A while back I posted about 5-hour energy and Gels....well, I'm here to report that I am now up to 9 miles and using 2 gels during my long runs. The gel that works the best for me (since I dump) are the Cliffs brand...they are 90% organic and do not kill my stomach. So happy that these still work for me as I have a few half marathons planned and now I don't have to worry about losing fuel.

So I went to the doctor today for my regular follow-up care visit and found I have begun to develop an enlarged heart from exercising. They ran a bunch of blood tests and an EKG on me to see whether I can continue or not. The doctor seemed to think that I would be OK to continue but I might need more frequent monitoring. Have to wait a week for the results and this week will be long because of that. I don't want to have to give this up.

I am very sorry for you to get this news from the doctor. Anything I say cannot undo the sadness on your heart right now. We wish you the best of recovery and are hoping for the best. Please keep us posted. We are here to provide support.

So I went to the doctor today for my regular follow-up care visit and found I have begun to develop an enlarged heart from exercising. They ran a bunch of blood tests and an EKG on me to see whether I can continue or not. The doctor seemed to think that I would be OK to continue but I might need more frequent monitoring. Have to wait a week for the results and this week will be long because of that. I don't want to have to give this up.

Oh Mass...I feel you. I hope everything turns out to be okay.

New PR today for 5 k of 22:30. Sweet spot was 6.5 mph adjusting up to 7.0 every few minutes.

I could have gone longer' date=' but I was having trouble with balance after a while. I try and keep my center of gravity right in front of my core while running chi style. Any thoughts about how to work on balance and form at faster speeds? I was not tired, but just a tad unsure of my footing at times which caused me to move out of my running "zone" just enough to be distracting. Losing the weight has allowed me to take running to another level. Love it![/quote']

Fiddleman I am actually going in the opposite direction from you. I've been reading about MAF training and slowing down to get faster....but also to increase your ability to burn fat for fuel rather than glycogen. Probably not very important for running 5Ks and 10Ks but for much longer distances I see it as being very beneficial. The basic principle is you train at a particular heart rate which is quite easy to maintain. You're able to train more and recover faster and over time you get better and more efficient, your body is able to actually go faster without your heart speeding up.

Here's a link to the theory by the guy who developed it. He also by the way coached Mark Allen...6 time ironman world champion who used this method to become faster.

http://barefootrunner.co.uk/user/sites/barefootrunner.co.uk/files/docs/Want_Speed_Slow_Down_2007.pdf

Oh Mass...I feel you. I hope everything turns out to be okay.

It's early in the process and there are plenty of options. I don't know why I go to the worst place first. Reading up on it has given me a better feeling that even in the worst case, I might just be able to scale back some and work through it.

New PR today for 5 k of 22:30. Sweet spot was 6.5 mph adjusting up to 7.0 every few minutes.

I could have gone longer' date=' but I was having trouble with balance after a while. I try and keep my center of gravity right in front of my core while running chi style. Any thoughts about how to work on balance and form at faster speeds? I was not tired, but just a tad unsure of my footing at times which caused me to move out of my running "zone" just enough to be distracting. Losing the weight has allowed me to take running to another level. Love it![/quote']

Also....I'm going to a Chi running workshop next month in Dallas. Why don't you hop a plane and take it with me? If you can't do that, there is an article about the class in the March edition of Runners World. I haven't read it yet but I'm going to tonight.

Here's a link to the workshop.

http://store.chiliving.com/Workshops/Dannys-Workshops/One-day-ChiRunning-Workshop-DD0038

Also....I'm going to a Chi running workshop next month in Dallas. Why don't you hop a plane and take it with me? If you can't do that' date=' there is an article about the class in the March edition of Runners World. I haven't read it yet but I'm going to tonight.

