My Journey to 50 miles (2nd attempt)... (comments welcome)

[disneygpa]

PT last night was again quite challenging.

It went something like this:
8 min on the elliptical
childs pose stretching
planks and side planks
TRX squats
4 different exercises with the bands
TRX side jumps (concentrating on landing softly)
A new exercise with a weighted bar, stance slightly wider than shoulders, partial squat and then side to side movement keeping the toes, knees and hips aligned at the end of the move
The sliding leap thingy (concentrating again on soft landing)
Finally planks on the ball

Whew! I was a sweaty mess after that. I feel good today. Minimal stiffness in my back this morning! Far better than I was expecting.

New therapist again last night. More encouraging than last weeks therapist. She said I'm doing surprisingly great after back fusion!!

 

[disneygpa]

Fair enough. Well I'd say you can be prepared for it if you put in good consistent training from now until then. I believe it's absolutely doable.

Thanks Badger!! I've been reading through your training journal. You are amazing at crunching the data!! I may be asking for advice in the near future, hope you don't mind one more person picking your brain!

 

[DopeyBadger]

Thanks Badger!! I've been reading through your training journal. You are amazing at crunching the data!! I may be asking for advice in the near future, hope you don't mind one more person picking your brain!

Ask away when you're ready!

 

[disneygpa]

Last night was a nice long walk to scope out the middle schools running track. 2.5 miles not for time, just a nice walk with my wife.

My therapist suggested beginning my running on a flat surface. The high school track is under lock and key, but the middle school track seems to be adequate for some short 30 sec runs.

My first run will be Sunday. The plan is to still do 10-30/30 run/walks and see how the back holds up. If all goes well and I feel okay, the plan is to try this 3 times a week for 2 weeks and then hit the open road(sidewalks really)!!

 

[disneygpa]

Last nights PT was tough. Seems like I had a much harder time with the workout. Especially the side planks. Definitely feeling the effects this morning. Back is super stiff and I'm having a little bit of difficulty standing up straight.

Last nights workout:
8 min on the elliptical
childs pose stretching
planks and side planks(starfish)
3 different hip exercises on the ball
TRX squats
4 different exercises with the bands
TRX side jumps (concentrating on landing softly)
The sliding leap thingy (concentrating again on soft landing)
Finally planks on the ball

On the bright side the therapist agreed to letting me try to run on Sunday. He suggested I try only 5-30 sec runs. So, I'll try 5 and see how I feel. Might try more if I feel good.

Tonight will either be a long walk with my gal, or 45 boring minutes on the bike. I'm really hoping for option #1.

Earlier I mentioned that my therapist was skeptical of me running the Dopey. Turns out there was a misunderstanding, he thought I was going to try and run it THIS coming January. After, he found out it was 15 months from now he was much more optimistic about my goal!

 

[Princess KP]

Last nights PT was tough. Seems like I had a much harder time with the workout. Especially the side planks. Definitely feeling the effects this morning. Back is super stiff and I'm having a little bit of difficulty standing up straight.

Last nights workout:
8 min on the elliptical
childs pose stretching
planks and side planks(starfish)
3 different hip exercises on the ball
TRX squats
4 different exercises with the bands
TRX side jumps (concentrating on landing softly)
The sliding leap thingy (concentrating again on soft landing)
Finally planks on the ball

On the bright side the therapist agreed to letting me try to run on Sunday. He suggested I try only 5-30 sec runs. So, I'll try 5 and see how I feel. Might try more if I feel good.

Tonight will either be a long walk with my gal, or 45 boring minutes on the bike. I'm really hoping for option #1.

Earlier I mentioned that my therapist was skeptical of me running the Dopey. Turns out there was a misunderstanding, he thought I was going to try and run it THIS coming January. After, he found out it was 15 months from now he was much more optimistic about my goal!

I hate side planks. Glad to hear the therapist thinks Dopey in 15 months is an attainable goal!

 

[disneygpa]

I hate side planks. Glad to hear the therapist thinks Dopey in 15 months is an attainable goal!

For some reason I did them quite easily in Tuesdays PT... But last night I was shaking like a leaf. I'm thinking I may have done them earlier in the session on Tuesday.
No matter what the reason, they are NOT the easiest thing I've ever done!!

 

[disneygpa]

Last night was a nice long walk after a yummy dinner. About 2.5 miles at a pretty leisurely pace.
No specific workout tonight.
Sunday is going to be a big day for me. First attempt at running in 115 days.
I'm a little nervous and will be very aware of how I feel. But, I'm also super excited to try again!

