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Friday, February 15, 2013

Mizuno 2013 - love it!

Mizuno Wave Ronin 5
I received the best Valentine's Day presents. No, not flowers. Not chocolate. Not a romantic night out with my husband. Truth be told, the gifts weren't even from my husband. 

That's right. 

Oh, well played Mizuno. Delivering my parcel of 2013 apparel on Valentine's Day. You know how to make a runner's day. 

I received my shoes (Nirvana and Ronin) and compression socks last week and yesterday's parcel completed the package. It was like Christmas. Except better because you know you're going to love everything.

Embossed flowers and shapes on the singlet
This year the main women's apparel colour is pink (coral and rouge red according to the labels). And oh how I adore it.

Not only is the colour fantastic, but Mizuno has added funky little details - like the embossed flower motifs on the singlet and the print on the shorts. Oh, and the lining of the shorts matches the singlet too. I love feeling coordinated. 

The Ronin are FLURO YELLOW and I'm so excited about it. I love bright shoes (like the aqua Elixir from 2011). I've given them a test run which reaffirmed that they are indeed my favourite shoes ever. 

A quick side note on the shoes. For years my training shoe has been the Nirvana, a really comfortable and supportive shoe that I chose to do most of my running in. Now I'm running again whilst being treated for/recovering from high hamstring tendinopathy I'm finding the shoes that have a little less support (the Elixir and the Ronin - both of which used to be my race shoes) feel better for me to run in. This may well change when I begin to increase my distance again, but for now I'm doing most of my running in the Elixir. 

Another reason I like training in the Nirvana (aside from the support factor which is important when you're doing loads of kilometres) is that the it is slightly heavier than the Elixir (and the Ronin is lighter than both shoes) so on race day my feet feel super light and ready to run fast. 

Mizuno Wave Nirvana 9
Also included in yesterday's package were gloves, which I really appreciated seeing as though I threw my last pair on the side of the road during the Sydney10 last year. I strategically threw them somewhere I thought I could go back and get them (they were my good pair because I'd forgotten to bring a cheap throwaway pair) but when I went to find them after the race someone had already picked them up. 

Shorts - see the designs that show up in the light? Love it. 
I am incredibly grateful to be a Mizuno Brand Ambassador again, but I really want to make it clear that's certainly not the reason I'm so positive about all the gear. I want to be the best runner I can be, which means I'm not going to wear something unless I truly believe its the best thing for me. What's the point in having a relationship with a brand if that brand isn't going to help you reach your goals? Mizuno's philosophy is 'Never Settle' and it's something that strongly resonates with me. 

Back in 2010, after winning the Canberra Marathon, I was desperately searching for a new model of shoe. I had been wearing Asics up to that point but something had changed and the new Asics shoes were uncomfortable and causing me calf problems. I had friends who were having similar issues so there was obviously a change in the design. 


I was introduced to a Mizuno rep and he spoke to me about becoming a Brand Ambassador. I said I'd be keen to try the shoes as I hadn't worn Mizuno before and I was having a hard time finding a suitable shoe. As soon as I tried the Nirvana, I knew I was on to something good.

Since then I've been really fortunate that Mizuno has continued the relationship with me. I've tried a number of different models and I'm convinced the Nirvana (training, although we'll see what happens when I return from injury and get back to full training), Elixir (marathon distance racing, perhaps my new training shoe), and Ronin (so far up to half marathon, but I'd like to try it for a marathon) are the shoes for me.

Finally, I thought I'd include an extract from Mizuno's 'Mizunofesto' because I really do like it.


Our victories are personal.
Our devotion is perpetual.
And our potential is limitless.


Every day you make promises to yourself.
Be tough, only tougher.
Be strong, only stronger.

Be yourself, only better.

And, above all, never waver.
Never quit.

Never settle. 

So excited. Need to get out and race now. Hopefully that won't be too far away. 













Monday, February 11, 2013

Everyone's looking for an answer

The amount of people who have stumbled across this blog because they've been Googling "high hamstring tendinopathy" really surprises me. For an injury that's supposedly uncommon there are lots of us searching for a successful way to treat it and get back to our running. 