Here's a link to the workshop.

http://store.chiliving.com/Workshops/Dannys-Workshops/One-day-ChiRunning-Workshop-DD0038[/quote']

That would be so helpful to go to one of Danny's seminars, but I will have to wait until he comes to Seattle. Perhaps in the meanwhile I will go back and read it again. Most of my current running style has been modelled around the principles in his book. Chi running really works and has helped a lot with my training in the last couple months.

That would be so helpful to go to one of Danny's seminars' date=' but I will have to wait until he comes to Seattle. Perhaps in the meanwhile I will go back and read it again. Most of my current running style has been modelled around the principles in his book. Chi running really works and has helped a lot with my training in the last couple months.[/quote']

I'm not ashamed to admit I bought a couple of his DVDs. Same info but seeing it in the DVD was helpful.

So I went to the doctor today for my regular follow-up care visit and found I have begun to develop an enlarged heart from exercising. They ran a bunch of blood tests and an EKG on me to see whether I can continue or not. The doctor seemed to think that I would be OK to continue but I might need more frequent monitoring. Have to wait a week for the results and this week will be long because of that. I don't want to have to give this up.

Mass, will keep you and your health situation in prayer. Praying for a good outcome for you so you don't have to give this up.

Also....I'm going to a Chi running workshop next month in Dallas. Why don't you hop a plane and take it with me? If you can't do that, there is an article about the class in the March edition of Runners World. I haven't read it yet but I'm going to tonight.

Here's a link to the workshop.

http://store.chilivi...Workshop-DD0038

Hey Butter if you're in Dallas next month, how 'bout a get together and maybe a run? I'm in one of Dallas' northern suburbs. (Richardson)

Fiddleman I am actually going in the opposite direction from you. I've been reading about MAF training and slowing down to get faster....but also to increase your ability to burn fat for fuel rather than glycogen. Probably not very important for running 5Ks and 10Ks but for much longer distances I see it as being very beneficial. The basic principle is you train at a particular heart rate which is quite easy to maintain. You're able to train more and recover faster and over time you get better and more efficient' date=' your body is able to actually go faster without your heart speeding up.

Here's a link to the theory by the guy who developed it. He also by the way coached Mark Allen...6 time ironman world champion who used this method to become faster.

http://barefootrunner.co.uk/user/sites/barefootrunner.co.uk/files/docs/Want_Speed_Slow_Down_2007.pdf[/quote']

Yes, I am tempted to change my strategy after seeing how much joy you get from it. I get a lot of joy too, but more in terms of endorphin upper MAF zone running. My heart rate typically is around my cardio zone when kicking up the speed.

Maybe I am running fast now because I am young-ish and generally recover by the following day. However, I am an avid hiker and enjoy being out there in the wilderness, breathing the fresh air and admiring the scenery. This would be a good reason to try Stu's running philosophies out.

I started to read Stu a couple months ago, but kind of made a personal decision that I was going to increase my speed to be a 5k or 10k racer. Again, maybe it is because of unfounded idealism of thinking I can do anything by pushing myself faster and faster. So far I do not feel like I am over training. I will do some more thinking about what direction I want to go because I am pretty sure you cannot train to both being a fast 5k/10k runner and a slower long distance runner in tandem.

We might be able to meet up that Friday night....I think it will be the 15th. I might get to Dallas kinda late though, depends on work. Then the workshop is 9-430 Saturday then I'm driving back home afterward. But hey, come take the workshop. You might like it.

Yes' date=' I am tempted to change my strategy after seeing how much joy you get from it. I get a lot of joy too, but more in terms of endorphin upper MAF zone running. My heart rate typically is around my cardio zone when kicking up the speed.

Maybe I am running fast now because I am young-ish and generally recover by the following day. However, I am an avid hiker and enjoy being out there in the wilderness, breathing the fresh air and admiring the scenery. This would be a good reason to try Stu's running philosophies out.

