Rain drops keep falling on my head!

Since I'm still on my crutches, I certainly could have used one of these today! This guy looks like a total dork. My hat umbrella would most definitely need to have been much bigger. This one doesn't even look like it would keep his shoulders dry. My question is, when you close it, wouldn't it cover your face?

Yesterday, I had my second PT visit in the morning and first post-op appt. with Dr. Bharam in the afternoon. Both seemed to go smoothly. Bharam seemed to think I was making great progress. He reminded me that since I'm not the "typical" patient for this procedure, that he and my PT would be keeping a "close eye" on me. I had already gotten scolded (at PT) for showing up with only one crutch (whoops!). What can I say? I was feeling stronger and thought it would be more manageable to have one arm free. ugh... oh well, back to two it is (at least for one more week).

.

I can stand and walk a bit on my leg pain free, but aches and pains seem to be popping up in other places (apart from my left hip). I'm so happy with the progress that I've made so far (and please don't get me wrong), but yesterday I just felt so sad about it all. I was just so overwhelmed with sadness last night as I crutched home in the dark. I started to feel the dreaded hamstring pain which is what got me to where I am right now. And that combined with all the other pain (from compensating) just started to get to me. Both PT and Dr. Bharam's packed with patients (I suppose due to the holiday coming up) and not that I felt rushed, but I just began to feel a bit like a guinea pig or a lab rat in that some things about this whole procedure/recovery are still so vague. I know I have to stay positive, it's just been difficult to do. I don't like being in such a vulnerable position; having to have people help me with things and tell me what I can and can't do. It just doesn't suit me. I guess it's good in a way because it's definitely slowed me down for a bit, but I just wish that my anticipated outcome was a bit more clear. At least then, it would be easier to keep my chin up.

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Maybe I just need to go back and read my posts on postiive thinking. ;)

What causes a Labral Tear?

Because so many people have been asking me this question, I thought I'd post it. The following is information on Labral Tears courtesy of www.hiplabraltear.com:

What Causes the Hip Labral Tear?

Almost 80% cases of hip labral tear have no known direct cause. Tears may occur with a slow progression in human life. The known caused factors include degeneration, injuries, osteoarthritis and problematic recurring activities and movements on hip joint, may cause hip labral tear. Many osteoarthritis patients suffer from hip labral tears (acetabular labral tear). Because hip fractures may tear their labrum. However the contribution osteoarthritis to the development of the hip labral tear is still a controversial issue within the medical society. On the other hand, majority of the physicians in this field believe that there is a close relationship between osteoarthritis and labral tears.

The cause of hip labrar tears (acetabular labral tears) are

• Capsular laxity
• Femoral acetabular (acetabulum: concave surface of the pelvis, it is the socket of the hip joint) impingement (impingement syndrome that affects the hip joint)
• Dysplasia (pathologic abnormality in maturation of cells within a tissue)
• Trauma
• Degeneration
• Bony pinching
  

There is a theory that supports the idea that the cause of hip labral tear is because of femoroacetabular impingement (FAI) which generally occurs two forms; pincer and cam. FAI is a disease where the bones of your hip joint come too close and touch tissue or cause too much friction. Thus femoroacetabular impingement is associated with articular cartilage damage and labral tears and as a consequence a hip arthritis may arise at a younger age than usually takes place.

Physical activities that involve force adduction of the hip joint in association with rotation in either direction be likely to worsen the pain.

The length of the leg is also an issue. If one leg is shorter than other leg, this may affect your walking and may put pressure on your labrum. There are specially designed pads
in your shoes to support you for a proper walking.

Recovery is still going well and I can bare weight on the leg, but I'm trying not to as much as possible. I'm up to 80 degrees on the CPM machine (started at 40 degrees), so I'm at my max already with no pain! I have my post-op appt tomorrow at 2pm, so I'm excited to get feedback from my doctor on my progress. My PT homework is going well and I've also been able to ride the upright bike again for 20mins pain free. I'm excited about the progress I've made so quickly and hope it still keeps moving forward at that pace. :)

I'm too sexy for my crutches!

Good morning, party people!

Here is a picture of me before my first outdoor crutch-about on Wednesday night
(day after surgery).
PS: I look kind of crazy.

Recovery is going well so far and now that I'm an "old pro" at my daily post-op routine, I'm kicking it up a notch to add some new homework (courtesy of my PT duo of Ben Gelfand and Rebecca Kalb at STAR Physical Therapy). My first session of PT was last night and I was able to do the upright bike for 20mins (very very slowly)!

I'm amazed at how much stronger I feel every day. I was crutchin' around like a fool yesterday (to/from PT) and am paying for it a bit this morning. My leg is a bit sore and so are my arms. Oddly, my right glute (opposite leg) is super tight. I think because I've been using my right leg so much more for stability. So, I have to be careful not to hurt anything else while compensating the next few weeks.

I just want to thank all my friends and family for their thoughts and well-wishes this week. It's meant a great deal to me to have so many friends and fellow runners so concerned with my recovery. From the bottom of my heart, thank you!

And so the come back mission is on, baby! Stay tuned!

We All Need Somebody To Lean On

Whether it's through blogging or posting on discussion boards, our resources and ability to lean on other runners/athletes for support is infinite. When I was at my most heightened point of frustration with my injury, I turned to a Runners World discussion board for support. It was a few days after my initial diagnosis when I found one of the longest and largest discussions in under the "injury" section titled "torn labrum in hip". The discussion was initiated in September of 2004 and has about 2,098 posts and over 110,000 views. Of course, I have not read the entire discussion, but I have followed the stories of a few of the more frequent runners who have posted. I have also posted there, seeking advice.

