Adam's Arthroscopic Surgery

My second post is regarding my recent injury. I know that some will read out of curiosity. This subject may not be relevant to many of you. I do feel this post is important because I’m hoping to help out (and reach out) to someone who has encountered a similar issue. I know that when I was first told surgery was my best option, I immediately went to Google and searched for anything regarding the left knee. More specifically, the removal of the plica, chondroplasty, and partial medial meniscus tears. In a world wide web full of information, there was actual very little to find. I had several questions regarding recovery, and what I could and could not do. Instead, I found examples which didn’t include any photos or indicate the level of activity of those who created blogs or posts. I have decided to post my story, and hopefully a fellow serious athlete will come across it and find some solace during recovery.

I won’t use my full name, but I’m Adam for those of you who have not yet been introduced. I am a competitive runner, and also enjoy doing several other activities in my free time. I love hockey, wrestling, and skateboarding. Some would say these three activities do not mix. It really doesn’t matter to me, I enjoy doing all three! As a matter of fact, my injury was actually NOT related to any of these. It was the cause of a genetic disposition. Who knew?

First, I will begin by saying I was on crutches for the first 3 days. I was told the day of the surgery, I wouldn’t feel any pain. This is because of the ridiculous amount of drugs you are given in order for the surgery to take place. The second day I was in the worst pain. Pain killers were necessary.

By the end of the week, I was once again mobile. I had the surgery about the time of my midterm exams in college, and only had to miss one of each of my 4 classes. I never fell behind in terms of class work or exams. In fact, one of my teachers was very understanding and allowed me to take the exam at home. About 4 days after the surgery, I was lifting at the gym. I wasn’t walking pretty, but I did all my lifting while sitting on a chair. This was to avoid putting pressure on the knee. Lifting was a serious part of my training. As for core, I am VERY limited. I can only do about half of what I used to be able to largely because most of my exercises involve both legs. I do all that I can at this point.

Three weeks following the surgery, one thing I have noticed is a gain in flexibility in the knee (and leg) with each passing day. The knee specialist told me I would be able to enter a pool after the second week. The reasoning for the two week delay is to avoid infections. The wounds (two holes on each side of the knee) have to close first. I have been pool running for over a week now. I try to simulate my runs in the pool, and have done one workout so far. I simulate my runs with a time goal. This goal is a minimum of 50 minutes to an hour in the pool a day. During this time, I practice the running motions and work my respiratory system by increasing effort in fighting the water’s resistance. I plan on doing at least one pool running workout a week up until I can actually run. During this week, I will also begin physical therapy. The surgeon told me this would be necessary for recovery. I was NOT given permission to use any machines or equipment involving my legs to this point. I think a significant part of the recovery will have to do with following the directions of the doctor. His (or her) word is actually more valuable than anyone. EVEN the physical therapist. There is no such thing as a speedy recovery from this type of surgery. Expect to be out for 3 months, not less. In my case, hopefully not more either. I plan on making a full recovery and will resume normal activities in February. This will mark the end of my 3 month recovery.

I have photos of the operation, and have circled the meniscus tear and scar tissue in blue.

http://i22.photobucket.com/albums/b324/Maleknia/KneeImages.jpg

Eating Healthier?

Hey Everyone! I think it's time we spoke about positive eating. I know this is a subject area you are well versed in. Ever since I've had my surgery approximately 2 1/2 weeks ago, I've had an epiphany in terms of my eating habits. It seems like all the junk foods I would eat without question were no longer appealing to me. Foods such as buffalo wings, steak and cheese subs, or even pasta with alfredo sauce just doesn't seem too appealing anymore. To further add to this, I was obsessed with late night McDonald's trips over the summer. Not only is the time of day terrible (usually around midnight), but all the crap I was ingesting into my system was probably doing more harm than I expected. I had a former teammate of mine in college ask me "how can you eat nothing but crap and still run well?" This question I am still yet to answer. However, could an improvement in my eating habits benefit me in a race? Could all the fast food and empty calories I took in have hindered me from reaching my potential as an athlete? As this is my first post on the SISU Project blog (and my first post on a blog in general) I hope this creates discussion for a matter I am taking seriously. I want to live as long as I can, and live as healthy as possible too. And, I will ask what can I eat that will be high in protein and iron? These two things are essential for my diet as a blood test showed I was deficient in both areas. My only preference is that the food is delicious, and can give me similar joy to the feeling I used to get when I ate a double cheeseburger and fries!

