un-Break My Heart

So I've been going to First Choice Healthcare for two weeks and I can't say enough positive things about the place. Dr. Nik's listening abilities may be as great as his Graston Technique skills. After battling with problems for the last 5 years and reaching a point where I thought it was just something I had to deal with, it's awesome to see results so soon. In just a week I shaved 8 minutes off of my TNR 7.2 mile time. That is a pretty sizeable amount in a very short period of time. Not only has the doctor been working on my left knee, the cause of the right hip problems, he also has me doing exercises that are teaching me to engage my core. When I finally figure out how to get everything working together it's going to be pretty amazing.

So far this week my work out has looked like this

• Monday- Swim(I think it was 6 or 700 the pool is really short) and Yoga
• Tuesday- Pilates and 7.2 mile run
• Wednesday- Swim (900m) Graston Technique (not a exercise but it hurts worst than all the others
• Thursday- Pilates and treadmill intervals

(yoga and pilates are always on my lunch break)

With freezing rain in the forecast for Atlanta on Saturday, I pushed my long run back to Sunday and prepared to go out on a Friday night. Since I haven't able to hang out with my college friends in a while, I took the drive down the road to Auburn to hang out and crossed a major milestone in the life of me and The Green Machine. 200k miles, now that is a lot of living. While the plan was adult beverages and good times once I got to Auburn, my body decided something else. All Friday evening my chest was tight and I wasn't really able to breath deeply though I thought it was just sinus congestion. I truly was hoping some Whiskey would knock it out but the whiskey and I failed at that one. Well it only got worst and Saturday I woke up feeling like I couldn't breathe and some sharp chest pains so I reluctantly went to the hospital. Well long story short they thought I had a heart attack. Yes, scared the shit out of me too. The EKG machine was full of shit. So then I spend the entire day in the ER getting the full work up of blood work, cardio sonograms ... everything. It's funny while the nurse is drawing blood she breaks in to friend mode with her "so do you do steriods?" huh ... this is the guy who just started drinking beer in 2008, really makes me laugh. I'm 6'2 190 lbs and pretty lean maybe I don't know how steriods work. I guess it's flattering. "No bff I definitely don't do steriods, hell I rarely do caffeine." So the bloodwork comes back to show I didn't have a heart attack, nor had any drugs in my system (Drug Free class of 2000 here, thanks Nancy Reagan.) Doctor told me to take a few days off. I sadly do have to follow up with a Cardiologist when I get back to Atlanta, I hate going to the doctor, in fact I hate it so much I don't even have a primary care physician. So now I need to find a primary care doctor and a Cardiologist. What sucks is now every time I think i feel something in my chest, it's going to go back this. I don't want to be a self diagnosing fool.

The ING Marathon is looking more and more like a half marathon now.

I leave you with quite possibly the best super bowl pray for victory dance on this side of the Mississippi. Blue Jay and the Russell Experience

Oh when the Saints

This has been a pretty good week. While i'm not in the best shape, i'm confident that I will be a lot closer soon, and the desire inside of me to get there is getting bigger. When I think about what has lit the fire under me (I feel like i've done a lot this week but I didn't touch a pool at all hmm) I can't really come up with one thing. Some of the things I did come up with is visiting Dr. Nik and seeing instant results along with my fellow TNR buddies treating me like the red headed step child for not making weekend runs. Well, not only did I make the weekend run this week (10.1 miles, I had it at 1:29 while someone else had it at 1:38- so somewhere in between was my time), I also woke up early and went to the gym Thursday before work (i'm so proud of this) and ran a few miles on the treadmill with intervals. Sounds like i'm cooking with gas, just kidding I won't get ahead of myself - but the future does look bright. I also picked up some new shoes, that I ran in today, that I have to get much faster to pull off (at least thats what the fast people said.)These shoes are cool, though they have a smaller toe box than I'm used to and I have a blister to show for it. Maybe just maybe i'll be lucky enough for Newtons soon (fingers crossed-wallet empty.)

I'm really looking forward to going to the doctor next week continuing treatment. Before I went to the doctor, I couldn't do a one legged squat on my right leg, and hadn't been able to since I had my achilles cut in 2004. In just a week I can almost do a one legged squat, it's shaky but it's an improvement. The sky is the limit it seems when I think about the possibility of having both legs in complete working order. It makes you think how did I make it this far already, I have asked myself the same thing, but if you have ever ran with me you could hear it in the sound of my left foot hitting the ground and I never had a answer.

Also I bought some Sugoi recovery leg sleeves today. I have heard good things about recovery sleeves from a lot of people, I hope I will be saying some positive things soon. Here's to next week being like this one (sans MLK of course), and the Saints making the Super Bowl!

Debbie it's not you ... it's me

Well it's the middle of the week and so far so good. Attitude has been good, and i'm very optimistic about about working with Dr. Nik and my health going forward. There is one thing that I need to change and that's my diet. I have been pretty much eating whatever I have wanted to of late, and I have to say I feel like it. So rationalizing my diet with my lunch workouts ends today. To be clear though, a diet for me doesn't mean I can't have something, focuses more on quantity and timing. 2 hotdogs is probably enough, don't need to buy Little Debbies every time you buy bread they aren't related - just those types of things.

