MSers in Training 2015

[Suebee]

Steph. That's wonderful news about your 10k training. It gives me encouragement for my own goal. For cooling, I got creative with soft ice pacts for kids boo boos. They are light and fit inside clothing and a spare or 2 can be put in runner fanny pack. I also really like the sports towels you soak in cold water and drape around neck. I volunteered at an event and wrapped a thin disposable ice pack for injuries around my waist. There are lots of ice packs on market. Good luck ! And keep us posted. It's exciting to hear about your accomplishments. Suebee

[Steph]

So I'm about 2 weeks away from the 10k I'm going to run in, and training is going pretty well. I'm using the Hal Higdon novice plan. My problem is that it is getting warmer out, so my legs and feet are acting up from the heat. It was great when the temps were 40's and 50's, but I'm starting to see problems when it gets into the 60s. Does anyone here have any ideas for how I can stay cool? I think a cooling vest would be too bulky for me to enjoy running while wearing it, and I don't want to invest in one and not wear it.

I've found my cycling has taken a backseat to the running for now, and I've had trouble finding enough time to ride! I may have to do the 65 mile route instead of the 100 due to lack of training. I will try to get in a lot of cycling after the 10k is over in early May and see how I do.

Larry, your mile count is amazing! It sounds like you will be more than ready!

Marina, your pace doesn't sound all that slow! My husband and I only averaged between 11-12 mph on our hybrids last summer! I think you're doing great!

[Suebee]

Veronica and Larry thanks for your advice on my hip flexors. Larry have a great trip!. My knees have given me a lot of trouble. My hips and legs are very tight and stiff I'm limping. so im taking a break from exercise. I'm framing it in my mind as having highlighted the extent of my physical weaknesses that I need to work on.
If my knees and hips don't get better soon l will visit GP and see if I qualify for some pt. I guess I was so determined to exercise that I didn't realize all the aches and pains were telling me to stop. MS is so deceptive. ! But now I know I need serious focus on hips and core.
Bkny , glad to hear you have exercise plan and are working on hips. I don't think any medical staff ever told me I needed to work on this. Be sure to rest and listen to your body. I should have taken my own advice and I wldnt have sore knees rt now! Good luck and keep us posted on your regimine. Suebee

[bknyfinest1]

Training this week

I'm starting my all out training plan this week. Actually today was day one. I was doing my 2x a week PT, two weeks ago I added my weekly Pilates class and last week I got the go ahead from my therapist to add the elliptical.

The biggest problem is my left calf spasticity, which continues to act up during an knee bend/leg extension exercise that I do. If the instructor calls for 8 reps I can get through 4-5 before my leg stops responding. Annoying to say the least but I'm not giving up yet.

I also had no idea how bad my hip flexors are. The effect the tightness has on my activities is really significant. I've been doing stretches to target my flexors but it's apparent that I have my work cut out for me over the next few weeks (months?).

I had Pilates this morning, and now I'm home sitting down (finally, heehee). I'm glad Monday is my day off, I sure need it.

I hope everyone has a great day!

[Veronica]

Hi all, and Happy Spring weekend.
Larry, I hope you have a great time in the Netherlands.. enjoy all your journeys over there...and toast us all with the Heinekens! ( I am gathering you are having more than one....)
Marina, Happy to hear you are back rollin' outside...bet it feels good.
Suebee, the hip flexor dilemma IS a major stumbling block ( no pun intended!) It also factors into cycling, as when I am on the two wheeler or the trike, my right leg at the knee ends up turning in and will hit the chain ( Marina has written about this, too...) I am also on a pretty decent exercise regime to work on this ( but nowhere near as extensive as Larry...) and have seen some improvement, but it is very slow going. And some days for reasons that are part of the mystery of MS, I think, it is hardly a factor, while other days it just fires up very early. With the trike, my PT and I have spoken of getting a custom fitting for an adaption to the bench type seat, to give my hip the support that the seat does not give me.

