I've kept close track of my weight after my last ultra, and it reflects a similar discussion over at Kevin Sayer's website. I unfortunately don't have any data for my weight 24 hours after running.
Days after the ultra / weight
Day 1: 123
Day 2: 124.5
Day 3: 122
Day 4: 117
Day 5: 119
A big increase around 48-60 hours after the event, followed by what looks like an overcompensating plummet to far below my normal weight. What gives?
Well, during an ultra your body starts producing a cocktail of hormones en masse that will help you keep running. These include your cliched endorphins, which act like a mild opiate, and cortisol, which aids in fat metabolism. There are also elevated levels of many enzymes, especially creatine kinase which tends to become superelevated in an ultra from the high degree of damage to muscle tissue, but that's another post.
The big player here, though, is vasopression. Also called anti-diuretic hormone, its release encourages the re-absorption of fluids by the kidneys. This is obviously helpful during the event - you conserve water and as a result have to drink less than you would had this hormone not kicked in. Additionally, it means you aren't going to be peeing after every bottle of fluid.
My hypothesis is two pronged. 1), vasopressin is probably, like most other hormones, so elevated during an ultra that it takes a significant amount of time to decay to its resting level, and 2), the body continues to secrete it for up to 48 hours after the event. I believe that the latter is critical to help explain the continued increase in water weight after the race; essentially, the body is still in endurance mode. Perhaps it is keeping you prepared for further running, but I think it may be a survival mechanism. In our evolutionary history, we did not have big barbecues at the finish line with beer and plenty of water. We were still working with scarce resources, and the longer you can conserve water after a big endurance effort, the better.
Does this explain the puffy feet and ankles following an ultra? I think it's sort of a confounding factor. You've been on your feet and engaging your lower legs for 10+ hours, I would expect a little pooling. Perhaps there's also the issue of damaged muscle cells spilling fluids and other items into the muscle tissue, and the body working hard to clean it out.
I don't know, but studying the physiology and biology of ultrarunning would make for a fantastic dissertation.
Friday, February 11, 2011
Tuesday, February 1, 2011
Two weeks of tapering
Going to start posting my weekly log, primarily because my Garmin watch battery has died so I have lost the convenience of it automatically downloading all of my runs to a file. Beware when you buy these GPS watches, the batteries eventually run down. If there are some on the market with replaceable batteries, look only at those, otherwise I would stay away. The service price is almost as much as a new watch.
Anyway...
Monday (17th): 8 miles up the Burke, through Ravenna Park, and along the south shore of Greenlake.
Tuesday (18th): Rest.
Wednesday (19th): 8 miles with 4 miles at theshold on the Burke Gilman. I went out to the end of the Burke in Salmon Bay and back, and I'm amazed that I never knew that Google and Adobe have fairly large offices along the canal from Lake Union to the Sound. I am incredibly jealous of their cafeteria - they have beers on tap from local breweries.
Thursday (20th): 8 miles in the Arboretum and Foster's Island.
Friday (21st): Rest.
Saturday (22nd): 22 miles at Cougar Mountain. I was going to hit up the Iron Horse Trail for a contour run but I read that it requires a permit during this time of year. Lame. Two classic loops around Cougar with the big climb on the backside, and sans the small loop near Indian Trail.
Sunday (23rd): Rest.
First taper week total: 56 miles, ~3000ft vertical.
Monday (24th): 10 miles out-and-back to Lower Woodland via the Burke Gilman and Ravenna Park/Avenue. I did a circuit around the Lower Woodland 5K course which brought back memories. Having climbed 5000'+ peaks in my ultras, widowmaker and the camel humps seem like anthills.
Tuesday (25th): Rest.
Wednesday (26th): 8 miles out-and-back on the Burke Gilman.
Thursday (27th): Rest.
Friday (28st): 8 miles out-and-back to "the wall" through the Arboretum.
Saturday (29nd): 14 miles out-and-back to Golden Gardens. This uses the same route as the Mountains to Sound Relay, which has recently became one of my favorite runs. It hangs out on the Burke Gilman from the UW to its end at the Fred Meyer in Salmon Bay, snaking all the way along the north shore of Lake Union. From there, I run on Shilshole Avenue and follow the train tracks to the Chittenden Locks. I feel like this is fairly safe, even during the week when there is industrial traffic, because the shoulders on the road are huge and the tracks are a terminal railyard. After the train tracks the Burke Gilman starts up again and runs parallel to the sound until it terminates at Golden Gardens.