So far this week my exercising has looked like this

• Monday- Celebrating MLK day and Doctor in the evening
• Tuesday- Pilates on lunch, TNR 7 miles at 10 pace (Jody beat me by 11 minutes- more on this later)
• Wednesday- Abs class on lunch (the lady who led this class was the most intense teacher I have ever seen - she won't break me though)

I haven't mentioned Jody before so I will give some insight on my rivalry with her. Jody is my friend and clubmate who started pretty close to my ability level (she has always been a better runner) so naturally I picked her as someone to keep up with and even best. I like to use angry words to describe our rivalry, but in all honesty losing to her isn't the worst thing that can happen - though I do aim to beat her. I mean i'd give her my last GU and i'm sure she would do the same. There will be trash talking though(something I do much better than running.) Last year we competed at an Olympic Tri and I lost (swallows pride,) so this year we are having a rematch at the Chattanooga Riverfront Tri. Judging by the Tuesday night times I have a lot of work to do.

Which leads me to this. It's about time for me to buy some new shoes and i'm considering some Newtons (so expensive) and the Nike Lunaracers. If you have used either of the two what feedback would you give?

Long Weekend = no Long Run

I haven't been much on updating the blog lately. I think the idea of the looming season and continuous exercising has me sort of in a "i'll slack now and hopefully it will work itself out" mode. Which is crap. Nothing comes to a man asleep but dreams. So now I'm going to make a conscience effort to up the ante now, rather than wait til later. I can always experiment with hotdog ingredients later.

Last Sunday I went on a cross country ski/run on the snow covered Silver Comet Trail. On Monday I did Yoga on lunch, went to the pool to swim after work but the pool was closed. Tuesday, Pilates on lunch and a 7 mile Tuesday night run. On Wednesday I hit a low point during week, after work I felt like shit and really had no desire to do anything though I talked myself into going on a very short swim. Followed by a spin class that I quit in the middle of. Thursday, Pilates on lunch and 2.5 miles on the treadmill after work. I intended on going longer on the treadmill but I had really good tickets to the hockey game so me and couple of friends checked that out. Friday, Yoga on lunch. I didn't do anything else til a 2 hour Trainer ride on Sunday. This wasn't the kind of weekend that will help me on my endeavor to become an Ironman and that's not acceptable - thankfully this isn't May. I probably should have done the Hogpen Hill climb considering I had a long run of zero this weekend. It's getting more and more inevitable that I will be running the half marathon.

Today I went to First Choice Healthcare, a Chiropractic clinic specializing in athletic injuries, and I have to say I was impressed after the first visit. The stigma I had in mind about Chiropractic services was wrong I must say. I also felt good seeing the other athletes there, most look to be better athletes than me. So for about a month i'm going to go to the clinic a couple of times a week to see if it doesn't help my ailments. I'm encouraged from it today so that is always a good start. Thanks for the encouraging words from all who offered.

Here's to Shi++y days

I have been in a horrible mood the entire week. I have made it to Yoga, Pilates, TNR, and part of a spin class tonight-that I quit in, and I still feel like shit. It's funny that I was convinced that quitting was the best option during the class now I feel like shit for quitting on myself. Tomorrow I will try to have a more thorough update but now the quitter needs to go to bed.

Happy New years

I've been a little missing in action. I blame it on me battling some sickness and actually working out when not battling. After a quick trip to Chicago to visit some of my favorites and also to celebrate New Years with one of my best friends, but now I'm excited to be training with a purpose again. Now I pray for health and discipline. Also thanks to Frayed Laces I won some new Earbuds. Who doesn't like free stuff. I've come up with a preliminary schedule of races for this year.

• Red Top Mountain Trail Race 9 Miles*
  
• ING Atlanta Marathon March 21st *
  
• John Tanner Sprint Triathlon April 24th
  
• Gulf Coast Triathlon (Half Iron Distance) May 8th*
• Macon Rock and Roll Triathlon (Half Iron Distance) June 24th
• Chattanooga Waterfront Tri (Olympic) July 11th
  
• Ironman Wisconsin * Sept 12th (*registered already)
• A lot of Century Rides littered in between (I hate Century rides)
  

They way it's looking I'll have a race every month except August, the way I like it, helping the training not become monotonous. Also, giving me a few chances to get better before my rematch with Jody in Chattanooga - she's going down this year 4 The U! Later I should have a good idea of some time goals for these races - i'll update it at some point during the year.

I felt great starting off the week but after a frigid 7 miles Tuesday night this week ended up being pretty light.

• Monday 800m swim (cut short by a meeting)
• Tuesday Night Run 7 miles
• Wednesday fighting death
• Thursday 4 Intervals 1:30 at 8:34 min/miles with 1:30 recovery @ 10:00 - 3 @8:12 with recovery and circuit workout
• Friday rest
  
• Saturday hopefully some miles

I went out and bought a mask to hopefully fight the cold air. I can't afford to not be running with a Marathon looming in about 10 weeks. I can't really decide if it was the cold air or sitting on a airplane with sick people that has me a little damaged. This morning in Georgia I woke up to this. I didn't like it nor did the Green Machine. Sliding into to work is not fun.