A lazy Sunday... Dystonia, Botox and Running...

Well, I just officially registered for the Buffalo Marathon!  Yay me!  Now I actually have to complete it.

Normally today would entail a long slow run.  As I nurse my little foot back to health, I've been thinking about how my next round of Botox injections are going to affect me on race day.  A couple of weeks ago I went to see my movement disorder specialist, Dr. Guttuso.  He's truly awesome.

He did some basic neurological tests and I told him I just didn't feel my Botox had worn off yet.  In fact, the weakness was pretty bad the last time around that I felt it I just beginning to wear off.  For those who don't know, I receive injections in my right levator and rhomboid muscles every 3 months.

Botox injections into these muscles cause slight, temporary paralysis.  This is the only way to get the muscles to relax and not yank my shoulder blade up and head sideways.  The problem with Botox is that I am extremely sensitive to it.  I respond TOO well, which causes terrible weakness.  It impacts eating, brushing my teeth, washing my face, looking down at a book and basically any activity that involves lowering my chin down or bending over to do something.

There was a point in my life, before I had deep brain stimulation, where I needed 30-some injections between both sides of my neck and back.  The all around weakness was terrible.  I hung onto counters and walls to keep myself from falling over.  5k race times were bad.  In fact, the side effects from the Botox became so awful pre-DBS, that I told my neurologist it was not worth it; that I'd rather suffer from dystonic contractions than the weakness from Botox.

After having DBS, most of my muscle spasm went away.  All that was really left was a little tugging and pulling in the right side of my neck.  I had a miraculous, positive results to DBS that basically don't happen.  Even the doctors were shocked at how well I responded.  I no longer needed Botox and controlled most of my symptoms with stimulation setting changes and very low amounts of medication.  Unfortunately, that didn't last for very long - maybe a little over a year or so.  I started going back in for Botox injections and I increased my medications.

This weekend the contractions in my neck came back as the Botox left my body.  Simply trying to fold laundry caused my neck to lock up.  I fought it and folded a couple of loads.  I gave in and split a 10 mg Baclofen pill, hoping that would ease the pain.  I decided to lie down for a little while and let the medication do it's work.  I fell asleep for nearly 4 hours.  Saturday was gone!  Then, go figure, I couldn't sleep Saturday night into Sunday.  I pulled myself out of bed at 12:30.  As much as a don't want to, I'll need to call my neurologist tomorrow and tell him the last round of injections finally wore off.

The cycle will start again.  Extreme weakness. Exhaustion.  Unable to do housework.  It'll be because I'm too weak to do it.  Then when the Botox wears off, extreme tension, pain and fatigue.  It's a catch-22.  It also impacts my running... you use so many muscles when you run that it's crazy!

If I receive Botox this Thursday, I will be scheduled for Botox again at the end of April or the beginning of May.  This will be problematic for me come race day, because the Botox will be peaking around race day.  I will have very weak upper body strength on my right side.  We'll see... if I can tough out this pain and discomfort for a little longer, I might be able to change the cycle around...  In the meantime... it is what it is...

Back to the Launch... and a 2 week hiatus

I have six stitches in my foot.  Six!  It hurts like you wouldn't believe.  I worked from home today, which was probably a good call given the -8 degree windchill anyway.  I do NOT want the other moles touched until after the Buffalo Marathon.

For the next week I'm pretty much laid up.  I'm an antsy person who likes to be on the go, but when I try to stand on my foot, the pain near my heel quickly reminds me of the procedure I had yesterday.

Next Monday I'll be allowed to do some stationary biking.  No running until the stiches are out though.  I'll have the stitches removed on February 4th, and then I'll be back on the roads... or the treadmill.  It's a good week to be laid up in Buffalo!  We're certainly making up for our virtually snowless and unseasonably warm winter we had last year.

But honestly, I cannot wait to get back to training.  I am using the Brooks Launch again.  The Adrenaline just were not working out.  I am going to have words with my orthopedic surgeon about this.  I need neutral shoes.  I simply can't part with my orthotics.  This philosophy is more expensive, but I'd rather invest 400 dollars into a good pair of orthotics that will last me years rather than buy a 90 dollar pair of shoes that won't let me put even 20 miles on them.

