Building A Better Bumblebee

ounce wrote:

Mark B wrote:Walk: 2.6 miles

Weather: Warm, hazy. 70

Testing out my toe on an easy walk in my testers. It didn't hurt while I walked, but it might be a bit more sore now. I'll need to be conservative as I keep learning what I can do right now. Heck, I may even have to pump up the tires on my bike.  

You are complying with your doc's (overly conservative for a pinky) recommendation of "...depending on pain tolerance."

I really liked their overwhelming luke warm decision.  It reminds me of a football team challenging a ruling and getting the answer, "The ruling stands" when there's not enough info to overturn or confirm it.

I guess the pinky toe is like the appendix.  It doesn't do anything, but give it some inflammation and WHAMMO!!!

Did the doc, by chance, give you any exercises to specifically build up the muscles in the pinky?  Pinky curls?  Pinky press?  Pinky squats?  Balancing on your pinky?  Executing the rhamashamapinkydookydama yoga position?

There actually *are* exercises to strengthen the toes (including the pinky), and I've done them as I worked on barefoot running. There's the extend-and-spread your toes exercise, trying to get as much space as possible between the toes, and then there's the somewhat tricky exercise of pressing your big toe down while raising toes 2 through 5, then pressing those four toes down and lifting the big toe.

They're great for building intrinsic foot strength... but apparently they do not make toes impact-resistant.

I think the pinky has more jobs than the appendix. If it's allowed to do its job by not being crammed into too tight a toe box, it aids in the stability of the foot and improves proprioception. Its a good hard object detector, too.

Decided against a walk today (it's about to rain anyway) to be at least somewhat conservative. Pinky is still pretty colorful, though the bruising is much less horrifying than even a day ago. Healing is occurring. Woot!

Mark, if you don't get any alerts on nuun stuff, I found out that you can get some for $3/tube on their website.  Please disregard, if you already know.
https://nuun.com/


So maybe the pinky toe is a sacrificial lamb because it's not like you can cast it all the time for being a good detector.

ounce wrote:Mark, if you don't get any alerts on nuun stuff, I found out that you can get some for $3/tube on their website.  Please disregard, if you already know.
https://nuun.com/


So maybe the pinky toe is a sacrificial lamb because it's not like you can cast it all the time for being a good detector.

Could be. Keeps you from destroying more critical toes, perhaps.

Caffeine-infused nuun sounds scary to somebody who has been off coffee for a few months now.

Testing... testing... testing...

So I've been debating whether to try running with the toe. I jogged a little going to and from the mailbox, and while it didn't feel great, it didn't hurt. That encouraged me to give it a shot, so I got ready and fired up the treadmill to be sure I could stop if the slight discomfort became pain.

I lasted about 38 seconds. I was just starting to walk and revved the TM up to 3 mph then the toe said "nope!" Guess it got irritated from the mailbox experiment? Or maybe it didn't like the injinjis? Either way, it hurt. So I stopped. Drat.

I guess more time is necessary. I've read some guides that say it's best to wait two or three weeks before easing into running. I hope to not have to wait that long. Hopefully the toe will be less grumpy once the last bruising and swelling goes away.

Maybe put some moist heat on it, so what little circulation that is there will help removing the bruise and swelling.

ounce wrote:Maybe put some moist heat on it, so what little circulation that is there will help removing the bruise and swelling.

I'll have to give that a try. Thanks.

Mark B wrote:

ounce wrote:Maybe put some moist heat on it, so what little circulation that is there will help removing the bruise and swelling.

I'll have to give that a try. Thanks.

Maybe even steal some of Alita's makeup to get rid of the bruising. 

ounce wrote:

Mark B wrote:

ounce wrote:Maybe put some moist heat on it, so what little circulation that is there will help removing the bruise and swelling.

I'll have to give that a try. Thanks.

Maybe even steal some of Alita's makeup to get rid of the bruising. 

Somehow, I don't think that'll ease the soreness...

Mark B wrote:

ounce wrote:

Mark B wrote:

ounce wrote:Maybe put some moist heat on it, so what little circulation that is there will help removing the bruise and swelling.

