My Rogue OS--Stay or Go?
Hi Folks! Happy New Year!
I’ll be doing the OS a bit differently this year. I’ve been with EN since day one, and no one is a bigger believer and supporter of the program. Heck, I took 95’ off my IM with the training in the haus. But this year is when the self-coached athlete is kicking in. Here’s what’s up….
When I was at TT Bike Fit a month ago, Lis (Kona record holder, W 45-49) and Todd Kenyon told me about their experience at the Pursuit Perforamnce Gait Lab in CT. You can read about it here rather than me rehashing. I took a trip to the lab last week, and I was BLOWN. AWAY. I didn’t want to go all starry eyed over yet *another* new thing—I’m pretty jaded and skeptical about what works after all my years of training. (Hence, why I stay with EN.) This was, however, amazing.
I know I have fundamental weaknesses that not only keep me from reaching any kind of current potential, but they are getting worse over time. But what are they? I know my feet are awful, I know this and that tweaks, but what to do? How can a rebuild myself smartly while I’m NOT injured?
Long and short of it is, (embarrassingly) I tested out at a very low end of the athlete continuum in terms of any kind of functional strength. This is very different than fitness--that I have in spades. But real, fundamental, balanced strength that supports the strain of all we do, and running in particular, is missing. All that core work and push ups I've been doing? I might be strong IN ISOLATION, but NONE of it translated to support the overall structure one needs when running. I had trouble doing many of the simple movements they needed to see to evaluate how my body worked together and fired. Hammies are taking ALL the brunt since the glute is basically dead. My feet are so weak, the compensation that's going on there is incredible to see. Running on the treadmill on video--not a pretty sight. Yoga in the OS? Likely the WORST thing I could do for my hip and pelvic area given the laxity and tightness therein.
Al Lyman of the Gait Lab says that if I do what's required to get things strong, balanced, and firing the way they should, there will no doubt be big gains. I now see what he's talking about, and understand that it's correct--and what I need at this point in time. I've been so half-assed athletically healthy for so long that I see my longevity in this sport slipping away. I don't want it to. For me, this is not only about building back the fundamentals--but training to get faster.
I don't feel so bad. 
Even Lis Kenyon is not nearly as strong as she can be--which accounts for her ongoing confusion as to why her bike and run are never at the same level. She's is now also hard at work on improving her functional strength. Good company.
This is my year to rebuild. Building back my foundation will have my Ironman-like focus this year. I will stay as dedicated and single-minded about improving my balanced functional strength to the best of my ability. I will be able to train and race this summer, but the strength work will be priority. Lucky I plan to keep all the tri stuff short.
Soooo….I’ll be doing things a bit differently this OS. I'm not running for the next few weeks. I am breaking down what needs to be strengthened piece by little piece and putting it back together--like redoing one's stroke from start to finish. I’ll be re-earning the right to run those miles as my functional strength rebuilds.
People, I need an honest answer. I’m wondering if I should stick around, or go on hold for a few months? I don’t want to be seen as undermining the program by taking a different route. I’ll be doing the bike as planned, but will likely swim some, and the running will be on my own progression. I've been in lock step with the OS the past three seasons, and know it works. But this departure I have to do for now, and don't want to undermine trust in the training by appearing to doubt the EN program. I don't, but I will have a different focus. Maybe I should take a breather? I'm thinking so. It's just hard to leave. Would you all be comfortable with me staying rogue, and understanding why?
PS--don't know what all that code is at the top, and I can't edit it out. Sorry!
Comments
Linda,
No question about it. Stay. There's plenty of folks that do the OS and don't follow the run program to a T due to injury, etc.
Not to mention all the experience you'll bring to everyone going through the OS for the first and fourth time.
Can't wait to catch up w/ you on all the info you learned.
Dave
I don't think anyone here is going to mind at all if you stay and modify the OS in your own way. As Halligan said, look around, there's a LOT of folks who are doing variations on the theme in order to accommodate their own personal health issues, needs, or goals. Bill Russell? He probably hasn't run a step in a year and we love him!