With that in mind, I thought I'd post another one of the rehab/strengthening exercises I've been doing. I found this example on YouTube. One thing you've got to be aware of (and something I've been doing wrong up until starting physio with Brent) is that you're not supposed to squeeze your butt cheeks together. Instead, you've got to focus more on the outer part of the glute. If you're suffering from HHT (and yours is anything like mine), the area you're supposed to be working is the same area you get relief from when you poke it/massage it, if that makes sense. 



After my injections on Wednesday I developed quite substantial bruising at the injection sites by Friday.  Big and purply/red. Yuk. I have a photo but it's not the greatest angle! The bruises have faded now and, although the injection sites are still a bit tender, everything is feeling much, much better.

I had my first run since the injections yesterday (Sunday), which was only 30 minutes. I ran again tonight for 40 minutes and I really felt great. Much stronger and moving a lot easier. I find it hard to believe that the injections have worked so quickly (they are a gradual thing, although I read somewhere they start doing 'stuff' about 10 minutes after having them), so I'm more inclined to think the rehab exercises are doing their job. I've biked every day since Friday (couldn't do a thing on Thursday). Aero position is great because there's less weight resting on the injection sites.

I miss training. I miss racing. I miss feeling strong. I miss the tired satisfaction of completing a difficult session.

I just want to get back into it.


Thursday, February 7, 2013

PRP injections

I had my first lot of PRP injections yesterday.

The whole process was pretty amazing. My husband and I went to SSMC after work (he had to come because I wouldn't have been able to drive home after the injections, especially in peak hour traffic. When I went in to see Dr Kuah, he looked at my MRI scans and talked me through what he was looking at. He said it was what he expected from someone with high hamstring tendinopathy. He then talked to me again about the PRP injections and why he recommended them. I'd already done a lot of research on them after seeing Dr Kuah last time so I was prepared to go ahead.

One important thing I did ask was about shock wave therapy, which someone else I know has been treating HHT with and has been getting good results. Dr Kuah said shockwave therapy has a good result with calcific tendinopathy (which she has) but not with what I've got. Apparently with me it may have some immediate results, but wouldn't help the tendon long-term, which it what I want/need.

To start the PRP injections I had four vials of blood taken out of my arm. This was then taken away (to a centrifuge I assume) so the plasma could be separated. While this was happening I had a local anaesthetic in both legs (just under my butt), which Dr Kuah put in with the guidance of ultrasound. I found it fascinating to watch the screen and I wanted to talk to him about it but I didn't want to distract him and make him mess up so I stayed silent!

Dr Kuah then went and 'harvested' the PRP. While I was laying on the bed in his office it was very reassuring to see signed photos from gold medal Olympians and Comm Games athletes with messages saying, "Thank you for keeping me in one piece." If they trust Dr Kuah with their bodies, I certainly do too!

The PRP injections were painless (just felt a bit of pressure) and I watched them go in on the ultrasound. This time Dr Kuah talked to me so I figured I was able to ask him about what I was looking at on the screen. He pointed out different things (I was way off - what I thought was the tendon was actually the bone) and I saw how he moved the needle around.

After the injections Dr Kuah asked if I had any pain medication at home and recommended I get Panadeine or Panadeine Extra because things were going to get a bit uncomfortable. I nodded but had no intention of getting any - I rarely take any drugs and I figured I'd be fine.

About halfway home (in peak hour traffic) the pain started to kick in a bit. My husband said we were going to the pharmacy just in case. I acquiesced.

I ended up taking one tablet but it didn't really do much. The night was uncomfortable, as was today. I didn't do any form of training because I physically couldn't. I'm walking like the tin man, it's uncomfortable sitting on my butt and I feel like I really need to stretch. This was all explained to me and expected and I'm hoping it'll be greatly improved tomorrow.

In four weeks I go back to get my second lot of injections. In between now and then I've got to keep up all my physio excercises (once the pain from the injections is gone).

I hope it's not false hope but I'm feeling a lot more positive about things now. I'm pretty sure Canberra is a goner this year (which is a bummer because it would have been my tenth Canberra Marathon and I would have become a Griffin) so I'm looking towards making the M7 Marathon in July my first one for 2013. It seems such a long way off, but better late than never.

I AM going to run sub-2:50 this year!!

Ouch my butt hurts right now.