Term Limits?

Reduction in swelling seems to be slower than the blood clean up crew. Maybe the mess needs to be mopped up before the swellimg recedes.

The bruising advanced up the top of my hand to include the left ring finger where a wedding band would be placed, but the clean up crew is half way up the top of the hand.

Remember, kids, the epicenter of bruise is the first to be cleaned, once the trauma is over and the clean up crews deployed.

The hematoma will take a few weeks to be chipped off and cleaned away.

It's been 2 weeks, tomorrow, since the fall and 12 days when I stopped the Plavix and aspirin. They were restarted 5 days ago.

I will run tomorrow morning for some unknown distance. Going to work on more than 2 miles. Moochus graceeus.

Good to hear you weren't expecting to much storm stuff in your area.

Stay safe and enjoy your run.

Thanks, Nancy.

The run went better than I thought it would.  It was 78 degrees, this morning.  I started out and had things going through my mind to take care of.  Before I knew it , I was six-tenths into the run.  Not fast at all, but I was just doing it.  No over effort at all.  Last run, my breathing was labored and the legs weren't chipper.  Possibly due to a perceived lack of hemoglobin.  Well, THAT'S no issue, now.

The 4 miles I wanted to run, I ran.  At the 2 mile turnaround point, I thought to go to the 2.5 mile turnaround point, but decided not to push it, which turned out to be the right decision.  Cadence is 160, down from 164 a couple of weeks ago.

4 miles, 55:44, 13:54 pace, 137 avg bpm, 153 max bpm, 158 avg cadence,  0.73 m avg stride length

1.  14:36, 129 bpm, 159 spm, 69 sl
2.  13:29, 135 bpm, 160 spm, 74 sl
3.  13:35, 141 bpm, 159 spm, 74 sl
4.  13:58, 141 bpm, 154 spm, 74 sl

HR zones

zone 4 - 144-153
zone 3 - 126-143

I didn't feel the below higher HR in the first mile.







Noticing the cadence splits for the first time, I'm really, really pleased with a 158.  So the mile 4 154 spm is fine and dandy.  I know exactly when I jumped off the pier for a bit at mile 2.38.  That was the end of the legs keeping cadence with no supervision.  The brain popped the legs some and that lasted another mile and a quarter.  THAT was cool, too.

I was very surprised when I was expecting to have to turn around at 1.5 miles.  Guess the hemoglobin is in good running shape.  Tomorrow, I'll check out the gym and plan on lifting some weights to gauge that part of the healing.

Yippee!

Very nice run after your injury time out.  I can understand why you'd be pleased with that.

Hope the return to the gym goes just as well...

nkrichards wrote:Very nice run after your injury time out.  I can understand why you'd be pleased with that.

Hope the return to the gym goes just as well...

Thanks, Nancy.  I'm hoping that run wasn't a one-off.

And since you asked, this morning I went off to the gym, but my good (left) ear was buried in my pillow, so I woke up 20 minutes later than desired.  I still made it to the gym, but a reduced workout that would fit in 40 minutes was executed.  The best thing that came out of the workout was being able to do 90%-100% of the weight I could do 3 weeks ago, without getting tired due to reduced red blood cell count.  It could be doing 70% of my routine was my limit, but I believe I could've done the whole workout. 

So, tomorrow, if my good ear is positioned right, I'll go again and do the whole workout.  For the squeamish, I will post a photo I took last night as to how my hematoma bump looks, two weeks after the fall. 

The bump hasn't necessarily reduced, but the swelling around it has really reduced.
And the background is part of the torso of the avatar.

Well, it sounds like recovery is progressing nicely.  Glad to hear the abbreviated session at the gym went well.

But it does look like you're still not fully recovered yet.  These things just seem to take longer as we get older.

Take care...

I'll make this quick before my puter crashes. 
Last Friday - ran out of gas.  Ran a half mile.  Must not be fixed completely.
Tuesday - ran plodded 4 miles at a 15:08 pace in 81 degree weather.  Last Tuesday was a decent 7 miles fully rested.
Today - showed up on time at the gym.  Doing strength lifting (3 sets of 6 at heavier weight) allows me to increase weight sooner.  5 of the 7 routines are such that I can still increase the weight after increasing it once last week. 

Hitting the gym tomorrow and running on Friday.  Well, I hope to not plod.

Thanks much!