When my PT and Doctor gave me the nod for surgery, my PT (in the presence of my Doctor) told me that I would be "underwhelmed" with the recovery. So, I had myself taking tomorrow (surgery day) and Wednesday off with the idea that I might be able to return to work on Thursday. However, I'm starting to think that taking a few more days off might be a better option after reading a response from another runner who has gone through the same surgery. I have posted his suggestions to me (from the discussion board) below,

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TheRunnerChick, I live in NYC so I can give you some advice. The CPM machine only bends your knee and hip to a certain degree determined by the doctor. Although it does look a bit crazy the motion it does is very simple. While you should be able to strap yourself into it you won't be able to lift it so someone will have to set it up for you. I did wear a hip brace. It's not too bad. THe first week really is the hardest...is there someone who can help you for the first week or two? At least drop by and do basic household things and help you out?
.

As for getting around NYC: I assume you have a week or two to just rest. You will need it most likely. You definitely do not want to go crutching around NYC in the first week even if you're feeling good. One, you don't want to overdo it and two if you are in a crowded area you definitely do not want anyone bumping into you. I would not attempt the subway on crutches. Wait until you are off of them...just not worth the risk of hurting yourself especially if you're by yourself. You could probably manage the bus, but it's hard because although you are on crutches you still really have to be careful not to overdo it and prolong your hip recovery. I took taxis. Yes, expensive, but I wasn't taking them often and it was the best way for me to get around. I am in school and I live about 3 blocks from school so I would go there and back. When I needed PT, doctor's appts, etc...I took cabs. My groceries were delivered from Fresh Direct and I had roommates in and out if I needed something. I did have to do a lot on my own and it's struggle, but hang in there, take it slow, and know that you will be frustrated at some points, but it will work out. Let me know if you have any other questions. Good luck!!

.

So maybe my original plan needs to be tweaked just a bit?? I suppose I won't really know what I this recovery is going to be like until I'm at that point, but I think the advice of "taking it slow" is something we can all benefit from when on a come back mission (like me).

.

Anyway, just wanted to promote sharing (again). I plan to continue posting on the Runners World discussion board as well as my blog to keep everyone posted on my progress. I promise not to make every post about me (because that's boring). If you know other runners who could benefit from more information on this injury, forward them to my blog or to the discussion boards on runners world. I know there are other helpful resources out there too, so if you would like to share them, please add a comment to this post.

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Godspeed, mighty runners!

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- TRC

Oh, that's hot!

So, it's four days until surgery and I really wanted to show off all of my flashy (post-op) accessories!

READY OR NOT....


Accessory # 1: The (deluxe) Bledsoe Philippon- Post-Op Hip Brace:




Oh yea, baby! You know you want one!





Accessory #2: The (incredibly comfy looking) foot positioning brace

As "Vivian" from the medical supply company told me (in her life long smoker sounding/native new yorker accent) ,

"if you have any friends with crazy fetishes, now's the time to invite them ov-ah"

Wow! lol!




Accessory #3: The Knee Continuous Passive Motion (CPM) Machine


I'll be riding this baby (the CPM machine) four hours a day!

Sorry boys, I don't think the chick's included. :)








Oh, and there's so much more! Just wait until you see my ice machine! wooooowhoooo!

I'd show you, but I just wouldn't want to make you too jealous! :)

Running in the Rain!

I'm heading up to Central Park tonight to do a short (ceremonial) fair well run with RUNNYC! It's been so long since I've gone up to run in the park and it looks like this will be my final chance to do so before surgery next week. I'm a little bit bummed because it's raining here in NYC, but as my grammar school track coach, Mr. Guano always said, "It never rains on a runner". :)

See ya in CP!

Free Ballin' !

Just in case you've been in sort of a cave (as I have been) for the past 3-5 days and haven't seen this, I thought you might enjoy a laugh.

If anyone can tell me whether they figured out if this was staged or not, please let me know. Real or fake, it's still mighty hysterical!

Have a spectacular week ... and remember to "be well and stay happy!" :)

PDF Champions Marathon Team - Spots Available!!

PDF Champions Marathon Team

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Marathon A-listers... such amateurs!

I was reading this article a few minutes ago and it got me thinking, why do we think it's such a big deal when A-listers run the NYC marathon? Well, I should actually rephrase that, because I don't think many New Yorkers actually care, but why does everyone else get hyped up about it. Yes, it's so very nice of them to run for charity and to also spend 4-hours surrounded by "normal" people, but really, why all the hype? What makes them different than the other thousands of runners out there shedding sweat and tears to raise money or just achieve a personal goal?


Although I must say that I found Actor Ryan Reynolds' post marathon comment quite humerous. After crossing the finish line, he told the Daily News, "I am going to allow three to four hours for my scary marathon face to go away and then I am going to eat my body weight in raw dough"

Huh! That's a heck of a lot of dough!! But let's get serious, only an amateur would care about their "scary marathon face". The rest of us just embrace it and go get drunk to numb the pain and to forget about how silly we look walking down the street. :)

But I am feelin' him on the dough comment. Personally, I dream of Philly soft pretzels after finishing a marathon. yum!!!!!!

I Feel it All !

NYC MARATHON 2008

Wow! What a show yesterday!



It may have been a bit chilly for spectators, but what an unbelievably perfect day for distance running!


Watching a marathon (especially in NYC) is truly magical. It's so hard not to let the passion that flows from over 37,000 hopeful, energetic, and enduring marathoners permeate your soul. It's incredible! And there's just something about the buzz of this city that puts the icing on the cake.. and make's you "feel it all". :)


Congrats to all the 2008 finishers!!!

All Aboard!

Where will you be at 4:45am the morning of November 2, 2008? If you are planning to join the other 40,000 some people running the 2008 New York City Marathon tomorrow morning, you'll most likely be getting ready to hit the road to get on over to Staten Island.