Sunday (30rd): 4 miles barefoot on the Burke. It was close to freezing and didn't feel particularly good on my feet, but it's been a while since I've done this much barefooting. Like playing guitar, you lose the conditioning of your skin if you don't keep it up.
Second taper week total: 44 miles, ~1000ft vertical.
Going into the third and final week before the 100, I will run maybe once or twice and spend the other days stretching, doing some strength work on my stabilizer muscles, and getting rested. I find that the best tapering starts slowly, losing maybe 10% the first week and 20% the second week, then plummeting by 80%+. You feel so rested and energized, and by the time you get to the start you can't wait to race.
Anyway...
Monday (17th): 8 miles up the Burke, through Ravenna Park, and along the south shore of Greenlake.
Tuesday (18th): Rest.
Wednesday (19th): 8 miles with 4 miles at theshold on the Burke Gilman. I went out to the end of the Burke in Salmon Bay and back, and I'm amazed that I never knew that Google and Adobe have fairly large offices along the canal from Lake Union to the Sound. I am incredibly jealous of their cafeteria - they have beers on tap from local breweries.
Thursday (20th): 8 miles in the Arboretum and Foster's Island.
Friday (21st): Rest.
Saturday (22nd): 22 miles at Cougar Mountain. I was going to hit up the Iron Horse Trail for a contour run but I read that it requires a permit during this time of year. Lame. Two classic loops around Cougar with the big climb on the backside, and sans the small loop near Indian Trail.
Sunday (23rd): Rest.
First taper week total: 56 miles, ~3000ft vertical.
Monday (24th): 10 miles out-and-back to Lower Woodland via the Burke Gilman and Ravenna Park/Avenue. I did a circuit around the Lower Woodland 5K course which brought back memories. Having climbed 5000'+ peaks in my ultras, widowmaker and the camel humps seem like anthills.
Tuesday (25th): Rest.
Wednesday (26th): 8 miles out-and-back on the Burke Gilman.
Thursday (27th): Rest.
Friday (28st): 8 miles out-and-back to "the wall" through the Arboretum.
Saturday (29nd): 14 miles out-and-back to Golden Gardens. This uses the same route as the Mountains to Sound Relay, which has recently became one of my favorite runs. It hangs out on the Burke Gilman from the UW to its end at the Fred Meyer in Salmon Bay, snaking all the way along the north shore of Lake Union. From there, I run on Shilshole Avenue and follow the train tracks to the Chittenden Locks. I feel like this is fairly safe, even during the week when there is industrial traffic, because the shoulders on the road are huge and the tracks are a terminal railyard. After the train tracks the Burke Gilman starts up again and runs parallel to the sound until it terminates at Golden Gardens.
Sunday (30rd): 4 miles barefoot on the Burke. It was close to freezing and didn't feel particularly good on my feet, but it's been a while since I've done this much barefooting. Like playing guitar, you lose the conditioning of your skin if you don't keep it up.
Second taper week total: 44 miles, ~1000ft vertical.
Going into the third and final week before the 100, I will run maybe once or twice and spend the other days stretching, doing some strength work on my stabilizer muscles, and getting rested. I find that the best tapering starts slowly, losing maybe 10% the first week and 20% the second week, then plummeting by 80%+. You feel so rested and energized, and by the time you get to the start you can't wait to race.
Friday, January 28, 2011
Diet of champions
After three years of college, I finally snagged an apartment with a kitchen, and I've gone into overdrive. I am happy to say that I don't buy frozen foods and cook daily, and I'm actually enjoying it. I don't want to wallow in anecdotes because they tend to be nothing more than confirmation bias in action, but I will say that I think a long, healthy life begins at your plate (and your feet). Surprisingly, I've found that I enjoy eating these foods more than the typical college fare, though I enjoy a burger or a pizza after a long run or race.