I think of the interplay between the EN Plans and the Self Coached aspect of being an EN athlete similar to playing Jazz music. Everyone knows and is playing around the basic progression. But individuals improvise around that progression and add their own flavor to the mix in a way that avoids dissonance.
I think the question for YOU is if it's going to bother you to be the one singing descant while many others are following the melody. I can completely understand if that's a situation you don't really feel you could benefit from. So you just need to figure out if you are going to get out what you need by staying plugged in.
PS- I hope you stay :-)
Good points. I just don't want to mess with anyone's head, esp the new members. Life does have a way of evolving and moving training to other directions. Ultimately, the goal is to get the function and strength back into my body to then get back to training the EN program as written. That's the goal. I'll hang out with Bill Russell in the bike corner for a month or two.
Dave--we'll talk soon so I can talk you into taking the trip to CT.
Linda- i agree with the others. Stay! You can report on your bike stuff, and share if you chose on your run stuff. I need to do things differently for my run as well, so i usually don't bring that up as much.
I looked at Al's site, it is interesting. I was thinking of doing that or the place at UVA that Nemo went to. I know i have issues that contributed to my injury cycle. I don't care to go back into that cycle. Maybe a trip over Martin Luther kind day weekend is in order, hmmmmmm
I say stay!
My vote is absolutely to stay!
Stay! I pretty much took the past year off from structured training and racing and still valued being a member of EN.
Do you know if there's any other of those evaluation places besides CT and VA?
I too shall be modifying the OS by quite a bit for Batthenkill and an 18 mile trail run I have in April and that 100K mtb race in the first weekend in June. Figure I'll use the same OS week structure but tweak the volume and change some intervals as I get closer to the mtb race. So we're not doing the exact same workouts as everyone else...there's still the group motivation and accountability part.
Linda:
I vote you stay. You add so much value, you would be sorely missed. Do the bikes, swims and check-in. Tom Glynn had his bike accident a few months back and he is focusing on the bike and swimming in his OS in his own way so he doesn't injure himself and slowly making his way back on the run. So he is in a similar boat.
But the decision is yours. If you wanna stay rogue, that is fine. But JOS would be missing your insight and good mojo as we move forward through OS.
Hugs,
John
Thanks everyone again. The more I thought about it the clearer it got. Imagine if I didn't have all of you to lean on! I'd be right back in that black hole of training by myself--shoot me now.
@Scott--I don't know of anything else. These guys are getting up and running and will have a new web site soon. I think they are planning to do some stuff via the web, but I'm not sure what that is. I'll keep you posted.
@Paul--it's like a light bulb went off in my head. I have to do this, and do it now. I have known for years that I've needed to rebuild my foundations, but like you I always wondered --How? What? Why? Acording to Al and Kurt, there is no doubt about the diminishment of my functional strength is part of my running slow down. Restoring that foundation can only support the training, and help preserve longevity.
I'll be happy to share what I learn, even though these are my personal weaknesses and your issues would likely be different.
Trust me, having all this analyzed,and doing those testing exercises in "public" got to the core of every insecurity I have.
It's even difficult to share it here. But it is is what it is, and I y'am what I y'am. Best face it, and just deal.
My results were "bad." And I'm a woman who has done multiple IMs, about 80 tris total, countless running races, etc. etc. This is so not about fitness. So not about about pushing harder or needing to training more and pack on the miles. It's not even really about age. It's about not having proper musculature and incredible imbalances. It had gotten to the point that I was living the adage--"insanity is doing the same thing over andover and expecting a different result." My body can't progress because my hip, pelvis, and feet are too fundamentally weak to maximize all I ask of myself in in training--esp the running.
I went through a series of tests--I forget what they're called . I'll look up when I get the report. The scale is 1-3. O is if you can do the movement , but you have pain. 3 is best. I got exactly one 3--in shoulder flexibility. LOL! I got a few 2s. Everything else was a 1--that's like the points you get on the SAT for just writing your name. LOL! Seriously lacking in functional ability. A few other random obs:
Next steps:
That's it. That's the ground floor of where I need to start--very far removed from running. I have to earn that back. I need to work doing those basic things for a bit before moving on. It's hard to believe it's that bad, but it is. I told you it was going to be like an Ironman effort. Only with teeny, tiny movements.
