A random and interesting Kenyan-related running fact for the day...
Number of men running under 2:20 for the marathon in 1975: From Britain: 23, From USA: 34, From Kenya: 0
Number of men running under 2:20 for marathon in 2005: From Britain: 12, From USA: 22, From Canada: 13, From Kenya: 490! So it seems that Kenyan dominance is not 'entirely' solely due to "Kenyan" factors (such as genes, altitude, diet, etc) - rather, perhaps it is likely a combination of all this and more. And maybe, we in the "west" are just not as "hungry" in the marathon as we used to be?
[I also read the other day that for the 2012 IAFF/IOC Olympic men's marathon standard, while there are only a handful of North American men who have met the standard, there were/are just under 500 Kenyans who have met the standard and could, if their country had sufficient spots, all attend the Olympics - wow!].
I suppose we can take comfort in that the Canadian Olympic hockey team (even the bedraggled Leaf's of late, for that matter!) seems a shoe in over the Kenyans (do they even have a hockey team?). The last time there was a "Canada-Kenya" hockey "friendly", we won 118-0. Kidding.
So, as my Torts Prof in law school used to say: "discuss". Anyone have any thoughts on this? Esp. as it relates to Canada (given we only have 2 - yes, 2: Reid C and Eric G - lads headed to London 2012 for the Marathon, and I don't believe we have any women who have run under the standard at all). Why the dominance? Why the decline in "western" marathon running times? What can be done to "catch up", if anything?
still chillin' with the US Marshals in the Motor City
So, whilest (I love that word; it rolls off your tongue in that classic Old English way: "whilllll-est" - but I digress) it may appear that I have been lazy in updating my blog, it has not been for lack of great stuff happening around the world in tris, running, etc.
Witness Bernard Lagat taking gold on the weekend in the IAAF World's in the 3000m on the boards:
[pardon the static - but hit "mute" and enjoy, esp the look of sheer intensity and physicality on Lagat's face as he takes the lead on the final 200m - epic!! Mo Farah - where was ya, laddie?].
Rather than "lazy", however, I have been draped in a sea of self-pity and pain, as my Right hip has not "self-corrected" since the mid point of the Scotiabank Marathon in October, 2011. That event was a total failure, as I had hopes of a sub 3 marathon, readjusted to sub 3:10, hip flared mid race and I then made readjustment #3 to at least maintain my dignity and get a spot for Boston (which I thankfully did - whew!).
So, sadly and somewhat pathetically, the pain, and limiting range of motion, has kept me not only from daily blogging, but, from any racing whatsoever since then.
My mileage has slipped to less than 80km a week - more on that point later - and the referral pain has ramped up to the point where speed work is wicked awful and even sitting now is an exercise in pain management. Psoas, adductors, glut med, hip flexor - all buggered - fml.
Sucks to be me...
So, with the 3000m race above as the perfect segue, I was forced to skip the last indoor 3000m race of the year this past weekend - which were the Canadian Championships no less.
Again, sucks to be me...
But with the pain point becoming a wee bit unmanageable, I ventured forth to see my favourite sports doc, Doc Woolam, in February; then had the MRI early March; and finally got the results back - today.
Houston, we have a problem:
basically, I have a 1.5cm tear anterior labral tear, with both "Cam" and "Pincer" femoracetabular impingements, as well as a "para-labral cyst"...whatever the heck that meant!
Do you remember the famous Gary Larson cartoon:
While the sport's doc was taking me thru the findings of the MRI, all I could hear was "blah blah blah "torn labrum" blah blah blah "you can't race" blah blah blah "you are soooo f*cked for this season"." So, I made him walk me thru the whole Report again - he then uttered the phrase we aging athletes dread: "you need surgery to get this fixed [not "fixed" like Ginger above, I hope!] and so I am booking you to see an orthopedic surgeon".
Ok, that was not actually the worst part - then he told me I had to cut back on mileage and intensity; ya, right, what the hell does he know. In essence: no more 80-90km weeks running; no racing period. Frig, guess that means I am reduced to Bocci ball. But I can still ride & swim until the tear gets worse! :)
So - for anyone who has actually read this far, and actually cares to know what my diagnosis entails (I think my mom reads this...): Femoroacetabular impingement (FAI) occurs when there is a conflict between the proximal femur and the acetabular rim. FAI is a cause of premature osteoarthritis in the hip. Cam FAI and pincer FAI can be differentiated on the basis of a predominance of either a femoral or an acetabular abnormality. In cases of cam FAI, the nonspherical shape of the femoral head at the femoral head-neck junction and reduced depth of the femoral waist leads to abutment of the femoral head-neck junction against the acetabular rim. In cases of pincer FAI, acetabular overcoverage limits the range of motion and leads to a conflict between the acetabulum and the femur. It is important to identify the type of FAI because surgical treatment differs for each type. In cases of cam FAI, the surgical approach is to reshape the femoral waist and restore the spherical shape of the femoral head. In cases of pincer FAI, the surgical approach is to reduce acetabular overcoverage by trimming the acetabular rim.
**if this makes no sense, well, tough, 'cause all I know is my hip hurts - maybe Delilah can explain it to me!
(My MRI showing labral tear [large arrow] and portion of Cam impingement - best $10 I have ever spent at a hospital was to get a copy of the MRI itself!).
So, now I wait to see the ortho surgeon - bummer.
Will update when that little tea party takes place.
For now, guess this means the Tri World's in New Zealand are out of the picture for this year.
World's in London, 2013 - new goal.
I was running a few months ago with my old friend, Johnny Dee-Novo, when I got yelled at by a driver, who was furious I had the temerity to actually run on the road (no sidewalk where we were), since he apparently needed all 6 [yes, 6!] lanes of the road to drive his crappy 1994 Pacer on: specifically, he freaked out and then yelled that we were "yuppies". (Really - is that the best he could do? Yuppies? Who the hell uses some "oh-so-90's" term as an insult?)
Especially since now I know in light of this recent diagnosis, I am NOT yuppie, but rather, a "hipster" - hahaaaaa.
Great piece in the Globe & Mail today about the "why" in Ironman. Really gets into the motivation - both internal and external - and is pretty well written overall: "Why We Compete in Ironman"
Not that I necessarily agree, however, with the writer's comments about "heroes" - since when did we start to devalue the true meaning of "hero" by importing someone who merely trains for an event? **unless we are talking about Dick and Ricky Hoyt:
*now they are people you could consider "heroes" or at least heroic [click link for their racing history: 247 tris; 7 Ironmans; 35 min 10km PB; oh ya, and a 2:40:00 marathon PB - HOLY CRAP!!!!]
I just read last week that they will be competing in their 30th Boston Marathon this April - I repeat: HOLY CRAP! In fact, there is a groundswell movement to put up a statue of them at the start of the race in Hopkinton, Mass.
If you want to really be jazzed about the mindset - and sheer physical brilliance - of an Ironman, I highly recommend the new book, "IRON WAR":
[good link to an article with the author, Matt F]
However, as I was discussing heroes, I can kid around about Batman, etc being my hero, but having now finished watching both "Band of Brothers" and "The Pacific" - well, those guys, and all the ones who have fought for their country, and often gave their lives doing so, they are heroes.
