The Elusive Pull-Up

I've been coveting the ability to do a real pull-up for a few months. Back when Julia was still in Sacramento, and teaching me to climb, she took me to the weight side and told me I should do pull-ups to help gain strength for climbing. Of course, I couldn't do one.

Photo credit www.usafa.net

Back in elementary school when we did the Presidential Fitness Challenge, I wasn't able to do a pull-up. Who am I kidding, I wasn't able to do most of the tests. I don't know that I've really tried to do a pull-up since, and I still can't.

When I was in San Jose in September, with a few months of climbing and a rapidly growing set of back muscles, I tried the pull-up again. (Side note: maybe one of the issues is lack of consistency) I still couldn't do one, but if I started on a box and jumped a little, I could do about five before being wiped out. Progress!

As I lamented in my last post, I am back to not being able to do a pull-up. It may be the lack of ability to get a jump start, or the fact that I'm on crutches.

I'm still fixated on being able to do real push-ups. I was a bit thrown off this morning when I saw this article in the New York Times Magazine (via the Twitter feed of @KatherineTarbox). The title immediately caught my attention: "Why Women Can't Do Pull-Ups." Hey, I thought, maybe I am just not meant to do them!

But I immediately thought of Julia, who can do pull-ups like a beast. As I read the article, my initial excitement faded. The article explains that short stature boosts one's ability to do pull-ups, as shorter people are stronger than taller counterparts, all other factors being equal. Plus the obvious factor of less length to pull-up.

Well, I'm short, but I can't do a pull-ups. Strength is one of the largest contributors to ability to perform the exercise, so maybe I just need to get a bit stronger. I'm working on that.

The final blow dealt by the article was the discussion of body fat. My favorite topic. Lower body fat increases one's ability to perform pull-ups, due to decrease in mass relative to muscle. It is basically the same argument for why leaner runners run faster. I'm keenly aware of how much faster I am when I approach my ideal weight (113 or so), than when I am closer to the higher end of my "fit" range (116-118).

The article said that men can get into the 5% range for body fat, where women bottom out at 10%. I would be a skeleton at 10%. I think in June when I was last tested, I was right around 18% (I honestly don't remember, but that seems right). I was also 113 or so then...

So the bottom line: strength training and getting leaner are my best options for pretty much everything I was to accomplish, including the pull-up. But they might not get me all the way there with the pull-up. I'm going to forget the article and still go for it. Being a girl shouldn't be an excuse.

And I'm back?

After work today, I went to Pipeworks to see what kind of workout I can get in (safely) with my leg broken. I actually feel pretty good about what I did, but man was it frustrating.

Since I can't bend my leg, I know that cardio is pretty much out of the question. I was hopeful about the rowing machine, but I think I'd have to hold my leg suspended, and that doesn't seem like a good idea just yet. Realizing this, I stuck to strength training for now.

Remembering my days of strength training from a few years back, I started with the usual curls, shoulder press, dips, and flies with 5 pound weights. Sure, I could do it with more, but not only do I not want to bulk up, I also want to be able to get around on crutches tomorrow.

I did a bit of awkward looking around for a while after the initial few sets, searching for what else I might be able to do. I settled on seated bench press, seated row, triceps pulldown with the rope, and lat pull down.

I was very excited when I saw that the stand up ab machine had pull-up attachment. I had really wanted to start working on doing real pull-ups. I was doing sort of jumping pull ups before. I got on the machine, tried to pull myself up, and my left side just hurt, so I got off. That was disappointing.

I found an assisted pull up machine a few minutes later, and tried that, but my left side still hurt. Maybe when I let that cool down for a few days I can try it again. I really really want to do pull-ups. Real bad.

I went to the mat area and did a bunch of push ups, planks, and crunches. I felt like a beached whale trying to transition between exercises. I'm sure I looked pretty pathetic.

I decided after a few sets on the mat to go get water and sit on the couch. I was frustrated that I couldn't do pull-ups, cardio, or competently switch between exercises on the mat. I'm usually good at everything in the gym, and it is super frustrating to not be able to do something well.

I went and got water, sat on the couch and checked my email for a while. It was actually pretty chill on the couch, and I think next time I'll bring a book and do reading between sets so I ca get more of a workout in.

I went back over and did one more set of everything, then crutched it over to the locker room to weigh myself. The scale wasn't exactly zeroed, but I weighed in at about 118. I was around 115 (I think) a few weeks ago on that scale, so I guess I haven't done too poorly so far. I mean, I'll go apeshit if I get above 120, but I think I can manage since I'm going to be getting to the gym. Also, not being on Vicodin will really help, since I was eating more to balance the horrible feeling it was giving me.

So, I'm back, I guess. I'm frustrated to not be able to do much, and super frustrated to watch people climb. I kept thinking that maybe I could climb. Maybe I can, when my leg stops hurting. 5.7s or something, where not using my left leg and just letting it hang wouldn't make me fall off. Falling would probably not be a good idea, since I might run my leg into something.

I have to remind myself that at least I just broke my leg. I should be back, albeit at a lower level, in four and a half weeks. A little more than a month. It won't be too much longer...

Jello

Photo credit: Slashfood.com

For the first time in probably seven years, I haven't worked out in over a week. I feel like I'm made of Jello. I may be imagining it, but I feel like I've gained ten pounds. At the same time, I think my leg is already shrinking. Waaaa. Okay, whining over for now.

