Pushing through it

It's been a relatively good week so far and I'm looking forward to extending it through this Labor Day weekend. The MP has shown small improvements with consistent stretching a few sessions of PT. I started something new this week too - something I've wanted to incorporate into my routine for some time now...yoga. Not just any yoga mind you...P90X yoga. I'm hoping all the stretching, twisting and balance in between run days will be a good way to relieve all the pounding from the road and strengthen my mental fortitude.

It's one of the hardest things about finding fitness and the universal truth about pushing your body beyond its limits...the marriage of eating well and exercise is a great idea but the honeymoon sucks. Starting any new workout or exercise combined with eating less requires the body to suffer adjust. Whether it's caloric, muscular or mental, your energy levels and motivation are bound to take a dip as your body screams, "What the hell are you doing to me!". Pushing past this is one of the hardest things to do whether you're just getting off the couch or training for some personal fitness goal.

I too am back in that place where a 7 mile run feels like torture. It's true what they say - fitness and endurance can take months and months to create but it only takes weeks to lose (or less depending on the amount of beer and pizza consumed). That said, I have A LOT of work to do in the month of September if I'm going to be remotely ready for the Cave Creek 50K in October. Hopefully the weather will begin to cool down and longer runs will be more inviting.

So to all of you out there who are sore today from your workout, I say "push on". Take 10 minutes, stretch and resolve to do it again tomorrow - I guarantee, it gets better.

May cause drowsiness

Since meeting with my primary physician last Friday, I've been taking Zyrtec to help alleviate the allergies he believes are causing the excess fluid responsible for my sinus and ear infections. I am willing to try anything to get beyond this ear-popping and seemingly incessant build-up of infectious fluid.

Initially, I could tell that the medication was doing something - less popping in my ears and clearer breathing through my nose primarily. These are good things.

Over those 6 days however (see MP update and sleeping in post), my cognitive ability, enthusiasm for life and energy levels went on a downward spiral. Wednesday morning was the worst. It honestly felt like Death had spooned me all night anticipating my departure that morning. :) I can only describe it as a foggy head, heavy eyes and that general feeling of disorientation mixed with the deepest desire to crawl under a rock for the rest of your life.

So I stopped. I have not taken any Zyrtec since Wednesday and normalcy has returned. My head feels much better and the overwhelming fatigue is gone. Though I actually feel like running again, I've gotten to where I quite like this idea of sleeping in...waking up earlier is going to take some convincing :)

In other heath-related news, I am happy to report that after having my first "real" physical in over 20 years, both my blood tests and exam confirm the way I feel...I'm healthy and fit as a fiddle.

So take that Death. You're not coming to bed with me for quite a while.

MP update and sleeping in

I started PT on Monday to help address the Meralgia Peristhetica (MP) in my right thigh. I wasn't expecting much of this appointment other than describing the symptoms to the therapist, taking some measurements or checking my range of motion. We ended up doing about 15 minutes of stretching and some electrical stimulation on my hip - both of which seemed to help a tiny bit but not enough to be long-lasting.

Since then I've been sitting down at night to do so pretty rigorous stretching of my hip and groin area - much of which seems to bring an improved sensation back to my thigh but has caused some stretching soreness in my hip, back and groin - a clear indication that those areas are pretty weak and need some conditioning attention.

It just goes to show that stretching and even cross-training is important to stay balanced at any level of fitness.

Now that I'm on the right path there, the next thing is figuring out how to get motivated again. To be honest, I'm in the red when it comes to desire, drive and motivation right now. I'm struggling to find a reason to make the magic happen every day. I just can't find a reason to get up early at all. While I'm pretty discouraged by the heat I really can't pinpoint one particular thing that is draining my mojo.

I'll be honest, I don't mind waking up at 6 or 6:30 - sleeping in is not a luxury I've been able to enjoy over the years. Still, it makes me wonder, "Is this what approaching 40 is all about?" Pretty soon I'll need my walker to make it around the block...

I have some ideas to get the mojo going again - one that I'm particularly excited about. It involves all you out there giving me money (in the form of donations) to "encourage" me to run some gonzo mileage. I love the idea of making my passion for running and endurance events philanthropic. Look for details in the coming weeks.