And if you're planning to make your way to Staten Island via the Staten Island Ferry, you may just see my bright and smiley face at the ferry terminal. I've signed up to volunteer tomorrow to help as an escort and "unloading marshal". I'm not certain at this point if I'll be actually on the ferry or just at the terminal (Staten Island side), but I'm pumped to help out in any way I can!

Hope to see you there!



Best of luck to all our NYC 2008 runners!

PS: Remember to turn your clocks back tonight!

"Favorite Thing" Fridays - COME BACKS!

Everybody loves a come-back!

So, now that I've answered the question, "Is she still alive?", what about you? Are you still out there? :)

Wow! Well, its certainly been a while since my last post. I just got increasingly difficult to keep posting since I felt that most of my posts just focused on my hip/hammy drama. And since in the last (almost) two months, I haven't really been doing too much running and nothing had changed with my injury, well, there seemed to be little I wanted to write about.

Watching everyone gear up for marathon season has been so difficult. I'm okay with not running one this fall, but I'm not okay with the fact that I still can't run.... well, can't run fast and frequent like I normally would be. Also, my new career as a medical circus poodle has consumed my life and temporarily sucked the passion out of my very being. ...and yes, I have become a bit of a drama queen!! However, things in the circus poodle realm did take a bit of a twist a few weeks ago. Let me explain, but let me start from where I left off in the summer...

Since my labrum tear diagnosis in early August, I have been on a steady recommended diet of slow, flat, infrequent running. I have complimented this insufficient meal with a few servings a week of the elliptical and swimming. As you may recall, following my diagnosis my Orthopedist, Dr. Bharam said that he wanted me to go to physical therapy because he did not feel comfortable operating on me until he was certain that my symptoms could not be fixed by PT treatment. In his words, "I treat patients and symptoms, not MRI films". I found this very honorable, but frustrating since, in my mind, it meant that the saga would continue. He sent me to his "go-to" Physical Therapist, Ben Gelfand (owner to S.T.A.R. Physical Therapy) in midtown who spent a decent amount of time assessing me and asking questions. He prescribed two weeks of VERY slow and flat and short (could this get worse) running. Ben had a great sense of humor and I like his action plan, so I was content with backing off and logging my progress. After two weeks, I e-mailed my progress to him, which really wasn't all too promising. After a few weeks of phone tag and a long over due conversation, I was set up with an appointment to meet both Dr. Bharam and Ben together at one place.

Finally, judgement day arrived (or at least that's what if felt like) and I met with both Bharam and Gelfand to discuss my fate. After another evaluation and a significant conversation about my progress (or lack there of), they decided that surgery to repair my labrum tear would be the next best option. And so there you have it... I'll be going in for the procedure next month with the hopes that my symptoms have been related to this injury or that they will be better treated by first fixing this deficiency in my hip.

When I first met with Ben he promised me the Broad Street Run in 2009. And not just a "you can finish" the race, but a " you can race the race". When we met to discuss the surgery, Ben assured me that I would be underwhelmed with the recovery. A few days on crutches, a few weeks until I was returning to activity and then a few months (4-5) until I was out running.

Oddly, I had peculiar dream last night which concerned my recovery. I dreamt I already had the surgery and had just woken up in the recovery room. To my surprise, Coach Cane was in the next gurney and he had just had the same surgery. After saying hello and exchanging the normal niceties (of course) I jumped to my feet and started walking. Everything felt great! So great that I was like, see ya Coach Cane and I went in the next room where there was an indoor pool and I started swimming a few laps. ha! I mean Ben did in fact tell me I'd be underwhelmed by the recovery! Anyway, my hip and hammy started to hurt of course and so I went back to tell Coach Cane who immediately said, I told you so. ha! ...That Coach Cane, such a wise man!

So...back to reality and now it's count down to surgery day. I'm back bloggin' for now.. but the true comeback starts November 18th. Stay tuned!

"Courage + believe = life"

John Challis, the teenager from western PA who became nationally known the past few months, died of liver and lung cancer Tuesday afternoon at his family's home in Freedom Township. He was only 18, but he passed away with a sense of accomplishment.

John's story is truly inspirational. He had an amazing way of looking at the world and was able to touch so many people and change their perspective on life. I wrote about him a few times earlier this year after seeing him on TV at a Penguins game. He was an amazing young man and his story touched my heart. Hopefully he has touched yours as well.

"Life ain't about how many breaths you take. It's what you do with those breaths" - John Challis

Circus poodle

Over the past month, progress on my hamstring issue has been minimal while I worked to sort out a few billing issues with my health insurance (again). I'm not going to lie, a few weeks were also spent vacationing and trying to forget about it all. But this week I got the results of my third MRI and met up with "Orthopedist #3" again to go over them.

Basically, I got a call yesterday from my Doctor's office saying the results were in and that I needed to make an appt. immediately. All they told me was that they had found a "small tear" and I needed to discuss it with the Doc. Since this past MRI was a (painful) arthrogram, the focus was more on my hip/hip joint rather than the hamstring muscles. So when I got this call, all I could think was, finally a diagnosis!

Before my appt this afternoon I couldn't hold myself back from googling away to try and find runners with similar symptoms who were also found to have a labral tear. Just in doing a simple search, "hip labral tear and hamstring pain", I found Tim here who seems to have similar symptoms as me (sans the catching/clicking in the hip). Although thoroughly depressing, I felt somewhat relieved to finally know what was causing this pain. So, it seemed to me (at this point/earlier today), all I had to do was go speak with my Doctor about what I should do next.



However things took an unforeseen twist when I got to my Doctor's office. He showed me the films and confirmed the small tear in my labrum cartilage, but then explained to me how the symptoms for a typical hip labral tear really do not include hamstring pain. Considering that I do not seem to have the normal symptoms for this type of injury, he was concerned that this was not what was bothering me. He explained further that he "treats patients and not MRI films".
He mentioned that I could be experiencing displaced pain, but that basically "he really does not know". He confirmed that the tear will not heal on it's own and "could" get worse (yes, "COULD"). He also said that he could operate, but since my symptoms are "displaced", there is no guarantee that surgery would help the pain I'm experiencing.

