It's strange how my exercise has evolved over the past two years. I started out doing primarily swimming, then added some running, then slowed down the swimming and added some cycling. After my shoulder and knee injuries, that's turned into mostly cycling with a bit of running and almost no swimming.
My shoulder still hurts on a regular basis, despite hitting the pool only a few times this past month. I'm truly just weary of going back to the doctor, so I can get another bullshit diagnosis that doesn't tell me anything new and doesn't offer any new way to fix it. I'm no doctor, but I really think my rotator cuff is torn, especially after reading about Gordon's surgery and the type of pain he had before it. That would explain why it continues to hurt even though I rarely swim and I regularly do the tendinitis strengthening exercises I was given after my last visit to the clinic.
Oh well. Tons of cycling seems to be working for now, although I miss the water so much. I just don't consider myself a dryland guy. Prospects for a new job are in the works and with Jen being pregnant, I want to start fresh with a new workout regimen and better diet when the new year starts. I have to set an example for the rest of the family.
Today though, I just rode the bike before doing some light lifting and ab work. I signed up for a 30-minute circuit training session at my gym tomorrow, so I'm kind of excited for it.
Total distance: 9.7 miles cycling
Showing posts with label Injury. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Injury. Show all posts
Tuesday, December 11, 2012
Friday, August 3, 2012
F*$#@ng shoulders!!!
Well, bad news today. After Tuesday's five-mile swim (almost) I woke up the next day with the worst shoulder pain ever. Which would have been tolerable if it were just the one. But now, my other shoulder has joined in on the act. I've never had a single problem with it until now, and I'm certain it's tendinitis just like the other. Exact same kind of pain.
It's left me with some serious thinking to do. I have to consider the long-term consequences my body might suffer if I continue marathon swimming. Nothing I've tried over the past year has really worked, and icing constantly has kept it manageable, but I can't do it forever. I think Bear Lake might have to be the final "long" open water swim for me. I refuse to give up swimming and I'm pretty sure I can keep at it, training for pool events where the focus is more on intensity rather than volume. So here's the game plan ... for now.
1. No more swimming until Bear Lake. My shoulders are in such bad shape that I can't risk injuring them further before my big swim. I feel my cardio level is ready for the event, so I'm not too concerned about finishing in that regard. I just hope my shoulders can hold up to get across that sucker.
2. See a doctor, and actually get the work done to properly diagnose and treat my problem (MRI and possibly ultrasound).
3. After Bear Lake, take 2-5 weeks off (or whatever the doctor suggests) from swimming. I know I'll be in considerable pain after Bear Lake is all said and done, so I will need to take some time to heal. In reality, if I want to fully heal, I need to take months, rather than weeks off, but I don't know if I can do that again. I really need to work on my kicking if I want to improve pool times, so I'll probably do regular work with a kickboard while I rest my shoulders.
4. Swim in the SDRC Masters meet in mid-November. I hope six or so weeks of solid, intense training will get me ready. I might set daily yardage limits on myself, though, to keep from furthering the destruction on my shoulders. I have a few goals I'd like to meet, beating some times from last year and perhaps trying some new events.
As far as after that goes, I just don't know. I will probably swim in the open water races the following year, but they will have to be the shorter 1-mile events. Anything more probably won't be possible or even good for me.
Anyway, Kelly and I went to the gym this morning and got some leg work in. I rode the bike for 30 minutes, followed by squats, leg presses, lunges, mountain climbers and some ab work.
Total distance: 7.35 miles cycling
It's left me with some serious thinking to do. I have to consider the long-term consequences my body might suffer if I continue marathon swimming. Nothing I've tried over the past year has really worked, and icing constantly has kept it manageable, but I can't do it forever. I think Bear Lake might have to be the final "long" open water swim for me. I refuse to give up swimming and I'm pretty sure I can keep at it, training for pool events where the focus is more on intensity rather than volume. So here's the game plan ... for now.
1. No more swimming until Bear Lake. My shoulders are in such bad shape that I can't risk injuring them further before my big swim. I feel my cardio level is ready for the event, so I'm not too concerned about finishing in that regard. I just hope my shoulders can hold up to get across that sucker.
2. See a doctor, and actually get the work done to properly diagnose and treat my problem (MRI and possibly ultrasound).
3. After Bear Lake, take 2-5 weeks off (or whatever the doctor suggests) from swimming. I know I'll be in considerable pain after Bear Lake is all said and done, so I will need to take some time to heal. In reality, if I want to fully heal, I need to take months, rather than weeks off, but I don't know if I can do that again. I really need to work on my kicking if I want to improve pool times, so I'll probably do regular work with a kickboard while I rest my shoulders.
4. Swim in the SDRC Masters meet in mid-November. I hope six or so weeks of solid, intense training will get me ready. I might set daily yardage limits on myself, though, to keep from furthering the destruction on my shoulders. I have a few goals I'd like to meet, beating some times from last year and perhaps trying some new events.
As far as after that goes, I just don't know. I will probably swim in the open water races the following year, but they will have to be the shorter 1-mile events. Anything more probably won't be possible or even good for me.