-Adam

5 Best Yoga Poses For Runners

Yoga is often looked at as a way for runners to stretch tight muscles. Runners tend to gravitate towards power yoga and fast paced vinyasa flow. It’s wonderful to see runners now practicing yoga but this approach of stretching muscles and getting a bonus “workout” is only the tip of the iceberg.

Yoga is a path to relaxation and awareness, two things that should be at the forefront of any runners training program. Many runners, especially competitive high school and college runners experience adrenal burnout from the tremendous amounts of stress placed on their body. The last thing these runners need is another “workout.” What is needed is deep relaxation of the body and mind, allowing the body to repair itself.

Those who practice ChiRunning attempt to minimize the amount of stress they place on the body. Those who practice power running purposely place stress on the body in order to get stronger. The idea is that if you stress the body, and then recover, the body will rebuild itself stronger. In my experience most runners have not maximized their recovery process. The amount of runners I know that have experienced “burnout” is overwhelming. It is time for a better process. We need a better approach.

The recovery process stems from deep relaxation. It goes far beyond “taking an easy day” “going for a recovery run” and eating protein. Below is a list of my five best yoga poses for runners. I suggest finding a good teacher to work with you on these postures as well as researching the postures on your own.

1. Savasana – also known as corpse pose. This is the pose done at the end of class. Many Yogis say this is where the benefit of practice comes. To enter the pose, lie on your back with your legs extended and hands by your waist palms facing up. Bring your heels together and let your toes fall to the side. Close your eyes and relax. Let it go. Let go of any tension you are holding in the body. Just…let…it….go….. This is a great pose to do after you run and stretch. It will help integrate your activity into your body and leave you feeling refreshed for your next run.

2. Childs pose – Childs pose is another deeply relaxing pose. It is done with your shins on the floor, big toes touching, knees spread. Forehead is touching the floor. Your belly will be resting on or between your thighs. If you cannot bring your forehead to the floor use a block to ensure that your forehead is resting on something (this helps foster the relaxation response) arms can be by your side or extended in front of you. Feel your breath flowing into your kidneys and adrenal glands.

3. Meditation posture – Meditation is a way to develop your focus. For most runners I suggest starting in a chair and not lotus position (because of tight hips) Sitting upright in a chair with your feet firmly planted and palms resting in your lap, allow your spine to become straight by pressing up through the crown of your head. You can focus on your breath, a candle flame, picture, word or phrase, sound etc…

4. Legs up the wall pose – bring your hips next to a wall and place your feet above you on the wall while lying flat on your back. Use any blankets or pillows for support. Make sure you are comfortable. This is an inversion for the legs and will help move the waste in your legs through your lymphatic system so you can start each run fresh. This is one pose that many power runners already do, specifically after races and hard workouts. This can be after every run for maximum recovery.

5. Mountain pose – If you practice ChiRunning you are already doing this. It is known as your posture. If you can’t relax in the most basic standing posture, it will be very challenging to relax and more advanced postures and nearly impossible to fully relax when running. You might think you are relaxed when running, but that might be because the endorphins have you feeling so good you don’t notice the tight areas. You should practice this pose as much as possible.

ChiRunning - How long does it take to get it?

How long does it take to get it? I get this question all the time, and it is a difficult one to answer. In my own experience, I have “gotten it” several different times over the course of my learning journey. We call these “AHA moments.” Those moments where everything clicks and you say “AHA, I got it!” These AHA moments add a tremendous amount of joy to my running practice. As in learning any skill, when things suddenly click, and your brain and body are synched up magic begins to happen…

Like many others, I’ve experienced several AHA moments throughout my ChiRunning practice. I had several when I first read the book, and continue to have them as I run and walk. This is the beauty of ChiRunning, you are constantly learning something about your body, your mind, and your self.

AHA moments come in all forms and sizes. You might have a physical AHA moment, such as feeling gravity pull you forward, rather than using your legs to propel you. One of the more profound AHA moment s for me was an emotional one. It was my senior year of college. I had been practicing ChiRunning for a year, and my college career was coming to an end. As I entered into the championship part of the season I ran a continuous streak of PRs in the 10K (6.2miles) I had an emotional attachment to making the national meet, which requires you run a certain time to qualify. Through my ChiRunning practice I found that by NOT focusing on time, my race times improved DRAMATICALLY.

