The daily meanderings of a New England runner
Monday, September 23, 2013
Good news
I'm good to go!... Apparently, my low pulse rate (33 bpm at rest) combined with pretty persistent palpitations looked pretty concerning to a couple doctors at first glance. I've never had them before, but I was told that palpitations (PVCs) are pretty common and benign. My heart is otherwise 100% healthy. The doctor believes the PVCs are connected to fatigue and that I was basically taking on too much. The major change is I have cut out caffeine completely whereas I am usually looking for two large cups every day. I wasn't too thrilled about losing my morning wake-up but it was a fairly easy change in the end. Thanks to the people who reached out in support. Now for the hopefully-not-so long road back to health. Hey, at least I'm safe to run.
Monday, September 16, 2013
Update... It's not pretty!
I had a few good weeks of training...
And then I had a sudden and severe case of fatigue. The fatigue corresponded with a pretty irregular heartbeat and palpitations. All that was followed by dizziness and nausea and I checked myself into an ER.
Things improved and I was allowed to go home wearing something called a Holter monitor. A week and a half later I learned that the monitor showed, apparently serious, irregularities in my heart rhythm. "Pauses" in the electric activity.
Since then I've had a few tests and more are coming. I called off training for a marathon this Fall (obviously) and I didn't register for Boston when I had planned to.
I can report that I feel pretty good and the PVCs I had for a few weeks are slowly but surely going away. I'm not sure what else to say! I'll know a lot more soon.
Since this blog is public, I won't go into detail. However, yes, it's all a little scary, and I'm taking it in stride. Teaching and coaching are a blast and serve as positive distractions. So are my two, thus far losing, fantasy football teams.
Yesterday was a little tough as I missed out on the Lone Gull 10k. Hopefully I'll see many of you out there on the road eventually, but at this point I can't predict when.
And then I had a sudden and severe case of fatigue. The fatigue corresponded with a pretty irregular heartbeat and palpitations. All that was followed by dizziness and nausea and I checked myself into an ER.
Things improved and I was allowed to go home wearing something called a Holter monitor. A week and a half later I learned that the monitor showed, apparently serious, irregularities in my heart rhythm. "Pauses" in the electric activity.
Since then I've had a few tests and more are coming. I called off training for a marathon this Fall (obviously) and I didn't register for Boston when I had planned to.
I can report that I feel pretty good and the PVCs I had for a few weeks are slowly but surely going away. I'm not sure what else to say! I'll know a lot more soon.
Since this blog is public, I won't go into detail. However, yes, it's all a little scary, and I'm taking it in stride. Teaching and coaching are a blast and serve as positive distractions. So are my two, thus far losing, fantasy football teams.
Yesterday was a little tough as I missed out on the Lone Gull 10k. Hopefully I'll see many of you out there on the road eventually, but at this point I can't predict when.
Sunday, August 18, 2013
Friday, Saturday VT 100-on-100, Sunday off
Friday: 3.5 easy.
Saturday: VT 100-on-100. 3 legs:
5.3: 29:10 (5:30/mi);
7.2: 42:10 (5:50/mi)*;
5.0: 28:10 (5:42/mi).
21 miles including warm-up and short cooldown. I was pretty happy with each leg, *except for having to stop for a little over a minute during the middle leg to sort out some GI issues. I learned I shouldn't eat lots of raw hazelnuts and almonds before running hard... go figure. Had a really fun time with a bunch of friends and feeling optimistic about running well at Manchester. These paces certainly didn't come easy, but I have exactly 11 weeks to make something around 5:50 pace feel comfortable. Time to recover, and then go to work!
Sunday: Off; recovery day.
Total: 68 miles on 6 days. 79 miles on a rolling 7 days. Plan is to go easy this week with some light track work and and maybe to check out the Carlisle xc 6k.
Saturday: VT 100-on-100. 3 legs:
5.3: 29:10 (5:30/mi);
7.2: 42:10 (5:50/mi)*;
5.0: 28:10 (5:42/mi).
21 miles including warm-up and short cooldown. I was pretty happy with each leg, *except for having to stop for a little over a minute during the middle leg to sort out some GI issues. I learned I shouldn't eat lots of raw hazelnuts and almonds before running hard... go figure. Had a really fun time with a bunch of friends and feeling optimistic about running well at Manchester. These paces certainly didn't come easy, but I have exactly 11 weeks to make something around 5:50 pace feel comfortable. Time to recover, and then go to work!
Sunday: Off; recovery day.
Total: 68 miles on 6 days. 79 miles on a rolling 7 days. Plan is to go easy this week with some light track work and and maybe to check out the Carlisle xc 6k.