Anyway, Kelly and I went to the gym this morning and got some leg work in. I rode the bike for 30 minutes, followed by squats, leg presses, lunges, mountain climbers and some ab work.
Total distance: 7.35 miles cycling
Monday, June 25, 2012
Body's breaking down again
Sometimes I feel like I am truly not meant to be an athlete. Every time I think my body is getting stronger, a nagging injury surfaces to say, "Hold on a sec there, bud. I'm not gonna just let you do whatever you want." It has been nothing short of maddening.
Last Thursday, I started feeling severe pain in my shoulder again. Not the normal achy soreness that I've had ever since I injured it last year, but a legit pain. I took the weekend off after Friday's short swim and it hasn't improved at all. To make matters worse, my knee started acting up again while I was at the gym today.
It seems like I have an injury in both parts of my body that are crucial to getting any sort of cardio workout. When my shoulder hurts, I can't run because of the knee, and visa-versa. It makes it impossible to effectively train for swim events, triathlons or even that elusive half-marathon I've been wanting to do. I've never been so upset with my job and the incredibly shitty insurance I receive as a "benefit." I'm a journalist, so I'm not exactly raking in the dough and just to get an MRI done on one part of my body is going to cost me more out of pocket than I have. And yeah, I'd need two of them.
Anyway, today's session was good, other than the knee pain. I ran 1.5 miles, cycled for 20 minutes, ran for another mile, and cycled for 15 more minutes. My knee started hurting during the second run session. After some extensive stretching in the sauna, I did an easy swim for a cool down, even though my shoulder is on fire.
I don't know what the hell to do.
Total distance: 9.6 miles cycling, 2.5 miles running, 600 yards swimming
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| Immobilized with ice packs on both my shoulder and knee after getting home from the gym. Don't I look happy? |
It seems like I have an injury in both parts of my body that are crucial to getting any sort of cardio workout. When my shoulder hurts, I can't run because of the knee, and visa-versa. It makes it impossible to effectively train for swim events, triathlons or even that elusive half-marathon I've been wanting to do. I've never been so upset with my job and the incredibly shitty insurance I receive as a "benefit." I'm a journalist, so I'm not exactly raking in the dough and just to get an MRI done on one part of my body is going to cost me more out of pocket than I have. And yeah, I'd need two of them.
Anyway, today's session was good, other than the knee pain. I ran 1.5 miles, cycled for 20 minutes, ran for another mile, and cycled for 15 more minutes. My knee started hurting during the second run session. After some extensive stretching in the sauna, I did an easy swim for a cool down, even though my shoulder is on fire.
I don't know what the hell to do.
Total distance: 9.6 miles cycling, 2.5 miles running, 600 yards swimming
Monday, February 6, 2012
First day back in the pool
Today was the moment of truth. Although I don't see my doctor until tomorrow, today marked four weeks since I stopped swimming in order to let my shoulder heal. I was so excited to get back in the water, I honestly couldn't sleep last night. I tossed and turned in anticipation.
When I got to the gym, first, I ran 1.5 miles just to get my blood pumping. I followed it with a 20-minute ride on the stationary bike. I wanted to do these before swimming, just in case my shoulder wasn't ready and couldn't handle it. I wanted to be sure I got at least some exercise.
Once in the pool, I wanted to take it nice and easy, just to gauge where my shoulder and my stamina are at. Here's what I did.
Warm up
100 free easy
Core
2x500 free (alternating free and breast every 50)
Cool down
100 breast
During my warm up, I could feel a twinge of pain every time I pulled with my left arm. Immediately, my worst fears were realized. Before, there was minimal pain during swimming and it usually came later in the day. But this time it hurt like hell during my warm up. However, after some deep stretching, it felt loads better. Perhaps my rotator cuff wasn't used to the crawling motion of freestyle when I warmed up and it wasn't quite used to it. I've been extra careful not to use my arm in that motion and I think it just needed a minute to adjust.
My core workout was simple and I'm not too worried about yardage yet. Just to be sure I wasn't overdoing it with the continuous motion of freestyle, I did two sets of 500 alternating freestyle and breaststroke every 50 yards. My shoulder didn't hurt at all. I was a bit gassed and I'm still not very accustomed to bilateral breathing, but I did it during all of my freestyle yards. I cooled down with a slow 100 breast.
It's been about four hours since my workout and so far, my shoulder isn't aching. I feel a tiny bit of discomfort every now and again, but overall, I'm pleased with the result. I iced it once right when I got home and I'll do it again tonight. I'm in high spirits about it now, but maybe I'll be singing a different tune tomorrow.
Total distance: 1,200 yards swimming, 1.5 miles running, 5 miles cycling
When I got to the gym, first, I ran 1.5 miles just to get my blood pumping. I followed it with a 20-minute ride on the stationary bike. I wanted to do these before swimming, just in case my shoulder wasn't ready and couldn't handle it. I wanted to be sure I got at least some exercise.
Once in the pool, I wanted to take it nice and easy, just to gauge where my shoulder and my stamina are at. Here's what I did.