Foods I will usually eat daily or close to daily:
-kale (possibly one of the healthiest things on the planet)
-winter squash (used to hate this as a kid, but when you get a good, ripe squash its heaven)
-Greek yogurt (breakfast every day with molasses and nuts mixed in)
-sweet potatoes (goes without saying)
-quinoa (I've crafted a whacked-out recipe that uses oregano, thyme, sun-dried tomatoes, and pecorino)
-walnuts/pecans/macadamia nuts (awesome)
-raw milk or washed-rind cheese (the stinkier, the better)
-carrots, rutabaga, turnips (by their flesh mashed together, they are Captain Root Vegetable)
-blueberries (no need to explain)
-apples (yep)
-lentils (with copious amounts of spices: cumin, coriander, cardamom, cinnamon, turmeric, ginger, chiles, and garlic)
-tofu (supplement protein if/when needed)
-onions (baked slices, sauteed, whatever, I am an onion addict)
-mushrooms
And beer. Every day. There is ample evidence that daily beer drinkers live longer, healthier lives than both alcoholics and teetotalers. I'm not sure if it's the alcohol, some beneficial compounds produced through fermentation, or a little bit of both...my two rules are that the beer I drink has to taste good, and I have to try as many new beers as possible. There is an insane number of microbreweries that all craft exceptional beers, ranging from the mild Islander Pale Ale I'm having now from Maritime Pacific, to the strong and complex Abyss from Deschutes that I finally got my hands on early this year.
Foods I will usually eat daily or close to daily:
-kale (possibly one of the healthiest things on the planet)
-winter squash (used to hate this as a kid, but when you get a good, ripe squash its heaven)
-Greek yogurt (breakfast every day with molasses and nuts mixed in)
-sweet potatoes (goes without saying)
-quinoa (I've crafted a whacked-out recipe that uses oregano, thyme, sun-dried tomatoes, and pecorino)
-walnuts/pecans/macadamia nuts (awesome)
-raw milk or washed-rind cheese (the stinkier, the better)
-carrots, rutabaga, turnips (by their flesh mashed together, they are Captain Root Vegetable)
-blueberries (no need to explain)
-apples (yep)
-lentils (with copious amounts of spices: cumin, coriander, cardamom, cinnamon, turmeric, ginger, chiles, and garlic)
-tofu (supplement protein if/when needed)
-onions (baked slices, sauteed, whatever, I am an onion addict)
-mushrooms
The catalyst of civilization?
And beer. Every day. There is ample evidence that daily beer drinkers live longer, healthier lives than both alcoholics and teetotalers. I'm not sure if it's the alcohol, some beneficial compounds produced through fermentation, or a little bit of both...my two rules are that the beer I drink has to taste good, and I have to try as many new beers as possible. There is an insane number of microbreweries that all craft exceptional beers, ranging from the mild Islander Pale Ale I'm having now from Maritime Pacific, to the strong and complex Abyss from Deschutes that I finally got my hands on early this year.
Sunday, January 23, 2011
Ethics and the runner's diet
As lame as it sounds, after taking two ethics and philosophy courses as an undergraduate, I have a tendency to assess just about any action I consider "normal" logically and ethically, but I do my best to remain practical. I do this quite a bit with food.
If I will eat its skin (apples), or pesticides and herbicides are normally used en masse on it on conventional farms (the "dirty dozen", for example). For one, it is impossible to remove all pesticide residue, and they have demonstrated human health risks. Two, the runoff from these farms poses environmental problems. Hence, I tend to buy the organic variants of these fruits and vegetables. Yep, it tends to cost more, and true, there are some loopholes in the organic certification system. I mitigate the former and eliminate the latter by doing my best to shop farmer's markets.
With respect to fish, I avoid all of the red list species - species either endangered, or subject to fishing practices that are destructive. No orange roughy or Chilean sea bass for me. Beef? If it isn't grass fed and pasture raised, forget about it. But I'm still grappling with the 800-pound gorilla in the room: is it ethical to kill and eat a living, sentient being for food when I have non-sentient alternatives?
Most of the people I know would tell me I'm worrying about something that doesn't matter. I disagree. Even the lowly species of ants, those guys you walk all over on the sidewalk each day, construct elaborate hives with ventilation shafts. Some cultivate fungus for food in their subterranean dwellings. Every meat you eat can feel pain, from fish to pigs to beef. Nevermind the entirely unethical and disgusting practices of standard factory farming, even if your meat is sustainably or "humanely" harvested, it still often suffers. They look paralyzed, both those fish are suffocating while they sit in the net on-deck. Add in the environmental costs of, for example, raising a cow, and you have quite the conundrum.
The alternative? You can get all of the essential amino acids from a vegetarian diet. I've done well on multi-week stretches without meat, even as a long distance runner. But I still get deep cravings for salmon, for that grass-fed beef burger that Lunchbox Laboratory made so well (never fear, they aren't closed, just moving to South Lake Union), for that bacon in my broccoli and red onion salad...I attribute it to my body's natural craving for meat, since we are, by adaptation, omnivores.
