First Half 2013

First half 2013, patience, persistent, open mind, perseverance, more patience and consistency!

Oct 15, 2012 I injured myself during one of my lunch run at Bridgman Park in North Vancouver.

I tweaked my body while trying dodging 3 dogs charging from different direction.  Run for your life J

I was running out of time so I never attempted to stop and reassess what had happened to my body and continued my run.  When I arrived home from run that work was overwhelming busy so I ended up 8 more hours straight at my desk.  Within 20 of my sitting, I could barely lift myself off my chair.  Very discomforting, my initial reaction, yes I have seen this before, my body again acting up before my race and this was 4 days before Whistler 50 miles. 

As my work end later in the evening, lift myself off the chair, I could barely stand straight or walk.   I find my comfort in meditation lied down and closed my eyes and started the breathing exercise and I was able to connect with my hips.  My hip was very warm and my initial thought was muscle spasm.  The next day in the evening I went for speed work and I thought I could push through the workout but not long after I cut the workout short and decided not worth to make the injury worse and rest until the race day.  I didn’t do any exercise for three days, this itself hurt more than the injury. 

This would perfectly resonate with folks that do exercise daily.

I was still committed to do my race.  All day Friday Oct 19 I was debating whether I call my race off or not.  I was just hoping and kept my hopes alive until 8:00 PM when I decided to go for a test run.  One block, painful, 2 blocks oh this really hurts, 3^rd block excruciating.  That was it I reached my decision, I wasn’t going to race.  My conscious was clear and no regrets.  if I could barely cope with 3 blocks how the heck I was going to bare 300 times of that.   I did post my sad news on the Facebook and I got a lot of kind and wise comments from my friend, thank you for that!

The pain continued to get worse.  So I decided to head out to clinic and see someone, I was warned that the x-ray office has a very long waiting list, if I wanted same day or few days later I would have to go to Hospital.  Oh my, the word hospital emergency, long wait just doesn’t work for me.  Meanwhile waiting for the x-ray office to call for appointment I decided to see Dr. Jenn Turner at Moveo Sport & Rehabilitation Centre.  From my luck Dr, Turner was away out of town, it meant another week wait but I wanted only to see her and hear what she would say.  Dr. Turner helped me with the mobilization, my muscles were now communicating with me, more loosened up but unfortunately the pain wouldn’t ease up afterward.

Now all these scenario’s, possibilities are going through my head.  Is it something broken, is there a fracture somewhere, and why was I constantly feeling pain in the bones in the Iliac.

Then I decided that I wouldn’t do anything until I get the X-ray and bone scan and possibly MRI before proceed with any Chiro, or and physio therapy treatment.  X-ray result came negative, and so the Bone Scan was negative.  This in a sense a good news but those people are familiar with soft tissue issues know what I mean sometimes we rather things to be broken than tear, the healing is a lot slow especially as we age.   Even though I couldn’t run any more but I made the effort to show up and lead my group for the Tuesday Speed training.   It made it easier for me to cope and push through the tough times. 

I find leading a run group is much easier than coaching 10 or 11 years old girls.  For the runners all I had to do give them the workout, encourage and give them my feedback.  For the 11 years old kids I had to demonstrate them how the moves are done correctly, lots of lateral motion involve.  I was very vulnerable; the demonstrations become harder and more painful. 

I had to find a different strategy; the pain thought me a better lesson.  I learned to communicate better, make the instructions simpler and no need for painful demonstrations.  Amen to that!

The nagging pain wouldn’t go away and as the time passed my frustration grew bigger.  I didn’t know exactly what direction to go, lots of brainstorming.  I didn’t know if I ever be able to run again.  I was debating whether I should pick up a different sport.  I just can’t imagine myself not exercising.

I met Ellie Greenwood one Tuesday evening and she suggested that I should give her message therapist (Bobby Crudo) a call, he knows exactly how body functions and could help me tremendously.  He must be so busy; every time I called I got his voice mail.  I haven’t forgotten about him just haven’t had a chance to follow up to go and see him over town.

I run from the North Shore Athletics (NSA) http://www.northshoreathletics.com/ and in one our sessions, wonderful Jenn Keefer http://www.bcphysio.org/jennifer-keefer, from Canopy Integrated Health http://www.canopyhealth.ca/ was the speaker.   She talked about her philosophy and her approach in accessing and in healing the injuries.  Her approach resonated with my own belief, In old medicine, the modern technology and the meditation. 