Warm up
100 free easy
Core
2x500 free (alternating free and breast every 50)
Cool down
100 breast
During my warm up, I could feel a twinge of pain every time I pulled with my left arm. Immediately, my worst fears were realized. Before, there was minimal pain during swimming and it usually came later in the day. But this time it hurt like hell during my warm up. However, after some deep stretching, it felt loads better. Perhaps my rotator cuff wasn't used to the crawling motion of freestyle when I warmed up and it wasn't quite used to it. I've been extra careful not to use my arm in that motion and I think it just needed a minute to adjust.
My core workout was simple and I'm not too worried about yardage yet. Just to be sure I wasn't overdoing it with the continuous motion of freestyle, I did two sets of 500 alternating freestyle and breaststroke every 50 yards. My shoulder didn't hurt at all. I was a bit gassed and I'm still not very accustomed to bilateral breathing, but I did it during all of my freestyle yards. I cooled down with a slow 100 breast.
It's been about four hours since my workout and so far, my shoulder isn't aching. I feel a tiny bit of discomfort every now and again, but overall, I'm pleased with the result. I iced it once right when I got home and I'll do it again tonight. I'm in high spirits about it now, but maybe I'll be singing a different tune tomorrow.
Total distance: 1,200 yards swimming, 1.5 miles running, 5 miles cycling
Wednesday, February 1, 2012
Playing Sherlock and a new cycling best
Today was a great day for two reasons. The first, I think I may have found the reason my shoulder isn't healing as fast as I'd like. The second, I hit a new personal-best on the bike today.
The shoulder: Two days ago, Jen and I bought a new bed. We've been kind of waiting for our tax return to do it, but now that we have the dough, we bought it. It's an upgrade from a full size to a queen and during the past four months or so, I've been sleeping on the floor because it's too crowded with Jen, myself and two dogs. I genuinely sleep better on the floor. However, I'm just now realizing that my shoulder pain almost exactly overlaps the time frame where I've been sleeping on the floor. Being a side sleeper, it makes sense that it could be the reason my shoulder isn't healing right. The inner Sherlock Holmes in me failed to put two-and-two together.
I know it's only been two days on the new bed, but I haven't had even a wince of pain in those two days. I'm going back to have my yearly check up with the doctor next week, so I'll double check to see if that's a possibility. Here's hoping.
The bike: Today, I woke up determined to push myself hard during my workout. I had to wait a few minutes for my favorite bike to get freed up, but I took that time to stretch and warm up on the indoor track. Once I got on, my goal was to beat my previous best distance of 17.5 miles in an hour. I set it for my normal pace (level 8), but this time, every 15 minutes I'd increase it to level 9 for 2 1/2 minutes, then level 10 for another 2 1/2 minutes. Then, I'd drop it down to level 8 again. I did that for three increments of 20 minutes and I think that extra 15 minutes of higher levels did the job, because I managed 17.65 miles before doing a two-minute cool down.
By the end, I was sweating particularly bad, so I knew I didn't slack off. I followed it up with some shoulder work with dumbbells and sat in the sauna for about 15 minutes and did some nice deep stretching. My stupid nose started bleeding in the shower, though. I probably should have hydrated better.
Total distance: 18 miles cycling
The shoulder: Two days ago, Jen and I bought a new bed. We've been kind of waiting for our tax return to do it, but now that we have the dough, we bought it. It's an upgrade from a full size to a queen and during the past four months or so, I've been sleeping on the floor because it's too crowded with Jen, myself and two dogs. I genuinely sleep better on the floor. However, I'm just now realizing that my shoulder pain almost exactly overlaps the time frame where I've been sleeping on the floor. Being a side sleeper, it makes sense that it could be the reason my shoulder isn't healing right. The inner Sherlock Holmes in me failed to put two-and-two together.
 |
| The new bed. Now it's time to paint the bedroom. |
The bike: Today, I woke up determined to push myself hard during my workout. I had to wait a few minutes for my favorite bike to get freed up, but I took that time to stretch and warm up on the indoor track. Once I got on, my goal was to beat my previous best distance of 17.5 miles in an hour. I set it for my normal pace (level 8), but this time, every 15 minutes I'd increase it to level 9 for 2 1/2 minutes, then level 10 for another 2 1/2 minutes. Then, I'd drop it down to level 8 again. I did that for three increments of 20 minutes and I think that extra 15 minutes of higher levels did the job, because I managed 17.65 miles before doing a two-minute cool down.
 |
| Did a hair over 18 miles if you include my cool down. |
Total distance: 18 miles cycling
Wednesday, January 25, 2012
Doctors suck!
I'm starting to lose faith in doctors. Not only have I been told separate things by different doctors regarding what's wrong with my shoulder, the more they continue to try and figure it out, the longer I'm stuck out of the pool. My January 3 trip revealed I still have tendinitis and with a cortisone shot I should be good to go in 4-6 weeks. Well, it's been over three weeks and I haven't noticed even a bit of improvement in the shoulder pain. I've done everything the doctor asked, including regular icing, stretching, an ibuprofen regimen and I've steered clear of any exercise that involves lifting my arms laterally... to no avail.
