Was the word “glycogenolysis”? He said you would experience glycogenolysis earlier than you would normally, because of your higher heart rate?
I am a little bit concerned with this comment.
Why would he not clear you for professional training? Because of your blood sugar, or because of your heart?
What we are doing is identical to professional training, with the exception being you are not paying me. That’s really the only difference right now. Your running intensity and duration and all of that is not any less.
Your rise from 165 to 180, what is from anything you ate before the run? Or was that induced by the run? That would be good to know.
Sounds great. Treadmill, right? RPE and pace sounds good.
Advil, and alternate applying hot and cold.
Sit in a hot tub or use a heating pad for 10 minutes, then put on ice packs for 10 minutes.
But isn’t it though?? I don’t like how this conversation is going.
I could make up answers right now but won’t. I’d have to ask him, and I don’t see him again for… I have to find the appt date. The stress test is August 15th so follow up is sometime soon after.
But he cleared me… his exact words were “yeah, I’ll clear you.” I did understand what we covered in the appointment to be somewhat of a beginning rather than a resolution, but it ended with clearance. I promise.
It was. I wasn’t on top of things and was rebounding and had a banana and it was all a mess. I was low most of this morning and finally kind of rage-treated. My heart rate was actually pretty good and HAS been pretty good on the treadmill. I think maybe the hills are what make it worse.
You’re talking about something other than the chest strap/watch I’m currently wearing? Can’t think of the name. I’ve worn heart rate monitors during exercise for years. I used to run in the upper 190s to low 200s but frequented ~215. My max HR now so far has been about a 188. But that seems to happen more often on hills. I see it from time to time in just about any workout, but hills seem to elevate it and cause it to hold steady longer.
On the treadmill, I’m maxing out at 182-183, but a very good amount of today’s workout was between 175-178. Even pushing harder.
I push myself. It’s the only way I really enjoy my exercise, and the more I enjoy it, the harder I push. It’s a cycle. It’s my fix. You are working me hard, but this is in no way outside of my normal exertion range. It’s just in the form of running. If I play basketball—all by MYSELF— I can do upper 180s to low 190s.
I don’t want to bore you with numbers. I just want you to believe me that I have pushed my way through exercise for years. I live for the push. It’s probably not particularly healthy, but it is what it is.
Believe me, I know exactly what you are saying. I totally understand. We are the same person on so many of these things. And that makes it a bit dangerous.
I have a potential solution. It will probably be better for you in the long run. Trust me on this. Let’s talk in private.
Hey, he’s your physician- you can call or email and ask for specific clarification. Seriously! Consider it. Might take a bit for a response but you’re entitled to do this.
We do it all the time with medical stuff at UCSF. It’s always so stressful at the appointment that we are bound to forget stuff. Or we hear two different things and have to clarify.
If you have any specific numbers from previous exercise sessions about heart rate, and how far/fast you ran (you record keeper, you) including those might be really useful. Set it up for him - and then respect the answer as much as possible until the next round of testing.
I’m sure that you don’t want to feel like you’re getting pushed off by a doctor who’s not paying attention/doesn’t really care/is actually worried about his ass and not yours.
However, you only get one heart, and if you break this one, you’re not going to only be not running, you’re not gonna be doing anything else. So making sure you’re cleared for exercise and for pushing it is important.
I’m not suggesting that you can’t do it, but making sure you’re not going to kill yourself in the process would be good.
Also, I feel like if the majority of people who walked into a cardiologist’s office said that they were going to “train for a 5K” they wouldn’t be training like you are!
Like my pre-diabetic uncle and aunt, they just walk mostly. I don’t even think they’ve ever jogged! But hey, they are off the couch and I am really proud of them!
you go to UCSF? Samson does too – although we are in the pediatric practice. I love the doctors there but I HATE how hard it is to schedule appointments and all the bureaucracy.
This is a bit of a step-back week. Some recovery from the previous 3 weeks. Nothing too hard here. Weeks 5+ are contingent on some of the things we discussed.
