Training log - week ending 1/23/2022

This week was 61 miles of running, ~1500 yards of swimming and 18 "miles" of pool-running -- training log is here.

I split my time between treadmill and outdoors this week - staying inside on the days with really dry and cold air, and outside on the others.

I played with holding my core stable this week while running - I do this by a) doing the Dicharry ""Chair of Death" exercise to get my core aligned properly, and then tape my torso so that the tape pulls at my skin whenever I lose the alignment.  And then I run.  

The stable core really seems to help - I noted significantly improved paces on many of my runs for the same effort - my Iwo Jima outside hill repeats were about 5-10 seconds faster per 500m rep than they were two months ago, and my indoor treadmill tempo paces were a bit faster as well.    So that's part of the puzzle.  

I saw the physiatrist on Thursday and finally got the results for my lumbar/pelvic MRIs from two weeks ago.  They're fairly good - a bit of narrowing where the nerves exit the spine, but nothing significantly changed from 18 months ago, and nothing that obviously explains my current issues.  However, the physiatrist offered to do an epidural at L5 - the idea is that if that improves things, then we've got some answers. 

I have that scheduled for Thursday morning but am going back and forth on whether to get it - mostly because I'm not a big fan of cortisone shots.  On the other hand, I don't have that many options here.  And it's certainly looking like my issue may be that nerves get irritated when I'm running, but not when I'm laying on my back with my spine in neutral.  In that case, the cortisone shot, if it works, would confirm that.

[obligatory note - cortisone shots are, as of 2022, banned by USADA if they are too close to competition.  Depending on what is injected, you need to have either 3 or 10 days between the shot and the start of competition.  Since I'm not planning on racing in the next few weeks, I'm in compliance.  But no more getting a cortisone shot so you can race 48 hours later like I did for Richmond Marathon a few years back.]

The physiatrist also reviewed my previous MRI of brain/spine and REALLY thinks I need a second neurology opinion.  Which is consistent with my experience that EVERYONE except the neurologist thinks this is neurological.

Dailies:

Monday: Upper body weights/core and 9 "miles" of pool-running.   Foam rolling at night. 

Tuesday: 12 miles, including 8 Iwo Jima hills (essentially 2 minutes uphill, 80 second jog, 40 second downhill stride, and 60 second jog to bottom.  Followed with leg strengthwork and 500 yards recovery swimming.  Foam rolling in evening.

Wednesday: Streaming yoga and then 10 miles very easy (9:25), plus drills and strides.  Sports massage in evening.

Thursday: 9 "miles" pool-running and upper body weights/core.

Friday: 12 miles on the treadmill, including a tempo workout of four cruise intervals of 7:30 duration, with 90 second jog after each.  Each of the cruise intervals was 6:58 pace.  Full recovery and then four 30 second turnover reps at between 9.5 and 10 MPH, with 90 second jog.  Followed with leg strengthwork and 500 yards recovery swimming.  Foam rolling in evening.

Saturday: 9 miles very easy on treadmill (9:31), followed by upper body weights/core and 3 miles very easy outside (9:29) plus drills.  Foam rolling at night.

Sunday: 15 miles progressive, split as first 5 miles averaging 9:18 pace, next 5 miles averaging 8:08 pace, next 5 miles averaging 7:16 pace.  Followed with leg strengthwork and 500 meters recovery swimming.