So, what he suggested was sending me to a Physical Therapist for another evaluation and strength test. He said that after "his PT" evaluates me he will have a better idea of how to proceed. Well, damn-it if this news didn't make me well up with tears... again. I'm so fucking sick of this (sorry to cuss)! I'm in pain most days of my life and have cut my running back to a pathetic amount. If my hamstring looks fine but I have a tear in my labrum.. well, let's just get on with things. Let's just fix it if it won't fix itself. I'm so tired of whining about this and I just want to get out there and run, but I don't want things to get worse and I'm frustrated by the worsening pain and my inablity to run as fast and as strong as I know I can. I'm losing fitness and friends. ha! okay, maybe the last part was an exageration, but my friends are all out there running. I watch race after race go by.. and it plain out stinks!

But I guess I have no choice but to keep jumping through hoops until I find an answer.

Mighty or Mousey?

Did anyone else read this article, Couch Mouse to Mr. Mighty by Pills Alone ? The idea of a normal, healthy person popping GW1516 so they don' t have to get off the couch and workout is about as silly as a mouse who is dresses like Superman and has super powers which allow him to fly and defend the world from crime and disruption. Seriously people?!?!?

.

To be honest, I actually love the idea of mighty mouse, he's just so cute! But the idea of GW1516 or Aicar for use other than to help individuals in poor health (i.e. diabetes), I don't like so much.

Now if science could just redirect focus to engineering real life mighty mice to help stop the evil in the world, well, that would just seem like better use of their time. But that's just my opinion, I suppose. I guess some people might not like millions of flying mice with bulging muscles and capes defending us from crime. oh well.

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Btw, the runner chick still alive! muhahahahaha! ...She's a bit more tan these days and still only running a few days a week on a bum leg. However, I'm happy to report, that she has continued to work hard to strengthen her own muscles the natural way ....and hasn't resorted to pill popping at this point (thank goodness!).

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have a great weekend!!!

Afghan Female Olympian Missing

I know this is last week's news, but I'm just catching up to speed. I wanted to share this story with anyone who also maybe missed it last week or who is just interested in how it continues to develop. It saddens me when I realize that we still live in a world where not all female athletes are supported and encouraged to excel in sports and take pride in such accomplishments.

Mehboba Ahdyar, a 19-year-old track runner who competes in the 800 and 1,500 meters disappeared from the training center she was staying at last week. Her luggage and passport were gone and rumor has it that she is seeking asylum in Norway. She had been training on an International Olympic Committee (IOC) scholarship. The IOC scholarship program assists athletes from smaller, under -developed nations.

With the 2008 Summer Olympics less than a month away, it seems as though there is little hope of her participation this year. The Afghan Olympic body, Sayed Mahmoud Zia Dashti, said Ahdyar had suffered a leg injury and was receiving treatment in Italy. The linked article quotes Sayed Mahmoud Zia Dashti saying, "I can confirm that she has injured her leg and that she has will not participate in the Beijing Olympics and that her family in Italy is taking care of her,". However as of last week, no one had heard directly from Mehboba Ahdyar as to her where abouts.

This more recent article states that Mehboba Ahdyar has been in contact with her family she in formed them that she was seeking asylum because of fears for her life. She has received death threats on her mobile phone from Muslim extremists who object to a Muslim woman participating in sports. The article further reads that "...earlier this year, her neighbors called the police, claiming she was a prostitute -- a charge that landed her father in jail until the matter was cleared up."

And to add another twist, I found this article which states that her parents are "reportedly" under pressure from members of the Afghan Olympic Committee who are telling them that they risk being thrown in jail if Mehboba does not come back to participate in the games.

This sounds like an awful situation and my heart just breaks for this poor young girl and her family. Being able to represent your country in the Olympics should be a joyous event for everyone, but this is clearly not a joyous experience for Mehboba and her famly.

AWESOME!

I can totally get through 3 miles. :)
Almost Famous is one of my favorite movies!
What a great event! Go Nike!
LOVE IT!

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"The only true currency in this bankrupt world...
is what you share with someone else when you're uncool. "
- Lester Bangs, Almost Famous

MRI - Arthrogram - Postponed!

Not that I was really looking forward to having dye injected into my hip (sounds lovely huh?), but I was very interested to see what this image would show. It seems that I will not have that opportunity, well at least not right now. As it turns out, the price of the Arthrogram was about $3,000! This is about $2,400 more than what the same imaging center told me it would cost the day before (when I called to find out). Plus, that price doesn't include the x-rays I'm schededule to get done as well.

Interesting how no one seems to know what they are talking about when it comes to medical billing and insurance. It seems like everyone just guestimates and hopes they are right. I imagin the United Health Care - customer service center as a whole floor of cubicals filled with customer service reps all sitting around chearping in the phone their best bullsh*t guestimates. With the corporate moto hanging on a banner over head, "Do your best to make sure the customer thinks you know what the hell you're talking about!" or "when all else fails, talk in circles until they give up".

Anyway, after going back and forth (on the phone) with my Doctor's office and the "peach" of a lady behind the glass at the imaging center, I decided to reschedule at a later time. I need to first figure out how I will pay for this.

It just frustrating knowing that I could shell out $800+ for MRIs and x-rays and have them turn out normal. Is that worth the peace of mind? I'm still trying to figure that out. Seriously, what do people do that have SERIOUS medical issues. On a scale of severity, my issue probably wouldn't even qualify as a "2" out of 10... and yet I want to scream.

