Quick Update! (but not necessarily short)
Doctor Visit
I went and saw my Doctor for the July installment of the semi-annual examinations. No problems and some suggestions.
My numbers from the blood tests. Keep in mind that I am on Lisinopril for Hypertension and Lipitor for Cholesterol.
The blood glucose is higher than normal. I am consistent in the number. It seems to be an inherited feature from my family line. My Doctor said that for me, it seems to be normal. At least, it is not a concern yet.
So my numbers are good. Part of that is from the medicine and part of that is from the running.
I twisted my left ankle last weekend. He examined it and agreed that it is loose. The Doctor has suggested wrapping the ankle with 3M Cabon when I run trails or go for a long run.
The Chicago Marathon – He OK’d me.
Then he said something about when a man gets older he sometimes feels that he must prove some things to himself. I reminded him that he got me into running! There needs to be a focus. The goal of a marathon does provide smaller training goals and other competitions along the way. I think he gave me a wink and then we dropped it.
Fellow Bloggers
Sunshine left me a note regarding Statin drugs and the effect on the body. Especially as it pertains to Coenzyme Q-10 (CoQ10). This has been an interesting subject. A summary can be found at a blog witten by R. Sockness @ BanditsBuddies.com.
In her article, Ms. Sockness wrote-
“Coenzyme Q-10 (CoQ10) is a vitamin-like compound that belongs to a family of 10 substances designated coenzyme Qs. But CoQ10 is the only one found in human tissue. CoQ10 is present in virtually all cells and is especially high in concentration in the heart, liver, kidneys and pancreas. Within the cells, the majority of CoQ10 is found in the mitochondria, the cellular organelles responsible for energy production. CoQ10 is essential to the energy production cycle that takes place inside the mitochondria, and it also functions as an antioxidant. “
And also –
“Statin medications, also known as HMG CoA reductase inhibitors, are effective in inhibiting cholesterol synthesis, thus reducing cholesterol levels by decreasing cholesterol production. In doing so, statins block production of farnesyl pyrophosphate, an intermediate in the synthesis of CoQ10. Myopathy, or muscle pain, a frequent side effect associated with statin use is believed to be related to a reduction in CoQ10 levels.
According to Giuseppe Caso, MD, MSc, PhD and colleagues at Stony Brook University in New York, some of the myopathic symptoms in patients treated with statins may result from a depletion of CoQ10 and the associated inability of the mitochondria to supply the energy needed for muscle contraction. CoQ10 supplementation may help reverse these symptoms.”
I will be getting a CoQ10 supplement to add to my daily regime. I am hoping that it is an effective way of diminishing my non-focused muscle pain. I’ll leave a report soon. Thank you, Sunshine, for sharting this bit of information with me!
Peter just completed a raft trip on the Colorado River through the Grand Canyon. He had quite an experience and shares a lot of it on his blog. Fascinating reading. Emotional reading. You cannot help but be moved. Please go there and read up! You will not be disappointed! Thanks Peter for sharing your story with all of us!
Virtual Runners Rock!
Are you interested in joining a virtual runner group? Point your web browser toward our VRR group and join in. The rules are there for you to read. It is just a way to inspire each other to run and share our runs with each other! Will I see you there?
Finally…
As I am on the road to Chicago, I need to share my deficit training with you. My weekend long runs have not been long enough. I have been running, but on mountain trails I tire from elevations before the full distance is completed. It needs to be corrected.
I have not done my cross training on the mountain bike for two weeks. Sometimes I haven’t taken the rest day that I know I need. The cross training day has become the rest day. This week my Doctor appointment took the place of the cross training. I will have to look at my schedule again and see if I can move the cross training day to another slot.
Input, please! I can use it.
I went and saw my Doctor for the July installment of the semi-annual examinations. No problems and some suggestions.
My numbers from the blood tests. Keep in mind that I am on Lisinopril for Hypertension and Lipitor for Cholesterol.
The blood glucose is higher than normal. I am consistent in the number. It seems to be an inherited feature from my family line. My Doctor said that for me, it seems to be normal. At least, it is not a concern yet.
So my numbers are good. Part of that is from the medicine and part of that is from the running.
I twisted my left ankle last weekend. He examined it and agreed that it is loose. The Doctor has suggested wrapping the ankle with 3M Cabon when I run trails or go for a long run.
The Chicago Marathon – He OK’d me.
Then he said something about when a man gets older he sometimes feels that he must prove some things to himself. I reminded him that he got me into running! There needs to be a focus. The goal of a marathon does provide smaller training goals and other competitions along the way. I think he gave me a wink and then we dropped it.
Fellow Bloggers
Sunshine left me a note regarding Statin drugs and the effect on the body. Especially as it pertains to Coenzyme Q-10 (CoQ10). This has been an interesting subject. A summary can be found at a blog witten by R. Sockness @ BanditsBuddies.com.
