Scott Imlay's Micro
Hi Coach,
I've developed some minor plantar fasciitis on my right leg. I'm inclined to continue running and see if I can work through it. Any thoughts?
Scott
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Hi Coach,
I've developed some minor plantar fasciitis on my right leg. I'm inclined to continue running and see if I can work through it. Any thoughts?
Scott
Comments
If you haven't already check out www.athletestreatingathletes.com for some options.
Personally I'd back off the run for a few days to see how it responds...you can fill that time with some easy biking, etc. Let me know what you think!
~ Patrick
Thanks Coach!
I did my Sunday run after posting this and it felt fine afterward (and the next morning). WEIRD - unlike my previous experiences with PF. Perhaps it's some sort of cramping in the foot that I mis-diagnosed as PF. I'm going to try my run today and see how it goes. If I have pain, I'll back off for a week.
Thanks for the links!
The PF (if that's what it was) is no longer bothering me. I'm back to running. Thanks!
I'm taking off tomorrow for a week in Hawaii (Maui). My plan is to continue the run and core workouts, and do the best I can on the bike workouts using whatever stationary cycle they have in the fitness center. Hopefully I'll get in a little Ocean swimming. Mostly I plan to relax - work has been hell the last month!
Hey Coach,
I couldn't reschedule the work conflict, so I won't be able to do the January Volume camp. I'll have to figure out an alternative winter volume bump.
I did my 5K test yesterday and the results exceeded my expectations. My VDOT went from 36.2 to 40.4! Running hasn't felt this good for nearly three decades! The EN OS plan is working.
Hey Coach,
Two things. First, I've been sick since Christmas day with a nasty cold and an infected puncture wound (slight fever). I've managed to keep up with all my workouts, but barely, and my sleep sucks. I'm past the worst of it so my inclination, at this point, is to push through and continue doing the workouts. In the future, would if have been better to back-off for a couple days at the beginning of the illness? Are there any official EN recommendations on how to handle sickness such as this?
Second, I have a business trip Tue-Thu next week. Being a newby, I thought I'd run my training plan modifications past you and see if I'm on the right track. My plan (assuming I'm not still sick) is to move the Tuesday bike workout to Monday, and the Thursday bike to Friday. I can do the Tue, Wed, and Thu runs while on the trip (San Diego - much warmer than here!). Moving the Thu bike workout to Friday would put the VO2-max workout and Saturday's Threshold workout back-to-back, so I'll swap the Saturday and Sunday workouts. The big down-side of this plan is that there are no days off, but that seems OK for one week. Does this seem like a reasonable plan to you?
Thanks for checking in on your plan...that's a great one. My only edit would be Tuesday OFF (travel day) and then run FTP on Wed, Thu "other" run...then Fri/Sat/Sun as you have suggested...this way you still get the "break" between weeks and offset any physical travel costs...let me know what you think.
It's been a tough week in the Imlay household. When I got home from work Tuesday, I found my daughter on the floor, with a bloody face, and incoherent. I called 911 and they rushed her to the hospital where they found her blood sugar was 12 times the normal level. She was in Diabetic Ketoacidosis, and was in the ICU until last night. Thankfully, she is doing much better and our worst fears didn't come true.
Needless to say, my workouts have suffered. I missed the Tuesday bike and Thursday run (I did the Tuesday run before I found her). I moved the Wednesday run to Thursday after she was upgraded to stable condition, and completed the Thursday bike. So I only missed two low priority workouts. However, the workouts I have done have really sucked - I feel weak and have poor stamina. I can only assume the emotional stress and sleep depravation is reducing my capacity to do intense workouts. I considered skipping the workouts entirely, but these workouts are my go-to method of stress-reduction - and I could really use some stress-reduction. I'm planning to return to the full workout schedule this weekend, provided my daughter's condition continues to improve, but I wonder if it would be better for my overall fitness gains if I scaled back the weekend workouts a bit.
It was a good thing I didn't sign-up for the January volume camp. I wouldn't have been able to go.
Don't worry about the workouts...the fitness is there even if it isn't apparent. When you come back, it'll take a few more sessions to feel normal and that's okay...it's as much mental (I will do this set) vs physical (I hit all my numbers 100% I'm awesome!).
There's always next year for camp, so no pressure. We only just opened it up.
Please let me know if there's anything else I can do to help!
As I read your message I'm sitting in urgent care with my daughter. They're worried about her renal function and may admit her to the hospital. I fear this is going to be a long process.
I've managed to do all my high priority workouts, but have missed a few of the low priority workouts.
Hopefully her health issues will settle down soon. I'm worried sick about her!
Andrea (my daughter) is home from the hospital, and seems to be doing better. This is a big relief!
I managed to get in my bike workouts, but only managed to do two runs (the Wednesday and Sunday long runs). I'm emotionally exhausted!
