Me? A "Visor Guy?"

OK, so here I am sitting around on what seems to be one of those "bonus" days off. I guess my boss figured I'd need an extra day to recover from staring at a million hours of streaming Ironman Wisconson video. Lol... My eyes are still kinda blurry... Anyway, his instructions to me were to take the day and "see if I could get some running done." Uh, sure, no problem, but do I really need the full day off to do that? And right now, I can't go swim any laps, 'cause the aqua-class thing is going on. I'm not sure what all the class entails, but it involves standing around and talking while using foam noodles. They should be gone in a few hours, so for now I'm just kinda surfing around and killing time...

Which brings me to the whole "visor thing." I've never been a "visor guy." Heck, until last year, I never even wore a hat while running! Just seemed like one more thing to keep track of. And don't we all already have WAY too much STUFF to keep track of? If someone had sat me down and explained just how much STUFF you had to have to do triathlons, I probably would have stuck with hockey. At least all of that STUFF stays in it's own bag out in the garage. (Those of you who have ever played know exactly why the hockey bag stays out there. Phew!)

But back to the visor. When I ordered the magic shoes (aka Newtons), there were a couple of surprises in the box. First was an extra pair of laces ('cause everyone wears out the laces of their shoes faster than the shoe itself?). Second was a pair of socks. Cool, we can never have enough socks, right? And the final surprise was a visor. I pulled it out and promply tossed it aside. I mean, what would I do with a visor? I'm more apt to use those extra laces! Right?

Eventually I picked the visor back up. It is made by a company named Headsweats. OK, so I'd heard of Headsweats before. Sounded to me like more STUFF I had to keep track of (and spend money on). But seeing as the visor was FREE... So, I tried it on. Yeah, I looked like a dork. But I look that way even when I'm not wearing a visor too...

So, one moring last week, right around 6am or so, when I knew there wouldn't be many people over at the park, I decided to take the visor along for a test spin. Just to see what it would be like. The temperature was already in the upper 80's, which is about as cool as it ever gets here this time of year, so it was the perfect opportunity see how it worked.

And you know, I kinda liked it. It shaded me from the sun, it kept my head cool-ish and it sucked up a lot of sweat. I know, eeewwwww... The downside is I still feel like a dork in it. Hmmm, cool-shaded-fairly dry head versus dorkdom.

So, maybe the visor crowd is onto something? Aw, heck, I guess there was a "visor guy" deep inside me the whole time...

Must be the shoes

Maybe those Newton guys are onto something. I probably shouldn't be running at all right now, but I've been sneaking out more and more. I think I'm going to blame the shoes.

I mean, what else could it be?

I'm not THAT stubborn, am I? Lol...

Just had to try again...

OK, so yesterday morning, my foot was pretty sore and swollen and justifiably angry at me for taking it for a run the day before. I can't blame Mr. Foot, 'cause I'd be whining just as loud as he was.

So, what do you do when you are limping about and feeling pretty down about life?

That's right - - - you go over to a friend's house and hang by the pool! ChuckMoe's pool was the perfect prescription for a sore foot. And I think the beer helped too...

So, when I woke up today, and the Newtons were calling my name I took a few cautious steps. I walked all the way to the kitchen, then back again. "Hmmm, not tooooo awful," I said to myself. "What do you think, Boca?" My cat just looked up at me and said, "Feed me now." Yeah, that's pretty much how ALL of our conversations go...

Anyway, I didn't feel like going to the gym. Besides, with my luck, today being a holiday, I would probably get there and find out that it was closed. But I was still curious to see how my foot had rebounded from the treadmill.

I didn't want to just open my front door and start running. I mean, what if I went a hundred yards or so and had to turn back? I wouldn't want my neighbors laughing at me for being such a wimp. So, where could I run? I could head over to the track at the community college... Wait, back to that holiday thing. Maybe it is closed? I've hopped the fence before, but always knowing I'd be able to outrun a grounds keeper if it came down to that. No confidence in doing that now!

Then I remembered that there is a park nearby where the community college's cross country team (or maybe it is the local high school team?) runs a 1K loop. Perfect! Even if my heel made me quit halfway around the first loop, I could just cut across and hobble back to my truck.