I found myself a golden therapist.  The next morning I called Canopy to make an appointment with Jenn Keefer, no luck to see her soon; she is fully booked for a while.  I wanted to see Jenn at least before the Christmas break. I badly wanted to ski during Christmas Holidays.  I didn’t know with my condition whether worth to try or if I was going to make the matter worse.   Now I am praying for the Lucky cancellation appointment.  Meanwhile the meditation became my refuge, my sanity saver, a daily routine, once or twice.  Meditation thought me a lot about my body and control, about patience, about freeing myself from the worries, acceptance and moving forward.   Meditation is nothing more than a breathing exercise but sure do magic’s.

Luckily after a couple of days I received a call from Canopy for cancellation appointment.  Met Jenn and she informed me that my hip is rotated.  Her therapy beside the assessment included the mobilization, and IMS.  I don’t believe I would be running freely today if it wasn’t for Jenn therapy.  I really appreciated her systematic approach to assessment and healing process.

In Early Nov when I registered for the first half, I was hoping that I would be able to run the race.   The event is one of my favorite, specially knowing most of money raised goes to children charity.  Running this past Sunday was definitely a dream and thank you to Jenn for her help to make my dream to come true.

Started off the year with good training,

Week 1) 20 miles, 3-4 miles at a time,

Week 2) 25 miles 5-6 miles at a time, one more recovery day

Week 3) 25 miles 6-7 miles at a time, one more recovery day

Week 4) 35 miles 6-8 miles at a time, 5 days running

Week 5) 40 miles, 6-8 miles at a time, 1 day double run

Week 6) 45 miles, 6-8 miles at a time, 1 day double, long run 1hr 20 at 9 min/mile

Week 7) 55 miles, 4-7 miles at a time, 1 day double, race 13.1 miles

Going to the race I knew I could suffer later on in the race due to lack of the long runs.  The solution that kept popping into my head was to have enough energy to avoid the dips and so I decided to have a power bar gel every 20 to 30 min.  I used 3 Gels, one just before the start, one just before 10K, and last one at 9.5 miles.

First mile felt really hard, I usually have a mile or 2 warm up before the race but this race, my stomach was acting up before the race and badly needed to go to the bathroom.  Big line up in either roundhouse or the portable potty’s outside.  When I got out it was already 8:29, so I had a minute to move through to coral to the front to avoid fighting the crowd once the race start

Mile 1 at 6:15,

Mile 2 at 6:20

Mile 3 at 6:15,

Mile 4 at 6:13,

 Mile 5 at 6:15,

Mile 6 at 6:15,

10K 38:51,

Mile 7 at 6:23,

Mile 8 at 6:10,

Mile 9 at 6:10,

Mile 10 at 6:10, 

Mile 11 at 6:15, 

Mile 12 at 6:10,

Mile 13 at 6:05,  

13:1 mile at 1:21:30

The 2^nd time in my entire running races I had negative split.  For the 1^st time I really didn’t feel I stressed my body.  For most part of the race I was focused on my breathing and the posture to minimize the pounding effects.  I followed my targets; Dave Stephen was in my sight from mile 2 until mile 9 I was able to catch up to him.  I didn’t let anyone pass me to the finish line, only one runner passed me at mile 10 until past mile 12 but eventually I caught up to him right at the Aquatic Centre.  I had a strong finish.   Good to be Back, YES!

Not my fastest half but sure the best half ever, I was very pleased with how my race folded.  I am looking forward to more successful races this season and hopeful for more PB.  I need to listen to my body, enjoy running and most importantly have fun racing.

From Oct 15, 2012, I learned to be patient, push through my hard times; I was persistent and had an open mind to different form or healing and therapy, mainly in natural form (meditation).  Perseverance never faded away and patience and consistency becomes a new recipe for the race.

Considering that I didn’t know if I could ever run again before Christmas and crossing a finish line in 1:21:30, a moment that stay with me for a long time!

Good Finish is a new beginning!!

Next on the list is Dirty Duo to support local community racing. I wished I could do the Chuckanut but this year doesn’t fit into my schedule and family time.

Thank you to all Friends out on the course cheering and their encouragement.  Thank you to my Sponsor Saucony for supporting me and their innovation with Kinvara 3, the best road racing shoe ever I ran in.   Thank you to all my running friends and my running group in NSA for their positive vibes.  Thank you to PR for raising $50,000 for Children charities.

Happy Running J