Perhaps I'm just being impatient. Maybe the pain will magically disappear in the next three weeks, but I highly doubt it. It seems like I'm running out of options and I don't know what to do. There must be something seriously wrong, considering how much it continues to hurt and how much I've been pampering it.
Anyway, in the meantime I've still been training for a half marathon. It sounds like there is a strong possibility the Salt Lake City marathon isn't happening this year, due to recent turmoil with finances, so I'm trying to find a race I can still train for. The Ogden Marathon has been sold out for some time, but they hold regular drawings for people who donate to their various charities. I went and donated to one of the Goal Foundation's parter organizations this week's, so perhaps, with a little luck, I can win a spot and register in the Ogden half. Here's hoping.
Today I did a nice easy 45 minutes on the bike, followed by some light weight lifting and did some serious stretching on my shoulder in the sauna. I did my 6-mile run on Monday, although I initially wanted to do it last Saturday. I'm still on for my first 7-mile run this weekend, though.
Total distance: 12.4 miles cycling
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| My doctor feels strangly similar to Leo Spaceman (from 30 Rock) |
Anyway, in the meantime I've still been training for a half marathon. It sounds like there is a strong possibility the Salt Lake City marathon isn't happening this year, due to recent turmoil with finances, so I'm trying to find a race I can still train for. The Ogden Marathon has been sold out for some time, but they hold regular drawings for people who donate to their various charities. I went and donated to one of the Goal Foundation's parter organizations this week's, so perhaps, with a little luck, I can win a spot and register in the Ogden half. Here's hoping.
Today I did a nice easy 45 minutes on the bike, followed by some light weight lifting and did some serious stretching on my shoulder in the sauna. I did my 6-mile run on Monday, although I initially wanted to do it last Saturday. I'm still on for my first 7-mile run this weekend, though.
Total distance: 12.4 miles cycling
Tuesday, January 3, 2012
Cortisone shot = No surgery, but still no swimming
Well, today was one of those good-news, bad-news kind of days. First, I locked my keys in the house when I left for the gym, so I had to walk about 15 minutes to get there. When I was done, Jen had to drive home from work to unlock the house for me. Yeah, I'm stupid. Anyway, I went to the gym to try and get a swim in before my appointment with the doctor later in the morning, because I feared it might be the last swim I would get to do in a while. Unfortunately, I was right...
The good news was that my shoulder didn't even require an x-ray or MRI, which is a huge relief on my wallet. The doctor could tell I didn't have a tear or any bone issues based off the exercises he had me do. Fortunately, it's still just the same old issue of tendonitis and it simply refuses to heal, even though I've brought my swimming to a screeching halt. I had to get a cortisone injection in my shoulder, which was not fun and that's when the doctor told me the bad news; no swimming for 4-6 weeks. Zero.
It could be worse, though. Surgery would have likely kept me out of the pool for months, so hopefully when it heals properly and I start swimming again, I will start from scratch and work on having a more efficient stroke with bilateral breathing. That way, I don't put so much wear and tear on the one shoulder. It's still very frustrating though. I put off going to the doctor so I could afford to get an x-ray or MRI done at the beginning of the new year, and I didn't even need one. I could have gone in and had this procedure done months ago. I'd probably be back in the pool already.
The doctor also looked at my foot and told me my pain was because I didn't have the right running shoes, which sucks, because I just bought new ones and it's too late to return them now. Hopefully some ice for the rest of the week will keep the swelling down and some good insoles on Saturday morning will suffice to get me through my 10k. I have to revise my exercise goals for the year (I know, already), with swimming still not an option, so I'm going to drop my swimming goal down to 150 miles and up my cycling goal to 900 miles and my running goal up to 325 miles. Hopefully that will be enough to give me the extra cardio needed to make up for lost time in the pool.
Anyway, I managed just over a mile in the pool today, my last swim for a while....
Total distance: 1,850 yards
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| This is the procedure I had done this morning. Yes, it hurt. |
It could be worse, though. Surgery would have likely kept me out of the pool for months, so hopefully when it heals properly and I start swimming again, I will start from scratch and work on having a more efficient stroke with bilateral breathing. That way, I don't put so much wear and tear on the one shoulder. It's still very frustrating though. I put off going to the doctor so I could afford to get an x-ray or MRI done at the beginning of the new year, and I didn't even need one. I could have gone in and had this procedure done months ago. I'd probably be back in the pool already.
The doctor also looked at my foot and told me my pain was because I didn't have the right running shoes, which sucks, because I just bought new ones and it's too late to return them now. Hopefully some ice for the rest of the week will keep the swelling down and some good insoles on Saturday morning will suffice to get me through my 10k. I have to revise my exercise goals for the year (I know, already), with swimming still not an option, so I'm going to drop my swimming goal down to 150 miles and up my cycling goal to 900 miles and my running goal up to 325 miles. Hopefully that will be enough to give me the extra cardio needed to make up for lost time in the pool.
Anyway, I managed just over a mile in the pool today, my last swim for a while....
