Tuesday, November 1, 2011
Sunday, October 23, 2011
Brooks Launch
A very quick review...
I am in love with this shoe and think I will be forever. So, hear me Brooks - please do not change a thing!
These are very light weight. Cushioned without a bunch of medial support. Even when a shoe is proclaimed "neutral," there still always seems to be something built up on the medial side, or there's just a weak lateral side, making the shoe worthless for we rare supinators. Not so with the Launch. Just look at the above photo and see that nice lateral edge. No rolling over the edge of my shoe. They feel fast and springy. They also feel lower to the ground, but that might be imagined.
Since receiving them from the nice Brooks rep, I have not worn anything else. Not even my beloved Cascadias. I've put about 40 miles on them in the last few weeks on pavement, gravel, and trail. My feet did get pretty wet during a rainy trail run, but I expected that. I'd probably still use my Cascadias on several trails just because the Launch doesn't have much for tread.
Last, they look great too.
10 month update on injury: This week's follow up appointment was positive. The tear is healing; there's less scar tissue to work on each time. I haven't had much swelling or pain in several weeks and very little after my A.R.T sessions. I'm able to work out 1-2 hours several days per week. Never a true cross trainer, I've finally become one. Usually two rides, either road or mountain bike, per week; 3-4 runs of 45-75 minutes; 2-3 strength training sessions; and walking on my rest days. The walk breaks during runs have pretty much been eliminated. The biking has been amazing. My hips and glutes are much stronger and are now fully engaged when I run. The weight is come off slowly and my clothes are fitting again. I'm hoping to have dodged the surgery bullet for good, but we'll see how it is next summer at the 18 month mark.
I am in love with this shoe and think I will be forever. So, hear me Brooks - please do not change a thing!
These are very light weight. Cushioned without a bunch of medial support. Even when a shoe is proclaimed "neutral," there still always seems to be something built up on the medial side, or there's just a weak lateral side, making the shoe worthless for we rare supinators. Not so with the Launch. Just look at the above photo and see that nice lateral edge. No rolling over the edge of my shoe. They feel fast and springy. They also feel lower to the ground, but that might be imagined.
Since receiving them from the nice Brooks rep, I have not worn anything else. Not even my beloved Cascadias. I've put about 40 miles on them in the last few weeks on pavement, gravel, and trail. My feet did get pretty wet during a rainy trail run, but I expected that. I'd probably still use my Cascadias on several trails just because the Launch doesn't have much for tread.
Last, they look great too.
10 month update on injury: This week's follow up appointment was positive. The tear is healing; there's less scar tissue to work on each time. I haven't had much swelling or pain in several weeks and very little after my A.R.T sessions. I'm able to work out 1-2 hours several days per week. Never a true cross trainer, I've finally become one. Usually two rides, either road or mountain bike, per week; 3-4 runs of 45-75 minutes; 2-3 strength training sessions; and walking on my rest days. The walk breaks during runs have pretty much been eliminated. The biking has been amazing. My hips and glutes are much stronger and are now fully engaged when I run. The weight is come off slowly and my clothes are fitting again. I'm hoping to have dodged the surgery bullet for good, but we'll see how it is next summer at the 18 month mark.
Wednesday, September 28, 2011
Brooks Running Co.
Not sure where the time has gone. I am back to running 4-5 times a week for up to an hour at a time. My last run was 5:1 ratio with no pain and swelling. I'm trying to get some time in on the bike each week too, but my work schedule has been packed.
Why the post?
I have to say something about customer service. It's a huge thing for me and good customer service usually makes me a pretty loyal fan. You can see where this is leading. I love, love, love my Cascadias. I discovered them four years ago and have gone through numerous pairs. (Favorite was the frog green ones - made me smile every time I put them on).