I know this is a running blog, but...

This video is too good not to share on every social media platform I belong to. A group of climbers who took on El Capitan, for the first all-disabled ascent. Wow.  Seriously inspiring. "The right attitude and one arm will beat the wrong attitude and two arms. Every time."

Good Morning LA

Here is my delayed post about my impromptu morning run in downtown LA. The hotel gym wouldn't let me in without ID, so I just left the building and went for a run. No watch, just me and the streets. I'm not usually a creative person, but for some reason, those streets inspired me that morning. I just had words flowing through my head, when normally during runs I think about all the things I have to do today, or tomorrow. It isn't much, but here it is.

Right on Flower
Downtown gives way to decrepit shops of indeterminate vocation
Light Rail carries commuters in pink and blue collars
Under the freeway, a series of blue bivouacs protect inhabitants from the morning
Large blank walls menace, rows of shiny new cars gleam
Over the freeway, red lights blaze as drivers merge
Is it the lack of food and coffee, or is the smog making me dizzy
Good morning LA


View Larger Map

A New Challenge

Since I broke my leg, I've been trying not to get too bogged down by not being able to run. I know it will be a challenge to get back to where I was. Who am I kidding- I'll pretty much be starting from scratch, and that is if I'm lucky to have a full recovery with no lingering issues (i.e. ligament not healed). But I'm trying not to dwell on that.

I'm also trying not to be too sad that I can't climb for 6 weeks, and I won't be able to boulder for I'm assuming much longer than that. I made a stupid decision, and this is what I get. I'm succeeding a bit in this regard, because I know I'll be able to keep at least some of the upper body and core strength I've gained from climbing these last few months. I'll be able to go to the gym and do upper body and core work in a week or so, once I'm off the painkillers. If I'm smart about it and come up with a good routine, I don't have to lose much at all, aside from stability and balance that I'll need to regain.

One thing I wasn't counting on is how f-ing difficult it is to wear this monster brace and use crutches. I figured it would be no big deal to go to my conference in Asilomar and get around. I'm in great shape. Anyone can use crutches. Well, maybe it is the drugs, but I have been exhausted and sore since Wednesday. It seems like crutches are a full upper body workout if used correctly- forearms, back, core for stability. I'll have to wait to get to the gym until I build up a tolerance for this new constant work out!

It seems like everyone who has ever worn one of these braces likes to tell me about their injuries when they see me. What I'm realizing is that I should be asking about their recoveries. What did they have to do to get back? I'm worried about flexibility, balance, muscle, everything. It isn't just the not running or climbing that is going to set me back.

Another One Bites the Dust

You know that thing I said, on Sunday, about being overtrained but still compelled to do more. Well, that won't be a problem anymore.

In my infinite wisdom, I went climbing yesterday, after feeling wiped from running 22 the day before. I top roped for maybe an hour and then went to boulder. I was bouldering for a while, and felt tired. My arms were sore, and I was generally low energy. But I really wanted that V3, and I was so close. I was making progress, and I was just one move away. I had folks helping me work it out. It was fun, and I thought that I'd finally get that project done.

I knew I was tired. I kept getting flustered when I was on the wall and getting help (try grabbing it this way, or heel hook the blue one, etc.). I knew I was done for the night, and I should just come back tomorrow.

No, just one more time, I decided. The people I'd been working the problem with had gone off somewhere, and I had the cave to myself. Thats fine- no one to distract me. I'll stick the last move and be done. I'd fallen so many times from near the last move that I was sure I'd be fine falling again. I'd had a spotter before, but they'd never had to help.

Well, of course, I went for the last move and took a nasty fall. I was off balance from trying to dyno a move that I'd been told might just be too far of a reach for me. I fell, and landed with my left leg bent inward. I heard a pop. And then I sat down for a few minutes.

A friend saw me fall and came over to see if I was okay. I got up, washed my hands, and left. They gave me an ice pack at the front desk, and I went home and called for an early morning doctor appointment.

I was anxious all night, and got up way too early. It hurt, bad. I could walk, but barely. I went to the doctor at 8:40, and she immediately sent me to X-Ray, pretty sure I had broken my leg.

The X-Ray, and later the Orthopedist, confirmed that I broke my fibula, just under the LCL attachment under the knee. The Orthopedist thinks it may have been caused when I landed, when the LCL probably stretched too much and snapped the fibula. She thinks I may have torn the LCL a bit, but only on one attachment right above the break, so it should heal.

I'm fine with pain, but both times when the doctors told me I wouldn't be able to run CIM this year, I cried. I've been training so hard, and I really wanted to go for a Boston Qualifier. I'm in the best shape of my life, and I threw it away on a stupid V3, doing a stupid thing that I knew better than to do. I can't believe I was so stupid. But we all do it, all the time. Just not everyone gets hurt.

On the positive side, I have a brace instead of a cast, and the doctor said I can do whatever I want on my leg as long as it doesn't hurt. I plan to beast it up in the weight room at Pworks, so I don't lose the upper body strength I've worked so hard to build over the last few months. I'll be starting almost from scratch with running in December, so I might as well keep my climbing fitness up.

So I'm bummed, majorly so, but it could have been worse. Much worse. I'll just try to think that, because the pity party has to end tonight!