Total distance: 1,850 yards
Wednesday, December 28, 2011
Recapping my big 2011
It's crazy to think 2011 is almost over. I know everyone says that about every year, but this year was of particular significance to me. For those of you who don't know, I went and got my yearly check-up with the doctor in February. I knew I had gained a lot of weight since graduating from high school and even more so after I got married. But the doctor told me I was at a dangerous juncture in my life where I could really start to let myself go if I don't makes some changes my lifestyle now. I weighed in at 215, which was technically in the obese category and my blood work showed I had slightly elevated cholesterol, which shouldn't ever be a problem for a 24-year-old.
So, on Valentine's Day, I made a promise to Jen that I'd lose some weight and stop eating take-out so much. The fast food is a problem we've both had since getting hitched. I probably hadn't been to the gym in over a year, so I went and bought one of those "Biggest Loser" living-room workout videos. I was embarrassed to buy it, at first and I was even more embarrassed when I first started doing the 30-minute workouts. I was in such terrible shape and the first day almost killed me (I'm not exaggerating. I almost called in sick to work.). But after a while, doing the video six days a week, it started to get easier. I did those for about six weeks, and immediately dropped 10 pounds.
In April, I started mixing in a little bit of running. I started doing 1-mile runs around the neighborhood once a week, and by the first day of May, I pulled off my first 5k run at the Roy High track on a Sunday afternoon. I honestly almost broke down in tears, I was so excited, but I held them back, because Jen was with me and probably would think I was being over dramatic. Haha.
Also, during May, I wanted to see how I'd fare in a swimming pool. I probably hadn't swam laps in almost two years. It was hard at first, doing only a few hundred yards at a time, but I quickly realized how much I had forgotten about its benefits. I wrote about my exercise exploits on my work blog for the Standard-Examiner and about my renewed love for swimming and a local swimmer named Gordon Gridley (or Gords for those who know him) commented on it, recommending I try swimming in the 1st-annual Great Salt Lake open water marathon, which he was organizing in June. I was on the fence at first, but my friend Kelly wanted to start swimming again, as well, so we decided that would be a fun thing to try out.
Kelly and I registered as U.S. Masters Swimming members, so we could track our exercise progress and get ready for the big 1-mile race. By race day, I was down to 198 pounds and it was pretty fun, so we signed up for August's Deer Creek open water marathon. I met Josh Green, another local swimmer, who organized the 1-mile portion at the GSL race and I got a lot of good swim advice from him and Gordon over the next few months. Open water swimming was entirely new to me, given I swam in the safe confines of a lap pool in high school and the two of them have been a great source of inspiration to me this year.
Kelly and I trained pretty hard for our 5k swim at Deer Creek and that's when my shoulder pain first arrived. It was pretty bad at first, but I got some medication which helped me keep up my training regimen until the race. The race was awesome and my weight was down to 188 by then. I set my sights on the 5-mile race at Lake Mead's Slam the Dam, which was slated for October and I kept pushing through the pain. Unfortunately, a scheduling issue at work wouldn't allow me to take my vacation time and compete in the race. I was so disappointed, I decided to stage a 5-mile swim of my own, since I trained for the damn thing after all. So on Sept. 26, I went to the Roy Recreation Center bright and early, set out some Gatorade and Gel packs on the pool deck and went for it. And to my surprise, it was cake. I did it in just over 2 1/2 hours, but my joy didn't last long, for my shoulder was hurting worse than ever in the weeks that followed.
In late August, I had started supplementing my running and swimming with some work on the stationary bike. I hoped if I took it easy on the swimming and did more biking instead, my shoulder would heal. Unfortunately, it didn't and my doctor told me I needed an MRI to see if it requires surgery. I ignored him, because I couldn't afford it on my health insurance until the new year started (reset my deductible) and I kept swimming until mid November. I participated in the South Davis Masters swim meet, and a week later I did my first sprint triathlon at Weber State with Kelly and Jessica. Both events were a blast, but I finally had to throw in the towel, because it became too painful to swim more than a few hundred yards.
In the past six weeks, I've amped up my running and cycling and I'm training for my first 10k run, which is next week. Unfortunately, I'm now battling foot and knee pain, but that's life, I guess. I did a few light swims this month, but nothing major. My weight loss has slowed significantly, but I'm still losing, not gaining. I now weigh about 180 (35-pound loss so far) and I can see major changes in my body from the weight training I added to my routine about two months ago. I want to start swimming seriously again as soon as possible, but January still may be out of the question. I have an appointment with the doctor on Jan. 5, so I can finally fork out the money and start the process of rehabbing my shoulder. I'm still in the process of setting goals for 2012, so I'll have those ready to post by Saturday.
Thanks again to Gordon, Josh, Kelly, Jessica and most-of-all, Jen for all your support through this long process. It's been a helluva year, and outside of my injuries, which come with the territory, I'm now healthier than I've been in almost seven years. I still have a long way to go, but I'm looking forward to it.