I don't know squat about yoga and pilates. I've been using my wife's pilates tape for beginners. Some of it is fairly easy and some of it pretty dang hard. I can do most everything but I'm not nearly as flexible as the instructor. I bought another DVD called "Yogaletics". This one is for "elite" athletes and it kicks my butt. I can follow the entire program, but cannot do many of the poses to the level inteneded. It goes waaaay beyond stretching. It takes strength in many ways, but then again, I'm shooting in the dark. My 200 repeats are telling me I'm on the right track, but I would love to be graded in the manner you were. Perhaps some of the performance loss as we age is really due more to the loss of functional strength and less to age. Keep checking in on this journey and let us know which foot and balance exercises you are doing.
Linda thank you for sharing and I am glad you are staying. This sounds so very interesting and I am looking forward to following your progress. This is not something I ever would have thought would be an issue and it has me thinking. (But I am lazy and this is an "off year", so FWIW, I will live vicariously thru you.)
Good luck and "pics or it didn't happen".
Quite frankly, I should be doing the same thing, as I have endless issues with hammies, glutes, etc. I look forward to your reports! Defiantely can learn from you in this area!
I am quite impressed at the amount of information you learned from Performance Gait Lab, and what you need to do.
Hugs to you, dear!!
There's no stability in a house without it's foundation. So many times in our lives the path to wellness is the simplest one; in this case, you have basic, simple steps to follow. Don't over-think it!
You've overcome plenty of adversity in the past; the recent thyroid wars come to mind. Stick with it and us; I'm doing a bike-only OS too!
You know that I'm a big fan of yours; you make this little slice of our community better for your presence.
Selfishly, I say stay, but if you're not working the plan you can find good bike workouts everywhere. Staying just keeps you in our loop and I want to know all about your other stuff. But six months flies by. I'm bike focusing and doing run frequency and technique and not worrying about vdot this OS. Last year I went to Charlottesville and got what sounds like a very similar analysis and they pointed out a lot of the same things you're describing. I changed up my stride and did a lot of work that emphasized glute, hams, and feet and I think it made a big difference- no run breakdowns. The OS ought to be what you want it to be instead of a crazy winter crucible. Heck, you're a grizzled vet.
cm
this is the kind of stuff that will benefit the most people in the house, not your bestest interval. what we do running versus what we think we do are WORLDS apart. so pumped you're starting this process. time to get rid of that glass quad once and for all!! gotta start small to make the biggest gains.
1. Survey local folks to find a good PT.
2. Simultaneously get a referral from PC for PT for a problem you are having.
3. Go to PT, pay $10 co-pay and get hands on pro advice around your biomechanical issues etc.
My PT experience post-crash was eye opening and critical, and you can do almost the same as linda in your own backyard! (or in my case, in a trek to NH to see Leigh Boyle!)
P
Linda, STAY!
Many reasons:
We all understand set backs and the beauty of EN is "TEAMcentric"...........not a bunch of ego freaks. We are here for ya!
Cheers,
Greg
Thanks Linda for sharing your journey with us! Your committment to getting back to basics and correcting these types of issues is very inspiring. I wish you the best on the journey and look forward to your updates.
Is there any way, when you're there next, to ask the folks at your lab if they have a facility they'd recommend here in the Dallas/Ft Worth area?
I'll take a recommendation over a google search any day.
Thanks!
I came over here to see your story and reply to my post on the Medical forum. I truly appreciate your input. As the others have said, I strongly encourage you to stay. I am in the process of setting up a trip to CT to go to the lab. It would seem that with their level of skill, getting it going will be of great help. Then I can come back to St. Louis and continue on... hopefully with a recommendation from them. I may be back in touch if I have some further questions. Thanks again for your help. This is the kind of think that makes EN so wonderful!
Getting caught up here and just had a chance to read your post. Of course, I am glad you stayed. You are one of the many reasons I came back. I have emailed Coach Al to see if he has any connections this way. Just think how wicked strong we could be @ PCB in '12??
We'll hold hands all the way through it! That is the ultimate goal, GF! Strength and performance, whether it be for PCB or trail running when we're 65.
xoxo