I left the imaging center and sat by the east river watching a few trash barges and a couple yahts move up and down the river. I watched the happy runners trotting along the river path below and along the edge of Roosevelt Island on the other side of the river. I sat there for about 20mins hoping no one would come over and question why I was bawling like a big fat baby and that's when it started to rain, hard. nice. Anyway, the rain was enough to make me laugh at the entire situation. And then I started my trek back to the subway. Btw, who puts an MRI imaging center 3/4 of a mile away from any subway? idiots! This thought made me laugh too. The walk gave me enough time in the rain to notice that my leg hurt just walking home and that I probably need to cough it up and get the test done. Today just wasn't the day.

On a positive note, this morning is the most gorgeous day I've seen in a while. The skies in NYC are clear, bright blue and there's a slight breeze. GORGEOUS! :) Nothing like a fresh start of a new day to make you feel a whole lot better.

Let me see those hips!

I made a visit to Orthopedist#3 yesterday and he is sending me for an MRI arthorgram of my hip and x-rays of my hip and pelvis on Wednesday (tomorrow).

Doctor #3 was my favorite so far. He seemed to probe further and really listen to what I was trying to tell him. Also, he seemed impressed with my marathon time which I must admit is an easy way to win me over.

Doc #3 is a hip specialist and I was originally referred to him to be tested for Piriformis syndrome, but he immediately ruled that out. He said that his gut instinct is that the muscle pain is being caused by minor deficiencies in my left hip.

So, at least this test will rule that out and we can all scratch our heads again. .We'll just have to wait and see. But for now, I need to get back on the phone with my insurance and figure out how I'm going to pay for this next MRI. Have I ever mentioned how much I love united health care? :)

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So you won't be an Olympian

Here's the e-mail Kathryn Bertine sent her supporters today:

My Dear Friends and Readers,

While I do not want to give away the ending of the article, I will say this: I am preparing to represent St.Kitts and Nevis at the World Championships in Varese, Italy this September. Tnities. ESPN thought this E-ticket series might make an interesting article or two. Not thirteen...and maybe more. I hawo years ago, when I started this Olympic quest, I never would have guessed my life would see such incredible opportuve not one regret, one inkling of disappointment.

www.espn.com (Just click on E-ticket or put my name in the search engine)

I would also like to extend my heartfelt thanks to all of you who wrote to me, for all of you who cheered me on, and even to those who didn't...you motivated me in equal measure. The kindness and encouragement of strangers was more than I ever imagined. Coming home from a long day of training or a difficult race, it was truly a gift to turn on my computer and have supportive emails pour in from all over the world. Now and then there were some not-so-supportive emails, but the random marriage proposals definitely made up for it! :) Thanks, guys. You're awesome.

In addition to racing, I'll be working on the manuscript of this book for the next six months, which ESPN/Random House will publish in March 2009. At the moment the working title is So You Wanna Be an Olympian? but it will change when we think of something better. Any ideas are welcome. If my editor uses your suggestion, I'll give you more Sport Beans than you could ever digest. :)

Also, a lot of you have written to inquire about St. Kitts and Nevis...

I will be doing The Nevis Independence Day Cycling Road Race on September 6-7. www.neviscycleclub.com There are two events; a 60 mi Road Race and a 20K two person Team Time Trial. If you would like to come down to wonderful Nevis and partake in the race (or just have a super vacation), please let me know. Winston and I are planning to put on a cycling clinic/camp, beginners to experts welcome. This is one of my chances to "give back" and I am so excited to help the SKN cycling federation grow. If you are interested in ordering a SKN Cycling Federation team kit and/or tee shirt, we're getting ready to take orders...all proceeds to benefit the SKNCF. Will keep you posted! Please forward to your favorite cyclists and tropical island enthusiasts.

Have a wonderful summer and thank you again for all your kindness and support. See you in London 2012. ;)

March forth,

Kathryn

KB's 2008 Race Calendar

Fitchburg Longsjo Classic: July 3-6 Fitchburg, MA

Various Arizona races: August Tucson, Phoenix, Flagstaff

US 100K Classic: September 1 Atlanta, GA

Nevis Independence Day Road Race: September 6-7 Nevis, West Indies

World Cycling Championships: September 24-27 Varese, Italy

Looks like she will not be representing St. Kitts and Nevis in Beijing, but making the team to represent then in the World Championships isn't half bad. Either way, I think her story lasted longer than most people thought it would, which is fantastic.

PS: In Olympic track and Field news, did anyone see Marshevet Hooker fall over the finish line of the Women's 200m finals yesterday? Unbelieveable! Just shows how anything can happen. You can be as prepared as ever but there are so many other uncontrolable factors. At least in Marshevet's case, fate worked in her favor.

Pure Central Park Therapy

My run last night with RUNNYC was a bit painful, but I'm glad I did it. It was fantastic seeing a few of my homies and also the post run trip to POP BURGER was worth any amount of hamsting pain. I'd run miles and miles for some "Luscious mouth watering warm buns"! My fav is always the "Gobble gobble!" Turkey burgs. Wow! it's 9am and I already want another. ha!


Anyways, a good friend of mine recently sent me this article on Central Park. For any of you who share my love for this gorgeous oasis, this NYC runner paradise, give this interative map a gander. Maybe you'll learn a few new trails.

Also, you can click the map below for a larger view of the park. The one below is not interactive, but does have so you can listen to stories and view pictures from around the park. Have fun!

Oh and Happy Gorgeous Hump Day!

"You're not going to like what I have to say", says Orthopedist #2

Okay, I think it's safe to say that anything that starts out with the phrase, "you're not going like what I have to say" is pretty much the making of a crap day. I'm starting to not like what most people say. Does this make me bitter? Probably. ha! So what?

The Orthopedist behind door #2 said that he thinks there's a good chance that I'll have to deal with my hamstring pain forever. He told me that he wants me to see another orthopedist who specializes in hips problems and diagnosing Piriformis syndrome. Hmmm? Sound familiar? It's like deja vu or something!

.