4 miles, 56:30, 14:06 pace, 134 avg bpm, 149 max bpm, 153 avg cadence, 0.74 m avg stride length
1.  14:16, 122 bpm, 159 spm, 76 sl
2.  13:48, 134 bpm, 153 spm, 76sl
3.  14:09, 139 bpm, 151 spm, 75 sl
4.  14:11, 140 bpm, 149 spm, 75 sl

HR zones
zone 3 126-143 bpm
zone 2 108-125 bpm





This was better than Tuesday's run.  4 minutes, by time.  I pushed the legs, otherwise it would've looked like Tuesday's slog.  I didn't seem as tired, even though I went to the gym on Wednesday and Thursday.  That's baffling.  AND the HR was lower and with a faster time.

Ain't running peculiar? Y'all have a good weekend.

ounce wrote:
This was better than Tuesday's run.  4 minutes, by time.  I pushed the legs, otherwise it would've looked like Tuesday's slog.  I didn't seem as tired, even though I went to the gym on Wednesday and Thursday.  That's baffling.  AND the HR was lower and with a faster time.

Ain't running peculiar? Y'all have a good weekend.

Yes, it was a better run.  It's funny...sometimes I can figure out a reason for a good or a bad run but not always.  I'm often baffled by the stats or the way I feel during a particular run and can't understand the reason.  It's always much nicer when I can't figure out why I had a WOW run on a day that I'm not expecting it.  

Keep up the work at the gym and stay safe in the summer heat...

Thanks, Nancy. These Summer days, there aren't any WOW runs, just WHEW! runs.

-30-

82 degrees.  Looking to do 5 miles at 160.

5 miles, 1:12:05, 14:23 pace, 132 avg HR, 150 max HR, 153 avg cadence, 0.73 m avg stride length
1.  14:43, 117 bpm, 160 spm, 71 sl
2.  14:08, 129 bpm, 159 spm, 72 sl
3.  13:57, 134 bpm, 156 spm, 74 sl
4.  14:26, 137 bpm, 148 spm, 75 sl
5.  14:49, 140 bpm, 145 spm, 75 sl

HR zones
zone 3 126-143 bpm
zone 2 108-125 bpm





My, my.  Awfully long pier, this morning.  3 days rest.  As much as I wasn't really all tickled to death with the run, it was a good execution.  2nd and 3rd mile cadence was much better than the past couple of week's runs.  The runs are finally, FINALLY starting to become textbook examples of the body adapting to the cadence. 

One little thing that I figured out about my cadence and the gnome.  As long as it's chirping away, my legs will try to keep up, even if they can't.  That's pretty big because a couple of weeks ago, I had one split in the 130's.

Avg HR is a bit low at the 3rd mile because at the turnaround point, I stopped the watch to get a breath.

Y'all have a good day.

ounce wrote:Thanks, Nancy. These Summer days, there aren't any WOW runs, just WHEW! runs.

-30-

82 degrees.  Looking to do 5 miles at 160.

5 miles, 1:12:05, 14:23 pace, 132 avg HR, 150 max HR, 153 avg cadence, 0.73 m avg stride length
1.  14:43, 117 bpm, 160 spm, 71 sl
2.  14:08, 129 bpm, 159 spm, 72 sl
3.  13:57, 134 bpm, 156 spm, 74 sl
4.  14:26, 137 bpm, 148 spm, 75 sl
5.  14:49, 140 bpm, 145 spm, 75 sl

HR zones
zone 3 126-143 bpm
zone 2 108-125 bpm





My, my.  Awfully long pier, this morning.  3 days rest.  As much as I wasn't really all tickled to death with the run, it was a good execution.  2nd and 3rd mile cadence was much better than the past couple of week's runs.  The runs are finally, FINALLY starting to become textbook examples of the body adapting to the cadence. 

One little thing that I figured out about my cadence and the gnome.  As long as it's chirping away, my legs will try to keep up, even if they can't.  That's pretty big because a couple of weeks ago, I had one split in the 130's.

Avg HR is a bit low at the 3rd mile because at the turnaround point, I stopped the watch to get a breath.

Y'all have a good day.

Nice run on a summer day!  You made your 5 mile goal and maintained cadence nearly 3 miles...and then occasionally came up for air for a couple strides.

The gnome just drives me crazy chirping away at me.  I think it causes my HR to go up at least 5 bpm.

While you're running do you concentrate on any of the stats ie pace/HR/cadence or do you just run and then check the stats once you finish the run?  If you do concentrate on stats during the run...which one(s)?  The main screen on my watch shows total time, total distance, average pace and lap pace.  I can quickly scroll to the screen that shows current HR and average HR and then to another screen that shows cadence.  I generally keep it on the main screen with pace info but do check HR especially if I think it's getting high.  I see the cadence as I scroll past to get back to the main screen but don't intentionally check cadence.