After wearing down my last pair of road shoes to a pulp, I went to Tread Lightly in search of a new pair - one that I'd love as much as my trail shoes. I left with a pair of Glycerin 9's. Long story short, ouch, ouch, ouch. SO MUCH PAIN. I couldn't take them back because I'd run outside, so I contacted Brooks through their "Ask a Question" link. Within a day, I'd heard from a rep with the offer of an exchange along with suggestions for a different shoe and why the Glycerin's probably didn't work.
How great is that? So, a big shout out to Brooks for making me one happy customer!
Why the post?
I have to say something about customer service. It's a huge thing for me and good customer service usually makes me a pretty loyal fan. You can see where this is leading. I love, love, love my Cascadias. I discovered them four years ago and have gone through numerous pairs. (Favorite was the frog green ones - made me smile every time I put them on).
After wearing down my last pair of road shoes to a pulp, I went to Tread Lightly in search of a new pair - one that I'd love as much as my trail shoes. I left with a pair of Glycerin 9's. Long story short, ouch, ouch, ouch. SO MUCH PAIN. I couldn't take them back because I'd run outside, so I contacted Brooks through their "Ask a Question" link. Within a day, I'd heard from a rep with the offer of an exchange along with suggestions for a different shoe and why the Glycerin's probably didn't work.
How great is that? So, a big shout out to Brooks for making me one happy customer!
Tuesday, August 16, 2011
Another long camping weekend done. Possibly the last of this summer season. So sad. My camera completely crapped out on me, so all the cool pictures are lost.
One of the highlights of the weekend was hiking the road from our campground to Porphyry Peak and fire tower. We've skiied Showdown several times, and I had never noticed the fire tower before. It was a 2 mile climb to 8,100 feet, but the views were so worth it. The forest ranger at the tower told us she usually has special prizes on hand for people who hike it. Kind of cool, but also creepy that she was watching us and cheering us on from way above. Our mileage was only 4 miles but my legs felt it. Another scary thing? Imagine one of these in bright yellow built up on huge tires barreling down the very narrow rocky forest road you are trying to hike up. Seriously, when the tires started to slide, I was ready to leap off the side of the mountain. Especially seeing the driver's panicked face. A movie moment for sure.
Buddy and I also explored the Little Belt mountains via forest service roads. We ran/walked our way a little more each day. My legs were tired, but no swelling or pain the entire weekend. I felt bad for a teenage girl at the campground. Obviously determined to get her workout in, she ran the campground loop over and over. So much more to see, but maybe she was the smart one - the mountain lion tracks we encountered were huge and frequent! Wish I had the pictures...
With only days left before school starts, we're trying to get in as many trails as possible. I'm trying to be careful not to overdo it, but there's so little time before the snow flies!
One of the highlights of the weekend was hiking the road from our campground to Porphyry Peak and fire tower. We've skiied Showdown several times, and I had never noticed the fire tower before. It was a 2 mile climb to 8,100 feet, but the views were so worth it. The forest ranger at the tower told us she usually has special prizes on hand for people who hike it. Kind of cool, but also creepy that she was watching us and cheering us on from way above. Our mileage was only 4 miles but my legs felt it. Another scary thing? Imagine one of these in bright yellow built up on huge tires barreling down the very narrow rocky forest road you are trying to hike up. Seriously, when the tires started to slide, I was ready to leap off the side of the mountain. Especially seeing the driver's panicked face. A movie moment for sure.
Buddy and I also explored the Little Belt mountains via forest service roads. We ran/walked our way a little more each day. My legs were tired, but no swelling or pain the entire weekend. I felt bad for a teenage girl at the campground. Obviously determined to get her workout in, she ran the campground loop over and over. So much more to see, but maybe she was the smart one - the mountain lion tracks we encountered were huge and frequent! Wish I had the pictures...
With only days left before school starts, we're trying to get in as many trails as possible. I'm trying to be careful not to overdo it, but there's so little time before the snow flies!
Wednesday, August 10, 2011
Not Gonna Lie
I'm having a difficult time with this every other day harder workout. While injured with little hope of running, I was overjoyed to be walking. Now that I've taken those first running steps, walking seems so dull. In all honesty, that's not the only thing going through this obsessed brain.