On a positive note, he also had the same analysis of my MRI films (as Orthopedist #1), "No structural damage" and "Everything looks normal". Well, thank goodness for that, I suppose.

So, now we have to wait to see what the Orthopedist behind door3# has to say next Monday. Stay tuned. I bet the suspense is just killing you!

.

I swam my little heart out last night, just for therapy. And my hamstring/left leg felt awful today. Not just my hamstring, but my left calf locked up too. The build up of not running regularly is pretty much killing me. After the two weeks of being pretty much off (apart from those two short runs), I've been out there about 4x's a week and alternating cross training and pity parties on non-run days.

There's a few things I'm thinking right now, One, maybe I can become a gym junkie, like a total body building muscle head or an aerobics instructor who just doesn't kick her left leg. This is totally not the former me, but maybe I can start a new chapter in my life as "Buns of Steel Chick" or "Little Miss Muscle Head".

.

I mean, this chick's hot, right? No, seriously, do men actually like when chicks wear their bottoms wedged up in their who-ha like that? That just looks uncomfortable. But yes, her abs are undeniably kick ass.

And my second thought, actually, there is no second thought. I can't stop laughing over the fact that I just wrote "who-ha". Whatever, I'm not going to hit the gym for infinite hours on end. Let's get serious, I like being outside too much!

.

Ahhh... F- it! Pain or no pain, I'm running my little left leg off tonight. I just have to!

.

I'm off to see my chicas at RUNNYC. I need some Central Park/NYC lovin' somethin' fierce!

Do you Run Your City?

Ryan, the creator of Run Your City has just rolled out two new and exciting projects. First, he's added a book club which is underway on runyourcity.com. Anyone who has read or is interested in reading “Ultramarathon Man” by Dean Karnazes can now jump on RYC and discuss it with other runners.

I'll be honest, I'm probably not going to read this book. And I'm not your typical book club dork. No offense, Ryan, you're awesome and I still think this is a great idea. But at the moment, I just have too many other things going on (not to break out the excuses). But why should that stop any of you runner/book nerds out there from reading away? :)

Besides, why read it when I can just check back and see what everyone else has to say about it. I'm just saying.... :) I'll jump on the next book. Promise! :)

The other exciting addition from the creator of RYC is WikiRun, an encyclopedia for runners. You can reach wikirun through RYC or just at wikirun.com . Wikirun is a collaborative project aimed to bring together running resources into one central location on-line - a living encyclopedia of running. In order to maintain a high level of credibility, all the members are running professionals (pro or college runners, coaches, race coordinators, sports writers, etc.).

Wikirun has just over a hundred articles at the moment, but is in need of more editors.

If you are a running professional and wish to help, email ryan@wikirun.com and he'll hook you up with a username and password.

whoops! I lied, there's one more thing. So, say you're not really interested in reading about ultramarathoner dudes, well, maybe you might just want to talk about the other things that are posted on the RYC discussion boards. Well.... talk talk talk away! :) Let's get some interesting conversations rollin' or some new topics. Really sharing is caring... so, let's see what you have to offer our running community!

HAPPY TRAINING! :)

No Bake - Energy Bar

My Fiancé and I decided to have a little sweet and gooey fun in the kitchen the other day. (oh seriously, get your mind out of the gutter). He recently found a recipe in Liberty Sports Magazine for a no-bake energy bar and wanted to give it a try. I have limited "skills" in the kitch, so a "no-bake" recipe sounded pretty good to me.

We followed this recipe and could hardly wait the two hours while the bars "set" in the fridge. Seriously, you try mixing peanut butter, honey, cocoa, raisins, sunflower seeds, etc.. together with out starting to salavate. Not to mention we're not really the most patient people on the planet. Well, at least I'm not. But in two hours we had tasty - gooey perfection in the form of a home made energy bar.

So, the recipe was quick and painless and if you can control yourself enough not to eat the whole tray at once, the bars pack quite a nice energy boost! We added a few scoops of soy protein powder for some extra kick. You can do all sorts of things with it to make it your own.. so, thanks Phill Etheridge from Liberty Mag for sharing a recipe that he already ripped off from racedaynutrition.com . :) Sharing is caring!

Happy NO baking, ya'll! :)

Super Legit Bogus (or maybe not?)

I was wondering why I hadn't heard anything about Nike's 1/2 Marathon Training- Special Event Runs. You know, those super cool summer EVENT runs that I brag to all my friends about. The events that I look forward to each summer since I've been in NYC (okay, to be fair that's only 2yrs) and that are the key social running events of my ENTIRE SUMMER!!Did that just make me sound super lame. oh, whatever...

Well, it seems as though RUNNYC has pulled the plug on the "Downtown/Midtown/Uptown" events they previous did in order to get runners geared up for the Nike 1/2 Marathon. And I know I'm not in super running shape and technically not supposed to be running on my injured leg, but for these events I would have most certainly made an exeption. They were just so much fun.

Anyway... gossip on the RUNNYC runner rumor mill is that they are doing a special blow out event for the Nike Human 10k race. The event will supposedly have all of the fun things that the former summer events had, but this time with some live music to kick it up a notch. Well, I guess we'll just have to wait and see when/if we get the official event announcement.

Just remember, you didn't hear it from me. :)

Um... I suppose that's a little hard now that I went and posted it on the internet. whoopsie!

You just never know

I came across the news this morning that yet another tragic incident occurred during an endurance event over the weekend. A Des Moines businessman, Jim Goodman, 46, died during the swim segment of the Hy-Vee Triathlon in Des Moines, Iowa. He signaled for help during his 1500 m swim in Blue Heron Lake, however the "22 lifeguards, five Jet Skis, 12 kayaks and five boats on site at the Hy-Vee Triathlon" were not able to reach him in time. Jim was a mere 150m from the finish of the swim.