But we are intelligent, and we have the means to produce food that fulfills our nutritional requirements without the killing and suffering inflicted on other beings. Does that all outweigh my cravings, as an omnivore by evolution? I don't know, and I'm still trying to figure out.
But I do know you do not need to eat meat to live healthy and run well.
If I will eat its skin (apples), or pesticides and herbicides are normally used en masse on it on conventional farms (the "dirty dozen", for example). For one, it is impossible to remove all pesticide residue, and they have demonstrated human health risks. Two, the runoff from these farms poses environmental problems. Hence, I tend to buy the organic variants of these fruits and vegetables. Yep, it tends to cost more, and true, there are some loopholes in the organic certification system. I mitigate the former and eliminate the latter by doing my best to shop farmer's markets.
With respect to fish, I avoid all of the red list species - species either endangered, or subject to fishing practices that are destructive. No orange roughy or Chilean sea bass for me. Beef? If it isn't grass fed and pasture raised, forget about it. But I'm still grappling with the 800-pound gorilla in the room: is it ethical to kill and eat a living, sentient being for food when I have non-sentient alternatives?
Most of the people I know would tell me I'm worrying about something that doesn't matter. I disagree. Even the lowly species of ants, those guys you walk all over on the sidewalk each day, construct elaborate hives with ventilation shafts. Some cultivate fungus for food in their subterranean dwellings. Every meat you eat can feel pain, from fish to pigs to beef. Nevermind the entirely unethical and disgusting practices of standard factory farming, even if your meat is sustainably or "humanely" harvested, it still often suffers. They look paralyzed, both those fish are suffocating while they sit in the net on-deck. Add in the environmental costs of, for example, raising a cow, and you have quite the conundrum.
The alternative? You can get all of the essential amino acids from a vegetarian diet. I've done well on multi-week stretches without meat, even as a long distance runner. But I still get deep cravings for salmon, for that grass-fed beef burger that Lunchbox Laboratory made so well (never fear, they aren't closed, just moving to South Lake Union), for that bacon in my broccoli and red onion salad...I attribute it to my body's natural craving for meat, since we are, by adaptation, omnivores.
But we are intelligent, and we have the means to produce food that fulfills our nutritional requirements without the killing and suffering inflicted on other beings. Does that all outweigh my cravings, as an omnivore by evolution? I don't know, and I'm still trying to figure out.
Unnecessary...but delicious.
But I do know you do not need to eat meat to live healthy and run well.
Tuesday, January 11, 2011
Back to school
Back to running.
Nothing feels more exciting than coming back from time off for an injury, and nothing is harder than restraining yourself from jumping in too fast and injuring something else. I saw my sports doctor here in Seattle and he generally seemed to agree with the diagnosis, except the sprain. Given the fact that I was able to run on it during the race, and the injury only came on ~30 minutes afterward, he essentially rejects the sprain and is more comfortable suggesting either a pseudo-chronic compartment syndrome or nerve entrapment. MRI's are expensive, and since this is recovering quickly I decided to forgo it so his diagnosis is based upon experience (he is, after all, a triathlete who treats endurance athletes).
If it was compartment syndrome, it was minor and was caused by tight shoes restricting blood flow around my ankle. Since it was brought on by repeated, prolonged stress, and not a direct blow, it didn't cause much damage. Further, since the cause was limited to a one-off event, the fascia likely didn't have time to turn fibrous. In that case, heat therapy, massage, and stretching were enough to heal it.
If it is nerve entrapment, the pain I felt was mostly the strain of the muscles around the ankle. If I massage or rub the side of my right leg up and down the peroneal/anterior compartments, I can elicit some pins and needles in the top of my foot. Could the tight shoes and repeated stress have moved some muscles and nerves around? Possibly. Since I still have this sensation without the associated pain or stiffness associated with compartment syndrome, this is probably more likely.
At any rate, the lesson is that without some expensive diagnostics, a lot of this stuff is more or less an educated guess. Either way, I'm working back into running without any symptoms.
Last week's mileage:
Mon: Didn't start yet!
Tues: 3 (4?) miles very easy and relaxed through Marsh Island.
Wed: Leg strength/weight training.
Thurs: 5 miles around the Union Bay trails, caught a nice unobstructed view of the sunrise which always imbues with this extra enthusiasm for the day.
Fri: Total rest.
Sat: 6 miles through Ravenna Park and up Ravenna Avenue. Felt much more loose and relaxed than the last few.
