*tap tap* Is this Thing On?

Hi guys.

Well, it's been awhile. This tends to happen to me during the summer; given the time to truly isolate myself, I turn off notifications, ignore texts, and step away from my blog and social media a bit. This tendency was completely exacerbated by my frustration and sadness over my injury.

I am a naturally cynical person. I work hard to force myself to think positively, and to come across as positive on my blog. I simply didn't have the energy for that kind of thing over the last four weeks, so I took some time off. Let's call it a mental health month. I'm not sure I'm back, necessarily, but I needed to update with the latest on my calves, for my sake if for nothing else.

After returning from DC in May, I stopped running. This means I took about two weeks off before I realized I needed to have symptoms for my pressure test. I ran every day the week before the test, purposely pounding my feet and doing some bridge repetitions to feel some tightness.

By Monday, I was at a pain level of 4 or 5; I had been experiencing 8-9. I was worried this wouldn't be good enough for my pressure test, but didn't want to reschedule it. (I think this was a dumb decision; I should I pushed it back until my symptoms were fully there.)

On Tuesday morning Matt and I drove down to my doctor where the PA, Mark, would do my test. The worst part was the lidocaine injections to numb my calves. Talk about burning!

After that, Mark initially tested two compartments on each calf: the anterior and superficial posterior. He recorded the initial readings. I could feel pressure against my skin and a little "pop" when the needle went in, then another kind of pop when the needle came out. I didn't have any pain or discomfort, but there was definitely blood.

You can see where I was marked for injections and the holes where the pressure needle went in. Matt said it looked like Mark tried to insert the lidocaine needle and the pressure needle into the same holes each time; he was very careful and had awesome bedside manner, always telling me which leg he was working on and when to expect pressure, etc.

(Matt told me later that, even though he is not squeamish and was awake for his wisdom teeth removal, he could not have had this test done. The needle is a pretty wide gauge and he said he could see me skin denting and pushing in before the needle finally popped through the skin.)

After the initial readings (which sounded low to me, although one compartment was already at the 15mgm reading) I ran on the treadmill. I made the mistake of cranking up the speed and the incline, so I was tired out by the time 20 minutes rolled around and called it quits even though my legs didn't necessarily hurt...they were just tired.

What is this face I'm giving Matt?

I mean, maybe they hurt? It was hard to tell with the numbing agent and the incline; I felt like I didn't even know where my body should be at this point, or how much pain they would need to get a good reading. I would say I was at about a 4 after 20 minutes.

Mark inserted the pressure needle back into each compartment twice more, once after a minute of rest and again after four more minutes. He used the same entry-hole each time, so I wouldn't have a bunch.

The readings weren't very high, from what I could tell. (I think the highest at this point was 17mgm, and we were looking for 20-30). I never heard "Holy crap!" or anything, and he wanted me to go back on the treadmill so he could test one more compartment on each leg.

He gave me more lidocaine so he could test the deep posterior compartment, then put me back on the treadmill for ten more minutes. By this time, my lower legs felt numb. It was really hard to tell if I was having pain and tightness or not.

He tested the last compartment on each leg. The left deep posterior read very high, but it was jumping around a lot (26-36). Mark removed the needle to recalibrate it to 0, then inserted it again. I'm not sure if the final reading was high or not. By this time I was feeling too despondent to ask; I was sure the results weren't going to be conclusive.

Mark and his assistant got me cleaned me up, and told me Dr. Guerra would review the results and get back to me when he returned from vacation. And that was it!

For reference, on the left leg, you can see where all three pressures were taken.

My legs are pretty sore now, especially in the deep posterior area, but I haven't even needed Advil or ice. I'm a good healer.

The whole thing took a few hours, including waiting-room time, and went smoothly, but I am absolutely sure the results won't be conclusive. I honestly don't know if I'll be able to do this test again due to cost...but I am hoping they will still consider treating me based on other factors.

So, that's that for now. Hopefully I'll hear back soon with the next step in the plan. In the meantime, I'm sorry for my absence, and I hope you all have been doing well. I've tried to keep up with many of you on Instagram and Facebook; my heart just can't take running blogs at the moment.

ABK

What the Heck are Flatties?

When I wrote about my friend Christine taking a flattie-Ali along for a half marathon, a couple people were unfamiliar with this practice. I forget sometimes that my virtual running community on Facebook does some weird things...even for runners.

The best pictures for flatties are running photos, of course. The more fun and festive the picture, the better.

Flatties first started (for me, at least) with the Runner's World Festival in 2014. Dozens of Sub-30 members were attending the event, and those of us who were sad to miss out were hoping to somehow still participate. Someone cam up with the idea to send a laminated photo of ourselves to someone who would be at the event. That way, we could "tag along" during the races and enjoy the festivities.

Jennifer's comment says it all! When I actually got to meet her at Gasparilla this year, it was like we'd already run a race together!

I'm sure you've heard of people writing names on their arms and "running for" someone else...this is just a more tangible way of doing that.

As you guys saw on the post with Christine, bringing flatties along can be a means of keeping injured runners "running" and emotionally supported. Sometimes runners bring the flatties with them during a hard race for their own motivation and mental strength. I remember one time, we sent flatties by the dozens to a friend who was having knee surgery, so he wouldn't be alone.

There are lots of good ways to carry flatties. They have caught on in our group and now it's not uncommon to see someone with half a dozen or more pinned on.

Running belts and Camelbaks are a great way to carry multiple flatties at once!

Flatties also get to join the post-race party. They travel to new places and indulge in post-race meals. It really does make you feel like you're part of the fun!

Buckling in for a flight, staying hydrated before the race, and enjoying sightseeing and post-race snacks.

I talk about the Sub-30 Club pretty frequently here, and this is just another part of what makes this running group so wonderful. I didn't even realize this might be a strange or unique practice because it's pretty usual for the kind of fun and love Sub-30 is all about.

ABK

Weekly Workouts: 5/22-5/28

The last week of school is HERE! This week always means lots of late evenings and exhaustion, and despite good intentions, this week was totally a bust. I was at work late every day and slept a ridiculous amount over the weekend. But I think I just needed it.

I need to find my motivation as summer begins. The truth is, I've been feeling unmotivated and dejected this week. Even though I know answers are close at hand, I am just in a funk. I miss running. I'm bored of all other workouts. I'm physically and mentally tired. I haven't even had the energy or interest to watch my junk TV, let alone watch it while on the max trainer!

I hope taking a break will help my mind get back on track.

Monday 5/22: Rest. I think I was up for a workout but just...lost track of time? I had my appointment with Dr. Guerra so that contributed to my laziness.

Tuesday 5/23: Two Blogilates videos with Elizabeth before the Sports Awards banquet.

The second video is one of my favorites!

Wednesday 5/24: 8th grade graduation. I wore heels. Big mistake. My calves were not happy!

Thursday 5/25: Rest.

Friday 5/26: Student teams vs. faculty volleyball game on the last day of school. This was a fun, active 75 minutes in the Florida sun!

We played three sets. Faculty won the first, kids won the second, and then they won the third 28-26. It was really fun!

Saturday & Sunday: Rest.

Here's to more energy and a better mindset this week.

ABK