ding up?

Jedi mind trick.     "You look like a root will spring up and twist your ankle!"  

Ah, that explains it. Thanks!

Actually, there is a possibility that I actually damaged one of the bones in there. I looked up fractures of the posterior talus (see the graphic above) and guess what? The way that bone gets broken is pretty much EXACTLY WHAT I DID OUT THERE LAST SUNDAY. (Here is a paper on the topic.)

There is point tenderness and a firm swelling right in that area, but no discoloration or broader inflammation. I'm thinking I just banged it up a bit, though it did hurt like an SOB when it happened. I guess time will tell.

Walk: 2.7 miles

Weather: Spiffy. Sunny and warm. Gear: Topos

Alec and Alita wanted to go to Portland to see if the rumors are true and they had much better Pokemon than up here in the 'burbs, and I tagged along to drive and continue to test out my ankle. We walked along the Willamette River waterfront and then up into the city to Pioneer Square. The rumors were true. Portland Pokemon rock.

As for the other part of the exercise -- the testing of the ankle -- it went sort of okay. I started getting sore after about three-quarters of a mile, but it never got so bad that I couldn't proceed. I was limping a bit, though, which isn't exactly ideal.

We were actually out (and I was on my feet) for 1:40 or so, but much of the time was spent standing around as the rest of my family caught Pokemon. So I went with Strava's "moving time" of 38:57. Regardless, the distance was the same.

Sets of 3, 12-10-8 of:
-Modified side-leg lifts.
-Double-leg bridge "marching" while keeping pelvis steady.
-Single-leg bridges, (2x10 each side)
-Supine leg lift, keeping TA engaged and pelvis aligned
-Prone leg lift, same as above
-Half-squat using theraband around knees.
-Side-step using theraband around knees.
-Ankle flexion using theraband.
-Double-leg heel raises.
-Single-leg heel raises.

Also 25 sit-ups. Oof!

Standing Psoas stretches. (5-6 x 10 seconds left side, a few less on right side)

So the ankle flexion and heel raises DID NOT HURT my sore spot, though it's tender and swollen to the touch and gets sore after walking. Wild.

I can't believe this Pokémon thing.  My grandkids haven't caught the bug and at age 12 Emma is old enough.  She's to interested in her sheep and horses.

Take it easy with that ankle.  I guess it's a good excuse to take the time to do the core work that we so often put on the back burner when we can actually run.

nkrichards wrote:I can't believe this Pokémon thing.  My grandkids haven't caught the bug and at age 12 Emma is old enough.  She's to interested in her sheep and horses.

Take it easy with that ankle.  I guess it's a good excuse to take the time to do the core work that we so often put on the back burner when we can actually run.

Sheep and horses are good! It is fun to see the folks out there playing the game -- they tend to interact with each other far more than they would with ordinary strangers -- and little kids LOVE to see a grownup playing it. There was this little boy with a Pikachu backpack who couldn't stop showing Alita all the Pokemon he'd found nearby. It was really cute.

Yes, I need to be patient. But without obvious bruising and swelling, this soreness is starting to make me crazy. What IS it?

Just to show that I can't leave well enough alone...

Walk: 3.1 miles

Weather: Mostly cloudy with some sun breaks, mild. About 70° Gear: Altra Instincts

Out for a walk with Alita this morning on the Salmon Creek Greenway. I wanted to get in some activity and see how my heel/ankle area did wearing my zero-drop shoes. Short answer? Not so well. We walked just over three miles, but I could feel the soreness building before we'd even gone a half mile. It's especially noticeable on downhills, when I compress that area at the rear of the ankle with every step I take. That's what hurt the most right after I injured it, too.

Obviously, I'm not going to be able to get back to what I want to do as soon as I'd like.

Aside from that, it was a nice morning for a walk. It was good to get out and move.

A brisk 70 degrees, eh?  Let me grab my parka.

I thought the Topos were zero drop.  Would seem your ankle has multiple issues or multiple alarms for one issue.  I'd go ahead and buy the walker.  Be sure to drop by some tennis courts so you can score 2 balls for the back of the walker.

Re:  Pokemon, I hear small businesses down here love it for bringing in more customers.  I can't wait to hear about the withdrawal symptoms when school starts back up in 5 weeks or taking up of phones or even schools trying to block the signal during school.

Heat 'n ice and drawing the alphabet with your big toe.  That'll be $50 and no, I'm not on your plan.

You *might* need a parka, Ounce. This summer has not been as warm as the past two years. It's quite nice, with morning clouds that burn off as the day progresses. That keeps the temperatures moderate. It's supposed to warm up a bit tomorrow, but not by much.

Pokemon Go and school might be very interesting, indeed.

Doing the theraband exercises with my ankle, which takes the alphabet exercise up a step. Some icing, and I could try some heat, as well. I guess I'm just impatient.

Oh, the the Topos have a whopping 3 mm drop. I can tell the difference.

We're working on our first 100 degree day for maybe this week, but I don't think it'll happen.  99 or 98 is more probable.  I'm pleased the dust from the Sahara desert is still moving west to the Gulf Coast because it means another week of no tropical system formation from Africa to the Gulf.  

In the mean time,  .

From Thursday:

Walk: 2.1 miles

Weather: Sunny and warming up fast. 75-80 degrees. Gear: Topos

Out for a quick walk with Alec and Alita before work. I was hoping to build on the relatively uneventful walk of earlier in the week. I was a little achy in the ankle/foot, but it mostly eased up as we started to walk. I even tried a short jog, and that felt good.

Or so I thought. As we turned around to head back, my foot/ankle flared up big time. Walking back to the car wasn't a lot of fun. And in a couple of spots, it hurt just as bad as it did when I injured it.

Crap.

So, after yesterday's misadventure, I broke down and emailed my doctor, letting him know the problem and wondering if getting some imaging would be a good idea.

He responded, as usual, by saying 1) I should wear a boot, 2) I might need to use crutches, 3) MRIs of that area aren't very helpful in diagnosing injury and 4) stress fractures, tears, sprains such are all treated he same way, so what's the point of sussing out the exact cause?

My doctor makes me crazy sometimes.

Anyway, he did deign to authorize an X-ray, which I got today, and he relented on the crutches if I'm not in pain while wearing the boot -- and he said I'd probably only need to wear the boot for five days to give it a chance to rest/heal.
I think the boot suggestion is partly to keep me from trying to "test" it again. If he could put a Denver boot on me, he would. Or an anchor.

I'd argue the point, but I really didn't expect such a big flare-up yesterday. It was eye-opening.

I won't hear back on the X-ray until sometime early next week, and who knows if anything will show up. At least by then, I will be mostly through my period of captivity.