Thursday, August 15, 2013
Thursday, 8/15 Steady
Noon: 71:45 / 11 milesStarted steady, found a groove, couple pit stops, sub-6 for last 1.5 or so plus a short cooldown to make it an even 11. 670' elevation gain. The run came together pretty easily but still getting back to form. http://connect.garmin.com/activity/359418475. Hopefully this means I'm prepared to run around 6's for 17.5 miles (three legs) of the VT 100-on-100 Relay this weekend!! + 3.4 mile shakeout at the Jaime's fun run in the evening. 14.4 total.
Wednesday, August 14, 2013
Wednesday, 8/14
57 minutes / 8 steady throughout the Ward reservation in North Andover. Fantastic views from Holt and Boston Hills.
Tuesday, August 13, 2013
Monday and Tuesday
Monday: 52 minutes / 7 miles on Andover trails. Tired but felt better toward the end.
Tuesday: 1:26:30 / 12.4 miles on trails at Winnekenni with Alliette and the last 6 with the varsity boys from Haverhill and Methuen. Pretty bonky near the end due to the increase in training recently but felt strong despite it. Progress!
Tuesday: 1:26:30 / 12.4 miles on trails at Winnekenni with Alliette and the last 6 with the varsity boys from Haverhill and Methuen. Pretty bonky near the end due to the increase in training recently but felt strong despite it. Progress!
Sunday, August 11, 2013
It's been a minute! Update!
It has been exactly one month to the day since I last posted. On July 12th I embarked on the longest outdoor excursion of my life and it absolutely changed my perspective of what it means to be an everything-outdoors enthusiast! I was a youth leader for 5 boys entering the 9th grade along with two "sherpas" who led us through a flooded and confusing network of waterways. The days were long but the conversation was saturated with amazing insights and hilarious personalities. After a 3 days of paddling and a 3 mile portage, we finally arrived at Upper Lake Saranac. We paddled the length of Saranac which was breathtakingly awesome and continued for another couple of days to our eventual pick-up point. We gathered at camp for the final night which was a fun celebration for all of the groups who had been out on trip with food and festivities. And the proof that this camp has the right idea: the final morning before departure, every camper was bussed 8.6 miles away from camp and asked to run home. Obviously, I hadn't been able to run over the course of the trip, so I took the opportunity to rip it up in a pair of old Mizuno racing flats which I had been using as boat shoes. I covered the run in 51-52 minutes (nobody was there to give me the exact time when I finished). We arrived home on July 20th and I spent a few days resting on Cape Cod.
The part of the story I haven't shared is annoying. During the trip I got stung by a wasp. Said wasp proved to cause a localized reaction and an infection. Eventually I had to be "evac'ed" by car to the ER where I treated for a puncture wound and infection with a Tetanus shot and antibiotics. The antibiotics required that I not spend time in direct sunlight without risk of a "negative reaction". Well, while on the Cape I ran on a sunny day and my legs and arms broke out in a freaky rash and my throat and eyes got really itchy and my breathing became labored. I treated with Benadryl right away. I wanted to stop taking the antibiotics right then and there, but I didn't because 1) I had an infection! and 2) because my wife Lauren is a nurse and she advised me better. Long story made shorter: Carver at the end of the week was a bust because I again had a reaction to the sun before the race even started. 'Nuff said.
My moved have been infrequent since then. My knee was bugging me as I was coming back off of 8 days of no running on the trip. BUT, the silver lining is recent training is going better and better. The past few days are below:
Monday: 9 miles
Tuesday: 7 miles at the Whirlaway team practice
Wednesday: 4.5 miles with Alex in Westford
The part of the story I haven't shared is annoying. During the trip I got stung by a wasp. Said wasp proved to cause a localized reaction and an infection. Eventually I had to be "evac'ed" by car to the ER where I treated for a puncture wound and infection with a Tetanus shot and antibiotics. The antibiotics required that I not spend time in direct sunlight without risk of a "negative reaction". Well, while on the Cape I ran on a sunny day and my legs and arms broke out in a freaky rash and my throat and eyes got really itchy and my breathing became labored. I treated with Benadryl right away. I wanted to stop taking the antibiotics right then and there, but I didn't because 1) I had an infection! and 2) because my wife Lauren is a nurse and she advised me better. Long story made shorter: Carver at the end of the week was a bust because I again had a reaction to the sun before the race even started. 'Nuff said.
My moved have been infrequent since then. My knee was bugging me as I was coming back off of 8 days of no running on the trip. BUT, the silver lining is recent training is going better and better. The past few days are below:
Monday: 9 miles
Tuesday: 7 miles at the Whirlaway team practice
Wednesday: 4.5 miles with Alex in Westford
Thursday: 0 unplanned day off, but all's good.
Friday: 8 miles at 6:11/mile
Friday: 8 miles at 6:11/mile
Saturday: 9.4 miles roads 6:47/mile
Sunday: 10.3 miles roads with Tim Mallard 6:40/mile
Summary: 48 miles this week. Nothing crazy, but healthy and motivated!
