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Finally got in to see a sports-med doc a couple of weeks ago about the continued discomfort with my stress fracture. They shot some new x-rays, but couldn't really figure anything out, which is pretty typical with this kind of injury. However, since I've been having issues for so long, my insurance will now cover a bone-stimulation device which will in theory speed healing. So yesterday the extremely helpful (and attractive) product rep delivered the device to my house (how's that for service?) and got me all set with using it. The machine is a small box and transmitter that puts out low-level ultrasound waves. Ultrasound is used a lot in rehab these days, and this is essentially a low-power (~5%) version of the devices that doctors use in the office. So twice a day I am supposed to hook it up for 20' and let it do its thing. In the mean time, I am also not supposed to run until I see the doctor again in late March.
So instead of running, I've been doing some spinning and swimming. We got some top-of-the-line trainers at work that are really good for workouts. The bikes are highly adjustable and measure power and all sorts of other things. It is still mind numbingly boring, but E and I have been doing some decent interval work a couple of times a week. I have also finally dragged myself back into the pool, and I am pleasantly surprised at how well that has gone. I need to start coming up with some actual workouts - all I've been doing so far is a few k of regular pull & swim sets. I am pretty slow in the pool, but at least I'm back in there.
We got a huge dumping of snow this past Tuesday and Wednesday - 13.3" which is the second largest singe storm in Madison history. At this point we are about 2" shy of the all time season record, and snow is predicted on 6 of the next 10 days. It seems to be never ending here! The only good thing about the snow is that it means it is actually warm enough to snow, and not absolutely frigid out. Although it is in the mid-20s right now, we've got more nose hair-freezing temps on the way again this weekend....
My two weeks of work in Florida has sadly come to an end. Actually, I wasn't all that sad about it as I strongly dislike Florida and was ready to sleep in my own bed again, but at least it was warm there! When we left Cocoa Beach on Friday it was close to 80 degrees, and when we rolled into Madison Saturday night it was hovering around -10. That's a good 90 degree swing over about 30 hours - certainly the largest swing I've ever experienced, even when flying. It is supposed to stay in the single digits for most of this week, but then creep back up to the teens and twenties by the weekend. Needless to say, any running that occurs will likely be indoors.I've got an appointment with a sports med doc to discuss the continuing problems I've had with the stress fracture in my left leg on Friday. I was able to run fairly successfully in Florida with minimal pain (in my leg that is, my lungs were another matter!), which is a good sign. Hopefully progress will continue. In the meantime, I am excited that we are getting some new high-end spin bikes at work that should be good for workouts, and I am also going to start swimming a couple of times a week. If I can get in one or two runs, bikes, and swims a week I will be pretty happy!
So I'm in Cocoa Beach, Florida for two weeks for work right now. I wasn't all that excited about the trip other than the warm weather, but I'm actually enjoying it a fair bit. The weather has been absolutely gorgeous with plenty of sun and highs around 80 each day.
With no excuses about bad weather I've been getting out for runs nearly every day. My leg has largely been feeling fine, but I'm still planning on seeing the sports med doc when I get back to Madison. What I have discovered is that I've gotten pretty damn slow! Last year down here when I had done similar training over the fall semester I was able to crank out a ten mile run at 7:11 pace - this year I'm working all out to hold that pace for half that distance. I am hoping that my motivation holds once I'm back in the snowy cold north and that my form will start to return fairly quickly. I also ordered a new training swim suit before I left town with the plan of swimming a couple of times a week. We'll see how that goes....
Finally got in to see a sports-med doc a couple of weeks ago about the continued discomfort with my stress fracture. They shot some new x-rays, but couldn't really figure anything out, which is pretty typical with this kind of injury. However, since I've been having issues for so long, my insurance will now cover a bone-stimulation device which will in theory speed healing. So yesterday the extremely helpful (and attractive) product rep delivered the device to my house (how's that for service?) and got me all set with using it. The machine is a small box and transmitter that puts out low-level ultrasound waves. Ultrasound is used a lot in rehab these days, and this is essentially a low-power (~5%) version of the devices that doctors use in the office. So twice a day I am supposed to hook it up for 20' and let it do its thing. In the mean time, I am also not supposed to run until I see the doctor again in late March.
So instead of running, I've been doing some spinning and swimming. We got some top-of-the-line trainers at work that are really good for workouts. The bikes are highly adjustable and measure power and all sorts of other things. It is still mind numbingly boring, but E and I have been doing some decent interval work a couple of times a week. I have also finally dragged myself back into the pool, and I am pleasantly surprised at how well that has gone. I need to start coming up with some actual workouts - all I've been doing so far is a few k of regular pull & swim sets. I am pretty slow in the pool, but at least I'm back in there.