Stay well...

I am limited to what I look at because of vision and no sun.  So, only 2 per screen.  Screen 1 is avg pace and mileage.  But the one I like the most is screen 2 where it has Last Lap Split and real time HR.  I can guess my cadence range by how the run is going.  The Polar watch only gives steps per stride, so 80 on the Polar equates to 159-161 on the Garmin.  The Garmin's screen 1 is avg pace and mileage, like the Polar.

I love the Last lap split.  The Garmin doesn't have a Last Lap Split which was disappointing, when I bought it. Lap Pace fluctuates too much for it to be useful to me.

Thanks, Nancy.

-30-

Went to the gym this morning and bumped up the weights on two more of the machines.  Made it diiiiiiiifficult.

Will be there tomorrow.

No niggles and the hematoma on my left forearm from the fall 3 weeks ago is halfway resolved.  One remaining bruise about the size of a nickel remains in another area.  For me, bruising in an area goes away after 2 weeks.

Went to the gym.  Doing strength training (few reps/higher weights) on consecutive days is tougher on the second day.  So Nancy, when you do weights (of any flavor) on 2 consecutive days (but you do more than just 2 days in a row), how long did it take to adapt?

Ought to be an interesting run, tomorrow.

thanks.

80 degrees.  Hoping for 4 miles almost like Tuesday's run.  It didn't turn out that way and lifting weights just has to be the cause.  Makes me want to seriously consider running on Tuesdays and Thursdays with weights on Wednesdays and Fridays.

I had a first-of-its-kind occurrence, today, at the start of the run.  Prior to the start, everything was normal.  Started running and on the 3rd step, my back muscles started to whine loudly.  No spasms.  No tightening.  But just noisy.  I was curious if the discomfort would stop as the run moved along.  After a 1/4 mile, it dissipated for the rest of the run.  The muscle group was the lats, basically from the shoulder blades to the lower back level where the belly button is.  Two of the exercises I do specifically use the lats.  One of them was strenuous and I won't be able to increase the weight for a while.

4 miles, 1:00:06, 15:01 pace, 136 avg bpm, 152 max bpm, 148 avg cadence, 0.73 m avg stride length
1.  14:42, 128 bpm, 157 spm, 70 sl
2.  14:39, 137 bpm, 147 spm, 75 sl
3.  15:11, 140 bpm, 144 spm, 74 sl
4.  15:29, 141 bpm, 143 spm, 73 sl

HR zones
zone 3 126-143 bpm




Plodding along.  I thought about stopping at 3 miles, but when I checked, it was 3.19 miles.  So, I continued plodding fo the other eight-tenths.  Today's run was 55 seconds per mile slower.  Well, I'm not running to be the fastest.  Faster would be nice, though.

Y'all have a good weekend.

ounce wrote:Went to the gym.  Doing strength training (few reps/higher weights) on consecutive days is tougher on the second day.  So Nancy, when you do weights (of any flavor) on 2 consecutive days (but you do more than just 2 days in a row), how long did it take to adapt?

Ought to be an interesting run, tomorrow.

thanks.

So I may not be able to provide the answers you're looking for.  The strength programs I use encourage us to lift to exhaustion but it is done in the form of 3 sets of 10 lifts...so not super heavy weights.  We do multiple exercises and rotate through to allow some rest while we work on another muscle before returning to the first exercise for the second...and then the third time.  We do occasionally lift for a specific time rather than count reps but it's usually slightly more reps for me so I use the same or a bit lighter weight.

I do often lift on consecutive days and even 4-5 days in a row but I NEVER use the same muscles two days in a row.  There is always a tear day and then at least one repair day.  I may concentrate on back and biceps one day, then chest and triceps, then shoulders, then legs...or those body parts in some other order.  I don't do the same body part without several days of rest in between.  There is often a cardio day thrown in there as well.

I never really fully adapt.  As I start to adapt I move up in weight so I'm always lifting to the point where I am sore the next day.

If I'm lifting hard it does affect my running but I don't worry about it.  It's all about adapting and strengthening to prepare me for race day...and for life.    I am learning not to worry so much about my stats on training runs.  If lifting means I can't run as fast during a training run that's OK as I have learned that when I do taper I can see improvement.