I started slowly around the first loop. Hmmm, not too bad. I switched from running on the road loop to the inside grass for the second loop. 2K down. Maybe a couple of twinges, but nothing too bad. Should I try a third loop? Aw, heck, why not? But by the end of the third loop, the left heel was getting sore, so I called it a morning. Normally I'd be all depressed by only going 3K, but I'm quickly coming to the realization that I'm lucky to be running AT ALL.

So, that's my plan for now. Short runs on grass. I have nothing to prove to anybody. Forget about distance. Forget about speed. None of that matters right now. Sure, I've only got until April to get into shape for Ironman Arizona, and either that will happen or it won't. Maybe the feet will be fine, or maybe they won't. I'm just happy to be running tiny little bits right now.

I just have to stay positive and take it 3K at a time.

Then Again... Maybe Not...

OK, so maybe running yesterday was a bit... premature. Uh, ouch! But at least I did it and now I know. Sigh...

I couldn't help myself.

OK, I'm weak. I admit it. I shouldn't have done it. But I just couldn't help myself.

The Newtons were calling my name. I could hear them begging to be let out of the closet. So, I took them out. But once out of the closet, they got even louder.

So, I did the unthinkable. I put them on and decided to go to the gym.

My plan was to take them for a spin on the treadmill. You know, just set the treadmill to a nice, slow pace. And walk a bit.

Well, that was cool for a minute or two, but I kinda wanted to see if I could tell the difference if I were to, say, jog slowly... So, I cranked the speed up a bit. Just a wee bit...

And they felt OK.

So, I cranked the speed up a wee bit more. Just to see, ya know.

My right foot was feeling OK, but I could feel a bit of soreness in my left foot. Two surgeries will do that to you, I guess...

So, I cranked the speed up a tiny bit more.

The treadmill at the gym seems to default to 30 minutes, so I figured that was a safe number. The teadmill knows better than I do, right?

Well, at the end of the 30 minutes I'd gone... 3.1 miles. Hey, a 5k! Not bad for not having run a step in many, many months. Of course, as I sit typing this, my feet are in an icewater bath and my teeth are a-chatterin'.

So, did I notice a difference with the Newtons? It is really too early to tell. My left heel is now aching, but I'm not sure that I was ever really a heel striker to begin with. Just soreness from the surgeries. At least that's what I'm hoping. Of course, tomorrow could come along and my feet could be all swollen and gross... We'll see...

The Newtons

I want to be out and running sooooo bad that I am going slowly mad. But, two heel surgeries in the last few months have me looking for a quick fix. Heck, I'd be happy with a slow fix with a magic date waiting for me at the end.

I've never been much of a heel striker, but now I've become almost paranoid about landing on my fragile heels. I know how much my heels hurt right now (well, one anyway, the other is ok - at least today) but I simply cannot imagine running and landing on either of them. Ugh.

So, I decided to take a chance on a pair of running shoes that I've seen advertised in a magazine.

Newtons. Designed with blah-blah-blah to encourage a fore- and mid-foot strike. Cool! Sign me up!

At first I figured it would be as easy as going o the runner's den and trying on a pair. Oops. Apparently Newton only sells direct from their website. So much for being able to trying on a pair! But if they actually do what they claim to do, well...

But here's the sticking part. I'm not really a gambling sort of guy. To me, big action up in Vegas involves putting down a couple of two-dollar bets on the horses. And when I lose, I feel bad. At least until they bring me a free beer. Lol... Anyway, deciding to throw down $175 (plus shipping!) on these magic Newtons had me feeling like the biggest whale that ever visited the Vegas strip.

But I threw down the cash anyway...

Here they are in all their ugly glory. Probably the ugliest things that I own. Oh, well, they are supposed to be magic, right?

So, say hello to my newest friends...

The Cast Is OFF!

Finally. The cast is off and I'm back in the pool and on the bike trainer a bit. I'm amazed at just how much fitness I've lost over the summer! OK, maybe spring AND summer. Not that adding an extra season there makes me feel any better. Lol... But it does feel good to be moving again. Really good. Really, really good!