Sun: 8 miles out to the wall near the Bush School and back, through the Arb and Marsh Island.
Planning on running significantly more by the tailend of next week, hopefully capping it off with a decent long run to gauge the injury and my fitness. If all is well I'll be booking tickets and my campground for Huntsville in February.
Nothing feels more exciting than coming back from time off for an injury, and nothing is harder than restraining yourself from jumping in too fast and injuring something else. I saw my sports doctor here in Seattle and he generally seemed to agree with the diagnosis, except the sprain. Given the fact that I was able to run on it during the race, and the injury only came on ~30 minutes afterward, he essentially rejects the sprain and is more comfortable suggesting either a pseudo-chronic compartment syndrome or nerve entrapment. MRI's are expensive, and since this is recovering quickly I decided to forgo it so his diagnosis is based upon experience (he is, after all, a triathlete who treats endurance athletes).
If it was compartment syndrome, it was minor and was caused by tight shoes restricting blood flow around my ankle. Since it was brought on by repeated, prolonged stress, and not a direct blow, it didn't cause much damage. Further, since the cause was limited to a one-off event, the fascia likely didn't have time to turn fibrous. In that case, heat therapy, massage, and stretching were enough to heal it.
If it is nerve entrapment, the pain I felt was mostly the strain of the muscles around the ankle. If I massage or rub the side of my right leg up and down the peroneal/anterior compartments, I can elicit some pins and needles in the top of my foot. Could the tight shoes and repeated stress have moved some muscles and nerves around? Possibly. Since I still have this sensation without the associated pain or stiffness associated with compartment syndrome, this is probably more likely.
At any rate, the lesson is that without some expensive diagnostics, a lot of this stuff is more or less an educated guess. Either way, I'm working back into running without any symptoms.
Last week's mileage:
Mon: Didn't start yet!
Tues: 3 (4?) miles very easy and relaxed through Marsh Island.
Wed: Leg strength/weight training.
Thurs: 5 miles around the Union Bay trails, caught a nice unobstructed view of the sunrise which always imbues with this extra enthusiasm for the day.
Fri: Total rest.
Sat: 6 miles through Ravenna Park and up Ravenna Avenue. Felt much more loose and relaxed than the last few.
Sun: 8 miles out to the wall near the Bush School and back, through the Arb and Marsh Island.
Planning on running significantly more by the tailend of next week, hopefully capping it off with a decent long run to gauge the injury and my fitness. If all is well I'll be booking tickets and my campground for Huntsville in February.
Monday, December 27, 2010
Straight kickin'
What better place to take time off and recover than Hawaii?
Sure, I've been slaving over my graduate school application essays and micromanaging my letter writers, but the weather swings from the mid seventies at night to the low eighties during the day. In other words, absolutely perfect. Plenty of light cloud cover to take the bite off the sunshine, sea breezes in the warm afternoon, pink and orange sunsets...am I making you jealous yet?
I saw a podiatrist in Kailua-Kona after unsuccessfully trying to run the day I arrived, talked to an ultra-extended/psuedo-removed uncle over Skype (he works with professional athletes), and was examined by a family friend who is also a physical therapist.
Diagnosis:
1. Tenosynovitis in the extensor digitorum longus, the tendon that extends down the anterior of the lower leg and attaches to the toes; it flexes the toes with the foot. The tendon runs through a sheath that spans the ankle and the top of the foot. Tight shoes likely compressed the sheath and irritated the tendon, causing the creaky feeling. That has been resolved with full rest, a prescription anti-inflammatory, and alternating ice and heat massages. Diagnosed by the podiatrist.
2. Minor strains to the peroneus brevis and possibly extensor hallucis longus. The former aids in plantar flexion, the latter is a sort of utility player that attaches to the big toe. Using shoes I've never run in, especially ones with a higher heel to toe drop than I'm used to (zero in the Vibrams!), changes the angles and ranges of motion in the foot - certainly enough to manifest as a strain after 25 miles. These have subsided as far as I can tell, thanks to some self massage, a tennis ball, and hot packs. Diagnosed by the "uncle".
3. High ankle sprain. Diagnosed by all three, this is most surprising, but in hindsight this makes a lot of sense. I couldn't put any weight on my right leg for days without evoking serious ankle pain, and when I did, it felt extremely weak - very obvious signs of a ligament problem. Further, the family friend manipulated both ankles, and found that the tibia and fibula were very mobile in the right ankle. I'm currently in a hard compression brace to allow this time to heal. I may try running around the 1st of January, given that the healing time has been about a month.