Week 4:
++++++++++++++++++++++++
Monday, July 30, 35-40 minute Easy Run
8:57-9:55 pace
Tuesday, July 31, Anaerobic capacity speed work
1/2 mile warmup at easy pace
8 sets:
200m at 7:13 pace (8.3 MPH)
200m easy recovery jog
1 mile cool-down at easy pace
Wednesday, August 1, Off day
Thursday, August 2, Tempo run
1/2 mile warmup at easy pace
2 miles at 8:00 pace
1 mile cool-down at easy pace
Friday, August 3, 35-40 minute Easy Run
8:57-9:55 pace
Weekend, August 4 or 5, Long Run 60 minutes at 8:59-10:16 pace
That was a real heart I just attached to what you wrote. I’m a lot of things, but hardheaded is definitely one and it kind of dwarfs everting else on the list. Thank you for taking the time and leaving a thoughtful response. It’s stuff I do need to keep in mind, and it is why I’ll email my doctor with some specifics… just to make sure it wasn’t an example of some set up information for a desired response… I might be guilty of having done that before.
Had a great exchange with Eric, and I’m proceeding with caution until I get a clearer clearance.
@Nickyghaleb, maybe there is more than one way to skin a cat…but it seems to me that we all have to be a certain amount of stubborn to take the best care of ourselves. I think it is a good thing when accompanied with safety.
Funny… I thought it said “celebrating your treadmill speed” and felt really good about myself for a second. But sure, I guess I’ll go read about calibrating it.
There are certainly moments when providing less information is the right choice. I know of a few people here who might also participate in that line of acting around the medical world! But, I am glad you’re taking care of yourself by letting out the right info and heeding what I hope is useful advice.
I am guessing that August will be right around the corner, and that you’ll have a thorough check-up and be back on the treadmill again (sung to the tune of…)!
Oh, I hope I haven’t miscommunicated in any way, but in case I have, I’d like to clarify. Trust me, I have such mixed emotions about doctors that I have used every strategy, and lack thereof, when heading in for an appointment… Including to flash my pump upon entering (in hopes they could put 2 and 2 together and come up with “diabetes” AND to not mention diabetes at all (in hopes they wouldn’t just give me the first answer that fit with my condition). My brain is over-tired right now, so I’m beyond trying to make sense… please forgive me if I’m rambling…
My point is that with this appointment, I was completely transparent. I like this guy, trust this guy, and have been seeing him for many years. I laid it out for him, BUT it’s still possible that without emphasizing workout and HR specifics for this most recent training that something may have slipped through the cracks. He knows I’ve always been a nut job when it comes to my exercise, but he’s also a doctor who’s responsible for keeping all of his patients’ quirks in mind and may or may not have remembered to what extent.
WITH all of that being said, I don’t want anything falling through the cracks, and so I will contact him again via email and lay it all out with with specifics. I’ll make sure he and I are talking about the same intensity level, since that certainly does seem like a relevant, and possibly unclear, detail. Bottom line: I will be cautious and will continue to communicate with him until all details have been ironed out.
You guys are the nicest group in the world to stay on top of me like this. I always assumed that IF I were ever to receive really thorough medical care (not that I’m getting that here) it would be from a doctor… not from a support group. In reality, I’ve never felt like i’ve been in more capable hands.
And I did use my treadmill today. That’s what I was working up to… but had a little explaining to do first.
This is why i need coffee… it’s 2:11 am, and i’m just now getting the chance to mention today. It’s not always this bad but definitely just often enough…
So I ran today for 5 miles in 45 minutes. My blood sugar was great… started at 102 and finished at 95. My RPE was great, between 5.5 and 6ish, and everything was good. Oh, I know… my HR was very, very reasonable. I ran on the treadmill, and without hills, I never went above a 71. I kept an eye on the monitor and would just pull back when I saw it start to creep.
My brain has never been mush the way it is now. I think I covered everything, but I’ll see in the morning when I come across this.
But, I am glad you’re taking care of yourself by letting out the right info and heeding what I hope is useful advice. 