I'm not sure what I'm going to do about the running thing yet. A huge part of me wants to jump back in as soon as I can squeeze a running shoe on my foot. But then there is that silly little voice, waaaaayy deep down inside that is already yelling at me for even CONSIDERING it. What a pain in the butt that voice is. But the thing is that I really miss running. And I've missed the run way more than I've missed being in the pool or on the bike.

So, how soon is too soon? I mean I know I can't go out and pound the streets tonight. Or tomorrow night. But what about the treadmill? See, I keep looking for something... Any excuse...

Aw, heck. Why stress it about it now anyway. I'm just being silly. I think I'll just go swim some laps instead. Maybe I can run to the pool... Lol, just kidding! Sorta...

One summer, two foot surgeries

OK, I admit it. Sometimes I, uh, let things get a little out of hand. And then a little becomes a lot. But I'm the sort of fellow that is always secretly hoping that things take care of themselves. Especially when it comes to my body. I mean, if you ignore the problem long enough, it should fix itself, right. Maybe not so much.

I think I first started to notice the problem five or six years ago. I had a new pair of hockey skates and they were rubbing my heels. Badly. I'd never had any sort of blister problems, but now after a game I could barely walk. But hockey players don't admit when they are in pain. Ever. Heck, one time my teammate Wiz-moe BROKE HIS JAW in the first period - AND STILL FINISHED THE GAME!

So, of course, I couldn't let something like a little blister problem slow me down, could I?

A year later I decided to buy some new skates. This time they rubbed a little less, but I had these big ol' bumps on the back of my heels that would still be rubbed raw by the end of the game. I still didn't do anything about it. But now I was running into problems wearing dress shoes. Good thing I rarely have to wear them, right?

Another year goes by. I'm starting to run more, but I don't seem to be having problems (yet) with my running shoes. I buy yet another pair of hockey skates - but this time the technology as advanced. Now I could buy a pair of skates that were form-fitted to my feet. Basically, they put the skates in an oven, get 'em really hot, put them on your foot, then drop your feet into a machine that fills with air-bags. Kind of like when the doctor takes your blood pressure, but instead of the air-thing around your arm, it squeezes your feet.

And no more blisters! Yea! Problem solved, right?

Uh, no. Well, it solved the hockey-blister problem, but now I was experiencing running-related blisters on my heels. Well, by now, I was training hard for the New Las Vegas Marathon (December 2005) and the only way I could log my miles was to cover my heels in duct tape. Yup, I'd just cut off some duct tape from the roll, adhere it right over the blister prone areas, then cover it with a sock. And it worked. At least enough to get me to the finish line.

So, problem solved NOW, right? Lol, nope...

The duct tape was only a temporary fix. The bumps on my heels continued to grow. So much so now that they would shred the insides of my running shoes. Those bumps were like razors! I'd buy a new pair of shoes and the lining would be shredded after 30 or 40 miles. And that would cause more blister problems, 'cause your feet don't like all sorts of ripped up fabric rubbing against them when you run! But I still sucked it up and kept going.

So, eventually, this is what I did:

I cut holes in my shoes. No more rubbing! Look, even enough room for a finger or two!

Well, I think that was about the time that I realized that I simply couldn't keep going like that. Time to see a doctor. Ugh.

Turns out that my podiatrist is an alright sort of guy. Heck, he even has running magazines in his waiting room! Sweet! We went over my foot history, he asked me what I did to try and alleviate the problem. He struggled mightily not to roll his eyes when I got to the duct tape part. I mentioned how I tried lowering my heel. And raising my heel. How I tried all sorts of different shoes. Everything.

"So, what do you think is the next step," he asked.

"Surgery," I said. "I've done everything else."

So, he had his people get with my insurance company and scheduled the first surgery. It really wasn't that bad. My boss was cool with giving me plenty of time to recuperate, and I got this really cool looking cast-thing:

And from there, he put me in this robo-cop looking walking cast...

and...

Two months after the first surgery, I had the other foot done. There was a BRIEF period in between surgeries that I was allowed to swim laps in the pool - if only to save my sanity. Foot number two is still in the walking cast, and will be until late July. Hopefully I'll be back in the pool by then, and back on the bike shortly after that. No idea yet when I'll be back to running (or playing hockey), but Ironman Arizona 2008 is still a LONG way off, so I'm not stressing. Much. At least that is what I keep telling myself!