Summary: 48 miles this week. Nothing crazy, but healthy and motivated!
Thursday, July 11, 2013
Tuesday - Thursday
Tuesday: 65 minutes steady mid-morning at the Fells with Ben Jenkins. Felt pretty good but not particularly fast.
Wednesday: 48 minutes easy on Andover roads solo. 3 year anniversary today!
Thursday: First workout in a LONG time. Alex talked me into 6 x (3" on / 2" off). I ran really hard and kept Alex pretty close on all but the last one. 10.9 mile hilly loop and averaged 6:18 pace including warm up and cool down. We estimated the on-efforts to be around 4:50 - 5:05 pace. Alex ran closer to 4:50 pace. I'm basically amazed I almost kept up.
Taking a hiatus from the real world starting tomorrow as I venture into the woods of the Adirondacks for an 8 day canoe and backpacking trip. I'll be back on July 20 and hopefully have some good work to report.
Wednesday: 48 minutes easy on Andover roads solo. 3 year anniversary today!
Thursday: First workout in a LONG time. Alex talked me into 6 x (3" on / 2" off). I ran really hard and kept Alex pretty close on all but the last one. 10.9 mile hilly loop and averaged 6:18 pace including warm up and cool down. We estimated the on-efforts to be around 4:50 - 5:05 pace. Alex ran closer to 4:50 pace. I'm basically amazed I almost kept up.
Taking a hiatus from the real world starting tomorrow as I venture into the woods of the Adirondacks for an 8 day canoe and backpacking trip. I'll be back on July 20 and hopefully have some good work to report.
Monday, July 8, 2013
7/2 - 7/8
Tuesday: Morning run in Maudslay with Matt Germain. 45 minutes of steady trail treading.
Wednesday: 61 minutes on trail in the early AM. Moving slow, which I'm sure the dear flies appreciated...
Thursday: 51 minutes easy on the roads in the early AM.
Friday: 65 minutes steady on the roads late evening.
Saturday: Off. Notable: I learned to back flip off the end of a boat at Merry Meeting lake in New Durham. Landed it on the third attempt. A fun Saturday on the lake with friends!
Sunday: Off. Lots of core in the evening.
Monday: Stopped by Sam's Outfitters in south Keene to gear up for the upcoming trip to the Adirondacks. New/first-ever sleeping bag, sleeping pad, a few random smaller purchases. I decided to make the most of the drive and hit mount Monadnock and back via the Dublin trail. The Dublin trail is probably the most direct (read: steepest) route up and maintaining a running motion is basically impossible in a couple spots. Almost nobody on the mountain which was nice so I didn't have to gasp "hello" as I drove madly upward. Up in 34 minutes, down in 34 minutes for a total of 68. I couldn't believe I didn't come down faster than I went up. Actually, I felt more positive about the climb after descending. I forget exactly what my best is for this climb though I think it might be a hair under half an hour.
Wednesday: 61 minutes on trail in the early AM. Moving slow, which I'm sure the dear flies appreciated...
Thursday: 51 minutes easy on the roads in the early AM.
Friday: 65 minutes steady on the roads late evening.
Saturday: Off. Notable: I learned to back flip off the end of a boat at Merry Meeting lake in New Durham. Landed it on the third attempt. A fun Saturday on the lake with friends!
Sunday: Off. Lots of core in the evening.
Monday: Stopped by Sam's Outfitters in south Keene to gear up for the upcoming trip to the Adirondacks. New/first-ever sleeping bag, sleeping pad, a few random smaller purchases. I decided to make the most of the drive and hit mount Monadnock and back via the Dublin trail. The Dublin trail is probably the most direct (read: steepest) route up and maintaining a running motion is basically impossible in a couple spots. Almost nobody on the mountain which was nice so I didn't have to gasp "hello" as I drove madly upward. Up in 34 minutes, down in 34 minutes for a total of 68. I couldn't believe I didn't come down faster than I went up. Actually, I felt more positive about the climb after descending. I forget exactly what my best is for this climb though I think it might be a hair under half an hour.
Monday, July 1, 2013
Saturday, Sunday, Monday
Saturday:
7 miles with Matt Germain
Sunday:
Off. Helped dad move and spent time with family.
Monday:
15.9 in a big loop around Andover. A small portion was trail but mostly hilly roads. 6:47 pace running away from massive lightening storms, eventually got drenched, and nearly bonked at 14 miles. Felt strong for the most part and happy to have a long run in the books.
http://www.gmap-pedometer.com/?r=5989103
7 miles with Matt Germain
Sunday:
Off. Helped dad move and spent time with family.
Monday:
15.9 in a big loop around Andover. A small portion was trail but mostly hilly roads. 6:47 pace running away from massive lightening storms, eventually got drenched, and nearly bonked at 14 miles. Felt strong for the most part and happy to have a long run in the books.
http://www.gmap-pedometer.com/?r=5989103
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