Health
Thursday, June 21 2012
Strained calf
By Julien on Thursday, June 21 2012, 15:04
My plan was to run a final Thames Path recce of the Oxford to Source section, and then attempt the TSQ on the week-end of the 1st July. This might then have to wait until the week-end of the 22nd, which is becoming dangerously close to the Olympics...
Ultra annoying
Friday, November 25 2011
Ultrarunners Longitudinal TRAcking (ULTRA) Study
By Julien on Friday, November 25 2011, 10:03
How many times have I been asked "isn't running ultramarathons bad for your health?". We might soon have a scientific answer to this question. Well, by soon, I mean in the next 20 years or so...
Researchers at Stanford University have just launched the Ultrarunners Longitudinal TRAcking (ULTRA) Study (http://bit.ly/ULTRAStudy). I have filled in their questionnaire about current and past lifestyle (activities, nutrition, illness, and obviously running), and am now waiting for the next one, which should be coming in 1 or 2 years.
Ultra study
Tuesday, October 11 2011
Life starts after a marathon...
By Julien on Tuesday, October 11 2011, 22:06
Ultra life start
Thursday, April 17 2008
Peroneal tendinits?
By Julien on Thursday, April 17 2008, 17:51
- treadmill running last week
- rock climbing last week-end
- general tiredness
- not drinking enough
Ultra annoying.
Thursday, December 13 2007
Broken coccyx ?
By Julien on Thursday, December 13 2007, 17:49
View from Whiteless Pike (photographer: Dan)
10 days ago, during a hike in Lake District, I slipped on wet rocks and fell on my behind (I didn't have my poles). I heard and felt a little "crac", and immediately thought I broke my coccyx. But the pain was not that bad actually, so I came to the conclusion that it was probably something in my bag.
Today I'm no so sure anymore about that. Most of the time it's not painful but some motions, such as jumping, still give me a sharp pain. It can also be a bit achy while lying down in bed. Sometimes I feel some sort of cartilage cracking in the area when I sit down.
Obviously I could go and see a doctor, but I know that he won't be sure of his diagnostic. Even if he is, I'll get some general advice and anti-inflammatories anyway. There's not much to do to help with a fractured coccyx. So, why bother?
Ultra minor fall.
Wednesday, November 7 2007
Elbow bursitis
By Julien on Wednesday, November 7 2007, 17:48
Ultra ?
Friday, June 1 2007
News from my heart
By Julien on Friday, June 1 2007, 18:40
Ultra sort of not so well defined medical results...
Wednesday, April 18 2007
Food poisoning
By Julien on Wednesday, April 18 2007, 19:03
On Monday I managed to eat, moderately though. It's amazing how my energy storage took a while to recover. Yesterday I was still not very performant whilst running upstairs. This afternoon I tried a run, and I was half in hypoglycemia after 5 minutes for the entire run! That's a bit annoying, I'll have to stick to pasta every night, and better twice than once...
Ultra sick.
Monday, March 5 2007
Blood pressure...
By Julien on Monday, March 5 2007, 12:01
I then bought a blood pressure monitor to control by myself the variations over the day. First test this morning, after 1h brisk walk: 118/68 mmHg. This is well in the optimal range. Hmmm, do I really have high blood pressure, or the high speed registration and doctor's stress made it higher that day ?
Ultra not so high blood pressure.
Friday, February 9 2007
My heart
By Julien on Friday, February 9 2007, 15:56
Ultra pump.
Thursday, September 7 2006
My left ankle: latest
By Julien on Thursday, September 7 2006, 11:45
A week and a half after the big day, my ankle feels much better. For two days it was actually pretty bad (and even getting somehow worse). I let you imagine (and particularly those who know me...) how I could feel frustrated when I couldn't even walk more than 10 minutes ! It started to heal relatively fast the following days. I then realised my knees were not very happy with me either, in particular the right one that had to absorb all the extra load I couldn't put on my left ankle during the descent. Now I can walk more, I can even run a bit when I need to catch the bus, but I think long walks and awkward feet positions are still to be avoided. I may try to go swimming this week-end. Gentle runs and climbing sessions later on, depending on how it goes. It may not be healing so fast after all.
On the longer scale now. I think it'll be hard to remain on what I still consider as a half a failure. So I've pretty much made my mind: I'll try the UTMB again next year (if I can register), although I realise it'll never be again like the 2005 edition, my first ultra and a finish. Anyway, I hope I'll be able to train more, particularly for the 'quality' sessions at specific speed. I think I'll need at least 3 to 5 proprer long distance runs (over 42km) in the hills (North Wales and Lake District) to strengthen my ankles. In fact, I started to come to the conclusion that the very rasing stride developped by running on flat surface probably shortened the ligament at front of the lower leg down to the ankle, or at least made it weaker. I may register for a marathon in early spring and a trail (most likely in the UK) a bit later. A 100km would be nice to test myself on a long but relatively fast race - any idea welcome.
I was also thinking of building a team for the UTMB 2007. It's much better to share advices and not to be stressed on your own the days before the race. Also if we register the team, we can be ranked as such, which is symbolically pretty cool.
Ultra recovery.
Tuesday, March 7 2006
A visit to the osteopath
By Julien on Tuesday, March 7 2006, 00:21
I hope this will be useful, otherwise there's not much else I can do... At least it was not general recommendations such as to drink water, eat healthy and stretch after exercising.
Ultra manipulations.
Thursday, January 12 2006
2006 resolutions
By Julien on Thursday, January 12 2006, 11:50
After a 90km run from London to Brighton on my own at the beginning of November, I started to feel a kind of ache/pain in the right hip. It sometimes starts as soon as I wake up, sometimes I have to walk a bit. It's mostly located in the hip, but sometimes runs from the lower back down to the foot. I thought it could be a sciatica. I've got the impression I'm healing very slowly. Running is still not a good idea. I can now swim 2km without feeling too bad. However, the following morning is usually slightly achy.During the Yuletide period, I went to see my GP in France to sort it out. He advised me some x-rays. These may show a slight discopathy L5-S1, but nothing really clear. My GP came to the conclusion it was either a tendinitis or a contracture. Appart from seeing an osteopath, he gave me a bunch of general advice.
On top of my standard resolutions for the new year (namely: back to swimming, start climbing and find a decent girlfriend), I've then added most of them:
- Physical
- practice various sports, including circuits training and swimming to force all the muscles to work and avoid disequilibrium
- stretch a lot, with focus on the lower back
- rather short training sessions
- run only one ultra in a year
- Alimentation
- drink a lot (of water)
- lots of veg & fruit
- dairy
- fish & seafood
- drink a little alcohol as possible (to avoid dehydratation)
Ultra resolutions.