I ran 32:42, 32:20, 31:52 and 5 days after that 31:15. There was no recovery time needed from these races. The 31:15 was truly a magical race for me. Everything aligned and flowed smooth that day. The entire race was like one giant AHA moment. Although I did run considerably faster than I ever had before, it wasn’t the time I was most happy with, it was the emotional feeling I had inside my body. I was happy and everybody close to me was happy. I was projecting pure joy and relaxation and that was being reflected back to me.

That was in 2005. Close to 5 years later I’m still getting AHA moments. When I’m setting up a training plan for somebody and they ask me, “how long will it take to get it?” I explain to them that many people notice benefits right away. You are likely to experience a few AHA moments in your first session with a certified ChiRunning instructor. If you continue to practice you will continue to grow, and your journey will be a series of one AHA moment after the next. You will "get it" as soon as you start practicing, but there is always more to learn, more to grow, more to see, and more to feel. The important thing is to enjoy the journey and not worry about the destination.

Marathon - Modern Day Ritual

We often think of rituals as esoteric acts of clandestine groups done in the woods around Halloween. However, a ritual is merely a ceremonious act that is passed on through generations. These acts create connectivity between people within a certain culture. Whether done in private or amongst a large group one feels a sense of union with a greater community. Rituals are often symbolic and can be very simple or complex. In the case of the Marathon, it is a grueling race that tests one physically, mentally and spiritually.
　
The first ever Marathon was not a symbolic gesture at all. The dawn of western civilization was tumultous. As a new civilization began to spread throughout Europe, Eurasia and northern Africa it came in direct contact with other people and their beliefs. Many wars were fought and people and cultures were spread across the globe by force. The first Marathon was ran by Pheidippides from Marathon to Athens to spread the news that the Greeks had triumphed over the Persians. When he reached his destination he dropped dead leaving the parting message "we are victorious." Some also name Pheidippides as the messenger who ran from Athens to Sparta to plead King Leonidas and his fabled army for help (for all you 300 fans out there).

Today, Marathons are very big affairs. Thousands of men and women of all different ages and backgrounds will take part in a single race. Everyone knows at least one person who has run a Marathon. This is no small feat, we are talking about a 26.2 mile race! That being said, 500,000 people will complete a marathon this year alone.Even though there are 50, 100 and even 150 mile races the Marathon still inspires a certain awe and respect among us.

I believe the Marathon serves as a modern day ritual for us. Whether we participate in one or simply act as spectators and supporters, there is a sense of being firmly connected to what keeps our civilization and the human race moving forward. Thousands participate, hundreds volunteer and countless turn their attention to these events in order to be reminded that we can and will endure as a people. It is amazing that the people of West Africa dominate this sport. West Africa is considered by many the "cradle of civilization"; the place where homo sapiens may have first walked the Earth. The Marathon has evolved into a ritual that symbolizes the endurance of all human beings and not just Western Civilization. Today thousands of people cross the finish line at these races...not just eccentric athletes.

The New York City Marathon will take place this weekend and a wave of people from all corners of the globe will wind through the burroughs of arguably the most culturally diverse city in the world. New York now stands as Athens once did, a city at the center of an Empire. This Empire has known art, intellectual achievement and modern innovation as well as greed, corruption and terrorism. What is so great about rituals like these is that theyt spread an energy out into the world that says "we are victorious" as Pheidippides did when he arrived in Athens. Our great cities will fall and our Empires will be replaced but these rituals will remain. They will survive to remind us that collectively we can accomplish anything.

Stay Positive,

Matthew

"Pretty Good"

Hello readers!
This is a poem handed out at a staff meeting at school.
I thought I would share!