So, on Valentine's Day, I made a promise to Jen that I'd lose some weight and stop eating take-out so much. The fast food is a problem we've both had since getting hitched. I probably hadn't been to the gym in over a year, so I went and bought one of those "Biggest Loser" living-room workout videos. I was embarrassed to buy it, at first and I was even more embarrassed when I first started doing the 30-minute workouts. I was in such terrible shape and the first day almost killed me (I'm not exaggerating. I almost called in sick to work.). But after a while, doing the video six days a week, it started to get easier. I did those for about six weeks, and immediately dropped 10 pounds.
In April, I started mixing in a little bit of running. I started doing 1-mile runs around the neighborhood once a week, and by the first day of May, I pulled off my first 5k run at the Roy High track on a Sunday afternoon. I honestly almost broke down in tears, I was so excited, but I held them back, because Jen was with me and probably would think I was being over dramatic. Haha.
Also, during May, I wanted to see how I'd fare in a swimming pool. I probably hadn't swam laps in almost two years. It was hard at first, doing only a few hundred yards at a time, but I quickly realized how much I had forgotten about its benefits. I wrote about my exercise exploits on my work blog for the Standard-Examiner and about my renewed love for swimming and a local swimmer named Gordon Gridley (or Gords for those who know him) commented on it, recommending I try swimming in the 1st-annual Great Salt Lake open water marathon, which he was organizing in June. I was on the fence at first, but my friend Kelly wanted to start swimming again, as well, so we decided that would be a fun thing to try out.
Kelly and I registered as U.S. Masters Swimming members, so we could track our exercise progress and get ready for the big 1-mile race. By race day, I was down to 198 pounds and it was pretty fun, so we signed up for August's Deer Creek open water marathon. I met Josh Green, another local swimmer, who organized the 1-mile portion at the GSL race and I got a lot of good swim advice from him and Gordon over the next few months. Open water swimming was entirely new to me, given I swam in the safe confines of a lap pool in high school and the two of them have been a great source of inspiration to me this year.
Kelly and I trained pretty hard for our 5k swim at Deer Creek and that's when my shoulder pain first arrived. It was pretty bad at first, but I got some medication which helped me keep up my training regimen until the race. The race was awesome and my weight was down to 188 by then. I set my sights on the 5-mile race at Lake Mead's Slam the Dam, which was slated for October and I kept pushing through the pain. Unfortunately, a scheduling issue at work wouldn't allow me to take my vacation time and compete in the race. I was so disappointed, I decided to stage a 5-mile swim of my own, since I trained for the damn thing after all. So on Sept. 26, I went to the Roy Recreation Center bright and early, set out some Gatorade and Gel packs on the pool deck and went for it. And to my surprise, it was cake. I did it in just over 2 1/2 hours, but my joy didn't last long, for my shoulder was hurting worse than ever in the weeks that followed.
In late August, I had started supplementing my running and swimming with some work on the stationary bike. I hoped if I took it easy on the swimming and did more biking instead, my shoulder would heal. Unfortunately, it didn't and my doctor told me I needed an MRI to see if it requires surgery. I ignored him, because I couldn't afford it on my health insurance until the new year started (reset my deductible) and I kept swimming until mid November. I participated in the South Davis Masters swim meet, and a week later I did my first sprint triathlon at Weber State with Kelly and Jessica. Both events were a blast, but I finally had to throw in the towel, because it became too painful to swim more than a few hundred yards.
In the past six weeks, I've amped up my running and cycling and I'm training for my first 10k run, which is next week. Unfortunately, I'm now battling foot and knee pain, but that's life, I guess. I did a few light swims this month, but nothing major. My weight loss has slowed significantly, but I'm still losing, not gaining. I now weigh about 180 (35-pound loss so far) and I can see major changes in my body from the weight training I added to my routine about two months ago. I want to start swimming seriously again as soon as possible, but January still may be out of the question. I have an appointment with the doctor on Jan. 5, so I can finally fork out the money and start the process of rehabbing my shoulder. I'm still in the process of setting goals for 2012, so I'll have those ready to post by Saturday.
Thanks again to Gordon, Josh, Kelly, Jessica and most-of-all, Jen for all your support through this long process. It's been a helluva year, and outside of my injuries, which come with the territory, I'm now healthier than I've been in almost seven years. I still have a long way to go, but I'm looking forward to it.
Friday, December 16, 2011
200 miles on foot and no self control
Today I finally reached the 200-mile mark for running this year. I didn't set any specific goals for running this year, and I've mostly been using it as an alternate to fill in the days between swimming. But as time wore on and I my totals continued to grow I saw that it was possible to reach 200 this year if I stayed consistent, running between 25-35 miles a month.
Today, I eclipsed that mark while I was on the treadmill trying to run another 10k. However, after about 3.3 miles, I finally caved and went down to the pool. I was watching an older guy do a very fast and efficient breaststroke while I was running and it made me think I could still swim as long as I stick to breaststroke. It doesn't put nearly as much strain on your shoulders, considering you get most of your propulsion from kicking.
So, I jumped in and had just under 20 minutes before lap swim closed. I tried to get in as many breaststroke yards as I could and pushed it hard, getting exactly 1,000 yards with about a minute to spare. My shoulder didn't hurt, I got a good workout and I scratched that itch of needing to swim. All in all, a good day...
