Mile 24

Arthroscopic Anke Surgery

noreply@blogger.com (Snehal) — Fri, 10 Oct 2008 16:43:00 +0000

Well I finally had the surgery a few weeks ago at the Hospital for Special Surgery and it went well for the most part. I went in around noon and they were running ahead of schedule so they took me in earlier. You know you're at the right place when that happens.

The pre-operating procedures are numerous. A number of nurses and doctor's would ask me a bunch of questions and some were very redundant. They even took a permanent marker and marked which ankle I was going to have the surgery on. I guess it would be a travesty if they went into the wrong foot. I got into my scrubs (are they called that if you are the patient?) and they hooked up an IV into my wrist which feels like a constant pinching but not too bad.

Dr. Elliott and the anesthesiologist said they would do the following things:

A sedative through an IV
A local anesthetic in my left leg to numb my leg
A spinal anesthetic injection in my spine which would numb my entire lower body. The spinal freaked me out naturally but they said it would be different from an epidural because it would be a very tiny needle that would permeate the spinal membrane and administer the anesthetic.
2 small incisions in my left ankle where the camera and other instruments would go.
If they found damaged cartilage, it would be shaved down or removed. Any exposed bone would be drilled into to create small fractures and promote growth of fibrocartilage and blood flow. The cartilage that grows back is not the same type of cartilage I used to have which is a bummer. However, from what the doctors tell me, it would allow me to "do the things I used to do with little or no pain." Not sure what that means, but hopefully it'll be fine.
A needle into my hip bone would remove progenitor cells and then they would be injected into the effected area in my ankle. According to the Dr. Elliot, this doesn't do any harm but could do some good in promoting growth of the right type of cells. There hasn't been any research supporting this but is harmless and I opted to try it out.
Finally, they'd patch me up and put a cast on my leg which would stay on for 2 weeks.

When they took me into the operating room, it was quite the scene. I've never been in one before but there were all sorts of monitors and cameras all over the place. I was freezing because the vents and fans were on full blast and I was barely wearing a blue sheet for clothing.

They started with the sedative through the IV and said I would feel it in about a minute. After about 30 seconds, I remember saying, "whoa, there it is!" That was it, I don't remember anything except when I woke, they were putting my cast on. Then I remember saying "That was fun, I could do that again." Naturally, the anesthesia was still in full effect and I was delirious.

I was out of the hospital in the same day but barely have any recollection of that day in hindsight because of the anesthesia. They gave me some pain killers for the next few days and advised that I take aspirin every day for 6 weeks to prevent blood clots in my heart.

Well that's it, I hope this proves to be useful information to anyone considering the same type of surgery. Feel free to contact me about any questions you might have. More details to come about the recovery process.

"The Men Who Live Forever"

noreply@blogger.com (Snehal) — Tue, 30 Sep 2008 23:27:00 +0000

Tarahumara men have a taste for corn snacks and beer, for instance. They're hard workers, but come downtime, they party like a rap star's roadies... Tarahumara men love sports, booze, and gambling so much, they'll stay up all night to watch a game, down enough beer in a year to spend every third day buzzed or recovering, and support their teams by literally betting the shirts on their backs.

Sound familiar? But here's where American and Tarahumara men part company: Many of us will be killed by heart disease, stroke, and gastrointestinal cancers. Almost none of them will.

That's an exerpt from an amazing article in Men's Health written a few years ago by Christopher McDougall that still doesn't cease to amaze me. A friend of mine pointed out it out to me and I've referenced it in my NYC Marathon blog post.

It's a long article but worth the read if you want to hear about how these people can run for miles, party like rock stars, and live for a very, very long time. The main point of the article is whether or not an outsider can live like these people, do the same things, compete in long distance races, and run for miles on end without injury.

In particular, McDougall goes through a number of factors that contribute to their success. Their running form lands them squarely in the group of people who don't land on their heels when running.

Mierke believes there is a perfect, Tarahumara-like footstrike that can guarantee you will run longer and faster, and drastically reduce your chances of injury. The key is to stay off your heel and to use your leg as a pistonlike shock absorber.

"You wouldn't jump off a ladder and land on your heels, right?" Mierke asks. "Same with running. If you land on your heel, your leg is straight, and the impact is smashing into one joint after the other. If you land on your forefoot, however, with the leg bent, it absorbs shock using elastic tissues instead of bone."

Really? This is unbelievable. And they use nothing but simple sandals as their running shoes. Tell me more...

Running shoes have become so supercushioned and motion-controlling, they allow our foot muscles to atrophy and our tendons to shorten and stiffen. Without strength and flexibility, injuries are inevitable.