I'll have to give that a try. Thanks.

Maybe even steal some of Alita's makeup to get rid of the bruising. 

Somehow, I don't think that'll ease the soreness...

You must not remember one of Fernando's mantras, "It's better to look good, than to feel good."

ounce wrote:

Mark B wrote:

ounce wrote:

Mark B wrote:

ounce wrote:Maybe put some moist heat on it, so what little circulation that is there will help removing the bruise and swelling.

I'll have to give that a try. Thanks.

Maybe even steal some of Alita's makeup to get rid of the bruising. 

Somehow, I don't think that'll ease the soreness...

You must not remember one of Fernando's mantras, "It's better to look good, than to feel good."

Indeed.

What...another setback?  Apparently you and Doug can't be left alone!

How's Alita's training going?

nkrichards wrote:What...another setback?  Apparently you and Doug can't be left alone!

How's Alita's training going?

It's my fault.  I got hurt and then Mark, well, was being Mark.  (It's a shame there's no emoticon for depicting a whistling emoticon.)

nkrichards wrote:What...another setback?  Apparently you and Doug can't be left alone!

How's Alita's training going?

No, clearly we can't be left alone. We need adult supervision.

My toe mishap has complicated Alita's training plan. She was expecting me to do her long runs with her. If this toe turns out to be less damaged than feared, I should be able to help. If not... well, then I guess I'll be riding a bike along with her.

Still, the toe continues to improve. It is still somewhat bruised (though a lot less than before) and slightly painful when I squeeze the tip of my toe, but most walking around barefoot doesn't faze it. That was not the case when I broke the pinky on my other foot. I'm taking that as a good sign. Also, I just jumped down from something a few minutes ago and didn't feel a thing. I was a surprised, as much with the fact that I did it without hesitation than the fact that it didn't cause pain. More good signs!

The biggest problem now is the pressure put on the toe in shoes. It didn't go well for me yesterday but I'm tempted to give it another try today with different socks. Maybe the toe sock I wore was too constricting on 'lil pinky.

ounce wrote:

nkrichards wrote:What...another setback?  Apparently you and Doug can't be left alone!

How's Alita's training going?

It's my fault.  I got hurt and then Mark, well, was being Mark.  (It's a shame there's no emoticon for depicting a whistling emoticon.)

You mean like this one?

Besides, its not your fault. Unless you want to claim credit for it. If so, go ahead. Knock yourself out. (Oh, wait. Bad idea...)

Low HR Run: 4.31 miles

Weather: Sunny and warm. 68-71 degrees. Gear: Testers, shorts, T. Fluids: Nada.

Since yesterday's test didn't go well (I aborted after 38 seconds), I changed my strategy and gave it another shot today. I switched out of my Injinjis, which I think were too snug on the pinky toe. Toe strangle is irritating on a good day, but with bruising? Yowtch.

So I used regular running socks and headed outside, picking a loop route I could shortcut if needed. I purposefully didn't take water despite the warm temperatures (for me) to keep me from getting carried away and going too far.

It wasn't needed. The walk was good and so was the run. I started cautiously with short, quick steps (like barefooting) and tried to keep it that way the whole run. I also aimed for a low HR effort, which went pretty well until I got out of a shady section and warmed up with the direct sun. I took walking breaks when my HR crept too high, and that was fine with me. I didn't want too much strain.

I could tell that I had a bruised toe but beyond that perception, the toe was a non-issue. And it seems fine* now, too.

Very encouraging.

*-By "fine," I mean it's still puffy, tender and bruised. But not worse for wear. In fact, it seems a little less bruised than before. Guess the run helped flush it out a bit.

Mark B wrote:

nkrichards wrote:What...another setback?  Apparently you and Doug can't be left alone!

How's Alita's training going?

No, clearly we can't be left alone. We need adult supervision.

My toe mishap has complicated Alita's training plan. She was expecting me to do her long runs with her. If this toe turns out to be less damaged than feared, I should be able to help. If not... well, then I guess I'll be riding a bike along with her.