Total distance: 1,000 yards
 |
| Breaststroke: Nice and easy on the arms and shoulders. |
So, I jumped in and had just under 20 minutes before lap swim closed. I tried to get in as many breaststroke yards as I could and pushed it hard, getting exactly 1,000 yards with about a minute to spare. My shoulder didn't hurt, I got a good workout and I scratched that itch of needing to swim. All in all, a good day...
Total distance: 1,000 yards
Wednesday, December 14, 2011
Nothing new to report
Today was just an average day. There is nothing interesting or new to report. Today I did a 2.15-mile run followed by 7.7 miles on the bike. Did some light weights, but took it relatively easy. The shoulder pain is still there by becoming less noticeable every day, so I'm not sure if it's genuinely getting better or if I've simply become accustomed to the pain. Hopefully, it's not the latter.
I'm still debating when I should return to the pool. Everyday, resisting the temptation to run down to the pool from the cardio room and jump in for a long swim is getting harder. I've been sitting stagnant at a little more than 105 miles swimming and I don't like seeing that zero in the tens digit. It would be nice to get that to above 110 before the year is out, but I doubt that will happen. Perhaps I'll plan a swim on New Year's Eve to celebrate my year (more like 10 months and some change) of exercise.
Anyway, I'm going to try and rest up. I have this week's 10k run on the treadmill on tap for tomorrow.
I'm still debating when I should return to the pool. Everyday, resisting the temptation to run down to the pool from the cardio room and jump in for a long swim is getting harder. I've been sitting stagnant at a little more than 105 miles swimming and I don't like seeing that zero in the tens digit. It would be nice to get that to above 110 before the year is out, but I doubt that will happen. Perhaps I'll plan a swim on New Year's Eve to celebrate my year (more like 10 months and some change) of exercise.
Anyway, I'm going to try and rest up. I have this week's 10k run on the treadmill on tap for tomorrow.
Monday, November 28, 2011
Heartbroken: Swimming goes on the shelf
So I'm pretty sure it's official. My shoulder is shot. The pain has not faded, despite my best efforts to ice and rest it. I'm going to have to see my doctor about it again, but I can't afford the work, x-rays, and God forbid, an MRI at the moment. I'm waiting until the start of the new year, so my insurance deductible is reset before I have it looked at. I truly am heartbroken about it. For anybody who is trying to get in shape and/or lose weight, they know the biggest hardship is staying in a routine. This completely destroys it, so I'm going to have to increase other forms of exercise in the meantime.
With swimming temporarily on the shelf, this is going to have to suffice as a workout blog, rather than a swim blog. My knees had been giving me issues lately as well, so as a preemptive strike, I went out and bought new running shoes. My other ones were torn and beaten and gave me zero support, plus they were starting to smell something fierce. I'm not sure how many miles I put on them, because I owned them for over a year before I began working out again, and they doubled as my casual everyday shoes, as well.
Anyway, I hit the gym today and tried them out. I ran 3.2 miles, but just like they used to, my feet started going numb right around the three-mile mark. I'm going to try and loosen up the laces a bit next time, but if that doesn't work, I may have to trade them out for a different brand that specializes in wide feet. The problem is those 'special' brands are VERY expensive. When I bought these shoes, the guy at the store told me this particular brand is popular for those with wide feet, so I hope after I break them in, they will be OK.
Finished off the day with 6.5 miles on the bike and ran out of time before I had to leave, so I didn't squeeze any weights or ab work in. Tomorrow...
With swimming temporarily on the shelf, this is going to have to suffice as a workout blog, rather than a swim blog. My knees had been giving me issues lately as well, so as a preemptive strike, I went out and bought new running shoes. My other ones were torn and beaten and gave me zero support, plus they were starting to smell something fierce. I'm not sure how many miles I put on them, because I owned them for over a year before I began working out again, and they doubled as my casual everyday shoes, as well.
 |
| The new kicks |
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| The old kicks. Note the shredded heels. |
Finished off the day with 6.5 miles on the bike and ran out of time before I had to leave, so I didn't squeeze any weights or ab work in. Tomorrow...
Tuesday, November 15, 2011
My crumbling body
I was always under the assumption that your body doesn't start to fall apart until you get older. That doesn't seem to be the case for me. I've been battling shoulder problems for months, but during the past two weeks it's really taken a turn for the worse. I've lowered my yardage totals significantly and cranked up the amount of times I ice it per week, but nothing seems to help.
When I last went to the doctor about it in July, he said it was rotator cuff tendinitis and he prescribed me some meds to lower the inflammation. That didn't work, but after a while, after the meds were long gone, the pain mostly went away, so I kept swimming. But now (especially after the Masters meet on Saturday) it's back with a vengeance and I don't know what to do. I fear if I go back to the doctor he's going to tell me to shut it down. No more swimming. I also fear he will need to x-ray it, revealing a problem that requires surgery, which I cannot afford.
