stevebradley's Mentor Group FULL (Page 33)

Awe Neil, hope you feel better soon!

STEVE,

Good job! You're athleticizing DVDs and TV!

I got through 6 miles in 37 minutes tonight, inspired by the audio 'performance' of Dean Karnazes Ultramarathon Man. Revoltingly entertaining!

i'm here, i'm here. 

i've gotten a case of the blues, to be honest.  i think i need some sunshine.  i am so very sick of being cold.  the good news is that it is supposed to be almost 70 degrees and sunny both saturday and sunday.  yay! 

work is stressful.  big fight with the husband over the weekend.  AND, i got in the pool this week and i think i forgot how to swim over the weekend.  it was the strangest thing.  i just felt like i was flailing all over the place, kept getting water up my nose and i felt like my body was sinking.  somehow i made it through all 2500m.  barely.  i have good days and bad days in the pool, but this was strange.  my time wasn't too much slower than usual.  i just felt terrible.

 .....okay, i am done venting now.

things are getting better.  work is still stressful, but the fight is reconciled and i have made it out of the pool.

i meet with the hip specialist this morning.

have a great day all!!

stevebradley - 2009-03-04 10:38 PM MY COMPUTRAINER IS BACK IN OPERATION!!!!... Yay for me!

 Yay STEVE!!!

all right.  here is the scoop. 

first of all, i really liked the doc I went to see today.  I feel like he actually took the time to listen to me (even though he was running an HOUR behind on appts)

his opinion is that there are clear cut labral tears in both hip sockets.  in non-active people this might not be something that ever requires surgery or could be helped by non-surgical means (such as strengthening your core).  since he assumes that my core is already pretty strong from already being an athlete, this isn't going to do much, if any, good for me.  .....although, i did just come from baja fresh and my core is feeling a little blubbery to be honest.

surgically, there are two outcomes.  if he gets in there and sees that the cartilage is mince meat, they just scope.  with scoping, they just remove all the crap and there are no restrictions on activity.  you can pretty much start running whenever you feel like you can.  for most, this usually is 3-5 weeks.  if he gets in there and sees that the cartilage is reparable,  then they stitch it back to the bone.  recovery for this is significantly longer, and can take up to a full year with no activity.  The other caveat to this, is that if they repair it, then there is also a boney prominence that i happen to have on my "hip ball" that will need to be shaved off so it doesn't tear the cartilage again.  the other thing is that they won't do them both at the same time. so i have to wait to be semi recovered with the first before they will do the second.

he also says that i can wait until after the eagleman to have this.  Part of me is really happy by that, the other part just wants to have it done and over with.  Since it is impacting both cycling and running the internal debate is that i know i am not going to be the best athlete I can be for these spring races so why not just bag them and potentially be able to be in great shape for the fall (and my sept 13 race).  the other thought is that i can have it after eagleman (june 14th), and potentially be ready to run again roughly the end of august......and even (potentially) be able to gut out my sept 13 race.  even if i am not ready to go by then, i will only miss that one fall race. 

what would you do?

as performance goes, I feel like this impacts my running and biking significantly.  I feel like it makes a 2min/mile difference on my runs, i am not sure about the bike time.  even with the extra time, i still should be able to finish respectably just not to the level I would have preferred.

so which means more, the glory of the finish OR just getting it over with?  the doc says I would be fine to wait until june.

LISA, 

sorry to hear you got the blues but glad things are lookin up.

Blue & Stressed Grace has the blues too. She went for a Green Card interview with Spencer on Monday and was told by a representative of the US goverment that 'Congratulations, you will receive your green card in 7-10 days'. At that time, Exhilarated Grace celebrated the end of her 8 month LimBo and cheered FINALLY being able to apply for work and drive here in the US of A.

Then on Tuesday the US Govt calls Exhilarated Grace and informs her that her application is likely to be denied afterall, and she will likely be DePorTed.

So after $2000 in application fees, 8 months of lost income, no drivers license, no work permit, and faced with DeporTation, Blue & Stressed Grace is VENTING.

If any kind soul wants to brighten Blue Grace's day, visit http://gracestribulations.blogspot.com/and click on an ad. 1 cent will bring Smiley Gracie back!

stevebradley - 2009-03-05 9:04 AM GRACE - Two new faces! I was referring to the yellow one, but now that I'm here at Mozilla instead of Explorer, I see that your profile pic is also new. This is all so confusing! I'd really enjoy meeting you sometime.....but I'm not sure which one of you I would be seeing. Are you kind of like New England weather -- wait a few minutes and it will change? Anyhow, the profile pic is very nice - much more flattering than that little yellow one! Off to my ART person for more work on the Achilles. ART is SO much fun!

STEVE,

I am not like any tame New England weather. I am a Malaysian tropical hurricane. Just kidding. I can't wait to meet my TriGuru!

LISA,

My vote: Get it over with?

Difficult decision though. I wouldn't want to look back and know that my performance was not the best because of the injury and pain. I would want the best finish I could for myself, and would definitely not want to be in too much pain. What do the others think?

so sorry to hear the application process isn't going well.  i cannot even imagine dealing with that kind of fear and aggrivation.  i hope it gets resolved quickly. 

thanks for sharing.  there is nothing like hearing another's problems to put your own in perspective.

i think i have decided to do my races through the eagleman for the following reasons.

1.  i had to bag the eagleman last year and go up there and cheer.  i don't think i can make it another year cheering....steve, as you correctly assumed, ryan is also registered for these races.  i am not a very good spectator.

2.) i am still training okay.  i think i can have respectable times.

3.) there is no guarantee that the recovery will be short.  if i bag my spring races and have surgery now, there is a chance that he will REPAIR the cartilage.  if he repairs, I am looking at a year of recovery.  i may has well have the spring.

4.) i have 4 races in the spring compared to only one that I am registered for in the spring

5.) i can get myself into peak shape over the next 2-3 months which i have to think will only get me in a better position for a swift recovery

6.) i forgot to mention that the doc gave me anti-inflammatories that are supposed to help with the pain that will make training easier through june.

7.) if i have it during the summer i can just spend my free time sunning myself by the pool (and look hot in my bikini since I will be in good shape).

my decision would be completely different if i thought i would do more harm before june, but after telling my doctor i was registered for spring races he said, "if i were you, I would wait until after.  you'll be fine."