Still, the toe continues to improve. It is still somewhat bruised (though a lot less than before) and slightly painful when I squeeze the tip of my toe, but most walking around barefoot doesn't faze it. That was not the case when I broke the pinky on my other foot. I'm taking that as a good sign. Also, I just jumped down from something a few minutes ago and didn't feel a thing. I was a surprised, as much with the fact that I did it without hesitation than the fact that it didn't cause pain. More good signs!

The biggest problem now is the pressure put on the toe in shoes. It didn't go well for me yesterday but I'm tempted to give it another try today with different socks. Maybe the toe sock I wore was too constricting on 'lil pinky.

ounce wrote:

nkrichards wrote:What...another setback?  Apparently you and Doug can't be left alone!

How's Alita's training going?

It's my fault.  I got hurt and then Mark, well, was being Mark.  (It's a shame there's no emoticon for depicting a whistling emoticon.)

You mean like this one?

Besides, its not your fault. Unless you want to claim credit for it. If so, go ahead. Knock yourself out. (Oh, wait. Bad idea...)

Sort of like that one, but it's playing the wrong song.

Good that your foot is getting back in line.  I wouldn't use a bike because you'll probably fall and hurt the other toe again.  Then, Alita would have to limp you in and yadda, yadda, yadda.

I'll take the blame.  I just got out of my Underoos, last week.

Mark B wrote:Low HR Run: 4.31 miles

Weather: Sunny and warm. 68-71 degrees. Gear: Testers, shorts, T. Fluids: Nada.

Since yesterday's test didn't go well (I aborted after 38 seconds), I changed my strategy and gave it another shot today. I switched out of my Injinjis, which I think were too snug on the pinky toe. Toe strangle is irritating on a good day, but with bruising? Yowtch.

So I used regular running socks and headed outside, picking a loop route I could shortcut if needed. I purposefully didn't take water despite the warm temperatures (for me) to keep me from getting carried away and going too far.

It wasn't needed. The walk was good and so was the run. I started cautiously with short, quick steps (like barefooting) and tried to keep it that way the whole run. I also aimed for a low HR effort, which went pretty well until I got out of a shady section and warmed up with the direct sun. I took walking breaks when my HR crept too high, and that was fine with me. I didn't want too much strain.

I could tell that I had a bruised toe but beyond that perception, the toe was a non-issue. And it seems fine* now, too.

Very encouraging.

*-By "fine," I mean it's still puffy, tender and bruised. But not worse for wear. In fact, it seems a little less bruised than before. Guess the run helped flush it out a bit.

You poor thing in all that heat.  You best get acclimated as it'll be clear and sunny on the day of Alita's race.  Acclimatization will need to have been done otherwise Alita will have to limp in and yadda, yadda, yadda.

ounce wrote:I just got out of my Underoos, last week.

I'll just leave this right here.




Heat wasn't bad, actually. Not uncomfortable in the least, though it did probably hasten my slowdown.

But you're right: Alita's event is in mid-June. Now, around here, that could mean cool and rainy. Summer doesn't traditionally kick in until after July 4. But there isn't anything about this year that's been typical, so... flame on!

Trail Run: 3.1 miles (corrected GPS map says 3.38)

Weather: Sunny and warm (but mostly shady in the woods), 76-81° Gear: Testers, shorts, T. Fluid: Water

Testing out the toe (and shoes) on varied terrain, at Whipple Creek Park, on a training run with Alita. It was unseasonably warm, so the shade of the trees was nice. We ran easy, walking up some hills, and running into some challenges where horses had dug up a side trail we'd tried. But we got through it and my pinky toe didn't object, so I'm taking that as a big positive. Woot!

Kept the HR nice and low throughout, which is going to be great for me long term.

Walked at beginning and end of run. Average HR: 117, Max HR 133

Gratz on the pain-free pinky.  Love having one less thing to monitor.

Sounds like a good test for the pinky and it responded well.  That's encouraging.

What about this weather?  We were late planting carrots...a decision by the seed company not us but we're cutting hay!  We never cut hay this early!  Is it a blip or is it going to last all summer?

ounce wrote:Gratz on the pain-free pinky.  Love having one less thing to monitor.

