This week has been a rough one! I went into the week with a two-mile run intended just to shake the dust off and, perhaps, clear my lungs. It was last weekend when coughing and chest irritation started, likely as a result of preparations for last week’s estate sale (moving around a lot of old machinery, tools, etc., in dusty and dirty sheds). I continued in optimism that the discomfort would let up as I went out Tuesday morning for my long run of this cut-back week, a 5 mile run on the greenway downtown. The run went fine, but, I was completely drained, depleted, and sore for the next three days. It took the next three days without physical activity, a doctor’s appointment, a shot, and some antibiotics to begin improving. Fortunately, I was able to get back out there for about 3.5 miles this morning.
My goal this morning was to put forth a focused effort on running at a pace slow enough to maintain a heart rate equal to or less than 75% of my maximum heart rate. I’ve read in multiple resources that long distance endurance requires running at no higher than 75% of your maximum heart rate in order to be able to go the distance, at least for a novice runner like myself, but, I could never quite make it happen and, subsequently, stopped focusing on achieving what was seemingly an unrealistic goal. But, with my appointment yesterday at Greenapple Sports & Wellness in Charlotte, came a new direction and a renewed resolve to get it straightened out even if, as Dr. Greenapple suggested, it means walking at times to keep it under 75% which, for me, is 142 beats per minute. So, in today’s run I kept a close eye on my heart monitor and slowed my pace enough to keep the overall average right at 142 bpm. I didn’t have to actually slow to a walk at any point, but, I wasn’t about to impress anybody driving by with speed either.
The main reason for running at a lower heart rate is to encourage the body to draw from fat stores as an energy source instead of accessing the much more limited supply of glycogen stored in the muscles. The glycogen supply, accessed mainly when quick, intense energy is needed all at once, can only last for about ninety minutes before it is depleted. The theory is that if I can train my body to depend more on body fat as a fuel by running at a lower percentage of my maximum heart rate, I should be able to cover more distance and, at the same time, burn body fat more efficiently, subsequently helping me to lose the excess pounds more quickly.
Yesterday’s Greenapple appointment was my first during which the exam was actually conducted by Dr. Scott Greenapple. I have to say that, through the whole appointment I felt like I was really getting the best care available. He took time to completely assess my strengths and weaknesses, provide treatment, address my concerns, answer questions, and then provide focused guidance in order to help me strengthen my plank form and learn a new core exercise. I’m not sure that I’ve left any kind of doctor appointment with a greater feeling of satisfaction and sense of direction and motivation than I did yesterday. I highly recommend his office for anyone in the Charlotte area dealing with sports-related injuries. I originally went there based on the recommendation of a well-established running friend who cited Greenapple Sports & Wellness as the go-to office for sports injuries in the Charlotte area. He hadn’t been treated their personally, but, told me many of his friends in the running community who’ve had injuries have gone there and been very satisfied with the results. While it is a fact that I am no more than a novice, overweight, slow runner Dr. Greenapple’s office (who treats all kinds including Olympic and pro athletes) has treated me with the same level of care and attention that one would expect as a gold medal Olympian from my first appointment onward and, especially, during this last appointment when Dr. Greenapple himself conducted my appointment. I will surely continue following his advice as I train for a fall half marathon.
On the daily numbers front, my blood sugar was a bit off, but, the three days that were higher
than normal (104, 108, 101 – compared to the average for the rest of the week: 86) were likely caused, at least in part, by the extra medicines that I’ve been taking this week to deal with my chest troubles. [Update: after not taking Nyquil the night before, I still had a 110 reading this morning. Subsequently, I’m thinking that its the antibiotics that are causing the higher-than-normal blood sugar readings]. As far as the weight goes, though, its been a great week! In the last four weeks my weekly weight averages have dropped by four pounds. Today, though, the scale showed me a number lower than any other that I’ve seen in at least a decade: 224.4 lbs! I’ve got a long way to go to reach my goal of getting under 180, but, it sure feels good to be breaking new ground again!
Finally, a plug for the book that I just finished reading: FINDING ULTRA by Rich Roll. I ripped through this book in just a couple of days and found it to be quite an inspiring read! In a nutshell, Roll rode his youthful passion for swimming to a prized spot on Stanford’s swim team before beginning a downhill slide lasting for years due to alcohol abuse. The book chronicles what the turning point was, how he did it, and what it was like, in glaring detail, to transition from an overweight father who grew winded just going up stairs, to one of the fittest men on the face of the earth. Check out the trailer and then find yourself a copy. You won’t be disappointed.
Drop It 26.2 