On top of that, my knees are starting to have aches and pains when I walk and go down stairs. When I was heavier, I never had knee issues and ironically, now that I've lost almost 40 pounds, they are starting to hurt. I'm pretty sure it may have something to do with my crappy running shoes or possibly even that I'm springing off the wall to hard when I swim. Just one more problem to deal with ...
I'm only 25, and it's a frustrating feeling when your body is already falling apart. I thought you were supposed to feel like crap when you are overweight and out of shape, but as of late, it feels like the opposite. I'm still a bit chubby, but it doesn't seem fair that I've put in all this work and now my body is paying the price for it. Ughh...
Anyway, here's today's workout. I mostly did kicks, which was slightly new to me, given that I can barely lift my shoulder above my head.
Warm up
100 free
100 breast
Core
3 x 200 kick (alternating free, breast and fly every 25)
300 free (big mistake)
After doing the 300 free, my shoulder was on fire and I didn't even have it in me to attempt a cool down. I'm in a world of shit right now...
Total distance: 900 yards
When I last went to the doctor about it in July, he said it was rotator cuff tendinitis and he prescribed me some meds to lower the inflammation. That didn't work, but after a while, after the meds were long gone, the pain mostly went away, so I kept swimming. But now (especially after the Masters meet on Saturday) it's back with a vengeance and I don't know what to do. I fear if I go back to the doctor he's going to tell me to shut it down. No more swimming. I also fear he will need to x-ray it, revealing a problem that requires surgery, which I cannot afford.
On top of that, my knees are starting to have aches and pains when I walk and go down stairs. When I was heavier, I never had knee issues and ironically, now that I've lost almost 40 pounds, they are starting to hurt. I'm pretty sure it may have something to do with my crappy running shoes or possibly even that I'm springing off the wall to hard when I swim. Just one more problem to deal with ...
I'm only 25, and it's a frustrating feeling when your body is already falling apart. I thought you were supposed to feel like crap when you are overweight and out of shape, but as of late, it feels like the opposite. I'm still a bit chubby, but it doesn't seem fair that I've put in all this work and now my body is paying the price for it. Ughh...
Anyway, here's today's workout. I mostly did kicks, which was slightly new to me, given that I can barely lift my shoulder above my head.
Warm up
100 free
100 breast
Core
3 x 200 kick (alternating free, breast and fly every 25)
300 free (big mistake)
After doing the 300 free, my shoulder was on fire and I didn't even have it in me to attempt a cool down. I'm in a world of shit right now...
Total distance: 900 yards
Monday, October 10, 2011
Shoulder pain with an audience
Today is the first day of my week off from work. Jen and I took some vacation time to just relax and she came with me to the gym today, even though she has a membership at a different gym.
First I jumped on the treadmill. I ran about 1.5 miles before my shins were starting to hurt from the impact, so I lowered the speed significantly and raised the incline a bunch, so I was still increasing my heart rate without the smashing on my legs. I ended up finishing with about 2.7 miles.
I skipped the bike, because Jen was using the only good one at the rec center so I went down to the pool. Here are the sets I did.
Warm up
200 free
Core
500 free on the 9:00 descending (did it in 8:36)
200 free (10 seconds rest between sets)
150 free
100 free
50 free
500 free on the 9:00 descending (did it in 8:10)
200 free
100 free
100 free
100 free
4 x 50 (25 head out, 25 three breaths only)
4 x 50 (25 hard, 25 easy)
Cool down
200 alternating breast and free easy
Overall, I felt pretty good and recharged from the weekend. My shoulder was hurting quite a bit during the first 500 and I had to sub out for a few breast stroke sets on my first ladder in order to give the pain a rest. But it felt better as I kept going.
During my second ladder, I looked up and saw Jen on the pool deck chatting with Anita and taking pictures of me in the water. It feels strange swimming in front of my wife, and on some sort of subconscious level, I feel like I need to show off and push myself harder, which I think may have helped a little today.
Total distance: 1.59 miles
First I jumped on the treadmill. I ran about 1.5 miles before my shins were starting to hurt from the impact, so I lowered the speed significantly and raised the incline a bunch, so I was still increasing my heart rate without the smashing on my legs. I ended up finishing with about 2.7 miles.
 |
| Jen snapped a photo of me on her phone just as I finished cooling down. |
Warm up
200 free
Core
500 free on the 9:00 descending (did it in 8:36)
200 free (10 seconds rest between sets)
150 free
100 free
50 free
500 free on the 9:00 descending (did it in 8:10)
200 free
100 free
100 free
100 free
4 x 50 (25 head out, 25 three breaths only)
4 x 50 (25 hard, 25 easy)
Cool down
200 alternating breast and free easy
Overall, I felt pretty good and recharged from the weekend. My shoulder was hurting quite a bit during the first 500 and I had to sub out for a few breast stroke sets on my first ladder in order to give the pain a rest. But it felt better as I kept going.
During my second ladder, I looked up and saw Jen on the pool deck chatting with Anita and taking pictures of me in the water. It feels strange swimming in front of my wife, and on some sort of subconscious level, I feel like I need to show off and push myself harder, which I think may have helped a little today.
Total distance: 1.59 miles
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