 

[disneygpa]

Well, yesterday was the first time I'd strapped on the running shoes in 115 days.
Did 10 30sec runs(jogs really), felt really good! My back was pretty tight afterwards, but I iced it and spent some time on the TENS machine.
I feel pretty good this morning! I'm thinking I'll shoot for 15 runs next time.

This has been a long journey for me.

I've never been one to sit around and do nothing, but after the accident I was very, very limited in my abilities.
My restrictions included no bending, twisting, kneeling, stretching, ladders and a lifting limit of 10lbs.
The first time I tried to stand after surgery, I failed. The pain in my back and muscles was intense. I sat back down on the bed and tried again. It was all I could do but I managed to stand.
My first walk after surgery was one complete loop around the nurses station and back to the room and it was exhausting.
My second walk was two laps around the nurses station and then up three stairs in the therapist office.
By the end of day one, I was making three laps around the floor and was itching to get home.
I had to stay in the hospital while they took me off the pain med drip and got me on pills. Doc said to stay ahead of the pain and take my meds every 4 hours. I did that for the first couple days, but the Oxycontin made me feel depressed. Didn't like that feeling, so I dropped the pain meds.

My first solo walk at home was to the mail box and back. Maybe 150 ft. By the end of the first week I was walking to the end of the block and back and by the end of the second week I was up to a mile.

In the beginning I was only supposed to be walking, laying on my back or sitting for no more than 30 min. This made for some really boring days. I think sitting was the most difficult part.

Well, if you made it this far, thanks for reading. I think I put all this down just so I can go back and remind myself where I started from.

Here's to the better days ahead and to putting some miles behind me!!

And just for comparison. This is what the Camaro looked like prior to the crash...

 

[disneygpa]

Last night was a PT night. I swear they are trying to kill me.
8 min on elliptical
one legged leaps on the power glide machine with soft landings 30 reps each leg
side leg pushes on the power glide 30 reps each leg
this is the power glide(sled)

side planks with leg lifts 15 reps each side
elbow planks with leg lifts 15 reps each leg
exercise ball work not sure what the exercises are called but one was pulling the ball in from a push up position with my feet all the ball and the other was shoulders on the ball and keeping hips high and marching 15 reps of each
then single leg squats with the TRX 15 reps each leg
then a squat that put one leg behind the other 15 reps each leg
finally combined the two squats 15 more reps each leg
then some stretching for the hamstring, quads and chest
went home and iced and put the TENS machine on

WHEW! I was a sweaty mess after that workout.
I asked my therapist last night why I was the only one in the gym that was sweating during my therapy. Everyone else seems to be doing really light exercises and then they leave. I'm there a solid hour and they have me working every minute!! She informed me that not everyone wants to run multiple miles in consecutive days. (she's my favorite!!)

I know I kinda sound like I'm whining, but I love these workouts. They are challenging for me! Especially all the different exercises. Last night I left with wobbly legs. I haven't felt like that since I was doing heavy workouts back in the 80's! (yup I'm that old)

Tonight will be another 3 mile walk with at least 10-30 sec run intervals.
I'm kicking around the idea of maybe doing 5-30 sec runs within each mile. (thoughts from ya'll)
I'll update that tomorrow with my decision.

 

[Princess KP]

exercise ball work not sure what the exercises are called but one was pulling the ball in from a push up position with my feet all the ball

Ab pike? First time I did it, I fell off the ball. lol

Sounds like a tough workout but you are doing great!

 

[disneygpa]

Ab pike? First time I did it, I fell off the ball. lol

I looked it up. It was the knee tuck... I havn't tried the Ab pike!! That looks like an accident waiting to happen for me!

Last night was another jog/walk.
I decided to do 5-30 sec jogs per mile... gonna increase this next week. Might try for 7 or 8 30 sec jogs per mile.
Splits were:
mile 1 17:16
mile 2 17:32
mile 3 17:04
We went a total of 3.5 miles which is the longest continuous distance covered since the accident.
Not great numbers and kinda hard to stomach after cracking 9 min miles before the accident. But, it is what it is and I'll get back to sub 9 min miles at some point.

Looking back at my Fitbit numbers before the accident. One number is really surprising to me. Before the accident my resting heart rate was 48. This caused the heart rate monitor in the hospital to alarm all the time because they had it set for 60bpm. Since the accident and lack of activity my resting heart rate had climbed to 60. Just over the past 3 weeks, since I've been allowed to sort of start exercising again it has dropped back to 55bpm. Other than the stiffness and soreness from exercising again I am feeling better all the time!!

