Glastonbury Running

Oh No...Out of Commission!

I mentioned just a few days ago that I would make fun of my running buddies and their nagging physical ailments while I can.  Well, that window of time has officially closed since I am now on the team's disabled list.  Excruciating pain erupted in my lower back and upper butt yesterday afternoon, which I believe is a residual issue from running in slippery and icy conditions last week. 

I recall reading somewhere about the three stages that a person goes through after experiencing something traumatic.  Well, I think I'm already through to the final stage now.  Stage #1 is known as "denial", and there was certainly a lot of that going on yesterday.  As I was walking around the Connecticut Children's Museum in West Hartford with the kids, I tried to convince myself that the pain in my back (which was making it impossible to go from a crouch to a standing position without half-screaming) would probably blow over.  There was certainly no need to call off my tempo workout with Sattler scheduled for Tuesday morning...not yet, anyway.   

Stage #2, the "depression" stage, lasted straight through to this morning.  There was that sense that this will be a permanent injury that would end my running career, that sense of unfairness, the frustration of not being able to play actively with the kids, the stress of wondering if I would be ready for the Albany Marathon, etc.  And, of course, there was that nagging realization of mortality...that I was subject to injury like every other runner out there.

So now I'm well-settled into Stage #3..."acceptance".  I plowed through a half-dozen medical websites this morning and determined that this is not, in fact, a permanent and career-killing issue (the fact that pain does not radiate down into my legs is apparently a good sign).  I learned that 90% of back problems disappear all on their own within a month.  I also learned that bed rest is not recommended and that I should continue to do what I do around the house as much as I can.  And I'm doing significantly better today than I was yesterday.  So now it's starting to dawn on me that I will actually run again...it's just a question of when.

So I would say that since the Albany Marathon is only 33 days away it is now firmly in the "if-y" category.  But since April is a few months away, Boston is still in the "definite" category, at least. 

But I think the worst thing of all is that I no longer have standing to make fun of my "old training partners" anymore!

Read This If You Use Muscle Creams...

I've been running for a long time and I never realized that there was a risk associated with common muscle creams like Bengay and Icy Hot, but apparently there is.  Earlier this week a top-notch 17 year-old female cross country runner, Arielle Newman, from Staten Island, New York, died suddenly and the official cause of death is overuse of muscle creams. 

It looks like there's a risk of poisoning if you cover more than 40% of your body with it.  There are also added risks when it is combined with oral medications.

The full story on this bizarre but sad event can be found at The Final Sprint.

Good News for Coffee Drinkers!

I've become a big coffee fan over the last few years, so I was happy to catch wind of this recent study which found that people who drink 4 to 5 cups of coffee per day lowered their chances of gout by 40%, or by 60% for those who drink six or more cups per day (but geez, that sounds like a lot of coffee!).

Gout is caused by too much uric acid in the joints and it is the most common form of inflammatory arthritis in adult males.  Arthritis is, obviously, a big issue for older runners.

The study was conducted by American and Canadian researchers and it followed 46,000 men for a 12-year period.

And while we're on the topic, make sure you visit the new Starbuck's on Hebron Avenue in the center of town.  The staff is friendly and fun-loving, the atmosphere is comfy and inviting and the coffee (as always) is great.  I realize that it's not a local mom-and-pop store, but I'm absolutely impressed and fascinated by how much effort this company puts into improving local communities and the environment, which somehow makes the coffee taste even better!

Those Crazy Europeans!

This crazy story popped up on my Google Reader yesterday, and since it has a very indirect connection to health & fitness I thought I would share it with readers. 

It looks like a Dutch television station is ready to launch "The Big Donor Show" in which a terminally ill person has to decide which of three young patients will receive her donated kidney.  Both of the country's political parties are demanding that the show be sacked.  But the broadcaster, BNN, is going to air it this Friday night anyway.  This show is from the creators of "Big Brother".  The full story is at BBC News.

I'm going to reserve editorial comments, but perhaps the not-so-obvious benefit of the show is that it will certainly draw attention to the worldwide shortage of organ donations.

While we're on the subject, please take a few moments to look this blog called, Give a Kidney.  The author is Harry Kiernan, owner of HarryCo and a very active member of the Glastonbury Chamber of Commerce.  His blog is a humorous and compelling account of an enormous act of kindness.

Another Great Medical Site...Specifically for Runners

Local running phenom, Michael Graziosi, has passed along another very good medical website that I'd like to share with everyone.  The site belongs to Stephen M. Pributm D.P.M. who is based in Washington D.C.  That's an awfully long drive for a doctor's appointment, but it looks like he focuses his practice on distance runners so his site has a lot of useful, runner-specific information.

Treating and preventing injuries is an issue that is near-and-dear to every runner's heart, so please feel free to submit comments or e-mail any tips or information on this topic that you think might benefit other readers!

Blister Tip!

There are a lot of runners who are prone to blisters regardless of how much they have "toughened up" their feet with lots of mileage.  And many times the socks are the culprit, specifically that long seam that goes across the tops of the toes.  That inside part of the seam can be a little rough on the feet, and this happens sometimes even with the expensive socks like ThorLo's that sport high-tech fabrics.

If you have this problem, then the simple solution is to wear the sock turned inside-out.  When you do that, the smooth part of the seam, which is normally on the outside, is now on the inside and rough part is now on the outside.  That makes it less likely that the seam will cause a problem.  I do this whenever I suit up for a long run and I am yet to end up with a sock seam-induced blister.

If you have any other tips to temper the agony of the feet, then please chime in with a comment and share the wealth of your knowledge!   

Do a Self-Diagnosis On-Line

I recently discovered a health-oriented website called Healthline.com which I think is actually better than WebMD.  It has a much more user-friendly layout and it has a neat function that allows you to type in a symptom that you are experiencing which prompts a list of possible causes, starting with the most common.  If you add a second symptom then the list is whittled down even further.  It's a great way to do a relatively comprehensive self-diagnosis.

The site also has a plethora of medical articles with helpful illustrations, and it is all doctor-reviewed.  Check it out as an alternative to WebMD the next time a medical issues comes up for you or a family member.