I am moving forward with checking out training wheels for the Bike Friday. Have ordered a set ( EZ- Trainer.com ) and plan on taking these and the bike to the bike shop on Friday to see what he can do. The manufacturer has this fitting bikes with wheels at a min 24" and mine is 20". My bike guy wants to try changing the training wheels from 16" to 12" ones and see if that works. If not, I may very well be buying another new bike! ( Bike Friday purchased in 2012, trike in 2014.) I am getting abit obsessed with being able to ride socially again, and safely. Feel I am so close...

Rotator cuff injury is slowly healing, so I continue not doing any planks for now....Still doing the pilates version, which I also like,and feel that is strengthening my core just as well.

Happy trails everyone!

[AMFADVENTURES]

Suebee, you hit a big one, hip flexors, right up there with drop foot, fatigue and optical neuritis but not as talked about. That and core are primarily what my PT has been working on. She managed to find my weakest core and hip flexor muscles and develop exercises to work on them. The good news is that they do seem to respond, albeit slowly. Squats, lunges, single leg back bridges, leg rotation from the hip, butt walking, all kinds of leg lifts, knee lifts, step ups, stairs, stairs sideways and about a million more. In fact, taking on a full top to bottom fitness program seems to help everything and I suspect it's even more important for PWMS. Make sure you take measures to recover from your exercise too, recovery is the key to getting stronger. Some call it adaptation because it's when the body adapts to the stress being placed on it by making itself stronger. Adaptation only takes place during rest and it won't happen any faster than naturally possible nor can it be forced.

I'm going to get two 40 mile rides in this weekend and then I'm off on a bike and barge trip through the Netherlands, tulips, Van Gogh, Rembrandt, Heineken, etc. The longest ride will be 50 Km and the most elevation change is 600 ft. but there will undoubtedly be plenty of walking to compensate for any shortage of cycling. I'm taking my hiking poles, an ankle orthotic, an Ace bandage wrap and plenty of athletic tape. Hopefully I'll be able to shore up at least some of those malfunctioning joints if the walking gets to me.

Have fun all, you may not hear from me for a couple of weeks,

Larry

[Suebee]

I forgot to add link to article I referenced. Here it is http://runnersconnect.net/running-in...pain-syndrome/

[Suebee]

Don't worry about bogging down the race event ! I've been with my husband who races, and in my experience there are many supportive people urging on the ones in behind. Such a positive atmosphere.

With re to my 5k interval training, I may have to focus on strength exercises and maybe stationary bike for awhile. Today was wk 2 day 3 of my schedule. I have not been able to sprint since after the first day. In fact my jog turned more and more into a shuffle. Today I had significant pain in my knees and fought through the pain hoping it would loosen up. But it didn't. I was confused as why my form has deteriorated do much this wk. So I googled it of course. Turns our weak hip flexors can cause this. Here is what I found :----
]t turns out that, while it appears that the kneecap “tracks” towards the outside of your leg during squatting and running motions, it’s actually the femur rotating underneath the kneecap This surprising fact perhaps explains why many runners (particularly women) with patellofemoral pain syndrome have weak hip abdu[/B]ctors and external rotators. This seems to contribute to altered biomechanics when they run. Because of their muscular weaknesses, their knee “collapses” towards the center of their body when they run. Some work has focused on directly altering the biomechanics of runners with patellofemoral pain syndrome by using a treadmill and camera system to provide gait analysis in real-time.

Unfortunately, this is not an option that’s widely available to most runners. Fortunately, some preliminary research has shown very good results from hip strengthening protocols. Specifically, the literature demonstrates that a successful program should definitely incorporate hip abductor, external rotator, and quadriceps strength.

Many programs that have produced good results also include hip flexor/extensor strength, closed-chain “functional” exercises like squats, and balance training.---

So I think I better try to get my hip flexors strong. I felt so good on first day running I want it again. Maybe I'll be able to use stationary bike in lieu of running. Any ideas on my hip flexors, let me know.

[Marinadca]

Finally got my bike outside!!! I did 7.5 miles on Monday and 11.5 yesterday.