Now, pardon me while I work on this Pipeline Porter and fresh passion fruit...
Sure, I've been slaving over my graduate school application essays and micromanaging my letter writers, but the weather swings from the mid seventies at night to the low eighties during the day. In other words, absolutely perfect. Plenty of light cloud cover to take the bite off the sunshine, sea breezes in the warm afternoon, pink and orange sunsets...am I making you jealous yet?
I saw a podiatrist in Kailua-Kona after unsuccessfully trying to run the day I arrived, talked to an ultra-extended/psuedo-removed uncle over Skype (he works with professional athletes), and was examined by a family friend who is also a physical therapist.
Diagnosis:
1. Tenosynovitis in the extensor digitorum longus, the tendon that extends down the anterior of the lower leg and attaches to the toes; it flexes the toes with the foot. The tendon runs through a sheath that spans the ankle and the top of the foot. Tight shoes likely compressed the sheath and irritated the tendon, causing the creaky feeling. That has been resolved with full rest, a prescription anti-inflammatory, and alternating ice and heat massages. Diagnosed by the podiatrist.
2. Minor strains to the peroneus brevis and possibly extensor hallucis longus. The former aids in plantar flexion, the latter is a sort of utility player that attaches to the big toe. Using shoes I've never run in, especially ones with a higher heel to toe drop than I'm used to (zero in the Vibrams!), changes the angles and ranges of motion in the foot - certainly enough to manifest as a strain after 25 miles. These have subsided as far as I can tell, thanks to some self massage, a tennis ball, and hot packs. Diagnosed by the "uncle".
3. High ankle sprain. Diagnosed by all three, this is most surprising, but in hindsight this makes a lot of sense. I couldn't put any weight on my right leg for days without evoking serious ankle pain, and when I did, it felt extremely weak - very obvious signs of a ligament problem. Further, the family friend manipulated both ankles, and found that the tibia and fibula were very mobile in the right ankle. I'm currently in a hard compression brace to allow this time to heal. I may try running around the 1st of January, given that the healing time has been about a month.
Now, pardon me while I work on this Pipeline Porter and fresh passion fruit...
Friday, December 17, 2010
Recent absence
Wall cloud of a mesocyclone; I think this sums up the last 3 months quite well.
My life over the past three months has become progressively busier, to the point that my short-term memory and sense of time is warped. It's been a combination of several things:
An 18 credit quarter: these are difficult classes, from fluid dynamics to complex analysis, and one of them is a graduate course. It shouldn't be surprising that the amount of work has escalated all the way up to finals week. Now that classwork is done, I've got some time back.
Graduate admissions: I'm applying to five universities; anyone who has had to suffer graduate admissions understands. There is a lot to do, and many schools have very different procedures. Procuring my letters of recommendation took some time and attention, as well.
Research: preparing data and visuals for publication with one professor, while just starting to develop a topic of research with another. Research comes in bursts, unfortunately both of these projects flared right when everything else did.
Running: preparations for the North Face Endurance Challenge, and taking care of myself afterward, is precipitously close to being the last straw to break the camel's back.
There was a mishap in the race that has resulted in some lower-leg pain, specifically in my peroneal and extensor tendons, and their associated muscles. My Treks fell apart midrace (I had ordered a replacement but they never arrived...) and, due to the rain, I couldn't duct tape them back together, so I was forced to run in my f-lite 230's - which I haven't run over 2 hours in. Further, the last ~4 hours of the race was run on often slick, slippery trail, aggravating the problem even more.
I went to my go-to massage clinic and had some deep tissue and cross-friction work done - my calves and lateral leg muscles, especially in the injured leg, were tight and knotted.
With respect to the actual injury, the therapist I saw was certain that the tendons had a mild form of tendinosis. Unlike tendinitis, which is due to an inflammation of the tendon and/or its sheath, tendinosis is a degeneration of the tendon structure. The crepitus (creakiness) disappeared after the massage, so it appears that most of the scar tissue has been broken up. Interestingly, the best treatment for this condition is the application of heat, stretching, and eccentric loading. This is in contrast to tendinitis, where icing and NSAIDs to reduce inflammation is the best route.
My course of action over the next week is to return to running this weekend, very slowly and every-other-day. I will probably go barefoot just to make sure I don't push it.
Race report for TNF50 coming very soon.
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