Sdallnct

Actually Chicago seems to be a pretty big running town. Lots of trails and paths. Lots of races.

There is a 4 mile loop right by the hotel that has a side path to extend it close to 6 miles.

They have a new elevated 3 mile trail I want to check out. Evidently they reclaimed and abandoned elevated railroad track with a path.

The weather has been unbelievably good. Up until this week. But still, not hot like Dallas. Race next week starts at like 6:30am so I'm betting it won't be 75 even by the time I finish.

And I'm taking 4 days off that weekend and do some touristy stuff, hit a couple breweries, go to at least one Cubs game...

slop101

Okay, so six weeks into my injury, I figure I'll start running next week. But just so I don't go in cold and fuck myself up, I decided to go for a good walk today. Did about an hour of moderately quick walking after work, and while my ankle felt sore and stiff afterwards, it didn't really "hurt" and it was probably because it's the most I've walked since my sprain 6 weeks ago. I had to fight the urge to run - if I had my running shoes on, I probably would have, to my detriment. I'll keep walking each day, until I try for a 2 mile run this weekend. Wish me luck!

Sdallnct

Good luck! Did ur Dr or physical therapist give u a program? I would think even when u want to run, a run/walk program would b smart

slop101

No, not really. I have a friend who's a physical therapist, and she's the one who suggested walking first for a few days before running, and to do some gradual stretching exercises leading up to it, like writing out the alphabet with my foot. And even when running, switch things up and do a walk/run thing.

Sdallnct

Yea I agree, go easy.

I'm not injured and think I over did it this last week or two. My long run on Sunday was not good. But that ended up being right at 30 miles for the week and I've never done over 25. That with last weekends run and pretty much always running 4-5 miles instead of 3-4 I think wore me down.

Took an off day yesterday to start taper. I'll do an easy 4 today and then 2 tomorrow and 2 on Thursday and hope I'm rested enough for half on on Sunday.

I also blame myself for not doing weights. I've been doing well with stretching, but not lifting.

slop101

Unfortunately, the older I get (almost 44), the more prone to injury I'll be and the slower to recovery as well. Blurgh.

JimRochester

Injuries and setbacks are certainly a part of training and aging. The longer recovery is tough though.

Sdallnct

I agree...I worry about injury. Not because I'm a whimp, but knowing how long at my age recovery would be.

Tho amazing to see some American runners making the Olympic team at their "advanced" age.

EinCB

Sdallnct, was it you who mentioned that once you stopped drinking, your eyesight improved? A loved one of mine apparently found a hole in his left eye. We don't know how it happened, but he drinks a lot and is stubborn about his drinking habits, unfortunately. An eye doctor told him to go to a hospital immediately and he's going tomorrow morning. Thankfully, he's not in any pain.

slop101

Losing weight might help improve your eyesight, but I've never heard of getting a hole in your eye from drinking. Yikes!

Anyways, looks like I overdid it on the walking, and I'm definitely not ready to run next week. I'm thinking two more weeks now. This fucking sucks.

I've actually lost weight, but my energy level is way low and I'm exhausted by the time it's 1 pm. Didn't feel like this when I would get regular exercise.

Sdallnct

No, it was losing weight and exercise that helped my eyesight. Which both my Dr and Eye Dr attribute to drastically lowering my blood pressure.

If drinking caused eye problems, I'd be blind!

RichC2

Sounds like a detached retina, I'm apparently susceptible to that.

But yeah, losing weight helps with eyesight, high blood pressure and diabetes can wreck havoc on it.

Sdallnct

RnR half marathon in the books.

Of course since I was staying in Chicago, I stayed out till like 2am before race. The race started at 6:30 and in such a rush I put the wrong part of chip on my shoe (did have my bib) lol....and I forgot to grab my pocket rain jacket.

My goal was 2:25. I ran with the 2:30 pace group for about the first half. I then pulled slight ahead and by mile 9-10 I was going to have a shot at it. But bad thunderstorm rolled threw. Wind/heavy rain. In minutes there were huge puddles and since we were running on Chicago streets I was a bit worried I'd turn an ankle on a pot hole since the was so much water you couldn't see them.

