First run back post surgery

So yesterday the opportunity arose and I took it. The wife didn't realize I had the day off, which I told her in December, so she had plans to take the kids to a friends for the morning. Thîs gave me the morning! Yee haw! Free time! 

I had booked the day off and had signed up for a short martial arts seminar but luckily had some spare time. So, I went for a run. First time back post surgery. I felt decent and took it super easy keeping my heart rate at low MAF. In December that was maybe 7:30 minute mile pace for 8 miles. Yesterday I ran just under 9 minutes for 3.5 miles. So I've lost a shit ton of fitness as I'd expected. But with no events in site I just need to take it easy, heal up, and rebuild avoiding injury.

Today my legs are a little sore. I was noticeably tired yesterday afternoon. My hernia is a bit more sore than normal this morning but I'm not too concerned. I'm just happy to be getting out again. 

First day back at JKD

Last night I attended my first day back at JKD since surgery. Actually went really well. I was a bit hesitant at first since so much of my core is used in all aspects of martial arts but today I'm fine. We warm up with sprinting in place, push ups, sit ups, burpees, etc. and it all felt good which was a relief. Most of the hour was Silat takedowns finishing in arm bars/breaks. The dynamic movements and being thrown to the ground definitely made me take it easier than normal but I'm very happy with how I'm feeling today. The actual surgery site didn't hurt at all, mainly the muscles above the scar hurt, kind of a sore muscle/cramp feeling. 

Outside of the surgery pain I sure am happier now mentally doing something physical. Damn have I been down. Sure am looking forward to running soon! 

Just listening to a new podcast. The Upper Midwest Trail Runners started a talk show focusing on the Midwest. They are based in Minnesota. 

Pretty cool and very active organization it seems. I've been following their Facebook page for a while now in hope of some day being more involved. 

They speak with the Superior 100 race director pertaining to his decision to use a lottery system to enter his races. Unfortunately it's a necessary evil. Definitely justified but kind of a bummer. Glad I did that race when I did, who knows if I'll get another chance! 

I have a love hate relationship with social media. So much inspiration to be found. Following athlete dirtbags living the dream. Traveling. Racing. Experiencing. Seeing. Meeting. It breeds jealousy and I just want to disconnect. Sometimes I do and it's nice, so very nice! 

Impatience will only cause problems

Holy shit am I chomping at the bit to start getting out again. Not only because I love it but it makes me happy. Even the shittiest day of screaming kids and pms-ing wife is made better with even a 20 minute run. I look forward to the 4am wake up call to go run. Get away. Escape. Get outside. Yeah I get grumpy, I'm not all happy smiley all the time, and you know why? Most likely because I haven't ran! 

But I think it best to hold out until April 1st though. I can walk at full speed and stride with a tiny cramp feeling so I'm on my way to get better. I'm really tempted to try a super easy run but then I look at the kids' sleep routines and figure if I wait I'll have the time change in my favor which will make the other stresses easier (ie avoiding family time). The UK daylight savings changes this weekend I believe and hopefully the dark mornings will work in my favor getting the kids to sleep in an extra hour. 

I'd try my bike but with the room rearrange we've done my daughter sleeps directly above the garage that houses my trainer and the treadmill which could wake her up. Grrrrr!

I keep looking at new challenges. Even one-off things like Ironman Wales in 2016, just to say I did that. Distance no longer intimidates me. Finding time to train does. Injuries do. I keep reading about Arrowhead 135, Tuscobia 150, and other winter races. So intrigued by these but what's the point in training for something when you don't live in that climate? Same with cool mountain races, too hard to train for right now. 

I think focusing on marathon training is key right now. The time required is manageable and in order to step up to ultra distances all you need is to lengthen your long run which is not only fun but also manageable. The big benefit is the increase in speed. I think if I can properly execute a decent marathon plan I can be fast. I can be a solid sub-elite runner. 

Now I just need to be able to confidently start. 

Running and a Right Inguinal Hernia

So I'm ten days out from my inguinal hernia surgery. I haven't posted lately and kind of wish I would've given a day by day breakdown. So I'll attempt to recollect the past ten days in case someone stumbles across this same issue and is looking for questions. Not that everyone will have the same experience but here's mine.

Day 0:

Per most surgeries involving anesthetic no food or drink for a specific time frame leading up to the procedure is required. No big deal. Fortunately, eating a high fat diet, not eating is very easy for me. I wake up, shower, and head out the door to catch the train at 648 heading to the hospital. I figured it just easier than having the wife give me a ride since the kids would be up soon. So I arrive at 715, get all checked in, changed, and settle in. The room is nice, very hotel-like, but super hot so I turn down the heat. People come and go. Nurses. Physio. Surgeon. Anesthetist. I wait until I believe nearly 2pm when they finally come get me. Thank god for free wifi and Netflix! 

Next thing I remember is chatting with a nurse, then the anesthetist is juicing me up. For fun I try to fight the drugs as long as I can. Next thing I know I'm trying to talk to a nurse. The thoughts are there but my mouth won't work. She asks me to tell her her name, I give her the wrong name, the physios name, and everyone laughs. I'm wheeled off to my room to let the drugs wear off. 

Thère I sit, or lay. I feel tight and stiff in my core. I eat some crappy sandwich and start drinking water. Supposedly I can't go until I pee. So I wait. I wait. Until finally it's bedtime for the kids and the wife shows up to get me. Then the nurses tell me it's really not necessary for me to pee, only if I was old! Anyway, we consider the sleeping arrangement at home, the stairs, accessibility. Then head home. 

I'm sent home with pain killers galore. Manage the two flights of stairs slowly. Bedtime.

Day 1- 2

I wake up feeling ok other than the stiffness I felt the night before. The pain isn't too bad. It feels like a really bad bruise in my lower abdomen. It's difficult to bend or put any stress on my abs. This makes for slow going in and out of bed! I'm able to slowly go up and down stairs but it is painful and awkward. Pooping poses no threat as I've been preparing my fiber intake accordingly! Day 2 I take a shower which is nice but awkward. I was fortunate they covered the incision with a waterproof bandage! Even though I'm mobile the more I move around the more the site becomes achey, almost feels like a cramp.

Day 3 - 5

Everyday is better and I move about more but the ache returns later in the day. I try to lay in bed as much as I can but doing nothing has always been tough for me! I'm bored! I've removed the dressing and the incision is a few inches long but neat and clean. I'm bruised all around. Stitches are poking through and will need to be removed after day 10.

Day 6 - 8

I'm doing things around the house now to fill the boredom despite  knowing I  should stay put. Things around the house need to be done because no one is doing them. I do laundry, carry kids, feed kids, play with kids. I feel it late in the day. I'm very mobile and able to do anything but using my core has repercussions. The incision is swollen by the end of the day. I press on it and it feels rigid. 

Day 9 -10 (today)

I feel good, normal, but still any use of the incised muscles results in an ache. I can get up no problem from most positions. Any pain is minimal but a reminder that it's too soon. Today I walked with my son in the stroller to the grocery store. Too much? I don't know. I feel ok but the thought of too much lingers! 

I am eager to start training. Exercising. All the things I normally do. But I need to take it easy. 

I think the worst part of this whole thing is the mental side, having to stop. I had such a killer race schedule lined up all to come to a halt. Well starting over from new can't be all that bad. I've been able to rethink my training. How can I come back stronger? How can I train more efficiently. 

So one day at a time I rebuild. 

The day has come. It's hernia time. Let's plug this thing up and start focusing on getting strong again.