Pain has a name

Over the last couple years, the dulled sensation in the upper right-side of my right thigh has gotten to be more - well - noticeable. It feels like your leg is falling asleep. Pins-and-needles. Tingles. And yet outwardly desensitized to the touch. Not a sharp focused pain but rather a muted dull numbness that runs from my hip down to the outer right side of my kneecap.

Upon reflection, it was 'there' in 2010 throughout my Ironman training but less annoying because I was religiously stretching and visiting the chiropractor. Since my 50-mile race in the Black Hills however, the sensation has turned from annoyingly-dull to persistent-and-disruptively-painful. Now, it is ever-present with more powerful, sharp "pinches" in my quad that pop my eyes open and illicit a 'damn, that hurt' response.

My own research and description of symptoms led me to think that I had some form of myalgia, maybe even restless legs syndrome. Turns out I'm I'm a better runner than I am doctor (go figure). After providing a brief description of my symptoms to my new primary physician, he diagnosed me with Meralgia Paresthetica, or Bernhardt-Roth syndrome.

Basically, there is a nerve (actually a set of nerves) that run from your spine, through your pelvis and down the outside of your thigh that become compressed due to swelling, injury or just plain overuse. Of course, a compressed nerve is not getting all the juice it needs to behave normally.

I'm excited that my pain now has a name but in the same breath, bummed by the possibility I may have to sit on my can and 'rest' throughout my treatment.

To begin with, treatment consists of physical therapy. Two times a week for 4-6 weeks. I anticipate the stretching and exercises will be things I can do at home so I will probably just take the PT guidance and then incorporate it into my routine.

So there you go...Meralgia Persthetica. Say that 5 times fast :)

Funky town

[queue cheesy disco music]

I'm not sure what it's going to take to get out of this funk I'm in lately. I've been reading other blogs and it seems like everyone is having a love/hate relationship with running right now. The summer heat must make our deep dark nastiness bubble to the surface or something.

I honestly just don't want to run right now. I blame part of it on the antibiotics I'm still on but who can say. I know that if I don't however, I'll continue this downward spiral of gluttony and ill-will toward my Garmin.

I think what is compounding my frustration is the recent switch over I made to my trail shoes again. They're supposed to have a special groove for the plantar facia but honestly, I think my insoles combined with the 'groove' actually push up on my arch more than my Newtons. This causes some pretty tough arch pain usually about midpoint through my recent 'trail' (e.g., gravel path) runs. Usually some walking and light stretching works it out but it still nags at me...

I've got a few more days of antibiotics left to choke down and so we'll see how that impacts my overall mental and physical attitude toward the end of the week. Hopefully we'll be able to get down to business again.

The blah-blahs

Ugh. The hot summer days and a general upheaval of our daily life has put most everything in a free-fall lately. I'm not sure if it's just the summer heat, the new schedule the kids have for school or the doctor saying to me, "yep, it looks like a strain of strep throat".

Needless to say it's been a tough week. Work combined with yet another salvo of antibiotics has only increased my desire to sleep in and put off training for another day. I've tried to force it but I've learned that these waves of  mojo-deficiency fluctuate just as life does around you. I just hope things bounce back soon. My first race is the end of October.

Granted, other things in life are going great - the kids love their new school, my (5-year-old) son is reading like a champ and my daughter is becoming more proficient on the iPad than I am (she's enrolled in an iClass at school where they use an iPad2 for almost every subject). I'm just finding it hard to stay motivated right now.

On a separate but related note, I've *finally* found a primary physician here in town I like and will be trying to address a few nagging issues I've had the last couple years - namely, my recurring ear infections and what I describe as my 'dead-leg'. My appointment is next week so I'll have an update then.

The itch

While I have taken the last several weeks to lay back and revel in the glory of doing absolutely nothing (e.g., eaten everything in sight and consumed a lot of beer), I have to admit that this lifestyle of "all-eat-and-no-run" is not one that plays well with my psyche or my waistline. I'm feeling the itch and it needs to be scratched.

I have decided to sign up for the 2011-2012 Aravaipa Trail Ultra Series. Made up of 6 trail races, these 50k runs will be a great way to keep my fitness level high and provide a solid base in the off-chance I decide to take on a longer distance in late Spring/early Summer of 2012 (100K? 100 miles?!).

Anyone else feeling an itch?