Thanks, I'm very pleased. I'll be trying to get back to my target mileage soon, though I'm going to work up to it a bit.

Glad to ease the strain on your monitoring schedule.

nkrichards wrote:Sounds like a good test for the pinky and it responded well.  That's encouraging.

What about this weather?  We were late planting carrots...a decision by the seed company not us but we're cutting hay!  We never cut hay this early!  Is it a blip or is it going to last all summer?

VERY encouraging. This time last week, I was feeling pretty hopeless. Glad that it seems to be turning out differently.

And yes, this weather. It's crazy! It's like July. (Going to have to turn on the sprinkler system soon.)

In response to your question, I went to the National Weather Service's Climate Prediction Center and pulled up this map for June, July and August.



It's predicting above average temperatures this summer. A separate map predicts average rainfall, which for this part of the country in the summer isn't a whole heck of a lot. Glad we got some snow last winter, though it looks like it's melting fast.  

At my advanced age, monitoring 1 less thing allows me to rib you more on other stuff.

I guess they'll have to import more snow for next year's dog race.

As far as the weather, sucks all around, but I don't think anybody at the Climate Prediction Center is getting rich off of accuracy of that prediction.

ounce wrote:At my advanced age, monitoring 1 less thing allows me to rib you more on other stuff.

I guess they'll have to import more snow for next year's dog race.

As far as the weather, sucks all around, but I don't think anybody at the Climate Prediction Center is getting rich off of accuracy of that prediction.

Well, I'm glad I can make things easier on you.

The Climate Prediction Center isn't quite the Farmer's Almanac when it comes to extra-specific forecasts a year in advance, since science and all that sort of thing. Still, it shows that conditions make it more likely to experience above-average temperatures over the course of that three-month period. I didn't bother to read the scientific discussion on which the map is based; it's very technical. It'll be interesting to see if it proves to. If it does, maybe I should have drafted my BIL to help me install our window a/c unit before he left.

Hike: 3.1 miles

Weather: Mostly sunny, mild. 57° Gear: Testers, street clothes.

My wife's family has been visiting this weekend, so I decided to take my brother in law out into the woods to kill some time, get in a workout and show him where Alita and I do our trail work

It was a nice day for it. We walked at a pretty steady pace, even on the uphills, which gave some nice glue GLUTE burn after a while.

Mark B wrote:

ounce wrote:At my advanced age, monitoring 1 less thing allows me to rib you more on other stuff.

I guess they'll have to import more snow for next year's dog race.

As far as the weather, sucks all around, but I don't think anybody at the Climate Prediction Center is getting rich off of accuracy of that prediction.

Well, I'm glad I can make things easier on you.

The Climate Prediction Center isn't quite the Farmer's Almanac when it comes to extra-specific forecasts a year in advance, since science and all that sort of thing. Still, it shows that conditions make it more likely to experience above-average temperatures over the course of that three-month period. I didn't bother to read the scientific discussion on which the map is based; it's very technical. It'll be interesting to see if it proves to. If it does, maybe I should have drafted my BIL to help me install our window a/c unit before he left.

You have child labor in the house and Fluff can supervise the placement of the condensate hose.

Mark B wrote:Hike: 3.1 miles

Weather: Mostly sunny, mild. 57° Gear: Testers, street clothes.

My wife's family has been visiting this weekend, so I decided to take my brother in law out into the woods to kill some time, get in a workout and show him where Alita and I do our trail work

It was a nice day for it. We walked at a pretty steady pace, even on the uphills, which gave some nice glue burn after a while.

When I saw the words 'brother in law' and 'kill' my interested piqued!  Then finishing up with 'some nice glue burn' and I thought we had a crime mystery brewing, especially with you wearing street clothes.

Walk: 4 miles

Weather: Sunny and warm Gear: Testers

I didn't get a chance to run before work (had to do a little digging in the backyard), so I stretched my lunchtime walk to its maximum possible distance. Nice day for it, with blue skies, warm sun and a cool breeze.

The toe was a nonissue.