So I slowed just a bit and finished at 2:27:20. Pretty much right at what I ran in Dallas in March. But I felt much better. Couple of us ended up walking to some bars, did Navy Pier, etc. Today my feet are a bit sore, but that's it. Feel good.

They canceled all the post race events. The stone blew threw pretty quick but seas still raining even after picking up my bag and such. So didn't hang around. It was a bit nerve racking when it was really bad as you could see the lightening over downtown.

But good overall. That was 6 and I'll try for 2 maybe 3 more by end of year.

HN

^^ nice! especially with the storm. running in the rain could be miserable, especially on your feet if you're not prepared with some bodyglide.

on a different note -- i was at the doc for a physical. i had a 58 bpm heartrate. i asked if that's ok and they (the nurse) said it was a little low and i should be around 60. i thought lower was better?

EinCB

Yes, the lower amount of heart beats, the healthier you are. It being around 60 is the average for everyone. For me, being around 60 is when I'm just walking around my apartment. The best time to measure your beats per minute is 5 minutes after you wake up.

Sdallnct

You need to do some research on your own about pulse.

My understanding is everyone is different and there is no "magical number" like for blood pressure.

But, yes with working out and losing weight it should go lower. For example before I lost weight and starting exercise my resting pulse was like 83-85. Now it is like 55-58. And I've been measured as low as 50.

But again, my understanding is you really can't make a judgement on a single reading. You need a long history. Meaning if for months your resting HR was in the mid 70's a reading of 58 my cause a flag to go up. Or it just could me an anomaly.

And thanks for the comment on the run. And yes I feel very lucky no blisters. And luck my phone didn't fry!

RichC2

I'm actually a little frustrated with heart rate, I used to hop on an elliptical and get it up to 160 bpm with no problem, after working out for 6 months I basically have to be sprinting on the thing for 20 minutes to get it up there.

Sdallnct

But that's a good thing! It means your heart is getting stronger.

And a good lesson on challenging yourself, adapting, new exercises, etc. Why don't you mix in some running. Or walking w/hills?

RichC2

Ankle problems, I've slowly started running again as of late, the extreme heat has actually been good for it.

Sdallnct

I think I'm finally feeling better!

A weekend ago I took 4 days off and drank an entire brewery, got like 10 hours sleep over 3 nights having fun and ran in the RnR half in Chicago. Which at mile 9-10 hit a severe thunderstorm.

By Tuesday last week I was feeling under the weather and my Wednesday I was miserable.

Since losing weight and getting in shape I never get sick. And by never I mean every January I get a 48 hour bug that doesn't even slow me down (couple sneezes and its over).. This is the first time in at least 6 years that I've gone "down for the count". I called in sick 2 days and have only ran twice since the half (I barely had energy to fall out of bed).

Today, I have energy. Some anyway. And while I'm still stuffy and sneezy, at least I'm not coughing like a lung is about to come up...

See how I fell after work...might be time for an easy 4 mile run.

Sdallnct

http://gizmo.do/9rlMFue

While sitting "continues" to be the new smoking, it seems it is likely exercise can counter it better than previously thought.

Which is good news! If you exercise!

slop101

Well, I've plateaued, and my ankle doesn't seem to be getting better now - not enough to run.

I've already contacted a physical therapist friend. The only bummer is that I have to pay out of pocket as my HMO doesn't cover physical therapy. Though I have saved $100 a month for the last 3 years on this HMO plan compared to my previous plan.

JimRochester

Welcome to world of not healing any more

I got down to 180. Then 5 out of 6 weeks I did a vacation and four business trips, gained 12. I lost 5 again but have been hovering around 187 for a month. Week before last was out of town again and it kills me. I end up going to the movies and having a large bucket of popcorn for dinner.

EinCB

I've been trying to save money to buy a Xbox One S so I cut down on the junk food. So far, I believe I've lost 7 pounds. Thanks, Microsoft!

slop101

Here's a crazy thing I never thought possible; the constant swelling of my ankle over such a long period, has caused a 20 year old scar on my ankle to open up. Not open totally, but just enough for it to bleed a little bit and leave a small scab where the scar was.