One of Hartmann's star clients, marathon world-record holder Paula Radcliffe, has been training in the Nike Free, a new, minimalist slipper designed to mimic the range of motion of a naked foot. Alan Webb, America's best miler, also works out in the Free. Webb had been hobbled by foot injuries early in his career, but after he started barefoot exercises, his injuries disappeared, and his shoe size shrank, from a 12 to a 9. "My foot muscles became so strong, they pulled my arches up," says Webb. "Wearing too much shoe prevents you from tapping into the natural gait you have when landing on the ground."

Nobody can do this all with this running without a well balanced diet, right? Of course not, the answer is one loaded with carbs.

The Tarahumara are warm and extremely hospitable. The owner of the hut, Avelado, invites us to scoop from the family's pinole bucket, a plastic tub half-filled with a soupy mix of water and ground corn. It's surprisingly tasty, with the texture of instant oatmeal and the aroma of movie popcorn. Pinole to the Tarahumara is like rice to Asians; it's the major component of every meal, occasionally topped off with pinto beans, a little squash, sometimes mice or a chunk of rabbit. Most of the time, Avelado says, he just sips it by the cupful throughout the day.

The full article can serve as a guide to long distance running as well as a motivational tool that will keep you inspired to keep running. Enjoy.

Introplay - A great site to track your workouts and keep motivated

noreply@blogger.com (Snehal) — Mon, 29 Sep 2008 02:41:00 +0000

A friend of mine just launched Introplay, a site where you can track all of your exercise workouts and also keep your motivation level high. It's a Web 2.0 site where you compete with friends or other members of the site in workout competitions, or leagues as they are called. Even if you didn't want to participate in the leagues, the site has a great workout tracker so you can monitor your progress.

Check out the blog or visit the site for more info.

Arthroscopic Ankle Surgery

noreply@blogger.com (Snehal) — Mon, 15 Sep 2008 02:27:00 +0000

Well, my running career is on hold now that I just had arthroscopic ankle surgery. My foot was hurting pretty badly since I took a spill off a ski lift at Mt. Snow. I guess it didnt help either that I continued to ski on it for a few days and also tried to run on it. Not smart. Seek medical help immediately if you ever have pains after an accident. You'll only make it worse.

The Hospital for Special Surgery is the best place to go in Manhattan from what I've heard and only one ankle surgeon there takes insurance and that's Dr. Andrew Elliott. I'm scheduled for surgery there this Thursday, September 18.

I'll post details and pictures on the surgery in upcoming posts. Wish me luck!

Half Marathon Training Guide

noreply@blogger.com (Snehal) — Fri, 15 Aug 2008 23:17:00 +0000

My wife wanted to run a competitive race for the first time before she turned 30 and so she decided to run the Nike Half Marathon in July of 2008. We came up with a training guide based on training guides online and she was able to stay healthy and finish in 2:12 - about a 10 minute/mile pace!

She had a base of about 10 miles per week for about a month and then started the more rigorous training. The key was to run 3 to 4 days a week (every other day) for 2 months. Running every other day helped her stay away from overuse injuries, stay fresh, and heal quicker. 1 day per week was the long run that increased up to 10 miles about 2 weeks before the race. Another day in the middle of the week was the speed workout (aka fartleks). The other days were easy runs focused on keeping a pace throughout the run.

Here's the training guide:

Week 1: 4M 4F 3M 5L
Week 2: 4F 4M 6L
Week 3: 3F 4M 3M 7L
Week 4: 4F 4M 3M 8L
Week 5: 4F 5M 9L
Week 6: 5F 5M 10L
Week 7: 4F 5M 6L
Week 8: 3M 3M 13.1L

KEY
#M=keep a pace for # miles
#F=speed/fartlek workout (includes 1 mile warm up, 1 mile cool down)
#L=long run

NYC Marathon

noreply@blogger.com (Snehal) — Mon, 06 Nov 2006 22:24:00 +0000

6 months, 336 miles, and one inspiring article later...

Mile 1 - No Rain on the Moon.

The Cannon (not a typical race gun) goes off at 10:10. I reach the starting line in about 3 minutes which is much sooner than I thought. I'm in the Green start (one of 3 different start lines) and it runs through the lower level of the Verrazano Bridge. One of the veteran marathoners near me says to stay away from the left edge of the road because some people on the upper level of the bridge do their dirty business off the edge. Luckily, it doesn't "rain" that day, but he is right because we fly by some folks doing the same thing on the lower level. Not sure why they couldn't just go before the start.

As I make my way to the very top of the bridge, the bridge is bouncing. If I push off the bridge at exactly the right moment, I get a little help as if I was walking on the moon. Land at the wrong time and I feel like I missed a step going up a flight of stairs.