In touching base with some people on the Buffalo Buffalo Track Club Forum, I learned, that my form is likely what is causing me my knee pain.  I always thought good form meant standing erect, moving arms in such a way to allow ample oxygen, and kicking forward to allow a long heel-to-toe stride.

I learned that the heel-to-toe approach is a recipe for becoming injured, though even the best runners have a tendency to do this.  And why not?  It is the fastest and most efficient way to propel yourself forward when running.

A midfoot strike, right below your upright body with a backward "butt kicking" motion is the most conducive to running fast and remaining uninjured.  A heel-to-toe motion can cause knee damage, hip problems, and lower back pain.  I never knew any of this.  Watching some of the best runners out there, I was always intrigued with the "flying forward" type motion that seemed to come with a really good kick.  There's a reason those runners seem to disappear from race results, though!  

So, I need to learn to run again.  I can do it, but that powerhouse kick is going to need to retire.  Right before my surgery yesterday, I went to the gym and practiced running the "right" way for 4 miles.  I held a decent pace, but it certainly did not feel as efficient.  With age and natural wearing and tearing over the years, changing your form is something you need to do if you want to run for life.

Just when I thought I had it all figured out!  Once I'm better, I'd like to make an appointment with Run Smart to have my form analyzed.  Maybe do one of their boot camps.  I believe that health insurance may cover it if I can get it referred as physical therapy.  *sigh* The lengths we go to do the sport we love...

The Flu Season and Training

Nate came down with the flu on Friday, and now I'm getting sick.  It was bound to happen.  Thankfully I made homemade chicken soup yesterday before my symptoms began.  It was my first time attempting this.  While I'm usually pretty good at whipping things up on a whim, homemade or otherwise, I kinda screwed this up.  I didn't realize one could over-boil a chicken.  The soup tastes good, but the chicken is just kind of mushy.  Some tiny bones also made it through the colander.  Oh well, live and learn.

I was just on the go nonstop yesterday, trying to take care of both myself and Nate. By 8:30 am I was at the gym for a 5 mile run.  Then breakfast at Tim Horton's.  Mom called while I was out and we talked for an hour.  I just sat sipping coffee in my sweaty gym clothes.  By the time I knew it, it was close to noon.  I went to Dashes to get Nate some goodies, an Amish Fryer chicken and some veggies.  Soup time.  After talking to my mom, I learned my sister was going through some tough things in life.  I took my time making her a CD of heartfelt Ben Folds songs.  I swung by my parent's house to give it to her.  Before I knew it, it was 4:00 in the afternoon.

Last night, it just hit me.  This overwhelming feeling of fatigue and dizziness.  I had a 10-11 miler scheduled for today, but I can't do it.  I am disappointed.  I assume I'll be okay for my foot surgery tomorrow, but this was supposed to be my final long slow run before my 2 week recovery.  I'm slightly bitter, but I'll bounce back.

I'll have 16-17 weeks left to train before the Buffalo Marathon.  I talked to a couple of veteran marathoners who said that should be plenty of time for me, but I have been so dead-set on following this regimented schedule.  I feel that deviating from it for two weeks will be a huge determent.  This being my first 26.2, I want to make sure I do it right.

Anyway, as much as I would like to do that run today... it would be foolish.  I need to put my health first.  It isn't fair, but people get sick and that's life.

Moving forward, one step at a time...

Yesterday afternoon, Nate drove me to Orchard Park so I could get new running shoes.  I was extremely nervous about changing my running philosophy after 14+ years of running in neutral shoes with orthotics, but I'm doing it.  I'm learning to run again in a new way with each step I take.

It's a change. My new shoe is the Brooks Adrenaline GTS 12. Some muscles that have not been worked in a while (or ever) are now working.  The good news is I do not really even need my knee brace.  Take that, arthritis!  I think my foot is a half a size too small for the size 6, but I'll manage.

I completed a 5 mile workout yesterday and today a 9 mile run.  My legs are tired!  I used the "dreadmill" since our Buffalo weather has absolutely sucked, but I'm not going to let that deter me.

I'm more nervous about the surgery I'll need to have on my foot on Jan 21st.  I just had no idea how dangerous moles could be.  But I'm getting out of the funk I've been in over the past week and I'm training like I'll be running the race of my life in May, regardless of the unknown.

Peace out.