Achilles Tendonitis

As mentioned before, I starting suffering from achilles tendonitis starting in late July. I first thought it was my lower calf (soleus muscle) before doing some internet research where it was clear that most runners don't actually get a soleus injury and it tends to actually be tendonitis.

I decided to visit a sports chiropractor, Chase Banks, because I needed guidance on how much to rest, how best to recover or how much I could exercise. I found the visits to be much more informative and helpful than originally anticipated.  After doing a bunch of tests, he linked the real root cause to poor flexibility in my popliteus muscle in the leg, which is behind the knee and is used for unlocking the knees. He also thought it could actually be an injury to plantaris muscle, due to the higher location of the injury, but the treatments are essentially the same.

Overall, I think there were several causes:

• Too much volume - I amped up my training in July. I went from running 6-7 miles/week and biking 30 miles/week to running 15 miles/week and biking 55 miles/week
• Going to fast - I run with a group and our pace put me in zone 3, where my coach had dictated zone 2 workouts. I found it hard to say "hey guys, let's slow down." Of course, I didn't want o go on my own, because it is the group that gets me out of bed a 4:50.
• My shoes - I really loved my Newton Gravity, but after doing his tests, he said I was borderline too inflexible for a 3mm drop shoe.

This Runners Guide to Achilles Tendonitis is a good comprehensive article on dealing with achilles tendonitis. Chase has also recommend the eccentric heal drops, in order to increase flexibility of the tendon as it recovers. He also recommended this Return to Running Program.

I am now on two weeks complete rest, so we will see how that helps. I hate being sidelined, but if I am going to take some time off, this off-season period is probably the best time.

Tour De Donut

The Tour De Donut is a timed charity bike race that supports the Make-A-Wish Foundation. The twist of the race is that for every donut you eat, you get 5 minutes deducted off it. It is billed at 28 miles, but the distance was actually 31 miles.

There are two donut stops, one at the 12 mile mark and another at the 20 mile mark. There, you eat as many donuts as you can stomach and volunteers will mark your race bib with the number of donuts you eat. The volunteers at the first stop were a lot of fun, trying to con you into eating more.  The median amount of donuts eaten was 4, with the average of 5.1. The highest was 30, but the winner had 27. I managed 9 total, which put me in the 82nd percentile of donut eating.

The ride itself was rather well supported, but there is no lanes blocked off. Usually, there were cops at major intersections. At the I-10 / 359 intersection, there wasn't a cop, so I had to sit at a light for a minute or two. The only other interplaces that didn't have cops were right turns.

The course map is below, you started at Katy Mills Mall (near the Sun & Ski store) and headed south towards Fulshear. There was an easterly wind of 11 mph, so the ride east on 90 was challenging. I felt a little shortchange on the wind since the section where I got tailwind was shorter and the ride up from Fulshear was more of a crosswind.

I found myself riding alone for most of the ride. On 359 headed west toward Fulshear, a group caught up with me and I was able to then keep up with them, but it was only for a few miles as I hit the first donut stop and they were doing the 55 mile ride. On 90, I really tried to find a group to share wind duties with, but I couldn't. I would come across a few solo people, but they were riding too slow. One group of three riders decked out in Sun & Ski gear passed me. I desperately tried to hang onto the back of them, but I got dropped.

All-in-all, I had a good time. My post-donut time landed me 12th out of 168, which is far better than I finish in the cycling portions of tris.



Tour De Donut - Donut Race Route



Start of the Race



Volunteers giving out donuts



Cyclists at the 2nd donut stop



Me at the finish