Jim's story, similar to the other unfortunate and untimely deaths of endurance athletes we've seen in the news recently, must remind us of a need to take caution when pushing ourselves to our max and also to look out for one another. Stories like this also should make us take a moment to appreciate our own hard work in our lives and give necessary credit to ourselves and to those around us who continue to support and motivate us.

The article indicates that Jim's death was not due to drowning. Further, as reported by his brother, (Jim) "was an avid runner and good swimmer". The article does not specifically indicate the cause of death (as his family and officials still await autopsy results). Jim was the father of three young girls, Natalie, 11; Ellie, 7; and Rubie, 3 and also leaves behind his wife, Lisa.

Is it just me, or has there been an increase in the frequency of such fatal outcomes at endurance events? Is it just the fact that we're simply hearing about it more or are there other similar factors involved here? After doing some googling on the subject, I happened upon this intersting article, "Are Endurance Sports Good for You?", which then led me to this blog, V-Tach which accounts one endurance athlete's struggle to work with his own Acquired Arrhythmia. Both the article and the V-Tach blog are interesting (and relative) in that they explore research relating increased endurance training to the actual deterioration of one's heart. Sounds backwards, right?

Has anyone else read interesting articles/research on this topic? I'd be intersted to hear more about it.

I AM a Runner

There are fewer things I can truly say I AM than those I can say I AM NOT.

I AM a sister, a daughter, a friend, a companion, an advisor, a developer, a motivator, an adventurer, a strong young woman, a compassionate and passionate individual, a "dancing machine" :), an athlete or more specifically, a RUNNER. These are just a few things which I most strongly identify myself as being. These are the things that define my past, present, and with all hope, far future.

There are plenty of things I can firmly say I'm not, such as: a professional athlete, a poet, a fashionista, a hipster, a builder, a banker, a brainiac, & (definitely not) a doctor, ... nor am I a failure, a sissy, a home-body, a quitter, or always right (though painful to admit). And I am not someone who is content with the norm or average. .... And I am definitely not a Yankees fan (I'll explain this one later), but these are just a few things that quickly came to mind.

I started thinking about this after I finished my run today. Yes, I know I was advised to take two weeks off, but seriously?... no, seriously? come on! So, standing in an open field watching the masses of cyclists and runners rollin' on down a near by rec path, I became almost hypnotised by the steady flow of athletes. I started to slide back in to my own deep thoughts of what brings so many of these people out during the mid-day heat. I started to think about how many of them where in pain or also pushing through an injury like me. And why we're all just so crazy. But then this reassuring thought came to me as if through this whole injury debacle I had some how forgotten, I AM a runner. We, as athletes, do this because it's who we are. We do this because it's who we want to be and who we choose to be. We/I identify as "A Runner" and not only am I "a runner" but I'm a damn good runner. This is who I am and how can I let this aspect of who I am go easily? No wonder I'm a basket case the past few weeks, no wonder why I can't keep focused, keep on track... and keep my running shoes off.

The whole thought process made me remember how heated the comments got on this post from earlier this month. As you can see by the direction of the comments/conversation, we know who we are and how we prefer to be viewed and many of us have strong emotional attachments to our identity (as we should). So, of course this whole undiagnosable injury thing would send me into a small identity crisis. To the non-athlete or maybe just non-self aware person, this might sound lame. But I have a feeling that if you read this far, you just might be pickin' up what I'm puttin' down. :)

So, my saga continues and now that I'm back in the city (for a few days), I'm hoping to make some more progress with this whole situation. I still have not set up an appt with another orthopedist, but the goal is to do it tomorrow morning. So far the extra time off over the past (almost) two weeks has not proven to make things better nor has the few days of running made it feel worse. Everything is pretty much the same. So, I guess we'll see...

On a final note, to the man who ran by me and broke me from my glorious epiphany in the park by mumbling what I believe was, "trash" (which I can only imagine was provoked by my Red Sox t-shirt), you can just go take a nice long swim in the gowanus canal.

For goodness sakes, man, it's a T-shirt!! And THIS is why I will never be a Yankee's fan! :)

Second Opinion

FLASH BACK... to a blog post I accidentally left hanging in my "edit post" box for about a week.

It seems as though my use of denial as a defense mechanism has slowly crept into life as a blogger :) I guess I've just been keeping myself busy with other silly distractions so I wouldn't have to talk about the big monkey on my hamstring.


He's scary lookin', ain't he?


Okay, so let me explain...



But first we must time travel back to last week....

Unpublished post from June 10:

Going back to seek a second opinion is something that's been on my mind for the past week. I decided to give everything I had to the treatment I was receiving through my Chiropractic office. I needed to believe the treatment was helping the problem in order to focus on getting everything else back in order. It seemed as though I was finally getting things back on track and sticking on a plan that had me both feeling more confident and fit, but the last week sort of flipped things upside down.



Over the past few weeks it had been giving us both a bit of hope that the most painful "trouble spots" were shifting and that I was back out there running 4-5miles about 3times a week (not pain free, but at least able to get through). However the pain worsened last week and the only thing that I threw in (that was different) was a pool running - workout (which my hammy did not like one bit) and a few yoga classes. I also found myself stretching the area a bit more, which seemed to continue to worsen the soreness and tightness I was feeling. grrr... I'm angry just thinking about it (and yes, i just growled out loud!!)



Yesterday marked my eighth visit to the chiropractor over the past six weeks. When I arrived at the office, I was met with the standard question, "how are things going?". I guess the look off defeat spoke for itself because I really didn't have to say too much before my chiropractor sighed and suggested the one thing that none of us like to hear, "you should take off completely for two weeks". Completely!?!?! Well, my initial thought was my initial thought "what does that mean exactly?". Immediately my mind started to race to.. "well, what other things CAN I do?" Basically, I was told not to do anything for two weeks and to seek a second opinion. During the normal routine of treatment yesterday they also located yet another spot (on my hamstring) which was of concern. The Chiropractors expression of concern and frustration did not help my own similar feelings regarding the matter.

