Back on track and ITB links

I am two days into my first, what I guess is a full weeks training. It seems to be going well, tonight’s magtrainer session will tell. I have become quiet 'knee pain paranoid' lately and any sensation in my knee is analysed and monitored. I have not had pain as such for a while but I have had sensations which don’t seem normal or at least, I don’t remember having them in the past. I also have caught myself using my left leg to do all the work at times, which I can imagine would lead to all sorts of problems if I let it carry on. I was considering writing a post on ITB problems, but really my heart isn’t in it. To tell the truth after all the panicked research I have done into it recently, I don’t want to think too carefully about it. What I will do though is share a coupe of links that I felt were the most helpful and that made sense to me. They matched up with what the professionals I have talked to are saying as well as matching up with what other athletes who have experienced the problem have been saying.

This one is about ITB and rehab:
http://trifuel.com/forums/showthread.php?t=7715&highlight=itbs

This is a site that has tonnes of great info on all sport related injuries and the rehab for them:
http://www.sportsinjurybulletin.com/

Runner's stitch - cause, cure, prevention

I was talking to my physio today about my disappointing run on Sunday.... No, I'm not going to start another rant, we were talking about the stitch I experienced in the second of the race. I told him about my being desperate enough to try something I had heard, that carrying a handful of grass, helped ease stitch when running. He laughed out loud and said he had never heard of this and asked what research or physiological theory this was based on. Of course, I had no evidence to back it up, other than that my stitch did ease later in the race, though I doubt it was due to the handful of shrubbery I carried across the finish line. My physio jokingly suggested that I will probably try it again in the future and I am inclined to agree that in a similar desperate situation, I will end up attacking some poor plant on the roadside in hope it will cure my agony...

Now there are two issues at hand here, one, which I’m not going to get into today, is that sometimes the power of psychology can be a great ally or a formidable foe. Part of this is superstition, the power of a piece of bush, or small stones (which I have seen mentioned on forums a number of times, as a stitch cure, if carried in each hand), or the power of your lucky *insert item here*, to improve performance or stave off disaster. Maybe I will talk about this another time. The second issue, which do I want to talk about, and which has a little more scientific backing is that of what causes stitch and how can it be prevented and or cured?

Of course, I did a little research...

Cause: It appears that the jury is still out as to what causes stitch, but two more widely recognized theories are that it is a result of muscle spasms of the "diaphragm" (the sheet of muscle that separates your guts from your heart and lungs and is used in breathing) or irritation of the “parietal peritoneum” (the wrapping of your guts), as a result of jiggling of your insides during running. There are also discussions about eating and/or drinking too close to running.

Cure: Most experts discuss the importance of deep breathing or “belly breathing” during exercise. Also alternating which foot strike you breathe out on, so as to decrease the strain put on either side of the diaphragm has been mentioned. Slowing your running pace or stopping and bending at the waist or stretching out tall is also helpful, though in a race this means a possible slower time, (I didn't manage to find any scientific theory for carrying bits of bush anywhere, I'm sad to say).

Prevention: To decrease the occurrence of stitch experts suggest a combination of the above 'cure' techniques and conditioning exercises for the abdominal region (to minimize jiggling of insides I presume). Also being mindful of what you eat and drink prior to running.

Basically, after reading up on stitch I’m left feeling better educated but no more confident that I will be prepared for the next episode. But I will definitely be doing more core strength exercises, which my physio will be pleased about. I will try to use my belly to breath, maybe grunt a little and/or purse my lips (you will understand those two if you read the articles linked below). I may even carry a couple of leaves a tree branch and a handful of gravel while wearing my lucky socks too, just in case...

Here are a couple of links that you might want to read yourself, see if you feel any safer from the dreaded stitch...

Side Stitches: causes, cure and prevention
Stitch Pain - The biggest pain for athletes

VO2max testing for Ironman training and breathing sand

I did a VO2max test this morning at the university bio-mechanics labs, it hurt. Hopefully its worth it and it allows my coach to provide a more specific Ironman training schedule in the future.

I was a little nervous about the testing session, which wasn't helped by the email form my coach saying there would be consent forms to sign before the “smashfest” began. Also, as with most race or test type situations, I had the anxiety/excitement I usually get, which I think is part of the reason for doing this in the first place. I turned up as one of my training partners was finishing and he described it as “uncomfortable”, he is an under-stater so I expected some pain.

The test is done on a stationary bike with a heart rate monitor and a horrible breathing apparatus not unlike a scuba diving mask or a snorkel. These are connected to a big bunch of computers which strangely enough didn't beep once while I was being tested. It would have added to my impression if there had been some sort of beeping going on, but I guess they didn't think of that while designing the system. Just saying...

Once hooked up to the machinery, I was asked to stay still to get some “resting data”. I started to have performance anxiety right then and there....”Is my heart rate supposed to be that high?”....”am I breathing normally?”, “what is he writing?” and “how stupid do I look in this getup?”. Once satisfied with my resting data I began pedaling. The testing began with 3 x 3min intervals at reasonably easy tension, to get some “steady state” data....then the test proper began and the discomfort was shortly to follow. From then the tension or watts increased by 25, starting at 250 every minute. I was required to maintain an even rpm and to try to keep going as long as I could. It became pretty hard pretty quickly. Early on I started to note that the scuba mask attachment prohibited any swallowing or moistening of my mouth and throat. As a result everything dried out and gave the impression of breathing sand... Now this might sound bad,but the pain the emerged in my legs soon took my mind of the desert in my mouth. Apparently at some point the data indicated that the lactic acid started doing its thing in my legs and this was when it got tough. At the end I managed to do 30seconds at 425watts. Now I have no idea if that is good or bad but it felt tough. My VO2max is apparently around 51? again no idea what that means, now I could link you to a bunch of articles that explain it all that I have already pawed over but I won't. My coach will get a summary of my results soon and he will feedback the findings, using these to educate my Ironman training program. I think I will leave the explaining to him and feedback to you after that. I think at that point I will write a bit more about the point of the testing and the benefits to be had. Then I can tell you if its worth the $250 it cost.