Ahhhh 4 miles.. 12 30 pace..... only slight discomfort and a IT band issue that I am working thru.

Exactly 1 month ago today (Monday. 4/21/18) Afra did surgery on the left knee. Nice pre-op photo below huh? Last week I pushed the Physical Therapy(PT) and worked hard on Mondays sets and walked 2.6. Tuesday I then walked 6.5 miles slowly around Disneyland for anniversary. Followed by 4 more the next day on Wednesday. Both of those caused a fair amount of discomfort with no real breaks. Standing and walking for 6 hours and 4 hours back to back days was probably not the best for the knee. But in my head I counted it as ultra training so I wanted to keep pushing. Thursday, I met with PT's and she worked hard on the ligaments that are tight and pushed the session. Both legs were tight and sore Friday but I walked 3 miles at lunch up the P trail a little ways. All dirt, no pavement. Took Saturday and Sunday off (in theory and only ref'd a soccer game, and did church security 2 miles walking and 4 hours standing)

Literally as I write this I realize the time on fee that I did last week and should be happy with what I did less than a month out of surgery. That is one of the reasons I am writing this blog to see and track what I did, what I think I did (recalling back), and what really happened. Short version is, that was a tough week and I should be happy with how I did and how far I have already come. 

Last weeks numbers/mileage/time on feet: 19 miles

Monday - 2.6 mile walk and 40 mins of PT

Tuesday - 6.5 walk(Disneyland)

Wednesday - 4.0 walk(Disneyland)

Thursday - 90 mins of hard PT(onsite)

Friday - 3.0 mile walk started up the 'P' trail a bit

Saturday ref'd a soccer game 30 mins moving on feet 1.0 mile

Sunday - 2.0 miles, 4 hours standing at church for security.

Yesterday... 4 hours of walking and standing at church for security, then a 2 mile fast walk @  a 15 min pace. Today, I will try the same. Seems to get tired and a little sore. I have trouble discerning what may be post surgery discomfort, and just normal out of  shape and tight / tired legs since I haven't been doing anything(running or jogging) for 45+ days now.

Happy I get to do it again today and get some more time on the feet.  It is helping but tough on the knee. Although happy is relative. The photo below is at mile 61 of Javelina 100 mile 2017. That was happy times...

May 13th... 2 miles on dirt with occasional 1 min slow jog. Yee hawwww......

2 weeks and 3 days out of surgery

2 weeks and 3 days out of surgery. Physical therapy today was eye opening on how week my core is. She also showed that my right side is quite a bit weaker than my left highlighting that as part of my lower back issues and knee pushing in during exercises. Either way... she cleared me to walk around the block (1 mile loop) and I just completed it in 20 mins! 20 mins is slow, but its 1 mile closer to 100. I can technically say that I have started training for Cuyamaca 100k right now. 

May 1st.... and the knee is sore

Apparently kicking the covers and fighting people in a dream causes pain in an area that is not supposed to move that much yet. Crippes a mitty it aches today.

Interesting Ginger Runner Live interview yesterday about Kaci Liktieg and recovering from her injuries (hip/pelvis fractures). Her references to slow training and the stuff I read about Ameila Boones injuries and recovery were also impressive. Basically I need to be very patient and let things heel which is hard to do. However, walking around th ehouse lets me know about it real quick. Best quote was in reference to "not teaching your body to remember how to run again. But to re-training your ligaments and joints to understand the impact and stresses of running again". Never more than a 10 min pace in the first few months of training/running was a shocker.

On the food front... crossed under 200 lbs for the 2nd day in a row. 197. Dramatically cut my food intake and volume. I used to eat whatever and stay at approximately 203-205. After I stopped running, in 1 week I hit 210. So I had to make some significant changes.

Daily mileage:0
Weekly mileage:0

The definition of Zero.

Trained up for Oriflamme 50k in April and planning that as a building block to PCT50 in May, as continued prep all for the Cuyamaca 100k, I felt strong. Since the Cuyamaca 100k is a Western States 100 qualifier(ws100q), I decided that was the best choice as it close to home and not a 100 miler. However, I have traditionally struggled with hills & climbing so I worked on hill repeats and climbing steep sections of the 'P' for parts of most daily runs. I felt strong and used a small taper to prep for the race in just under a week. All of this came to a halt on April first while playing in my mens soccer league. I love soccer and the game itself is a blast. I love teaching and playing. Plus I felt that was good cross training and tempo work for ultras. Unfortunately, a wrong step twisted my knee and I went down ultimately to have a torn PCL and meniscus tear on both sides. Barely being able to walk and not being able to bend the knee past 90 degrees....   all training stopped.  The MRI confirmed the damage and I had surgery on April 23rd.  Going from being able to run a 100 miles at Javelina 100 to zero in just a few months was not a fun thing to ponder. Using my trekking poles to make it to the restroom was not my idea of practicing for an ultra.

I decided a better name for this blog to capture my own recovery and hopefully... eventual return to running an ultra was 'From Zero to 100'.  100 to zero had already occurred and sounds pathetic. But seeing as my physical therapist stated I am waaaay stronger than most due to training prior to the injury, hopeful I can get back at it soon. Although I was told I cannot even walk around the block yet (physical therapists instructions) and it hurts if I stand too long.. or God forbid it gets locked straight at night. or I try to kill someone who attacks me in a dream so I kick the blankets and the knee screams about it. 

Current mileage to train up for Cuyamaca 100k.....  Zero.....!

ze-ro

ˈzirō,ˈzēˌrō/

number

1. 1.

   no quantity or number; naught; the figure 0.

   "figures from zero to nine"

   synonyms:

   nothing, nothing at all, nil, none, naught/nought;

2.