Pretty Good
by: Charles Osgood
There once was a pretty good student
Who sat in a pretty good class
And was taught by a pretty good teacher
Who always let pretty good pass.
He wasn’t terrific at reading,
He wasn’t a whiz-bang at math,
But for him, education was leading
Straight down a pretty good path.
He didn’t find school too exciting,
But he wanted to do pretty well,
And he did have some trouble with writing
Since nobody taught him to spell.
When doing arithmetic problems,
Pretty good was regarded as fine.
5+5 needn’t always add up to be 10;
A pretty good answer was 9.
The pretty good class that he sat in
Was part of a pretty good school,
And the student was not an exception:
On the contrary, he was the rule.
The pretty good school that he went to
Was there in a pretty good town,
And nobody there seemed to notice
He could not tell a verb from a noun.
The pretty good student in fact was
Part of a pretty good mob.
And the first time he knew what he lacked was
When he looked for a pretty good job.
It was then, when he sought a position,
He discovered that life could be tough,
And he soon had a sneaking suspicion
Pretty good might not be good enough.
The pretty good town in our story
Was part of a pretty good state
Which had pretty good aspirations
And prayed for a pretty good fate.
There once was a pretty good nation
Pretty proud of the greatness it had,
Which learned much too late,
If you want to be great,
Pretty good is, in fact, pretty bad.

Be the exception to the rule! If you want to be great (whether it be at running, teaching, writing, dancing, cooking, etc., etc.) Strive for more than "pretty good."
Strive for excellence!

-Caitlyn

Staying Positive and Being Soft

This post serves to clear up a common misconception about remaining positive while keeping ourselves protected in a sometimes adverse world. No matter how positive of a person you are you will run into negative people and negative situations. Often these people are so negatively charged that they go in search of ways to balance themselves by bringing down others. This is usually the source of most daily dramas that keep us from truly experiencing life in the here and now.

People often say...how can I just be positive with so many awful things going on in the world? The simple truth is there are incredibly beautiful and uplifting things happening every second of the day as well. Our attention is shifted to these negative things through the added weight our media places on them or because of the heightened need of our internal survival mechanisms to notice dangerous situations. There is a constant miracle called life happening every millisecond of the day. There are children being born, people helping others, nature is constantly providing us a 24 hour spectacle. Can you imagine if the media reported all the positive things that happened each and every day?

To be aware of a negative situation is important and critical to our survival, as I alluded to earlier. Just because we are choosing to be positive does not mean we ignore a potentially damaging situation. Often people who adopt an attitude of positive thinking and feeling become "soft". They are too afraid to have sharp edges and often go along with things that are detrimental to them. When one does this they are giving away their personal power to others and opening the door to being taken advantage of. Often the kindest people we know end up in inequitable positions at work or in unhealthy relationships.

Being positive requires a strong sense of personal power. We must know when to draw a line in the sand without fighting. Rarely are we put in situations where fighting is necessary. We are no longer in medieval times, where conflict was often settled with physical battles. This does not stop us as humans from trying to inflict pain on one another. We take to using words as a way to harm people emotionally instead. The famous children's anthem of "sticks and stones may break my bones but words will never hurt me" is a clever thing to say but it is far from the truth. How do we remain positive and avoid getting hurt?

The truth is you can't avoid getting hurt. We will always be hurt and we are often hurt by the people we care the most about. This is often why we develop a soft exterior because we want to maintain a good relationship with people even after they have hurt us. There are two important scenarios to consider:

The threat of physical pain: If you are being threatened physically, the most important thing to do is get as far away from that person as possible. If this is impossible, you need to defend yourself physically by any means necessary. Resorting to physical violence is always a last resort and a completely inappropriate and unbalanced way to deal with someone who is trying to hurt you emotionally.

The threat of emotional pain: This is much more common. People who strike out against your emotions feel very weak and insignificant and do this to develop a false sense of personal power. It is important to call these people out because they will often retreat very quickly or make a fool of themselves by continuing their useless diatribes further. A statement such as "Right now what you are saying makes me angry and if you continue I am going to either walk away or just stop listening" often works just fine. This is a statement of personal power and it is effective in the face of those who do not feel powerful themselves.

This is not easy. It may be the biggest challenge to being human. We are blessed with the intellectual and physical capacities that have allowed us to evolve into the most sophisticated animals on the planet Earth. We were also given the opportunity to experiences the richness of life through our emotions. To be fully human is to experience all three of these realms fully. Remember you are never alone in this endeavor, if you act out kindness and stay positive incredibly supportive people will have no trouble finding you.

Stay Positive,

Matthew