I just reread my post above and realized that it kind of contradicts my current running training (running 6 days a week) as I'm running nearly every day without rest days in between runs.  But I am very cautious to make sure that I always have at least one easy/recovery day in between each SOS (Something of Substance) run which are my higher intensity runs.

Hope the back muscles settled down and are behaving themselves!

Thanks, Nancy.  That helps.  It may be best to alternate days by lifting Wed & Fridays and run Tuesday-Thursday.  That actually gives me 4 days rest on running.

We have a strange, but not rare, event where a cool front comes through next Tuesday.  Dropping Wednesday's temps 6 degrees in the mornings with lower humidity, as well.  What a relief it will be.  Last year, we had a couple of fronts come through in July. 

I understand y'all will be warmer next week.  We will be cooler. 92 instead of 98 or 102.  Normal is 95.

I will adjust my running for lower humidity, next week.  Just don't expect any sub-12 times.

The cool front came through, but the lower humidity was a pittance at 4 a.m., this morning.  It was still 78 degrees with a dew point of 73.  I stuck my head out the door and it was noticeable, but barely.  Wednesday morning might be a hair or two cooler, so I decided to go to the gym instead, today.

Seemed like more people show up on Tuesdays.  I had no niggles nor issues with lifting today.

I am really hoping for just a 74 ambient temp and a dew point of 68-69.  Might wake those hibernating legs.

ounce wrote:The cool front came through, but the lower humidity was a pittance at 4 a.m., this morning.  It was still 78 degrees with a dew point of 73.  I stuck my head out the door and it was noticeable, but barely.  Wednesday morning might be a hair or two cooler, so I decided to go to the gym instead, today.

Seemed like more people show up on Tuesdays.  I had no niggles nor issues with lifting today.

I am really hoping for just a 74 ambient temp and a dew point of 68-69.  Might wake those hibernating legs.

Hope you get the temps/humidity that you're hoping for.  We've had thunderstorms roll in the last two nights with more predicted tonight.  It's muggy and feels awful.  I know...it's nothing compared to your conditions. 

We were just on the edge of the thunderstorm on Sunday but got hammered last night.  Some crop damage but not extensive and one irrigation wheel line was damaged.  We were luckier than many...

Hope the run goes well.

The humidity was lower with a dew point of 72 degrees and noticeable.  Temp was 79.  Was thinking of 5 or 6 miles.  1st run since Friday.

5 miles, 1:11:32, 14:18 pace, 130 avg bpm, 139 max bpm, 154 average cadence, 0.74 m avg stride length.
1.  14:46, 122 bpm, 159 spm, 69 sl
2.  13:42, 132 bpm, 159 spm, 80 sl
3.  13:49, 132 bpm, 157 spm, 74 sl
4.  14:34, 131 bpm, 149 spm, 75 sl
5.  14:36, 131 bpm, 147 spm, 74 sl

HR zones
zone 3 126-139
zone 2 108-125





The run went well with the lower dew point reducing the need for the body to cool itself some.  The cadence splits was similar to the 4 mile run last week.  I was very surprised the max bpm was only 139.  Another benefit of a lower dew point.  I was working on keeping the cadence closer to the gnome and it showed for the whole run.  Nice to know that the body can adapt really quickly to favorable changes in the weather.

I went to the cardiologist today for my 1 year visit since the heart attack on August 20.  He discontinued the Plavix, said my BP and lungs were great, and, at my request, is allowing me to temporarily discontinue the baby aspirin 3 days prior to donating platelets.  He said that was a risk because the platelets could attach to the stent (a foreign body), but if I wanted to do that, he was okay with it.  Also at my request, he wrote a script approving it in order for the Blood Center to know that the doc blessed it.

I showed him the pictures of my fall, three weeks ago, and was fine with my stopping Plavix and aspirin, so it could clot and stop bleeding.

So, I see him in 6 months and if things are doing fine, 1 year after that.

I asked a few questions.  He told me that statistically, I am 2 or 3 times more likely to have a 2nd heart attack.  He said the odds of the stent being blocked is 1%.  I asked him about what to look for on a cardiac arrest.  He said the same things for a MI.  I told him I know if I have an arrest, that I go splat on the pavement.  He said, "that's right."

Tomorrow is the gym.  Thanks for dropping by.

Glad you were able to take advantage of the conditions and get in 5 miles.  Still impressed with your HR...both the average and the max.  Wish I had that control.