I feel you Veronica on the isolating factor of the trike. There is a group newbie training ride on Saturday that I am hemming and hawing about going on or not, because, while it is held by the MS society, I dont know if they want the complication of someone on a trike there. Maybe later in the season when I am a bit faster. But right now my average is 10.5-11.5 mph and I worry that I will bog down the group.

So I ride with my husband (or alone when he is not around). We just (in the middle of Feb) moved somewhere very close to the trail (.3 miles away, no busy roads) so I am much more confident alone. But I feel a bit bad to go with him too as I know I am massively slowing him down.

Love the look of that race trike, the biggest issue I have with mine if the weight and going up hills. too bad the 1 carbon fiber one they make is so pricey!

[Suebee]

AM, I forgot to say congratulations on your cycling. Your posts keep me trying. Thanks!

[Suebee]

AM, I am really thankful to be attempting running and trying not to give up. Today is day 7 for me of plan. The first day I did 15 sec sprints with 45 sec walking i had pretty good form. It was effortful but didn't cause me to do nothing the rest of day, as prior attempts at exercise have done. So I figured I had pick a good interval. But after that my body mostly legs has had increase in spasticity. I'm very stiff moving rest of time. I took to stretching a lot more before and after. This helped a little. I have not been able to run sprints since because of tightness esp hip flexors. So I modified sprints to 1 min slow shuffle jog with best upright form I can muster followed by 1 min normal walk. I concentrated on breathing and used time to deliberately meditate and focus on blessing of my body moving rather than disappointment I am not sprinting. I have also told family and friends that I was training for 5 k and I was going to go it if it takes me 3 hrs to walk it! I like goal and it means something to me to do it. Yesterday was day 6 and first 3 mile walk/run. I did it with the 1 min shuffle 1 min walk and no stopping. I focused on my gratitude for that accomplishment and it was a joyful excercise. I did my route in a state forest with even terrain path in shade and it was breathtaking scenery. In fact, I brought my speedy healthy teenage daughter with me and she complained the whole way about being too hot, too buggy, too muddy, and how tired she felt. But I didn't feel any of that. She has never seen me "run" a distance before. How cool is that?

[AMFADVENTURES]

Veronica, 9 side planks on my weak side is my record so far too. But, I am feeling the benefit of the core exercises in more ways than I can mention. Hope that rotator cuff problem comes around soon.

Suebee, how are the long runs going?

Got 105 miles, 4 days, 8:20 total time and over 7,000 ft. of ascent last week. The climbing has begun. I've been working on pedal stroke for years now but finally feel like I'm getting it, especially on my weaker side. I'm also working on controlling my heart rate on the climbs. Although I may go a little slower, I seem to have better control over my cadence and pedal stroke and I have plenty of power when I need it on the short steep pitches. I also find I'm in better shape when I reach the top of these hills.

Take care all,
Larry

[Veronica]

Sue, Thanks for this info! That racing trike looks great. I probably will go for more of the training wheels as I spent a chunk of money on the recumbent trike last year.... I would want wheels for road riding. Since I see that Dave recently took his recumbent trike off road, I may indeed do the same! I just need to better research which training wheels work for 20" tires, and with a quick release rear wheel.... would love the type that responds to the movement of the bike so that I could get the natural movement of back and forth as I ride. But I am now hopeful! I'll let you know!

[Suebee]

Also, I looked at a lot if training wheels on line, if I go that route, I will likely get fat ones that enable you to ride on dirt (think park) http://www.especialneeds.com/tricycl...ng-wheels.html

[Suebee]

Veronica, I loved to bike before MS and now because of balance issues haven't taken my bike out. But I found quite a few elite athletes on the internet that use racing trikes. See link
http://www.syracuse.com/news/index.s...ampionshi.html
She got an axel from England and converted her bike. I talked to local bike shop where I live and they said they could tinker with it together. I wanted to get my endurance up before I lay out money to trike out my bike. I also won't be doing really long rides so I wanted to think about whether I would make my current hybrid a trike or buy a road bike to make into one. I agree with you, I want to be at standard bike level. I asked at one local race events if they would let me enter with trike. Yes! The racing trike is considered rare but if you search for para athlete on on internet you can find out more. Let me know how it goes ! Suebee