Mile 2 - The Wave.

I reach the top of the bridge and enjoy the view of the City to the left. Some runners start cheering behind me in the distance. The wave gets louder and closer and then everyone near me is screaming at the top of their lungs. The cheers pass over us to the people in front. A tanker nearby blows its very, very loud horn and another wave of cheers pass over us.

A fire boat is working full steam directly below the bridge and pumping all the water it can and creating a symmetrical fountain for the runners to appreciate.

The second mile is almost entirely downhill and it's run fast by everyone - and definitely my fastest of the entire marathon. We pass someone that took a pretty bad spill already and his knees are scraped and bloody. Not to worry though because someone in front alerts a medical volunteer on the bridge.

Mile 3 - Brooklyn Dodgers.

At this point, I'm looking to get water or Gatorade which I'm supposed to do every 2 or 3 miles. People are flying by me, I'm also trying to dodge other folks and I quickly realize it's going to be tight quarters all the way through. Right around the end of the 3 mile mark is when I get my first cup of water. If you're not a professional runner, I recommend stopping while drinking, otherwise you'll just douse yourself. This is not to say that I poured water all over myself, but I'm just saying... I used two cups.

Mile 4 to 8 - Five-Mile Road.

The 5K mark comes up and I go over the red mats. The RFID tag attached to my shoe gets detected by the marathon technology in the mats and the system sends an email message to all of my friends and family. It alerts them that I'm not even close to finishing. Yes, it's heartbreaking.

But I try to think of short term goals like getting to the 6 mile mark so I can take my first PowerBar Gel. They're supposed to replenish the salt content that I'm losing from sweat and also give me some quick energy in the form of carbohydrates.

The race goes onto 4th Avenue in Brooklyn and the Green Start meets up with the other two starts but we're still in separate corrals. The Avenue runs forever but there are some good downhills here so I can conserve energy and keep up my pace. At this point, the Williamsburgh Savings Bank Tower comes into view which is the 8 mile mark, but I'm still pretty far. It serves as a good short term goal for when I can look for friends and family. They're supposed to be around that mark holding up a big letter "S" wrapped in aluminum foil - Ami's idea which worked out perfectly.

I pass some interesting folks along the way. Bands playing rock, reggae, and punk are lined up along the course -- all very representative of the Brooklyn neighborhoods that the marathon tours. A firefighter in full gear is running along side of me. Up ahead, there's someone else with no legs. He's wearing stilts that look like bendable hockey sticks, and he's flying past us. Amazing.

I reach the 10K mark and another alert goes out. I stop and get some Gatorade to wash down my first PowerBar Gel. Now I start up again and try to look for the big "S". More downhills to keep up the pace so all is good so far. Finally, as I approach the Williamsburgh Tower, the crowds are getting louder and louder, and I see the "S" a block away! There's Manay with a camera, and Ami (who I give my hat and gloves to, thanks Ami!), Vivek, Kevin, Ami's parents, Alok, Kristen, and Malay! We all let out some serious cheers and I'm off using the energy passed the Tower and into Clinton Hill and Williamsburg.

Mile 9 to 13.1 - Trouble.

This is where the three starts merge and we're no longer on separate streets. Where there was some running room in the previous mile, now it's like the start of the race again . There's very little room to run on the narrow streets through Williamsburg.

I begin to notice that the tape on my feet has come loose and I might be blistering up. I guess it's not a good idea to tape up my feet differently than what I've done in the past. Lesson learned. I make a plan to check my feet at mile 12 when I stop for another Gel.

Things are still crowded and now slippery near the water stations with all the cups on the ground. I get some more water and Gatorade at mile 10 and 11. As I approach Mile 12, I get my second Gel ready in one hand and stop near a park. I take off my shoes and socks and notice that both of my feet have very large blisters on them. I'm extremely upset at myself for trying something new with tape on the day of the marathon, but there's nothing I can do. I remove the tape, put my socks back on and start running again. I take my second Gel and wash it down with water and I'm off running.

I don't go more than 50 feet and realize that the rest of my Gels have fallen out of my unzipped back pocket and onto the crowded street behind me. I quickly stop and run back almost plowing over a few runners who aren't happy with me. Hoping that the Gels don't get stepped on and splattered everywhere, I wait for an opening and pick them up. I make sure I zip up my pocket this time. Another lesson learned.