The scale. Weight gain. The thing no one wants to admit or talk about. Truth is, I've gained a lot of weight in these seven months. That's not just the former dancer talking. It's reality. As in the reality of having to buy new clothes and actually think every day about what I put in my mouth.
Luckily, earlier in life, I avoided the disordered eating that other dancers faced. I definitely don't want to pick up negative food patterns now. I know the weight will come off. I know I have to be patient and find some balance. It's just so blasted hard.
Tuesday, August 9, 2011
My New Favorite Thing
Steve got me this for camping. Love it so much it now makes my coffee at home too. If you like a percolator try this one!
Sunday, August 7, 2011
Mystery Solved?
Chaos Theory proposes that an action taking place anywhere in the world can influence phenomena elsewhere. Who could have imagined that something taking place years ago would result in my mysterious injury?
For a long time, I did this...
and this...
and for sure, this...
In my case, the bone was dead by the time I sought treatment (16 years ago). The bones could not be removed because a nerve ran through the mess. I stopped dancing and gradually the pain faded from memory.
What I didn't know was that over time the problem would become more complicated and lead to a kind of arthitic condition know as Hallux Rigidus. No, this is not my toe, but mine looks similar. Mine is not really a bunion, but definitely a deformity.
When I picked up running, I do recall the ball of my foot and the above area hurting. With better shoes and time, it quit hurting. Unfortunately, it probably stopped hurting because I started doing this in a major way...
Again, I am an anomaly because even though the above picture is supination, my supination wasn't necessarily seen from the ankle. And it wasn't caused by weak hips, or other areas of the body. My supination was/is directly from the foot; caused by a general avoidance of the entire ball of foot pain. Basically, I run on the outside edge of my entire foot. Of course, this led to all kinds of biomechanical issues including hip pain, back pain, knee pain, toe pain, ankle rolls, and eventually an avulsion tear and peroneal subluxation.
For a long time, I did this...
and this...
and for sure, this...
that resulted in this...
In my case, the bone was dead by the time I sought treatment (16 years ago). The bones could not be removed because a nerve ran through the mess. I stopped dancing and gradually the pain faded from memory.
What I didn't know was that over time the problem would become more complicated and lead to a kind of arthitic condition know as Hallux Rigidus. No, this is not my toe, but mine looks similar. Mine is not really a bunion, but definitely a deformity.
When I picked up running, I do recall the ball of my foot and the above area hurting. With better shoes and time, it quit hurting. Unfortunately, it probably stopped hurting because I started doing this in a major way...
Again, I am an anomaly because even though the above picture is supination, my supination wasn't necessarily seen from the ankle. And it wasn't caused by weak hips, or other areas of the body. My supination was/is directly from the foot; caused by a general avoidance of the entire ball of foot pain. Basically, I run on the outside edge of my entire foot. Of course, this led to all kinds of biomechanical issues including hip pain, back pain, knee pain, toe pain, ankle rolls, and eventually an avulsion tear and peroneal subluxation.
So, who gets credit for finally figuring this out? No one really. It was purely an accident. When I started running just over a month ago, I had to work on my gait, including my foot plant and toe off. Naturally, the ball of foot pain came screeching back, halting all efforts to even walk normally.
Back I went to the doctor, who in turn, felt bad for never checking my big toe joint. How can I fault him for that considering I never even mentioned a previous fracture there?
The mystery is solved. You will laugh when you see my treatment plan. Yes, it works. No pain after one day of using it in my Wave Riders. One day later, I was able to run in my non-problematic Cascadias without pain. Off to the running store to invest in new running shoes; ones that don't bend right at that joint, and ones that offer lateral stability and no medial posting.
Not sure there is a moral of this story except that medical history is always important. Even the kind that happened 16 years ago.
Not sure there is a moral of this story except that medical history is always important. Even the kind that happened 16 years ago.
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