Back to the gym?

nkrichards wrote:Glad you were able to take advantage of the conditions and get in 5 miles.  Still impressed with your HR...both the average and the max.  Wish I had that control.

Back to the gym?

howdy, ma'am.  I edited the post with the dialog below the Run Cadence graph.  I had stopped at the turnaround point for about 30 seconds, so that skewed the average a bit, but I couldn't see the average go above 135.

My HR is not impressible.  There's a lot of boy to move around.  I can't go as fast as I would like.  It's not control...it's an anchor.

ounce wrote:

nkrichards wrote:Glad you were able to take advantage of the conditions and get in 5 miles.  Still impressed with your HR...both the average and the max.  Wish I had that control.

Back to the gym?

howdy, ma'am.  I edited the post with the dialog below the Run Cadence graph.  I had stopped at the turnaround point for about 30 seconds, so that skewed the average a bit, but I couldn't see the average go above 135.

My HR is not impressible.  There's a lot of boy to move around.  I can't go as fast as I would like.  It's not control...it's an anchor.

You sell yourself short Doug.  Your HR control is impressive...even more so because of that anchor you mention.  Considering the conditions and the training you have under your belt it's very impressive!!

Sounds like you had a nice chat with the doc.  Seems like you're progressing through your recovery well and he's on board with your suggestions.  It's nice to have a doc that listens to your priorities in life.  

No splatting please!

Pardon me, if I don't agree.

Tried to run 4 last Friday but only ran 1 and change. I ran on a rare Saturday and did the whole 4 miles.
Seemed to do fairly well.

Perhaps you've heard of a couple of cyclones coming my way. At this point, Marco has fizzled out because wind shear tore it apart.

Now, we have Hurricane Laura to deal with in the overnight hours of Wednesday. That hurricane has been a real booger to forecast a track of where it will land.

Last Friday, it was to track to Houston, tomorrow night. Then Saturday, New Orleans. A distance change equivalent of Medford to Seattle. It's baffled the National Hurricane Center.

Now, it's settling in between the Texas/LA border (Sabine Pass) and Beaumont (35 miles west) Houston is 120 miles from Sabine Pass.

We are under a Tropical Storm Warning, meaning Tropical Storm conditions will occur within 24 hours.
We also are on the West side or 'clean' (less intense) side of the storm.

I'm expecting some rain (<4"), lots of 25-35 mph wind here (higher to the east of downtown), and power outages. Storm surge along the coast along the Louisiana coast will be up to 13 feet high. It's the deadliest part of a hurricane. A wall of Gulf water being pushed onshore 13 feet high. Galveston is expecting 3'-5'.

The storm is moving at 16-20 mph, so it will not stall.

Arrival about 1 a.m. Thursday. Category 3 with 115 mph winds at Sabine Pass.

ounce wrote:Pardon me, if I don't agree.

Tried to run 4 last Friday but only ran 1 and change.  I ran on a rare Saturday and did the whole 4 miles.
Seemed to do fairly well.

Perhaps you've heard of a couple of cyclones coming my way.  At this point, Marco has fizzled out because wind shear tore it apart.

Now, we have Hurricane Laura to deal with in the overnight hours of Wednesday.  That hurricane has been a real booger to forecast a track of where it will land.  

Last Friday, it was to track to Houston, tomorrow night.  Then Saturday, New Orleans.  A distance change equivalent of Medford to Seattle.  It's baffled the National Hurricane Center.

Now, it's settling in between the Texas/LA border (Sabine Pass) and Beaumont (35 miles west)  Houston is 120 miles from Sabine Pass.

We are under a Tropical Storm Warning, meaning Tropical Storm conditions will occur within 24 hours.
We also are on the West side or 'clean' (less intense) side of the storm.

I'm expecting some rain (<4"), lots of 25-35 mph wind here (higher to the east of downtown), and power outages.  Storm surge along the coast along the Louisiana coast will be up to 13 feet high.  It's the deadliest part of a hurricane.  A wall of Gulf water being pushed onshore 13 feet high.  Galveston is expecting 3'-5'.

The storm is moving at 16-20 mph, so it will not stall.

Arrival about 1 a.m. Thursday.  Category 3 with 115 mph winds at Sabine Pass.

We're going to have to agree to disagree.  I still think that your ability to consistently maintain a HR that low while running in those conditions is impressive.  

We don't see much news this time of year but your storm warnings have popped up several times in the last day or two.  Take care and stay safe.

I assume running in that weather is not an option but is it safe enough to travel to/from the gym or will you just wait it out?