No FTP test for me today. During Tuesday's bike workout I strained a muscle in my posterior (gluteus maximus?) and I have some serious pain when standing from a sitting position. If I tried the test I wouldn't have faith in the results. I'll just do an easy recovery ride this evening and do the FTP test in a few days when, hopefully, the pain has subsided.
Running doesn't seem to be affected, so I'll try to do a half marathon on Sunday. I'll have to do it on my own since I couldn't find a local Half this weekend. I have a nice flat course nearby that I've run before.
The butt is slowly getting better. I think it was just a muscle strain.
I think I know why it happened. I was doing TrainerRoad's Petit as a recovery ride on Saturday. It is low intensity and has a variety of exercises intended to improve cycling economy. One of the exercises is "single leg emphasis", where you focus on one leg at a time but don't actually unclip the other leg. I started with the left leg and my power jumped 20% at the same cadence. When I did the right leg emphasis it dropped 20% below target at the same cadence. When I unclipped the left leg and pedaled only with the right my power went to ZERO!
My power meter is PowerTap P1 pedals and, apparently, the right pedal isn't currently contributing to the power. I'm still debugging the problem.
I did a few tests and discovered that I was probably doing my Tuesday 3x8 minute intervals at 130% to 140% FTP. I thought it was exceptionally difficult, but I thought my high perceived effort was probably due to all the emotional stress around my daughter's illness. I should have listened to my body. I'm sure there is a good reason you don't have athletes do 3x8 min intervals at 140% FTP.
From now on I'm doing one-legged tests during my warm-up to make sure the right pedal is working.
I tried to do a 1/2 marathon on Sunday, but the injury didn't allow it. My right upper leg started cramping around mile seven and the entire thing pretty much seized up by mile 8. I was running pretty good until mile 7, and actually set a personal best 10K time. So I wasn't able to complete either of my end-of-OS tests. I'll try again at the end of "Swim Camp".
Hi Coach,
I having back spasms, so I'm going to shut down the exercise for a couple days. Between this, the muscle strain, and days lost to my daughter's hospitalizations, I'm missing too many workouts. I think I've hit all the high priority runs and bikes, but I'm going to miss a swim workout or two.
Also, I'm supposed to leave for a 5-day Florida vacation on Sunday - assuming my back and my daughter's health allows it. My plan is the same as for the last vacation - do all the runs, bike on the fitness room stationary cycle if possible, and swim if I can find a convenient pool. This will be the first week of the Get Faster plan.
OK, I'll shut it down for a week.
For activity I will walk, perhaps do some easy bike rides, and perhaps some easy swims (not the Masters workouts). I'll also do some easy core work and stretching. Was there other activities you had in mind?
Yoga sounds like a good idea, although I'm not sure I could manage it at the moment. Yesterday was awful! The back spasms were so bad I couldn't even roll out of bed without extreme pain. I finally gave in and went to the Doctor, and a massage therapist. The massage really helped, so I'll probably do another one next Tuesday. I'm up and walking now, but the back still feels a little fragile. I'm going to take it slow.
We postponed next weeks Florida vacation. My daughter's health is still fragile. She's been in the hospital three times in the last four weeks - the last time for acute congestive heart failure. She is much better than she was, but her doctor was still very concerned about her traveling. Lot's of stressful stuff going on right now!
Thanks for the help! I'll check out yoga options!
Hi Scott,
Just another EN member. I subscribe to some forums because questions to the coach and from the coach to others can be really helpful. I get your messages and just wanted to send good thoughts for you and your daughter. I also wanted you to know that when you travel to Florida, if it brings you to Tampa, please send me a message. I work at a zoo there and if it fits in your schedule, I would be happy to give you and your family a behind the scenes tour. There is no pressure. If you do take your trip and if you will be in the neighborhood and are interested and we can work out details. Take care!
Virginia
Hi Virginia,
We've rescheduled our trip to Orlando for the first week in April, but it's a short trip so we won't have time to go to Tampa. Too bad, the zoo tour sounds like great fun!
BTW, my daughter is doing much better. The pleural effusion (fluid in the lining of her lungs), which is her primary symptom, is much better. Hopefully her condition will stabilize for a while!
Hi Coach,
I'm feeling much better and have started exercising again. So far I'm just swimming, but I'll try an easy run this evening. I'm planning to take a week to build up to training plan workouts.
Between my daughters illness and my back issues, I missed the majority of the swim camp workouts. My season roadmap says that this is Week 2 of the Get Faster plan. I'm assuming I should just follow the roadmap, start the Get Faster plan, and not worry about the workouts I missed in the Swim Camp training plan. Do you agree?
Hi Scott,
I am happy to hear your daughter is doing better. Have a happy and safe trip in April. Sounds like you deserve it!