TIME OFF!?!? time off? hmmm????

I would have kept going in to the Chiropractor for treatment, but the "well, keep us posted and contact us if you need anything" comment at the end of my visit made things feel kind of final. I suppose I appreciate the fact that they don't want to waste any more of my time if things are working, but I'm so confused about where to turn next.

June 10 and beyond....

So, on my way home I stopped by Coach Cane's studio for some moral support. Jonathan offered some great suggestions and gave me some hope that the answer to this lingering issue might be found by seeking another opinion. He suggested another Orthopedist who is a runner/triathlete himself. This Doctor was recommended to me in the past so I was already familiar with his name. It seemed like a smart next move and overall I was feeling better about going forward in this direction. Yes, everything was fine... especially after I went home and processed the decision over a few glasses of wine. However, after I actually called the Doctor's office the next day I quickly found out that Doctor#2 doesn't take my insurance. All I could think was, "that's cute" as the nurse (very nonchalantly) informed me that my first consultation would cost $375. Ha! So... knowing that I would be out of town for the next week and a half. I decided to back off again from running or anything that will aggravate the area as I try to figure out my next move.

I can't help from thinking about how many more races I'm going to have to miss this summer/ fall. I know getting this whole issue taking care of is the priority, but unfortunately I ran out of patience back in April.

Training Update

Workout review May 27th - June 3rd (how it went down):
Tuesday May 27th : Swim - 300,200,100 (warm up) 3x200, 3x100, 3x50, 4x50(drills) - total: 1850m
Wednesay May 28th: PM: Run 4.5miles - felt okay.. just weak - Core strenth circuit
Thursday May 29th: AM: Morning wake up 2miles PM: Bike - 7.25 loops PP-Park w/ coach kane- 25miles-ish (with out/back from home)
Friday May 30th: AM: Swim 1600m, PM: Yoga
Saturday May 31: AM: Moving day! - 5miles - hot and sticky morning, but at least I felt stronger! - Core strength circuit
Sunday June 1: BEACH DAY!!!
Monday June 2: Pool Running - 10mins steady warm up, 3x 2min, 3min, 2min pick ups with 1min rest between each. 400m swim to cool down. (wanted to do a swim wkout but pool was PACKED)
Tuesday June 3: 30min run - felt awful. Leg is aching from pool run. wtf!
Wednesday June 4: AM: Yoga, PM: Chiropractor and Bike- only 10miles - leg hurts.. boo!

Plan Ahead:
Thursday June 5: PM: Swim - wkout tbd
Kansas City Here I Come!
Friday June 6: NYC to KCMO - Flight Shake out: 40min run
Saturday June 7: Swim/Run - we'll need to check out the hotel pool. TBD
Sunday June 8: AM: Strength circuit (*new: more on this later) PM: hmmm? Trails? I hear there are a few decent parks near the hotel
Monday June 9: KCMO to NYC - PM: Ride- 20miles - 6laps @ PP
Tuesday June 10: AM: Swim wkout TBD PM: Chiropractor
Wednesay June 11: AM: Run 5miles PM: Yoga
Thursday June 12: AM: Swim wkout TBD PM: NYC to Philly
Friday June 13: Philly to SAV - ohman! here we go!

Bike Geeks and Swim Freaks!

I'm sure I'm going to get a lot of crap about this, but as I continue to explore the "outside" cultures of cyclists and swimmers, I am thoroughly amused by these geek and freak tendencies!


Now, I've met quite a few runner-dorks in my day, but Biker (sorry) Cyclist take things to a whole new level. I think it's because they just have more to obsess over; meaning all the gear. They just have so much more to collect and fuss with and before you know it, their ENTIRE lives are consumed by frames, wheels, pedals, chains, saddles, cranks, you name it..... I'm sure I'll find this "cool" someday, well at least that's my hope but for now I just wondering what becoming a geek will do for my social life. At least, they all seem comfortable in their geeky skin... look they even sell shirts to proclaim their geeky-ness! ;)

But by far worse than any cyclist or runner's obsession with gear and their sport, are swimmers! Sorry folks, but I'm just convinced that too much chlorine exposure to your brain has made you all a bit too cooky. These people have NO idea what's normal or not... and worse, they just don't seem to care. I'm not just talking about the highly competitive triathlete who is working on their swimming. oh no, no, NO.... I'm talking about the crazies who swim for the sole purpose of an excuse to stretch their 20 year old speedos over their their (less than beautiful) bulbous bodies and hit the pool to practice their doggy paddle or aqua-yoga techniques. The people whose true highlight of their pool workout is when they get to walk around in the locker room stark naked forcing most of the other pool goers to maintain constant focus on the floor at all times out of pure fear of going blind or triggering their gage reflex. ugh... this behaviour (unlike the bike geeks obsessions) I just can not justify. Unlike Bike geeks, Pool freaks do not sell t-shirts that promote their cultural pride... oh no, "covering up" is just not their style.

Nope, I lied, here's their shirt....

I think I might start handing these out to all the freaky/naked people at the pool.

"So you wanna be an Olympian?" - Follow up

It's been three months (almost) since I last blogged about Kathryn Bertine, the ESPN writer who is on a cut throat quest for a 2008 Olympic berth. In Kathryn Bertine's current installment, chapter 12, she goes on a mission in both China and Venezuela to fight for a few highly coveted Olympic points. She continues to have her fair share of ups and downs , but still has not lost her determination to represent St. Kitts and Nevis as an Olympic athlete this summer in Beijing.

If you're interested in writing to Kathryn, rumor has it that she's very good at responding to e-mail. Here's where you can send your thoughts, questions or motivational tidbits: ESPNOlympian@aol.com