As I get closer to the halfway point, I have to use the restroom. I find a marathon commissioned Johnny on the Spot in front of a nice view of midtown Manhattan - I felt lucky. Both the blister incident and the rest took 2 minutes off my pace and I pass the halfway point before the Pulaski Bridge in 2 hours and 3 minutes, within reach of the under-4-hour marathon. But at this point, I give up on that goal. It's highly unlikely that I would finish under 4 hours with the Queensborough Bridge and the infamous 5th avenue hill coming up. I would be happy with anything under 4:15. So all I would have to do is keep my pace and could even slow down a little and I would achieve my goal time.

Mile 13.1 to 15 - Queens.

The view of the Manhattan going over the Pulaski Bridge is tremendous. We travel through a warehouse district in Queens and I begin to look for my parents, uncle and aunt near the Citibank building. Things seem blurry right now and the miles pass with effort and ease at the same time. Suddenly, I see my dad holding a video camera and I wave! I hug my mom, my uncle gives me a lemonade and I move on to the Queensborough Bridge.

The climb is steep and goes for almost a mile, a daunting sight to see in front of me. I push it up the bridge to keep my pace and we pass through a part of the bridge under construction that's completely covered. It's so dark in there that all I see are silhouettes of people running in front of me and I'm hoping that I don't trip. Some runners yell out (not to me of course), "Keep your hands to yourself, man!" and "Ouch, not there!"

Mile 16 to 20 - Second Wind.

Then comes the downhill portion of the bridge and I try to make up the time I lost on the uphill. The road veers to the left and I see a huge crowd of people on 2nd Avenue! It's a moment of true euphoria. I can feel the hair on my arms stand up as everyone is cheering. We come off the bridge, around a hairpin turn, and onto 1st avenue and it gets louder and louder. The cheers echo off the buildings and it's amazing! I can't help but run faster and smile. All I can think about is the fact that I'm locked in right now and can keep running forever.

I stay to the left and start scanning the crowd for the "S" sign, and yes! Ami is standing on a lamp post with the sign in her hand a block and a half away! I let out a big yelp to all of my friends and family as I pass by. Interestingly enough, the 18th mile is my second fastest mile of the marathon.

Volunteers are handing out all sorts of stuff on 1st Avenue to get over the "Wall." Sponge Bob sponges to cool you down (this time, I'm supposed to douse myself), bananas (slippery banana peels everywhere), and PowerBar Gels. I take a Gel and hope that I can get over the Wall in the 20th mile.

Mile 20 to 23 - The Bronx and Harlem.

The race now goes over the Willis Avenue Bridge and into the Bronx. The crowd thins out a little bit, but different things keep me going now. There are little kids standing in a row holding out their arms and I low-five them as I run by. Jay-Z is blaring from speakers on the sidelines. Only 1 mile in the Bronx, and it's over as quickly as it started. I near the Madison Avenue Bridge, look to the right to see one of my favorite landmarks, Yankee Stadium, and run over the bridge into Harlem.

From here, I can see Marcus Garvey Park which signifies the beginning of the 5th Avenue hill. I reach for one more Gel for some last energy and down it with a Gatorade. Then all of a sudden, stopping and starting causes my left foot to shift in my shoe and my blister pops. Let's just say it doesn't feel good.

Mile 24 - The Wall.

I've heard people talk about the wall as Mile 18 and Mile 20. I passed those markers without a problem. I guess it's different for different people. For me, it's Mile 24. It's a section of 5th avenue that climbs forever or at least it seems that way after running 23 miles.

This is where your will is tested. Runners are gasping for air, they're stopped or walking, nobody is running their pace up this hill. It's not that I'm not getting enough oxygen, it's just that my everything is cramping up. Maybe that does mean that I'm not getting enough oxygen... I'm delerious. I think about the support that my friends and family have shown me through this endeavor and that I might get to see them at the top of the hill. I slow down, but my feet keep moving.

Mile 25 to 26.2 - The Finish.

We turn into Central Park and it's within reach. I see friends and family one last time and hug some of them as I make it through the home stretch. I stop to stretch a few times. A band playing "Mr. Brightside" carries me through Central Park South, only to find out that the surge causes more cramping. The final push to the finish line is uphill - what a great idea - and I cross the finish in 4:08:24.

I don't think words can do justice to the way I feel. It's all worth the trouble. Some ask why 36,999 people enter a marathon just to lose. It's cliche to say that they're all winners. The answer is the Marathon. If you love the City as much as all New Yorkers do, this race represents everything about the City. The different cultures, neighborhoods, boroughs, races, music, languages on the grandest stage in the world. You feel as if you're part of something bigger and it's a humbling feeling. The City is transformed into a stadium, the ticket is free, and the prize is priceless.

This is for my friends and family that were with me on the sidelines and in spirit. Their support and encouragement inspired me through the hardest parts, especially mile 24. I can't wait to lose this race again one day.