I started to read Stu a couple months ago, but kind of made a personal decision that I was going to increase my speed to be a 5k or 10k racer. Again, maybe it is because of unfounded idealism of thinking I can do anything by pushing myself faster and faster. So far I do not feel like I am over training. I will do some more thinking about what direction I want to go because I am pretty sure you cannot train to both being a fast 5k/10k runner and a slower long distance runner in tandem.[/quote']

I totally get your need for speed. Nothing at all wrong with wanting to be an ace 5K and 10K runner. I my self am fascinated with the really long runs (ultramarathons) and feel I might be better at those distances than I ever could be at 5K.

I will say this about Stu....I wanted to buy into his way of thinking....but number 1 he is against forefoot striking in favor of heel striking and number 2 that whole bit about applied kinesiology....I just can't buy that. I just find it hard to accept that you can demonstrate someone is low on Vitamin C because they hold a bottle of Vitamin C in their hand and suddenly get weaker.

So I went to the doctor today for my regular follow-up care visit and found I have begun to develop an enlarged heart from exercising. They ran a bunch of blood tests and an EKG on me to see whether I can continue or not. The doctor seemed to think that I would be OK to continue but I might need more frequent monitoring. Have to wait a week for the results and this week will be long because of that. I don't want to have to give this up.

Did they by chance discuss if you're enlarged heart could have been the result of being obese for so long? Out of curiosity what is your RHR?

My doc had a mild panic attack recently when he saw mine was 42. He did 2 EKGs and practically drove me to the cardiologist office. The cardiologist did 2 more EKGs, a carotid ultrasound, an echocardiogram and had me wear a holter monitor for 24 hours. They found nothing wrong and the doc told me it was likely a result of being very obese yet fairly active for so long. I was active until the last year before surgery, when it got too painful and I basically became a couch potato. He said the heart muscle basically hypertrophied like the leg muscles of an overweight person. It grew bigger and stronger due to the extra workload put on it. Once I lost so much weight so quickly, plus took up a lot of cardio training, it had no problem supplying blood to my much smaller body with fewer beats per minute. He said it would likely adjust and grow smaller, much as my leg muscles have, unless I continue doing rigorous endurance training (like triathlon training for instance). But he said as long as I stay active, eat right and do not have or develop any type of heart disease I should be fine, even with the lower heart rate.

Did they by chance discuss if you're enlarged heart could have been the result of being obese for so long? Out of curiosity what is your RHR?

My doc had a mild panic attack recently when he saw mine was 42. He did 2 EKGs and practically drove me to the cardiologist office. The cardiologist did 2 more EKGs, a carotid ultrasound, an echocardiogram and had me wear a holter monitor for 24 hours. They found nothing wrong and the doc told me it was likely a result of being very obese yet fairly active for so long. I was active until the last year before surgery, when it got too painful and I basically became a couch potato. He said the heart muscle basically hypertrophied like the leg muscles of an overweight person. It grew bigger and stronger due to the extra workload put on it. Once I lost so much weight so quickly, plus took up a lot of cardio training, it had no problem supplying blood to my much smaller body with fewer beats per minute. He said it would likely adjust and grow smaller, much as my leg muscles have, unless I continue doing rigorous endurance training (like triathlon training for instance). But he said as long as I stay active, eat right and do not have or develop any type of heart disease I should be fine, even with the lower heart rate.

My HRH is 42 and my doctor didn't have a panic attack over he but became concerned because of the other items. My issue was that he had a baseline comparison from 2 years ago to what the EKG displayed this week. It wasn't about the obesity but about the the combination of the enlarged heart and some thickening of the heart muscle due to what he thinks is athletic heart syndrome. If it turns out to be AHS, then it's just a matter of making sure that there is no underlying condition causing the thickening of the heart walls. In my case, it's likely brought on my aerobic activity of more that 5 hours per week. Just have to wait and see but I'm very hopeful this is just an arrhythmic blip, so to speak. :

Well I have my fingers crossed for you my friend. You've been a big inspiration to me and many others. We don't want anything to happen to you.