In her article, Ms. Sockness wrote-
“Coenzyme Q-10 (CoQ10) is a vitamin-like compound that belongs to a family of 10 substances designated coenzyme Qs. But CoQ10 is the only one found in human tissue. CoQ10 is present in virtually all cells and is especially high in concentration in the heart, liver, kidneys and pancreas. Within the cells, the majority of CoQ10 is found in the mitochondria, the cellular organelles responsible for energy production. CoQ10 is essential to the energy production cycle that takes place inside the mitochondria, and it also functions as an antioxidant. “
And also –
“Statin medications, also known as HMG CoA reductase inhibitors, are effective in inhibiting cholesterol synthesis, thus reducing cholesterol levels by decreasing cholesterol production. In doing so, statins block production of farnesyl pyrophosphate, an intermediate in the synthesis of CoQ10. Myopathy, or muscle pain, a frequent side effect associated with statin use is believed to be related to a reduction in CoQ10 levels.
According to Giuseppe Caso, MD, MSc, PhD and colleagues at Stony Brook University in New York, some of the myopathic symptoms in patients treated with statins may result from a depletion of CoQ10 and the associated inability of the mitochondria to supply the energy needed for muscle contraction. CoQ10 supplementation may help reverse these symptoms.”
I will be getting a CoQ10 supplement to add to my daily regime. I am hoping that it is an effective way of diminishing my non-focused muscle pain. I’ll leave a report soon. Thank you, Sunshine, for sharting this bit of information with me!
Peter just completed a raft trip on the Colorado River through the Grand Canyon. He had quite an experience and shares a lot of it on his blog. Fascinating reading. Emotional reading. You cannot help but be moved. Please go there and read up! You will not be disappointed! Thanks Peter for sharing your story with all of us!
Virtual Runners Rock!
Are you interested in joining a virtual runner group? Point your web browser toward our VRR group and join in. The rules are there for you to read. It is just a way to inspire each other to run and share our runs with each other! Will I see you there?
Finally…
As I am on the road to Chicago, I need to share my deficit training with you. My weekend long runs have not been long enough. I have been running, but on mountain trails I tire from elevations before the full distance is completed. It needs to be corrected.
I have not done my cross training on the mountain bike for two weeks. Sometimes I haven’t taken the rest day that I know I need. The cross training day has become the rest day. This week my Doctor appointment took the place of the cross training. I will have to look at my schedule again and see if I can move the cross training day to another slot.
Input, please! I can use it.
posted by CewTwo at 2:46 PM
12 Comments:
Thanks for the shout out. The Grand Canyon is an experience not to be missed by anyone. And to think we almost let it be dammed up in the 60s (they planned 5 dams but only got two in).
Drugs to alleviate aging ailments, and their side effects. It's robbing Peter to pay Paul. My b/p medicine had such an unintended and unacceptable effect I stopped taking it. But it took me awhile to figure out. Now I'm taking something else but geez. I guess the lady doctor didn't think I'd notice or mind.
I think that first-time marathoners get crazy as they approach the race. Especially when they start the I-am-not-ready bit late in the game and start panicking. You'll see. But you'll also be fine when you finally line up and do it. I think that a harder run (more altitude, more hills, whatever) is just as fine as an easier longer run, so long as they are sort of comparable. When I can't run quite as far as I'd like, I head for the hills.
We are delighted... delighted! to have been a source of information.
Honored to have the link.
Wishing you the very best.
Glad to hear about the good numbers and go-ahead with Chicago. Certainly a trail run at high altitude is much tougher than a flat paved run at sea level, which Chicago will be. But doing the long runs is mostly mental training to me, to give you confidence you can go the distance. If you feel you are not getting that confidence from your long training runs, I'd suggest switching to your routes so you can complete most of them. Another thing to look at perhaps before doing that is your nutrition. Besides staying hydrated, are you consuming enough carbs and electrolytes during your runs to go the distance?
I think you'll find the perfect balance to all of the training. Perhaps stay off the trails for the longruns?
I know the feeling! Don't let the anxiety of not completing a long run get to you. As long as you do most of the program, by the time Chicago rolls around you will be totally ready. And it sounds like those mountains are giving you all the lung training you need. It's like what Shirley says, it's mental prep work, those long runs. I think I skipped out on all my strength training last year, and missed several long runs in the midst, so it's not too big of a deal. The most important thing is to get to the starting line healthy!
Get on that bike now! Just kidding - but seriously the cross training will help you a lot to stay injury free.
Hope the ankle's healing well my friend.
Charlie,
Glad you are doing well health wise. It's good that you get regular check ups. A lot of people don't, including my husband (even though I nag him endlessly ;-).
So glad to hear everything went well at the doctors. Cross training is great for marathon training. This year I have incorporated hill repeats and speed work. I think they are paying off.
Charlie - don't panic. You're doing fine. I'm with Peter - a harder run is just as fine as an easier longer run - I run my long runs at sea level on the flat - so don't beat yourself up. We are doing this to experience this, and to experience this all together - just by lining up we are winning - so don't panic. We're all going to do this!
Thanks for your kind comment...
And it is really exciting to have been of a bit of health help.
Support for the marathon runners in Chicago will be so MUCH better this year. I believe you will have a grand time.. and finish!!
Our very best wishes to you.
Glad to hear your Drs. visit went well. Have had a few dreams about you and Tom in the last few days and they made me want to ask about your health. My guess would be that those high altitude runs would be the equivalent of a longer run aerobicly, but, not helpful for the time it takes to run the long distance mentally. Jeff
Hope the ankle heals up quickly!
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