Between Tuesdays PT and last nights jog/walk my hamstrings are done... I can barely touch my toes this morning!

PT again tonight. Gonna have to get the hamstrings stretched out before then!!

 

[disneygpa]

To quote John Mellencamp "Make it hurt so good"

I'm pretty sure this is my therapist theme song.

Today is a definite day off, other than a nice long slllooooowwww walk with my gal!

Last nights therapy was pretty much the same workout as Tuesdays with the addition of one new exercise on the TRX.
Nearest I can see is this exercise is called the TRX runner. It really, really, really!! works the hamstrings, lower back and lower abs.

While I was doing these, I overheard another patient say to his therapist "I don't know what happened to that guy, but I never want to recover like that!" Of course I was feeling the same way while I was working out.
I think my time at therapy is coming to a close. I'll probably have to start doing these workouts on my own soon. Hope I can continue the intensity and motivation after I'm finished with them.

 

[disneygpa]

Saturday was an early morning walk/jog day for me and DW.
mile one 17:59
mile two 17:06
mile three 17:23
while it's tough to see these mile times. I know they can only get better.
Took the dog with us and not sure the 3 of us are good for training together. It's tough to get all three of us on the sidewalk. When I'm back to running more I'll start taking him for his own runs in the morning.

I'll insert one of my favorite quotes here from Lou Holtz "In this world you're either growing or you're dying, so get in motion and grow." Gotta get my running growing again!

9.8 miles this week. Not bad all things considered.

Today's plan is to rest and get some ribs on the smoker for family dinner tonight. Maybe, perhaps, if I have time, I might mow the yard today.
Monday, I believe we are going to try and run 5-1 minute intervals per mile.
The plan for the following week will be to move to the C25K training and sign up for a run in December.

 

[Kazrak]

I'll insert one of my favorite quotes here from Lou Holtz "In this world you're either growing or you're dying, so get in motion and grow." Gotta get my running growing again!

Preach it. It may be hard now, but a year from now, you'll be a year older either way. Would you rather be a year older and running, or a year older and...not?

9.8 miles this week. Not bad all things considered.

Um. Okay, just counting running, but I only had 9.1 miles this week. So, not bad at all.

 

[disneygpa]

Sunday was a LAZY day!
But I still managed 21 flights of stairs! My smoker is on the patio downstairs, so I had to go up and down a lot to make sure the temp was correct.
Ribs turned out okay... Had to rush them a bit at the end because the crew was planning a mutiny if there wasn't food on the table soon!!

Today, back to getting a little longer with the jogs.
Goal is 5-1min jogs per mile.

 

[disneygpa]

Last night was a jog/walk night. We decided to do 5-1 min runs in each mile. Snuck a 6th one in on the final mile. So a total of 16-1 min intervals over 3 miles.

mile 1 15:47
mile 2 15:54
mile 3 15:08
last .48 miles we just walked

Total distance 3.48 miles
overall pace 16:10

I am fairly happy with this. Obviously it isn't where I need to be but it is moving in the right direction.
It's nice to see the times coming down.
My back is pretty stiff today, but that is to be expected. Up until last night I was walking all the hills, especially the downhills.
Last night I jogged the downhills. I think that is what is contributing to today's stiffness.
PT tonight, looking forward to seeing what new exercises await!!

 

[disneygpa]

Last nights PT went like this:

Elliptical 8 min
Some much needed stretching of my upper back and chest
Swiss ball exercises
Speed work with the rubber bands
TRX (tried a side plank on this and failed miserably)
Work on the sled
And finally more exercise ball

I was really tired when I went in and my motivation wasn't the best.
However, my physical therapist got me moving and seemed to know how to make me feel better.
By the end of the session, I was feeling exhausted but better! (does that even make sense)

Jog/walk again tonight. Going to do 5-1 min runs per mile again.

 

[Princess KP]

By the end of the session, I was feeling exhausted but better! (does that even make sense)

Yes!

 

[disneygpa]

Last nights jog/walk seemed to be a bit of a struggle. Not from the standpoint of pain in my back, but just in general.
Maybe it is the change in the weather? We've had a string of really nice weather, especially for October! Last night was a little greyer, cooler and windier than the last few weeks.

mile 1 15:43
mile 2 16:07
mile 3 16:00

total distance 3.4 miles
walked the last .4
pace 16:18

weekly distance so far 6.88 miles
PT tonight looking forward to a tough workout there!!